SM053

Rescuing the Unwilling! (Japanese: 急げ！ルザミーネ救出大作戦！！ Hurry! The Great Lusamine Rescue Operation!!) is the 53rd episode of the, and the 992nd episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on December 7, 2017, in the United Kingdom on April 11, 2018, in New Zealand on April 12, 2018, and in the United States on April 14, 2018.

Blurb
''Our heroes have made it through the Ultra Wormhole, but when they find the captured Lusamine, they’re shocked to find she wants nothing to do with them! With an Ultra Beast controlling her mind, it’s up to Lillie, Ash, and friends to rescue her. Their Pokémon spring into action—but so do Lusamine’s Pokémon, who are also under the Ultra Beast’s control. Lillie gathers her courage and reaches out to Clefable, recounting the fun they had together in years past. Her reassuring persistence pays off, and Clefable breaks free of the Ultra Beast’s control. Meanwhile, riding on Solgaleo’s back, Ash presses on to find Lusamine—and the Ultra Beast.''

Plot
As Lillie narrates the events of the previous episode, the group exits the Ultra Wormhole and enters Ultra Deep Sea, a dark location filled with floating islands of jagged rocks. Just as the group lands, they find themselves surrounded by several. warns of the danger, and clarifies that the Ultra Beasts are UB01: Symbiont – the same ones responsible for his mother's kidnapping. Meanwhile, and, still at the Altar of the Sunne, have set up a temporary Ultra Wormhole monitoring station. One of the machines fires a location marker to aid Ash and his friends upon their return. watches the professors from their cliff-side view. As they try to retreat, with now missing,  hugs them tightly to immobilize them.

Back at Ultra Deep Sea, Gladion demands the group split up, though the idea concerns. states an investigation is in order, before one of Nihilego's tentacles brushes against him. Ash's confidence only irritates Sophocles, though Ash explains that the group have their Pokémon. This spurs the group into calling out all of their Pokémon. Nebby roars, just as Lusamine appears and her eyes open, though she is trapped and bonded with a Nihilego. Lillie calls out and Rotom confirms Lusamine's identity with a facial recognition feature.

Solgaleo roars once more; this time, Lusamine demands the group stay away from her. Lillie runs towards her mother, and Ash and Gladion attempt to stop her. As a defense, Lusamine blocks the path with jagged rocks, but Ash manages to save Lillie from injury. Gladion's Umbreon uses, which shatters the stones. Gladion theorizes that Nihilego may be draining his mother's energy, though he clarifies little is known of Ultra Beasts in general. Ash moves forward, though notes that the group may be provoking Lusamine. She continues to retreat, exclaiming that she finally got to meet an Ultra Beast and will not give it up, leaving a rocky staircase for the group to follow. calls Lusamine's behavior childish; Gladion adds that Lusamine may consider the Ultra Beast a toy that she won't part with, and consequently considers the group as a threat.

The group finally catches up to Lusamine, and Lillie commands Snowy to use. Lusamine defends herself with her rock shield and then shouts out that she hates everyone. Lillie is initially taken aback by this, but Mallow offers support and Lillie concludes Lusamine must be illogical. 's, 's , 's , and Gladion's 's all prove to be useless as well. Nebby then steps forward, glows, and jumps through the barrier, much to everyone's amazement. Lusamine summons her, which is surrounded in an aura. Turtonator counters Salazzle's poison attack with a Flamethrower, which allows Lusamine to flee again. Salazzle uses another attack and evades Turtonator's, though it is then hit by Marowak's. Kiawe volunteers to stay behind to take care of Salazzle while the rest of the group continue on.

The group catches up to Lusamine once again, and she calls upon her, , and. A Thunderbolt and are launched, though the group evades the attacks. has use, while Mallow calls for , though Liligant's  blocks the attack. Mismagius uses another Thunderbolt, though it is absorbed by. Ash, Lillie, and Gladion continue following Lusamine, leaving the others and Rotom to confront Lusamine's diversions. Popplio's Bubble Beam hits Liligant, and 's combats Milotic's. Just as Mismagius laughs at the group's induced confusion because of Liligant's, Ash's and  join the match. Liligant's instantly attracts Rowlet, much to everyone's frustration. Meanwhile, Kiawe's match against Salazzle ends after a combination between Turtonator's alongside Marowak's Bonemerang.

Meanwhile, Gladion, Lillie, and Ash re-encounter Lusamine, and she sends out her. Gladion remarks that it was a sparring partner to his Umbreon. Absol makes the first move, which collides 's Dark Pulse. Gladion then sends Nebby, Ash, and Lillie on their way. With the battle still raging, Absol fires an, which freezes on the spot, followed by , which is used on Umbreon and Lycanroc.

Lusamine is again confronted by Ash and Lillie; she continues to express her frustration towards them, and calls upon. Lillie tells Ash that she will battle against Clefable, and refers to it as her best friend. After intercepts Clefable's, Ash leaves it with Lillie and rides on Nebby towards Lusamine. Clefable attacks with, though Lycanroc again blocks the attack. Both Snowy's Powder Snow and Lycanroc's hit their target, pushing Clefable back. Lillie grabs a Poké Doll from her bag, then calmly and defiantly approaches Clefable. She expresses her hope that Clefable will stop fighting when it reminisces about their past together. However, Clefable begins to launch another Dazzling Gleam. Lillie gestures to Lycanroc and Snowy to stay back as she embraces Clefable and is engulfed in the attack's light. Her persistence pays off, and Clefable returns to its usual state and smiles. Meanwhile, Ash and Pikachu continue to pursue Lusamine aboard Nebby.

Outside the Ultra Wormhole, Burnet gets Kukui to send out. Burnet heals Braviary with a Potion, places a band-aid on its talon, and thanks its efforts against.

Major events

 * ,, and arrive in Ultra Deep Sea and find Lusamine there, only to discover she has fused with.
 * Kiawe's Marowak is revealed to know.
 * Ash and his friends battle Lusamine.
 * Lusamine is revealed to own a, a , a , a , and an.
 * splits from the group to battle Lusamine's Salazzle and wins.
 * ,, and , along with and , split from the group to battle Lusamine's Milotic, Lilligant, and Mismagius.
 * Gladion splits from the group to battle Lusamine's Absol.
 * , along with, split from the group to battle Lusamine's and free her from Nihilego's control.

Humans

 * Jessie
 * James
 * Lusamine
 * Professor Burnet
 * Jessie
 * James
 * Lusamine
 * Professor Burnet
 * Lusamine
 * Professor Burnet
 * Professor Burnet
 * Professor Burnet

Pokémon
Who's That Pokémon?: (US and international),  (Japan)
 * (Alola Form)
 * ('s; Alola Form; Snowy)
 * ('s; Poké Problem segment)
 * (flashback)
 * (flashback)
 * (Lusamine's; debut)
 * (Lusamine's)
 * (Lusamine's)
 * (Lusamine's)
 * (Lusamine's)
 * ('s)
 * ('s; )
 * (Nebby)
 * (fused with Lusamine)
 * (multiple)
 * (flashback)
 * (flashback)
 * (Lusamine's; debut)
 * (Lusamine's)
 * (Lusamine's)
 * (Lusamine's)
 * (Lusamine's)
 * ('s)
 * ('s; )
 * (Nebby)
 * (fused with Lusamine)
 * (multiple)
 * (Nebby)
 * (fused with Lusamine)
 * (multiple)

Trivia

 * Poké Problem:  and the others enter the Ultra Beasts' world in today's episode. Who's the first to battle there?
 * Host:
 * Choices:, Ash, ,
 * Answer: Kiawe
 * and Lusamine's Clefable narrate the preview for the next episode.
 * This is the first episode in which Mallow's Steenee, Sophocles's Togedemaru, and Lana's Popplio's s are seen.
 * This episode reveals that Gladion keeps his in a, which is a reference to how he first found it as an injured.
 * This also makes Gladion's Umbreon the first Pokémon in the anime to be housed in a Heal Ball.
 * Ash, Lana, Kiawe, Lillie,, , and Gladion read the Who's That Pokémon? segment in the dub.

Dub edits

 * The Japanese text depicting 's names is edited out in the dub.

In other languages
Rettung der Unwilligen! EP996 SL053 SM053 SM編第53話 精灵宝可梦 太阳＆月亮 第53集