Review XY138: The Last Battle with Satoshi! Serena's Choice!!

[Almonds]

I agree that Showcases and Contests overlap to some degree as stage performances, and Serena's got a head start since she can work with two to three pokemon at the same time on stage whereas Contests only use one pokemon for the free performace. The battling aspects of Contests also differs from trainer battles, where they have to outshine the opponent, which I think Serena would do well. I'm glad she made the decision to go learn Contests. I would definitely love a Hoenn special episode or two with her and Sawyer in the future.

 

[Pokefan19]

So let me get this straight... Serena is changing goals after failing to succeed at becoming the Queen? How are contest gonna help her when they're superior to Showcases in every way?

 

[Silktree]

So let me get this straight... Serena is changing goals after failing to succeed at becoming the Queen? How are contest gonna help her when they're superior to Showcases in every way?

She just seems desperate not to stay stuck in Kalos with her overbearing rivals. At least the writers aren't pretending that Showcases are a thing in Hoenn.

Deep down, she probably realizes that she will forever be inferior to Aria, so her future endeavors are wholly insignificant.

 

[Pokefan19]

She just seems desperate not to stay stuck in Kalos with her overbearing rivals. At least the writers aren't pretending that Showcases are a thing in Hoenn.

Deep down, she probably realizes that she will forever be inferior to Aria, so her future endeavors are wholly insignificant.

I was gonna say it's the false notion that she wants to prove she can move on in the world on her own, but what you said works well too : )

 

[Arceus the Dragon]

I doubt she would do any better in the contests than she would with the showcases in my opinion.

 

[KatsumiChris1991]

I doubt she would do any better in the contests than she would with the showcases in my opinion.

Especially with her lack of battle experience

 

[Pokefan19]

Especially with her lack of battle experience

I was just about to say battles are gonna do a number on her

 

[Karamazov]

Serena declines Yashio's offer, saying that the dinky little show she put on earlier that day (also, ugh) showed her that hey, I could reach way more people traveling around from region to region than if I just stayed put in one place with some old lady. Yashio respects her decision and suggests she goes to the Houen Region since they have this different type of competition known as "Pokemon Contests."

Question: by "reaching more people," was it about her wanting to bring happiness and inspiration to others (ala Yuya Sakaki in Yugioh), or more of an "I'm going to build an international fanbase by going on my world tour" dealie (ala a few celebrities IRL?)

Because if it's the former, I'd be impressed: she's branching out and trying new things for the sake of making others happy and entertaining them, that the true joy she's been feeling comes from the smiles of others. (Tbh I kind of zoned out and forgot almost everything about what she'd been doing up until now, so I don't know why she's doing whatever.) That maybe the position of Kalos Queen wasn't important, but what it represented to others was.

Also lol @ them re-using the stock footage of Serena dancing with all of her Pokemon. It's funny because Pancham looks like it faceplants and just rotates around while not moving its body.

EDIT: Alain dances with Mairin, Sycamore dances with Bonnie, Clemont... holds Luxray by the paws and dances with it. No wonder Bonnie wanted to get a girl for him.

 

[LuxrayOfTheWild]

Serena is going to have to learn how to handle contest battles, but I don't think she's a terrible battler. She has seen and probably learned a lot from Ash, plus, while this is wishful thinking she probably could even run into someone like May or Dawn.

 

[technickal]

I've long since accepted that Serena is leaving, but if what I'm hearing is correct, this was a pretty clumsy way to send her off. Admittedly Contests and Showcases are similar if you ignore the former's battles and I guess it's OK practice, I agree with the users who wonder why they didn't just make her a Coordinator from the start. They should've just seen their subplot to the end and made her accept the offer, and it would've changed nothing. (Unless they're planning to make her meet May or Dawn...)

 

[Pokémon Trainer Emily]

I'm disappointed. They made Serena do showcases, now out of the blue she's doing contests. Really? Hey, at least we might see May.

 

[SammyW27]

Serena in Hoenn...

That's an Ash-free special just waiting to happen, people!

 

[GurahkWeavile]

I'm honestly wondering why she didn't choose Contests to begin with, but if it means no more Showcases, I don't give a fuck. This was a fun episode to watch, Tierno getting the Brock treatment by Shauna, Mairin & Alain dancing (even if the latter looked uncomfortable), and I'm so hoping for a Serena Contest special. Maybe she can meet Dawn or May!

 

[KatsumiChris1991]

I was just about to say battles are gonna do a number on her

She is going to have to train those three Pokémon and probably get a few more. (Mudkip, Absol, Altaria)

I'm disappointed. They made Serena do showcases, now out of the blue she's doing contests. Really? Hey, at least we might see May.

My hope is May's Wartortle evolves into Blastoise, and she will probably be in her ORAS outfit.

 

[Gengarzilla]

Not gonna lie here, I loved, loved, loved that performance and I'm glad to see Jessie drop the usual Pikachu theft and join in. Seeing all three of them up there was amazing.

Serena going to Hoenn is ok. Out of the blue but I approve. Unlike at least 90% of people here, I don't think she's dropping her Pokémon Performer dream or Kalos Queen goal. That's a very hasty assumption which I feel has been brought on by the same old dreary Contest/Showcase debate. At least the writers are capable of exhibiting how one path can intertwine with the other. I can see exactly what Palermo's getting at.

 

[KatsumiChris1991]

The thought of Serena now doing Pokémon Contests makes me wish there was another year of the XY series

 

[Arceus the Dragon]

The thought of Serena now doing Pokémon Contests makes me wish there was another year of the XY series

I really don't want another year of the show with her in it. I prefer that they move on to the next stage of Ash's journey.

 

[Alola]

This development would have been even better if May came into XY to promote ORAS. Serena would have learned about Contests earlier, maybe even tried a pseudo one put on by May, and the writers could have subtly shown that being a Coordinator looked to be her true calling all along.

 

[Fiamette]

Now that I think about it, since May and Dawn were dumped in Johto, maybe Serena could meet the anime version of Lisia and/or Wallace.

Possibly just Lisia.

Also, just wanted to say that the fact that they outright skipped Iris' cameo tickles me pink.

 

[LuxrayOfTheWild]

Detail I just noticed, though its random. When Serena reveals what her plan was to Ash, Clemont, and Bonnie, it suddenly hit Chespin that soon, Pancham will be as well. He's just sitting there crying on the table. If these two don't get a proper goodbye in XY 140, I will be disappointed. You can already see how sad Chespin looks and you know he will be a wreck when he has to say goodbye to Pancham of all the Pokemon.