PJ130: Toying With Your Motions!

is the 40th episode of , and of .
==Synopsis==
The Pokémon World Coronation Series Masters Eight Tournament is currently in its dazzling final round, and both Ash and Leon are waging an extraordinary battle, displaying powerful and creative back-and-forth strategies. But soon, Ash realizes that every time he takes the lead, his opponent never fails to catch up! After Mega Lucario takes down Leon’s Mr. Rime, it struggles against Dragapult, so Ash switches in Dracovish instead. Dragapult’s Dragon Tail attack causes Ash’s Pokémon to switch in and out until Dragonite is on the field. With a powerful Dragonite Meteor attack, Ash scores another win, and the battle continues!
==Episode plot==
As the Pokémon World Coronation Series Masters Eight Tournament continues, Ash and Leon are each down one Pokémon. Leon has used Mr. Rime to create an icy battlefield infused with Psychic Terrain in order to give it the advantage. Ash sends out Sirfetch'd as his third Pokémon, which confuses Leon due to the fact that it has a type disadvantage. Ash orders Sirfetch'd to do Fury Cutter, and though Mr. Rime manages to defend itself with its icy cane, Sirfetch'd eventually finds an opening and is able to land a super effective blow on the Comedian Pokémon. Sirfetch'd follows up with Brutal Swing, only to have its leek sword grabbed by Mr. Rime, allowing the psychic type to easily retaliate with Expanding Force, which is made even stronger thanks to the Psychic Terrain. The blow causes Sirfetch'd lose hold of its shield, leaving it wide open. Mr. Rime delivers another Expanding Force, but Sirfetch'd successfully dodges it thanks to Detect, then uses its leek sword to pole vault over its opponent and retrieve its shield just in time to defend itself from Triple Axel. Ash orders another Fury Cutter, but instead of on Mr. Rime, he surprises everyone by ordering Sirfetch'd to attack the battlefield, which succeeds in destroying the Psychic Terrain, nullifying one of Mr. Rime's advantages.
Having achieved what he planned to do, Ash recalls Sirfetch'd in favor of Lucario, and the two Pokémon exchange a high-five telepathically while inside their Poké Balls as they switch places. Ash immediately Mega Evolves Lucario, who then releases a wind-like burst of Aura that is felt by the entire audience. Lucario charges forward with Bullet Punch, but Mr. Rime still has the ice battlefield in its favor, dodging the Aura Pokémon's attack and hitting it with two consecutive Triple Axels. Following Ash's instructions, Lucario closes its eyes and uses its Aura to sense Mr. Rime's movements while preparing an Aura Sphere. Mr. Rime attempts another Triple Axel, but Lucario senses the incoming attack and avoids it before losing the Aura Sphere, defeating the Comedian Pokémon and also restoring the icy battlefield to normal.
Leon sends out Dragapult as his next Pokémon. Ash has Lucario use Double Team, followed by Bullet Punch. Although Lucario manages to score a direct hit, Dragapult's counterattack comes in the form of a Flamethrower, causing Ash to recall Lucario and replacing the Aura Pokémon with Dracovish. It charges forward with Dragon Rush, but the attack is disrupted by a hit from Dragapult's Dragon Darts. When the second Dragon Darts is about to hit its mark, Ash has Dracovish stop it by biting down on it, causing Dracovish to start shivering unexpectedly, though it is cut short by another hit from Dragon Darts, allowing both Dreepy to return to Dragapult. As Dracovish stands back up, the spikes along its body start glowing red and become covered in red energy, much to everyone's confusion. In her and Diantha's skybox, Cynthia theorizes that the clash of Dragon moves may have awakened a long-dormant power within Dracovish. Ignoring this unusual occurrence, Leon tells Dragapult to use Thunderbolt, which makes a direct hit, before having Dragapult charge in for the finishing blow. This proves to be a mistake, however, as it allows Dracovish's energy-covered spikes to clamp down on Dragapult, pinning it down and allowing Dracovish to easily land a Fishious Rend on it. Dragapult is still not immobilized, and Leon further demonstrates this by ordering Dragon Tail. Dracovish attempts to stop this by freezing Dragapult with Ice Fang, but is unable to freeze it completely, allowing Dragon Tail to make contact and simultaneously free Dragapult from the ice.
Due to Dragon Tail's effect, Dracovish is sent back into its Poké Ball and Dragonite is forcibly sent out. Dragapult attacks its opponent with Dragon Darts, while Dragonite uses Dragon Dance, using the Dragon Darts to speed up its spinning. Instead of the intense spinning repelling the Dragon Darts, however, they resiliently stick to Dragonite's tail. The Dragon Pokémon attempts to attack the two Dreepy with Dragon Claw, but they prove too fast for it to hit, much to its irritation. When the Dreepy return to Dragapult, Dragonite attempts to attack it instead, only to be hit by Dragon Tail and be forcibly replaced by Lucario as a result. After calming himself down, Ash orders a Bullet Punch, which makes contact. After blocking a Thunderbolt with Reversal, Lucario attempts another Bullet Punch, but ends up freezing in place; it turns out that Thunderbolt succeeded in paralyzing it. With Lucario immobilized, Dragapult lands another Flamethrower on it, causing Lucario to revert to its usual form and collapse in defeat.
Ash then calls Ash's Dragonite back onto the battlefield to resume the clash between Dragon-type Pokémon. Dragonite creates a powerful Hurricane, which tosses Dragapult around and even affects the audience. Unfazed, Leon has Dragapult unleash a Thunderbolt in every direction, not only dissipating the Hurricane but striking Dragonite as well. Dragonite then flies high into the air and uses Draco Meteor, successfully shooting down another attempt at Dragon Darts before the two Dragon types charge at each other. Following Ash's orders, Dragonite grabs Dragapult and plummets to the ground along with its own Draco Meteor, enduring a Thunderbolt while repeating the "Dragonite Meteor" strategy from Ash's visit to Professor Oak's Laboratory. When the cloud of dust clears, Dragonite is still standing, while Dragapult is finally defeated, resulting in the crowd cheering loudly. Leon recalls Dragapult and compliments Ash's skills, but also points out that his remaining Pokémon are worn out. Leon then sends out Rillaboom as his fifth Pokémon.
==Trivia==
*"Side story": 
*Despite the move Dragon Tail having existed since Generation V, this is the first time in the anime that the move's secondary effect of switching Pokémon is shown.
*This marks the first time Goh hasn't appeared.
*This also marks the first time a Mega Evolved Pokémon is recalled onscreen.
**Additionally, this marks the first time Ash's Lucario is seen defeated onscreen, in its Mega Evolved state.
*The title is a pun on the expression "toying with one's emotions".
==Gallery==
==References==
Category:Episodes featuring Champions