Ash's Lucario
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Ash's Lucario (Japanese:サトシのルカリオSatoshi's Lucario) was the thirdPokémon thatAshcaught inPokémon Journeys: The Series, and his fifty-seventh overall.
In animation
History
Pre-series
Lucario'sEgg was originally found in theSinnohregion. Despite being passed from oneDay Care worker to another for a long time, it seemed unwilling to hatch. Eventually, the Egg made its way to theKanto region, coming under the care of theNurse Joy working inVermilion City.
Pokémon Journeys: The Series
WhileAsh battledHayden inCaring for a Mystery!, the Egg sensed the strongAura being emitted by the former and reacted to it. Ash also felt the Egg calling for him. WhilePikachu was being treated at the Vermilion CityPokémon Center, Ash followed the call to the room where the Egg was being kept. When the Egg reacted to Ash's presence by rolling towards him, Nurse Joy decided to entrust its care to him. The following night, the Egg hatched into a Riolu. As Ash wasn't exuding the same Aura as he had earlier, Riolu didn't recognize him and instantly fled from theCerise Laboratory and started attacking variouswild Pokémon. However, all of them were too strong for it, causing it to get beat up. Ash finally caught up to Riolu as it was getting attacked by anOnix. During the battle against theRock Snake Pokémon, Riolu recognized Ash's Aura as the same one it had sensed earlier. With both Pikachu and Riolu attacking Onix, Ash was soon able to drive it away, after which he took Riolu to the Pokémon Center to be healed. After Nurse Joy treated Riolu, it expressed willingness to becaught by Ash, which he happily agreed to.
InA Little Rocket R & R!, Ash used Riolu to battleTeam Rocket Grunts trying to steal Pokémon at theResort Area, but it was defeated by theirPurugly.
InA Festival Reunion!, when Ash traveled toShalour City to participate in a Battle Festival Challenge to raise hisWorld Coronation Series rank, Riolu sensed the Aura emanating fromKorrina's Lucario and led Ash and his other Pokémon to it.Korrina took a liking to Riolu and encouraged it to become stronger with Ash. Riolu instantly started admiring Korrina's Lucario, and it came to the point that when Ash was about to start his battle with Korrina in the Battle Festival Challenge, it showed eagerness to battle. Still, Ash decided to go with his more experienced Pokémon. During and after the battle, even though Lucario had been defeated, Riolu still showed great admiration towards its evolved form.
InToughing It Out!, Riolu battled aGalarianFarfetch'd. With a new array of moves at its disposal, it defeated the Farfetch'd, which later joined Ash'steam.
InBetrayed, Bothered, and Beleaguered!, Ash used Riolu in his World Coronation Series match againstTony. Riolu succeeded in defeating Tony'sElectabuzz, increasing Ash's World Coronation Series rank.
InSolitary and Menacing!, Ash took Riolu with him to theFighting Dojo inSaffron City, where it was used to battle aBlack Belt'sHitmonchan andHitmonlee. During Ash's World Coronation Series match againstBea, Riolu volunteered to battle herGrapploct, only to be defeated, losing the match and causing Ash's rank to go down.
InMaking Battles in the Sand!, Ash used Riolu in two World Coronation Series matches, with the first against anOctillery and the second against aTentacruel. After his loss against Bea, Ash was insistent on Riolu fighting from a distance, but as they had not trained in this fighting style, Riolu lost both of these battles, resulting in Ash dropping back to the Normal Class. InOcto-Gridlock at the Gym!, Riolu battled Grapploct again following Pikachu's defeat during Ash's second battle against Bea at theCianwood Gym. Using a new strategy, Riolu managed to use its opponent's arms to its advantage. Despite this, the battle ended in a draw.
InSword and Shield, Slumbering Weald!, Riolu was used alongside Pikachu andDragonite to battle a rampagingGigantamaxCentiskorch. Despite their best efforts, the Centiskorch was only defeated whenLeon arrived.
InSword and Shield: "From Here to Eternatus!", Riolu was sent out to battleChairman Rose'sCopperajah andFerrothorn with Pikachu at theHammerlocke Stadium. Inthe next episode, it evolved into Lucario while protecting Ash and Pikachu from Copperajah and Ferrothorn's attacks. Ash commanded it to use Vacuum Wave, but Lucario instead used its Aura powers to contact him and requested to use Aura Sphere instead. Ash agreed, and they used it to defeat each of Chairman Rose's Pokémon. Lucario subsequently assisted Leon in stoppingEternatus from attackingGalar. With the assistance ofZacian andZamazenta, Lucario, Pikachu, andCinderace combined their powers and weakened Eternatus until it collapsed, allowing Goh to catch it and seal it away, putting an end to theDarkest Day.
InGetting More Than You Battled For!, Ash sent Lucario out to battleMewtwo onCero Island, teaming up with Cinderace after Pikachu had been defeated. However, despite putting in its best effort, Lucario stood no chance against the Genetic Pokémon and was defeated by a massiveShadow Ball.
InUltra Exciting from the Shocking Start!, Lucario was the first Pokémon Ash sent out during his World Coronation Series match againstVolkner, going up against hisLuxray. However, it was quicklyrecalled after being overwhelmed by a combination ofElectric Terrain andRising Voltage. Lucario was later sent out to battleElectivire, who managed toparalyze Lucario withThunder Punch before being recalled and replaced byFanRotom. After enduring a powered-upHex and anAir Slash from Rotom, Lucario proceeded to defeat it withReversal. Lucario subsequently fought against Luxray again and managed to tie with it, thanks to thedamage previously dealt on it byGengar.
InAn Adventure of Mega Proportions!, Ash and Lucario visited Korrina at theShalour Gym. Since Ash would face many strong opponents in his upcoming World Coronation Series matches, he asked Korrina to helpMega Evolve his Lucario. Korrina agreed to help and gave Ash aMega Glove, which enhanced Lucario's Aura powers enough for it to sense the location of aLucarionite onMega Island off the coast of Shalour City. On Mega Island, Ash and Lucario were separated but could contact each other through Aura and reunite at the Lucarionite's location. Before they could obtain theMega Stone, however, they were challenged by a man referring to himself as the Mega Evolution Sage (later revealed to beGurkinn in disguise), who challenged Ash and Lucario with his MegaAlakazam. While Lucario was paralyzed by Alakazam'sTri Attack, it got past the Psi Pokémon and grabbed the Lucarionite.
InBattle Three With Bea!, Lucario was the second Pokémon Ash used during his secondrematch against Bea at theStow-on-Side Stadium, being sent out to face Grapploct once again after Pikachu had been recalled from the battle. However, before Lucario could land a single hit on Grapploct, Bea recalled it and sent outHawlucha in its place. Hawlucha's speed proved troublesome for Lucario, taking heavy damage from aHigh Jump Kick and aSky Attack. Bea eventually recalled Hawlucha and sent outMachamp, whose four arms effectively held Lucario back. Ash tried to escape from the desperate situation by Mega Evolving Lucario, but Lucario refused to do so, managing to escape from Machamp's grasp without help. Ash apologized to Lucario for trying to rush things, and the battle resumed.
InA Battle of Mega Versus Max!, after Lucario had managed to land a Reversal on Machamp with its feet, Ash chose to substitute it forSirfetch'd. Later, Lucario was sent back out against Grapploct as Ash's last Pokémon standing. Wanting to preserve Lucario's strength for Machamp, Ash aimed for and succeeded in defeating Grapploct with a single blow, thanks to all the damage the Jujitsu Pokémon had already taken. Lucario then faced Machamp again, now allowing itself to be Mega Evolved, while Bea Gigantamaxed Machamp. Lucario was able to deal heavy hits on Machamp while surviving itsMax Moves and signatureG-Max Chi Strike. Machamp soon returned to normal and attempted to use thecritical hit boost from G-Max Chi Strike to its advantage while attacking withBullet Punch, which Lucario met with aForce Palm. During the clash, Force Palm suddenly transformed intoSteel Beam, which overpowered Machamp and defeated it, making Ash the winner and increasing his rank.
InThe Gates of Warp!, Lucario, along withInteleon, was stolen and taken away through a portal byAlternate World Team Rocket. InShowdown at the Gates of Warp!, Lucariodevolved back into Riolu and finally an Egg as a result of a clash betweenDialga andPalkia distorting time. AfterArceus stopped the fight between Dialga and Palkia, theTemporal and Spatial Pokémon repaired the distortions their fighting had caused and restored all the devolved Pokémon to normal, with Lucario returning to Ash's team in the process.
InBattling in the Freezing Raid!, Lucario was Ash's second Pokémon in aRaid Battle against anArticuno. Although it managed to land some strong hits on Articuno, it was ultimately defeated by a powerfulBlizzard.
InCatching the Aura of Fate!, Ash and Lucario arrived inKalos to seek outAsh's Greninja for help in training for their upcoming World Coronation Series battle againstRaihan. While camping out in a forest for the night, they were attacked by a group ofgiant roots but were quickly saved by Greninja. Wanting to see how strong Ash's former Pokémon was, Lucario immediately accepted a sparring match with Greninja. However, Lucario was easily defeated when it couldn't keep up with Greninja's speed and power. Frustrated, Lucario proceeded to run off but was followed by Greninja. Lucario listened to Greninja's advice in strengthening its aura abilities by finding the perfect balance. However, after sensing another group of giant roots attacking Ash and Goh, Lucario and Greninja rushed back to help the boys. Lucario and Greninja worked together to take the roots down through a combination of Aura Sphere andWater Shuriken, after which Ash and Greninja parted ways once again.
InAim For The Eight!, Ash used Lucario as his last Pokémon against Raihan, going against hisDuraludon, who was Gigantamaxed immediately after being sent out. Due to Ash having Gigantamaxed his Gengar earlier in the match, he wasn't allowed to Mega Evolve Lucario. While Lucario's initial attacks seemed to leave its opponent unfazed, it utilized the teachings from Greninja to grow its Aura Sphere into massive proportions and defeat the Alloy Pokémon, allowing Ash to advance to the Master Class.
InFriends, Rivals, Lend Me Your Spirit!, Ash visitedPallet Town and introduced his Pokémon to his new friends whom he caught during his journey around the world, including Lucario. During the visit, Lucario trained withHeracross,Buizel, andHawlucha. Ash later used Lucario as his first Pokémon in his battle againstPaul, going up againstGyarados. During the battle, Lucario learnedBullet Punch and defeated Gyarados. Before Ash left his hometown, it posed with the rest of Ash's Pokémon in a group photo with him.
InValor: A Strategic Part of Battling!, Lucario was the last Pokémon that Ash used in hisMasters Eight Tournament match againstCynthia. It was sent out to face Cynthia'sTogekiss, which wasDynamaxed soon into the confrontation after exchanging several blows, with itsInner Focus Ability stopping Togekiss'sSerene Grace-boostedAir Slashes from making itflinch. The battle continued inthe next episode, with Ash Mega Evolving Lucario and defeating Togekiss after its Dynamax state ended. Mega Lucario next clashed withGarchomp and fought with her to a near standstill in a brutal slugfest. A final clash between Dragon Claw and Reversal caused both Pokémon to fall to the ground, but only Lucario got back up, winning Ash the match. After Ash's victory, Lucario helped Garchomp to her feet and shook hands with her in a sign of good sportsmanship.
InToying With Your Motions!, Ash used Lucario as his fourth Pokémon in his Masters Eight Tournament battle against Leon. It instantly Mega Evolved to faceMr. Rime. Despite Mr. Rime's agility in the ice-covered battlefield, Lucario scored a hit and defeated it with a singleAura Sphere. Lucario next went up againstDragapult and landed a flurry ofBullet Punches, but was quickly recalled after getting hit with a super effectiveFlamethrower. However, Lucario was later forced back on the battlefield afterDragonite was hit by Dragapult'sDragon Tail. Despite its best efforts, Lucario was paralyzed by aThunderbolt, which allowed Dragapult to defeat it with another Flamethrower. InPartners in Time!, Lucario appeared as a vision to Pikachu during his battle againstLeon's Charizard. After Ash had won the battle, Lucario joined him and the rest of his team for the awards ceremony.
InThis Could be the Start of Something Big!, Lucario joined up with Pikachu and Goh'sGalar first partner Pokémon againstLugia in aRaid Battle. Despite firing off multiple strong attacks—including combining their moves for extra power—they were unable to defeat the Diving Pokémon.
Ash left Lucario along with the rest of hisJourneys team atProfessor Oak's Laboratory sometime prior toThe Road Most Traveled!, as he decided he wanted to start rotating his team for his new journey.
Personality and characteristics
Lucario, like other members of itsspecies, responds toAura. As such, it subconsciously connected to Ash before it even hatched. As aRiolu, it displayed a very headstrong personality, attackingwild Pokémon and even Ash as if it had something to prove. Despite being ababy Pokémon, it disliked being coddled and generally seemed very independent. At the same time, it appeared to respect Ash as a Trainer, and it could be seen following him andPikachu aroundCerise Laboratory. This was in contrast to the other Pokémon Ash caught inPokémon Journeys: The Series, who generally wander around and do their own thing. It also had an eagerness to battle, as seen inToughing It Out!, when it let itself out of itsPoké Ball on its own to battle a GalarianFarfetch'd.
After evolving, Lucario's control of Aura improved, as seen inSword and Shield... The Legends Awaken!, where it used its Aura to tell Ash it had learnedAura Sphere. InAll Out, All of the Time!, it used its ability to see Auras to locate aBruxish during thePokémon Catch Adventure Race. After Ash received aKey Stone fromKorrina inAn Adventure of Mega Proportions!, Lucario's Aura abilities increased significantly, allowing it to find its Trainer from a great distance. It later increased it even further with training fromGreninja.
Lucario seems to have attained a more stoic personality, although it is still prone to acts of immaturity, as demonstrated inA Close Call... Practically!, whereCinderace's cheerful personality and antics clashed with its stoic attitude and caused it to get frustrated at Cinderace on multiple occasions, even angrily chasing it when pushed far enough. Despite this, Lucario is shown to get along with Cinderace, often hanging out with it atCerise Park. Lucario is shown to have mellowed out with time and has become more open in expressing affection for Ash, but still shows a strong love for battling.
Lucario has occasionally shown to be jealous of those who share a close relationship with Ash, as seen with Pikachu in itsdebut episode and with Greninja inCatching the Aura of Fate!. However, it would quickly let go of its grudges after befriending them. Lucario was also shown to be honorable, as seen inWhittle While You Work! when it helpedCynthia's Garchomp get back on her feet after their battle.
Appearance
| As anEgg | As aRiolu | As aMega Lucario |
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Moves used
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| A† shows that the move was used recently, unless all moves fit this case or there are fewer than five known moves. | |||||||
Moves improvised
| Picture | First Used In | Moves Involved | Partnered With |
|---|---|---|---|
  | A Close Call... Practically! | Aura Sphere andPyro Ball | Goh's Cinderace |
| Description: A combination of Aura Sphere and Pyro Ball. Lucario launches an Aura Sphere while Cinderace kicks a Pyro Ball and the two attacks converge into a fireball surrounded by light blue streaks of energy. This was used to send Team Rocket blasting off after defeating their borrowedThroh andSawk. | |||
 | This Could be the Start of Something Big! | Thunderbolt,Aura Sphere,Pyro Ball,Mud Shot, andWood Hammer | Pikachu,Cinderace,Inteleon, andGrookey |
| Description: A combination between Thunderbolt, Aura Sphere, Pyro Ball, Mud Shot, and Wood Hammer. Cinderace kicks a Pyro Ball, which merges with Lucario's Aura Sphere before Grookey swings its Wood Hammer to send theAura-clad fireball flying. Inteleon and Pikachu add to the attack with Mud Shot and Thunderbolt, respectively, creating a high-speed flying fireball surrounded by blue energy, mud, and electricity. This was used in aRaid Battle against awildLugia. | |||
Artwork
 |  |  |  |
| Artwork forChildren's Day by Shūhei Yasuda | Artwork for Happy Sunshine Day in 2020 by Shūhei Yasuda | Artwork forFind the difference | Artwork from Pokémon Journeys: The Series |
 |  |  |  |
| Third poster for the Japanese version of Pokémon Journeys: The Series | Fourth poster for the Japanese version of Pokémon Journeys: The Series | Cover for the Pocket Monsters Original Soundtrack | Artwork from "After the story" |
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| Artwork from "After the story"[4] | Artwork from "After the story"[5] | Artwork from "After the story"[6] | Artwork from "After the story"[7] |
 |  | ||
| Official poster from Pokémon Journeys: The Series | Poster for Pokémon: To Be a Pokémon Master |
In the manga
Pokémon Journeys
Lucario debuted as a Riolu inCaring for a Mystery!, where it hatched from an Egg.
InSolitary and Menacing!, Riolu was sent out to battleBea'sGrapploct. It was defeated by Grapploct'sLiquidation.
InSword and Shield... The Legends Awaken! (Part 2), Riolu was used in aTag Battle alongsideGoh'sRaboot againstRose'sCopperajah andOleana'sMilotic. Initially, the two had some difficulty, but that changed when Riolu evolved into Lucario at the same time that Raboot evolved intoCinderace, thus giving the two enough power to defeat their opponents.
InGetting More than You Battled For!, Lucario was used in a battle againstMewtwo, but lost.
InUltra Exciting from the Shocking Start! & Trial on a Golden Scale! (Part 1), Lucario was the first Pokémon used by Ash in hisWorld Coronation Series battle againstVolkner, facing down hisLuxray. Despite Lucario doing its best, inthe next chapter, both Pokémon were shown to have fainted simultaneously.
Appearance
| As an Egg | As a Riolu |
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Moves used
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| A† shows that the move was used recently, unless all moves fit this case or there are fewer than five known moves. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
In the games
Core series games
Lucario, along with the rest of Ash's team fromPokémon Journeys: The Series, wasmade available inPokémon Sword and Shield throughPokémon Journeys: The Series broadcasts in Japan. These Pokémon utilize a common password which was revealed during the Japanese TV broadcasts. Players could claim Lucario with the passwordHAD0UW0CATCH.
| Wonder Card 150 | サトシ's Lucario Gift | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| This Pokémon may only be redeemed once per save file. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date received is the date on the system when the gift is redeemed. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This Pokémon is Japanese in origin, regardless of the language of the game. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Side games
Pokémon GO
On November 6, 2020, as part of Pokémon GO'sAnimation Week 2020 event, which was based onPokémon Journeys: The Series, several Pokémon based on those that Ash and Goh encountered in the series appeared more frequently in the wild, inraids, from 7 kmEggs, and duringsurprise encounters, with Riolu appearing only in 7 kmEggs. The event ran from November 6, 2020, at 8:00 a.m., to November 12, 2020, at 10:00 p.m. local time.
Spin-off games
Pokémon Masters EX
Lucario, along with the rest ofAsh'sPokémon Journeys: The Series team, appears during thespecial eventsThe Classic Thunderbolt andBlazing Battle with Ash inPokémon Masters EX.
Pokémon Mezastar
Lucario appears inPokémon Mezastar as one of Ash's Pokémon. It appears as an opponent during thefirst Super Tag set and in thefirst Double Chain set. Upon beating Ash during the first Super Tag set, the player can receive a Support Pokémon Ticket based on Lucario, with Ash'sGengar as its tag partner. Lucario also appeared as an opponent in an event that recreated theMasters Eight Tournament that ran from October 27 to November 21, 2022.
As an opponent
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Disks
| Tag No. | Name | Type | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-1-011 | Lucario |   |  |
| P | Lucario | | — |
| P | Lucario | | — |
Trivia
- As the first Egg shown inPokémon Journeys: The Series, Riolu's Egg was the debut of a new standard for the series. These Eggs more closely resemble the generic Egg designs from thecore series games with spots related to the main color of the Pokémon that will be hatched. In particular, the pattern of spots seen on Riolu's Egg matched the one seen on all types ofEgg inPokémon GO at the time of its appearance.
- At the timeCaring for a Mystery! aired in Japan, Riolu could be found in 7 km Eggs in Pokémon GO.
- Riolu and other baby Pokémon were also featured in aWild Area Newsevent inPokémon Sword and Shield at the time.
- As a Riolu, Lucario was Ash's first:
- Baby Pokémon.
- Capture of aGeneration IV Pokémon sinceGible inGotta Get a Gible!, 483 episodes earlier.
- Pokémon inPokémon Journeys: The Series to not be obtained in its fully evolved form.
- Pokémon inPokémon Journeys: The Series that did not originate fromGeneration I.
- PureFighting type sincePrimeape, who wascaught inPrimeape Goes Bananas, 1,081 episodes earlier.
- Pokémon toevolve outside of theregion it was obtained in sinceQuilava, who was caught as aCyndaquil inJohto and evolved inSinnoh inAn Old Family Blend!, 482 episodes earlier.
- Lucario is the only Pokémon in Ash'sPokémon Journeys: The Seriesteam that is neither from Generation I orGeneration VIII.
- IfPokémon that cannot evolve are not counted, then Lucario is Ash's first fully evolvedFighting-type Pokémon sinceInfernape, who reached his final form inFighting Ire with Fire!, 501 episodes earlier.
- Lucario spent only 24 episodes as a Riolu after hatching, making it the fastest-hatched Pokémon to evolve out of all the protagonists.
- Lucario is Ash's only Pokémon toMega Evolve.
- Out of all of Ash's Pokémon, Lucario has used the mostprioritymoves, at two:Bullet Punch andVacuum Wave.
- Lucario is the only Pokémon inPokémon the Series to have used the moveReversal.
- InJN128, theannouncer of theWorld Coronation Series identified Lucario as (Japanese: 波導の新星Aura's new star) when discussing Ash's team.
- Lucario is the only one of Ash's Pokémon distributed in Pokémon Sword and Shield whose moveset differs between the games and thelatest episode by the time its password was revealed: it was distributed withSteel Beam instead ofDouble Team, as Lucario cannot learn this move at all in said games outside of transferring fromPokémon HOME.
References
- ↑Confirmed male in the games only via event distribution.
- ↑Confirimed in theanimated series inValor: A Strategic Part of Battling!
- ↑Games only, via event distribution.
- ↑https://twitter.com/anipoke_PR/status/1439469353049595906
- ↑https://twitter.com/anipoke_PR/status/1452152879175778304
- ↑https://twitter.com/anipoke_PR/status/1457226307754860556
- ↑https://twitter.com/anipoke_PR/status/1431859157557133316
Related articles
For more information on this Pokémon's species, seeRiolu andLucario.
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 | This article is part ofProject Anime, aBulbapedia project that covers all aspects ofPokémon animation. |
