Ash's Final Pokmon Episode Gave Him A Controversial (But Perfect) Ending

Warning: Spoilers for Pokémon: to Be a Pokémon Master, episode 11

The Pokémon anime starring Ash Ketchum officially ended after almost 25 years on the air, but just because the series ended doesn’t mean that Ash’s adventures have to–even if some fans might have preferred that they did.

The final episode of the miniseries Pokémon: to Be a Pokémon Master certainly didn’t feel like a series finale while watching it. There were no long and sappy goodbyes with Misty and Brock; the two just split off from Ash to head to their own hometowns, because they know they’ll see him again before long.

While Team Rocket reconciled with each other before Pokémon’s finale, they didn’t really get any kind of more personal connection with Ash. Ultimately, the final shots of the episode are very similar to those from the end of previous seasons: Ash setting off again on a new adventure, even ending with the words “Next Time: A New Beginning!” exactly like it always has when one era ends and another begins.

Pokémon Ends Ash’s Story With a New Adventure

Leaving His Return to Pokémon a Definite Possibility

The episode took an approach that’s more in line with Ash’s perspective than the viewers. Ash’s last Pokémon episode is not the end for him; it’s just another day in the Pokémon world. No flash-forwards, no montage of great moments. Ash has merely taken a pause to return home and rest before he sets out once again.

At one point Gary congratulates his former rival on Ash’s win in the Pokémon World Coronation Series, but asks him if achieving that brought him any closer to becoming a “Pokémon Master.” Ash doesn’t have an answer for that and spends much of the episode contemplating the idea. As he sits under a tree with Pikachu in a rainstorm, Ash decides that what it means to be a master is to be a friend to all the Pokémon of the world. Contrary to the series’ image, it’s not about catching them; simply knowing them and appreciating them is enough.

It’s a surprisingly thoughtful ending to a character arc that ran a quarter of a century, and it once again shows how much Ash has matured. The episode’s inclusion of Pidgeot helps to emphasize that contrast, as the Ash that Pidgeot knew was very different. This may not have been the ending that fans wanted, as much of the speculation focused on things like seeing Ash as an adult, perhaps with children of his own, or a connection to the new series.

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A Surprising Pokémon is Responsible for Ash’s First Rival’s Growth

One particular Pokémon battle helped change Gary’s attitude, turning his first loss into a chance to grow into a better person and trainer.

By taking the usual approach to a season finale for the series finale, it emphasizes the fact that Ash’s adventures with Pikachu will continue, even if fans aren’t watching them anymore. Pokémon‘s producers have said that they see Ash as forever young, with no desire to age Ash up, and this ending is the ultimate example of that. It’s okay to disagree with their perspective, of course, but in terms of what they were aiming for, it seems like to Be a Pokémon Master‘s final episode is exactly what they intended.

Ash’s Future in the Pokémon Anime Explained

While Ash’s Return is Likely, Fans May Have to Wait For it

The new series that’s carrying the torch for the Pokémon anime, Pokémon Horizons, has already established itself as different from Ash’s era. There are some indications that the series is still set in the same continuity, though, so a cameo isn’t out of the question. Nurse Joy, for example, still operates all the Pokémon Centers. The odds of seeing Ash any time soon are low, as the new series needs to establish its own identity first. It wouldn’t be out of line, though, to allude to Ash’s existence, especially now that he’s the world champion and presumably a household name.

How Ash Changed From The First Episode To The Last

Ash’s Growth Was Slow, But Ultimately Very Significant

Ash Ketchum has changed a lot since he first set out with a reluctant Pikachu at his side. In early episodes, Ash is impatient, stubborn, and generally quite childish, much to the chagrin of Brock and Misty. In the beginning, his two companions largely took care of him, guiding him and giving him advice which he may or may not heed. Ash’s stubbornness gets him into trouble on numerous occasions, such as when Primeape steals his hat, and has even put his life in danger. Over the course of the Indigo League, Ash learns a lot not just about Pokémon, but about himself as well.

As the series eventually moved into the Ruby and Sapphire era, it introduced a new inexperienced character in the form of May. May knows even less than Ash did when he began his journey, so her presence gives Ash the chance to transition from being the one receiving advice to being the one giving it. Ash is still not fully mature here, still getting into fights with May on occasion and behaving recklessly, but he’s clearly come a very long way from where he started. The same is largely true of the Diamond and Pearl seasons, where Ash helps Dawn from the start of her own journey.

Ash’s character development saw a bit of a setback in the Black and White era, where he seemed to have forgotten many of the lessons he learned, losing easy battles and frequently fighting with Iris early on. However, Ash gets back on track with the XY era, where he once again takes a newbie trainer, this time Serena, under his wing. Ash not only behaves in a more mature manner for the most part, but his new design for XY seems to have given him a more grown look as well. Ash’s battling skills have also progressed, to such an extent that he makes it into the final round of the Kalos League.

By this time, Ash’s character has really mellowed out. He no longer has angry outbursts, and while he can still be a bit stubborn and impatient, he’s learned to rein these traits in so that they don’t control him anymore. He’s much more compassionate towards both other people and Pokémon, a fact which makes his goals all the more achievable. Throughout Sun & Moon, Ash deals with some heavy topics, like death, and handles them well.

As of Pokémon Journeys, Ash is recognized for his battling achievements, having become a champion of the Alola region, but that’s still not enough for him. While he still has his eyes on the world champion title, he’s also even more of a mentor character to Goh, and has matured enough to be participating in real Pokémon research with professors. The transition of Ash from the inexperienced young trainer seen in the Indigo League to the clever, mature world champion was a journey that took quite a long time, but ultimately showcased the kind of character growth that Ash deserved.

Will Pokemon’s Ash Be Different When Fans See Him Again?

How Could Ash’s Return Show His Character Development

While it is more than possible that Ash will make his return to the Pokémon anime, it would be a mistake to show him exactly as To Be a Master left him. Ash potentially being a household name would completely change how other characters see him. If Ash were to meet Horizons’ new protagonists Liko and Roy, for instance, there’s little chance the newer trainers would see Ash as a peer.

Though Pokémon’s producers are dead set on keeping Ash as a kid, that doesn’t mean the Ash that Liko and Roy meet can’t be a more mature and down-to-earth trainer than the Ash fans met a quarter of a century ago. Ash’s maturity and experience could also lend some legitimacy to the Horizons cast, as there could be a moment to pass the torch to the next generation of trainers. Even a small appearance in just one episode could do wonders to show how far Ash has come and how far the Horizons cast still has to go.

Why Ash’s Ending Was So Controversial With Fans

Ash’s Ending Didn’t Give Long-Time Fans What They Wanted

The controversies around Ash’s ending have died down somewhat since the episode first premiered, but many fans still harbor some unhappy feelings towards the final episode. In large part, it’s because fans wanted Ash’s final episodes to emphasize how far he’d come, and show him growing and aging just like they had since the beginning of Ash’s journey. Given how many anime series do end with the main character growing older and having children of their own, it wasn’t an unreasonable expectation that it might happen for Pokémon as well.

Many fans hoped that Aim to Be a Pokémon Master would be like a goodbye tour for Ash, revisiting old friends and Pokémon who haven’t been seen in a long time, but that really wasn’t what it turned out to be. With the episodes very much the same as other episodes of Journeys, it can be easy to see why some fans were disappointed. The final episode itself felt much like any other post-league tournament epilogue–something that Pokémon‘s creators intended, but not the grand, emotional farewell that some fans felt was deserved after such a long run.

What Plot Threads & Mysteries Does Pokémon Still Have To Resolve For Ash When He Returns?

Ash Could Still Address Some Long-Standing Mysteries in a Return Appearance

While the story didn’t leave too many plot threads unaddressed, there are some things which could be dealt with if Ash were to make a return to the anime. There are several Pokémon whom Ash has left in various locations which he could reunite with, such as Primeape or Greninja. There’s always the matter of the Pokédex as well, and Ash’s quest to meet Pokémon he’s never seen before could take him to any number of locations, like Paldea, in search of new creatures to befriend.

As a powerful trainer who’s respected around the world, there’s also the possibility that Ash could be called upon when trouble emerges. It’s been shown before that champions like Cynthia often take matters into their own hands when problems arise in their region, and with Ash as the world champion, it seems likely that he could be called to just about any Pokémon mystery. Ash’s skill in battle and his eagerness to befriend new Pokémon would make him a perfect fit for such a role. While an adult Ash is unlikely, there’s no reason a younger Ash couldn’t also do these kinds of things.

Possibly the biggest outstanding plot that could always be dealt with should Ash return is Ho-Oh. Ash saw Ho-Oh in the very first episode, and on several occasions after that. The plot of the 20th Pokémon movie in fact revolves around an alternate version of Ash meeting with Ho-Oh, but that’s something that the main timeline version of Ash never got to do. Perhaps Ash could return on a quest to meet and/or challenge Ho-Oh, finally bringing his journey full circle to where it began.

Ash’s ending is the embodiment of what he has been all along: an unending adventure filtered through the wonder of a child. To try to change that now at the end would be to deny what Pokémon is and has always been. Whether fans see Ash again someday or not, he and Pikachu are still out there seeing new sights and learning new things, and that’s the idea that should live on in the minds of Pokémon fans everywhere.

Ash Ketchum, a ten-year-old from Pallet Town, embarks on an adventure to become a Pokémon Master. With his first Pokémon, Pikachu, Ash sets out to capture and train Pokémon while battling other trainers in Pokémon Gyms to earn badges. Joined by his friends Brock and Misty, Ash consistently thwarts the plans of the nefarious Team Rocket, all while making new friends and encountering Pokémon across various regions.

Cast

Rica Matsumoto , Mayumi Iizuka , Yūji Ueda , Tomokazu Seki , Kaori Suzuki , Fushigi Yamada , Megumi Toyoguchi

Release Date

March 7, 1992

Seasons

25

Writers

Takeshi Shudo , Junki Takegami , Atsuhiro Tomioka , Aya Matsui , Shoji Yonemura , Dai Saito

Directors

Kunihiko Yuyama , Daiki Tomiyasu , Jun Owada , Saori Den

Main Genre

Adventure

Creator(s)

Naoko Takeuchi

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