• Hi all. We have had reports of member's signatures being edited to include malicious content. You can rest assured this wasn't done by staff and we can find no indication that the forums themselves have been compromised.

    However, remember to keep your passwords secure. If you use similar logins on multiple sites, people and even bots may be able to access your account.

    We always recommend using unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication if possible. Make sure you are secure.
  • Be sure to join the discussion on our discord at: Discord.gg/serebii
  • If you're still waiting for the e-mail, be sure to check your junk/spam e-mail folders

Olivia's Grand Trial! The Hardest Pokémon Match Ever!! (979)

Serebii

And, as if by magic, the webmaster appeared...
Staff member
Admin
Olivia's Grand Trial! The Hardest Pokémon Match Ever!! (979)

Olivia's Grand Trial! The Hardest Pokémon Match Ever!!

It's time for the Grand Trial on Akala Island. Ash has challenged Olivia and the battle is a Double Battle. With Ash using Rockruff and Rowlet, he soon finds that something is up with Rockruff and it's not acting right. Due to this, Olivia's Lycanroc and Nosepass put Ash into a tough position. Will Ash and Rockruff be able to push through?

Visit The Episode Guide

Discuss
 

345ash-greninja

Auto-Memories Doll
Ash seems pretty focused for this grand trial and Olivia arrives!

Rockruff looks extra aggressive.

Olivia sends out Probopass and the double battle starts!

Rowlet starts with Leafage and Rockruff starts with Rock Throw!

Lycanroc uses Rock Slide and that completely overwhelms Rowlet and Rockruff!

Probopass surrounds Ash's Pokemon duo with Stealth Rock pillars!

Rowlet carries Rockruff over the pillars by flying and lands a hit on Probopass!

Probopass unleases the Magnet Bombs and Rockruff tries to counter with Rock Throw....But it fails and Rowlet and Rockruff are hurt badly!

Rowlet once again carries Rockruff over the pillars, but Lycanroc climbs through the Magnet Bombs and strikes Rowlet, knocking it down!

Probopass is about to strike Rowlet with Zap Cannon when Rockruff kicks a Magnet Bomb to stop the Zap Cannon and saves Rowlet!

Ash has a flashback of Gladion as Olivia unleases Continental Crush, but Rowlet carries Rockruff away and they successfully dodge the Z-move!

They manage to use Probopass's Magnet Bomb against it as Probopass itself it struck by it!

Rowlet unleashes Bloom Doom and Probopass is knocked out!

But what's this? Rockruff knocks out Rowlet! And it's quite repentant about it!

Ash cheers up Rockruff with his classic booty shake and Rockruff is back to it's battle mode!

Rockruff climbs through the rocks of Rock Slide and strikes Lycanroc with a brutal Rock Throw and Lycanroc is knocked out! Ash wins!

Ash gets the Rockium-Z from Olivia and the episode ends with Tapu Lele giving an appearance.

EDIT: I really liked the battle. The episode gets a 9/10 for me!
 
Last edited:

dark-tulip1

Active Member
I personally found this battle more underwhelming then the first grand trial - slow start imo.

Ash calling for Bloom doom with the music kicking in facing giga impact was really cool and the ending animation between Lycanroc and rockruff was ace!
 

Frozocrone

Miraculous!
I did like that Rockruff knocked out Rowlet. Bad puppy.

Good episode overall. At least Ash struggled a bit lol struggle
 

Janovy

Banned
I can't believe Ash buttshaking led up to one of the most intense scenes in this series. lol
 

DatsRight

Well-Known Member
Wait how does Rockruff knock out Rowlet? Is it like an accident or does it have an aggression snit fit?
 

Frozocrone

Miraculous!
Wait how does Rockruff knock out Rowlet? Is it like an accident or does it have an aggression snit fit?

Bit of both. Was out of control.
 

345ash-greninja

Auto-Memories Doll
Ash would've once again won 2-0 if Rockruff didn't knock out Rowlet. Lol.

*Kahunas cannon fodder*
 

OshyHikari

c l a r i t y
Wait, did Ash really twerk again? What is it with twerking and Rockruff?

Rockruff knocking out Rowlet was a sudden plot twist if you ask me. But then again, Rockruff was acting a bit disobedient.
 

NegaiFreak

Plus Ultra!
Ash would've once again won 2-0 if Rockruff didn't knock out Rowlet. Lol.

*Kahunas cannon fodder*

Oh give me a break. While it was clear that Ash had a strategy going for him throughout the match, there were points where he was overwhelmed by how powerful Olivia's team was. I'd say that it should've been a match that went down to Rowlet and Lycanroc, but I digress. This was good. Rockruff being aggressive and knocking out Rowlet by accident was also a nice touch.

I'm not laughing at the whole friendly fire thing because it's really important to Rockruff's character and nature going forward whether or not he chooses to evolve into one of the two Lycanroc forms or a new one.
 

345ash-greninja

Auto-Memories Doll
Rockruff is really acting extra aggressive! Knocking out Rowlet, really? But kudos to Ash for cheering Rockruff up after that with his classis booty shake :D

Anyway, despite Rockruff defeating Lycanroc, Rowlet was the true star here. It helped to dodge the brutal Continental Crush!
 

345ash-greninja

Auto-Memories Doll
Only Ash can get a 3-0 KO score in a 2vs2 battle :D

Bwahahaha! :D

By the way, some of Olivia moves in the battle really seemed dumb. Seriously, ordering Giga Impact to directly charge into a Z-move???
 

UltimateNinja

Praying for the holy relics
Quite decent battle, but I prefered him to lose the battle and win some episodes later and training a little bit more. Also Rowlet losing like that...okay.

Now we're 36 episodes and the majority of the trials and two grand trials are already over. The pacing seems to be really akward.
 

Akkipeddi

All set to be a nice guy
Well finally a battle that I thought was reasonably good. The first half of the battle wasn't that great, and it was more of Ash struggling to get to terms with Olivia's Pokémon, and the Stealth Rock. However, after figuring it out, Ash was quite smart and strategic in the battle. I like how he used Olivia's own Continental Crush to destroy her own Stealth Rocks, before Bloom Dooming Probopass. I get that they wanted to show Rockruff being aggressive, but I found the bit where it attacked its own teamate Rowlet quite unnecessary.

And even though Rockruff got the win, the MVP imo was still Rowlet, for dodging the Continental Crush, and delivering its own successful Z move.

However, some parts I didn't like were Ash shaking his booty 2.0 (seriously Ash have some shame, there are three girls watching you), and the forced attempt of humour by making Olivia trip before giving Ash the Z Crystal.

But overall, I thought it was a pretty good episode, not great, but nevertheless a battle I've finally liked this series after the Gumshoos one. It wasn't amazing, but good enough for me to give this episode a 7/10.
 
Last edited:

DatsRight

Well-Known Member
This wasn't a bad battle, liked a lot of the strategies (though some felt more down to the Pokemon than Ash thinking them up). Probopass's Mini Noses being a constant separate threat and Rowlet's flying tag team made it a unique face-off.

Rockruff acts like an aggressive jackass the whole episode, until it knocks out Rowlet, cue the BSOD. While disobedient Pokemon are commonly humbled, full on remorse over acting callous isn't shown as often, it's a powerful emotion. It didn't shrug it off by the end of the episode either. Just don't turn into canine Ike Turner please, Rockruff. You get one free pass.

The finish up was a bit quickly done, expecting Rockruff to be more of an underdog against Lycanroc (though it was a close call double faint I guess). Loved 'Alola' being used again though after being replaced as the title track.
 
Last edited:

FrozTKnight

Will ORA ORA ORA you
Is it me or is Rockruff becoming one of Ash's most interesting Pokemon he has owned...
 
Top