July 19th: SM82 - Won't You Give us a Dance Dance Evolution?

[Blaze Master X]

Plot twist: Rowlet, Popplio, and Steenee get into a dance-off and all three evolve

Tsareena then falls head-over-legs-for-eons in love with Datrix because tsundere relationships are the laziest to write and they can keep the abusive side of things rolling

Please please, make that happen!

 

[Pokemon Power]

Mallow's Steenee evolving again is probably gonna happen here. Though I still wonder, when is Mallow gonna catch a second Pokemon?

 

[Mega Altaria]

It will be good if it is an evolution episode, but I’m also expecting a filler and no Pokémon evolve and it would be an uninteresting dance episode. But then otherwise I’m also hoping at least one Pokémon learns a new move too.

 

[DatsRight]

I don't mind episodes which are just the trainers bonding with their Pokemon and demonstrating their current abilities and characters, though I do think these should have been put to use MUCH earlier into the series.

 

[Ignition]

Please don't dissapoint writers. Tsareena is one of my favorite Alola Pokémon. Idrc about underserved evolutions. I'm more so skeptical of evolving for the purpose of a dancing competition. Mallow is my favorite Pokégirl so, if this episode is focused on her, I'm really hyped even if there's no evolution.

Teeter Dance Steenee?

My main gripe is why the anime continuously give any activity the "Poké" prefix. I understand it emphasizes the focus on a Pokemon and/or Trainer but it feels arbitrary.

 

[DatsRight]

For all the talk about Steenee I'd love if Popplio's singing ambitions came into light again. The Jigglypuff vs Komala episode hinting to her wanting to learn Sing but nothing came from it thus far.

Hell we've even got Kiawe to think about due to Marowak and the Z Moves leaving him degree of experience with synchronised choreography.

 

[RashSkies]

Can someone explain to me why people immediately jumped to the conclusion that this will be a Mallow episode?
The Pokedex description for Brionne reads: "A skillful dancer, it creates a sequence of water balloons as it dances, and briskly bombards its enemies." so I thought the most logical Pokemon to get an evolution here (if there is one) would be Popplio. A Rowlet evolution is also possible. Steenee technically needs to know the move "Stomp" to evolve, which doesn't really sound like something she will learn in an episode about dancing.

 

[Mega Altaria]

Can someone explain to me why people immediately jumped to the conclusion that this will be a Mallow episode?
The Pokedex description for Brionne reads: "A skillful dancer, it creates a sequence of water balloons as it dances, and briskly bombards its enemies." so I thought the most logical Pokemon to get an evolution here (if there is one) would be Popplio. A Rowlet evolution is also possible. Steenee technically needs to know the move "Stomp" to evolve, which doesn't really sound like something she will learn in an episode about dancing.

Because the picture in the episode guide had Mallow and Steenee in it, everyone jumped to the conclusion that Steenee will evolve into Tsareena. We still can’t yet rule out the possibility of Popplio evolving.

 

[Ignition]

Can someone explain to me why people immediately jumped to the conclusion that this will be a Mallow episode?
The Pokedex description for Brionne reads: "A skillful dancer, it creates a sequence of water balloons as it dances, and briskly bombards its enemies." so I thought the most logical Pokemon to get an evolution here (if there is one) would be Popplio. A Rowlet evolution is also possible. Steenee technically needs to know the move "Stomp" to evolve, which doesn't really sound like something she will learn in an episode about dancing.

Well, for one, the picture that came with the episode title has Mallow and Steenee. Not strong evidence, but it's there. There's also that Tsareena merch from a couple of months ago. People have mentioned the possibility of Popplio (and, jokingly, Rowlet)

 

[World Turtle]

Maybe multiple Pokemon will evolve? At least Steenee and Popplio.

 

[GalladeRocks]

I'd like to bank on Steenee or Popplio evolving here but tbh I won't be surprised if the title doesn't turn out to be involving a literal evolution. Could definitely see one of those happening here though.

 

[RashSkies]

Well, for one, the picture that came with the episode title has Mallow and Steenee. Not strong evidence, but it's there. There's also that Tsareena merch from a couple of months ago. People have mentioned the possibility of Popplio (and, jokingly, Rowlet)

The merch is a fair point. A picture showing a trainer dancing with her Pokemon for an episode about trainers dancing with their Pokemon shouldn't really be considered evidence for the episode to be completely focused on them though.

 

[DragonKahuna]

I don't want to jump on conclusions this early and then get disappointed af (cuz its SM series after all), but I would love it if two pokemon from the main cast evolve in this episode at same time.
-Popplio and Steenee
-Steenee and Rolwet
-One of those three

Hopefully it won't be a filler. And the image of Mallow and Steenee sort of gives me impression that Steenee might learn Teeter Dance.

 

[Zoruagible]

Can someone explain to me why people immediately jumped to the conclusion that this will be a Mallow episode?
The Pokedex description for Brionne reads: "A skillful dancer, it creates a sequence of water balloons as it dances, and briskly bombards its enemies." so I thought the most logical Pokemon to get an evolution here (if there is one) would be Popplio. A Rowlet evolution is also possible. Steenee technically needs to know the move "Stomp" to evolve, which doesn't really sound like something she will learn in an episode about dancing.

I'd prefer Brionne over Steenee
Cause Popplio's at least did enough stuff to warrant an evolution
I suppose what we need is the trailer to really find out which of the two it could be, it has to be Brionne or Tsareena. Couldn't possibly be Shiron or Vikavolt given the circumstances. We still get a trailer before the movie breaks correct?

 

[dman_dustin]

Well the whole will there be an evolution or not, in context of the episode's focus.

Well there's just one problem, if it was Kiawe centered then the "evolution" would have to be symbolic, because none of Kiawe's Pokemon can evolve.

Ash could evolve Torracat, Rowlet, Poipole, unfortunately the only one that seems likely at this moment would be Rowlet, and even then I doubt Ash would get an evolution episode immediately right after a Torracat centric episode.

Lillie evolving her Vulpix now seems kind of weird, I would get wanting to give Vulpix some more extra screen time, but a few episodes after it initially refused to evolve, seems way too much.

Lana's Popplio could evolve, but seems unlikely at the moment.

Sophocles can evolve Charjabug but doubtful since it requires a specific place, and unlike Popplio and Steenee has no reason to evolve through the use of "dancing" at least Popplio has "performance" link to dancing as in "singing is close to dancing in terms of performance levels" unlike say nothing.

That leaves Mallow and Steenee, and unlike Popplio would actually be far more likely to evolve, because at least Steenee could be similar to evolving through dance, it evolves with the move Stomp, which could in terms of a Pokemon story could be a dancing move, since I'm sure some dances incorporate stomping in some aspect. And with Tsareeena being a Pokemon into kickboxing, one could argue in terms of performance a kickboxer would have some fancy "dance" like moves.

So really the only choices I see are (if something happens): Ash's Rowlet, Lana's Popplio, and Mallow's Steenee.

And since the photo is of Mallow and Steenee having what looks like a more amplified close interaction that doesn't typically happen in a random non important episode (as in Mallow getting down to Steenee's level while Steenee could be considered making a Dance like pose, such as an after dance pose), I'm just pretty positive it's far more likely to be Mallow's Steenee evolving over anyone else, but hell if Ash's Rowlet evolves in a dancing episode right after a Torracat episode, that'll be cool, and if Lana's Popplio evolves, well here's hoping Lana gets Primarina down the line.

Otherwise nothing interesting is going to happen (at least in terms of major development).

 

[andrewscott48209]

I'm calling it now. If Stenee evolves, it'll release a sweet scent, Rowlet will fall in love, and Tsarena will use stomp on it.

 

[Ignition]

You know who's a Trainer known for dancing? Tierno. Tierno'll come back to Mega Evolve his Blastoise.

 

[AshxSatoshi]

I'm not bothered about battle experience, since this series if anything is trying to show there are other ways to grow on a Pokemon's abilities and experience besides battling. But even besides that Steenee hasn't done much. Serena's Pokemon had it rather easy, but they were at least active as performers and characters, at least until Sylveon evolved and became more or less as memorable as Steenee right now.

I mean, they let Pikachu learn a new move this series, and people were certain he'd met a cap in terms of experience, surely they can do things with Popplio and Steenee besides evolving them.

I feel like that’s only because Serena didn’t have to compete with other characters for attention. Even though I started the comparison (strictly about “cheap evolutions”) I feel like a more fair comparison would be between Lillie and Serena. Mallow’s Pokémon is obviously going to get less attention than Serena’s because she’s not meant to be this series “PokeGirl”. However I still feel like having an active character doesn’t justify evolution. One could argue that Togepi and Torchic had active characters and appearances and even their evolutions felt eh. It’s almost like saying “hey maybe if we give this Pokémon a certain amount of episodes them learning new moves/having an evolution won’t look as weird despite them not doing much”. Which is why I can sort of understand why people were bashing Axew (despite Iris at least being shown trying to train him).

 

[DatsRight]

In fairness Togepi was a regular character, but often criticised for doing little at all and getting zilch development until it's finale two parter, while Serena and Lillie's Pokemon are at least shown doing things in the interim, like taking part in competitions or otherwise using their abilities in conjunction with their trainers' involvement, even if it's not as much as they really could have done.

Even Sophocles' Pokemon are at least put into use and have small but impactful roles in several recent episodes, as well as being put into several competitions non-school related. There at least feels like some sort of involvement and character agency that could go into them bulking up, even if they ironically haven't done so yet. Remotely.

Mallow's Steenee not only tends to get the scraps of characterisation out of the Alola class besides her running gag with Rowlet, but tends to play small roles in group situations or even many of Mallow's own episodes. Only a couple have gone into much detail into their bond or how she helps with Mallow's agendas.

Lana's Popplio is in between, since she does get some key bits of involvement and has even learned a new move and a bit of a battle style, but they're very situational, and while she has a developed bond with Lana, her characterisation is otherwise under-spotlighted, outside the starter trio episode which demonstrated several characteristics that never really came into play later on.

 

[p96822]

Well the whole will there be an evolution or not, in context of the episode's focus.

Well there's just one problem, if it was Kiawe centered then the "evolution" would have to be symbolic, because none of Kiawe's Pokemon can evolve.

Ash could evolve Torracat, Rowlet, Poipole, unfortunately the only one that seems likely at this moment would be Rowlet, and even then I doubt Ash would get an evolution episode immediately right after a Torracat centric episode.

Lillie evolving her Vulpix now seems kind of weird, I would get wanting to give Vulpix some more extra screen time, but a few episodes after it initially refused to evolve, seems way too much.

Lana's Popplio could evolve, but seems unlikely at the moment.

Sophocles can evolve Charjabug but doubtful since it requires a specific place, and unlike Popplio and Steenee has no reason to evolve through the use of "dancing" at least Popplio has "performance" link to dancing as in "singing is close to dancing in terms of performance levels" unlike say nothing.

That leaves Mallow and Steenee, and unlike Popplio would actually be far more likely to evolve, because at least Steenee could be similar to evolving through dance, it evolves with the move Stomp, which could in terms of a Pokemon story could be a dancing move, since I'm sure some dances incorporate stomping in some aspect. And with Tsareeena being a Pokemon into kickboxing, one could argue in terms of performance a kickboxer would have some fancy "dance" like moves.

So really the only choices I see are (if something happens): Ash's Rowlet, Lana's Popplio, and Mallow's Steenee.

And since the photo is of Mallow and Steenee having what looks like a more amplified close interaction that doesn't typically happen in a random non important episode (as in Mallow getting down to Steenee's level while Steenee could be considered making a Dance like pose, such as an after dance pose), I'm just pretty positive it's far more likely to be Mallow's Steenee evolving over anyone else, but hell if Ash's Rowlet evolves in a dancing episode right after a Torracat episode, that'll be cool, and if Lana's Popplio evolves, well here's hoping Lana gets Primarina down the line.

Otherwise nothing interesting is going to happen (at least in terms of major development).

I complete and otherly disagree with you on Steenee evolving because really if a Pokemon that has an evolved form that based more on dancing then Tsareena is Brionne because Brionne's whole thing is about dancing.