A Crowning Moment of Truth! (Japanese: 炎のバトル!ガラガラあらわる!!Battle of Fire! Garagara Appears!!) is the 34th episode of the Sun & Moon series, and the 973rd episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on July 20, 2017 and in the United States on October 7, 2017.
Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.
Our heroes attend the Wela Fire Festival, where Fire-type Pokémon line up to receive the Wela Crown—said to convey the power of Wela Volcano itself! Just as Ash’s Litten steps up, a feisty Alolan Marowak steals the crown from Kahuna Olivia and runs off. Kiawe pursues it, but Turtonator is no match for Alolan Marowak’s speed!
Ash offers to help Kiawe train against this quicker foe, and they come up with a strategy: use Shell Smash, a risky move that drops Turtonator’s defenses but makes it stronger and faster. In the rematch, Kiawe wins, and Marowak returns the crown—and then decides to join Kiawe’s team!
Plot
This plot summary is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this plot summary to add missing sections and complete it.
The students go to the Wela Fire Festival, but before their Pokémon can take turns wearing the Wela Crown, a wild Marowak appears and steals it!
In one scene, the purple portion of Mallow's Steenee's body is colored white.
During Kiawe's first flashback, a Lampent had a flame floating above it similar to a Litwick's flame.
When the AlolanMarowak runs away with the Crown of Wela, a Numel, Quilava, and Fletchinder are shown to be much smaller than they should be, especially the Numel.
When Lana turns towards to Lillie at the end of Kiawe's battle, her headband changes shape.
During the Poké Problem, Kiawe was in front of his Turtonator as they went towards the stone oven at his house, but after his Alolan Marowak appeared and attacked Turtonator, Kiawe came running from behind Turtonator to catch the food that was thrown up in the air.
Small Quilava and Fletchinder
Lampent with Litwick's flame
Dub edits
The Japanese text depicting Inferno Overdrive's names are edited out in the dub.