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Nanu's Grand Trial! The Awakening of Lycanroc! (1020)

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Nanu's Grand Trial! The Awakening of Lycanroc!

It's time for Ash's rematch with Nanu to complete the Ula'ula Grand Trial. The challenge of this Grand Trial? Defeat all 3 of Nanu's Pokémon using only his Lycanroc. However, as the battle progresses, Lycanroc starts to get angry and stressed due to Nanu's Dark-type Pokémon. Will Ash be able to calm it and defeat Nanu?

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Discuss
 

Blaze Master X

The Fallen Hero
Yep, Ash just got a Lycanium Z from Nanu.
Lycanroc just learned Counter.
 

Rohanator

Well-Known Member
For the first time they actually used a Z-move in a satisfyingly creative way, the rock produced by Continental Crush was so big that it sealed the blackhole of Blackhole Eclipse, allowing Lycanroc to avoid damage and srtike an unguard Persian, very nice. The Rockium Z played it's part in a way only it could've and we still have Splintered Stormshards to look forward to in a future battle, this went better than I had hoped.
 

1rkhachatryan

Call me Robert guys
I'm glad Lycanroc learned Counter, hopefully his new move set is Bite, Accelrock, Counter, and Stone Edge. Rock Throw is just repetitive at this point.

Also really wasn't a fan of how easily Lycanroc beat his pokemon, he literally two hit KO'd and one hit KO'd two of his pokemon.
 

Mega Altaria

☆~Shiny hunter▢~
Cool to see Lycanroc learn Counter, which it might have learned from Krookodile especially from its defeat in its first battle. It was also good to see Ash get the Lycanium Z at the end so it seems that Lycanroc has been getting a lot of treatment lately. It was nice to see Ash block a Black Hole Eclipse from Alolan Persian with Continental Crush from Lycanroc.
 

Darthlord7

The Smug Pikachu
Counter probably replaced Rock Throw or Bite there. I guess Nanu's Pokemon weren't all that durable after all. It's also good that they used the Z-Moves in a creative way too. The Sitrus berry from Tapu Bulu was also a nice addition making Lycanroc's achievement more consistent since it balanced a bit the 1 vs 3 disadvantage there.
 

nickdt

Well-Known Member
Counter for Lycanroc is nice. Its the first time one of Ash's Pokemon has a move that can deal double damage when attacked (Not counting Bide, since its not initial damage, since with that it depends on how much it gets hit). Ash getting Lycinium Z was expected (If he wouldn't get Incinium). I think this kinda confirms Torracat staying as is, while his last capture might also be confirmed.
 

DuquÊ?

Too lazy to pick a pic
So, how the berserk mode problem was solved? Was it basically Lycanrock's fighting spirit getting pumped and Ash just rolls with that?
 

345ash-greninja

Auto-Memories Doll
LYCANROC ROCKS!!! :D

As expected it took out 3 Pokemon all by itself, but what was even more impressive was that the way Ash and Lycanroc managed to get the wins by overcoming all the obstacles/jams they faced in the battle. Especially the red-eyes thing proved to be an annoying obstacle, but in the end Ash's bond and connection with Lycanroc prevailed over everything, helping Lycanroc to overcome its issues with it. The Z-move clash between Black Hole Eclipse and Continental Crush also looked really epic in the end, paving the way for Ash and Lycanroc to clinically finish the battle with Accelrock. Not to mention that Lycanroc learned Counter as well.

And last of all, but certainly not the least, Nanu gave Ash the Lycanium-Z!!! :eek: Certainly didn't expect Ash to get Lycanium-Z this way, but anyway, all it matters that Ash has the Z-crystal now.

Great episode this, I really enjoyed Lycanroc's sweep of Nanu, it's development arc almost nearly came a full circle. 8/10!
 
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lolipiece

Pictured: what browsing Serebii does to a person
Staff member
Moderator
I love how the paralleled the previous battle by having Nanu goad Ash instead of Lycanroc.

Also, I love Nanu. How he just casually turned around as Black Hole Eclipse activated made me laugh out loud. Cool guys don't look at explosions, indeed.

Also, did the voice cast reveal Persian's voice actor? Because it sounded like Sophocles/Mareanie's actress, especially when it used its Z-Move.
 

Lucario At Service

Calm Trainer
So, how the berserk mode problem was solved? Was it basically Lycanrock's fighting spirit getting pumped and Ash just rolls with that?
Its more like, Dusk Lycanroc was able to control its inner rage more smoothly without losing control, which also boosted its reaction and offensive power.

In a way we can say that, Dusk Lycanroc was able to control its Midnight forms aspect, which also eventually resulted it in learning 'Counter'.
 

345ash-greninja

Auto-Memories Doll
Counter probably replaced Rock Throw or Bite there. I guess Nanu's Pokemon weren't all that durable after all. It's also good that they used the Z-Moves in a creative way too. The Sitrus berry from Tapu Bulu was also a nice addition making Lycanroc's achievement more consistent since it balanced a bit the 1 vs 3 disadvantage there.
I would have honestly preferred a clean sweep without that Citrus Berry finish, and in return make Lycanroc struggle a bit more/take more damage and looking like standing on its last legs at the end of the battle to make it look more realistic. Citrus Berry takes away some credit from Lycanroc's performance after all, and that isn't right IMO, especially if you see that the Ula Ula arc was mainly about Lycanroc's development/building it up as Ash's Alolan ace.

Anyway, one thing which was really notable in this episode was the inconsistency in Nanu's Krookodile's power level considering how it was depicted in SM74. Was it truly the same Krookodile battling here? Hard to believe it TBH.
 

Mega Altaria

☆~Shiny hunter▢~
So, how the berserk mode problem was solved? Was it basically Lycanrock's fighting spirit getting pumped and Ash just rolls with that?
As I can remember, there was also a flashback to the moment Lycanroc overcame its berserk mode after getting dirty from Sand Tomb. He also apologises to Lycanroc over some struggle but I'm not too sure.
 

Lucario At Service

Calm Trainer
Especially the red-eyes thing proved to be an annoying obstacle

Actually that's a misconception.
Dusk Lycanroc already had quite a good control over his feral nature from the start. The main problem was Ash himself in this battle.

First Ash was afraid of Krookodile's "Counter", because of which he wasn't making good decisions.
Next he totally forgot that Dusk Lycanroc had learned a new move "Stone Edge", and let it take a lot of damage against Sableye.
Then Ash lost his patience from Nanu's trash-talk, which left Dusk Lycanroc totally open to A.Persian attacks.

Also, throughout the battle (until the moment Dusk Lycanroc tackled him), Ash was a lot afraid of Dusk Lycanroc losing its control and going berserk, which is also a reason for their bad performance.
 
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345ash-greninja

Auto-Memories Doll
Actually that's a misconception.
Dusk Lycanroc already had quite a good control over his feral nature from the start. The main problem was Ash himself in this battle.

First Ash was afraid of Krookodile's "Counter", because of which he wasn't making good decisions.
Next he totally forgot that Dusk Lycanroc had learned a new move "Stone Edge", and let it take a lot of damage against Sableye.
Then Ash lost his patience from Nanu's trash-talk, which left Dusk Lycanroc totally open to A.Persian attacks.

Also, throughout the battle (until the moment Dusk Lycanroc tackled him), Ash was a lot afraid of Dusk Lycanroc losing its control and going berserk, which is also a reason for their bad performance.
You mean to say that Ash not being in an optimal state of mind/being afraid is somehow related to Lycanroc activating Red-Eyes Black Dragon rage mode and going berserk?

Anyway, Lycanroc is the end managed to control it's inner rage and channel that rage into boosting its offensive power, giving it a boost in the end, as it seemed like, and that's what mattered after all.
 

Lucario At Service

Calm Trainer
You mean to say that Ash not being in an optimal state of mind/being afraid is somehow related to Lycanroc activating Red-Eyes Black Dragon rage mode and going berserk?

No, its like Ash misunderstood Dusk Lycanroc capabilities and mindset, and kept on thinking that it would lose control any moment, whenever its eyes turned red.
On the other hand, Dusk Lycanroc was like, 'i am in control now from the start, so why are you panicking uselessly?'.

Anyway, Lycanroc is the end managed to control it's inner rage and channel that rage into boosting its offensive power, giving it a boost in the end, as it seemed like, and that's what mattered after all.

Like i said, Dusk Lycanroc seemed to have almost full control of his rage from the start of Grand Trial (did you see it making any bad moves by itself in rage, like we have seen before). It was just Ash who was uselessly worrying to much, because of which he even fell for Nanu's trash-talk as well.
 

Rohanator

Well-Known Member
The twist with Lycanroc’s eyes was really cool, throughout the battle they would occasionally turn red which would always cause Ash to worry and tell Lugarugan to calm down, but it turns out it was never losing control to begin with (in this episode that is), the red eyes are now just a mode that it can activate to become stronger. Nanu realized this and hinted it to Ash, ”Rather than becoming angry, isn’t Lycanroc simply getting stronger?”, but Ash wasn’t convinced immediately and hesitated to use the red eyes, so Nanu started provoking him, saying Lycanroc would be better off without a soft trainer like him which caused him to get angry and lose focus in the battle, until Lycanroc itself was able to to show Ash he was in control despite having red eyes.

So yeah, we were lead to believe that Lycanroc still had issues because Ash also thought that and we shared his point of view, but he was wrong.

The battle wasn't anything special as far as animation or the actual KO's go, but the character writing carried the match for me, and I think Pokemon could use more of that.
 

lolipiece

Pictured: what browsing Serebii does to a person
Staff member
Moderator
Anyway, one thing which was really notable in this episode was the inconsistency in Nanu's Krookodile's power level considering how it was depicted in SM74. Was it truly the same Krookodile battling here? Hard to believe it TBH.

Lycanroc wasn't being bullied to the point of losing it this time.

If you have a strategy that doesn't work a second time, it can end up with a totally different result.

Wulfric's Avalugg is another example.
 

Akkipeddi

All set to be a nice guy
Tbh, I didn't like this battle that much. First of all, it was ridiculous how Lycanroc managed to 2 hit ko Krookodile and Sableye. And even then, the battle against Persian wasn't very impressive either, other than that one moment of Z Move.

Ash was also out of character, getting affected by Nanu's trash talking, and needed Lycanroc to tackle him to get him back to senses. Tapu Bulu randomly handing a Sitrus berry felt undeserved as well, since it was out of the blue, and Lycanroc didn't really battle so hard up to that point that it deserved it.

Overall, 6/10. Battle choreography was poor, animation was pretty average, and there was way too much unnecessary talking going on during the battles that ruined momentum and flow.
 
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