Pokemon Horizons Episode 25 recap: Escape from the Old Castle

Pokemon Horizons is pushing ahead into its next narrative arc, but not before Episode 25 wraps up the intense showdown in Galar's Old Castle. When watchers last saw the series' heroes, they were getting a fair amount of answers about arc-long questions, at least until the Explorers showed up once again to cause trouble and leave a heartfelt reunion on something of a sour note.

Episode 25: Rivals in the Dark Night, caps off the setup of Episode 24 with non-stop action from start to finish. As the Rising Volt Tacklers battle the Explorers, the Old Castle begins to crumble around them, resulting in our heroes needing to fight their way out to escape.

For Pokemon Horizons fans who haven't caught Episode 25, there will be heavy spoilers ahead. Otherwise, it isn't a bad time to recap the latest story entry's events.

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Breaking down the events of Pokemon Horizons Episode 25

The Explorers face off with the Pokemon Horizons crew in Episode 25 (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Picking up where Pokemon Horizons Episode 24 left off, our heroes are faced with the intrusion of Amethio, Zirc, and Onia at the Old Castle. Meanwhile, Explorer administrators Onyx and Sango (further supported by Hamber) are en route to provide backup to the villains.

Diana, Liko's grandmother, arrives on the scene with her Arcanine to engage in battle while her Squawkabilly opens a hidden passage underneath the floor. She tells our heroes that she'll be right behind them once she picks up a certain item, so Liko, Roy, and Friede escape underground.

Diana's Arcanine arrives to provide cover for the Pokemon Horizons heroes (Image via The Pokemon Company)

After Diana learns of the identity of her attackers, she escapes through a window with Arcanine. The Explorers' Rhydon begins drilling underground, causing a structural collapse that forces Liko and the gang to flee at an expedited pace. Zirc determines that the castle's tunnels empty out near the towers, so Amethio devises a battle plan to cut the Rising Volt Tacklers off to snatch away Terapagos.

As the Rising Volt Tacklers climb the towers, Friede tells Liko and Roy to hold their position while he reaches the top to call Murdock for pickup. However, Amethio intercepts on the back of his Corviknight, leading Friede to dive from the tower and face off with him in midair on the back of his Charizard. Liko and Roy realize Friede is offering himself as a distraction while they escape.

Amethio intervenes with his Corviknight in Pokemon Horizons (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Amethio dispatches his Ceruledge to battle Friede's Charizard once more, and while the latter initially has the upper hand, Ceruledge begins to deal heavy damage to Charizard. Friede uses a Tera Ball to Terastallize Charizard into a Dark-type, negating Ceruledge's Ghost-type attacks and taking it down with a powerful Tera Blast.

Meanwhile, Diana encounters Hamber and his Dusknoir, and Liko/Roy are cornered in the courtyard by Zinc and Onia. Sprigatito and Fuecoco fight valiantly, but Onyx and his Garganacl arrive and cause a commotion. Diana asks Hamber why they would attack since they were friends of the ancient trainer Lucius, but Hamber refuses to explain. Fortunately, the commotion allows Diana to escape.

Hamber confronts Diana in Pokemon Horizons Episode 25 (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Onyx is contacted by Gibeon of the Explorers before heading into the castle and battling many of the wild Pokemon housed within. The impact of the many battles in the castle causes the tower to begin collapsing, leaving most of the Explorers to run away save for Onyx and Sango, who attempt to surround Liko and Roy once again. Fortunately, Captain Pikachu dives in from the Brave Asagi to save the day.

Orla's Metagross heads to the ground level to pick up Liko and Roy to whisk them to the airship as Cap takes on the two Explorer administrators, handily defeating Garganacl. Sango orders her Glalie to self-destruct out of annoyance, but Cap manages to dodge the explosion and escape on the back of Charizard with Friede.

Friede and Cap escape the Explorers in Pokemon Horizons (Image via The Pokemon Company)

As the group reunites on the Brave Asagi, Diana, and her Arcanine join the group thanks to the Fire-type Pokemon's incredible leaping ability, leaving the Pokemon Horizons team safe, and the Explorers left to treat their wounds back at the castle. Diana has retrieved the item she needed, the memoirs of the ancient trainer Lucius, and gives them to Liko.

Diana tasks her granddaughter with finding the Six Heroes who accompanied Lucius on his adventures: the Black Rayquaza, Arboliva, Galarian Moltres, Lapras, Kleavor, and Entei. Fortunately for the Rising Volt Tacklers, Liko and Roy have already captured Arboliva and Galarian Moltres in previous episodes of Pokemon Horizons, but there's still work to be done.

Hamber reports to Gibeon to close out Pokemon Horizons Episode 25 (Image via The Pokemon Company)

In the final scene of Pokemon Horizons Episode 25, Hamber reports back to Gibeon at the Explorer's Base on the group's attempted kidnapping of Terapagos. While they weren't successful, Hamber remarks that the cogs of the machine are falling into place and that the Explorers' plan can move toward "fulfilling their wish."