SM081

A Young Royal Flame Ignites! (Japanese: アローラの若き炎！ロイヤルサトシ誕生！！ Alola's Young Fire! 's Birth!!) is the 81st episode of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, and the 1,020th episode of the Pokémon animated series. It first aired in Japan on July 5, 2018, in New Zealand on October 26, 2018, in Canada on November 17, 2018, and in the United States on December 1, 2018.
==Blurb==
Another exciting Battle Royal is under way! It’s the Masked Royal versus the Revengers, a battle team known for their blatant rule-breaking. When they’re about to unleash a sneak attack on Incineroar, Ash’s Torracat charges into the ring with a sneak attack of its own—and “Ash Royal” joins the Masked Royal for a tag-team match against the Revengers’ Electivire and Magmortar!
The Revengers’ boss is Viren, the ruthless developer who once threatened Kiawe’s family farm—which means the Battle Royal Dome itself is on the line! But Torracat and Incineroar prove to be a great team, and despite their opponents’ unsavory tactics, the Double Royals win the day!
==Plot==
At the Battle Royal Dome, and his are participating in a Battle Royal. Their opponent is Mr. Electric and his , and the hosts are . Meanwhile, at Professor Kukui's house, , his , and watch the match on the TV. Incineroar easily fends off Electivire, but then, Mr. Electric grabs Incineroar's leg, restraining it. Ash, not liking Mr. Electric's cheating, asks who he is and replies that Mr. Electric is part of a group known as the Revengers. Meanwhile, at Sophocles's house, explains to his father who the Revengers are, and at 's house, Kiawe and Mimo are also watching as the former states that Mr. Electric's cheating just gives him more reason to cheer for Masked Royal. At 's mansion, Lillie is watching the match with Hobbes and cheers for Incineroar, when she suddenly notices and in the audience.
Meanwhile, Incineroar manages to free its leg in time to knock Electivire away. As Incineroar is ready to attack, it is suddenly hit by a ball of fire from a , who is owned by Mad Magmar, another member of the Revengers. Due to Magmortar's interference, Mr. Electric and Electivire are disqualified, but Ash isn't satisfied, knowing that the Masked Royal won't accept that kind of win. Mad Magmar challenges Masked Royal to a Single Battle the next day for the title of strongest fighter and Masked Royal accepts. Team Rocket is amazed at Mad Magmar's audacity of interfering with a match in order to declare a challenge. Later, Masked Royal returns to the changing rooms and removes his mask as he comments about tomorrow. That night, when Kukui returns home, he is greeted by Ash and Burnet performing the Masked Royal's pose. Burnet informs Kukui that she plans on going to the Battle Royal Dome to watch tomorrow's match, much to his surprise. She becomes suspicious and asks him if he has plans tomorrow, which Kukui nervously replies that he doesn't have any.
The next day, Ash and the Professors arrive at the Battle Royal Dome, where they meet Mallow, Lana, Lillie, Kiawe, and Sophocles. In the dome, the kids talk about the main event as Kukui tries to sneak away. The Masked Royal and Mad Magmar's match is due to take place after another Battle Royal. Kukui hurriedly gets into the changing room, sends out Incineroar, and changes into his Masked Royal costume. Then, the duo quickly runs for the ring and reaches it just in time. As the crowd cheers for him and Incineroar, Masked Royal silently catches his breath.
As the starting bell rings, the lights suddenly go out and when they are back, Masked Royal is surrounded by three members of the Revengers, while their , , and Alolan surround Incineroar alongside Mad Magmar's Magmortar. The Revengers' Pokémon attack Incineroar and pin it to the ground, but then, suddenly jumps into the ring and attacks Magmortar, much to the audience's enjoyment. As recognizes Torracat, Jessie and James notice Ash. Incineroar manages to use the moment to free itself from the Revengers' Pokémon as their Trainers run away. As Mad Magmar gets angry at Ash, the Masked Royal reminds Mad Magmar that he and the Revengers intruded first as the audience agrees. As James comments that they can't do the main event in this state, Magmortar, as translated by Meowth, is angry at Torracat for embarrassing it. Mr. Electric and Electivire join the fray, which Jessie comments that it's like a tag battle now. A voice says that sounds interesting as a golden car drives into the dome, much to Ash, his classmates, Masked Royal, and Burnet's surprise. Viren exits from the car, and the kids instantly recognize him.
Mr. Electric helps Viren into the ring, and Viren reveals that he's the boss of the Revengers, backing them from behind the scenes. As the audience boos him and the Revengers, Viren nonchalantly shrugs it off, saying that their booing is more like cheering to him, and reveals that he and the Revengers intend to claim the title of strongest , and after that they'll buy the Dome and make it part of Rainbow Happy Resorts. Ash and Masked Royal object to Viren's plans, but then, Viren challenges Masked Royal to a revenge match, for the title of the Battle Royal Dome's strongest. Ash and Torracat agree to help out Masked Royal, and so, the challenge is accepted.
As Team Rocket announces the beginning of the tag battle, Masked Royal hands Ash a mask that resembles his own, declaring him to be Ash Royal. Jessie introduces the Revengers, who get booed by the audience, then she introduces the Double Royals, consisting of Masked Royal and Ash Royal. In the audience, Ash's friends and Burnet are excited and jealous of Ash's new position. After Jessie's countdown, the match begins with Incineroar going up against Magmortar. Magmortar uses , but Incineroar counters with . Magmortar and Incineroar exchange a and respectively. Afterwards, Incineroar switches out with Torracat. Mad Magmar states that Torracat has nerve for attacking Magmortar earlier, to which Ash Royal retorts it was because the Revengers cheated.
Mad Magmar tells Magmortar to use , during which Magmortar walks around on its toes and looks around for something while blushing. The distraction catches Torracat off guard as Magmortar throws Torracat across the ring. Torracat lands safely and attempts to use , but it gets grabbed by the Revengers' Poliwrath. Ash Royal objects to the dirty tactics, but Mad Magmar states that as long as he wins, he doesn't care and tells Magmortar to switch out with Electivire. Electivire hits Torracat with and attempts a , but Torracat manages to dodge it. Masked Royal tells Torracat to switch with Incineroar. Electivire uses , but Incineroar uses to defend against it, much to Lana's excitement. Electivire attempts another Thunder Punch, but Incineroar uses to knock Electivire back.
But then, Muk and Poliwrath grab onto Incineroar's legs, preventing it from moving. Kiawe and Lana cannot stand the injustice and has and attack the Revengers' Pokémon, freeing Incineroar. Viren hypocritically calls out the two for their actions, as Burnet tells the two to leave it to the Double Royals. Lana tries to protest, but Masked Royal states that their passion has reached him, and that they should counter the enemy's dirty tactics with a clean fight, impressing Burnet and Kiawe, as Lana agrees to step back and allow the Double Royals to take care of things. Electivire recovers from Incineroar's attack and tries to use another Thunder Punch, only to be knocked back by Darkest Lariat again. Kiawe and Lana cheers for the Double Royals as Electivire switches out with Magmortar, and Incineroar and Torracat do the same. Magmortar charges at Torracat for a , but Torracat leaps from the corner post and comes down with a that knocks Magmortar back. Cleverly, Magmortar uses the recoil from the rope to launch itself towards Torracat and hit it with Karate Chop. Magmortar unleashes a flurry of Karate Chops, forcing Torracat into the defensive. As Ash Royal encourages Torracat to not give up, Torracat jumps into the air and hits Magmortar with its paw enveloped by orange fire.
Masked Royal recognizes the move as , much to Ash Royal's excitement. Magmortar faints, and Electivire jumps in to use Thunder Punch on Torracat, only to be hit by Torracat's Revenge, fainting as well. Viren is enraged and has all the Revengers, including Mad Magmar and Mr. Electric, and their Poliwrath, Muk, and Golem, gang up on Torracat. Masked Royal has Torracat switch out with Incineroar and decides a Z-Move is in order. Incineroar leaps from the corner post, enveloped by Z-Power and unleashes a on the Revengers and their Pokémon, KO'ing all of them. Viren still isn't ready to give up and sends out his from a Luxury Ball. Masked Royal refuses to let the likes of Viren and the Revengers have their way in the ring any further and calls out to Ash Royal. The pair have Torracat and Incineroar use and Darkest Lariat respectively on Pangoro, sending it flying into its Trainer, knocking them both out in the process. And with that, James and Jessie declare the Double Royals victorious.
The audience cheers for the Double Royals, as Ash's friends and Burnet come down to congratulate them. Lillie gets fired up and declares that she will take part in the next Battle Royal, much to Mallow's surprise. Ash takes off his mask and states his desire to settle the score between Torracat and Incineroar. Masked Royal accepts this challenge, stating that it will be a match to remember as he shakes hands with Ash while Incineroar and Torracat high five each other. Then, Masked Royal and Incineroar run off in a hurry, much to Ash's confusion. Some time later, Kukui returns with bags of groceries, trying to catch his breath, and apologizes for the wait. Burnet asks what he was doing, to which Kukui claims that he got lost.
The next day, back at Kukui's house, Kukui comments that Torracat's Revenge was a sight to behold, as Ash agrees. However, Burnet is surprised that Kukui knows that despite being "absent" during the match. He claims that he saw the match from a television in the store, which Burnet believes. Kukui breathes a sigh of relief with his secret identity still intact.
==Major events==
* Ash's Torracat learns .
===Debuts===
====Humans====
* Mad Magmar
* Mr. Electric
====Pokémon debuts====
* (Alolan form)
=====English dub debuts=====
* 
==Characters==
===Humans===
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* Jessie
* James
* 
* 
* Hobbes
* Mimo
* Sophocles's father
* Viren
* Revengers
** Mr. Electric
** Mad Magmar
* Viren's henchman (flashback)
* 
* 
* 
* Trainers
* Audience
===Pokémon===
Who's That Pokémon?: 
* ()
* ()
* ()
* ()
* ()
* (; )
* ()
* ()
* ()
* (; Alolan form)
* ('s; Alolan form; Snowy)
* ()
* ()
* ()
* ()
* ('s)
* (Viren's)
* (Mr. Electric's)
* (Mad Magmar's)
* (Revengers'; Alolan form)
* (Revengers')
* (Revengers'; Alolan form; debut)
* ('s)
* ('s)
* ('s)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's; Melemele Greens; English debut)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's; Alolan form)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's; Alolan form)
* (Trainers'; ×2)
* (Trainers'; ×3)
* (Trainers'; ×2)
* (Trainers'; ×2)
* (Trainers'; ×2)
* (Trainers'; ×2)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainers'; ×6)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainers'; ×5)
* (Trainers'; ×2)
* (Trainers'; ×2)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's; Alolan form)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's; Alolan form)
* (×2)
==Trivia==
* Poké Problem: Who tag teams with the in today's episode?
** Host: 
** Choices: , , , 
** Answer: Ash
* Jessie, James, , and narrate the preview for the next episode.
* James breaks the fourth wall when he mentions that Ash and the 's battle against the Revengers will be back after the upcoming messages, right before the commercial break in the show proper.
* This episode marks the dub debut of , since the episode it originally debuted in never aired outside of Asia.
* This is one of the few episodes in the series in which refer to Ash by his name.
* Team Rocket wears their disguises for the entire episode.
* This episode marks the first appearance of a in the since Iris and the Rogue Dragonite!, 274 episodes earlier.
** This episode also marks the first appearance of a in the animated series since last appeared in BWS01, nearly five years earlier.
* This was the last episode to air before The Power of Us debuted in Japanese theaters.
===Errors===
* When Mad Magmar talks to the Masked Royal near the start of the episode, a section underneath 's belt is miscolored black.
* In the English dub, Mad Magmar is incorrectly referred to as "Mad Magma". This reoccurs in Battle Royal 151!
===Dub edits===
* The Japanese text depicting 's name is edited out in the dub.
==In other languages==
081
Category:Episodes focusing on Ash
Category:Episodes in which an Ultra Beast appears
Category:Episodes written by Shōji Yonemura
Category:Episodes storyboarded by Masahiro Sekino
Category:Episodes directed by Makoto Nakata
Category:Episodes animated by Noriko Itō
Category:Episodes animated by Taki Yatagi
Category:Episodes by multiple animation directors
Category:Episodes in which a main character's Pokémon learns a new move
Category:Episodes which aired in New Zealand before the United States
Category:Episodes which aired in Canada before the United States
de:Ein royales Talent erwacht!
es:EP1024
fr:SL081
it:SL081
ja:SM編第81話
zh:宝可梦 太阳＆月亮 第81集