Pokemon Horizons Episode 17 recap: Roy's Intense Training

The heroes of Pokemon Horizons finally began their journey to the Galar region in the show's 16th episode, and the latest entry in the series builds upon that departure. Episode 17 Wattrel and Fuecoco's Secret Big Training! saw Roy and his partners coming together as a team and growing stronger as the Brave Asagi continued to push onward through the skies away from Paldea.

Pokemon Horizons Episode 17 aired in Japan on August 11, 2023, so it hasn't been all that long, and some Pokemon fans may have even missed out. If that's the case, and watchers still want to keep up with the story, it certainly doesn't hurt to recap what occurred in the episode.

In all fairness, this Pokemon Horizons episode wasn't one of the most significant, but it still showcased Roy's progression as a trainer.

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What happened in Pokemon Horizons Episode 17?

At the beginning of this Pokemon Horizons episode, the Brave Asagi is still en route to Galar, and Roy is attempting to keep his Wattrel and Fuecoco from bickering to no avail. No matter what happens, these two Pocket Monsters simply can't seem to get along, and Roy's attempts to reconcile their differences fall on deaf ears.

While watching Friede's Charizard and Captain Pikachu train, Friede tells Roy that battling together is a great way for two Pokemon to bond, blow off steam, and grow stronger at the same time. Roy decides that he should send Wattrel and Fuecoco into battle against Cap as well, though the initial results go about as expected.

Despite Wattrel learning the move Spark, the duo of it and Fuecoco isn't enough to overcome Captain Pikachu. Roy's Pokemon continue to argue, and Liko and the rest of the Pokemon Horizons crew notice that there are some heavy turbulent winds up ahead and seek shelter. Unfortunately, Roy, Fuecoco, and Wattrel get caught in the gusts.

As Roy is helping Wattrel from being blown away, he notices that its wings are glowing, and it fires a Spark move to destroy an oncoming branch. When the group gets to safety, Liko informs Roy that wind charges Wattrel's wings and creates electricity, leaving Roy to wonder if this fact could assist him in another bout against Captain Pikachu.

The only problem for our Pokemon Horizons hero is that Wattrel requires a sizable amount of wind to charge up its wings. How will it be possible to generate that kind of wind during the battle? Roy and Liko head over to Dot's room to ask for advice, and the reclusive character suggests that perhaps letting Wattrel fall from a sizable height would produce the same results.

Roy and his partners head back to the deck of the Brave Asagi to train, skipping dinner and working to the point of exhaustion. The next morning, Roy issues another challenge to Captain Pikachu. The rest of the heroes of Pokemon Horizons gather on the deck to watch the battle, and they are surprised to see Roy's new strategy in action.

To be specific, Roy allows Fuecoco and Wattrel to stand on him and create a tower, then Fuecoco uses Ember to launch itself into the air. Wattrel flies into the sky and begins to dive bomb down toward Cap, who meets it midair with a Thunder Punch. Unfortunately, Cap's strength is too much for Wattrel, and the punch wins out over Wattrel's Spark attack.

Fuecoco attempts to finish the battle by charging in with a Tackle, but Cap dodges, and both Fuecoco and Wattrel faint. Although Roy is disappointed in the final result, the Pokemon Horizons heroes assure him that the battle was a great effort, and they were impressed with the trio's training.

Meanwhile, Friede notes that Captain Pikachu lost its hat during the battle, signifying a moment where the powerful Electric Mouse Pokemon got serious during a fight. This surely speaks to Roy's growth as a trainer in Pokemon Horizons. Meanwhile, Liko begins to think that adding a new partner to her team alongside Sprigatito may not be a bad idea at all.