How Tinkatuff Makes The Ultimate Hammer - Pokémon Horizons Episode 109 Review - Chain Attack: Bombshell Blitz

One thing I really like about Pokémon Horizons is that the Pokémon have their own characters, and are not just cute, mindless pets. Like with this episode, Tinkatuff has a huge fixation on scrap metal, and when the piece she’s fixated on is on a truck that drove off, she became so sullen that she even plants her face onto the Nidothing costume like a child sulking when things didn’t go their way. Though, I do wish that she was a bit more aware of her surroundings, because she just jumped off the airship without her trainer knowing.

I was surprised with Gimmighoul's characterization, in that it’s not always a mischievous creature that likes to control people to collect coins. It seems it can collect its own coins as well! It’s just that it’s so small that picking it up on its own is a tough task, and it’s also timid with how it got intimidated by a passing Scrafty. The bond it was forming with Tinkatuff was immensely sweet, like it’s her turn to be the big sister to Gimmighoul after being babied by Quaxwell for so long. The way it decided to help Tinkatuff with her hammer, by mustering up all of its strength to pick up the last of the Corviknight feathers instead of picking up the coins it dropped, was so surprising. It also battled for the first time! That’s character development right there.

I have to admit, I was surprised that Tinkatuff was the first of Dot's Pokémon to fully evolve as I assumed Quaxwell would evolve first. Then again, there hasn’t been a major evolution for this arc, so making Tinkatuff evolve means that Crocalor or Quaxwell’s time will be coming... or maybe I’m just delusional. I can’t wait to see more of Gimmighoul bonding with Tinkaton in future episodes. Poor Quaxwell meanwhile got nerfed so hard in this episode. He’s usually very capable as he’s Dot’s main battler, but the fact that he gets knocked out by Sheer Cold feels like overkill. I get that Dot is disoriented because she has to protect her hyper-fixated Tinkatuff, but Dot’s not that bad of a battler, and Quaxwell isn’t weak! This is the only part of the episode I didn’t like.

Coral and Sidian return as the butt monkeys of this episode. It seems that fame is getting tiresome for them as they can’t have a moment of peace, and they also got knocked down on a Corviknight Taxi due to Tinkatuff’s desire for the bird’s feathers. They were the funniest part of the episode and I’m glad they showed up. The fact that their popularity keeps on growing to the point that Coral even has attachable pigtails as merch is crazy. I did laugh when Tinakton swung her hammer and hit Glalie like a baseball. There’s also a new member of the Explorers in the form of their manager who doesn’t have a proper name (yet), but is given a Vigoroth as a partner. Since she is aware that Coral and Sidian’s next destination is the distribution center that the Rising Volt Tacklers are heading towards, it makes me wonder if she was the one who sent that email. Also, she could be an important character later on because of how her voice actress is Risa Shimizu, who voiced the Alolan Nurse Joys in Pokémon Sun and Moon and Officer Jenny in Journeys.

The last two episodes are the final episodes of the Mega Voltage arc, and then the Kalos mini-arc will air in October. It makes me wonder if the sixth arc will air in November, and if it will be the final one or if there will be a seventh arc. Let me know your thoughts on this episode!