• 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

Team Rocket's Island Challenge? Get a Z-Ring (1016)

Dragalge

"Orange" Magical Girl
After watching this episode again, I have a lot of questions regarding Z Moves since there seems to be quite a bit of plot inconsistency behind them.

Firstly, I personally feel that the series has done a really shoddy job at explaining and depicting Z Rings and Z Crystals. The first episode tried to depict Z Moves as this sacred technique, with Kiawe looking like someone who was dead serious about them, and gave off this vibe that they are tough to find. Then over time, he himself has been reduced to comedy relief, along with his usage of Z Moves.

They made Ash's first Z Crystal break because he hadn't cleared a trial which is needed as proof of a user's ability, yet Jessie is able to get a Mimikium Z for no good reason other than Mimi wanting to see Jessie's Mimikyu using the move.

Also, based on what Matori said, Z Rings are kept and given out by Island Kahunas, which we saw with Hala, and probably how Gladion got his from Olivia. Even Ash's Z Ring, which was given by Tapu Koko, was from Hala since it just stole it. Yet, how did Lana manage to magically find a Z Ring ore?

And lastly, now we find out that Z Power Rings are nothing special since Nanu had one and just gave one away to TR like nobody's business. That just makes Ash's Z Power Ring feel so idiotic since it needed to be transformed by the Tapus in a ritual (in what was a boring as hell episode) to make it seem extra special, when now we know it isn't.

Now maybe I might have missed some details or misunderstood some things which I'm sure someone will correct me on, but as of 73 episodes, the anime has been poor in its explanation of Z Moves.

Still liked the episode though, that doesn't change. Team Rocket were definitely entertaining, and despite me not being their biggest fans, I'd still take them receiving more screen time and episodes any day over any of the classmates (though I wonder how Ash is suddenly on his way to Ula'ula, since no one even told him about Nanu and the Grand Trial).
This is the same show where a random Nurse Joy was able to Mega Evolve an Audino very quickly despite a five-episode arc depicting struggles of mastering it.

Consistency has never been this anime's strongest suit.
 

MidnightMelody

Hopeful for Gen 8
Wow this episode felt like a true pokemon episode (minus the stupid faces) It did not have the SUMO feel to it which to me is great. Hoping this continues myself. Also nice seeing we don't need Ash to make an episode good.
 

xEryChan

Demon Child
I really enjoyed this episode, it was so much better the two we got last week. It was nice to see an TR episode where Ash did not get much focus. I also liked the fact that he only appeared in the last two minutes of the episode. Makes me wonder if he is going to Ula’ula Island by himself or if his classmates will be joining him there in the next episode.

I’m definitely glad they did not do what they did in the Lillie episode when they said that Shiron learned Hail off screen, that kind of annoyed me and I really wish they would have let us see that. I’m glad that they showed Mareanie learning Knock Off in the episode. I guess it had to be in the episode so they could realize that Mareanie knowing a dark type move would allow them to utilize the Darkium Z but still, I liked they included that in the episode.

Nanu definitely seems to have the same personality he does in the games and I really like that as well. Acerola did not annoy me in this episode, I honestly disliked her in the games, I found her character to be very annoying and I just did not like her one bit. I didn’t have any problems with her in the the anime.

It was nice to see TR use Black Hole Eclipse and completely nail the pose on the first try without any help. Ash was not able to do that and I don’t think Kiawe was either. I also liked that all three of them used the pose and not just James.

Jessie got the Mimikyium Z as well at the end and I loved that. I can’t wait to see her use that in the future.

So all in all, I really enjoyed this episode. It was great for a TR episode and I loved the animation for Black Hole Eclipse with the TR song playing in the background.
 

Twilight-Kun

Pokemon World Champion
Well, that was a disappointing episode

Ash has to face life-threatening situations to temporarily get Pikachu's Z-Crystal and Team Rocket get Mimikyu's permanently by doing nothing

Weird that Mimi was actually physically dead and couldn't interact with anything
Did it look at itself in a mirror?

Can't wait for the TRio to fail at using two Z-moves because they perform it together
Having James do BHE by himself while Jessie does LSF would allow they to trounce Ash with ease
 

DatsRight

Well-Known Member
Well, that was a disappointing episode

Ash has to face life-threatening situations to temporarily get Pikachu's Z-Crystal and Team Rocket get Mimikyu's permanently by doing nothing

Weird that Mimi was actually physically dead and couldn't interact with anything
Did it look at itself in a mirror?

Can't wait for the TRio to fail at using two Z-moves because they perform it together
Having James do BHE by himself while Jessie does LSF would allow they to trounce Ash with ease

Ehhhh...actually Ash getting Pikachuium was just a completely random occurrence. He earned Electrium Z that it was spawned from (sorta) but Pikachuium Z was just a DEM plain and simple.
 

mehmeh1

Not thinking twice!
Ehhhh...actually Ash getting Pikachuium was just a completely random occurrence. He earned Electrium Z that it was spawned from (sorta) but Pikachuium Z was just a DEM plain and simple.
tbh, one could sorta related to the overload way back in ep 19, since the z-power ring is better than the z-ring, it could actually contain such energy and make it a z-move (at least that's my headcanon)
 

AshxSatoshi

Ice Aurelia
Good overall episode. Sun and Moon really needed it after what’s been going on recently. I can honestly say I think SM TR is the strongest one thus far. Also call me weird but the lack of Ash in this episode was enchanting. Only thing that bugged me was when Acerola jumped out to save Mimi from falling despite it already being dead and clearly was shown being capable of flying seconds earlier. I also find it weird how it’s not able to touch things but things can touch it. In fact isn’t that the opposite of how ghost work? Anyway can’t wait for Disney/the dubbers to explain how Acerola has a dead Pokémon as her partner.
 

Pokemon Fan

Knuckle Trainer
They made Ash's first Z Crystal break because he hadn't cleared a trial which is needed as proof of a user's ability, yet Jessie is able to get a Mimikium Z for no good reason other than Mimi wanting to see Jessie's Mimikyu using the move.
Was that actually the reason given? I thought it was just stated Ash wasn't ready yet, and that the trials were a way to change that.
 

Ultra Beast Lover

Well-Known Member
XD so Nanu knows of Team Rocket. Ok yeah sure, Nanu's always been mysterious. Although, even though I know it won't happen it'd be pretty funny if Nanu was like, "So you're Ash, Looker told me about you." Anyways, I'm glad we're finally going to Ula' Ula. That's my favorite island, the other islands are fun but I honestly just enjoy it more.
 

AshxSatoshi

Ice Aurelia
This is the same show where a random Nurse Joy was able to Mega Evolve an Audino very quickly despite a five-episode arc depicting struggles of mastering it.

Consistency has never been this anime's strongest suit.
Not to mention Trevor randomly out of the blue being able to mega evolve his Charziard. It’s possible that trails helped ASH use Z-moves but the anime never outright said they are a requirement to master them for everyone. Not when you have characters like Gladion, Ida and Lana who clearly have never did a trial. One can question how “sacred” Mega evolutions truly are when Nurse Joy, Alain, Trevor, Sawyer, Misty and Brock were able to use them with most of them being unexplained. There are other ways to get Z-Crystals besides the Island King/Queen. Even in the games you can find them in random locations.
 

satopi

Life doesn’t end, …it changes.
Not to mention Trevor randomly out of the blue being able to mega evolve his Charziard. It’s possible that trails helped ASH use Z-moves but the anime never outright said they are a requirement to master them for everyone. Not when you have characters like Gladion, Ida and Lana who clearly have never did a trial. One can question how “sacred” Mega evolutions truly are when Nurse Joy, Alain, Trevor, Sawyer, Misty and Brock were able to use them with most of them being unexplained. There are other ways to get Z-Crystals besides the Island King/Queen. Even in the games you can find them in random locations.
Didn't Lana take on the School Form Wishiwashi? Some people were saying it was a Totem Pokémon. I think Kiawe was the only one who kept heating up over how sacred Z Crystals are in one episode but he's passionate even over the simplest of things like baseball, riding a Ponyta, his little sister, and such. I don't think they're really sacred but more as, Z Crystals and Z Moves, as well as Mega Evolution, isn't to be screwing around with or take lightly which is why Kiawe got mad at Ash for carelessly losing his Z Crystal one time.

And really, the TRio watched Ash and the others use their Z Moves and they practiced doing the pose at the end of the episode where they got their Dark Z Crystal. They're only pathetic in battling but in other areas, they're pretty good. James has a good bond with his Marieanie and Marieanie didn't screw up the Z Move so there isn't a problem on how they used their first Z Move. The plot drove it to that point.
 

DatsRight

Well-Known Member
Didn't Alolan Meowth show them the Z Move? Yeah that was brief tutoring, but that's how it goes in the anime and games most of the times you get a new Z Crystal, the protagonists just seem to have really good memory in that circumstance.

Ash's Z Crystal breaking in the first instance is hard to explain, though if we abide by the theory that Pikachuium Z was caused by his and Pikachu's unique level of Z strength, I suppose you could owe it as much to power incontinence as much as not knowing what he was doing much like the running wheel instance, especially since they'd only been introduced to the Z Moves and were likely overexcited from a FREAKING LEGENDARY tutoring it to them.
 

AshxSatoshi

Ice Aurelia
Didn't Lana take on the School Form Wishiwashi? Some people were saying it was a Totem Pokémon. I think Kiawe was the only one who kept heating up over how sacred Z Crystals are in one episode but he's passionate even over the simplest of things like baseball, riding a Ponyta, his little sister, and such. I don't think they're really sacred but more as, Z Crystals and Z Moves, as well as Mega Evolution, isn't to be screwing around with or take lightly which is why Kiawe got mad at Ash for carelessly losing his Z Crystal one time.

And really, the TRio watched Ash and the others use their Z Moves and they practiced doing the pose at the end of the episode where they got their Dark Z Crystal. They're only pathetic in battling but in other areas, they're pretty good. James has a good bond with his Marieanie and Marieanie didn't screw up the Z Move so there isn't a problem on how they used their first Z Move. The plot drove it to that point.
It wasn’t exactly said to be a Totem Pokémon I don’t believe (I’ll have to rewatch the Akala arc) but it definitely served the same purpose in the anime as it did the games. And agreed. Kiawe is way overdramatic and it’s very possible he was just offering trials as a way for ASH to be able to handle them. I definitely didn’t get the impression that everyone needed to do a trial to master Z moves, just that they aren’t meant to be taken lightly
 

Zyar

Unknown Member
Same here. I definitely appreciate ANYONE in the TRio getting a level boost, but the Z-Moves were an ideal opportunity for Meowth to be a dangerous battler for once, especially since they use him more in SM. I mean remembering Bite to use Black Hole Eclipse isn't exactly gonna make him too OP for the next series.

Especially considering how unlikely it is any of the main characters (Ash and Team Rocket) will get to keep their Z-Rings and Z-Crystals once Sun & Moon is over. I doubt they'll want to advertise stuff from a previous gen in the new series.
 

Twilight-Kun

Pokemon World Champion
Especially considering how unlikely it is any of the main characters (Ash and Team Rocket) will get to keep their Z-Rings and Z-Crystals once Sun & Moon is over. I doubt they'll want to advertise stuff from a previous gen in the new series.
Misty and Brock's Mega Evolutions would like a word with you

Not to mention we see that Z-moves aren't Alola-exclusive since they work just fine in Kanto
 

DatsRight

Well-Known Member
Plus Ash and Team Rocket tend to be the ones that start anew every series, leaving all their resources at home.
 

Zyar

Unknown Member
Misty and Brock's Mega Evolutions would like a word with you

I knew someone would bring up Brock and Misty's Mega Evolutions as soon as I typed that... I don't see that as advertisement for the past gen, I see it more as a resource to hype up Brock and Misty's returns and gym battles with Ash & co. It wasn't advertising Mega Evolutions as much as it was advertising Brock and Misty's returns. None of the main characters has used Mega Evolutions in this series, because Z-Moves are the main thing this gen, thus that's what has to be heavily advertise.

Not to mention we see that Z-moves aren't Alola-exclusive since they work just fine in Kanto

Neither are Mega Evolutions exclusive to Kalos nor Ash's past pokémon exclusive to the regions he captured them in, but we rarely see them anymore because they're not good to advertise the new generation's pokémon and game mechanic.

Perhaps it'll happen like Ultra Beast Lover said and Z-Moves will fade away slowly in a provessive manner, even after the next series begins, but I personally believe something will happen to Ash and Team Rocket's Z-Rings at the end of Sun and Moon, like they'll be destroyed or sacrificed in a big fight or something. Heck, for all we know, Ash might decide to leave his Z-Ring and Z-Crystals at home just to star anew in the next region like he likes to do and TRio will have theirs taken by Giovanni to keep for himself. Personally, I prefer they're destroyed... at the very least that we're given a convincing excuse and not what we usually get ("Ash and Team Rocket left all their pokémon behind at Oak's and HQ respectively just because!!!", which is especially stupid in the TRio's case, since they need all the pokémon and power thet can get if they're up against Ash).
 

DatsRight

Well-Known Member
Team Rocket would almost certainly have to hand their Z Ring over to Giovanni on return as some sort of proof of accomplishment in Alola (remember the end of BW, they had to hand their team over as 'captures' just as some display they hadn't spent the remainder of the series goofing off).

Notice that in this series they are being bugged frequently for signs of progress. They'd only recently sent a Pokemon back to HQ successfully (or so it seems) but Matori is convinced by this point they have become stagnant again. They won't get away with delivering nothing again like they did for most of Kalos.

Hopefully this might also push the TRio to get more Pokemon and Z Crystals too, since they'll need something new to show to Giovanni and Matori every time they check up on them. I like this setup where they are forced to get some sort of change up, compared to them failing to deliver anything and Giovanni just not caring. It makes the TRio pitiful and desperate again, but more crafty and dynamic due to always managing to weasel just enough quota to stay in their boss' good books.
 
Last edited:
Top