SM123: A Fiery Training Camp Trick!

is the 31st episode of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon - Ultra Legends.
==Synopsis==
Excitement is building for the upcoming Alola Pokémon League, and the Pokémon School class is ready to train! Ash, Kiawe, and Sophocles decide to camp out at Kiawe’s family farm, but Sophocles is having a hard time working up the confidence to pull off a Z-Move. To help Sophocles train, Kiawe secretly enlists the help of a wild Crawdaunt who previously clashed with Turtonator. Crawdaunt launches a surprise attack on Sophocles, but Sophocles manages to overcome his fear and launch a powerful Z-Move with Vikavolt! The circumstances of the battle may have been unusual, but Sophocles is feeling more confident with a Z-Move at his command!
==Episode plot==
At school, Lana passes the Z-Power onto her Primarina to have her use Oceanic Operetta. Primarina does so, singing and summoning a huge bubble that bursts on her command. Mallow and Lillie congratulate Lana for mastering the Z-Move, which makes Mallow wish she could learn how to use one too. Lana encourages her to practice, and Lillie sees she must not lag behind, either. Professor Kukui visits them, happy to see them working hard. He feels like Lana has decided to participate in the Pokémon League, and wonders if Lillie and Mallow have changed their minds. The girls are uncertain, but are encouraged by Lana to take part in it. Suddenly, they hear noises coming from the battlefield: Ash encourages Sophocles to attack, who has Vikavolt fire Signal Beam. Turtonator takes the hit, while Sophocles passes the Z-Power onto Vikavolt. He has trouble on making the pose for the move, and fails at having Vikavolt use its Z-Move.
Ash fears that Sophocles and Vikavolt were not in sync, which displeases Sophocles, who has gathered data about that. Since Vikavolt knows Signal Beam already, Sophocles wonders if his pose was off. Kukui comes, reminding that Sophocles could train instead of analyzing his faults, and Kiawe reminds him that practice makes perfect. In fact, he invites Sophocles to his Z-Move boot camp, which excites Ash. Thinking there'll be ice cream, Sophocles is convinced, too. Lillie invites the girls to her house tomorrow, which Lana and Mallow accept. With their plans set, Kukui braces everyone to do their best. The next day, Ash and Kiawe have prepared their backpacks, while Sophocles is displeased to hear they won't stay at Kiawe's house. Kiawe explains they need to be somewhere where they won't be disturbed. He points at a pat, leading to an ancient altar. Mimo wants to join them, but Sima forbids it, for the guys are going for training, rather than fun.
Kiawe is disappointed that Mimo won't come with him, but is still fired up for the trip. The two drag Sophocles away, who wants to have some ice cream before going away. Eventually, they come to the ruins, which Kiawe describes them to be a place where people pray to Wela Volcano, a place he and his grandfather used to visit often. After setting the tent up, Ash, Kiawe and Sophocles send out their Pokémon, though the latter expresses his hunger. At Lillie's mansion, the girls are having some tea with their Pokémon. Lana is certain the boys are training hard, and is why Lillie states they should catch up. The boys stand at the waterfall, with water pouring over them. Sophocles doubts that's a part of Z-Move training. Kiawe confirms that is the part, as they should feel nature coursing over them. However, Sophocles falls down, being too weak to hold on.
After climbing the mountain, which Sophocles failed to, the guys jump over an obstacle course. Kiawe explains it is important to build up stamina. Sophocles wonders if there are other ways to launch Z-Moves, but Kiawe heartily denies. In fact, he points out they have to go through vigorous training to build their power up. Sophocles asks Ash for some tips, who shows a pose before launching a Z-Move. Sophocles does not understand what these two are talking about, and fears about the failure of this training. Kiawe claims Sophocles could learn much from these divine grounds of Wela Volcano, which annoys him, as that is a very unfounded answer. Ash reminds this was the way Kiawe has learned to use Z-Moves, but Sophocles exclaims that is not the way that everyone can learn. He calls upon Vikavolt and Togedemaru, but finds the former battling Turtonator.
Kiawe sees that Vikavolt wants to train. Sophocles slaps himself, and goes back to his reason, admitting he wants to try training a bit longer. Ash and Kiawe are glad, and want to help Sophocles out. However, the latter gets blasted off from the obstacle course, and screams that won't work on him. At evening, the boys come back to their tent. Sophocles fails to understand why is this not working, and is told by Kiawe that is something he has to find out on his own. The boys are starving, which terrifies Sophocles they may have to make their own food, too. Luckily, Sima and Mimo come to their tent with the food, on Kiawe's behalf. Sima hopes that their training is paying off, but the boys admit they are having some trouble with that. Sima passes the food, and hopes the guys do their best, and goes with her daughter away. Kiawe is displeased that his sister is away, and warns her of the possible dangers ahead.
Moments later, the guys and their Pokémon are having dinner. As Togedemaru has eaten everything, Turtonator shares some of its food to her. Marowak tries to get some from Pikachu, then squabbles with him and Turtonator, and ends up in the latter's belly. Ash and Sophocles find Turtonator as a big brother figure. Kiawe notes he has always been kind, and remembers the day he met Turtonator. While riding a Charizard to make a delivery, he encountered Turtonator fighting a Crawdaunt. Turtonator was badly hurt from Crawdaunt's attacks, but he endured. Kiawe tried to help him by feeding him a berry, but Turtonator walked away, to a Mareep, a Bonsly and an Oricorio. In fact, Turtonator was fighting Crawdaunt to stop it from hogging the pond.
Kiawe noticed that Turtonator was fighting on and on, but failed to defeat Crawdaunt. One day, he wanted to give Turtonator some of the MooMoo Milk. Kiawe admitted he liked Turtonator, as his unwavering spirit was like Wela Volcano, and believed in his victory. Turtonator drank some of the milk, and let Kiawe help him in training, by sparring with Charizard. Turtonator managed to get behind Charizard, who, in retaliation, touched his horn on his back. This caused Turtonator to learn a new move. Shell Trap, which he used to defeat Crawdaunt. Turtonator was congratulated by Kiawe and the Pokémon for the victory. Just as Kiawe went on Charizard, Turtonator held them down, as he wanted to accompany them. Since then, Kiawe and Turtonator became partners. Ash notes Kiawe is compassionate, like Turtonator. Sophocles sees how strong their bond is, and wonder if that is what he is missing.
Togedemaru and Vikavolt come to Sophocles. Ash thinks they both love him, and that's not what he is missing. Sophocles gets hugged by his Pokémon, which makes Rotom wonder why could not they perform the Z-Move. Ash wants to know that, too, while Kiawe has a thought. At night, while everyone's asleep, Kiawe wakes Rotom up, as he needs its help. The two come out and have Turtonator join them. The next day, the group is at a pond. Ash notices how stressed Rotom looks, but it claims nothing's wrong. Kiawe has Ash and their Pokémon go, leaving Sophocles to fetch some wood around the pond. Before leaving, Rotom wishes Sophocles good luck, who thinks Rotom is quite weird, since all he has to do is to collect wood. While Sophocles and Vikavolt are gathering wood, Ash and Kiawe are hiding, as the latter expects something to happen. Out of the pond, a Crawdaunt appears, which Sophocles believes it to be the same one from Kiawe's story.
Ash believes they have to help them, but Kiawe thinks this is a good opportunity to have Sophocles and Vikavolt to have a serious battle. Crawdaunt attacks Sophocles, but Vikavolt takes the hit. Sophocles braces Vikavolt for the fight, who gets hit once more. Vikavolt emits Discharge, but Crawdaunt evades the attack. To slow it down, Vikavolt fires String Shot, which Crawdaunt blocks, and retaliates by striking Vikavolt. Ash goes to intervene, but Kiawe stops him, since this is Sophocles' battle. Sophocles has doubts if he can even win, but Vikavolt continues fighting. Sophocles realizes that Vikavolt is not giving up, and neither should he. Vikavolt attempts to attack, but gets hurt from Crawdaunt's attacks. Sophocles tells Vikavolt to run, but then gets another idea: Vikavolt uses Signal Beam on the ground. This releases Vikavolt from Crawdaunt's range, and the latter gets hit by Discharge. Sophocles cheers, and notices light coming from his Buginium-Z.
thumb|Sophocles and Vikavolt using Savage Spin-Out for the first time.
Thinking of his past with Vikavolt, Sophocles has decided to continue fighting alongside it. Pressing the Buginium-Z, Sophocles passes the Z-Power to Vikavolt, having it use Savage Spin-Out Z-Move. It engulfs Crawdaunt in a sticky string, and gets tossed before getting slashed by Vikavolt. Kiawe and Ash cheer for Sophocles, who is relieved that his Vikavolt executed the Z-Move. He hugs Togedemaru and Vikavolt, before getting visited by Ash and Kiawe. Suddenly, Crawdaunt charges towards Kiawe, who gives it a fist-bump. Ash and Sophocles are surprised, as Kiawe tells them that Crawdaunt changed after it got defeated by them. However, Marowak and Crawdaunt are eager to fight each other. In fact, Kiawe visited Crawdaunt with Turtonator and Rotom to ask it to fight Sophocles. Ash is pleased to hear this, as Rotom found it difficult to keep that a secret.
For the reward, Kiawe gives Crawdaunt a berry. Soon, Bonsly, Oricorio and Mareep visit the group, as they are now friendly with Crawdaunt, like a brother to them. Sophocles sighs, as Kiawe could've mentioned this to them. Kiawe reminds if he did that, Sophocles would not have battled at full power, to achieve the state of Z-Power. Still, Sophocles smiles, as he perfected the Z-Move. Without further ado, Kiawe and Ash brace themselves for training for the Alola League. Sophocles falls down, hearing there's more training involved.
Sometime later, Turtonator visits the pond with Crawdaunt and its Pokémon friends, and have some fun.
==Debuts==
===Move===
*Savage Spin-Out
==Trivia==
*"Who's That Pokémon?:" Crawdaunt (JA and EN)
*The Poké Problem segment hosted by Sophocles asks who'd attack him in today's episode. The correct answer is the yellow answer, Crawdaunt. The other answers are Crabrawler (blue), Clawitzer (red), and Kingler (green).
==Gallery==
==References==
Category:Episodes focusing on Kiawe
Category:Episodes focusing on Sophocles
Category:Episodes featuring Mythical Pokémon
Category:Episodes featuring a main character's Pokémon learning a new move
Category:Episodes featuring alternate colored Pokémon