Pokemon Horizons Episode 63 recap: Liko vs Grusha!
Pokemon Horizons Episode 63 sees the final Terastal Training battle among our heroes, with Liko taking on Grusha in a Glaseado gym battle. With Dot and Roy both succeeding in their battles and advancing in their Terastal Course for Naranja Academy, it all comes down to Liko beating Grusha and earning her second stamp to join her friends in their advancement.
Does Liko succeed in her endeavors? Is she and Floragato prepared for the icy gym leader Grusha? Or will the frigid powers of the cold and calculating Grusha be too much to handle? To examine the events as they transpired, it's worth checking out the Pokemon Horizons Episode 63 recap below:
Recapping Pokemon Horizons Episode 63 "Battle of Ice! The Cold-Eyed Grusha"
Our Pokemon Horizons Episode 63 recap begins with our heroes roaming the chilly Glaseado Mountains of Paldea. Dot collapses and remarks that the cold and the traveling will kill her. Roy, however, excitedly exclaims, "Awesome!" much to Dot's confusion. She stands up and looks behind her to find a group of individuals riding Cetoddle down a set of snowy slopes.
The kids realize they've arrived in the town of Glaseado and stop at the gym headquarters before exiting. Liko remarks that she'll have to wait before she can take her Terastal Training test, so the kids decide to try out the Cetoddle sledding activity they noticed earlier. Our Pokemon Horizons heroes enjoy their Cetoddle sledding and even take their partner Pokemon along for the ride.
Liko nearly rides her Cetoddle off a nearby cliff, but Floragato uses its vine to pull snow from a nearby tree, creating a pileup for the Cetoddle to run into and slow down. However, Roy and Dot point out that the "cliff" was merely a drop of two or so feet. As our heroes talk, they overhear another voice asking if Liko's enjoying herself, and the group turns to see Grusha looking at her in the distance.
Grusha remarks that she must be confident if she's goofing off before her test, saying that Liko should be prepared to heat up before leaving with his Cetoddle. The kids return to the sledding lodge and find a snowboarding magazine depicting Grusha, and the shop owner remarks that Grusha was a top-class snowboarder before injuring himself and retiring.
Grusha then decided to become a Pokemon trainer instead, capturing the Cetoddle that inadvertently led to his injury. The shop owner remarks that now Grusha has risen to become Glaseado's gym leader, become an elite performer in a completely different field. The sled shop owner then says that Grusha could've kept snowboarding, but prefers the high-reaching results of Pokemon battling.
Liko receives a notification on her Rotom Phone that her test is ready to begin, so the heroes make their way to the frigid gym arena. Grusha arrives and prepares for battle. Liko sends out Floragato, and Grusha responds by sending out a Cetitan, massive and domineering compared to the Grass-type starter Pokemon.
Dot realizes that Cetitan has a massive advantage due to its sturdy body and its Ice-typing being superior to Floragato's Grass-typing. Floragato attempts to use its speed to its advantage, but it can't seem to punch through the layers of body fat Cetitan has. Cetitan responds and slams into Floragato, leaving Liko to recall her Grass-type partner for the time being, following up by sending out Hattrem.
Hattrem's Psychic-type powers allow it to fire Cetitan's Icicle Spears back at it. However, the repelled attack accomplishes nothing, and Hattrem's Brutal Swing attack also has no effect. Cetitan responds with Ice Spinner and knocks out Hattrem easily. Liko sends out Floragato once more, at a severe disadvantage again, which Grusha points out.
After dodging another Ice Spinner, Liko orders Floragato to fire its Magical Leaf attack into Cetitan's open mouth, defeating it. Grusha responds by sending out Altaria, another Pokemon with a positive type matchup against Floragato since it's a Dragon/Flying-type. It begins attacking with Moonblast and Floragato struggles to dodge and parry.
Liko orders Floragato to use its vine to wrap around Altaria's legs like it did the branch earlier in this Pokemon Horizons episode, and the Grass-type Pokemon follows up with an Acrobatics attack. Liko moves to seize on the advantage and Terastallize Floragato, empowering its Grass-type arsenal. Grusha responds by Terastallizing Altarian into an Ice Tera Type creature.
Roy is worried at first, but Dot points out that Terastallizing Altaria into an Ice-type does make it resist Grass-type attacks less, even though Floragato is still weak to Ice-type moves. A struggle between two attacks ensues as Altaria's Ice Beam clashes with Floragato's Magical Leaf, but Altaria's Ice Beam breaks through and freezes Floragato solid before knocking it out, signaling a victory for Grusha.
Later on, outside of the gym HQ, Liko apologizes to Floragato while it's inside its Poke Ball. The other two Pokemon Horizons heroes point out that she fought well, and even though she lost, Liko could still pass her test, as Roy had to issue a rematch with Ryme in Pokemon Horizons Episode 62. Meanwhile, Dot pointed out that Larry passed her Terastal Training battle despite losing.
Grusha emerges from the gym office and tells Liko that she failed her Terastal Training test. Our other Pokemon Horizons heroes point out her effort, but Grusha coldly remarks that effort doesn't matter, that there are no do-overs in real battles, and results are all that matters. He remarks that passing Liko even though she lost is a "frigid joke" and departs, as Liko thanks him and struggles with her emotions.
Liko looks to her Floragato's Poke Ball, clearly upset at the prospect of having fallen short and ending Pokemon Horizons Episode 63.