PE01

The Champion (Japanese: ザ・チャンピオン The Champion) is the first episode of Pokémon Evolutions. It was first released on the official English Pokémon YouTube channel, Pokémon TV, and the official Japanese Pokémon YouTube channel on September 9, 2021.
==Blurb==
What goes on within the heart of a Champion? Doubts? Regrets? Determination? Maybe all three?
==Plot==
In Wyndon, the biggest city in Galar, Wyndon Stadium is jam-packed with people eager to witness the historic Championship Match between Leon, the undefeated of the Galar League, and , the famed . In the stadium's locker room, Leon is sitting alone, thinking about the events that interrupted his and Victor's first battle before it could even begin.
At the tower summit atop Hammerlocke Stadium, Leon's is defeated by , the Legendary Pokémon responsible for the cataclysmic event known as the Darkest Day. Leon quickly recalls Aegislash and sends out his strongest Pokémon, , to face Eternatus. Victor and Leon's younger brother Hop arrive at the tower summit just as Charizard lands a on Eternatus, causing it to fall down. Seizing the opportunity, Leon throws a at Eternatus, sucking it in. For a few tense moments, the ball shakes, before stopping. Leon, realizing what's going to happen, immediately tells Charizard to shield Victor and Hop, just as the Poké Ball bursts open. The powerful burst of energy released by Eternatus escaping the attempted knocks Leon to the ground.
Frustrated by his failure, Leon squeezes Charizard's Ultra Ball in his hand so hard that it slips out and falls to the floor. Charizard emerges and approaches Leon, pulling his Champion cape on his shoulders and motioning him to get going. Understanding his partner, Leon starts putting on his Champion attire.
Victor and Hop eventually succeed in bringing Eternatus down again. At that moment, however, it suddenly transforms into its devastatingly powerful form. Faced by overwhelming odds, the two s raise the Rusted Sword and Rusted Shield, respectively, into the air. The Legendary Pokémon and react to the legendary artifacts and arrive to help, using the artifacts to transform into their more powerful forms. Zamazenta's and Zacian's deal notable damage on Eternatus, severely weakening it. Victor seizes the chance and uses his Dynamax Band to enlarge a Poké Ball, which he then hurls at Eternatus. The struggles against the ball's grip, but is eventually sucked in. The ball crashes down and shakes three times before shrinking back to normal, signifying a successful capture. In the sky, the clouds part to signify the end of the Darkest Day.
His attire ready, Leon recalls his Charizard and heads to the field, where the crowd is already cheering for Victor and his accomplishment of defeating Eternatus. As Leon steps out in front of the audience as well, the cheering grows even louder. Leon and Victor face each other, and Leon does his signature Charizard pose to signify the start of the Championship Match.
==Major events==
* Leon recalls how defeated and .
* Leon prepares for his Championship Match against Victor.
==Characters==
===Humans===
* 
* 
* Hop
* Bede
* Marnie
* Nessa (picture)
* Leon
* Ball Guy
* Pokémon Center lady
* 
* 
* Spectators
===Pokémon===
* ('s)
* ('s; ; new; flashback)
* ('s)
* (Hop's; flashback)
* (Hop's)
* (Marnie's)
* (Leon's; flashback)
* ()
* (Flying Taxi; multiple)
* (Trainers'; ×2)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's; )
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (Trainer's)
* (; flashback)
* (; flashback)
* (Drone Rotom; multiple)
* (×2)
* (×2)
* ()
* 
==Trivia==
* The number on 's uniform is 25, a reference to the Pokémon franchise's 25th anniversary.
* The two in this episode wear the hats of Victor and .
===Errors===
===Dub edits===
==In other languages==
01
Category:Episodes written by Benjamin Townsend
Category:Episodes storyboarded and directed by Daiki Tomiyasu
Category:Episodes storyboarded by Daiki Tomiyasu
Category:Episodes directed by Daiki Tomiyasu
Category:Episodes animated by Rei Yamazaki
de:Pokémon: Entwicklungen Folge 1: Der Champ
es:EVO01
fr:PE01
it:EV01
ja:PE第1話
zh:Pokémon Evolutions 第1集