Alolan Pokemon League

[precita]

The thing is we know the winner of the league gets a battle with Kukui after, but I just can't see any reason story-wise or development wise for Gladion to battle him. Kukui/Ash have the whole father/son dynamic going on, plus Incineroar/Torracat, that it just makes sense to happen. Then again it made sense for Greninja to beat Charizard/Alain too, and look what happened.

I guess we'll see in a few weeks. I wonder if they'll keep the upcoming announced titles vague so as to not spoil the league winner before it airs...

[Doppleganger]

Oak and Delia are confirmed coming to Alola in SM138!

Last time they saw Ash live:

-Indigo
-The Battle Frontier

Both of those were in Kanto, obviously. This is the first time they've left Kanto to watch Ash battle.

[precita]

Guzma got a pretty good backstory in SM, a real shame he was introduced so late in the series. He's a character they should have had appear around the middle of the saga.

[Doppleganger]

[precita]

It's kind of funny Alola's league which most thought would just be a silly side-tournament before it started has now shaped up to be one of the most important leagues of the series, especially if Ash does win and it leads to the anime being revamped next gen. Everything from XY and the Kalos league had this endgame vibe to it and THAT's the saga that didn't change anything, and now SM might do it.

I think it's also a bit disappointing we don't get to see at least a few of Ash's older pokemon come back. I always figured if Ash won a league you'd see him use a varied amount of pokemon from old seasons, powerhouses like Charizard, Sceptile, Infernape and Greninja would all be in the final round, etc. That way it'd make his journey feel full-circle seeing him use pokemon from each generation. Doesn't seem like that will ever happen.

I'm surprised they also didn't have Misty/Brock show up again for the final round just to watch like Delia did. They have their designs and everything which they probably can't use next gen, so this would have been their last shot. If Misty/Brock showed up in person too I would have believed Ash would win the league even more because the original cast would be there.

Who would have thought a silly slice-of-life season like SM would turn out to be one of the climatic sagas of the anime?

[Doppleganger]

I've stopped thinking too hard. The opening match of the finals is Silvally vs Melmetal AKA Legendary VS Mythical.

Ash needs to just win. That will excuse all the flaws.

[Doppleganger]

We got spoiler titles.

Spoiler: show

Originally Posted by Dephender

SM139 - He's Born! The Alolan League Winner!! (15 September 2019)
SM140 - Akuziking Attacks! Operation: Z-Move!! (22 September 2019)
SM141 - TBA
SM142 - Burn with Passion! Get Filled with Intensity! A Full Battle!!! (6 October 2019)

[phoopes]

Originally Posted by Doppleganger

We got spoiler titles.

Spoiler: show

Spoiler: show

I can't wait until "He's Born! The Alolan League Winner!!" is about Gladion lmao

[Doppleganger]

Spoiler: show

It would be really awkward if that's the case, and I don't see the motivation to battle Kukui in a full battle two episodes later.

Worth noting. The guy who is writing the league finale is the same guy who wrote the Rowlet fakeout thing. He usually writes Ash winning, but in contrived, arsepullish ways.

[precita]

At this point the whole aftermath of the league (and SM's final episodes) has me more curious than how the final battles play out. Given it seems like the anime is going to have another shake up next gen, I'm really curious how the last few eps of SM will go. They also still have the whole Mohn subplot for Lillie/Gladion to finish, but I'm guessing that will only be 1 episodes or so now since it doesn't seem like they have much time. The last 2 episodes or so will be used for the usual farewells/goodbyes, or maybe another ep of Ash home at Pallet after he leaves Alola.

[Doppleganger]

Melmetal didn't job. He went out like a boss.

[precita]

Watched the ep, Melmetal went down fast, if Ash doesn't battle Kukui, then I guess this will be its only important battle in the series which is strange. Rowlett going in Melmetal's stomach to rest makes it obvious they'll both go to Oak's together when all is done.

Zoroark is giving me Lucario vibes, anyone who was around back in 2010 will remember how the anime staff tried to hype up Zoroark as the next Lucario at first. Whenever Ash does up against a hyped up pokemon (Blaziken, Lucario, Latios, Mega Charizard X, Zoroark), he tends to lose.

If we didn't have upcoming titles I'd say Ash was going to lose this. The whole match is set-up like the typical Ash losing match of the league. But we have upcoming titles of a full 6 on 6 of someone battling Kukui, and I just can't see the writers spending a 2-parter on Gladion of all characters battling Kukui. It just doesn't fit narrative wise or pacing wise for the show. We've never seen a full 6 on 6 battle just given to a rival, not to mention this would be the final climatic battle of the season.

Couple that with an Ultra beast ep right before that and the possibility of Poipole returning to give Ash a full team, it just points toward Ash winning. But then again who knows, Ash could lose either way. I am prepared for the usual outcome and won't care much if he fails again.

[Doppleganger]

It was cool to finally have two legendaries duking it out in the Pokemon League.

Please win next week Ash, take us to that awesome 6v6 promise.

[Doppleganger]

DON'T OPEN THIS IF YOU ARE WATCHING THE FINALE ON SATURDAY

DO NOOOOT OPEN THIS

Spoiler: show

It appears Ash is holding a trophy, during the awards ceremony, when Guzzlord attacks in SM140. Here's the magazineOHA SUTA spoiler for it:

[Doppleganger]

It's hype time boys and girls. The day of destiny is at hand.

8 hours to kick-off.

[Doppleganger]

It was trollish, but it happened.

I'm glad to have seen it.

[TheKnightsFury]

The world is ending....

[Doppleganger]

[TheKnightsFury]

What is wrong with the 3rd and 4th to last pics? They look like shoddy kid drawings lol

[Doppleganger]

It's a distance shot, in normal resolution, that I cropped to show Ash and Pikachu's immediate reaction.

The bottom two shots are after a few minutes of stunned silence, when Gladion has to wake him up from his daze.

His final line:

おれ...かたのか?

"I...won?"

[precita]

Every time Ash's Lycanroc took a hit with that slow-motion shot and resting on the ground it looked like Ash was done. The writers knew what they were doing.

Overall it's weird to think Ash's league win came out of a dog vs dog match of all things. I always figured if Ash ever won a league that Pikachu would be the final victor, or one of his powerhouse fully evolved starters like Charizard, Greninja, Sceptile, Infernape, etc. Instead it comes down to a doggo match.

Thinking back 3 years ago they really should have had Greninja win Ash his first league, and the rest of XY could have played out the same. I honestly wonder if the writing staff took the backlash to that loss seriously because social media was a thing now and the Kalos loss trended on twitter. Back in the old days league losses backlash only happened on forums where nobody outside the pokemon fandom would see it, but social media really spreads things around.

Also oddly, no cameo of Misty/Brock watching. Strange how downplayed his league victory was, even Team Rocket didn't seem to care whereas they were rooting for him in Kalos. Likewise no final shot of his entire team with the trophy, just Pikachu.

I guess this is still not his big league win, which might happen in Galar. Can't see Ash losing leagues again.

[phoopes]

I can't believe they actually did it. It almost feels like... it doesn't count somehow?

[Char]

Dreams do come true

[precita]

Originally Posted by phoopes

I can't believe they actually did it. It almost feels like... it doesn't count somehow?

Probably because the finals was only 3 on 3 instead of 6 on 6, the Alola league all had weak characters enter like Lillie, Mallow, and even Team Rocket (instead of previous leagues where all trainers had 8 badges, proving their worth), and Ash has no fully evolved starter this saga.

It still "counts," but if say Ash won the Kalos league, it would have been seen as far more impressive.

[Doppleganger]

SM as a series has been built to be the complete opposite of XY: it's not some epic hero's journey with admiring friends and bitter enemies, amid a primal struggle to the top. It's a down-to-earth growing up story with friends and family.

I know some people who think Orange felt more epic than this, and they're right. Orange Champion Drake was a mere obstacle to be overcome, as opposed to Gladion who is one of Ash's friends first and rival second. The opponents and cast were humanized in a way that put more emotional investment in the battle beyond simply wanting Ash to overcome obstacles.

This might be why the writing massively improved in SM, leading up to this point:



Worth noting that Tomioka is writing the 6v6 Ash v. Masked Royal. Previous battles he's written:

Ash v. Drake (6v6 Orange Championship)
Ash v. Gary (6v6 Johto Octofinals)
Ash v. Paul (6v6 Sinnoh Quarterfinals)

Yeah. I think we all know what SM's big battle is going to be.