Strong Sphere
- If you were looking for the episode of Pokémon Horizons: The Series titled The Strong Sphere, see HZ095.
The Strong Sphere (Japanese: ストロングスフィア Strong Sphere) is a Laquium-based power-up device featured in Pokémon Horizons: The Series. It was envisioned by Spinel, mass produced by Exceed once he became the company's director, and released to the public in HZ130. It uses Laquium mist to increase the power of Pokémon, at the cost of causing them pain and feral behavior, along with damaging the bonds of Trainer and Pokémon. It was later recalled back after the truth about Laquium was exposed in HZ136.
Two other iterations of the Strong Sphere are known: the prototypical Laquium Sphere (Japanese: ラクリウムスフィア Laqurium Sphere) seen in Where the Adventure Leads and the upgraded Super Strong Sphere (Japanese: スーパースドロングスフィア Super Strong Sphere) seen in The Six Heroes Unleashed!.
History
In The Approaching Shadow!, Spinel experimented with Laquium, using its mist on his Umbreon and pitting it against Liko and Amethio. While Umbreon managed to defeat Amethio's Terastallized Ceruledge in a single hit, Terapagos was able to purify it from Laquium's effects. As revealed in The Truth Revealed!, this was actually the very first beta version of the Laquium Sphere, which was currently being worked on by Spinel.
Laquium Spheres properly appeared for the first time in Where the Adventure Leads. After it was thought that Laqua was purified from Laquium, Spinel revealed the prototypes and used them on the Six Heroes, causing them (except for Rayquaza) to go berserk and wreak havoc across Laqua.
A year later, in The Strong Sphere, Liko and Roy learned that Exceed was gathering Trainers to test a new product, so they decided to infiltrate the company's Testing Center to investigate it it had any connections to Laquium, since they had just dealt with a Vileplume affected by Laquium nearby in the previous episode. Inside, they witnessed as Strong Spheres were unveiled to the public, and Liko quickly noticed their resemblance to the Laquium Spheres used by Spinel in Laqua. The reveal was followed up by a demonstration of the device's capabilities, with Dash using it on her Swanna, allowing it to overpower foes even at a massive disadvantage, but causing it to become extremely weakened afterwards. Liko and Roy were then spotted amongst the crowd by Coral and Sidian and challenged to an exhibition match, but the battle ended quickly after the Explorers used Strong Spheres of their own on their Pokémon.
Some Trainers were selected by Exceed as product testers for the Strong Sphere, giving them access to the device ahead of the general public, as revealed in The Prankster. One of these testers, a young streamer named Stunner Fisk, began using it on his Stunfisk in order to pull pranks and get Iono's attention, but he later regretted using the Strong Sphere after noticing the discomfort he was putting his Stunfisk through.
In Orla, Grounded, it was revealed that Karna's Poké Ball factory was commissioned to manufacture the exterior components of the Strong Spheres, but, after learning about the truth behind the devices, she immediately withdrew from the job, refusing to give them the completed product. Two Explorers members, Indi and Rubina, acting as enforcers for Exceed, intervened and engaged with the Rising Volt Tacklers in a battle, each using a Strong Sphere on their Paldean Tauros. In the following episode, after Indi and Rubina were forced to retreat, Karna took the responsibility of disposing of the shells she had created, but even then suggested that this wouldn't affect the Strong Sphere's worldwide launch, since Exceed must also have placed orders at various other factories.
In The Six Heroes Unleashed!, a more advanced version of the Strong Sphere, the Super Strong Sphere, was revealed and experimented by the Explorers on the captured Six Heroes. After repeated usage, the Six Heroes went berserk and defeated all of their opponents, including the Rising Volt Tacklers, Amethio, and the White Zygarde. After the devices had been drained and the heroes exhausted following the repeated exposure, the Explorers used special drones to put them back inside their trucks and fled the scene.
When the Rising Volt Tacklers returned to rescue the Six Heroes in HZ125, the Explorers used the Super Strong Spheres on said heroes, challenging the team to five one-on-one battles. Thanks to the team's strategies and what they had learned at the Blueberry Academy, they defeated and purified Lucius's Pokémon. Frustrated, Spinel demanded for the Super Strong Spheres to be used again, causing the Six Heroes' bond to be destroyed and them attack each other indiscriminately. However, thanks to the White Zygarde and Pagogo displaying the Six Heroes' memories, their bonds were restored. This allowed the Six Heroes to fight back long enough for Pagogo to purify the Laquium from them, transforming into its Stellar Form and Terastallizing the heroes, which allowed them to be freed. Regardless, Spinel moved ahead with the public release of the Strong Spheres.
In HZ126, despite freeing the Six Heroes, the Rising Volt Tacklers realized they had a long way to go, returning to Naranja Academy for support. Although Liko and the others reported their findings to Geeta, Clavell, and Nemona, banning the Strong Spheres wasn't going to be easy, because despite the team knowing the truth, the public still distrusted the Rising Volt Tacklers, and any information presented by them would be distrusted as well. However, the academy heads were capable of banning the Strong Spheres at the academy. Although Dash initially opposed to this, feeling insecure about herself due to having failed her Tera Training, after using a Strong Sphere on her Swanna again and witnessing the harmful effects of it first-hand, she too decided to stop using them in battles. Afterwards, Nemona and Penny formally joined the Rising Volt Tacklers in opposing the Strong Spheres. In the next episode, Ann joins Liko and their friends in opposing the Strong Spheres.
In HZ130, the Strong Spheres were released to the public and many Trainers purchased them to use in battle, much to the Rising Volt Tacklers' shock. Dot watched a battle in Levincia, noticing how the bond between Pokémon and Trainers was breaking due to the use of Strong Spheres.
In HZ136, after the truth behind Laquium was revealed to the public, Exceed initiated a product recall for the Strong Spheres, with Cervantis making a public statement that all recalled Strong Spheres would be destroyed.
Effects and characteristics
All iterations of the Strong Sphere work the same way, but at different potencies. Overall, they function similarly to a Tera Orb, but are accompanied by heavy adverse effects. When thrown towards a Pokémon, they will open up and release a Laquium mist that causes the Pokemon to enter a feral state and powers it in every way, such as attack power, resilience, speed, reflexes, and even stamina, at the cost of progressively weakening it and making it more susceptible to damage and even self-inflicted injuries, which eventually leads to complete exhaustion. A Trainer using a Strong Sphere does not need to actually command their Pokémon in battle, as it will battle purely on instinct, as if it was a wild Pokémon; if the Strong Sphere's effects on a Pokémon are prolonged, the Pokémon may even completely stop listening to its Trainer's orders. In this feral state, they may even attack their own allies. As revealed in The Knight in the Ruins, Strong Spheres can run out of Laquium, but can be sent back to a Exceed branch for recharging.
Due to its adverse effects, the Strong Sphere effectively place the Pokémon on a timer, as the longer the battle goes on, the more exhausted the user becomes, and they become increasingly less mobile, as seen with Coral's Glalie in The Strong Sphere and Chalce's Medicham in Tinkatuff's Hammer Wasn't Made in a Year!. Long-term exposure effects vary between Pokémon: for instance, Coral's Glalie started to freeze itself, while Sidian's Garganacl begun to crack and fall apart.
Super Strong Spheres are at a different level than Laquium Spheres or regular Strong Spheres. They are said to draw out the maximum capabilities Laquium has to offer, drastically increasing the Pokémon's power. Unlike the other iterations, Super Strong Spheres cause sharp, crystalline spikes to emerge from the affected Pokémon's body. Despite the upgrades, the affected Pokémon still suffers from the same adverse effects, such as complete exhaustion.
In HZ130, it is revealed that a Pokémon can Mega Evolve while under the effects of a Strong Sphere, as shown with Chalce's Medicham. The joint effects, however, are not highly compatible in their natures, as Mega Evolution requires a bond between Trainer and Pokémon to remain stable, in contrast to the bond-harming effect of Strong Spheres. This is reflected in how Chalce switched to actually giving Medicham specific commands in battle after it Mega Evolved, using less of the Strong Sphere's capabilities during the effect of both. Sidian additionally suggests during HZ134 that his, Coral's, and Chalce's usage of Strong Spheres had weakened the Mega-Evolved forms of their Aerodactyl, Glalie, and Medicham, respectively.
The effects of the spheres can be fought off, if the affected Pokémon remembers the bonds they have with their Trainers or other wild Pokémon, like how Pagogo and the White Zygarde did for the Six Heroes. The spheres also seem to be unable to affect Terastallized Pokémon, as Pagogo was able to completely free the Six Heroes from its effects by Terastalizing them.
-
Laquium Sphere expelling Laquium gas -
The Six Heroes (minus Rayquaza) under the effects of Laquium Spheres -
Strong Sphere expelling Laquium gas -
-
-
Laquium mist being emitted from the footprints of a Pokémon under its effects -
Super Strong Spheres expelling Laquium gas -
The Six Heroes (minus Rayquaza) under the effects of Super Strong Spheres
Known users
This list is of the characters who have used any iterations of the Strong Sphere in Pokémon Horizons: The Series:
Regular Trainers
| Debut | Trainer | Pokémon | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Strong Sphere |  Dash |
 Swanna |
Former |
| The Prankster |  Stunner Fisk |
 Stunfisk |
Former |
| The Knight in the Ruins |  Pepper |
 Scovillain |
Former |
- In HZ126, it was shown that Iono had received a Strong Sphere for a sponsorship with Exceed. However, she never followed through with it before the product recall in HZ136, as she was an ally of the Rising Volt Tacklers.
Explorers
| Debut | Trainer | Pokémon | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where the Adventure Leads |  Spinel |
 Six Heroes (minus Rayquaza) |
Temporary (Experiment) |
| The Strong Sphere |  Coral |
 Glalie |
Former |
 Sidian |
 Garganacl | ||
| Orla, Grounded |  Indi |
 Paldean Tauros (Aqua Breed)  Galarian Darmanitan  Drapion  Salamence  Cofagrigus |
Unknown |
 Rubina |
 Paldean Tauros (Blaze Breed)  Darmanitan Scolipede Salamence  Runerigus | ||
| The Six Heroes Unleashed! |  Indi, Rubina, and company |
 Six Heroes (minus Rayquaza) |
Temporary (Experiment) |
| The Six Heroes Unleashed! |  Chalce |
 Medicham |
Former |
| HZ125 | Coral |
 Moltres |
Temporary (escaped) |
Sidian |
 Kleavor | ||
Chalce |
 Arboliva | ||
Indi |
 Lapras | ||
Rubina |
 Gouging Fire |
In other languages
| Language | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| Danish | Super-sfære | |
| Dutch | Krachtbol | |
| Finnish | Väkipallo | |
| French | Super Sphère | |
| German | Machtsphäre | |
| Italian | Sfera di forza | |
| Korean | 스트롱스피어 Strong Sphere | |
| Norwegian | Kraftkule | |
| Polish | Kula Mocy | |
| Brazilian Portuguese | Esfera Forte | |
| Latin American Spanish | Esfera Fuerte | |
| Swedish | Styrkesfär | |
| Turkish | Güçlü Küre | |
|
Laquium Sphere
|
Super Strong Sphere
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Related articles
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
This article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation. |