League Offenders and Defenders! (Japanese: 開幕！アローラポケモンリーグ！！The Curtain Rises! The Alola Pokémon League!!) is the 128th episode of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, and the 1,067th episode of the Pokémon animated series. It first aired in Japan on June 30, 2019 and in the United States on November 2, 2019.
Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.
Blurb
Professor Kukui’s dream of creating an Alola Pokémon League is finally reality! Our heroes are as excited as can be, and everybody wants to participate—even Team Rocket! But there’s someone set on destroying the League and everything it stands for…Guzma, the leader of Team Skull. Full of resentment for Professor Kukui and the teachings of Kahuna Hala, he’s determined to get the last laugh by winning the League, then shutting it down for good! But Ash is having none of that, and he vows to never lose to Guzma. His friends agree—and with that, the League is off to a rousing start!
Plot
Ash and his classmates are aboard a ship bound for Manalo Stadium, the venue of the upcoming Manalo Conference. Lillie surprises her friends with an outfit change to represent her more confident self. When the ship docks, Professor Kukui greets his students, informs them that registrations end by the evening, and suggests they go tour the island in the meantime. Ash, Kiawe, and Sophocles go to Manalo Stadium; while Lillie, Mallow, and Lana go to the mall to do some shopping.
Meanwhile, Team Rocket sets up their van in preparation for the crowd of spectators. James remarks that their early-release Manalo doughnuts were a success, but Jessie reminds him that they need to be focused on winning the Alola League in order to conquer the Alolaregion. Meowth remarks that they can get rich while selling doughnuts and still win the League. Jessie suddenly notices a Stufful walk into her line of sight, causing the trio to start searching frantically for its mother, Bewear. However, this Stufful is revealed to belong to a Trainer, much to the trio's relief. James admits that they made all preventative measures to avoid Bewear interrupting their plans, namely constructing a relaxing hot spring for Bewear and Stufful to enjoy.
Ash and the boys reach the Manalo Stadium, where they find Hau and Hala. After Hau reveals he is entering the League as well, Kiawe and Sophocles introduce themselves. Ash notices Hau's new Z-Ring, and he explains that he finally cleared his grandfather's grand trial. Hau also reveals that his Dartrix has since evolved into a Decidueye. Ash shakes his backpack to retrieve Rowlet, only to find it asleep. However, Decidueye pecks it into waking up. Rowlet and Decidueye are thrilled to see each other again and exchange a fist-bump. Hau decides to explore the Manalo Stadium with Ash and his friends, with Decidueye and Rowlet flying into the sky.
Meanwhile, as the girls explore the stores, Lana suggests they go for some Pinap Juice. Mallow approaches the counter to order, but she is shocked to see that the attendant is actually her older brother Ulu. He explains that he decided to return to Alola to open a pop-up store, and Mallow replies that she is entering the League. Ulu is thrilled by the news and admits that he'll close up the store to watch her battles.
Team Skull arrives, and Tupp is keen to gatecrash the Manalo Conference, even though Guzma did not order it. When the other Grunts are hesitant, he explains that the plan will enthrall their boss as Guzma dislikes Kukui, and reminds them of Guzma's earlier statement about the League. Rapp asks for more details and Tupp orders the Grunts to just do stuff. Later, Officer Jenny causes the three Team Skull Grunts to scatter as they are tagging an advertising poster with graffiti. The girls approach Jenny, and she explains that some troublemakers have been littering and picking fights with the visitors. As Officer Jenny leaves to continue her patrol, the girls declare they will intervene if they come across any troublemakers.
Team Rocket's sales are interrupted when a Team Skull Grunt skips the line. Jessie tries to ask the Grunt to rejoin the line, but the Grunt asks irritating questions and kicks over an advertising sign, causing the customers to flee. Two others Grunts soon join him. James then calls out Mareanie to join Meowth and Wobbuffet in a show of force. The Grunts call on their Pokémon, but the trio quickly defeats them. Meanwhile, Gladion and his Lycanroc quickly deal with another Team Skull trio at the docks.
Later, Ash and the boys confront Tupp and his gang during their crime spree and battle their Garbodor, Zubat, and Salandit with Ash's Pikachu and Rowlet, Kiawe's Turtonator, Sophocles's Vikavolt, and Hau's Decidueye. Garbodor uses Sludge Bomb, but Turtonator destroys the incoming attack with Flamethrower. Tupp orders his Salandit to use Scratch, but Rowlet's Seed Bomb knocks him to the ground. Zubat swoops in to use Bite, but Decidueye evades the attack and strikes with Razor Leaf, defeating Zubat. With the battle over, Ash and the others demand to know what the grunts want, and Rapp replies that the League should burn.
Guzma and Plumeria then arrive. Tupp and his gang beg for forgiveness, but Plumeria scolds them for running off without orders and dismisses their attempt to hijack the League as useless, much to the annoyance of Tupp and his gang. As Guzma prepares to call out a Pokémon, the girls, Hala, and Kukui arrive as well. Kukui confronts Guzma, demanding to know why he is at the League, and Guzma reveals he is following Kukui's advice to enter the League. He then declares he will dominate the arena and ruin Kukui's dreams by ensuring no more Leagues will take place as Champion. He leaves with Plumeria, with Tupp, Rapp and Zipp following. Lillie asks Kukui why Guzma is so obsessed with him, but Kukui doesn't respond. Hala proceeds to inform the children that Kukui and Guzma were once his apprentices. However, Guzma was particularly disobedient and had no regard for the traditions of the island challenge. He ran off hoping to prove his strengths without the need for either a Z-Ring or Z-Crystals. Hala admits that he failed to save Guzma's heart, but Kukui feels that the responsibility lies with him. Ash and the others promptly express their determination to win the League and defend Kukui's efforts from Guzma. Kukui thanks everyone for their support.
Overnight, Kukui presents the competitors with a League eve feast. Ash and his friends call out their Pokémon to enjoy the meal. They learn that Gladion, Principal Oak, and Ilima will be participating, while Guzma and Plumeria are also seen in the crowd of competitors, much to Guzma's frustration. Later, Kukui ushers everyone over for a presentation about the preliminary round rules, presented by the Masked Royal via television screen. He explains that the participants will compete in a free-for-all, a Battle Royal, where only the final 16 left standing will advance onto the final tournament.
This is the last episode to feature the Alola design of Officer Jenny.
This episode marks the first appearance of a Snivy since Ash's last appeared in The Dream Continues!, 268 episodes earlier.
Errors
When Professor Kukui says that sign-ups for the Alola League start in the evening, the straps on Ash's bag turn completely black.
After Meowth mentions that he has an alternative plan if Bewear and Stufful become tired of the hot spring, the sound of Wobbuffet's Poké Ball opening can be heard despite him already being outside it.
When Hau is running towards Ash, the hole in his T-shirt is colored the exact same color as the T-shirt.
Ash's miscolored bag straps
Hau's shirt error