SM125: A Timeless Encounter!

is the 33rd episode of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon - Ultra Legends.
==Synopsis==
While Ash and his Pokémon train for the upcoming Alola Pokémon League, they accidentally startle a nearby Celebi. The Mythical Pokémon flees back in time—and brings Ash and Torracat with it! Unaware that he’s in the past, Ash meets a young boy who, unbeknownst to him, is actually a younger Professor Kukui. The boy wants to learn about Pokémon moves, and Ash and Torracat demonstrate some of their skills, even receiving a Firium Z from a Totem Trevenant. But the fun suddenly ends when Celebi transports our hero back to the present day. Ash wonders where the boy went, but he’s also happy to see all his Pokémon again!
==Episode plot==
In the forest, a Celebi appears. It notices a battle nearby, as Ash is training his Pokémon. Pikachu uses Thunderbolt at Rowlet, who evades the attack. It goes to counterattack with Seed Bomb, but the Everstone it flings gets bounced off a tree back to its forehead. Due to that, Rowlet falls on Ash's face. Rotom notices everyone's in high spirits, as Ash explains that they are working hard for the Alola League, which should start soon. Torracat and Lycanroc jump and clash with each other. At Kukui's house, Burnet grins, as she found an old photo of a kid and a Litten, which surprises Kukui. Burnet recognizes the boy to be a young Professor Kukui, who recalls he was five years old when the photo was taken. Professor Burnet admits she found the photo when cleaning the closet, and shows an old book. Kukui is intrigued, as it is a list of all Pokémon moves he named as Super Move Pokédex.
He recalls he always had it as a kid, and even watched matches to write the moves, like the time Hala and Makuhita fought a trainer's Sandslash with a Heavy Slam. The Sandslash retaliated with Ice Ball, but Makuhita evaded the attack and retaliated with Close Combat to defeat it. The young Kukui took note of the moves used, and was glad Hala won again. He told Hala he'd take the Island Challenge, which made Hala laugh, since "Little Ku" was too young for that. Kukui didn't want Hala to be calling him like that, and showed he got a Firium-Z. Burnet notes the Litten belonged to Kukui, who explains he had a close bond with the Litten, who was being taken care of by his parents. At the battlefield, Ash has Torracat use Fire Blast on Lycanroc, who uses Stone Edge. The moves collide, sending a strong blast that blows Torracat away. Celebi feels threatened, and uses its power that affects Ash and Torracat. After the smoke clears, Rotom, Pikachu, Lycanroc, Rowlet and Meltan notice that Ash and Torracat are gone. At the same time, Kukui looks at the photo, and mutters "Rory".
Ash and Torracat appear, and the latter falls onto the former. When Ash recovers, he comments how powerful Lycanroc's Stone Edge was, but notices everyone has disappeared. Suddenly, Torracat senses a presence, and from a bush, a Litten appears. Torracat is agitated, but recognizes Litten as an Incineroar. The young Professor Kukui comes out of the bush, and tries to warm up to Torracat, who is still agitated. Ash calms Torracat down, and admits he is its trainer. Kukui notices Ash's Z-Ring, seeing he is taking the Island Challenge, and examines his Electrium-Z. Kukui shows his Firium-Z, which Ash admits not to have one. While Torracat snuggles with Litten, Kukui becomes ecstatic, and asks of Ash to show the Inferno Overdrive Z-Move. Ash accepts the task, and targets some rocks, which he does not remember to have been there before. As he goes to use the Z-Move, he recalls how Kiawe and Turtonator did the poses. He uses the Z-Power of Kukui's Firium-Z, passing it onto Torracat, who blasts the rocks with Inferno Overdrive.
Kukui and Litten are blown away by the blast, and the former exclaims his excitement over the Z-Move. Kukui admits this is his first time to have seen that Z-Move. He picks up his book, but is displeased to see it slightly burnt. Still, he is amazed by the Z-Move, and compares Ash to an Island Kahuna, stating he's the Move Kahuna. Ash is amused, while Kukui wants to battle Ash, to see more moves. Ash accepts, but behind trees, an ominous figure appears. Before the battle begins, Ash wants Torracat to hold its power back. This annoys Kukui, seeing Ash is treating him like a kid. Ash notes Kukui's strong will, and decides not to hold back, referring Kukui as "Rory", due to his hat. Kukui is amused to be referred like that, and has Litten use Ember. Torracat blocks the move, and retaliates with Flame Charge. Litten is blown away, while Torracat emits Fire Blast. Kukui is in distress, and he orders Litten to use Bite, who is simply defeated by Fire Blast.
Kukui rushes to Litten, and cries over his defeat. Litten licks Kukui's tears, and gets complimented by Ash that it did its best. Torracat looks around, and notices many wild Pokémon having arrived to watch the battle. Ash wants "Rory" to have a rematch someday, who cannot cope over his loss. Ash advises Kukui to simply try to win next time, instead of dwelling over his current loss. Kukui becomes happy again, wanting to get stronger and battle the Move Kahuna someday. Torracat gets Ash's attention, as the wild Pokémon came to watch their fight. Kukui explains these are all his friends, including the giant Trevenant, Elder, the Totem Pokémon of the forest that gave him the Firium-Z. Suddenly, Elder sneezes, which makes Kukui remark it is at it again. He goes behind, and has Litten use Scratch on its back. Kukui tells Ash that Elder sometimes has an itch on its back, causing it to sneeze.
Torracat goes to give it a try, but Kukui replies only Litten can do that, due to its tiny claws. Trevenant is relieved, but a cloud looms over the forest, and a rain starts downpouring. To help out, Elder uses its power to affect the trees, bending their branches to shelter the wild Pokémon. Ash and Kukui praise Rory for that. Later, Ash notices Kukui reading his book. Kukui explains it is the Super Move Pokédex, which has all the moves recorded. Still, he is amazed to see them in person, and asks Ash about Torracat's Fire Blast. Ash is uncertain, but believes everyone can do that as long as they train and grow stronger. Kukui is a bit sad that he lost, but he still had fun. Ash explains he fought many Gym Leaders before coming to Alola. He tells that after defeating a Gym Leader, one can obtain a badge for the Pokémon League, to fight many strong trainers. Kukui is inspired, and asks what happens when one wins the Pokémon League. Ash simply replies that he aims to become a Pokémon Master, which inspires Kukui to do the same.
As the rain stops, Ash and Kukui thank Elder for keeping them dry. However, Elder sneezes, so Litten scratches its back. However, Elder continues to sneeze, so Litten and Torracat go atop its head. Kukui fails to climb Elder, so he is carried by Heracross atop, while Ash climbs atop Elder. Atop its head, Ash and Kukui find a bunch of Cutiefly, whose wings are too wet for them to fly. Ash and Kukui take out the Cutiefly out of Elder's head, and have Torracat and Litten emit heat to dry off their wings. A moment later, the Cutiefly fly off. Elder sneezes, causing a Firium-Z to be flinged onto Ash's hand. Kukui explains this is a reward for helping Elder out, for he got the same Z-Crystal, too. Ash thanks Elder, and at that moment, Celebi appears, and notices Ash and Torracat. Kukui and Litten climb down, to have a rematch with Ash and Torracat. Ash climbs down, but slips and falls down. To save him, Celebi uses its power, warping Ash and Torracat away. This makes Kukui wonder where the Move Kahuna went to.
A light appears, which Ash's Pikachu, Lycanroc, Meltan, Rotom and Rowlet notice. Ash and Torracat fall down, and after recovering, they wonder where "Rory" and Litten are. Ash turns around, seeing a tree shaped like Elder. Ash looks into his hand, and sees the Firium-Z. A moment later, his Pokémon return to him and lick him in affection. He notices they all are muddy, though he does not understand what they are trying to say. Suddenly, they feel a breeze. The group returns to Kukui's house, where Burnet is preparing lunch, while Munchlax is dazing off. With lunch ready, Ash goes to wash his hands, while Rotom shows a picture he took recently: a Celebi. Burnet is shocked, and believes that Celebi was drawn to Alola, due to its beautiful forests. She notices Ash passing by, and scolds him for not washing his hands.
Kukui is at his lab, and looks at his memories. Ash comes to tell him that lunch is over. Kukui nods, and before going, he places the photo of himself and Litten into the book.
As Burnet is cooking, she hears Ash munching the food, and exclaiming how great it tastes. A moment later, Burnet hears Kukui doing the same and saying the same thing. It makes her think they are behaving like brothers.
==Debuts==
===Pokémon===
*Professor Kukui's Litten
*Hala's Makuhita
==Trivia==
*"Who's That Pokémon?:" Trevenant (JA), Alolan Sandslash (EN)
*The Poké Problem segment hosted by Ash asks which Totem Pokémon appears in today's episode. The correct answer is the red answer which is Trevenant. The other answers were Wishiwashi (blue), Lurantis (green) and Gumshoos (yellow).
*Much like the plot of the fourth movie, Ash travels back to the past with Celebi to meet the young regional professor, Oak, who then became a Pokémon trainer with a Fire-type Starter Pokémon.
*This episode takes place during the events of the next episode.
*The English title of the episode is the same as the Japanese with "Ash/Satoshi:" omitted.
==Gallery==
==References==
Category:Episodes featuring Mythical Pokémon
Category:Episodes featuring a main character's Pokémon learning a new move
Category:Episodes in which a main character obtains a Z-Crystal
Category:Episodes featuring Island Trials
Category:Episodes featuring Elite Four members