October 20th: SM144 - The Greatest Z in Alola! Kapu-Kokeko VS Pikachu!!

[Dephender]

Kapu-Kokeko has suddenly ended up battling as Professor Kukui's partner. The one going up against it is Satoshi's Pikachu. Their Z-Moves collide!!

----

Kapu-Kokeko has suddenly joined the exhibition match as Professor Kukui's 6th's partner. And thus, the last battle became the fated showdown between Pikachu and Kapu-Kokeko. The Z-Moves fiercely clash on the battlefield. Who will get the upper hand in this fierce fight in the exhibition match?

Screenplay 松井亜弥 (Aya Matsui)
Storyboard 齋藤徳明 (Noriaki Saito)
Episode Director 小柴純弥 (Junya Koshiba)
Animation Director 中野悟史 (Satoshi Nakano)
Animation Director 志村泉 (Izumi Shimura)

 

[Doppelgänger]

I'm excited to say I called this one yesterday.

Kukui's final Pokemon is a Totem Trevenant, but he doesn't get to use it. Tapu Koko leaps onto the field and battles instead. The Trevenant is recognized after the battle by Ash, and is mistaken as "Ohji", which causes Kukui to realize that Ash is the "Move Kahuna".

In the present day, Kukui does not know Ash acquired Firium Z or that he can evolve Electrium Z into Pikashunium Z. It would be fitting to debut both of those Z-Crystals in this battle, hence why Tapu Koko's interference would be convenient.

I need to give credit to others though, they pointed out:

-Kukui has an Electrium Z for no obvious reason
-Tapu Koko is lurking around the stadium
-A Trevenant was listed in the SM141 PokeProblem

I will point out that in the time travel episode, aside from being an organic explanation for why there is no longer a totem in the Melemele forest, Ohji would be the way to connect Ash with young Kukui. It had to be removed from the story so the two would remain unaware of each other.

If Kukui has a different Totem Trevenant, Ash will momentarily forget that the original died (as he did with Stoutland), because Kukui capturing it would explain why there's no totem in the forest. Ash referencing a long dead Pokemon that he should have no knowledge of reveals to Kukui and Hala he's the Move Kahuna, and the knowledge Ash was his inspiration as a child will give Kukui some consolation to cushion him after a loss.

 

[andrewscott48209]

I may have realized how all this could go down. In the previous episode, the original battle ends, but before everyone can pack it up and call it a league, Tapu Koko shows up, heals Pikachu, and challenges it to a battle, and going under professor Kukui's control so it could use a Z Move. This could ensure that Ash can use the Firium Z Crystal during the original battle, and use the Electrium Z Crystal/Pikashunium Z Crystal in this battle.

 

[elior]

I think episode 143 will be the end of the battle and 144 will be the remach between tapo keku and Pikachu but it with kukui

 

[RedR]

I may have realized how all this could go down. In the previous episode, the original battle ends, but before everyone can pack it up and call it a league, Tapu Koko shows up, heals Pikachu, and challenges it to a battle, and going under professor Kukui's control so it could use a Z Move. This could ensure that Ash can use the Firium Z Crystal during the original battle, and use the Electrium Z Crystal/Pikashunium Z Crystal in this battle.

yeah! good point!

only one z move per battle!

 

[Doppelgänger]

I don't think anyone envisioned this as the final battle of Sun/Moon. It's awesome beyond belief.

 

[Lord Godwin]

I don't think anyone envisioned this as the final battle of Sun/Moon. It's awesome beyond belief.

It's fan made right??

Did we get any confirmation for M-Lucario and Tapu Koko being part of THIS fight?

 

[Lord Godwin]

It's a mock-up. I'm rather sure that Koko is taking the spot of the mysterious 6th Pokemon, and that Lucario HAS to be Mega, unless you think that Incineroar + Lucario can take out Melmetal, Naganadel and Pikachu.

Sadly the preview cut off any hopes for M-Venusaur which would be an even bigger thread.

 

[Doppelgänger]

That Venusaur looked more than capable without needing to Mega. Meanwhile, Lucario fainted to Guzzlord's bad breath.

Nobody's going to believe that it can suddenly handle Naganadel when it was so effortlessly beaten by another Ultra Beast.

 

[Lord Godwin]

That Venusaur looked more than capable without needing to Mega. Meanwhile, Lucario fainted to Guzzlord's bad breath.

Nobody's going to believe that it can suddenly handle Naganadel when it was so effortlessly beaten by another Ultra Beast.

It will most likely fail against Torracat, though. Mega Venusaur with Thick Fat would be far more formidable.

 

[Bortgreen]

I KNEW IT!

 

[pancakemonster]

When Tapu Koko shows up to fight, the crowd is either gonna lose it, or start sweating and wondering if they can still make it to work on time. This is like, over double the length of the usual leagues (not that I mind, Sun and Moon had a battle deficiency that this is helping make up for.)

 

[Bortgreen]

I don't think this is 100% after the battle because we don't know who's Kukui sixth
About the Z-move problem, Tapu Koko just recharge their Z-Rings and that's it

 

[xinfernapex]

I doubt that Tapu Koko is Kukui’s sixth, that would make this a 4 parter, and the previous episode is ‘Conclusion! Incineroar vs Torracat!’ which strongly implies it to be the final battle.

My guess is that the full battle ends in a draw between Torracat and Incineroar, so Ash and Kukui decide to settle it with a one on one, with Ash using Pikachu and Kukui using Tapu Koko.

 

[Bortgreen]

I doubt that Tapu Koko is Kukui’s sixth, that would make this a 4 parter, and the previous episode is ‘Conclusion! Incineroar vs Torracat!’ which strongly implies it to be the final battle.

The odd thing is what you said makes sense, but this means Kukui has other pokémon as his sixth
I wonder what it would be then

 

[Zariful]

The previous episode says that Ash and Kukui are down to Torracat and Incineroar. That usually implies there’s nobody left.

 

[nuzamaki90]

Like I said, naysayers pay up! Kukui-Koko is here and now and this battle is going to be amazing. This is literally the hypest I’ve been for anything going on in SM. It’s all so very exciting.

Torracat has to overtake Incineroar and Pikachu has to overtake Koko, let’s end this League off with a bang

 

[satopi]

Oh wow! Tapu Koko has joined the brawl!

 

[Joltik-Kid]

Nobody's going to believe that it can suddenly handle Naganadel when it was so effortlessly beaten by another Ultra Beast.

I find it even less believable that Kakui would fail to Mega Evolve him from that start against Guzzlord...

 

[TheWanderingMist]

The summary for 143 implies that battle ends there (down to Torracat and Incineroar kind of implies everyone else is knocked out), so is this going to happen immediately afterward or something? And if so, how is Pikachu ready to go?