XYS02

← XY049 : Bonnie for the Defense!

Pokémon the Series: XY

XY050 : Pathways to Performance Partnering! →

Mega Evolution Special II

XYS02   ポケットモンスターXY特別編 最強メガシンカ ～Act II～ Pocket Monsters XY Special Episode: The Strongest Mega Evolution ~Act II~

First broadcast Japan November 6, 2014 United States February 7, 2015

English themes Opening None Ending Be a Hero

Japanese themes Opening None Ending メガＶ（メガボルト）

Credits Animation Team Kato Screenplay 冨岡淳広 Atsuhiro Tomioka Storyboard 浅田裕二 Yūji Asada Assistant director 浅田裕二 Yūji Asada Animation director 岩根雅明 Masaaki Iwane No additional credits are available at this time.

Screenshots on Filb.de Preview thread on BMGf Closed Original review thread on BMGf Dub review thread on BMGf

Pokémon: Mega Evolution Special II (Japanese: ポケットモンスターXY特別編 最強メガシンカ ～Act II～ Pocket Monsters XY Special Episode: The Strongest Mega Evolution ~Act II~) is the second Mega Evolution Special and the second special episode of Pokémon the Series: XY. It first aired in Japan on November 6, 2014 and in the United States on February 7, 2015.

Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.

Other posters and logos

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  Second poster

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  Logo

Blurb

Alain and Mairin, along with their partners Charizard and Chespie, have just arrived in the Hoenn region as they continue their quest to unravel the mysteries of Mega Evolution. It isn’t long before they encounter another Trainer named Steven, and Alain can’t resist challenging him to a Pokémon battle. Steven unleashes his Metagross, who has the ability to Mega Evolve just like Charizard!

The exciting battle is interrupted when a Pyroar bursts onto the scene. It’s soon followed by its Trainer, Alain’s boss Lysandre, who owns Lysandre Labs in the Kalos region. He’s interested in collaborating with Steven, the Champion of the Hoenn region, to research the power of Mega Evolution and to harness that power for peaceful means.

Together, the group travels to an ancient ruin where Lysandre and Steven combine their research to discover a massive, glowing Giant Rock that resembles an immense Key Stone. Lysandre calls in his team of scientists via helicopter to begin studying their find, but their activities summon Rayquaza from the sky. Unexpectedly, this Legendary Pokémon Mega Evolves—without the help of a Trainer—and begins to attack the ruins!

Mega Charizard X and Mega Metagross battle back, but Mega Rayquaza launches a massive attack and flies away. In the aftermath, the group is surprised to see that the Giant Rock is missing. Based on Lysandre’s readings, he sends Alain to Rustboro City to track it down, and Steven and Mairin come along for the journey!

Plot

Following the discovery of an ancient tablet describing the Giant Rock, Alain and Mairin land in the Hoenn region to learn more about Mega Evolution. They make their way towards the ruins and trek through some foggy mountains. Mairin slips down a hill, landing awkwardly in tree only to helped up by Steven Stone. Alain is initially annoyed by the stranger's presence, but his attitude changes when he spots Steven's Mega Stickpin. Alain proceeds to challenge Steven to a Mega Evolution battle.

Steven accepts, calling out his Shiny Metagross. Alain summons his Charizard onto the field. The two Mega Evolve their Pokémon, becoming Mega Metagross and Mega Charizard X respectively. Mega Charizard unleashes a powerful Flamethrower attack, though Steven has Metagross use Psychic to send the attack towards the sky. Steven calls for a Flash Cannon, which scores a direct hit and lowers Charizard’s endurance stat. Charizard returns the favor with a Dragon Claw, only to be struck by a Meteor Mash in return. Charizard, however, emerged unscathed and launches a Blast Burn at its opponent. Mega Metagross remains standing in spite of the direct hit, to which Steven remarks that no one should underestimate him. Alain calls for another Dragon Claw while Metagross prepares another Meteor Mash. As the two are about to finish each other off, a Pyroar unleashes a Flamethrower and interrupts the two.

The Pokémon belonged to Lysandre, a businessman who owns Lysandre Labs in the Kalos region. Alain reveals that Lysandre is his boss, while Lysandre informs his subordinate that Steven is actually the Hoenn Pokémon League Champion. While Alain goes to save Mairin from another hill fall, Lysandre reveals to Steven that he is interested in Mega Evolution and harnessing its energy for peaceful means. After returning to higher ground, Mairin asks Alain about his connection with Lysandre. In a flashback, Alain contacts Professor Sycamore about Charmander's evolution into Charmeleon. He is trying to find a Charizardite in some ruins and encounters Lysandre, who proposes him a deal: a Charizardite in exchange for his help. Before leaving, he tells Alain that he has to be the strongest.

Back in the present, Alain and Mairin follow Lysandre and Steven up to a mountaintop. Steven reveals that he traveled in search of stones as he was interested in Mega Evolution. He and Lysandre show to each other two different wooden tablets. One half shows the location of the gate and the other half shows the way to open it: a Mega Stone. Both Trainers take one pillar, revealing a stairway that leads to the mountain. At the top, they find some ruins in search of the Giant Rock. Steven and Alain find two daises and activate them with their Key Stones, revealing a crystal.

The group finally finds the Giant Rock. Lysandre talks in his communicator, and a helicopter flies in. A science team soon arrives and starts researching the power of the Giant Rock, and in the process the sky turns dark, and Rayquaza appears. A sudden glow engulfs it, and it Mega Evolves into Mega Rayquaza, awakening Groudon from its volcanic slumber and Kyogre from the ocean depths. Mega Rayquaza is in a rage, destroying everything in its path. Alain and Steven call out and Mega Evolve their Charizard and Metagross. Mega Charizard X fails to use Flamethrower against Rayquaza, and Metagross fails to attack as well. Rayquaza counters with Draco Meteor before flying off into the atmosphere. The ruins are left destroyed, Alain is injured, and the Giant Rock is gone. With Rayquaza on the loose, Lysandre instructs Alain and Mairin to head to Rustboro City and investigate after receiving a powerful signal of Mega energy near the area, with Steven tagging along. In secret, Lysandre instructs Alain to stay close to the Champion, as his knowledge of Mega Evolution may prove to be useful.

Major events

• Alain and Mairin arrive in the Hoenn region.
• Steven is revealed to own a Shiny Metagross, a Key Stone, and a Metagrossite.
• Alain and Charizard battle Steven, but the battle is interrupted by Lysandre.
• Steven is revealed to have replaced Wallace as the reigning Hoenn League Champion.
• Alain is revealed to be working with Lysandre and Lysandre Labs, and to have received his Mega Ring and Charizardite X from him.
• Rayquaza attacks Alain and his company during their research, becoming Mega Rayquaza in the process.
• Alain and Steven attempt to battle Mega Rayquaza, but are quickly overwhelmed.
• Lysandre orders Alain to go to Rustboro City.

For a list of all major events in the animated series, please see the history page.

Debuts

Pokémon debuts

• Metagross (Mega Metagross; Steven's)
• Rayquaza (Mega Rayquaza)
• Beedrill (Mega Beedrill)
• Pidgeot (Mega Pidgeot)
• Slowbro (Mega Slowbro)
• Steelix (Mega Steelix)
• Sceptile (Mega Sceptile)
• Swampert (Mega Swampert)
• Sableye (Mega Sableye)
• Sharpedo (Mega Sharpedo)
• Camerupt (Mega Camerupt)
• Altaria (Mega Altaria)
• Glalie (Mega Glalie)
• Salamence (Mega Salamence)
• Latias (Mega Latias)
• Latios (Mega Latios)
• Lopunny (Mega Lopunny)
• Gallade (Mega Gallade)
• Audino (Mega Audino)

TV episode debuts

• Pyroar (male)

Characters

Humans

• Alain
• Mairin
• Steven Stone
• Lysandre
• Professor Sycamore (flashback)

Pokémon

• Charmeleon (Alain's; flashback)
• Charizard (Alain's; Mega Charizard X)
• Chespin (Mairin's; Chespie)
• Aron (Steven's)
• Metagross (Steven's; Mega Metagross; Shiny)
• Pyroar (Lysandre's; male)
• Rayquaza (Mega Rayquaza; XY series)
• Kyogre (XY series)
• Groudon (XY series)
• Doduo
• Scrafty
• Beedrill (Mega Beedrill; ending segment)
• Pidgeot (Mega Pidgeot; ending segment)
• Slowbro (Mega Slowbro; ending segment)
• Steelix (Mega Steelix; ending segment)
• Sceptile (Mega Sceptile; ending segment)
• Swampert (Mega Swampert; ending segment)
• Sableye (Mega Sableye; ending segment)
• Sharpedo (Mega Sharpedo; ending segment)
• Camerupt (Mega Camerupt; ending segment)
• Altaria (Mega Altaria; ending segment)
• Glalie (Mega Glalie; ending segment)
• Salamence (Mega Salamence; ending segment)
• Metagross (Mega Metagross; ending segment)
• Latias (Mega Latias; ending segment)
• Latios (Mega Latios; ending segment)
• Lopunny (Mega Lopunny; ending segment)
• Gallade (Mega Gallade; ending segment)
• Audino (Mega Audino; ending segment)

Cast

Cast
Alain	Jonathan Silver	Alain	Kenshō Ono	アラン	小野賢章
Mairin	Zoe Martin	Manon	Mikako Komatsu	マノン	小松未可子
Narration	H.D. Quinn	Narration	Hideaki Tezuka	ナレーション	手塚秀彰
Special appearances by
Lysandre	H.D. Quinn	Fuladari	Hideaki Tezuka	フラダリ	手塚秀彰
Steven Stone	Andrew Paull	Daigo Tsuwabuki	Kenichi Suzumura	ツワブキ・ダイゴ	鈴村健一
Professor Sycamore	Jake Paque	Platane	Hiroshi Tsuchida	プラターヌ	土門大

Trivia

• In both Japan and the United States, this special aired between Bonnie for the Defense! and Pathways to Performance Partnering!.
• Music from Genesect and the Legend Awakened is used in this episode.
• Serena narrates the preview of the next episode alone, while she and Ash read the title card and say the "Everyone, get Pokémon!" phrase together.
• This side episode marks Steven Stone's first anime appearance since A Hole Lotta Trouble, 11 years prior.
  • In the English dub, this marks the return of a former 4Kids voice actor, Andrew Paull, to the anime, reprising his role as Steven.
• This episode marks the first appearance of a number of Pokémon species in the anime after long absences:
  • Charmeleon, who last appeared in Not on MY Watch Ya Don't!.
  • Swampert, who last appeared in Leading a Stray!.
  • Lopunny, who last appeared in An Old Family Blend!.
  • Camerupt, Salamence, Metagross, Kyogre, and Groudon, all of whom last appeared in Zoroark: Master of Illusions.
  • Latios, who last appeared in The Semi-Final Frontier!.
  • Steelix and Latias, who last appeared in DPS02.
• If the player has Steven's Shiny Beldum, Steven makes a nod to Alain and this episode during the Delta Episode in Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. In that scene, he mentions an occasion, a long time ago, when he had the chance to meet and battle Rayquaza alongside a young Trainer who used a black Charizard.
  • This cross-canon reference is repeated during the Hearts United story event in Pokémon Masters EX, where Steven mentions both the battle against Rayquaza from this episode and the Trainer who teamed up with him during said battle.
• Because Steven is stated by Lysandre to be the Hoenn Champion, it is implied that, at some point, he had taken the title from Wallace, who was stated to be the Champion of Hoenn in Our Cup Runneth Over!.
• This marks the first time a villainous team leader other than Giovanni has been shown using a Pokémon of their own in the anime.

Errors

• Both times when Steven called out his Shiny Metagross, it didn't sparkle when it came out of its Poké Ball.
• In the flashback where Lysandre gave Alain the Mega Ring and Charizardite X, he refers to the latter as simply Charizardite.
  • However, it's possible that he was just saying that it was a type of Charizardite without specifying which kind it was.

Dub edits

• In the Japanese version, Lysandre initially mistakes Mairin as Alain's girlfriend, while in the dub, he instead mistakes her as Alain's sidekick.

In other languages

Language		Title
Chinese	Cantonese	最強超進化～第二章～* 最強超進化*
	Mandarin	特別篇　最強超進化～第二章～
European French		Pokémon : Méga-Évolution 2 * Mega évolution - Episode Spécial II
German		Pokémon: Mega-Entwicklung – Sonderfolge II * Mega-Entwicklung - Sonderfolge II
Italian		Episodio speciale II della miniserie Pokémon Megaevoluzione * Megaevoluzione - Episodio Speciale II
Korean		최강 메가진화 ACT II
European Spanish		Megaevolución. Episodio especial II

← XY049 : Bonnie for the Defense!

Pokémon the Series: XY

XY050 : Pathways to Performance Partnering! →

This episode article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation.