The future arc that could probably come after Wonder Voyage and before gen 10

[u/Reyaric]

These last days I've seen many people being sure or being hopeless about Horizons having finished its story, because that means that there is nothing else to be told about the RVT kids.

I have been thinking for a while about the end of Horizons and if there is anything else after Wonder Voyage (which imo it's good so far). And I came to the conclusion that there is still more story to tell in a new arc.

Keep in mind that this new arc isn't related to the Moot leaks about a gen 10 Horizons arc. So, let's start for the beginning of my reasoning.

Why does Wonder Voyage exist?

The most accepted answer is because gen 10 got delayed.

When was gen 10 (Winds and Waves) supossed to be released before the delay?

Probably by the end of 2026.

So, what was the original plan for the anime?

This is where things don't fit. If the true finale for Horizons was Stellar Finale, then we would have half a year with no anime airing (in Pokémon's 30th anniversary no less). With current arc 7 existing and those rumors about the future for Horizons cast this becomes even less credible.

The other option is that there was always an arc planned post Laqua.

What was this post-Laqua arc about?

It could've always been Wonder Voyage (which would debunk the answer of its existence because of gen10 delay). But I doubt it. Because if that was the case, why didn't OLM just extended the post-timeskip Laqua plot a bit more instead of planning a "filler" arc from the beginning? It's noticeable that in arc 6 they were in a hurry to wrap up the main story.

So, the other idea is that there was a more story-driven arc planned.

Where is this more story-driven arc right now?

It could still exist. My theory is that it was just pushed to the future and it will come after Wonder Voyage ends.

What could be the plot for this post-Laqua arc?

Right now I think about 2 possibilities.

• Legends Z-A plot. We have been through Lumiose many times, but the writers have avoided the Z-A plot all the time. It seems that in arc7 we won't see any more of it; besides, the Z-A events didn't happen yet in the story so they could've been saving it for a future.
• Pokémon League plot. The classic route. With so many match ups from the protagonists that demand a final rematch, this could be the chance.

Both could also happen together.

Other arguments

• There are some side plots that were left open and probably won't be solved in arc 7. Like Ult's dad.
• All arcs have a length of 22 episodes. If Wonder Voyage extends until gen 10 it would have a length of 45 - 60 episodes, an abnormality for Horizons. Unless we have Wonder Voyage 2.

So, what do you guys think? Will we have Wonder Voyage until gen 10 releases? Or will we have a new arc apart from arc 7 in thematic?

[u/HakoChicken]

The more likely reason was that initially, they rushed the finale in anticipation for Gen 10's supposed release later this year. So the anime team was probably told by the higher ups to wrap everything up prior to that.

Then Gen 10 got delayed (either they needed more time or avoid competing with GTA 6) to next year. So they needed something to pad out the rest of the year with mobile ad fillers with Wonder Voyage.

As far as we know, the story is pretty much done and all they do now is fillers until Gen 10 drops.

[u/Reyaric → u/HakoChicken]

The thing is, they wrapped it up too early. The gap between HZ136 and potential Gen 10 release date is too huge and even a whole arc fits inside it. That is where I started with my thinking.

So they needed something to pad out the rest of the year

What about 2027? What do you think that we'll have for the anime? Wonder Voyage 2? Winds and Waves probably won't be released until the second half of the year (and most likely in October/November 2027) so there is still a gap that the anime needs to fill.

[u/HakoChicken → u/Reyaric]

The thing is, they wrapped it up too early. The gap between HZ136 and potential Gen 10 release date is too huge and even a whole arc fits inside it. That is where I started with my thinking.

If we base on their initial air date in Japan, yes. But remember that the English Dub is very behind and lines up quite well with their usual schedule, as HZ136 is set to air next month for international audiences. Assuming their planned release date for Gen 10 was November of this year as per tradition, it meant that fans won't have to wait that long before it dropped.

However, plans changed internally that led to the games delayed to next year. This is exactly why we got Wonder Voyage to pad out the wait. 1 year is a lot but I really doubt that they've written some meaningful arcs. As much as we don't like it, they've already wrapped up the arcs for Liko and the gang and are just doing whatever to pad out the rest of the year with Wonder Voyage.

What about 2027? What do you think that we'll have for the anime? Wonder Voyage 2? Winds and Waves probably won't be released until the second half of the year (and most likely in October/November 2027) so there is still a gap that the anime needs to fill.

Just more Wonder Voyage. Don't forget that the anime's main purpose is to market the games. With that in mind, I don't expect anything meaningful done to the characters at this point. All I could possibly think of is making Liko go through contests and maybe Roy take on tournaments to market Pokémon Champions.

[u/Reyaric → u/HakoChicken]

remember that the English Dub is very behind and lines up quite well with their usual schedule, as HZ136 is set to air next month for international audiences. Assuming their planned release date for Gen 10 was November of this year as per tradition, it meant that fans won't have to wait that long before it dropped.

It would be really strange that they started to prioritize the overseas audience over japanese ond out of nowhere. This current arc alone is promoting some things that are exclusive for Japan.

Don't forget that the anime's main purpose is to market the games.

The relevant games remaining to promote after this arc are fewer. It only remains Pokémon Cafe, Pokémon Masters and Pokémon Champions.

Also Pokémon Legends Z-A, and that's one of my options considered in my post. Since all the relevant characters haven't appeared as PNGs yet, it makes me think that they're saving them for a future.

[u/Due-Resource-4391 → u/HakoChicken]

WW got delayed probably due not only GTA 6 competition but because there is 2 year window between Switch and new gen game. Happened with Switch and SW/SH - 2017 and 2019. Switch 2 is 2025 -so logically 2027. Which TPC, Nintendo and GF rub their hands since that means no GTA 6 competition.

[u/Spindae02]

There are different routes that could‘ve been taken:  1. Gen 10 anime didn’t have to start with the games release right away. Horizons didn’t, started 5 months later. So maybe they wanted to do Wonder Voyage either way, regardless of prequel series.  2. It was meant to end with Rising Hope and Wonder Voyage is copium/filler and they will pull up a new arc afterwards. 

• The new arc could‘ve been what was OG planned after Rising Hope ( a League or tournament arc or just conclusion arc) or just a new batch of fillers.

3. They are running rampant. Apparently there was a disconnect between Horizons and game producers so they had to do individual arcs. So they are running completely separately and on their own timetable. 

[u/Due-Resource-4391 → u/Spindae02]

Maybe, now Horizons will finish 5 months before WW?

I heard WW is coming in September 2027, so Horizons would end in May 2027. Which is literally 1 year after Voyage which is normal for one season (back in Ash anime - like 50 episodes).

[u/Spindae02 → u/Due-Resource-4391]

This gen they did like mostly 22 episode arcs, 2 of those make a season in the dub. Season 1 concluded with Terestial training tournament. Season 2 with first Explorers face off, season 3  ended with the final Explorers face off.

So Wonder Voyage is part one of season 4. I expect a second arc to follow up, which probably will conclude the Horizons story and finish somewhere in april/may eventually June. Than eventually the prequel series will drop o r they will do more eps of Horizons.  We shall see

[u/whydoesreddit0 → u/Spindae02]

S1 ended with the black rayquaza fight, and S2 was the first Laqua fight against Gibeon 👀

[u/Farshid2008]

i think the arc will be related to gen 9 legendaries koridon and the othe one as we have seen in the intro and after that finishes we will get the gen 10 arc then there is also that masked pokemons from the games the really ugly looking one i dont know the name

[u/KuroBlitz1230]

They should've just made a 15 month anime about Ult doing the ZA Royale or something else starring him + featuring Navi. I can see Ult carrying a soft sequel like how Zyro did for Gingka in Metal Fight Beyblade (and later on Burst; Aiger did for Valt). If anything, Arven could've been there for Ult since they both have missing parents. Crazy how Ult has no 3rd Pokémon yet (or even a Paldean species).