"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?"
—-Ash and Goh, simultaneously.
Japanese Title: Satoshi and Go, Let's Go by Lugia!
Original Airdate: November 24, 2019
UK Airdate: May 25, 2020 (special airing)
US Airdate: June 12, 2020
Don't be fooled. It's going to take a bit for Ash and Goh to understand each other.
Ash is brought to the Cerise Institute, a brand new Pokémon research lab opened in Vermillion City, Kanto. While he is there, Professor Oak and Professor Cerise discover that the Legendary Pokémon Lugia has appeared on the shores of Vermillion City. As trainers congregate to battle it, Ash rushes to the scene, determined to capture Lugia himself. But another boy, Goh, finds Lugia as well, and decides to try to study it himself.
This episode contains examples of the following tropes:
- And Call Him "George": Ash, unfortunately, does this when he meets Yamper. Yamper suffers that about as well as Pikachu does.
- Backing Away Slowly: When Chloe comes across Ash on the steps of the Cerise Institute, having been shocked to unconsciousness by Yamper, she slowly side-steps his body before continuing to climb the steps.
- Continuity Nod: The episode begins in Ash's bedroom, and shows a shelf with pretty much all the awards he has won over the course of the series. From his Kanto League badge set, to his trophy for winning the Alola League. And he's still ten years old.
- The battle with Lugia takes the form of a Pokémon GO-style Raid battle.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: This happens to every trainer to tries to battle Lugia. As to be expected when fighting a legendary.
- Curb Stomp Cushion: Downplayed. While Lugia wasn't explicitly going all out and ultimately fled after firing back a single attack, Pikachu ultimately was the one who had the best performance against it. As a single Thunderbolt from it was shown to do far more damage to Lugia than any of the attacks from the other trainers' Pokemon combined.
- Oxygen Meter: At one point, Lugia takes Ash and Goh underwater. Goh is surprised at the move, though Ash and Pikachu brace themselves. Goh loses his air first, though Ash and Pikachu also do, but Lugia leaves the water before they actually drown.
- Slo-Mo Big Air: Goh jumps off a building to grab onto Lugia while Ash is rodeo-riding it through the skies of Vermillion City.
- Take a Third Option: Goh refuses to choose a Kanto starter offered by Professor Cerise, still determined only to have Mew.
- Telepathy: Lugia says one thing to Ash and Goh telepathically during their flight on its back, right as they're about to go underwater:Lugia: *Here we go!*
- The World Is Just Awesome: Once Ash and Goh are settled on Lugia, they watch in awe as they fly around Kanto on its back.
- Worthy Opponent: One possible way to interpret Lugia's behavior towards Ash and Goh after they managed to land on its back. Pikachu did put up more of a fight than any of the other trainers and their Pokemon. And Lugia was most likely able to recognize the nature of their respective characters from the start. And even before the battle when Ash challenged it, Lugia not only accepted, but it actually smiled too.
