SS021

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky - Beyond Time & Darkness (Japanese: ポケモン不思議のダンジョン 空の探検隊 時と闇をめぐる 最後の冒険 Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of the Sky Expedition) is special episode of the Pokémon anime which aired in Japan on April 12, 2009 and in the U.S. October 9, 2009. A DVD of the English dub was given to those who pre-ordered Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky in GameStop.

This episode was released on the Japanese and English Pokémon channels on July 3, 2015 and October 22, 2015, respectively, for the release of Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon. This episode was also made available on Pokémon TV.

The story continues from Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time & Darkness. The special is based on the story of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time, Explorers of Darkness, and Explorers of Sky. Covering the end of the main game story, the special follows the Poképals and as they do battle with  in the Hidden Land.

Blurb
Once upon a time, there was a world where all Pokémon communicated with each other by speaking. Here in this world, we find a Piplup, who was once a boy,

and a Chimchar who dreams of forming a Pokémon Exploration Team. Which, after meeting, is exactly what they did, calling their Exploration Team the "Poképals".

Through dedication and arduous training, The Poképals rose to glory. And now, at last... Their final adventure is upon them.

The History of the Time Gear
In the world of Pokémon, there exists rare and precious items known as the Time Gears. It is protected by the legendary Temporal Pokémon Dialga, along with Uxie, Azelf and Mesprit. Then one day, time started to behave strangely, starting from a dungeon and spreading everywhere, driving the Pokémon berserk.

The Wigglytuff Guild
Pokémon formed exploration teams, who help Pokémon find lost possessions and occasionally explore dungeons and recover treasures deep within them. While they do this, the flow of time brings forth disaster, throwing the Pokémon World into a state of crisis.

The Story
Grovyle, Chimchar and Piplup find a glowing inscription similar to that on Chimchar's Relic Fragment. Lapras appears, as sent by the Wigglytuff Guild to bring them to the Hidden Land. They ride on Lapras' back as a flock of Pelipper circles overhead. Meanwhile, back at the guild, the Guild members talk about Team Poképals, and wonder how they are doing. Corphish butts in, saying they have found the Hidden Land and how the Relic Fragment fell into Chimchar's possession. Sunflora points out that the Relic Fragment can bring them to the Temporal Tower, and to Dialga. The Guildmaster states that Chimchar and Piplup, for that reason, have been chosen by the Fragment. Bidoof comments on how cool that sounds, and Loudred points out that as they speak, Team Poképals are riding on Lapras' back to the Hidden Land. However, the Guildmaster has fallen asleep with his eyes open.

Meanwhile, Grovyle tells Piplup and Chimchar that Temporal Tower has started to collapse, and that when he took the fragment from Treeshroud Forest, time stopped there. He says that they need to fight on to stop the tower from collapsing, but Dialga had already turned into Primal Dialga. Both Piplup and Chimchar are shocked, and Chimchar says that if that's true, they'll need to go to the Tower and place the Gears onto the mouthpiece to restore time. Grovyle says that Dialga will try to stop them by fighting them, and they'll need to defeat Dialga. Both Piplup and Chimchar are stunned. Piplup tells Lapras to go faster, when Lapras spots the passage to the Hidden Land. Lapras speeds up, then suddenly starts to fly. However, Grovyle states they're simply in the Sea of Time. Lapras states that the Hidden Land is just ahead of the Sea of Time as they enter the Hidden Land.

They spot the Hidden Land, and Piplup recalls how he met Chimchar, washed up on a beach after being transformed from a human into a Pokémon and how they registered as an exploration Team in the Wigglytuff Guild, and what they went through together. Piplup becomes philosophical, saying that whether it's about the future or him being a human, he still doesn't remember anything, and it doesn't matter if he's a human or a Pokémon, he came with Chimchar to the Hidden Land, and they have come here to save the world for everyone. Grovyle spots the Temporal tower, and Lapras explains they need to ride the Rainbow Stoneship to the Temporal Tower. They arrive at the Old Ruins, and notice the pattern at the top of the pyramid is the same as the one on the Relic Fragment. They spot the Temporal Tower and a place where there is some writing, and Grovyle says it's ancient writing. Grovyle understands it, and says he did lots of research with Piplup in the future. Piplup doesn't remember any of this. Grovyle translates the writing, and it seems that the Old Ruins are the Rainbow Stoneship. Meanwhile a strange distortion is happening at the base of the Pyramid.

Grovyle walks over to the center of the pattern, and brushes away a patch of dirt, revealing a hole; a perfect fit for the Relic Fragment. he tells Chimchar to place the fragment in so they can ride the Stoneship to the Tower. Just as he places it in though, a Dark Pulse hits him and sends the Fragment flying. A Sableye grabs it and more appear from the distortion at the base of the Pyramid. They surround Team Poképals, and Chimchar yells to give the Fragment back. They are disturbed by laughing as Dusknoir appears. The Sableye gives the Fragment to him, congratulating the Sableye, saying that he was the one that crafted it in the future. Grovyle demands that he tell them why he's here. He says that with Dialga's help, he came from the future to settle things once and for all. He leaves, telling the Sableye to take care of them. They leap into action as Dusknoir leaves.

A dark cloud appears over the Guild as Corphish and Sunflora prepare to use and  respectively. However, Wigglytuff stops them, saying that even his won't stop it. He reassures them that Team Poképals can solve this, even if time stops, and to have faith in them, they join hands as time freezes.

Meanwhile, Team Poképals fend off the Sableye's attacks. Chimchar using, Piplup using and Grovyle using  seems to put them out of action, but they get back up. Meanwhile, Dusknoir retreats back to the future with the Relic Fragment. The three combine their, , and into one and knock the Sableye out. Dusknoir has reached the portal, but Grovyle holds him back by grabbing his tail. Dusknoir is shocked that they took out all the Sableye, and acknowledges them for their strength. He uses to throw them off, then he proceeds to battle them, hitting them with a. Grovyle tells them there must be some way to defeat him. Piplup says that if they give up, all of their friends will be frozen in time forever. Piplup suggests doing the same thing as they did against the Sableye, but Dusknoir charges. Grovyle says that their attacks won't do much against that type of energy, but they try it anyway. Much to everyone's surprise, the combination of Whirlpool, Energy Ball and Fire Spin push the Shadow Ball back and defeat Dusknoir. The Sableye panic and flee. Chimchar grabs the Relic Fragment and rushes up the Pyramid.

Dusknoir stops Grovyle and Piplup. He tells them that if they start the flow of Time again all the Pokémon of the future will disappear, along with their future selves. Grovyle tells Piplup not to listen to him. But when Piplup asks Grovyle if it's true, Grovyle answers yes, but says that if they do that, all the Pokémon in the present will live in peace, and that's why they came here in the first place. Grovyle continues, saying that when he first came, he saw the sun rise. He says it was beautiful, seeing time flowing. He says that if they don't start time flowing again, then there is no hope for this world, and if it means preventing the Dark World enveloping this one again, he's prepared to disappear, and it's their destiny to save this world, and he promised to do so in the future. Piplup doesn't know if he did promise this, but decides to go anyway, to protect this world, and that he will be remembered with his defeat of Dialga and restoring time. Dusknoir discreetly starts to get up. Grovyle tells Piplup that there is also a possibility that they'll disappear from this world as well, but they'll disappear anyway. Chimchar shouts down to hurry up. Grovyle reminds Piplup that Chimchar doesn't know, and Chimchar would be devastated should he leave his side. Chimchar decides to make preparations without them when Dusknoir attacks with Dark Pulse. He grabs the Relic Fragment as Piplup and Grovyle arrive. Piplup grabs the fragment as Dusknoir attacks them. Grovyle takes the hit for them and restrains Dusknoir. He figures that since Dusknoir won't leave, he'll just have to take Dusknoir back to the future with him. He tells the others that he can't come back again, and they'll have to take on Dialga without him.

He tosses the Time Gears to Piplup, telling him he was happy to have met him. Then he jumps into the portal with tears in his eyes. Chimchar resolves to make the future a better place for Grovyle, Piplup remembers Chimchar doesn't know about how Grovyle will disappear if they start the flow of time again. Chimchar says he's sorry to Piplup, and that Grovyle's parting is heartbreaking, but Piplup can't break it to Chimchar that he'll feel the most pain when Piplup disappears, and knows this will be the last adventure they'll be together on. Chimchar decides to go and defeat Dialga so Grovyle's sacrifice won't be in vain. With a renewed vigor, Piplup gives Chimchar the fragment and Chimchar gives Piplup the bag containing the Gears. Piplup drops the last one in. Chimchar places the fragment into the hole, and the Stoneship begins to rise. True to its name, the Rainbow Stoneship flies toward the Temporal Tower, leaving a trail of rainbows. Piplup asks if Chimchar is ready. Chimchar says he is, and Piplup yells out to Dialga to wait for them.

Meanwhile, a dark shadow tops the Temporal Tower. Primal Dialga raises its head and roars to the sky.

Major events

 * is revealed to have learned and, while  has learned  and.
 * and return back to the future.
 * Team Poképals prepares to take on Primal Dialga.

Characters

 * Team Poképals
 * Wigglytuff's Guild
 * Team Razor Wind
 * Others
 * (Primal)
 * (stone tablet)
 * (multiple)
 * Team Razor Wind
 * Others
 * (Primal)
 * (stone tablet)
 * (multiple)
 * Team Razor Wind
 * Others
 * (Primal)
 * (stone tablet)
 * (multiple)
 * Others
 * (Primal)
 * (stone tablet)
 * (multiple)
 * (Primal)
 * (stone tablet)
 * (multiple)
 * (Primal)
 * (stone tablet)
 * (multiple)
 * (Primal)
 * (stone tablet)
 * (multiple)
 * (Primal)
 * (stone tablet)
 * (multiple)
 * (stone tablet)
 * (multiple)
 * (stone tablet)
 * (multiple)

Comparison with the game

 * In the games, Dusknoir does not refer to the partner's Relic Fragment.
 * Dusknoir leaves it to his Sableye to get rid of Chimchar, Piplup and Grovyle while he tries to escape back to the future with the Relic Fragment. In the games, Dusknoir battles alongside his Sableye.
 * The scene where Dusknoir charges up a Shadow Ball mirrors that of the games. While the games' dialogue refers to the trio "forcing their combined moves down Dusknoir's stomach", they are illustrated as simply deflecting Dusknoir's Shadow Ball back at him. In this episode, Chimchar, Piplup and Grovyle overpower Dusknoir's Shadow Ball with their combination of attacks.

Trivia

 * This special was released between DP122 and DP123 in Japan.
 * Pokémon Exploration Team Theme, Through the Sea of Time, and In the Hands of Fate are played as background music in this episode.
 * On the stone tablet written with Unown letters on it reads;
 * KISUGAPEIJKCKCNINEMURUPOSEIDON

Errors

 * Dusknoir uses, a move that it cannot legally learn.
 * There were only seven Sableye though eight can be seen and heard jumping through the portal.

Related articles

 * Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Team Go-Getters Out of the Gate!
 * Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time & Darkness

de:Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Erkundungsteam Himmel - Jenseits von Zeit und Dunkelheit EE07 fr:Pokémon Donjon Mystère : Explorateurs du Ciel - Par delà le Temps & l'Ombre SS021 ポケモン不思議のダンジョン 空の探検隊 〜時と闇をめぐる最後の冒険〜