All adventures must come to an end, and Ash is nearing the conclusion of his journey through the Unova region in Pokémon: BW Adventures in Unova and Beyond, which just arrived on Pokémon TV. In this 16th season of Pokémon the Series, Ash finally challenges the Unova League, but that’s not the only excitement he and his friends experience. Before you dive in to watch the entire season, check out some of these iconic moments. Then, sit back and enjoy!
Ash Reaches the Unova League
Rather than being a dramatic end-of-season event, Ash’s arrival at the Unova League is a dramatic beginning-of-season event. Our hero heads toward Vertress City, the site of the Unova League, in the fifth episode of Pokémon: BW Adventures in Unova and Beyond. Along the way, he befriends a Trainer named Virgil and his Eevee, who are also planning on entering the Unova League (“Team Eevee and the Pokémon Rescue Squad!”). When Ash finally arrives at the Unova League, he sees not only his new friend, but also many of his rivals, including Bianca, Trip, Stephan, and Cameron. It’s clear that it’s going to be a tough competition (“Curtain Up, Unova League!”). It’s not all tournament battles, though, as Iris’s Axew wanders off, triggering a chain of events involving an angry Garbodor (“Lost at the League!”). Even so, there are plenty of exciting matches, but Ash and his Pokémon find themselves in trouble when Cameron’s Riolu evolves into Lucario in the middle of their match (“A Unova League Evolution!”).
The Mystery of N and Team Plasma
With the Unova League behind them, Ash and friends take a ferry to the White Ruins. Along the way, they meet an unusual young man named N. N is passionate about Pokémon—he wishes to learn the mysteries of their existence, and he strives to make their lives better. This leads him to disapprove of Pokémon battles, though (“The Name’s N!”). Later, our heroes encounter Detective Looker, who is on the trail of the villainous Team Plasma (“Team Plasma’s Pokémon Power Plot!”). These two events may appear to be unrelated, but it is eventually revealed that N is a former member of Team Plasma (“Secrets From Out of the Fog!”). Team Plasma plans to attack the White Ruins, secure N, and awaken the Legendary Pokémon Reshiram (“Team Plasma and the Awakening Ceremony!”). Of course, Ash isn’t going to just sit by and let that happen.
Hi, Hi, Butterfree!
With Team Plasma’s plans thwarted, Ash decides it’s time to return to the Kanto region, so he, Iris, and Cilan catch a boat that will take them through the Decolore Islands and back to Ash’s home region (“Farewell, Unova! Setting Sail for New Adventures!”). Their cruise has many stops along the way, including one on Wayfarer Island that sparks nostalgic memories for Ash. Here, Ash discovers a lone Caterpie who was left behind after its friends evolved and set off on their migration. Reminded of the Caterpie he caught when he first started his journey, Ash takes it upon himself to help this little Caterpie evolve. After some training, Caterpie manages to evolve into Metapod, but it takes a confrontation with Team Rocket to trigger its Evolution into Butterfree. This leads to yet another bittersweet moment when Ash has to say goodbye to Butterfree—someone cut this kid a break (“Butterfree and Me!”)!
Alexa and the Pokémon Sumo Competition
Ash and company may be headed to the Kanto region, but that doesn’t mean our hero can’t sneak in another competition along the way. They arrive at Harvest Island, famous for its delicious berries and the Grand Harvest Festival, and meet Alexa, a journalist from the faraway Kalos region. Joined by her Pokémon, Helioptile and Gogoat, Alexa is covering the Pokémon Sumo competition—and obviously Ash and his friends decide to enter. Before the event begins, Ash has a run-in with another young competitor named Rodney, and this rude dude’s Pokémon partner Golurk appears unstoppable. Can Ash and his Pignite muster the strength to win (“The Journalist from Another Region!”)?
Goodbye, Unova—Hello, Kalos!
During the final stretch of their cruise, Ash, Iris, Cilan, and Alexa plan their next moves for when they reach Vermilion City in the Kanto region. Ash plans to return to his home in Pallet Town, while Iris and Cilan hope to encounter Pokémon they’ve never seen before. Alexa intends to interview the famous Professor Oak. Before reaching shore, though, Team Rocket initiates a plan to steal Pikachu that involves floating the entire ship away with giant balloons (“Best Wishes Until We Meet Again!”). Not surprisingly, Team Rocket’s plan fails, and shortly after arriving in the Kanto region, Ash bids farewell to Iris and Cilan. He meets up with Alexa again at Professor Oak’s lab, where he decides on the next branch of his journey—Ash and Pikachu will return with Alexa to the Kalos region, where untold adventures await (“The Dream Continues!”)!
Lots of important events happen to Ash during Pokémon: BW Adventures in Unova and Beyond, and this list is only a small sampling of the action. Tune in to Pokémon TV to see the rest of the excitement that’s in store for our heroes. Remember that you can load up the Pokémon TV mobile app and enjoy these classic episodes anywhere!
