Ash Ketchum: Difference between revisions

'''Ash Ketchum''' (Japanese: '''サトシ''' ''Satoshi'') is the main character of the [[Pokémon anime]] and is a counterpart to the {{ga|Red|protagonist}} of the [[Generation I|first generation]] [[Pokémon games]]. He is also the main character of [[The Electric Tale of Pikachu]], [[Ash & Pikachu]] and {{OBP|Pocket Monsters Diamond & Pearl|Sakai Takayuki}} {{pkmn|manga}} based on the anime.

At some point in his early life, Ash went on a field trip in a rainy forest and got lost. Scared to the point of tears, he was forced to hide in a hollow tree trunk. Eventually, a group of local Pokémon joined him and cheered him up, which was partially what motivated him to become a Pokémon Trainer.

At some point before starting their journeys, Ash was friends with Gary Oak until they both fished out a Poké Ball on both their lines. After arguing about who keeps it, they broke it in two, each keeping one half as a reminder of that day.

Shortly after, the group came across a mysterious Pokémon, dubbed [[Squishy]] by Bonnie, who was being pursued relentlessly by the [[Villainous teams|villainous organization]], [[Team Flare]], prompting the group to put it under their own protective custody. Some time afterwards, Ash and his friends got involved in a conflict in Sanpei's [[Ninja Village|home town]], which led to Frogadier evolving into Greninja, as well as unlocking a hidden Forme.

Later on, Ash met up with [[Alain]], who became intrigued by Greninja's unique Forme and requested to battle Ash. Ash put up a decent fight, but eventually lost. Afterwards, Clemont vowed to help Ash master Greninja's new form, creating a device for that sole purpose. When Ash later on had a rematch with Alain, he and Greninja did significantly better and even gained the edge after Greninja transformed, but Ash eventually passed out from exhaustion from using the form. Having a dream in which Greninja leaves him, he woke up and resolves to fully master the forme.

Later on Ash and his friends were informed by Diantha that Team Flare had been experimenting on a remote island, and they were told about the Legendary Pokémon {{p|Zygarde}}. When Bonnie told Diantha about Greninja's unique forme, the Champion requested another match with Ash. In a stark contrast to his past battles against Elite Four members and Champions, Ash and Greninja put up a great fight, with Greninja eventually reaching it's final transformation but not perfecting it. However, before the battle could be finished, Ash passed out again.

Ash later on had another rematch with Sawyer, but he lost when he and Greninja failed to transform. This seemed to leave Ash doubtful of his ability to master the transformation. Ash's confidence was shaken further after brutally losing to [[Wulfric]], the Snowbelle Gym Leader, who told Ash he didn't fully trust his Pokémon, which meant that he would be destined for failure. After seeing how badly Greninja got hurt during their battle and blaming himself for the loss, a depressed Ash left the Pokémon Center, into the cold night. The next day Serena met up with him and confronted him with how different from before he was, but Ash yelled at her out of depression. Before Serena left, she angrily threw snowballs in his face and told him that the way he was acting was the exact opposite of the Ash she had grown to care for. This caused Ash to realize that he was going about his depression the wrong way. Trying to get back on his feet, he then left further into the forest until a snowstorm forced him to hide in a cave, while a group of wild Pokémon watched on. This reminded Ash of one of his early field trips, when he was forced to hide in a tree trunk in a rainy forest. Ash then let the Pokémon join him in the cave, but left whan he saw a group of {{p|Spewpa}}, were almost falling off a tree over a cliff due to the storm. Ash nearly fell off the cliff helping them, but was saved by Greninja. When one Spewpa fell off anyway, Ash and Greninja fully synchronised their feelings and used the Ash-Greninja forme to save it. Ash then made amends with Greninja. Afterwards Ash returned to his friends and thanked Serena, telling her that without her he wouldn't have been able to get out of his depression and apologized for yelling at her. Greninja then gave its Pokéball to Ash, just as it had done back when it was a Froakie, and Ash and Greninja then vowed to start all over again. He then defeated Wulfric in a rematch, even after Wulfric Mega Evolved his Abomasnow. He then thanked his Pokémon and friends for helping him get this far, but reminded them that their greatest challenge was still to come, but that they would face it together.

Ash managed to earn eight Kalos Gym Badges, therefore qualifying for participation in the Lumiose Conference. Following several notable victories including a narrow victory in the semi-finals against [[Sawyer]], Ash managed to reach the finals of the Conference, marking his first appearance in the finals of a Pokémon League. His opponent would be his rival [[Alain]]. On the night before the final battle, he and his friends learned more about the Ash-Greninja form. The Finals of the Lumiose Conference began with a courageous battle between Ash's [[Pikachu|Ash's Pikachu]] and Alain's [[Tyranitar|Alain's Tyranitar]], in which the former emerged victorious. Although Ash gained an early advantage in the battle, retaining three of his Pokémon to Alain's two, Alain eventually managed to defeat Ash using arguably his most powerful Pokémon, his {{TP|Alain|Charizard}}, in a fierce battle with Ash's Greninja (in its Ash-Greninja form). This battle ultimately concluded the Lumiose Conference. Ash showed great sincerity and principle following the battle, shaking Alain's hand regardless of the result.

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| Can be taken to mean 智 akira (wisdom; reason); named after [[Satoshi Tajiri]].