How Did Ash Ketchum and Pikachu’s Journey End?
Find out the ultimate fate of the eternal 10-year-old
The time has come for a new era of Pokémon, and it’s for the best. On Friday, Ash Ketchum’s 1,232nd and final episode as the protagonist of the Pokémon anime. The three months since saying goodbye to Goh and Chloe have come and gone, and now we must say goodbye to the new world champion. Spoilers ahead I guess.
The episode, with the Japanese title “The Rainbow and the Pokémon Master”, begins with Ash, Misty, and Brock at the same fork they originally parted ways at in “Gotta Catch Ya Later!”. Misty heads back home to Cerulean City, Brock back to Pewter City, and Ash back to Pallet Town. spending the night at home in his old pajamas and oversleeping again. Not only calling back to the first episode of his journey, but the first episode of Journeys, “Enter Pikachu!” told of an earlier oversleeping incident where he missed an Oak-led summer camp expedition.
When he does awaken, he redresses and heads off to Professor Oak’s lab, where he bumps into Tracey Sketchit, with whom he traveled the Orange Islands, and wouldn’t you know it, Tracey speaks. What a miracle, honestly. It had been five entire series, since the Advanced Generation/Ruby & Sapphire series finale “Home Is Where the Start Is” since Tracey last spoke. This means that indeed his original voice actor Ted Lewis will be reprising the role, having been one of the earliest returnees to the anime following the season nine recast. That speaking appearance was Craig Blair’s only time voicing the character. His appearance in this episode makes him the last of Ash’s companions to appear in the series. He even reveals his Venonat evolved into Venomoth!
When Ash does make it to the lab, Professor Oak asks him to rescue an escaped starter Charmander. When he does, he’s met by Gary Oak, his one-time rival and longtime friend. Gary congratulates him on becoming World Champion and checks in on those “Pokémon Master” goals, asking whether it gets him any closer. Ash doesn’t quite have an answer. So he spends some time with his Pokémon at the lab.
Meanwhile, the broken-up Team Rocket trio of Jessie, James, and Meowth is back at HQ on kitchen duty but they decide to do one last job, one last attempt at Pikachu. And they nearly succeed, because Ash doesn’t have any of his other Pokémon with him. So who actually thwarts Team Rocket? Ash’s Pidgeot, finally returning after having been released to protect a flock of Pidgey and Pidgeotto after the Indigo League over 1100 episodes ago! And now its duty is done and returns to Ash’s care. Team Rocket gets sent blasting off with a renewed sense of happiness and togetherness. A storm comes, to bookend the first episode of the general series, and Ash concedes being Champion doesn’t make him a Pokémon Master, but he wants to see the whole world and befriend every Pokémon. After the rain clears up, Ash changes into new shoes and heads off with Pikachu on a new adventure.
And that’s how the main story of Ash Ketchum ends, and it was quite satisfying. Sure he didn’t retire or turn 11, but at least we have an idea that he’ll be living his life the way he wants even as it moves out of focus. It was an amazing run full of adventure. But what’s next? Well, the next Pokémon series starring Liko and Roy won’t be starting until April 14, I was originally going to talk about it here, but this is getting a bit long, so I’m going to split it off. Come back for that, will you?