After Iris gets insulted by three girls, Iris drags Ash and Cilan along to pay them back.
Ash and Cilan are challenged to a tag battle by two young trainers.
Drayden has challenged Iris to a battle as she comes to terms with past events.
Near Vertress City, the gang meets the Pokémon Rescue Squad's Virgil - trainer of Team Eevee - and his brother Davey, whom they decide to assist in helping a group of troubled Cryoganal.
The Vertress Conference begins with Virgil, Ash, Bianca, Trip, Stephan, and Cameron taking part.
Ash's battle against Trip continues, with Pikachu facing Serperior. As the preliminaries end and the first round begins, Bianca pits her Escavalier and Emboar against Cameron's Samurott and Riolu.
Whilst Ash takes part in the Unova League, Iris' Axew accidentally becomes separated from Iris as part of a celebration party.
The Unova league continues with Ash going against Stephan using Krookodile, Palpitoad and Leavanny.
Ash takes on Cameron whose secret weapon Hydreigon takes out Boldore and Oshawott.
With Riolu evolving into Lucario, Ash has a tough time using Snivy and Pikachu.
With the Unova League tournament over, Ash and company return to Nuvema Town to meet up with Professor Juniper and to tell Professor Oak about his results. Along the way, they meet Nanette who is going to see Juniper for her first Pokémon, and eventually chooses Tepig and asks to have her first battle with Ash. However, during the battle, a robot appears and it is piloted by a very familiar trio. Later, Professor Juniper gets a call from her father, who invites Ash and friends to visit him at the White Ruins, located north of Icirrus City.
On a boat heading to see ruins dedicated to Reshiram, Ash, Iris, and Cilan meet the mysterious boy calling himself N, who quickly befriends their Pokémon. However, when Team Rocket attacks the group once more and James's Amoonguss paralyzes Pikachu with Stun Spore, N's timely intervention helps turn the tide of the fight.
The group's boat arrives in Aspertia City, and they arrange to meet Cheren, Professor Juniper's acquaintance and the city's new Gym Leader. A teacher at the local Pokémon School, Cheren is lacking in confidence regarding his worth for the title, something Cilan - as a former Gym Leader himself - connects with him over. After misadventures in the Pokémon House on the school grounds - including a series of mishaps between Cilan, Pansage, and a flock of Ducklett - Ash has an unofficial Gym match against Cheren, Oshawott facing off against Herdier.
Pokémon are being taken over as Ash reunites with Looker who is on the trail of Team Plasma.
On Floccesy Ranch, Ash, Iris and Cilan find that the Mareep are being taken.
Two members of Team Plasma have captured a Braviary as N tries to free it.
A man called Halsey is part of a harbour patrol but his Watchog wants to be more active.
A Kanto Fair makes Ash remember his Charizard and wants to bring Charizard back to his team.
Team Plasma are back and using a new device to control Pokémon concentrating on Dragon types.
Two girls help N as they hide away in a strange fog as N's past is revealed.
Jessie and James distract the other Team Plasma grunts as Meowth tries to get Colress to join Team Rocket.
Arriving at the White Ruins, the Light Stone has been found but N takes it.
N and Ash are trapped underground with the Light Stone as aboveground, Team Plasma launch an attack.
With the Light Stone in their pocession, Team Plasma summon the powerful Reshiram to control it.
Ash decides to head back home to Kanto as Iris and Cilan decide to travel with him by Cruise.
The group visit Honey Island but Team Rocket manages to seperate the Pokémon.
A Liepard eye has been stolen and the only witness is Cilan's worst nightmare, Purrloin.
A Scalchop competition is taking place with Dewott and Oshawott as Ash enters with his.
Approaching an island, the gang spot a giant shadow up ahead as on the island, strange things occur.
The gang encounter Professor Oak who is studying Rotom and tries to catch one.
When Team Rocket tries to ransack the group's cruise ship's food store, they are thwarted by a group of self-styled pirate Pokémon group made up of a Croconaw, an Octillery, an Azumarill, and a Ducklett, leaving Ash to try to get the food back.
The great Butterfree migration is taking place but Ash finds one Caterpie has been left behind unevolved.
An arguement between Ash and Iris has the pair going the seperate ways.
The group witness a Jirachi coming out that will stay out for a week and can grant wishes.
Ash wakes up one morning to find the whole island excluding Team Rocket possessed by Beheeyem.
Ash, Iris and Cilan meet Alexa, a journalist from the Kalos region.
The gang plus Alexa come across a group of Pokémon guarding a mysterious treasure.
On Cave Island, Ash and his friends meet up with Clair, Gym Leader of Johto's Blackthorn City, who has come to the island to capture a different-colored Druddigon, but her Dragonite left without her. When they find her Dragonite, Iris's Dragonite takes an instant dislike to it and the two fight, hampering Clair's plans to find the different-colored Druddigon on the other side of the island from the port.
A festival commemorating a Hero is due to take place but ghost types are in the area.
On another island, Ash, Iris, Cilan, and Alexa meet a boy named Tony who touches Alexa's Gogoat's horns, causing it to temporarily bond with him. They all help Tony meet his father on the other side of the island.
An arguement with Iris has Emolga splitting from the group and joining Team Rocket.
Cilan gets a call from his brothers requesting his help as a trainer wants to challenge all of them.
Approaching Kanto, Team Rocket start their latest plan which involves lifting the cruise ship.
Ash arrives home with Alexa as they visit Professor Oak's lab.