This is it, the end of the first major saga of Pokémon: Horizons. This is where everything comes ahead with payoffs to major setups in a true confrontation with the main villain, Gibeon. The path to get to this point was definitely not a clean one, and the pacing of these final couple of episodes definitely feels more rushed than I would like it to be. In fact, these final episodes contain both the final confrontation with the black Rayquaza, the discovery of Laqua's location, and our first real confrontation with the main villain, Gibeon. In terms of pacing, I feel like things could've been laid out a bit better. It feels like the last batch of episodes should've ended with the final confrontation with black Rayquaza, and these last batch of episodes should've been more about that final journey to Laqua before the final fight. I know these episodes are planned for weekly releases and not necessarily for the batches of episodes that Netflix puts out, but even then, when you look at these final parts of the saga as a whole, the pacing does feel distinctly different from what I remember before.

That isn't to say that the story beats this finale hits are bad, I just wish I got more of them. It does feel a bit weird that our first major confrontation between our heroes and the main villain is also their last one, with no indication that there will be any follow-up after this. That doesn't make the final message with Gibeon run a little bit hollow because I didn't see as much of him as it feels like I should have. He's a man of science who looks at things in a very cold and logical way, which is a stark contrast to the more immature yet emotionally driven main characters. There is a great parallel that could've been explored more, especially when you throw in Amethio as a character who wants to follow his grandfather while carving out his own path. I get a resolution to that character, but it just feels like it could've been set up a lot better.

But then again, maybe I'm also saying that we should've seen more Gibeon because that means I get to hear more of David Kaye. Even when you remove the fact that I am a massive Ratchet and Clank fan, there's just something about his delivery that feels distinctly different from what we've had in other Pokémon antagonists. He sounds so cold and detached from everything to the point where there's this undercurrent of him still feeling muted, like he's not in touch with his human emotions at all. However, it looks like these ideas revolving around Gibeon will be explored more with the rest of the Explorer in future seasons without giving too much away. I'm curious to see what direction the franchise is going in after this.

To say that the epilogue of these episodes is a complete contrast to anything that the Pokémon franchise has done before would be an understatement, and I would argue. This is a promising future worth watching, especially if you're a long-time Pokémon fan. Despite my issues with this finale, I'm looking forward to the next saga because of how much goodwill Pokémon: Horizons has earned from me. Yes, some things could've been set up a lot better, but the fact that there is a slightly more mature and engaging Pokémon series that The Pokémon Company seems committed to developing is impressive. I love these characters, and I want to see more of them in the future at various stages of their lives.

I want to see Dot continue to confront her anxieties. I want to see Roy go on his big adventure to earn the respect of the black Rayquaza, and I want to see Liko continue to come into her own as a trainer who can connect with the hearts of multiple Pokémon. Seeing these three battle in these last few episodes was such a stark difference from how they were at the beginning of the series. It does feel rewarding, and it's probably the most emotionally satisfying aspect of these final episodes. I got to see inventive strategies, unique ways of utilizing the environment, and group battles that take full advantage of the unique abilities of individual Pokémon. Plus, the animation is generally pretty above average for these final episodes, with some sequences looking drop-dead gorgeous

The power scaling gets a little bit weird, especially when you consider the fact that Liko, Roy, and Dot have only been trainers for a couple of months, and yet they are taking on legendary maxed-out Pokémon that they should've had no chance of beating. However, I think the idea is that the threats they're going up against aren't giving it their all, which, unfortunately, is a double-edged sword because it arguably removes a lot of tension from the fights. It really is a type of explanation that can be immersion-breaking, nonetheless.

So am I satisfied with this finale? I would give it a passing grade with a couple of red circles pointing out where it feels like things could be improved. I'm glad I got to see this chapter come to a definitive close with so many grand promises for the follow-up. There is a good chance that things can get worse and the show might fail to stick the landing as the series goes on, but I honestly have faith. What I've seen here has already done wonders for the franchise as a whole, and I can't wait to see what other wonders it has in store.