Official "Can Ash do it?" discussion

[Zak]

As some of you may know (and I can hardly believe it), Hoenn is nearly over, having accquired the 8th badge, and soon ribbon.

So... what do you think will happen in the league? Aside from whether Ash will win or lose, how far will he make it? Any important character returns hoping to see?

I personally think Misty will at least be around to watch him live, or at least we will SEE her watching him on TV. And maybe, just maybe Brendan/Yuuki will finally be introduced. But if Ash loses, I sure as hell hope that he ISN'T the guy he loses to.
Also, unlikely but possible, Nikolai the knickerbocker! But... he's more of a rival to May than to Ash, really. Although if this Linoone episode has him, then I think that'll answer the question of whether he'll be there, since he'll probably talk about how many badges he has. Remember, he was planning to challenge Norman last time ;) so he's obviously the same wavelength as May. But... he's definately an amateur compared to Ash, so maybe not.
Finally, remember that Hoso special about Moltres with the guy with the Salamence/Chikorita? Silver, his name was? The guy who seems to know Ash? I wouldn't be surprised if he was there, but why he'd compete in the Hoenn league is beyond me.


Anyway... discuss.


~Zak

[The Muffin Man]

My opinion: Ash will face Misty or Richie sometime during the battle. He might even get to the finals, or win. Ash has never won an official League Tournement.

[P0RYG0N]

My opinion: Ash will face Misty or Richie sometime during the battle. He might even get to the finals, or win. Ash has never won an official League Tournement.
Unless you count the fake Orange League, but who does, honestly? :lol:

[Chris 2.1]

I think Ash could win, although I don't think he will. I'm really not so sure, really, but I'm not as convinced Nickerbocker will win (can't spell his name XD)

-In Zig Zag Zangoose, Nickerbocker explained that, after meeting the group in Episode 5 of AG, he went straight to Petalburg to battle Norman. He then lost, and was training for a rematch since then. But by then, Ash already had 3 Hoenn Badges, so will Nickerbocker be able to get all the Hoenn ones?

Hmm. Regardless, I think we will see Misty somewhere, but not actually battling in the league. Water-based battles have been popular, what with the 2-parter in Sootopolis.

[Zak]

My opinion: Ash will face Misty or Richie sometime during the battle. He might even get to the finals, or win. Ash has never won an official League Tournement.

Obviously not Misty, given what she's been doing I can't possibly imagine her in this little time collecting badges and competing in the Hoenn league, seeing as she was still in Cerulean when Ash was like on his 7th badge. Richie is also busy lurking in Kanto, or on Mt. Light (Island of Moltres, which actually is in the game). But given how those islands are sort of a link between Hoenn and Johto/Kanto, I can very well see him coming to visit.




I think Ash could win, although I don't think he will. I'm really not so sure, really, but I'm not as convinced Nickerbocker will win (can't spell his name XD)

-In Zig Zag Zangoose, Nickerbocker explained that, after meeting the group in Episode 5 of AG, he went straight to Petalburg to battle Norman. He then lost, and was training for a rematch since then. But by then, Ash already had 3 Hoenn Badges, so will Nickerbocker be able to get all the Hoenn ones?

Hmm. Regardless, I think we will see Misty somewhere, but not actually battling in the league. Water-based battles have been popular, what with the 2-parter in Sootopolis.

Same as above about Misty obviously not being in the league. Also, about Nikolai, as you may or may not remember... Gary had 10 badges, meaning in the Anime they have some extra Gyms like they have some extra Contests. We've never actually seen them, but also look at the various badges people had in "Bad to the Bone". Some looked completely unfamiliar. In fact, I remember it showing Marowak battling a HITMONLEE of all things for the Marsh badge, and a SCYTHER for the Soul badge. The rest were pretty familiar. But either way, basically in the Anime, to get into a league it seems you need a minimum of 8 badges, meaning there are other places. So, if he gives up battling Norman, he can probably find 8 badges some other way. But seeing how he was passionate about beating Norman, it'll probably end up happening. But, if its that hard he could leave it for the end.


~Zak

[Chris 2.1]

Yea, very true. I can't remember those flashbacks personally, but it has been a while.

Also sorry, I've been quoting and trying to disprove you an awful lot recently IIRC, Zak, sorry if it irritates you :sweat4:

[Zak]

Yea, very true. I can't remember those flashbacks personally, but it has been a while.

Also sorry, I've been quoting and trying to disprove you an awful lot recently IIRC, Zak, sorry if it irritates you :sweat4:

I have no clue what you're talking about, but anyway lol why would it? I think you're confusing me with someone else. I quote and nitpick with people all the time in this forum, that's pretty much what I'm here for when there are no new spoilers to report. Otherwise this forum would be really boring. Plus, you do bring up some good points, if people were scared to nitpick anything I said, I wouldn't really have anyone else to rely on.


~Zak

[Chris 2.1]

Meh I probably dreamed it. I'm 16 now so I do feel as if I'm all-knowing, so everybody watch out.

[HavoX]

ASH VS BRENDAN?!

Zak, were you reading my mind again or just making lucky guesses? http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v58/Honushi/smilies/tongue.gif

[Andrew]

Misty will come and be a cheerleader, as will Oak and his mum. But Mimey and Tracy will be at home. I'm also unsure about how Ash would deal with this Tourney, and if he'd call on his old Kanto/Johto buds.

He's been top 16, top 4 so he's bound to be top 2 next. I doubt he'll win, but come a close second to some new "Friend" he suddenly makes. Because losing to a friend is cool!111

[Zak]

Misty will come and be a cheerleader, as will Oak and his mum. But Mimey and Tracy will be at home. I'm also unsure about how Ash would deal with this Tourney, and if he'd call on his old Kanto/Johto buds.

He's been top 16, top 4 so he's bound to be top 2 next. I doubt he'll win, but come a close second to some new "Friend" he suddenly makes. Because losing to a friend is cool!111

Wow, for once I actually agree with you on a theory Oz.

And yes, seeing as they haven't introed Brendan aside from that little cameo in movie 6, I wouldn't be surprised if he is indeed the new "friend" he makes. But so far it's always been a character based on their own origin, not the game. But nonetheless, I think he'll at least face him in one of his matches. And like in the game, he'll be the son of Birch, who will also be there no doubt. We may have not seen Dr. Elm at the Johto league, but seeing as Birch gets around a lot and travels to do research, he has no reason not to have time to make it to the league. And that's where I think Brendan will come in.
Plus, from the little piece of evidence we have, Brendan is on the same wavelength as the types of opponents Ash has faced, with Pokemon like Shiftry and Aggron.
Also, I don't doubt some trainer (maybe him) having some new Pokemon to advertise/represent the 4th generation. Meh, if that's the case, I hope it's not the one he loses to, because that'll be too predictable.



~Zak

[Andyhaunt]

Misty will come and be a cheerleader, as will Oak and his mum. But Mimey and Tracy will be at home. I'm also unsure about how Ash would deal with this Tourney, and if he'd call on his old Kanto/Johto buds.

He's been top 16, top 4 so he's bound to be top 2 next. I doubt he'll win, but come a close second to some new "Friend" he suddenly makes. Because losing to a friend is cool!111

Actually, in the Johto League he was top 8, not 4, Ash lost to Harrison in one round before the semifinal, then Harrison lost in the semifinal (a Rhyhorn beats his Houndoom), and then there is a short scene of the final battle, between a Rhydon and a Rapidash knocking it out with a tackle attack. So Ash just was top 8 in the Johto League, Harrison top 4, and Gary top 16.

[Darkgel]

I think Satoshi will do it this time, seeing as Hoenn is ALMOST the only league where Satoshi hasn't "cheated" its way through to the badges (by defeating the pathetic TR and being a hero).

I say almost because he won against Tessen (Wattson) while Pikachu had an overload (they're overdoing the overload fever thing in fact ¬_¬) and I BET the Rain Badge will be obtained by heroics (seeing as TR will interfere ¬_¬), and if it doesn't, well, it's still one cheated badge.

But only one, not Kanto's crapload or Johto's few. I bet he'll do it in Hoenn, then train and retry the other 2 leagues before the Diamond and Pearl league is introduced (if it isn't Johto XD)...

And personally, I don't think Battle Frontier will appear in the series, seeing that they're VERY WEIRD ways of battling.

[Misty]

Ash only "cheated" for one badge in Johto - Pryce's. And that wasn't really cheating, Pryce gave it up of his own accord from the battle, not because of "heroics", as you put it.

[Zak]

Well, the reason Pryce gave it up was because he didn't want Piloswine to get hurt, given its history in the last episode. But he knew Pikachu was gonna win and there was no chance Piloswine could have pulled it off anyway by the time he threw in the towel. So... he didn't do it because he felt sorry for Ash nor was he rewarding anything. He did it because he didn't want Piloswine to get hurt. Here's a fair enough analogy:

Say you were leveling up someone like Golbat or Chansey to evolve, and for obvious reasons you'd avoid letting them faint. Say you were in a trainer battle... and Golbat's HP was really low, it was out of PP, and it was at Mean Look so you couldn't withdraw (this is just in theory). But either way you'd have a reason not to want to let it faint but fairly lose the battle (But seeing as there's no such thing as throwing in the towel in the games, you'd probably reset the game of course). Basically Pryce just had a good reason for not wanting Piloswine to faint, but didn't throw in the towel until he was absolutely sure there was no more sense in trying to win the fight and Pikachu pretty much had it cornered.

~Zak

[Craig]

Gary had 10 badges, meaning in the Anime they have some extra Gyms like they have some extra Contests. We've never actually seen them, but also look at the various badges people had in "Bad to the Bone". Some looked completely unfamiliar. In fact, ... to get into a league it seems you need a minimum of 8 badges, meaning there are other places.

Thats very cool. I never thought about that, but it'd make sense.

Probaby he will face Brendan,

Cool case scenario: A.J !