Ult: Roy's Rival in the Race for the Black Rayquaza

He doesn't ask permission: he follows. Ult comes from Lumiose City, in Kalos, wears a Mega Bracelet and is chasing the same Legendary as Roy — a Black Rayquaza he believes is rightfully his. Between a Sableye that Mega Evolves and a Dusk Ball he has never managed to open, the boy pushes forward with an unusual mix of arrogance and moral code.

Contents

• A rival who sticks to Roy like glue
• The Dusk Ball that won't open
• Mega Sableye: Mega Evolution ahead of his years
• The day he throws his Strong Sphere to the ground
• From loose cannon to Rising Volt Tackler
• Proud, gluttonous, and petrified around girls
• Ult at a glance
• Frequently Asked Questions

A rival who sticks to Roy like glue

It was in Kalos, during the travels of Roy, that the two boys crossed paths. Ult came away with a single obsession: getting his hands on the Black Rayquaza before him. He goes even further and considers the Legendary already his.

His method comes down to one verb: follow. He tracks his rival from region to region, gets spotted, wrings out a promise that nobody will leave without him again — and wakes up the next morning to find the camp empty. The scene plays out more than once.

Yet this tailing says something other than rivalry. Ult seeks out Roy's company to the point of becoming clingy, and the Kanto Trainer plays the role of mentor to him as much as that of opponent. His elder's repeated dodges drive him up the wall.

The Dusk Ball that won't open

Ult carries a Dusk Ball, whose existence he eventually reveals to Liko. The detail he's less keen to admit: he has never managed to open it, and so he has no idea what's inside.

He still has a firm theory about it. According to him, the Ball holds a Pokémon so extraordinary that every Trainer in the world would want it. His plan isn't to force the mechanism but to earn the approval of whoever is inside, so that it agrees to come out on its own.

That sheds light on the ambition he states without hesitation: to become the strongest, in order to win someone's approval. The Pokémon living in that Dusk Ball is a Dragonite, which can also Mega Evolve — something Ult doesn't know at this point.

🐉 The Dusk Ball's tenant has its own section: see the Pokémon figures.

Mega Sableye: Mega Evolution ahead of his years

On Ult's wrist, a Mega Bracelet; at his side, a Sableye that Mega Evolves. Mastering Mega Evolution at his age is anything but ordinary, and he triggers it without the slightest hesitation.

His very first appearance in Pokémon Horizons puts him in Hoenn on the trail of Roy, who is examining a wild Slaking suspected of being under the effects of Laquium. Sableye is the one that wakes the sleeper, and the counterattack proves the investigator right: the Pokémon isn't behaving normally. Captain Pikachu, Mega Lucario and Mega Sableye bring it down together.

The pattern repeats against two Steelix affected by Laquium. Ult and Sableye first step in to cover Liko's Meowscarada, then the two rivals trigger their Mega Evolutions in unison. In battle, Ult reads a situation quickly and switches to whatever strategy gives him the edge.

The day he throws his Strong Sphere to the ground

Exceed invites Trainers to the unveiling of the Strong Sphere, and Ult is among the guests — sullen, as he is after every bus ride. The demonstration battle makes one thing clear to him: Pokémon equipped with it visibly gain power.

When Coral and Sidian keep attacking Liko and Roy's already-fainted Pokémon, he stops holding back. He grabs a Sphere meant for his companions, then throws it to the ground and smashes it while announcing out loud that he doesn't like the thing.

Coral then sends out her Glalie, which Sableye stands up to; the order to use Self-Destruct is covered by the emergency lowering of the steel shutter, which lets them escape. This gesture isn't a whim: Ult rejects the use of Laquium on principle, and that's the day he starts believing his companions about how harmful the Explorers are.

From loose cannon to Rising Volt Tackler

Near Blackthorn City, group life goes badly: a loner, self-centered, and paralyzed whenever Liko is within range, Ult struggles to live with others. She's the one who sets him straight, in the middle of a battle against a poacher out to steal Dratini eggs: with that much selfishness, he'll never be strong.

The lesson sticks, and he follows up by battling in sync with Roy. The trio of biker Trainers who had been watching the scene — members of the Dragon clan — then judge their intentions honest enough to lead them to the Black Rayquaza. The Legendary has been sleeping in a cave for a year, protected by rumors meant to keep the curious away.

When the Pokémon wakes up, Ult introduces himself, then decides not to battle it until it has regained its strength. Later, at Karna's factory, he steps in alone to stop the delivery of Strong Sphere shells to Exceed employees. He announces right afterward that he's joining the Rising Volt Tacklers.

Proud, gluttonous, and petrified around girls

The portrait is that of a boy full of energy and temper: stubborn, proud, provocative enough to make unpleasant remarks to the people around him. He can't stand being deceived and flares up quickly — a false Black Rayquaza lead passed on by a Nidothing fan is enough to send him off fuming.

What lies underneath is better than the surface. Ult encourages his companions when they doubt or falter, and his moral code toward Pokémon is non-negotiable. Around a girl, on the other hand, he shies away: he hides rather than approach Liko, avoids her eyes when he has to talk to her, and collapses in embarrassment when Katy hands him a glass of water.

Two details complete the picture. Getting around is an ordeal for him, from buses to boats, and aboard the Brave Olivine he'd rather sleep on the observation deck, out in the open, than in a cabin. As for his appetite, he fights the group's Pokémon for desserts.

Ult at a glance

Frequently Asked Questions

• Who is Ult in Pokémon Horizons?
  A young Trainer from Lumiose City, in Kalos, and the rival of Roy, whom he met during Roy's travels. He's chasing the same goal: finding the Black Rayquaza, which he believes belongs to him.
• What's inside Ult's Dusk Ball?
  A Dragonite that can Mega Evolve. Ult himself doesn't know it: he has never managed to open the Ball and just hopes to earn its occupant's approval so that it will come out.
• Can Ult use Mega Evolution?
  Yes. He wears a Mega Bracelet and Mega Evolves his Sableye with ease, which is remarkable at his age. Notably, he used it alongside Roy against two Steelix affected by Laquium.
• Why does Ult follow Roy everywhere?
  Officially, to beat him in the race for the Black Rayquaza. In reality, he seeks out Roy's company to the point of becoming clingy, with Roy acting as a mentor to him as much as a competitor.
• Does Ult join the Rising Volt Tacklers?
  Yes. After destroying a Strong Sphere in public and then blocking a delivery of shells meant for Exceed, he announces that he's joining the group and leaves with them aboard the Brave Olivine.

In short

Ult storms in, declares that the Black Rayquaza belongs to him, then spends most of his time running after the one he claims he'll outdo. His real strength isn't Mega Evolution but his flat refusal of Laquium, shown by smashing a Strong Sphere in front of the people selling it. That leaves the Dusk Ball, still silent: a boy who wants to become the strongest so he deserves to finally have that door opened for him.