"I've got to be strong!"
—Lillie
Japanese Title: The Crystal of Courage, Lilie and Rokon!
Original Airdate: February 9, 2017
US Airdate: June 17, 2017
Snowy is ready to jump right in with Lillie.
Lillie's Pokémon Egg has hatched into an Alolan Vulpix, which she names Snowy! Now she is on a crash course to actually bond with a Pokémon, with Ash and Mallow keeping a watchful eye over the pair. Can a run-in with Team Rocket cement their relationship?
This episode contains examples of the following tropes:
- And Call Him "George": Jessie gives her Malasada to Bewear as a token for protecting and housing Team Rocket. It responds with a rib-crushing Bear Hug. She drops the bag, and Mimikyu eats one.
- Ash Face: After the Harmless Freezing, Samson's Vulpix uses Ember on Ash and RotomDex to thaw them. It works a little too well, and they get burned.
- Big Damn Heroes: Ash and Rowlet appear just in time to save Lillie and Snowy from falling splat onto the pavement.
- Blatant Lies: When Team Rocket walk out of a Malasada shop, Jessie declares Malasada donuts to be the superior snack food in Alola. But James and Meowth are certain she's still salty about losing the Great Alola Pancake Race, and missing out on its prize of a year's worth of Alolan Pancakes.
- The Chosen One: When Samson assigns the class with raising Snowy, all the other kids agree that Lillie should keep it.
- Contrived Coincidence: At some point during the incubation period, Lillie began calling the egg "Snowy". This would later become a very appropriate name.
- Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Despite her clear inexperience handling Pokemon herself, Lillie still uses her studies to command Snowy rather resourcefully, having it use Powder Snow on the ground so Team Rocket can't run over it.
- Cuddle Bug: The moment it's called, a smitten Mareanie immediately jumps back and poisons James.
- Cuteness Proximity: All the twerps' Pokémon react to Snowy and Samson's Kanto Vulpix. Even Turtonator.
- Deer in the Headlights: Lillie still freezes at the end when Togedemaru rolls up to her leg. She does appear to be fighting the reaction, though. And she relaxes when Snowy jumps into her arms.
- Fire-Forged Friends: It takes a battle with Team Rocket to get Lillie fully comfortable with Snowy. So much so, Lillie jumps off a building to save Snowy when she's knocked off by an attack from Mareanie.
- Harmless Freezing: When Ash introduces himself to Snowy, she uses Powder Snow on him, freezing him and RotomDex.
- This happens to Lillie in the End-of-Episode Silliness in the Japanese version as well. Snowy then nuzzles up to her frozen trainer.
- Jumped at the Call: Lillie gets carried away trying to catch Snowy, throwing her Poké Ball over her and hitting Ash in the head. Snowy walked over to it, and engaged the button with a paw, catching herself.
- Meaningful Name: Snowy's Japanese name is "Shiron". Lillie said she chose that name because she started rolling her egg around before it hatched. The word comes from "shiro-", or white, and "koron-koron", the Japanese onomatopoeia for rolling. Even her English name befits her typing and personality.
- Not in This for Your Revolution: Mimikyu disobeys Jessie when she orders it to attack Snowy. It's not interested if Pikachu isn't around.
- Sugar-and-Ice Personality: While Samson's Kantonian Vulpix is very sociable and personable right out of the egg, Snowy is very shy around humans and Pokémon alike. She takes a lot after Lillie, actually. It's clear she loves Lillie, though. And she does feel comfortable sticking to Turtonator as well.
- Tears of Joy: Although she is still fearful of contact with Pokémon, Lillie is clearly and unambiguously overjoyed when she catches Snowy.
