Review: "Battling the Beast Within/Parallel Friendships" (Pokémon Sun and Moon: Ultra Legends)

Alola everyone: if you’re seeing this; I will have had my second dose, so I had this done in advance just in case I end up feeling loopy for the next couple weeks. So, what better way to ease back in than with my look at more Pokémon Sun and Moon Ultra Legends, with both the episodes covered here bringing me to the 100th episode of this series. Let’s open up the first half of this two-parter with “Battling the Beast Within.”

We open on Kukui’s lab, where Ash finds Professor Kukui and his wife Professor Burnet doing exercises early in the morning on their surfboards. On top of the TCG Easter egg with the surfing Pikachu on Ash’s shirt; this is one aspect I really like to show how the professors are more than just his hosts: they’re mentors that become a surrogate family over the course of this anime; and a major reason why they’re often my favorite characters in the series.

After chucking a pair of Pyukumuku back into the ocean; Ash joins them before breakfast and before he heads to the Pokémon Academy. As he’s taking it all in, Tapu Koko looks on from above.

"Mr. Stark, it smells like a new car in here!"

After the intro, Ash runs to the Pokémon Academy to have a match with Kiawe when he comes across Tapu Koko. In a bright flash of light, Ash and Pikachu are transposed into a parallel universe; separating them from much of the regular cast throughout the bulk of this story. In their place, is a world much like theirs, but a much more desolate one at that.

"Hear me and rejoice... You may think this is suffering, no- it is salvation, the universal scales tip toward balance all because of your sacrifice..."

As the two explore the ruins, they come across the massive Ultra Beast “Gluttony,” better known by the name Guzzlord! 

"I know what it's like to lose: to feel that you're right, only to fail nonetheless..."

The two are narrowly saved by a Zeraora and another trainer. While some initially believed this was an older Ash or this continuity’s version of Red; what it turned out instead was an entirely new character known as Dia. It’s just one of the creators’ many recent ways of saying: “and now for something completely different.”

As Dia and Ash evacuate the premises, I will point out that I really like how this two-parter makes the normally colorful setting much more muted; which is a major advantage of the new art direction to play with lighting and color palettes. Ash is thankful for the rescue; though Zeraora isn’t too pleased about having its tail snuggled.

"We don't do that here."

Dia then reveals he once tried to battle Guzzlord as part of an elite team known as the Ultra Rangers; and I also note this is one of the few times Passimian was used here: not just in the dub, but it seems OLM really tried to use the monster very sparingly after that one episode got skipped.

The Ultra Rangers and most of the civilians were driven away from Melemele Island, leaving Dia as the first, last and only line of defense against Guzzlord devouring everything in its path!

"You should have gone for the head."

Dia stayed behind to protect what’s left of the island, and as we see shots of what it once was; and although this story never spells out exactly; this young man with the Litten is heavily implied to be a younger Dia. 

"Let me guess, your home?" "It was, and it was beautiful."

Ash vows to help Dia stop Guzzlord and restore peace to the land; though Dia is reluctant, especially after a sparring match with Zeraora.

Later, Dia gives Ash a bag of Poke Beans for Pikachu; and as they continue exploring; they come across the remains of the Pokémon Academy in this universe. To be continued, right now.

Everyone enters the school, and Ash discovers old photographs on the ground! Once again, the episodes never outright state this; but it’s a heavy hint that the boy with the Litten is a younger Dia. 

We then formally enter the second part of this story: “Parallel Friendships.”

Dia then explains the concept of parallel universes to Ash; which, since they’re already inside the school; helps they already have the chalkboard handy. Though it initially baffles Ash, Dia does get through to him, and no matter where they appear, parallel universes and alternate timelines are a concept that have always fascinated me. The mirror universes in Star Trek, Biff getting the almanac, the Flash messing with timelines: the list goes on and on.

Dia then explains how Guzzlord appeared 10 years prior to the events of the story, and stresses that Ash’s timeline must not share the same fate as his own. After this solemn warning, Ash is given dinner as he hasn’t eaten since he got to Dia’s parallel universe.

After Dia eats some rations himself, he explains how he began fighting alongside Zeraora to send Guzzlord back home. He also reveals that he has a Z-Ring, but the Z-Power has long since left his land. I haven’t mentioned this yet, but Ash reveals the same thing happened when he arrived in his universe. Guzzlord’s weak spot is the head; so Ash vows to help send Guzzlord back where it came so he can return home as well! They begin training, but the only problem with bean cans is the same with any training dummy: they don’t fight back.

After Pikachu and Zeraora spar again, Ash and Dia opt to put their plan into action against Guzzlord! Drawing it back towards the Ultra Hole in the center of Hauoli City, this engagement is quite well-constructed and shows how this art direction is just as valid as the animation style for the previous generations of the show. On that note; I still submit this anime does respect the canon of the games and is just as valid as the other adaptations.

Just when things seem lost, the Tapu Koko of this timeline restores their Z-Power! With their combined strength, their Gigavolt Havoc Z-Moves send Guzzlord back where it came from!

With peace being restored to Dia’s home and one last energetic battle, Ash and Pikachu are sent back home to their universe! However, much to their surprise and delight; what was days for Ash and Pikachu was only moments for everyone else back home! We close on the two reflecting on the events that they just went through. I’ve been wanting to address this for ages, and I’m glad I finally got a chance to.

With 100 episodes of this anime as of this two-parter, I can honestly say this third season of the “Sun and Moon” series is easily the best one I’ve covered so far already. These two episodes in particular have helped  take the series from initially being written off as the runt of the litter and trying to cash in on Yo-Kai Watch and now being looked back on quite favorably. It’s no surprise the new series already has a lot of story similarities; and I’m open to talking about both more in the near future. Thank you for all your support, and I will see you all again soon. Alola.