S12

As the menace of Team Galactic continues to loom over the Sinnoh region, Ash and Dawn keep getting caught up in the schemes of this mysterious group of villains—as well as facing some other unexpected challenges! Dawn’s got her hands full dealing with the many problems of her Pokémon, while Ash’s ongoing rivalry with Paul finally comes to a head in a full 6-on-6 battle! It might be the ultimate test of training styles—will our heroes come out on top?

Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.

Title card used in the first 15 episodes of the season.

Title card used after the first 15 episodes of the season.

• Ash meets Roark again. (DP107)
• Responding to a call by Barry, Ash and his friends head for Iron Island and meet Riley and his Lucario. They discover Mars, along with some Team Galactic Grunts, are attacking the Iron Island to make a scan of Mt. Coronet in search of the Spear Pillar. Professor Carolina reappears to study the island. (DP110-DP111)
• Dawn wins her fourth Ribbon in the Chocovine Contest, after battling her newest rival, Ursula. (DP114)
• Ash enters the Squallville PokéRinger and defeats Paul in the finals. (DP118)
• After caring for her injured Mamoswine, Dawn manages to earn Mamoswine's obedience. (DP119)
• Pyramid King Brandon arrives in Snowpoint City to visit the nearby temple. (DP128)
• Paul challenges Brandon after hearing Ash defeated him. Brandon defeats all of Paul's team without losing a single Pokémon. Reggie suggests a battle between Paul and Ash in a couple days time.
• Pokémon Hunter J attacks the Snowpoint Temple and awakens the Regigigas there. In the aftermath, Regigigas is resealed and Brandon leaves his Legendary titans behind to protect it. (DP129)
• While heading to Lake Acuity by train, Ash and his friends meet Looker, not knowing he is an investigator going after Team Galactic. (DP130)
• Ash and Paul have their first Full Battle at Lake Acuity. (DP131-DP132)
• Ash and his friends come upon Saturn and Charon searching for the Spear Pillar. They meet Looker again and learn he is with the International Police. (DP136)
• Ash and his friends head for Twinleaf Town for the Twinleaf Festival. (DP138)
• Ash, Dawn, Brock, and Barry compete in the Festival Battle Challenge for the right to challenge Barry's father, Palmer. Ash wins the tournament but loses against Palmer. (DP141)
• At the Johto Festival, Dawn receives a Pokémon Egg from Lyra which later hatches into a Cyndaquil. (DP143)
• Jupiter and Charon complete the Red Chain project. In the meantime, Saturn finds the entrance to the Spear Pillar. (DP150)
• Pokémon Hunter J captures the lake guardians for Team Galactic. However, her ship is destroyed by a Future Sight attack from Mesprit and Uxie. (DP151)
• Cyrus summons Dialga and Palkia on the Spear Pillar. After Mesprit, Azelf and Uxie are rescued, he disappears through a portal. (DP152)
• Ash and his friends watch a Pokémon Contest where Zoey earns her fifth and final Ribbon for the Grand Festival. They also meet Candice again. (DP155)
• Paul is interviewed on TV where he is shown to have earned his eighth Badge to qualify for the Sinnoh League. (DP155)
• Ash and his friends meet a wild Gible who wants to learn Draco Meteor. (DP156)

• This is the last season of the anime to air in Israel before the release of Pokémon the Series: XY, about six years later; and in Romania before the release of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, about eight years later.
• This is the last season of the entire anime to air in Bulgaria and Hungary.
• This is the first season of the Pokémon anime where there are widescreen episodes, and the last season where there are episodes in 4:3 aspect ratio.
• In India (Marvel HQ/Hungama TV), for some unknown reasons, this season premiered about a month after Pokémon: DP Sinnoh League Victors. Also, only the first 35 episodes were aired. The remaining episodes were aired after a yearlong break.