HZ002

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.

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Pokémon Horizons: The Series

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HZ002

HZ002   EP1234 はじまりのペンダント　後編 The Pendant of Beginning, Part 2

First broadcast Japan April 14, 2023 United States

English themes Opening Ending

Japanese themes Opening None Ending ドキメキダイアリー

Credits Animation Team Kato Screenplay 佐藤大 Dai Satō Storyboard 冨安大貴 Daiki Tomiyasu Assistant directors 大賀まこと Makoto Ōga 森山愛弓 Ayumi Moriyama Animation directors 広岡トシヒト Toshihito Hirooka 倉員千晶 Chiaki Kurakazu 大西雅也 Masaya Ōnishi 杉本海帆 Miho Sugimoto 杉山さよ Sayo Sugiyama Additional credits

Preview thread on BMGf Closed Original review thread on BMGf

(Japanese: はじまりのペンダント　後編 The Pendant of Beginning, Part 2) is the second episode of Pokémon Horizons: The Series, and the 1,234th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on April 14, 2023 as a one-hour special alongside HZ001.

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

Plot

Picking up from the end of the previous episode, Liko suddenly finds herself surrounded by a green sphere of energy created by her pendant. Looking around, she spots a strange Pokémon floating in the air in front of her. After a few seconds, the Pokémon transforms back into her pendant and the sphere disappears, causing Liko and her Sprigatito to start falling. Fortunately, Friede and his Charizard save her in the nick of time. With all the crazy things that have happened to her over the course of the night, Liko feels like a new chapter has just begun in her life. Friede tells Amethio that they have to continue their battle some other time and has Charizard fly away. Looking at the endless night sky, Liko feels she was only able to take the leap of faith that led her to this moment thanks to Sprigatito being by her side and takes a moment to compliment her partner. Behind them, Amethio, Zir, and Conia call out a Corviknight and a pair of Skarmory to continue their pursuit.

With her initial rush of excitement wearing off, Liko starts freaking out with how many unexplained things have happened to her, including being saved by a man whom she doesn't even know yet. She tries to ask for him to drop her off, only for them to start approaching a massive airship named Brave Asagi. A battlefield-like structure called the Wing Deck comes together at the back of the ship, allowing Charizard to land. Friede is approached by Murdock and Mollie. When Liko questions who they are, they berate Friede for leaving her in the dark and bringing her along without telling her anything. They're then approached by a Fuecoco and a Pawmi, which Liko recognizes as being from her home region of Paldea. Murdock explains that these Pokémon settled down with them during their travels, along with a group of other Pokémon from other regions. Seeing that these Pokémon seem comfortable around these people, Liko figures they are most likely not bad guys. She's momentarily mesmerized by the cuteness of seeing Sprigatito playing with the other Pokémon but quickly refocuses her attention on what's important. However, before she can ask any questions, Friede learns that the three people from before are still after them, while Mollie informs him that Orla has detected a huge stormcloud on their path. Friede tells Noctowl to be on the lookout and asks Mollie to watch after Liko as he leaves for the wheelhouse and sends Charizard to help Orla in the engine room.

Before Liko and Mollie can head downstairs, a blackout cuts the power to the elevator. Just then, Noctowl alerts them that their pursuers are approaching. Using a telescope, Mollie recognizes them as the notorious Explorers group. In the wheelhouse, Friede takes over the helm from the ship's captain, Captain Pikachu, and decides to steer them into the incoming stormcloud to hopefully shake off their pursuers. Amethio, however, refuses to give up and orders the Explorers to use the ship to shield themselves from the wind. They're soon at the Wing Deck, which Mollie is unable to retract due to the blackout, so she heads outside to try to retract it manually, leaving Liko to watch after the Pokémon. Leaving the wheel to Murdock, Friede, and Captain Pikachu head outside as well, picking up Charizard from the engine room along the way. Unfortunately for Mollie, she's unable to retract the Wing Deck before the Explorers break through the barrier surrounding it. Freaking out, Liko starts feeling like she's the heroine in some story. Looking at the scared Pokémon, she feels guilty about them being caught in the crossfire, all because of the pendant her grandmother gave to her.

The Explorers enter the airship and find Liko. Amethio asks her why she fled, along with if she can truly trust her rescuers, and what her pendant's glow was about. While she doesn't know the answer to any of those questions, she's sure that she can't trust the Explorers. Sprigatito lunges at them, but Zir easily holds it back. Liko tells them to let Sprigatito go, being ready to surrender herself to them as long as they leave the Pokémon alone. Amethio agrees to this, feeling that since Liko is clearly a part of the pendant's secret as well, they'll be taking her in addition to it. However, they don't make it further than the Wing Deck before Friede swoops in with Charizard, promising to protect Liko and Sprigatito. Friede and Amethio properly introduce themselves to each other, with Friede presenting himself as the leader of the Rising Volt Tacklers. Refusing to let them take Liko, Friede agrees to continue their earlier battle, though this time, instead of Charizard, he chooses to use Captain Pikachu against Amethio's Ceruledge, which Amethio scoffs at. Pikachu makes the first move with Thunder Punch, which Ceruledge blocks without issue. Pikachu follows up with Double Team. Ceruledge deals with the copies with a flurry of Psycho Cuts, before attempting to attack the real one with Bitter Blade, only for it to turn out to be a copy too. The real Pikachu is standing at the top of the airship and summons down a big thunderbolt to strike himself. Powered up thanks to the lightning bolt, Pikachu slams into Ceruledge with a powerful Volt Tackle.

When Amethio has Ceruledge fight back with Psycho Cut, the attack gets deflected and strikes the room where all the Pokémon are. Not wanting anyone to be hurt anymore, Liko tells them to stop the battle, ready to follow through with her surrender. She's sure Sprigatito is feeling the same way, until suddenly, the Grass Cat Pokémon jumps off her arms and starts crying out to her in a determined manner. Seeing her partner's refusal to surrender, Liko realizes she's been lying to herself and stands up to Amethio. With all the confidence she can muster, she orders Sprigatito to use Leafage. The attack erupts out of Sprigatito with such intensity that both Friede and Amethio are left in shock at its power, while Liko feels happy to have finally succeeded in using a proper move with her partner. However, the attack also breaks the barrier surrounding the Wing Deck, allowing the stormy winds to blow in. Friede is able to keep Liko from being blown away but is unable to stop Sprigatito from flying overboard. Deciding on a tactical retreat, Amethio orders the Explorers to withdraw, snatching Sprigatito mid-fall as they fly away, leaving Liko to helplessly watch and cry out as her partner is taken away from her.

Major events

• An unknown Pokémon briefly appears from Liko's pendant.
• Liko is introduced to the Rising Volt Tacklers.
• Friede is revealed to own a Pikachu nicknamed Captain Pikachu.
• Amethio kidnaps Liko's Sprigatito.

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

Debuts

Pokémon debuts

• Carkol
• Fuecoco (later Roy's)
• Unknown Pokémon
• Captain Pikachu

Characters

Humans

• Liko
• Friede
• Mollie
• Orla
• Ludlow
• Murdock
• Amethio
• Conia
• Zir

Pokémon

The unknown Pokémon

• Sprigatito (Liko's)
• Charizard (Friede's)
• Pikachu (Friede's; Captain Pikachu)
• Rotom (Friede's; Rotom Phone)
• Rotom (Mollie's; Rotom Phone)
• Rotom (Orla's; Rotom Phone)
• Rockruff (Murdock's)
• Rotom (Murdock's; Rotom Phone)
• Ceruledge (Amethio's)
• Corviknight (Amethio's)
• Skarmory (Conia's)
• Skarmory (Zir's)
• Pawmi
• Fuecoco (debut)
• Carkol (debut)
• Slugma
• Noctowl
• Shuckle
• Snorunt
• Muk (Alolan)
• Nosepass
• Quaxly
• Unknown Pokémon

Trivia

• Professor Friede's Pokémon Seminar: What is needed to intensify Sprigatito's sweet scent?
  • Choices: A battle, a sun bath, a meal
  • Answer: A sun bath
• This episode introduces new eyecatches, featuring Liko and Sprigatito in the first half, and Friede and Charizard in the second half.
• During the episode's initial broadcast as a part of a one-hour special with the previous episode, the title card or the eyecatches were not shown, and a special preview introducing Roy in addition to the next episode was shown instead of the regular preview.
• On April 17, 2023, three days after the initial airing of this episode, the official English Pokémon profile on Twitter revealed the first little information about the mysterious Pokémon and a post about the episode and its reveal, noting that it would appear in The Indigo Disk.

Errors

• Amethio's gloves are white instead of black when he pulls back his wet hair.
• When Amethio's Corviknight emerges from its Poké Ball to catch Sprigatito, the sound effect of a Pokémon being recalled is used.

References

← HZ001

Pokémon Horizons: The Series

HZ003 →

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