Delta Episode

The Delta Episode (Japanese: エピソード　デルタ Episode Delta) is a mission following the 's first completion of the Hoenn League in . The episode revolves around a meteoroid that is on course for collision with the planet and a newly developed character, Zinnia.
==Plot==
After the defeats and first enters the Hall of Fame, the Delta Episode is unlocked. The end of the credits sequence teases the Delta Episode, with the player's mother and Norman discussing the Litleonid meteor shower and their plans to watch it at the Mossdeep Space Center. However, Norman reveals that he must be at the Gym that day. As they wonder what to do with their tickets, a mysterious symbol takes over the screen and then fades into "To Be Continued."
When the player loads the game again, a cut scene introducing the Delta Episode starts at the Mossdeep Space Center with a warning siren sounding. A meteoroid is expected to make impact on "a small island southwest of , off of ", presumably the Sky Pillar. Uncertain about the nature or origin of the meteoroid, which seems to be able to change its trajectory, Professor Cozmo must devise a plan to keep it from landing. Meanwhile, a / accompanied by a is shown standing atop the Sky Pillar changing out of her uniform and into a Draconid cape, revealing herself as the person the player will come to know as Zinnia. She mentions that there isn't much time left, displaying knowledge of the meteoroid's existence, and thinks that the player may have complicated matters by not allowing the "super-ancient Pokémon" (/) to undergo Primal Reversion. Regardless, she plans to make use of a Key Stone in order to revive , so it can destroy the meteoroid.
===Littleroot Town===
The player starts in their bedroom in Littleroot Town, as they normally would after defeating the Hoenn League. The player's mother and Norman are downstairs, and when the player comes down, Norman gives the player a Pair of Tickets and suggests they take Brendan/May with them. When the player leaves the house, Zinnia is standing outside waiting for the player. She introduces herself and tells the player that she knows about them and their ability to use Mega Evolution. After Zinnia leaves, at Brendan/May's house, the player finds out that Zinnia has stolen Brendan/May's Key Stone from them. They tell the player that Zinnia is headed to Petalburg City and that they should go with caution, as Zinnia is a powerful .
===Petalburg City===
In Petalburg City, Courtney/Matt can be found harassing Wally in front of his house. They are looking for a Key Stone as well. When the player approaches, Wally insists that he doesn't have the Key Stone. Wally then notices the player behind Courtney/Matt, prompting the Admin to notice the player and start a battle in a bid to steal the player's Key Stone as well. When the player defeats them, they leave for Meteor Falls. Wally informs the player that his Key Stone went missing prior to the arrival of the Admin. At this point, Steven contacts the player on the PokéNav Plus using a hidden feature called Entry Call that is still in development. He tells the player to meet him at the Devon Corporation in Rustboro City.
===Rustboro City===
Steven meets the player outside of the Devon Corporation. He takes them upstairs to meet his father, who has a lengthy story to tell. He tells of a weapon created by one man to end a war 3,000 years ago in a distant region, a weapon powered by the life energy of Pokémon. Devon developed that energy source into Infinity Energy. He then tells the player about the asteroid that is on a collision course with the planet, and how they plan to avert the danger using a Devon rocket. To aid this plan, he asks that the player venture to Granite Cave and retrieve a Meteorite Shard, which is a key piece of their plan. He tells Steven to take the Link Cable he gave him and go to the Mossdeep Space Center and start preparations.
===Granite Cave===
In Granite Cave, the player will find Zinnia and Aster (her Whismur) in the room with the wall painting. She reveals that this painting, showing Primal Reversion, was made by her ancestors, and alludes to another painting showing Mega Evolution. Turning away from the painting, Zinnia eagerly presses the player for a battle. After the battle, Zinnia gives the player a Meteorite Shard, but before leaving, she pauses to question the player about their motives and what they really know of the truth. Once she has left, a call from Steven comes through on the PokéNav Plus, and he asks the player to hurry back to the Space Center.
===Mossdeep City===
On the second floor of the Mossdeep Space Center, the player will find Steven and Professor Cozmo. After receiving the Meteorite Shard, the Professor will explain the plan to divert the meteoroid. This involves sending up a rocket and combining the Infinity Energy that powers it with human life energy like that found in Key Stones to recreate the massive energy used for Mega Evolution. This energy will be fired from the rocket to create a warp hole in the meteoroid's path, which will transport it somewhere far away.
In the middle of Professor Cozmo's explanation, Zinnia appears to warn the group that using Infinity Energy means their plan will only repeat past mistakes. She hints as well at a new and greater atrocity that their plan will cause. She expresses disappointment that, with all of human knowledge and technology, they can't come up with a better plan.
After Zinnia leaves, Professor Cozmo continues, explaining that creating the warp hole will actually require a second, purer Meteorite Shard, which can only be found at Meteor Falls. Hearing this, Steven heads for Meteor Falls, telling the player to follow as soon as they are able.
===Meteor Falls===
At Meteor Falls, the player will find Steven and a woman he introduces as a descendant of the ancient Draconid people at the back of the room above the waterfall. The Draconid people are tasked with passing down the knowledge and story of Mega Evolution, which started with Rayquaza. The woman explains that, in the past, when a great disaster shook Hoenn, the Lorekeeper would offer up a wish to Rayquaza in front of a stone shining with rainbow light. In response to this wish, Rayquaza's body would become suffused with light and it would transform, gaining even greater power. She notes that later people would call this phenomenon "Mega Evolution".
The woman goes on to explain that the Lorekeeper is the person who has inherited the knowledge and power to summon Rayquaza if the world is again threatened. She then reveals that Zinnia is the current Lorekeeper, and that it was Zinnia who taught Team Magma/Team Aqua how to revive Groudon/Kyogre, planning to use that threat to summon Rayquaza so that she could then ask it to stop the meteoroid.
Steven is shocked that Zinnia would be involved in reviving the super-ancient Pokémon despite knowing the havoc they would wreak and the inevitable sacrifice it would cost. The woman contends that balance is the rule of the world and that even Steven's own solution must involve some sacrifice. She informs him that Zinnia will stick by her convictions to the end, even if it should mean sacrificing her own life.
Troubled by what he has learned, Steven decides to head back to Devon.
===Rustboro City===
When the player attempts to enter the Devon building, a will run out, closely followed by a succession of Team Magma/Team Aqua Grunts. After the player has warded them off, the Scientist explains that a person from Team Magma/Aqua (Courtney/Matt) stole the control device for the Link Cable, a dimensional shifter. He believes they will head for the Mossdeep Space Center next, where he also believes Steven is.
===Mossdeep City===
As the player approaches the Space Center, they will first catch sight of Courtney/Matt and a group of Grunts as they make their move on the Space Center. Upon entering the Space Center, the player will find most of the visitors and employees clustered nervously in a corner opposite the group of Team Magma/Aqua Grunts who are blocking the stairs to the second floor. After defeating the Grunts in a Horde battle, the player will find Courtney/Matt confronting Steven and Professor Cozmo upstairs.
Distraught that their leader's plans were foiled, Courtney/Matt decide they want to detonate the rocket, which contains even more power than the ultimate weapon in the war 3,000 years ago, destroying the world and thereby fulfilling Project AZOTH's goals. Steven implores the player to help him stop them.
After Courtney/Matt is defeated, Aster shows up and snatches the dimensional shifter before the player has a chance to reclaim it. Zinnia then appears as well and claims that, while the dimensional shifter may indeed be their planet's best hope for being saved, it could also be an equally terrible tragedy for another planet. She tells of lore her people have passed down through the generations: that the mechanism of Mega Evolution also brings about distortions in the world, and that exists much like their own, yet also different. She suggests that in that other world, Mega Evolution is unknown, the war 3,000 years ago never happened, and the ultimate weapon was never built; and therefore, it would not have the technology to save itself if the asteroid appeared over it.
Unable to tolerate the chance that a helpless world might be put in danger just to save their own, Zinnia crushes the dimensional shifter. Steven and Professor Cozmo are dismayed at being robbed of their only hope, but Zinnia claims that she will be able to protect both worlds.
Zinnia then rushes Courtney/Matt and steals their Key Stone. Before she leaves, Zinnia mentions that she will be going after their leader's Key Stone at their base next.
===Team Magma/Aqua Hideout===
Upon entering the Team Magma Hideout/Team Aqua Hideout, the player will first notice a group of Grunts clustered around the entrance who have encountered Zinnia on her way into the base. As the player progresses through the base, other Grunts will battle the player, once again on alert after Zinnia's intrusion.
When the player arrives at Maxie's/Archie's room, they will be just in time to witness Zinnia claiming victory after a battle with the leader. Before the player can stop her, Zinnia snatches Maxie/Archie's Key Stone from him. She then says she has everything she needs to summon Rayquaza. Before she leaves, Zinnia invites the player to follow her to the Sky Pillar.
When Zinnia is gone, Maxie/Archie will direct Tabitha/Shelly to give the player his Mega Stone (Cameruptite/Sharpedonite), which is useless to him without his Key Stone, and he entrusts the player with the task of standing against Zinnia.
Steven will then call the player on the Entry Call app. When the player fills him in on what has happened, he says he is beginning to understand and asks the player to meet him at the Mossdeep Space Center again.
===Mossdeep City===
At the Space Center, Steven reveals that only a Lorekeeper, those tasked with passing on the knowledge of the ancient world, can enter the Sky Pillar. He then reveals that Wallace is also a Lorekeeper and will know how to undo the Sky Pillar's seal. Steven decides to remain with the professor and his team to come up with a new plan to stop the meteoroid, leaving the task of stopping Zinnia to the player. He advises the player to look for Wallace in the Cave of Origin at Sootopolis City.
===Sootopolis City===
Outside the Cave of Origin, having heard from Steven, Wallace explains that, as a descendant of the ancient people of Sootopolis, he can open the way to the Sky Pillar for the player. He also explains that the Sky Pillar is an altar built to Rayquaza, and that only the Draconids know how to summon Rayquaza.
Wallace tells the player that he will head to the Sky Pillar and to follow after as soon as they are ready. He informs the player that the Sky Pillar is located on one of 's small islands.
===Route 131===
When the player arrives at the island where the Sky Pillar is located, Wallace has already undone the seal and is waiting for the player. Before he will allow the player to enter, however, he asks the player to prove that they have the power to confront what lies ahead and challenges them to a battle.
After the player defeats him, Wallace tells the player that they may proceed, but he is unable to accompany the player inside himself. Instead, Wallace says he will return to Sootopolis and try to make his own contingency plans.
===Sky Pillar===
Just inside the entrance to the tower of the Sky Pillar, the player will find Zinnia waiting for them. As the player ascends the tower, she will tell the story of the Draconids' history, which is also enshrined in a mural covering the entire back wall of the tower.
Thousands of years ago, the world was overflowing with natural energy which Primal and Primal constantly fought over, causing endless disaster for the people caught helpless in the face of their great power. Then, a storm of meteoroids fell upon a waterfall that a tribe of Dragon-type-Pokémon users had long called home. The meteors shone with a rainbow light, and, apparently in response to their light, Rayquaza descended from the heavens and quelled the pair of Primal Pokémon with its overwhelming power, bringing peace back to the world. The people of Hoenn took to revering Rayquaza as their savior.
A thousand years later, the meteoroids fell once again, and this time a huge meteoroid struck the planet and bore out the crater that would eventually become Sootopolis City. The impact cracked the lands, causing a great upswell of natural energy which once again woke Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon, threatening further disasters. The people then prayed that Rayquaza would appear again to save them as it had before, and the huge meteorite that had bored out Sootopolis shone as if it were a huge Key Stone, and Rayquaza descended. In response to the people's wish for salvation and the light of the stone, Rayquaza underwent a change: Mega Evolution. Mega Rayquaza's subdued the power of the Primal Pokémon, and they returned to their dwelling places. A tall visitor from a distant land referred to Mega Rayquaza as the Δ (Delta) and said it was born of the world's disturbances and would calm them.
After this event, the Draconids built the Sky Pillar to hold the huge Key Stone that had granted Rayquaza its power, to bring themselves closer to Rayquaza's home in the sky, and to leave behind a record of their history and Rayquaza's might in murals.
Another thousand years of peace followed, but the Draconids predicted that the meteoroids would fall once more, and that the next time, there would be a meteoroid big enough to break the entire world. They devised a plan to prevent this calamity: they would find a way to call forth Rayquaza before the meteoroid struck and ask Rayquaza to destroy it.
This is the end of Zinnia's tale, and the player next finds her on the top of the tower before the Dragonhark altar, gazing up at the night sky. She tells a brief personal story hinting at a loss in her past, before knocking the player out. When the player awakes, Zinnia is ready to summon Rayquaza.
Zinnia offers herself before the altar and Rayquaza descends in response to her call. But when she asks Rayquaza to Mega Evolve, it cannot. Arriving at the conclusion that the Meteorites in Rayquaza's own body have lost too much power over the years, Zinnia despairs, until suddenly the player's Meteorite begins to glow like a Mega Stone. Rayquaza springs forth and swallows the Meteorite, giving it the power to Mega Evolve again. Zinnia then tells the player that Rayquaza wants to challenge them, and that the player must win over Rayquaza (capture it).
After the player captures Rayquaza, Zinnia will teach it and challenges the player to a battle so that the player can learn to use Rayquaza's power, her final duty as the last Lorekeeper of the Draconids.
After the battle with Zinnia (regardless of its outcome), Zinnia entrusts the player with destroying the approaching meteoroid. The player dons the Magma Suit/Aqua Suit and rides Rayquaza out to space to destroy the meteoroid. When Rayquaza shatters the meteoroid, however, a triangular object emerges from the middle of the debris. After a moment of darting around, tendrils snake out of the object before it bursts apart to reveal the Mythical Pokémon , who immediately engages the player in a battle.
Once the battle with Deoxys is over (regardless of its outcome), the player returns to the top of the Sky Pillar where Aster delivers a goodbye letter from Zinnia to the player. Various cut scenes are shown as the Delta Episode comes to a close: the Space Center scientists realizing the meteoroid has been destroyed; Wally leaving his home again, his Key Stone having been returned by the player and Norman having given him tickets to the Battle Resort; Courtney/Matt reconciling with Maxie/Archie and moving forward; Steven reflecting with Wallace on how much he still has to learn and grow; Zinnia coming to grips with being freed of her long burden; and the player and /'s parents discussing their children together. The next scene shows the player and May/Brendan meeting at the Space Center to watch the Litleonid meteor shower, before returning home to Littleroot Town and the welcome of their families.
==Major battles==
===Courtney===
=====First battle=====
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=====Second battle=====
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===Matt===
=====First battle=====
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=====Second battle=====
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===Zinnia===
====First battle====
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====Second battle====
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===Wallace===
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===Rayquaza===
Rayquaza will join the player's party upon catching it. Fly will be replaced with .
===Deoxys===
==In other languages==
==External links==
* The Delta Episode on the official site
Category:Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
de:Pokémon Omega Rubin und Alpha Saphir#Die Delta-Episode
es:Episodio Delta
fr:Épisode Delta
it:Episodio Delta
ja:エピソード デルタ
zh:EpisodeΔ