Pokemon The Power of Us Synopsis And Major Spoilers

Pokémon: The Power of Us was released in 2018 and it is the second animated film in the alternate timeline series that I Choose You! started.

The movie continues to narrate the travels of Ash Ketchum, who still aims to become a Pokémon Master, and his loyal Pikachu. This time, the adventure takes the iconic pair to Fula City in the midst of its Wind Festival where things are about to take a wild turn.

Overall, The Power of Us had a worldwide box office of $23.7 million, which was $14 million short of its predecessor.

Pokemon The Power of Us Synopsis: Characters

The Power of Us

This movie introduces a considerable amount of new characters in the series that are paramount to the story. Let’s dive into them before we continue to the plot.

As previously stated, the story includes our usual protagonists, Ash Ketchum and Pokémon’s iconic mascot, Pikachu. Although, this time around the plot is not entirely focused on them as it is usual. The Power of Us centers its story around many of the citizens of Fula City and their personal struggles.

As part of the Fula City cast, we have Risa, a local track runner, Margo, the daughter of Mayor Oliver, and Callahan, an outspoken man whose stories are barely half-truths. Additionally, we get to meet Toren, a shy but incredibly brilliant scientist, and Harriet, a lovely elderly lady that is not so fond of Pokémon.

Plot (Spoilers)

Meeting the Residents of Fula City

The story begins with the start of the Wind Festival at Fula City. Here, we are introduced to Risa and her brother Rick, who has an injured leg. Since he can’t go to the festival himself, Rick entrusts his sister with the task of catching a Pokémon for him, which she hesitantly accepts after receiving a pair of red glasses as a gift from him.

Shortly after, we learn that the Wind Festival started a long time ago when Fula was just barren, desolated land. During that time humans and Pokémon coexisted and cooperated. As a result of this friendship, Lugia granted humanity the power of the wind, which was harnessed to found Fula City.

Since then, Lugia visits every year, and after verifying that the friendship bond still runs strong it grants them another year of wind.

This wind is sent by Lugia in direction of the Eternal Flame, a beacon of light located in a high pillar monument on Fula City. Moreover, we also learn that there is an old abandoned wind turbine power plant at the top of the mountains.

At this point, we are introduced to Callahan and his niece Kellie. Callahan is trying his best to impress his ill niece during the Wind Festival by pretending he is the greatest Pokémon trainer when in reality he doesn’t even have a Pokémon.

As part of his attempts to entertain his niece, he exaggerates a local story that he loudly recites in the middle of this street. In his story, Lugia was summoned by himself many years ago to extinguish a fire, when in reality he was not the one who did any of this.

Callahan’s extrovert manners in the open catch the eye of Toren, who is an extremely shy scientist that fears any type of social interaction and has an important public presentation the next day.

As the introduction of local characters continues, we are then greeted with Harriet, who is an elderly lady that’s not fond of Pokémon at all. She is helping with the organization of the festival and while visiting Toren at his lab for some paperwork he needs to sign.

She gets startled by Toren’s sudden appearance from behind his Chansey. Due to her sudden movements, she accidentally drops a beaker full of Sweet Scent Pokémon extract, and after that several Pokémon follow her due to the aroma, which angers her constantly.

Paths continue to cross as Risa bumps into Callahan at the festival, where she proceeds to ask him if he has seen the Pokémon she wants to catch by showing him her cellphone screen right in front of his niece. He continues his shenanigans and lies about it to impress Kellie and tells Risa the Pokémon she wants to catch is pretty rare and that she can find it in the mountains.

The Wind Festival Events

The festival finally starts with the big event of the day being a catch race. Basically, this race consists of trainers just catching Pokémon around town with special Pokéballs. For this race, Callahan convinces Toren to help him cheat.

He convinces Toren to lend him Staryu and to helping him with instructions on how to catch Pokémon through an earpiece. In return, Toren asks Callahan to do the public presentation he needs to do the next day. During the race, Callahan manages to save a Sudowoodo that’s being viciously attacked by a Golduck.

This Sudowoodo will follow Callahan throughout most of the movie as a gesture of gratitude. Ash and Pikachu get second place in the catch race after rescuing everyone from a rogue Tyranitar, and Callahan manages to get a first place by cheating.

Mayor Oliver awards Callahan and he is asked at the podium what is the next Pokémon he wants to catch. Unhesitantly, Callahan blatantly lies and states he wants to catch a super rare Pokémon that lives in the mountains.

This information is broadcasted through the local news and everyone starts wondering about the mysterious unique Pokémon in the area. Ironically, even though Callahan is lying, we learn from a conversation between Margo and her father that there is in fact a myth that Zeraora, a rare Pokémon, still lives in the area.

Additionally, we also learn from some Pokémon Rangers who encounter Risa stranded in the woods that it is forbidden to go up to the mountain since it was cursed by Zeraora and if someone crosses that limit disaster will befall upon Fula City.

Furthermore, we also learn that the Pokémon that Callahan told Risa was rare is only an Eevee, which don’t live in the mountains of Fula at all. To close the day, Team Rocket is introduced.

They are in the back of Toren’s lab and after making some loud noises, Toren is alerted of their presence. As Toren goes to investigate, he just finds a broken beaker on the floor. He reveals that this beaker contained Smeargle’s Ink essence.

The Vandalized Festival

The Power of Us

After failing to catch the Pokémon she promised to her brother, Risa goes to the hotel where Ash and Pikachu are hosted. She immediately jumps when she sees Ash and grabs him by his shoulders, which startles Pikachu and both are electrocuted by him.

After that first shocking meeting, Risa asks Ash to help her catch a Pokémon since he was the second-place winner of the catch race. Ash and Pikachu accept this without thinking twice and help Risa catch an Eevee the next morning. Risa then discloses that she is the regional champion of track and field, sadly she is now afraid of running after an injury.

Ash tells her that she will soon be able to run again now that Eevee is her companion. He goes on and tells her that what you can’t do alone, you can do with a Pokémon pal by your side.

Right after this, we learn that someone had vandalized most of the attractions of the Wind Festival and they had to close it momentarily. Here, Risa meets Callahan again and she is furious because thanks to him she spent a whole day stranded in the mountains.

As a punishment for his lie, Risa demands that he helps her, Ash, and all the other townsfolk to clean up the mess that was left behind after the festival was vandalized. Callahan has no choice but to accept this, as Risa is ready to reveal how much of a liar he is right in front of Kellie if he denies her request. Together, they manage to clean up on time and the festival continues as expected.

Team Rocket’s Shenanigans

Since Callahan was cleaning all this time, Toren is left alone with the presentation and he has no option but to do it himself. Due to his social anxiety, he can barely speak to the crowd.

It gets even worse when Toren mistakenly uses the wrong memory card for his presentation. Instead of the data he wanted to showcase, he accidentally shows everyone a video of himself giving instructions to Callahan while he was cheating on the catch race.

Now that Callahan is exposed, and everyone knows the truth of his antics, Kellie is rightfully upset and tells her uncle that she hates him. Immediately after, Harriet, who was in the back segment of the hall lending her support for Toren’s presentation, discovers that Team Rocket is there.

She discovers they are stealing an item from Toren’s research and immediately calls them out. Team Rocket uses a smoke bomb to flee the scene and they are followed by Ash and Pikachu. After the smoke clears, it is revealed that Risa’s Eevee was trampled and hurt by the crowd that was escaping the hall. Toren examines Eevee and states there is no need to worry and asks his Chansey to use Heal Pulse on Eevee.

Ash continued to follow Team Rocket all around the city. In the midst of the chase, a Thunderbolt from Pikachu is deflected by Wobbuffet, Team Rocket manages to escape using the smoke created by the impact.

The Eternal Flame Mystery

After all these situations, the town committee agrees to tighten security and continue with the Wind Festival the next day. Furthermore, it is also disclosed that while escaping from Ash and Pikachu, Team Rocket lost the item they stole from Toren’s lab, a glass vial with a dark substance inside that is now mildly cracked.

The next morning, all the protagonists in the story wake up and discover none of the windmills of Fula City are spinning due to the lack of wind. Ash and Risa quickly realize this is because the Eternal Flame is no longer on its pillar. Both trainers quickly rush to the pillar and are greeted by the mayor who confirms the Eternal Flame has been stolen.

Both Risa and Ash investigate the area and Pikachu picks up a scent trail left by the one who took the Eternal Flame. As well, a brief scene of poachers capturing Pokémon in the mountains is briefly shown at this point of the plot.

The scent leads Pikachu to Toren’s lab, where we learn the essence in fact Smeargle’s Ink. All of them go to the Eternal Flame pillar, where Toren unveils this ink is visible under UV light and a set of footprints is revealed. Followed after this, it is revealed that Margo was visiting the mountain all this time and that she is in fact taking care of Zeraora.

Both Margo and Zeraora are attacked by the poachers that were attacking Pokémon before. Margo tries to divert them in the opposite direction, but a Teddiursa and Ditto accidentally fall from behind a rock.

The poachers immediately attack with a Houndoom’s Flamethrower and Sneasel’s Icy Wind to capture both Pokémon. Margot gets in the middle to protect Teddiursa and Ditto, and Zeraora promptly jumps in to block both attacks and save Margo.

Zeraora looks very tired and weak. Margo then explains that Zeraora is in fact wounded and hasn’t recovered to its full potential yet. Eventually, Zeraora faints and the poachers attack him with a net. Ash, Pikachu, Toren, Mayor Oliver, and Harriet rush into the fight, and Pikachu destroys the net midair with Iron Tail.

Mayor Oliver threatens the poachers with legal actions for their attacks, leading to the poachers fleeing the scene.

Margo and Zeraora

Margo and Zeraora

At this point, it is revealed that Margo has been the one vandalizing the festival and the one that took the Eternal Flame. She did all this hoping the festival would get canceled and to detract all the trainers from looking for the rare Pokémon Callahan mentioned after his victory at the catch race.

Margo proceeds to explain she has been taking care of Zeraora because it got badly hurt while protecting her from a falling boulder when she was exploring the area some time ago. Mayor Oliver proceeds to reveal the truth about Zeraora. The Pokémon lived there for a long time and it was loved and respected by the other Pokémon living in the area.

In contrast to the Pokémon in the area, humans were not so fond of the environment and decimated the forest that served as home for most of the Pokémon there to enrich themselves. He continues the story and informs everyone that the fire Callahan mentioned in which Lugia had to intervene was in fact caused by humans 50 years ago.

During this event, Zeraora did the best it could to save as much Pokémon as possible from the raging fire. Due to this, Zeraora remained deeply angry against humankind. To make matters worse, after the fire happened huge numbers of trainers continued to invade the forest looking to capture Zeraora.

For this reason and to protect Zeraora, the mayor at that time lied to the town stated that Zeraora had vanished and that the mountain was cursed. Since then no one was allowed to trespass the area.

The Dark Cloud

As Mayor Oliver is done with his story, the vial that Team Rocket had stolen from Toren’s lab violently explodes in the forest nearby the city and releases a massive cloud of dark-colored smoke. At the sight of this, Toren immediately recognizes the smoke and lets everyone knows he is sure that is the substance that was stolen from his lab.

The smoke is a chemical version of the ability Effect Spore, which leads to paralysis. The dark cloud quickly moves through the forest and propagates into Fula City, which sets the whole city into a state of emergency.

From here, the story moves really fast and the main plot of the story joins all the protagonists in the goal of saving Fula City from the smoke cloud. The plan is to turn on the abandoned power turbine propeller to disperse the smoke.

Toren pitches in and says he can help disperse the smoke and counter its negative effect by producing large quantities of the Pokémon ability Natural Cure, but that there is no way to disperse it all around the city. Harriet suggests the idea of using the wind, aided by the propellers of the old abandoned station at the top of the mountains.

Mayor Oliver then reveals that Harriet actually built the power plant in her younger years. After this comment, she states she will be able to start up the propeller to disperse the smoke with the help of the team of Pokémon that follows her due to the Sweet Scent.

Ash, Risa, and Margo stay behind to treat Zeraora and the wild Pokémon that need assistance after the poachers’ attack.

Toren is entrusted to go back to his lab to synthesize the Natural Cure essence, while Harriet departs with Mayor Oliver to the town hall to wait for Toren there. In the meantime, we learn that Callahan is still in the city just walking down the streets and disappointed in himself for the lies he had told Kellie.

He gets a call from his sister, which informs him that both she and Kellie are stuck in the gondola ride above the smoke. He wants to help them and at this moment the Sudowoodo that has been following him all this time offers its help by giving Callahan a Pokéball.

Callahan finally understands that he can be better from this point on, captures Sudowoodo and they both run to the town hall to offer their help to Harriet and Mayor Oliver.

The Fire

Pokemon the movie

In the meantime, Toren overcomes his social anxiety and delivers a tremendous speech to his lab peers. After this, all the science lab team is inspired and go all hands on deck to create the Natural Cure essence.

At the city hall, Mayor Oliver, Harriet, and Callahan rush out of the building as they hear an explosion caused by the smoke short-circuiting the generator of the city. This creates a massive fire that impedes them from arriving at the old power plant.

Back at the mountain and at the sight of this fire, Zeraora immediately rushes to the fire to save all the wild Pokémon that are being affected. Margo runs to follow Zeraora, and Ash follows Margo.

Before leaving with Margo, Ash trusts Risa, a natural runner, with the task of taking the Eternal Flame back to the pillar in the city as fast as she can. He asks her to do this and to summon Lugia so it can help with the fire in the woods, just as it had 50 years ago.

Risa is still afraid of running but then observes how her injured Eevee is trying to grab the Eternal Flame by itself to take it to the pillar. This act of courage makes her overcome her fears. Risa then departs to the pillar, running at full speed.

Back in the lab, the power outage caused by the generator’s explosion stops Toren’s team from completing the synthesis of the Natural Cure essence. Then, after once again overcoming his personal fears, Toren has the brilliant idea of using Lum berries from a fruit car that Team Rocket brought in while scaping from the gas cloud outside to create healing essence.

While this transpires, Callahan takes Harriet in his shoulders and run towards the old power station. There, they are met with the fire that’s getting worse by the minute. Here, we get a flashback of a younger Harriet and how she lost her Snubbull in the fire 50 years ago when it tried to save the key that starts the power plant.

This explains why she was not able to connect with Pokémon again after the tragedy. Snubbull is successful at retrieving the key and jumps out of the flames consuming the factory. Sadly, it is able to throw the key and deliver it to Harriet, but it is consumed by the bursting flames.

After the flashback is over, Harriet is still scared of the fire but the ghost of her Snubbull appears to give her strength. The ghost disappears and she overcomes her fear and joins forces with the Pokémon that followed her to extinguish the fire blocking the path.

They are finally able to reach the power plant. After this, Mayor Oliver requests through the radio for volunteers to go to the mountain and try to extinguish the fire.

Zeraora, Lugia, and The Power of Us

Zeraora, Lugia

Ash and Margo are reunited with Zeraora at the generator area that exploded. Zeraora doesn’t trust them due to the whole chaos humans have once again caused and attacks Ash. Ash resists the attack and Pikachu battles with Zeraora.

In the midst of this battle, Zeraora is blinded with rage and accidentally attacks a group of Pokémon that were nearby. Ash protects these Pokémon by getting in the way and taking a direct hit. Zeraora observes this and regains his trust in humans and their love for Pokémon.

Toren finally arrives at the power plant. Harriet and Callahan work together and are able to start up the propeller turbine and disperse the Lum essence Toren brought with him. This disperses the dark smoke and cures everyone affected by it as Toren had predicted.

Fula City is no longer at risk. After this, Mayor Oliver arrives with all the townsfolk and Pokémon that volunteered to the generator area.

As well, Toren, Callahan, and Harriet arrive at this particular point. All of them work together with Zeraora to extinguish the surrounding fire and get the generator up and running again. Another explosion is triggered by the remaining fire and a tower structure crumbles over Margo.

Zeraora jumps into action and even though it is weak, it saves Margo with its last strengths. As it is freefalling from the sky after setting the tower back in its place, it is saved from the fall by several Pokémon using Cotton Spore to protect its landing.

Risa finally arrives at the pillar and places the Eternal Flame in place, summoning Lugia which invokes a rainfall and finally extinguishes the fire in its entirety. Finally, the wind also returns to the town and all windmills start spinning again.

The movie ends with everyone reuniting at the center of the town, reflecting on the ideal that what one can’t do alone, one can do with the help of a Pokémon partner. Hence the title, Pokémon: The Power of Us. As well, the truth of Zeraora is revealed to all the town by Mayor Oliver, and it is decreed that from now on they will live together in peace.

Voice Actors

This is the list of voice actors that lend their talents for the English version of Pokémon: The Power of Us:

  • Ash Ketchum – Sarah Natochenny
  • Pikachu – Ikue Ōtani
  • Jessie – Michele Knotz
  • James – James Carter Cathcart
  • Meowth – James Carter Cathcart
  • Narrator – Rodger Parsons
  • Risa – Haven Paschall
  • Margo – Erica Schroeder
  • Callahan – Billy Bob Thompson
  • Toren – Eddy Lee
  • Harriet – Kathryn Cahill
  • Zeraora – Pete Zarustica
  • Kellie – Laurie Hymes
  • Mia – Martha Harms
  • Rick – Marie Dobbs
  • Mayor Oliver – Marc Thompson

Trivia

Pokemon the movie

Here are some interesting facts that you can enjoy about Pokémon: The Power of Us:

  • During the opening scene of the movie, Risa’s brother is using a laptop with a sticker of Lugia, foreshadowing the role that this Pokémon will play during the last act of the movie.
  • When Ash and Pikachu are helping Risa catch her Pokémon after she successfully catches her Eevee, she rubs her forehead with her arm in a very brief scene. Followed after this, Ash asks very surprisedly, “Where are your eyebrows?!” As she had removed her makeup with her arm and her eyebrows are no longer visible.
  • In a post-credit scene, it is revelated that the energetic TV presenter that was prevalent in all the movie is actually Risa’s brother. He was able to record all the festivals because the glasses he gave her as a gift for catching a Pokémon were actually a camera with tracking hardware. He also helps guide Risa using this tech when she is running to deliver the Eternal Fire to the pillar.

FAQs

Question: How Long is Pokémon: The Power of Us?

Answer: The movie has a total runtime of one hour and thirty-eight minutes. This includes credits and a post-credit scene.

Question: Is There a Post-Credit Scene in the Movie?

Answer: Yes, there is a post-credit scene.

Question: What Pokémon Played Important Roles in This Movie?

Answer: These are some of the Pokémon that had a prominent spot in this movie: Pikachu, Eevee, Smeargle, Heracross, Meowth, Tyranitar, Sudowoodo, Golduck, Phanpy, Machamp, Chansey, Teddiursa, Ditto, Zeraora, Lugia, Totodile, Togepi, Xatu, Marill, Tyrogue, Smoochum, Wobbuffet, Elekid, and Staryu.

Question: Who Convinces Zeraora that Humans Can be Kind?

Answer: Ash, after taking a direct hit from Zeraora to protect a group of Pokémon. This act of kindness changes Zeraora’s heart and it starts cooperating with humans once again.

Question: Who Ends Up Summoning Lugia?

Answer: Risa summons Lugia after delivering the Eternal Flame to its original place.

Question: What is the Power of Us?

Answer: The Power of Us is an allegory that everything is achievable as long as humans and Pokémon cooperate to overcome struggle.

Question: Who Directed Pokémon: The Power of Us?

Answer: The movie was directed by Tetsuo Yajima.

Question: What Animations Studios Worked on Pokémon: The Power of Us?

Answer: The movie was produced by OLM (The Pokémon Series, Odd Taxi) and Wit Studio (Attack on Titan, Vinland Saga).

Question: What Happens at the End of Pokémon: The Power of Us?

Answer: At the end of the movie the Fula City is saved from a forest fire and a cloud of toxic gas by Zeraora and Lugia, in cooperation with all the efforts made by the locals and the movie protagonists.
As well, all the movie protagonists (Callahan, Marrie, Toren, Risa, and Margo) overcome their fears and learn the concept of Pokémon Power from Ash and Pikachu.

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