SM138

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.

← SM137

Sun & Moon series

SM139 →

SM138

SM138   EP1077 決勝戦！最強ライバル対決！！ The Finals! The Strongest Rival Showdown!!

First broadcast Japan September 8, 2019 United States

English themes Opening Ending

Japanese themes Opening キミの冒険 Ending タイプ：ワイルド

Credits Animation Team Kato Screenplay 藤咲淳一 Jun'ichi Fujisaku Storyboard 齋藤徳明 Noriaki Saitō Assistant director 小柴純弥 Junya Koshiba Animation director 新城真 Makoto Shinjō No additional credits are available at this time.

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

(Japanese: 決勝戦！最強ライバル対決！！ The Finals! The Strongest Rival Showdown!!) is the 138th episode of the Sun & Moon series, and the 1,077th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on September 8, 2019.

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

Plot

This plot summary is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this plot summary to add missing sections and complete it.

Major events

• Professor Oak, Delia, and Mimey arrive at Manalo Stadium to watch Ash's battle in the Manalo Conference finals.
• The wild Meltan arrive at Manalo Stadium and reunite with Ash's Meltan.
• The wild Meltan combine with Ash's Meltan, causing it to evolve into Melmetal and learn Double Iron Bash.
• Ash begins his battle with Gladion in the finals.

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

Debuts

Pokémon debuts

• Melmetal (Ash's)

Characters

Humans

• Ash
• Lana
• Kiawe
• Lillie
• Sophocles
• Mallow
• Jessie
• James
• Delia
• Professor Oak
• Professor Kukui
• Professor Burnet
• Gladion
• Lusamine
• Wicke
• Faba
• Hala
• Olivia
• Nanu
• Hapu
• Mohn (flashback)
• Hau (flashback)
• Guzma (flashback)

Pokémon

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Wobbuffet (Jessie's)
• Rotom (Rotom Pokédex)
• Rowlet (Ash's)
• Lycanroc (Ash's; Dusk Form)
• Torracat (Ash's)
• Meltan (Ash's; evolves)
• Melmetal (Ash's; newly evolved; debut)
• Primarina (Lana's)
• Eevee (Lana's; Sandy)
• Charizard (Kiawe's; Ride Pokémon)
• Turtonator (Kiawe's)
• Marowak (Kiawe's; Alola Form)
• Vulpix (Lillie's; Alola Form; Snowy)
• Togedemaru (Sophocles's)
• Vikavolt (Sophocles's)
• Tsareena (Mallow's)
• Mareanie (James's; flashback)
• Mr. Mime (Delia's; Mimey)
• Umbreon (Gladion's)
• Lycanroc (Gladion's; Midnight Form)
• Silvally (Gladion's)
• Zoroark (Gladion's)
• Hypno (Faba's; flashback)
• Decidueye (Hau's; flashback)
• Golisopod (Guzma's; flashback)
• Psyduck (Trainer's)
• Bewear (anime)
• Stufful (anime)
• Meltan (anime; multiple; evolve)
• Shaymin (anime)

Trivia

• Poké Problem: One of Ash's Pokémon will evolve in today's episode. Which one is it?
  • Host: Rotom
  • Choices: Meltan, Torracat, Rowlet, Pikachu
  • Answer: Meltan
• As of this episode, all of the Pokémon introduced in Generation VII have made an appearance in the main series.
• This is the first time since the Silver Conference, 17 years and 808 episodes ago, that Delia and Professor Oak have come to see Ash battle in a League Conference in person.
• This marks the first time in the anime where a newly-discovered move is being seen given a name.
• This is the first episode to show multiple VS screens during a single battle.
• The ending animation is updated to include Ash's Melmetal.
• Ash's Pikachu defeating Gladion's Silvally marks the third time Pikachu has defeated a Legendary Pokémon, and the fifth time one of Ash's Pokémon has done so overall.
• Jīkyō narrates the preview for the next episode.

In other languages

This anime-related article is a stub. You can help Bulbapedia by expanding it.

← SM137

Sun & Moon series

SM139 →

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