Pokemon Horizons Episode 46 recap: Welcome to Naranja Academy!

Pokemon Horizons' Terastal Debut arc has begun with Episode 46's release in Japan on April 12, 2024. Our heroes have taken some time away from their quest to find Lucius' Six Heroes and learn more about the world of Pokemon and the Terastal Phenomenon of the Paldea region. To that end, Liko, Roy, and Dot have joined the prestigious Naranja Academy in Paldea's Mesagoza City.

Being introduced to the grounds and staff of Naranja Academy, our heroes encounter several characters made popular in the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet games and begin their quest to learn more about Terastallization. This episode's an eventful one, so it doesn't hurt to kick off the new story arc with a Pokemon Horizons Episode 46 recap.

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Recapping Pokemon Horizons Episode 46 "How Thrilling! Naranja Academy"

Liko begins a new journey in Pokemon Horizons Episode 46 (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Our Pokemon Horizons Episode 46 recap begins with Liko waking up her Floragato, Terapagos, and Hatenna to start the day, thinking back to her choice to return home to learn about Terastallization, enrolling in Paldea's Naranja Academy. After spending time with her mother Lucca, Liko heads to Mesagoza City and meets up with Roy and Dot, all in their Naranja Academy uniforms.

Roy notes that it's odd that Liko isn't in her Indigo Academy uniform (which she wore in the early moments of the series). Regardless, Liko joins Roy and Dot for a group picture to commemorate their first day at Naranja Academy, though Dot is reticent to take the picture at all. The group meets Director Clavell as well as Geeta, the school chairwoman and Paldea's highest-ranked champion trainer.

Geeta explains Naranja Academy's Terastal Training course. The curriculum is focused heavily on teaching about the Terastal Phenomenon, the strange transformative power that seems to be connected to Tera Crystals/Shards in Paldea. This power can be harnessed by using a Tera Orb and can temporarily transform a Pokemon into a crystalline form to change or enhance its type.

Clavell shows the kids a Terastallized Fletchling in our Pokemon Horizons Episode 46 recap (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Geeta provides our Pokemon Horizons heroes with Tera Orbs, and Clavell asks them why they wish to know more about Terastallization. Roy says he wants to battle strong Pokemon like the Black Rayquaza, Liko states there's "a place" she wants to find, and Dot claims she wants to understand the world's mysteries. Clavell states the curriculum rules—our heroes must beat Paldea's gym leaders.

The Student Council escort meant to show the gang around Naranja Academy appears, and it's none other than Nemona, who fans haven't seen in Pokemon Horizons in quite some time. Roy and Nemona are immediately excited to battle due to their promise the last time they met (recapped in Pokemon Horizons Episode 11), but Clavell tells Nemona to show our heroes the campus.

On their tour of Naranja Academy, our protagonists meet Rika and Hassel, two members of Paldea's Elite Four. Rika reminds Liko that she's still representing Indigo Academy despite attending Paldea's school as well, and Liko strengthens her resolve to be the best representative of Indigo Academy that she can be.

Rika introduces herself in our Pokemon Horizons Episode 47 recap (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Our Pokemon Horizons heroes' first class is a Battle Studies class. The instructor Dendra has the students perform arm thrusts like her Hariyama as she explains the basics of the Terastal Training course—students must learn about Terastallization and apply it effectively while battling Paldea's gym leaders, and they cannot use Terastallization against each other during their enrollment.

The biology instructor Jacq arrives and provides Liko, Roy, and Dot with an app to help them remember the rules of the curriculum and also tells them to take pictures and videos of their Paldean adventures to add to a report they'll need to make later.

The kids have all been assigned a gym leader to battle. Liko must face Katy in Cortondo, Roy will rematch Brassius in Artazon, and Dot must face Iono in Levincia City, which flusters her because she is a huge Iono fan. Our Pokemon Horizons Episode 46 recap continues as the kids head back inside the academy only for Liko to notice her friend Ann from Indigo Academy.

Ann's Dewott and Liko's Floragato battle at Naranja Academy (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Liko introduces Ann to Roy and Dot, and Ann states that she's taking the Terastal Training course as well. Liko and Ann are both also delighted to see that the partners they first received in Pokemon Horizons Episode 1 have evolved.

Liko and Ann decide to battle to see how they've improved, with Liko's Floragato taking on Ann's Dewott in Naranja Academy's battle arena. As the battle ensues, all of the members of Paldea's Elite Four (Rika, Hassel, Larry, and Poppy) arrive to watch alongside Penny, a shy student with an Eevee backpack. By combining its Magical Leaf move and the flower bud swings around, Floragato manages to overcome Dewott despite losing the momentum earlier on, leaving Liko as the victor in the rematch with her friend.

Our Pokemon Horizons Episode 46 recap continues with Liko, Roy, and Dot deciding to travel together to each gym assignment. Cortondo is the closest, so the group decides to grab their camping gear and head out. However, just as they're about to leave. Coral and Sidian of the Explorers burst in and apologize to Director Clavell for being late, wearing Naranja Academy uniforms.

"Onigiri" and "Sandwich" enroll in the academy at the end of our Pokemon Horizons Episode 46 recap (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Sidian and Coral claim to Clavell that their names are "Onigiri" and "Sandwich," and Clavell states that he can't find their names on the list of enrollees. However, the Explorer Chalce appears dressed as an instructor, saying that she'll take care of these two new arrivals. Liko and her friends depart, wondering what the Explorers might be up to at Naranja Academy, and it's likely nothing good.

Our Pokemon Horizons Episode 46 recap ends on the Brave Olivine, with Orla implementing repairs on the airship. Friede arrives and tells her that she's in charge of the airship for the moment since there's something he needs to follow up on. Watchers are then shown Friede at a hotel, opening a briefcase containing Lucius' trainer belt and remarking that he doesn't intend to "fall behind".