HZ045

This article is about an episode of the Pokémon animated series that has not been dubbed into English. As such, its coverage may contain romanized Japanese names, rather than dub names.

← HZ044

Pokémon Horizons: The Series

HZ046 →

HZ045

HZ045   EP1277 はるか、遠くまで To a Place Far, Far Away

First broadcast Japan March 29, 2024 United States November 22, 2024

English themes Opening Ending

Japanese themes Opening ハロ Ending RVR〜ライジングボルテッカーズラップ〜[マードックVer.PART2]

Credits Animation Team Kato Screenplay 松澤くれは Kureha Matsuzawa Storyboard 尼野浩正 Hiromasa Amano 矢嶋哲生 Tetsuo Yajima Assistant director ウヱノ史博 Fumihiro Ueno Animation director 篠原隆 Takashi Shinohara Additional credits

Preview thread on BMGf Closed Original review thread on BMGf

(Japanese: はるか、遠くまで To a Place Far, Far Away) is the 45th episode of Pokémon Horizons: The Series, and the 1,277th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on March 29, 2024, and is scheduled to air in the United Kingdom on September 9, 2024, and in the United States on November 22, 2024.

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

Plot

While the Brave Olivine is falling from the sky following the Black Rayquaza crashing into it, Spinel appears at the Levincia Lighthouse aboard a helicopter. Since Rayquaza is still in fighting shape even after everything the Explorers admins have thrown at it, he tells everyone to retreat. The admins agree and leave the site. At the same time, the Brave Olivine makes a successful emergency landing in the sea nearby, with its crew calling Friede, Liko, Roy, and Ludlow to assure them that everyone aboard the ship is fine and, as Ludlow heads back to the airship to help, encourage them to focus on the Black Rayquaza. Liko and Roy call out to Rayquaza, telling it how it has inspired them to come this far and issue a challenge for it. After a moment, Rayquaza responds with a roar, accepting their challenge. Friede invites Dot to take part in the confrontation as well and divides them into teams, with him and Roy taking flight with Charizard and driving Rayquaza closer to the lighthouse. As Rayquaza moves towards them, Captain Pikachu uses his Rising Volt Tackle, creating a vortex that launches Sprigatito and Quaxly into the air, but Rayquaza easily swats them back down with its tail before they can attack.

Friede and Amethio teaming up

Dot gets an idea, having Cap launch Sprigatito and Quaxly into the air again. Once in the air, Quaxly uses Low Kick to give Sprigatito a further boost as she uses Magical Leaf and Fuecoco and Charizard join in with their respective Flamethrowers. Rayquaza counters these attacks with Dragon Pulse, creating an explosion. Using the smoke as a cover, Charizard flies in closer, allowing Fuecoco to land a super-effective Disarming Voice. However, the group's momentary celebration over the success of their maneuver quickly subsides as the smoke clears and Rayquaza roars, indicating that it is intending to fight seriously now. This becomes evident when Rayquaza launches a Draco Meteor shower, forcing Charizard to start making evasive maneuvers. Fuecoco falls off Charizard during these maneuvers, but Quaxly manages to save Fuecoco by slowing down his fall with Water Gun. Another Draco Meteor barrage quickly follows, knocking Quaxly out and leaving Terapagos in the path of a falling meteor. Liko rushes to defend Terapagos, but before the meteor can hit, it is suddenly sliced in half by a Shadow Claw from Ceruledge, with Amethio entering the scene in its wake. Annoyed that Spinel kept him out of the loop for this operation, Amethio declares that the Black Rayquaza will be his and pulls out out his Tera Orb, Terastallizing his Ceruledge into a pure Ghost type and having it attack Rayquaza with multiple boosted Phantom Force attacks. Friede understands that they have to team up in order to stand a chance against such an overwhelming opponent, so he too pulls out his Tera Orb, Terastallizes his Charizard, and has it use Tera Blast on Rayquaza. Despite Amethio being irritated about Friede potentially getting in his way, he still lets him battle by his side as Charizard and Ceruledge attack Rayquaza together with many powerful attacks, leaving Liko, Roy, and their Pokémon amazed at the power of Terastallization. Just as Charizard and Ceruledge aim for a finishing blow, Rayquaza lets out a roar and dives into them with a devastating Dragon Ascent, forcing Friede and Amethio to recall their defeated partners.

For a moment, everyone is stunned silent by Rayquaza's power. The silence is broken when Fuecoco starts stomping the ground in frustration and flames start appearing around him, with Friede realizing that Fuecoco is trying to use Flame Charge. With encouragement for Terapagos, Liko also regains her confidence and orders Sprigatito to use Magical Leaf. As Sprigatito lunges forward, though, she suddenly starts glowing in a brilliant blue and ends up evolving into Floragato. Smiling confidently at her partner, Liko repeats the order for Magical Leaf, while Roy tells Fuecoco to use his newly learned Flame Charge. Both first partner Pokémon launch their attacks, actually managing to hit Rayquaza and push it back before falling back to the ground. Despite them collapsing from exhaustion afterwards, everyone is still proud of what they did. Quickly recovering from the hit, Rayquaza looks at Liko in the eye before roaring one more time and flying away. Zirc and Onia arrive to rejoin Amethio, who declares that they'll be leaving, calling out his Corviknight. Liko thanks him for his help, but Amethio tells her that next time, he'll be coming for Terapagos, and that the Black Rayquaza is his quarry, before flying away with his subordinates.

At sunset, Liko, Roy, and Friede rejoin the rest of the Rising Volt Tacklers, happy to see that all the Pokémon are doing well. Liko and Roy, though, are also quick to apologize, as they lost the battle, and their beloved ship got damaged in the process. Friede is quick to talk back, reminding them how they've gone through so much and met so many people already without ever going back on their goals. They have now managed to get this close to Rayquaza, who once seemed to be so far away, with Sprigatito evolving and Fuecoco learning many new moves along the way to this point, and their adventure will not end as long as they don't give up. Their confidence restored, Liko declares that she will find the rest of the Six Heroes and deliver Terapagos to Laqua, Roy expresses his desire to grow strong enough to gain Rayquaza's approval, and even Dot wishes to stand by Liko and Roy's side in order to learn more about the mysteries of the world that they are trying to solve. In order to grow stronger, the three children tell Friede that they wish to learn more about Terastallization. Friede has an idea on how to help them, so he declares that while the rest of the crew focuses on repairing the airship, Liko, Roy, and Dot will start undergoing Terastal training, though he leaves the details vague for now. While Friede, Murdock, and Orla head out to prepare a picnic for the crew, Liko looks at the Brave Olivine and thanks it for having brought them this far.

In an Explorers base, the admins are requesting further instructions from Gibeon. Following their defeat against the Black Rayquaza, Gibeon declares that for now, they'll simply let the Rising Volt Tacklers gather the remaining Six Heroes. Spinel correctly deduces that Gibeon is intending to let the Rising Volt Tacklers do their work for them, so that they can capture Terapagos once it is back to its full power. As for now, Gibeon orders his admins to keep an eye on Terapagos and Liko. The meeting concludes, with the holograms of the admins fading away. In his personal chamber, Gibeon, accompanied by a Shiny 10% Forme Zygarde, declares that he will return to Laqua and obtain the "Rakurium" for himself, telling Lucius that this adventure is not over yet.

Major events

• Spinel, Coral, Sidian, and Chalce retreat.
• Amethio uses Terastallization for the first time.
• Amethio's Ceruledge's Tera Type is revealed to be Ghost.
• Roy's Fuecoco learns Flame Charge.
• Liko's Sprigatito evolves into Floragato.
• Amethio and the Rising Volt Tacklers battle against the Black Rayquaza, but they are all defeated.
• Liko, Roy, and Dot decide they want to learn more about the Terastal phenomenon.
• Gibeon orders the Explorers admins to continue monitoring Liko and Terapagos while waiting for the Rising Volt Tacklers to gather the Six Heroes.
• Gibeon is revealed to own a Shiny Zygarde.

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

Debuts

Humans

• Gibeon (in person)

Pokémon debuts

• Floragato (Liko's)

Characters

Humans

• Liko
• Roy
• Friede
• Mollie
• Orla
• Ludlow
• Murdock
• Dot
• Nemona (flashback)
• Brassius (flashback)
• Iono (flashback)
• Kabu (flashback)
• Amethio
• Onia
• Zirc
• Spinel
• Coral
• Sidian
• Chalce
• Gibeon
• Diana (flashback)

Pokémon

• Sprigatito (Liko's; evolves)
• Floragato (Liko's; newly evolved)
• Hatenna (Liko's; flashback)
• Fuecoco (Roy's)
• Charizard (Friede's; Terastallized)
• Pikachu (Friede's; Captain Pikachu)
• Rotom (Friede's; Rotom Phone)
• Chansey (Mollie's)
• Rotom (Murdock's; Rotom Phone)
• Quaxly (Dot's)
• Centiskorch (Kabu's; flashback)
• Ceruledge (Amethio's; Terastallized)
• Corviknight (Amethio's)
• Skarmory (Onia's)
• Skarmory (Zirc's)
• Magneton (Spinel's)
• Umbreon (Spinel's)
• Beheeyem (Spinel's)
• Glalie (Coral's)
• Rotom (Coral's; Rotom Phone)
• Garganacl (Sidian's)
• Rotom (Sidian's; Rotom Phone)
• Medicham (Chalce's)
• Rotom (Chalce's; Rotom Phone)
• Zygarde (Gibeon's; 10% Forme; Shiny)
• Rayquaza (Lucius's; Black Rayquaza)
• Arboliva (Lucius's; giant; flashback)
• Moltres (Lucius's; Galarian form; flashback)
• Lapras (Lucius's; giant; flashback)
• Pawmi (Rising Volt Tacklers')
• Shuckle (Rising Volt Tacklers')
• Snorunt (Rising Volt Tacklers')
• Noctowl (Rising Volt Tacklers')
• Slugma (Rising Volt Tacklers')
• Muk (Rising Volt Tacklers'; Alolan form)
• Nosepass (Rising Volt Tacklers')
• Polteageist (Rising Volt Tacklers')
• Sinistea (Rising Volt Tacklers')
• Maushold (Rising Volt Tacklers'; Family of Four)
• Terapagos (anime; Normal Form)

Trivia

• Professor Friede's Pokémon Seminar: "Where does Rayquaza live?"
  • Choices: A mountaintop, the moon, the ozone layer
  • Answer: The ozone layer
• For the initial airing for this episode, Professor Friede's Pokémon Seminar was replaced by a trailer for the upcoming Pocket Monsters: Terastal Debut chapter, which was later uploaded to the official Japanese YouTube channel.
• The first eyecatch features Amethio and his Ceruledge, and the second features Liko and her Sprigatito.
• This is the last episode of the The Sparkling of Terapagos chapter.
• This episode marks the first time a Grass-type first partner Pokémon owned by a main character has evolved since Ash's Grotle, who evolved in The Fleeing Tower of Sunyshore!, 645 episodes earlier.
  • This episode also marks the first evolution of a Pokémon owned by either of the protagonists of Pokémon Horizons: The Series.
• This episode marks the first appearance of a Zygarde in the main series since Till We Compete Again!, 338 episodes earlier.
• This is the last episode to be animated by Team Kato, who has been involved with the animation duties since Piplup, Up and Away!. From the next episode onward, the animation is done by Team Kumemura.
• Starting from this episode, episode previews are presented in the style of previous series, with narration from Liko, Roy, Dot, and their first partner Pokémon.

In other languages

← HZ044

Pokémon Horizons: The Series

HZ046 →

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