HZ023

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Pokémon Horizons: The Series

HZ024 : Reunion at the Ancient Castle! →

Fiery Galarian Moltres

HZ023   EP1255 燃え上がるガラルファイヤー Burning Galar Fire

First broadcast Japan September 22, 2023 United States May 10, 2024

English themes Opening Becoming Me Ending

Japanese themes Opening ドキメキダイアリー Ending RVR〜ライジングボルテッカーズラップ〜[モリーVer.]

Credits Animation Team Kato Screenplay 松澤くれは Kureha Matsuzawa Storyboard 浅田裕二 Yūji Asada Assistant director 浅田裕二 Yūji Asada Animation directors 岩根雅明 Masaaki Iwane 志村泉 Izumi Shimura Additional credits

Preview thread on BMGf Closed Original review thread on BMGf Dub review thread on BMGf

Fiery Galarian Moltres (Japanese: 燃え上がるガラルファイヤー Burning Galar Fire) is the 23rd episode of Pokémon Horizons: The Series, and the 1,255th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on September 22, 2023, in Australia on March 29, 2024, and in the United States on May 10, 2024.

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

Blurb

Liko, Roy, and Friede reunite at the Pokémon Center after running from the furious Galarian Moltres inside Galar Mine. Consulting Dot on the phone, their fears are confirmed—this form of the Legendary Pokémon Moltres is known for being overwhelmingly powerful when angered. Roy wonders if it’s possible to defeat the Pokémon in battle, but Liko has another idea: to try to understand how it feels. The Trainers attempt to quell Moltres’s rage, but it begins to attack, and Arboliva emerges from its Ancient Poké Ball to protect Liko. With Arboliva’s help, Moltres calms down, but Liko is surprised when it begins communicating with her pendant…

Plot

After fleeing from Galarian Moltres in the Galar Mine, Liko and Roy head to Motostoke's Pokémon Center to treat Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Captain Pikachu. After they thank Nurse Joy, Friede enters after having made it out of the mine with Charizard. Friede compliments his Pokémon but notices that Charizard is hurt too, so he has Nurse Joy treat the Flame Pokémon as well, which she gladly complies with.

After all their Pokemon are healed up, the group heads outside to the benches. Their Pokémon snack on Berries while Friede talks about the sheer strength of Moltres since it took all their strength just to escape its wrath and leave the mine. Liko takes this as sounding like fun, and Friede agrees. He says that it's always exciting to find an opponent stronger than him and it shows how much room he has for growth. Roy agrees, bringing up what Kabu said about learning from failure. Just then, Dot calls Friede to tell him about the information she gathered on Galarian Moltres, having been asked by Friede to investigate earlier. She tells the group about its physical features and how Pokémon who approach it end up lethargic. Dot then confirms that it is Moltres's Galarian Form. Friede is amazed at having met such a marvel in person. Dot goes on by saying that the Legendary Pokémon resembles Kantonian Moltres, but not much is known about it, and it's unstoppable when it's in a rage. Friede remarks that's something they know all too well as Dot hangs up, telling them to be careful. Friede proposes going after Moltres since it has one of the Ancient Poké Balls, but a frustrated Roy has a hard time thinking they can beat the Malevolent Pokémon when it's mad. Liko, remembering how Hatenna shed a tear when Moltres was raging, thinks another emotion is hiding beneath its anger seeing how the Calm Pokémon could possibly sense it. Roy thinks a Flamethrower from Fuecoco that's just as strong would do the trick, but Liko brings up something else Kabu said, that winning isn't the only path for a Trainer. Friede thinks from this statement that the group shouldn't think about defeating Moltres, but rather about calming its rage. As the group ponders how to calm Moltres, Fuecoco, and Wattrel start squabbling over a Grepa Berry. Roy tries to break them up but to no avail. The Grepa Berry they are fighting over lands in front of a napping Sprigatito. When Fuecoco dives to get it, Sprigatito ends the quarrel by calming both of Roy's Pokémon down with her relaxing scent, giving the group an idea.

The group arrives at the entrance to the Galar Mine, where Friede reassures Liko and Roy to relax and be ready for anything since the Explorers may still be inside. As they enter the mine, they see the damage done by Moltres's Fiery Wrath, the kids being informed by Friede to make a run for it if the Malevolent Pokémon does that same attack again. Just thinking about Moltres's Fiery Wrath makes Roy nervous, but decides to not let it get to him or Fuecoco. Sprigatito notices Liko thinking about how badly Moltres must be suffering. Hearing Moltres's cry from deep within the mine, Friede knows its anger hasn't cooled quite yet.

As the group comes out of the entrance tunnel, Moltres is right there waiting for them. Friede immediately sends Cap and Charizard into battle. Friede and Roy plan to draw Moltres' attention, having both Charizard and Fuecoco use Flamethrower. Moltres avoids the attack, and Liko and Sprigatito get to work building up a large quantity of the latter's relaxing scent for the Legendary Pokémon. When Moltres charges up an Air Slash attack, Cap jumps in front of Liko and blocks it with Thunder Punch. With that, Liko commands Sprigatito to use Leafage, the Grass Cat Pokémon mixing the attack with her aromatic scent to launch it at Moltres. However, the Malevolent Pokémon flaps its wings to deflect the attack each time. Friede gets the idea of having Sprigatito ride Charizard to get closer. Sprigatito hops on Charizard as they take flight. Charizard circles around Moltres and uses a Flamethrower. Fuecoco backs up Charizard with his own Flamethrower, which lands a hit on the Malevolent Pokémon and gives Liko and Sprigatito the opportunity to use Leafage again. However, Moltres blows off the attacks with a massive Hurricane that blows all of its attackers back.

Liko walks up to Moltres and tries to reason with it. She shows the Malevolent Pokémon Arboliva's Ancient Poké Ball, and Roy shows it the Ancient Poké Ball that contained the Black Rayquaza. Moltres still rages as Liko questions its anger. Moltres uses Fiery Wrath, so the group retreated behind some nearby rocks. Roy tends to Fuecoco as the Fire Croc Pokémon falls as it loses stamina from Moltres's aura. Cap takes action and uses Volt Tackle on the Malevolent Pokémon. The attack gives Cap recoil damage, but it also stops Moltres's Fiery Wrath. Liko runs up to Moltres once again. Despite Friede's warning, Liko tells Moltres that she wants to know how it feels. Moltres charges up for Air Slash, prompting Liko to shield Sprigatito with her body. Suddenly, Arboliva comes out of its Poké Ball to protect Liko. Almost immediately after, Liko's pendant starts to glow again with two of Lucius's Pokémon present. Moltres uses Air Slash, which Arboliva tries to block. Friede and Roy begin to think that maybe they can't stop Moltres after all, but Liko remains optimistic. Liko knows now that fighting alone isn't all there is to becoming a Trainer; learning how Pokémon feel and showing compassion for them is her path as a Trainer. With Liko's feelings linking with Arboliva, the Olive Pokémon activates its Seed Sower Ability, creating a Grassy Terrain which awakens Sprigatito's power and heals Roy and Friede's Pokémon.

With that, a powered-up Sprigatito uses Leafage once more, which Moltres still shakes off. Even so, Liko, still determined to get through to Moltres, has Sprigatito keep using Leafage. When Friede gets an idea to not let the Leafage go to waste, he and Roy lend Liko a hand as well, having Charizard and Wattrel whip up a gust of wind to fight back. With nowhere for the wind to go, the leaves of Leafage rise up to Moltres. The Malevolent Pokémon tries to use Air Slash again, but Cap intervenes by using Double Team and having the clones disorient it. With this, Liko has Sprigatito use her strongest Leafage, and Moltres takes the full force of the attack. As the sweet scent scatters throughout the cave, Moltres finally calms down.

The Malevolent Pokémon lands in front of Liko and begins speaking with the pendant, which turns into the mysterious Pokémon. As the two Pokémon talk to each other, Liko wonders what they could be talking about. Moltres then makes it rain inside the mine, which Liko thinks is a sign that it's crying. Friede and Roy wonder how Moltres is making it rain in a cave until a vision like the one with Arboliva is created for all of them to see. The group is surprised to see that it shows Lucius with Moltres speaking of something called "Laqua", which intrigues Liko. As the pendant's Pokémon brings the vision to an end, the group is left confused as to what "Laqua" could mean. Moltres approaches, leading Roy to think that it's still mad, but the Legendary Pokemon drops its Ancient Poké Ball from its talon and recalls itself back into it and to Liko's shock, Arboliva does the same. Liko picks up both of their Poké Balls, getting the feeling that Moltres wants to join them. Roy still wonders what made Moltres so mad in the first place, and Liko believes that it had a deeply-held desire, wanting to know what it is and thinking that Moltres might even have a soft side. That's the feeling Liko gets, so she wants to make sure she's right. Liko praises Sprigatito for its hard work, and Roy likewise praises his Pokémon. Liko notices that the Pokémon from the pendant is gone. Hatenna jumps out of Liko's hood and climbs up a rock before tumbling down for Liko to catch. The Pokémon from the pendant then reveals itself to be hiding behind the rock.

Kabu arrives at the mine having heard of the collapse caused by Moltres. As a worker informs him of the evacuated and injured Pokemon, Liko and the others arrive to greet him. Friede introduces himself to Kabu and thanks him for looking after the kids. Liko shows Kabu Moltres's Poké Ball, and Roy tells him that it trusted Liko and went inside. Kabu is impressed by this, praising Liko, and stating that her training has paid off. Kabu proposes that the next time they meet, they will have an official battle. When Kabu notices something rustling in Friede's coat, the three of them race to walk out of the mine, mildly amusing Kabu.

Sunset comes around, and Liko is left wondering if that Pokémon from the pendant won't go back to being a pendant anymore. Friede would rather focus on getting it back to the Brave Olivine and talking about it there. With that, the three start running back to the ship, with Liko thinking that adventure feels like so much happens in a short time nonstop. Meanwhile, the Explorers watch them from above. Zirc and Onia ask Amethio if letting them go is a good idea since they have Moltres in their possession. Amethio assures his subordinates that Moltres wasn't their objective. Onia thinks they have nothing to show for coming all the way to Galar, but Amethio points out the Pokemon from the pendant, proposing that they follow them to the old castle and steal that Pokémon.

Major events

• Lucius's Galarian Moltres goes inside the third Ancient Poké Ball and is taken under Liko's care.
• The mysterious Pokémon emerges from Liko's pendant again, but does not change back.

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

Characters

Humans

• Liko
• Roy
• Friede
• Dot
• Amethio
• Onia
• Zirc
• Lucius (illusion)
• Nurse Joy
• Kabu
• Worker

Pokémon

• Sprigatito (Liko's)
• Hatenna (Liko's)
• Fuecoco (Roy's)
• Wattrel (Roy's)
• Charizard (Friede's)
• Pikachu (Friede's; Captain Pikachu)
• Rotom (Friede's; Rotom Phone)
• Quaxly (Dot's)
• Indeedee (Nurse Joy's; ×2; male and female)
• Arboliva (Lucius's; giant)
• Moltres (Lucius's; Galarian Form)
• Timburr (Worker's)
• Terapagos (anime; Normal Form)

Trivia

• Professor Friede's Pokémon Seminar: What emotion does Galarian Moltres use as a weapon in fights?
  • Choices: Sorrow, anger, joy
  • Answer: Anger
• This is the first time a regional Nurse Joy design different from the Kanto-Sinnoh design has appeared outside of the series said design debuted in (in this case, a Galarian Nurse Joy).
• The first eyecatch features Roy and his Fuecoco, and the second features Liko and her Sprigatito.
• The initial TV airing of this episode did not feature Professor Friede's Pokémon Seminar. However, it was later available in streaming.
• A special preview showcasing future events was shown after the broadcast.

Errors

• In the closed captions of the initial TV Tokyo broadcast, Terapagos was mistakenly referred to as コダイカメ Kodaikame (literally "ancient turtle").
• After Friede expressed his excitement of battling the Galarian Moltres, Liko was seen sitting on a bench with no socks.
• In the Polish dub, for unknown reasons, the word "fiery" in the episode title was not translated into Polish.

• 

  Missing Socks

In other languages

Language		Title
Danish		En opflammende Galarian Moltres
Finnish		Tulinen Galarian Moltres
Italian		Il fervente Moltres di Galar
Norwegian		Flammende Galarian Moltres
Polish		Fiery, Galarski Moltres
Brazilian Portuguese		O enfurecido Moltres de Galar
Latin American Spanish		El fiero Moltres de Galar
Swedish		Den hetlevrade Galarian Moltres

References

← HZ022 : Charge! Galar Mine!

Pokémon Horizons: The Series

HZ024 : Reunion at the Ancient Castle! →

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