A Pokemon fan theorizes a way to bring the anime series full circle by bringing back two Pokemon involved in the very first battle.
A fan of the Pokemon animated series built a theory that would come full circle with the conclusion of Ash Ketchum’s story. The announcement of the conclusion of Ash Ketchum in the Pokemon The series arrived at the end of 2022, catching fans off guard, but this send-off could be a nice end to something that started 17 years ago.
Ash began his adventure in 1997 when he traveled to the Professor’s Oak lab and made a valuable friend and companion in Pikachu, the Electric Mouse. After a long and difficult journey, Ash has become a Pokemon League Champion and will premiere in an 11-episode season in 2023, ending its triumphant history.
Reddit user jonathanquirk theorized a perfect way to wrap up Ash’s story while wrapping it up with the inclusion of two Pokémon that started the animated series. In Episode 1, Ash watched a Pokémon battle between a Nidorino and a Gengar, which ended quickly after Gengar was hypnotized, putting the second-stage ground Pokémon to sleep. In Episode 16 of Pokemon Journeys, Ash catches his own Gengar after he was dumped by his original trainer, becoming the 54th Pokemon captured by the series’ main protagonist. The subreddit thread points this out, stating that Gengar was featured prominently in the series’ first battle seen on TV and could be the same as Pokemon Ash counts to battle his very last opponent before hanging up his hat.
The theories on who Ash’s father could be are endless, with some suggesting it could be Bruno of the Elite Four from the Kanto series while others are convinced that Ash is the offspring of the leader of the Team. Rocket, Giovanni. Little is known about the character’s true identity, as Ash’s father has never been seen before, but that could change with the conclusion of his story. The theory states that the opposing trainer’s Pokemon that could face Ash’s Gengar would be Nidorino, as seen in the battle Ash observed before venturing out into the world with his trusted Pikachu. The battle would be a wonderful nod to how it all started and could bring the theory that Giovanni is the father to life, as he specializes in ground-type Pokémon and has a Nidoking in his main team.
While some think the possibility of Ash’s father making an appearance is slim, it’s interesting to note the parallels between the possible ending to his story and the potential of the Pokemon used in his final battle. One commenter jokingly said that Ash’s father would return with a fellow Miltank and a jug of Moo Moo Milk, playing on the trope of father leaving for milk and never coming back. You’d have to think a father would be proud of his son becoming a Pokemon League Champion, so a father-son reunion would be a nice way to end a 17-year affair.