It’s finally happened, folks! The eternal ten-year-old and widely recognized protagonist of thePokémonanime series, Ash Ketchum, defeated Leon in the show’s most recent episode, and since this match was the finals of the World Coronation Series' Masters Eight Tournament, Ash was crowned World Champion, also called the Monarch.RELATED:Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Tease Alternate Donphan Forms In New TrailerAny person who’s ever followed the anime, even if only for a short time, will understand why this is so significant. Every new generation of Pokémon games brings a new generation of the anime series, where Ash goes to a new region and attempts to become the Champion there. Every time, without fail, for the past seven generations, Ash falls short near the end and loses to another trainer. It’s to the point where many fans even consider it a signature of the show.
The anime itself clearly understood the monumental significance of this. The battle against Leon finished with a climactic showdown between his Charizard, and, of course, Ash’s Pikachu. At one point, Pikachu appeared to faint, but it had a vision in which it saw Ash’s old Pokémon from all seven generations, which gave it the strength to get back up, regain its power, and take down Leon’s Charizard.
Furthermore, as seenhere, the episode featured a montage of numerous old characters watching the battle from a distance, like May, Misty, Serena, Brock, and more. Not to mention that the tournament itself wasn’t limited to trainers from the Galar region. It featured fan favorites that appeared in both the anime and the games throughout the franchise’s history, such as Cynthia, Steven, and Lance.
The fact that he’d always lost made some sense. Ash’s quest was exactly that, to become the Pokémon Champion. So, one could understand that once he succeeded in his quest, his story was finished. Therefore, he needed to keep losing in order for the series to go on. Though the show could easily be rebooted without explanation and have him continue his quest elsewhere, fans are concerned this may be the end of Ash or even the anime. Three episodes are left for this season, and its episode titles have already been revealed. The final one’s name is “Pokemon! I’m Glad I Got to Meet You!!”
