Pokemon Horizons Episode 38 recap: A Tandemaus in Need

Pokemon Horizons' 38th episode, "SOS from Tandemaus?" aired in Japan on February 2, 2024, and sees Liko and Mollie assisting a Tandemaus that has lost its partner after a terrible storm. The rescue effort begins as a small one, but the direness of the situation eventually calls all of the Rising Volt Tacklers to come together and work to save the missing Tandemaus.

At a moment when Liko wants to help but finds herself at a loss of what to do, our Pokemon Horizons heroes and her trusted Pokemon friends find a way to assist. While many recent episodes have focused on character building, Episode 38 returns to the dynamic of humans and Pokemon and their willingness to help each other no matter the odds.

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Recapping Pokemon Horizons Episode 38 "SOS from Tandemaus?"

The Brave Olivine is wracked by a storm in Pokemon Horizons Episode 38 (Image via The Pokemon Company)

This episode begins with the Brave Olivine navigating a terrible rainstorm. Orla and Charizard work together to keep the airship's furnace stable as it begins to set down into a forest clearing. The Brave Olivine remains anchored in thanks to grappling hooks until the storm passes, and Friede and Captain Pikachu emerge to enjoy the now sunny weather.

Roy and Fuecoco notice that the flag on the bow of the Brave Olivine is torn and rush down to inform Orla. Friede asks him to relay a message to her that she should check out the rest of the airship for damage from the storm. Mollie then calls Friede and offers to give the Pokemon aboard the airship a checkup while repairs are underway.

Liko brings Hatenna in for a checkup, and Mollie points out that the Pokemon is distressed from the recent weather. This is understandable, considering its debut Pokemon Horizons episode, where it was stranded in a storm. Regardless, Mollie's Chansey (Lucky) brings a warm blanket for Hatenna, which perks it up, and then the Pokemon from the boiler room arrive tired after their work.

Mollie and Lucky brighten Hatenna's mood in Pokemon Horizons Episode 38 (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Fortunately, Lucky provides an egg to Charizard, which perks it up in no time. Mollie takes care of the other boiler room Pokemon, and they leave in good health. Shuckle arrives as the next case for our Pokemon Horizons protagonists, and Mollie removes a splinter from its leg while Lucky heals it. Hatenna is amazed, and attempts to mimic Lucky's Heal Pulse move before it runs outside with concern.

On the entry ramp to the Brave Olivine, the Pokemon Horizons heroes find a passed-out and battered Tandemaus. Mollie and Lucky administer first aid and intend to take the critter to the infirmary while they find its partner, but the Tandemaus jumps up and runs away, signaling the group to follow it. Liko, Mollie, Lucky, Sprigatito, and Hatenna give chase.

The Pokemon Horizons crew emerges near a small hole heavily covered by a collapsed tree, and Tandemaus signals to its partner inside. Mollie deduces that the weak reply by Tandemaus' partner could suggest it's hurt. The group fails to move the tree trunk, but Liko crawls into the hole with Tandemaus and Sprigatito.

Liko helps find Tandemaus' partner in Pokemon Horizons Episode 38 (Image via The Pokemon Company)

The group finally finds Tandemaus' partner, and Liko hands it off to Mollie and Lucky. However, Tandemaus continues to cry out into the cave, and Liko notes that the distress might be bad for Hatenna, so she sends it back out of the hole. Liko tells Mollie that she's heading deeper to find the other injured Pokemon, and Mollie tells her not to be reckless.

Hatenna signals to Lucky, who hands the Pokemon one of its healing eggs, and Hatenna runs back into the hole to follow Liko. Meanwhile, the Tandemaus, still with Liko, passes out from exhaustion, but Hatenna saves the day with one of Lucky's eggs, using its empathetic powers to locate the remaining trapped Pokemon, which are two smaller Tandemaus.

Just then, a small cave-in occurs, but Sprigatito uses its Leafage move to protect Liko and the Tandemaus. Unfortunately, the cave-in seals the exit, and the Tandemaus are too weak to eat Lucky's egg. At Liko's direction, Hatenna learns to use Heal Pulse and brings the Tandemaus back to health, but the Pokemon Horizons heroes are still trapped due to the cave-in.

The Rising Volt Tacklers work together to remove the tree trunk in Pokemon Horizons Episode 38 (Image via The Pokemon Company)

The Rising Volt Tacklers arrive with their Pokemon and manage to move the tree trunk blocking the hole away, only to discover that Liko, Sprigatito, and Hatenna found an alternate route and managed to emerge unscathed with the three remaining Tandemaus. Liko revealed that after being healed, the Tandemaus created a new opening in the cavern by chewing through the rocks with their teeth.

After thanking Hatenna for its help healing the Tandemaus, the Pokemon Horizons crew returns to the repaired Brave Olivine. In the infirmary, Mollie chases the wild critters about as Liko realizes via Pokedex that she, in fact, saved a Maushold, a Normal-type Tandemaus evolution created when multiple Tandemaus start a family. Lucky and Hatenna attempt to chase the Maushold to finish their checkups.