Following his victory against Marnie, Ash stays in the local Pokemon center for the evening. The day he was supposed to meet Goh in the Wild's Area to help him catch more Pokemon, he oversleeps (again). In trying to catch up, he instead gets distracted with another World Coronation Series Match involving Leon against Sinnoh Elite Four member Flint, and winds up on another adventure instead...hanging out with Leon himself! Meanwhile, Goh winds up spending the day with Sonia, who's out doing more research, and both of our heroes learn the Champion is not all that he seems.
This episode contains the following tropes:
- Broken Ace: Leon may be the most powerful trainer in the world and undefeated to boot, but he confides in Ash that he's worried he's reached his limit and can't get any stronger. The only hope he has is that he couldn't land a scratch on Eternatus during the Darkest Day, showing there's still room for him to grow.
- The Bus Came Back: Flint, one of Sinnoh's Elite Four, makes his return from the Diamond and Pearl era 528 episodes later to reveal he's in the Masters Eight.
- Curbstomp Battle: While Flint's Infernape puts up a good fight, Leon's Charizard beats it pretty badly.
- A Day in the Limelight: This episode focuses on Leon as we learn more about his past and concerns.
- Drives Like Crazy: Like before, Sonia drives wildly, giving poor Goh a bad back in the process. Averted with Leon, who drives normally.
- Foreshadowing: Leon mentions to Ash that his greatest fear is that he has no more challenges left after becoming the most powerful trainer in the world, and his failure to stop Eternatus actually gave him hope because it means he still has room to improve and grow. This foreshadows Ash's dilemma should he defeat Leon and become the new World Monarch, as Leon is essentially Ash all-grown up.
- Friendless Background: According to Sonia, Leon had no friends growing up because he was too busy taking care of his brother and doing chores, with her becoming his only friend. It was getting a Charmander that opened his world to a greater extent than he'd known before.
- Hidden Depths: Despite having a legion of adoring fans and being the legendary trainer who's gone undefeated to this day, Leon is lonely deep down, fearing he's hit his peak.
- Manchild: Sonia describes Leon as this, noting he's a big goofball who likes to play with Pokemon on his downtime. Spending time with Ash proves he's just as she says he is, since he considers playing as training.
- Mirror Character: The episode hammers down on the point that Leon is like an adult version of Ash Ketchum, with Goh noting how Sonia's description of Leon being a big Pokémon lover with a childish personality greatly applies to Ash. This also gives the audience a glimpse into Ash's potential future as an adult, namely being the greatest trainer there ever was and yet fearing that he has learned all there is to be a Pokémon Master.
- No Sense of Direction: Leon was supposed to take Ash to the sea for training, but gets lost and winds up in the mountains instead. And before they head back, Leon forgot where he parked.
- Running Gag: Ash once again oversleeps on a critical day, though it winds up working out for him in the long run by getting to train with Leon himself.
- Thememobile: Leon's van is shaped like his Signature Mon, Charizard.
- The Reveal: Flint is part of the Masters Eight, and was Number 7 until he gets defeated by Leon, leaving him right on the cusp of elimination from that bracket.
- Victory Is Boring: Discussed by Leon. He's been so used to winning that failing to stop Eternatus during the Darkest Day actually gave him a sense of thrill he hadn't felt for a long time.
- Walking Shirtless Scene: During his skirmish with the wild Corviknight, Leon takes off his shirt to wrangle one of them down, showing he's almost as ripped as Brock.
