Japanese Title: Mega Evolution and the Prism Tower!
Original Airdate: October 17, 2013
US Airdate: October 19, 2013 (special airing), January 25, 2014 (in sequence)
Ash, Clemont, and Bonnie rush Pikachu and Froakie to Professor Sycamore so they can be healed up. While there, they discover Froakie's history of issues with past trainers, and learn about Mega Evolution. One of the Pokémon Professor Sycamore is researching, a Garchomp, goes on a rampage at the Prism Tower, and Ash decides to help tame her. The situation is further aggravated when she is targeted by Team Rocket. But Ash finds he has more allies in the fight, including Froakie, and a superhero with a Mega Evolved Pokémon.
Serena sees the coverage of the rescue, and recognizes Ash.
This episode contains examples of the following tropes:
- Big Damn Heroes: Ash jumps from the top of Prism Tower to catch a falling Pikachu, and it would surely spell the death for them if it weren't for the Mega Blaziken he saw earlier.
- Book Ends: One of the first things to happen in the XY series is Ash falling. Twice. The climax of the Garchomp crisis ends with Ash falling.
- Continuity Cameo: Unless they're victim to Only Six Faces, the news crew that showed up to cover the Garchomp's rampage are apparently the same ones that reported the Greenfield crisis.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Froakie has been handed to several trainers for who knows how long, but either he kept coming back or the trainers just returned him to Sycamore.
- Epic Fail: Team Rocket's attempt to possess Garchomp with their gadgetry causes a lot of havoc for Ash, but not in their favour. The out of control Pokemon blasts them off just a short while into the episode.
- Foreshadowing: The introduction of the Mega Blaziken's trainer, Blaziken Mask, later revealed to be Clemont's father, Meyer.
- Gentle Giant: Sycamore's Garchomp, based on a land shark, Face of a Thug, yet is an absolute sweetie.
- Jumped at the Call: When they're all about to leave Sycamore's lab, Froakie stops them with a Poké Ball, suggesting he wants to go with Ash. Then when Ash picks the Poké Ball up, Froakie hits the button, literally catching himself.
- Samus Is a Girl: Professor Sycamore's Garchomp is female.
- Skyward Scream: After Ryhorn sends Serena face-first to the ground, she exclaims how she hates all the training Grace is giving her for Ryhorn racing.
- Unusually Uninteresting Sight: In spite of the presence of a large crowd, only ONE person (Professor Sycamore) ever bothered to check on the prepubescent boy who just performed a death-defying leap from the top of the Prism Tower to see if he's okay. At the very least, the news camera seemed to focus on him, long enough for Serena to recognize Ash.
- Wham Shot: Yes, the promos didn't bother to hide how Serena is a past acquaintance of Ash, but the fact that Serena flashes back to a younger Ash just cements it.
