PS541 : Pink Slip
Black 2 & White 2 arc
PS543 : Abyssal Ruins
N Returns
PS542.png
VSママンボウ
VS Mamanbou
Info
Shogakukan full volume Ch. 542 in Vol. 54
VIZ Media full volume Adventure 18 in Vol. 3
Series Pokémon Adventures
Other

N Returns (Japanese: VSママンボウ VS Mamanbou or エヌ・リターンズ N Returns) is the 542nd chapter of the Pokémon Adventures manga.

Plot

As Zekrom lands behind her, White sends out her team to do battle, but quickly realizes from her Pokémon that N isn't here to fight. N commends White for hearing the voices of her Pokémon and the care she's given them. Distraught, White asks N why only Reshiram reverted to its inert state, and N admits he doesn't have an answer; only Zekrom knows why it didn't revert back into the Dark Stone. As Zekrom scoops up both White and the Light Stone, N explains that Zekrom wants to go to where the Light Stone goes, and together they head in the direction of Kyurem. White and N go over the history of the three dragons, and N confirms that Kyurem is calling out to the other two dragons to absorb them, to the point where neither Zekrom nor the Light Stone can resist its draw. In addition, Ghetsis and the revived Team Plasma intend to use Kyurem's power to freeze over Unova. White accuses N of seeking to lead Team Plasma as its king once Kyurem fuses with the other dragons, and N declares that he will personally demonstrate that he is no longer under Team Plasma's sway by confronting Ghetsis and Kyurem. N also mentions that while he and Zekrom were pursuing the Light Stone, they watched it abruptly change direction and fly towards the Entralink, as if it sensed White's presence there.

From the Plasma Frigate, Ghetsis, Colress and the Team Plasma Grunts spot Zekrom flying towards them. Ghetsis decides to face Zekrom, and Colress hands him Kyurem's control device, warning Ghetsis not to go easy on account of his parental bond with N; Ghetsis retorts that he's never thought of N as a son. As Kyurem and Ghetsis are released from the frigate, the two dragons begin clashing in mid-air. N warns White to fly away to safety with the Light Stone, as he and Zekrom will be absorbed if they're defeated. He adds that Reshiram will likely awaken as a result, and asks White to tell Black to help finish what he started. Fleeing on her Vullaby, White hugs the Light Stone tightly as the two dragons continue to fight.

Finally coming to, Blake realizes that Kelden brought him and Whitley to the Abyssal Ruins, a mysterious underwater structure that has enabled both humans and Pokémon to share thoughts and communicate. Kelden recalls that Blake had handed it an Aspear Berry in case of an Ice attack, and brought the group to the ruins after hearing the voices of its its mentors. Kelden brings Blake to the frozen bodies of its mentors, admitting that its Sacred Sword wasn't strong enough to break the ice. Blake reasons that the Fire-type Techno Blast of his Genesect should be able to free them, but pauses as he notices Kelden's hesitation. Whitley shows up, having been freed from Blake's handcuffs when she came to, and Kelden reveals that Whitley had tried all she could to warm Blake up and rouse him awake. Whitley confirms that the Burn Drive held by Genesect is highly unstable and risks exploding, and calls Blake out for cruelly putting his Pokémon in harm's way. To Whitley and Kelden's horror, Blake admits that he can't experience emotions and thus, concepts such as "fear" and "sympathy" are foreign to him; to Blake, Techno Blast is simply the best solution they have, and in the event of failure, Genesect can be healed and they can arrive at a different solution.

Kelden realizes that Blake does not care for Pokémon or suppress his emotions in the same way its mentors do, and watches as Blake orders the attack, freeing the Swords of Justice. Before the Burn Drive can explode, Cobalion separates the Drive from Genesect with its Sacred Sword, letting the Drive explode a distance away. Virizion and Terrakion thank Genesect for its role in freeing them, while Cobalion advises Kelden to not waver in its convictions, and to continue trusting and allying with Blake so it can face the "true enemy". Separately, Blake finally gets enough reception to use his laptop, but an error message on his screen confirms that he has been fired from the International Police, and has thus lost all access to the database and his special equipment.

Major events

  • White asks N why only Reshiram reverted to a stone, but he is unable to provide her with an answer.
  • White and N take off to confront Team Plasma.
  • Ghetsis takes Kyurem to face N.
  • Fearing that he might lose, N has White run away while he fights Ghetsis alone.
  • Blake awakens at the Abyssal Ruins, where he meets with Kelden.
  • Kelden takes Blake to the frozen bodies of Cobalion, Virizion, and Terrakion.
  • Assuming that since Techno Blast was what froze the three Pokémon to begin with, Blake sends out Genesect to free Kelden's mentors.
  • Whitley reveals herself and tells Blake not to use the Fire-type Techno Blast, as it is dangerous for Genesect to use.
  • Blake reveals that he is incapable of feeling or understanding emotions like "fear" or "pity", and thus sees no problem with putting his Pokémon in serious harm, as it could just be healed later.
  • Blake has Genesect free Kelden's mentors from their ice prison.
  • Cobalion knocks the incomplete Burn Drive off of Genesect's back, after which it explodes.
  • Blake discovers he has been fired from the International Police.
For a list of all major events in the Pokémon Adventures manga, please see the history page.
  Spoilers end here.  

Debuts

Pokémon debuts

Characters

Humans

Pokémon

Trivia

  • The first part of this chapter was released on January 19, 2018. The second part was released on February 22, 2018.

In other languages



PS541 : Pink Slip
Black 2 & White 2 arc
PS543 : Abyssal Ruins
  This article is part of Project Manga, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each series of Pokémon manga.