SM090

Securing the Future! (Japanese: 未来へつなげ！かがやきさまの伝説！！ Connect to the Future! The Legend of the !!) is the 90th episode of the, and the 1,029th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on September 13, 2018, in New Zealand on January 8, 2019, and is scheduled to air in Canada on January 19, 2019.

Plot
Continuing where the previous episode left off,, , , and had their Pokémon use their Z-Moves on  , hoping to make it separate from Nebby. Instead, Dusk Mane Necrozma absorbs the Z-Power from the four Z-Moves before launching a powered up barrage of lazers at the Ultra Guardians.

Back in Alola, the residents of Melemele Island, Akala Island, and Ula'ula Island get ready for the Manalo Festival as an eclipse begins to form. On Ten Carat Hill, as Gozu receives a call from Matori ordering him to get back to the helicopter. At Gozu’s command, the s leave him behind to continue his against  and Faba. Gozu states that the eclipse will bring about the era of the Matori Matrix and has use another. Kukui asks Faba to keep a secret from Ash and as he sends out  and has it use, blocking Mega Aggron's attack. Gozu tries to have Mega Aggron use, but Kukui has Incineroar use its signature Z-Move, to defeat Mega Aggron, reverting it back into a normal Aggron. Faba thinks about Kukui's words, and then, he sees the Masked Royal's image in Kukui. Faba reveals that he's a big fan of the Masked Royal and opens up his lab coat to reveal a Masked Royal shirt. Kukui is surprised by this and invites Faba to do the finishing pose together. Gozu recalls Aggron and retreats back to the helicopter. The Matori Matrix attempts to enter the Ultra Wormhole, but they are hindered once again when uses  to pierce through their helicopter. The helicopter once again sustains damage, prompting Matori to reluctantly retreat.

Meanwhile, in Poipole's world, the Ultra Guardians recover as Dusk Mane Necrozma roars and charges toward the Ultra Guardians, but tackles it out of the way. Ash,, , and send out , , , , , , and  to help out. Back in Alola, Tapu Koko begins sending energy into the Ultra Wormhole as Lusamine and Professor Burnet in the base wonder what it's doing, then Wicke reports that they have regained communications with the Ultra Guardians. Back in Poipole's world, the Ultra Guardians are contacted by the Aether Foundation staff. The Ultra Guardians report that they're in Poipole's world and that they've discovered UB:BLACK is the "Blinding One" who lost its light, confirming Burnet's discovery. The Ultra Guardians further report back with the "Blinding One's" true name and reveal that their attempt to restore Necrozma with their Z-Power had failed. Burnet figures that they need more power and reveals more about the mural; it wasn't just and  that shared their light with the "Blinding One", the people and Pokémon of Alola also shared their light with it. As Sophocles wonders how to do it, Burnet sees what Tapu Koko is doing and figures they have to do what it's doing. The Ultra Guardians and their Pokémon all make Tapu Koko's pose and Lusamine sends the Island Kahunas a message to ask for their help.

Hala, Olivia, and Nanu get the word and ask for help from the people gathered with them to send their power to the "Blinding One". The Guardian deities, Island Kahunas, Lusamine, Wicke, and Burnet send their power through the Ultra Wormhole, making Dusk Mane Necrozma back away from Lunala. As the Ultra Guardians send their own power, gets its hive to join in sending power. Back in Alola, the people and Pokémon pitch in and more power goes through the Ultra Wormhole. sees this and as they watch, they feel their balloon shaking and see grabbing onto it, which causes the balloon to crash. Bewear sends her power into the Ultra Wormhole as well, and at its request, Jessie and James sends out and  to join them. As all of Alola's power makes it through the Ultra Wormhole, Lunala adds in some of its own. Necrozma receives the power and glows as it separates from Nebby, who collapses. Necrozma reassembles itself, but it is enraged and charges towards the Ultra Guardians, firing another barrage of lasers.

Back in Alola, the Island Kahunas use their Z-Moves to send Z-Power into the Ultra Wormhole. Back with Necrozma, it creeps up towards the Ultra Guardians, when it receives the Z-Power and turns its attention to Nebby and Lunala. Gladion boards and has it fire  to distract Necrozma from Nebby and Lunala. Lunala calls out to Gladion and throws him a Lunalium Z. Mallow and Ash run to Nebby's side and feed it a Sitrus Berry, allowing it to recover. At Gladion's request, Ash equips his Z-Power Ring with his Solganium Z and asks Nebby to lend him its power again. As Necrozma approaches, Ash and Gladion stand side by side with Nebby and Lunala behind them and charge up their Z-Moves, hitting Necrozma with a combination of and. Necrozma's body changes from black to shining gold as the parts split up and reassemble, held together by light in a draconic appearance; Necrozma is finally restored to its.

The Ultra Guardians all gaze in awe of Ultra Necrozma and report the mission's success to Lusamine, Burnet, and Wicke as the eclipse in Alola comes to an end. Ultra Necrozma then uses its power to restore the world, bringing light back into it and revitalizing the floral life. The Ultra Guardians marvel at the restored state of the world as Poipole dances happily. Then, a call from Burnet alerts the Ultra Guardians that the Ultra Wormhole is about to close. However, Poipole decides to remain behind, wanting to help protect its world. Ash shares a tearful goodbye with Poipole before leaving. Poipole holds back its tears and starts drawing an image on the sand, which is revealed to be an image of Ash and 's faces with thunderbolt shapes next to them. Mallow states that Poipole is saying "Like, Like, Love" to them and Ash says it right back to Poipole as the Ultra Guardians wave goodbye before they go through the Ultra Wormhole and arrive back in Alola. Team Rocket see it as their chance to capture Nebby and Lunala, but Bewear carries them away before they can. Then, Ultra Necrozma appears as a golden light in Alola's sky for all to see before slowly dissipating.

Sometime later at the Pokémon School, Kukui has his coat buttoned up and greets the class lazily with a depressing aura. The class is fearful that the Ultra Aura drain might have happened again, but Kukui replies that it's just a cold, much to the class's shock. Ash decides to do the greeting again and the class, with everything they have, loudly shouts, "Alola!"

Major events



 * The Ultra Guardians' attempt to make separate from Nebby by using their Z-Moves fails, as it instead absorbs the Z-Power to power itself up.
 * defeats Gozu, but at the cost of revealing to Faba that he is the Masked Royal.
 * Professor Kukui asks Faba to keep his identity a secret from his students.
 * The Matori Matrix attempts to travel to Ultra Space through an Ultra Wormhole, but are stopped by, forcing them to retreat.
 * Necrozma reverts back to its normal form, thus separating from Nebby, after it gathers the light sent to it by the Ultra Guardians, their Pokémon, and all of the people and Pokémon of Alola.
 * receives a Lunalium Z from.
 * and Gladion perform and, respectively, to give Necrozma enough Ultra Aura and revert it back to its original.
 * Necrozma brings the light back to 's home world, restoring it to its former state.
 * Poipole chooses to stay in its home world, so Ash.
 * The Ultra Guardians, Nebby, and Lunala return to Alola.

Main series debuts

 * Mother and daughter

Humans

 * Jessie
 * James
 * Matori
 * Gozu
 * Hala
 * Olivia
 * Acerola
 * Nanu
 * Lusamine
 * Wicke
 * Faba
 * Professor Burnet
 * Anela
 * Mother and daughter
 * s
 * s
 * Cameraman
 * Wicke
 * Faba
 * Professor Burnet
 * Anela
 * Mother and daughter
 * s
 * s
 * Cameraman
 * Cameraman

Pokémon
Who's That Pokémon?:
 * (released)
 * ('s; Ride Pokémon)
 * (Alola Form)
 * ('s; Alola Form; Snowy)
 * (flashback)
 * ('s)
 * ('s)
 * ('s; )
 * (Hala's)
 * (Olivia's; )
 * (Nanu's; Alola Form; multiple)
 * (Nanu's; Alola Form)
 * (Acerola's; ; Mimikins)
 * (flashback)
 * (Faba's; flashback)
 * (Faba's; flashback)
 * (Gozu's; Mega Aggron)
 * (Anela's; Dori-chan; )
 * (Trainers'; ×3)
 * (Trainers'; ×3)
 * (Trainers'; ×2)
 * (Trainers'; ×5)
 * (Trainers'; ×3)
 * (Trainers'; ×2)
 * (Trainers'; multiple)
 * (Trainers'; ×5)
 * (Trainers'; ×5)
 * (Trainers'; multiple)
 * (Trainers'; ×4)
 * (Trainers'; ×2)
 * (Trainers'; ×6)
 * (Trainers'; ×5)
 * (Trainers'; ×2)
 * (Trainers'; ×3)
 * (Trainers'; multiple)
 * (Trainers'; ×2)
 * (Trainers'; multiple)
 * (Trainers'; ×6)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainers'; ×3)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainers'; ×2)
 * (Trainers'; ×2)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainers'; ×4)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainers'; ×3)
 * (Trainers'; ×2)
 * (Trainers'; ×2)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainers'; ×3)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainers'; ×3)
 * (Trainers'; multiple)
 * (Trainers'; ×4)
 * (Trainers'; ×6)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainers'; ×2)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainers'; ×2)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainers'; ×2)
 * (Ride Pokémon)
 * (Ride Pokémon)
 * (Ride Pokémon)
 * (Ride Pokémon)
 * (Ride Pokémon)
 * (Ride Pokémon)
 * (Nebby)
 * (Greedy Rapooh)
 * (×3)
 * (×3)
 * (×2)
 * (×3)
 * (×2)
 * (×4)
 * (×2)
 * (×2)
 * (multiple)
 * (flashback)
 * (flashback)
 * (multiple; ; flashback)
 * (Ride Pokémon)
 * (Ride Pokémon)
 * (Nebby)
 * (Greedy Rapooh)
 * (×3)
 * (×3)
 * (×2)
 * (×3)
 * (×2)
 * (×4)
 * (×2)
 * (×2)
 * (multiple)
 * (flashback)
 * (flashback)
 * (multiple; ; flashback)
 * (×3)
 * (×3)
 * (×2)
 * (×3)
 * (×2)
 * (×4)
 * (×2)
 * (×2)
 * (multiple)
 * (flashback)
 * (flashback)
 * (multiple; ; flashback)
 * (×3)
 * (×2)
 * (×4)
 * (×2)
 * (×2)
 * (multiple)
 * (flashback)
 * (flashback)
 * (multiple; ; flashback)
 * (multiple)
 * (flashback)
 * (flashback)
 * (multiple; ; flashback)
 * (multiple; ; flashback)

Trivia

 * Poké Problem: The Pokémon that we call the "" is...?
 * Host: Professor Burnet
 * Choices:, , ,
 * Answer: Necrozma
 * This was the last episode to air on a Thursday at 6:55 PM in Japan; starting with the following episode, new episodes began to air on Sundays at 6:00 PM on TV Tokyo.
 * The Japanese title for this episode is a reference to the opening Future Connection.
 * The three female Trainers with a, , and , respectively, are based on the singers in the band that performs the opening Future Connection,.
 * The Pikachu wears one of the hairstyles that will be introduced in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!.
 * This is the first main series episode where the mother and daughter have appeared.
 * Although they had cameo appearances in Steven's Mega Evolution Encyclopedia lecture in XY050.
 * The Pokémon Sun and Moon and Elite Four themes are used as insert songs.
 * When decides to share their light with Necrozma, James recites a line from their.
 * The Who's That Pokémon? solution segment uses an alternate music in this episode.
 * Unlike most episodes, the opening credits were not shown until when Future Connection was played during the flashbacks of Ash's time with near the end of the episode.
 * In addition, there was no title card for this episode. Instead, the episode title was displayed on top of a scene of the episode itself.
 * Ash and reference the lyrics of Alola!! at the end of the episode.
 * Ash's Pikachu,, and narrate the preview of the next episode.
 * This episode marks the first time that a character in the English dub refers to Matori by name.

Errors

 * When Matori contacts Gozu near the start of the episode, the Matori Matrix symbol on his hat is drawn with only one M.
 * In one of the previews shown for this episode, sends out his  in a normal  instead of an Ultra Ball.

Dub edits

 * Instead of overlaying the title of the episode, narrates the title of the episode without the episode title being displayed on-screen.

In other languages
Mirai e Tsunage! Kagayaki-sama no Densetsu!! EP1033 SL090 SM090 SM編第90話 精灵宝可梦 太阳＆月亮 第90集