XY125

A League of His Own! (Japanese: カロスリーグ開幕！メガリザードン対決・X対Y！！ The Kalos League Begins! The Mega Showdown: X VS Y!!) is the 125th episode of the, and the 924th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on June 30, 2016 and in the United States on September 24, 2016.

Blurb
Our heroes have arrived in Lumiose City for the Kalos League, where they meet up with Tierno, Trevor, Sawyer, and even Alain! The very first matchup is Trevor vs. Alain—and it’s an unexpected battle of Mega Charizard X versus Mega Charizard Y, as Trevor reveals just how hard he’s been training! But Alain proves too powerful, and Trevor is eliminated.

Ash is detained by a persistent challenger on the way to the battlefield and arrives just in time for his match. His opponent starts off with an impressive Altaria, but Ash-Greninja claims a swift victory. Meanwhile, both Sawyer and Alain patiently await their own chance to battle Ash...

Plot
and return to Lumiose City, and it's finally time for the biggest showdown, the Lumiose Conference. Malva is shown doing a live report outside of the stadium where the Kalos League will take place. , disguised as her camera crew, scheme to steal any rare Pokémon that might show up during the conference. Ash and friends arrive at the stadium, marveling at the sight. Malva overhears that Ash will be competing in the Lumiouse Conference and decides to interview him. During the interview, Ash states why he is there: to be the very best, and to reach the apex of his pursuit of power, as a Pokémon Trainer.

However, a Trainer sporting a red mohawk who saw Ash's interview gives a disrespectful sneer to Ash's optimism. Skeptical of his capabilities, he runs into Ash and demands a battle from him while calling out his Kabuki Trim. Being carried away by his enthusiasm, Ash immediately accepts the challenge, but before he can call out a Pokémon to battle with, grabs onto his arm and scolds him for being rash and reminds him that he might be too late to register for the Lumiose Conference if he chooses to battle. and Serena excuse the Trainer as they take Ash away to registration, and the Trainer snarls, annoyed that he couldn't battle Ash.

Later that evening, Ash sees that Sawyer is also competing in the Lumiose Conference and has a pep talk with and, who are also competing. Ash then notices Alain, who rudely walks away from Professor Sycamore after the latter walks up to him to say hi. Ash catches up to Alain and is surprised to see that he will also be competing in the Kalos League as well. After Alain leaves, the computer randomly matches up the 64 competing Trainers against each other, and Ash is surprised to see that Trevor will be facing Alain. Serena points out that Ash will be facing a Trainer named Titus, and Tierno and Sawyer find out who they will be facing in the first round.

The next day, the grand ceremony is unfurled. The Kalos Pokémon Champion Diantha delivers an encouraging speech, and towards the end, fireworks are displayed. The matches commence accordingly, with the first battle being that of Alain and Trevor. The battlefield is set to a mountain terrain with a waterfall and a river.

Both Trainers send out their. Trevor's Charizard opens with, which is evaded by Alain's Charizard. Alain's Charizard retaliates with, which Trevor's Charizard counters with. Trevor then Mega Evolves his Charizard into Mega Charizard Y. Upon Mega Evolving, its Ability activates, powering up all  moves. Mega Charizard Y then unleashes a powerful, but Alain's Charizard blocks it by slapping its tail into the water to create a wall to take the hit for it. Trevor calls for his Mega Charizard Y to use, but Alain's Charizard dodges it. Alain then Mega Evolves his own Charizard into Mega Charizard X. Mega Charizard Y uses Fire Spin while Mega Charizard X uses Flamethrower. The moves collide, creating a thick mist covering both Mega Charizard. Trevor tells Mega Charizard Y to fly, but Alain retaliates by having his Mega Charizard X launch another Flamethrower. Mega Charizard Y gets hit and is knocked out, reverting back to its original form. Clemont is surprised at how powerful Alain's Mega Charizard X is and Serena reminds Ash that his battle is up next, so Ash gets up and leaves. Trevor then calls out his to battle.

As Ash reaches the pathway that leads to the stadium, he is intercepted by Everett, the red mohawked Furfrou Trainer from before, who immediately challenges him to a battle. Ash tries to decline his challenge for he is up next to battle in the Lumiose Conference, but Everett refuses to let him pass unless he battles him. Seeing that he can't reason with him, Ash accepts Everett's challenge and calls on to battle against Everett's Furfrou. Everett's orders Furfrou to use to blind Pikachu before launching a  which hits.

Back at the stadium, Alain's Mega Charizard X knocks out Trevor's Aerodactyl with a Flamethrower.

Back in the hallway, Everett has Furfrou use, while Ash has Pikachu retaliate with. Pikachu follows up with an while Furfrou defends with.

Back in the stadium, Trevor has his last Pokémon, a White Flower, use on Alain's Mega Charizard X, but Mega Charizard X uses another Flamethrower to destroy Florges's attack and knock her out as well, making Alain the winner of the first battle. The spectators are awestruck by Alain's performance, while Trevor is devastated that he was eliminated so soon from the Lumiose Conference.

The next battle, Titus versus Ash, is about to begin. Titus has shown up, and the battlefield has changed into a grassy terrain, but Ash is nowhere to be seen. The battle he had with Everett made him late for his battle with Titus. Everybody wonders where Ash could be, including Clemont, Serena, and even Team Rocket. The referee is about to disqualify Ash for not showing up, but Ash barely arrives in the nick of time and calls out that he is indeed here.

Everett is then seen on the hallway floor remembering the rest of his battle with Ash. Pikachu had used while Furfrou defended with another Cotton Guard. Pikachu retaliated with a powerful, knocking out Furfrou. After Ash thanked Everett for the battle, Everett broke down in tears, crying that he couldn't compete in the Lumiose Conference for he couldn't collect the eight badges needed to do so. He then told Ash to win his League challenge, and Ash replied that he would do so.

With Ash present, his first Kalos League battle has begun. Titus sends out his while Ash chooses to use. Titus has Altaria use, which Greninja takes with ease. Titus then orders a. As the attack approaches, Ash and Greninja sync up to allow Greninja to change into Ash-Greninja and dodge every single meteor caused by Altaria's Draco Meteor. Everyone is surprised to see Greninja change form. Ash-Greninja then delivers a powerful, knocking out Altaria on impact.

Later that day, as the sun sets on the preliminary rounds, all the participants are seen eager for the second round of the Kalos League.

Major events

 * and arrive back in Lumiose City and meet up with, , Sawyer, and Alain again.
 * Ash and his friends meet Malva for the first time.
 * Ash, Tierno, Trevor, Sawyer, and Alain all enter the Lumiose Conference.
 * Alain briefly reunites with Professor Sycamore.
 * The Lumiose Conference begins.
 * Trevor's is revealed to have evolved into.
 * Trevor is revealed to have obtained a Key Stone, a Charizardite Y, an, and a.
 * Alain and Ash defeat Trevor and Titus, respectively, and advance to the second round.

Main series debuts

 * Astrid
 * Remo

Pokémon debuts

 * Trevor's Charizard

Main series debuts

 * Y

Humans

 * Jessie
 * James
 * Professor Sycamore
 * Alain
 * Sawyer
 * Viola (fantasy)
 * Grant (fantasy)
 * Korrina (fantasy)
 * Ramos (fantasy)
 * Valerie (fantasy)
 * Olympia (fantasy)
 * Wulfric (fantasy)
 * Malva
 * Diantha
 * Astrid
 * Remo
 * Everett
 * Titus
 * Trainers
 * Announcer
 * Referee
 * Remo
 * Everett
 * Titus
 * Trainers
 * Announcer
 * Referee

Pokémon
Who's That Pokémon?: (US and international) Pokémon Quiz: (Kabuki Trim) (Japan)
 * (Ash-Greninja)
 * (Mega Charizard X)
 * (Mega Charizard Y)
 * ('s)
 * ('s; )
 * (Titus's)
 * (Everett's; )
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's; ×2)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Pokémon League's; multiple)
 * (Squishy)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Pokémon League's; multiple)
 * (Squishy)

Trivia

 * Poké TV: "Kalos League News" focusing on the competitors in the Lumiose Conference, as well as Diantha.
 * This episode begins the seven-part Lumiose Conference arc.
 * A remix of is used as an insert song when Ash's Greninja turns into its Ash-Greninja form.
 * , Sawyer, and narrate the preview for the next episode.
 * Two of the Trainers in the Lumiose Conference are also two of the participants in the Pokémon Summer Camp.
 * The announcer seen during the opening feast bears a resemblance to the commentator in the Princess Festival in Princess vs. Princess and The Art of Pokémon, and the host of the Rustboro City Pokémon Contest in All Things Bright and Beautifly!.
 * The episode's rating was less than 2.3, making it the lowest-rated debut of a Pokémon League Conference in the overall anime to date.
 * The English dub title is a reference to the film .

Errors

 * When the screen splits to show Alain and Trevor staring at each other, rocky terrain can be seen in the background, even though the field they battle on hadn't risen yet.
 * In the long shot of the two Mega, the tips of 's wings are blue instead of black.
 * During Ash's battle in the hallway, the gray color on Ash's left sneaker is larger than normal and the area at the front is red instead of white.
 * In the split second it is on screen before showing Alain as the winner, the scoreboard at the end of the battle incorrectly shows him having used  and  (both of which display as having been knocked out). It is possible that they were meant to be used on Tierno's scoreboard, for his battle against Sawyer in the next episode.
 * Like in Rivals: Today and Tomorrow! and A Meeting of Two Journeys!, when Ash holds up Greninja's, the white center and black band around the white button is much larger than normal.
 * In between the transformation of Ash-Greninja, both Ash and Greninja are shown to be wearing the pulse meters on their wrists which wasn't shown in between the battle earlier.
 * In the dub, when Trevor tells his Mega Charizard Y to use Fire Spin, his Japanese voice can be heard.
 * When the scoreboard for the winning Trainers is shown, Remo's card shows him in his old design.

Dub edits

 * In the dub, the scene where Ash commands Pikachu to use  on  is slightly cut.