Ash Ketchum: Difference between revisions

As shown in the episode "[[The Ties that Bind]]," Ash and his former rival [[Gary Oak|Gary]] were childhood friends before they went [[fishing]] in the same river, hooked on the same Poké Ball. Both refused to give up and pulled on the line until the ball broke in half. Since then, they have each carried their half around as a good luck charm.

It does not take long until Ash gets a Pokémon for the first time, a [[Butterfree (anime)|Caterpillar]], which quickly evolves into [[Metapod]] after battling what would become Ash's third Pokémon, [[Ash's Pidgeot|Pidgey]]. Metapod evolves into [[Butterfly (anime)|Butterfly]] shortly afterward, as it wanted to impress Misty.

Ash is pursued constantly by the [[Team Rocket trio]], consisting of [[Jessie]], [[James]], and a talking [[Team Rocket's Meowth|Meowth]], who try to steal Pokémon, especially Ash's Pikachu.

At the end of Ash's journey in Kanto, his [[Pidgeotto]] evolves into [[Pidgeot]], whom Ash releases so that it can protect other Pidgeys and Pidgeottos.

Back at Pallet Town, the characters unexpectedly encounter Brock, who is very depressed when asked why he is no longer with Professor Ivy. Tracey, a big fan of Professor Oak, decides to stay with Oak to assist him, while Brock decides to rejoin Ash and Misty.

[[File:Ash Johto.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Ash and his friends at the beginning of their Johto journey]]

[[File:Pikachu Farewell.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Ash, Pikachu, Brock, and Misty in ''[[Goodbye, Friends!]]'']]

[[File:Ash's Pikachu Hoenn.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Ash and Pikachu in Hoenn]]

In Hoenn, Ash must also prove himself against eight Gym Leaders to participate in the [[Hoenn Championship]]. Pikachu suffers a power overload due to [[Team Rocket (Anime)|Team Rocket]] in the episode ''[[Finally in the Hoenn Region]]'', so he takes it to [[Professor Birk#In the anime|Professor Birk]]. However, it escapes from his lab and attacks Ash, who tries to calm it down, because it has lost control. Ash is able to calm it down, demonstrating their close bond. He doesn't shy away from helping his partner, even if it puts himself in danger. Team Rocket then appears, and Pikachu is trapped in a machine, from which it escapes by discharging its electricity overload into it, destroying [[May (anime character)|May]]'s bike in the process. To Ash's relief, Pikachu is now healthy again, and May decides to accompany him. Ash takes on a kind of mentoring role for her, teaching her the basics of being a Trainer. For example, in ''[[The Gate to the Past]]'' he explains to her how to catch a Pokémon.

In ''[[All in One!]]'', Ash competes against May in the [[Terracotta Town]] contest to say goodbye to her, and ends in a draw. The two share their ribbons and carry them with them from then on as a good luck charm. May and Max then return to Hoenn, and Brock sets off for [[Marmoria City]]. When Ash returns to [[Alabaster]] in the episode ''[[Every End Has a Beginning!]]'', he learns about [[Sinnoh]] from Gary and sets off by ship with only Pikachu, and involuntarily also with Scythe.

[[File:Ash Arrival Sinnoh.jpg|200px|left|thumb|Ash Reaches Sinnoh]]

Ash's Sinnoh adventure begins very difficultly, as [[Team Rocket (Anime)|Team Rocket]] immediately attempts to capture Pikachu, separating him from his Trainer. Ash catches a [[Ash's Staraptor|Staraptor]] to search for him. The injured Pikachu is found by [[Dawn (Anime Character)|Dawn]] and defended from the crooks, which is how the rookie meets Ash in the episode ''[[Reunited at Last!]]'' and joins him. He also meets Brock again and immediately meets his new rival [[Paul]]. In Jubilee Town, Ash participates in the competition there, but is eliminated by [[Zoey]], a Sinnoh Coordinator. In the following episode, his Staralive evolves into [[Ash's Staraptor|Staravia]]. Before that, he also catches a [[Ash's Torterra|Turtle]]. In [[Oregon]], he faces the [[Gym Leader]] [[Veit#In the anime|Veit]], against whom he only defeats in the rematch shown in ''[[Confidence is Half the Battle]]''.

His Gym battle is interrupted, however, by Team Rocket, who want to hijack a power-generating tower. During the recapture of the tower, his Tornadus evolves into [[Ash's Tornadus|Tortora]]. Since Volkner first has to repair the tower, Ash wants to use the time to train. Meanwhile, he encounters the [[Pokémon Ranger]] [[Julian]], a [[Heatran (anime)|Heatran]], and also [[Charlie#In the anime|Charlie]], who is trying to take a [[Shaymin (anime)|Shaymin]] to a Gracidea Field. In the episode "[[The Art of Observation!]]," Ash also encounters the last member of the Sinnoh region's elite, [[Teresa#In the anime|Teresa]]. After the [[Grand Festival|Grand Festival]], Ash and his friends return to Sonnevik. There, the Gym battle against Volkner is repeated, which Ash wins.<br>

[[File:Ash Tobias defeats Tobias.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Ash after his defeat against Tobias]]

[[File:Ash Unova.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Ash and Pikachu in Unova]]

Ash arrives in [[Unova]] by plane with [[Professor Samuel Oak#In the anime|Professor Oak]] and [[Delia Ketchum|his mother]] and meets [[Professor Ash#In the anime|Professor Ash]] upon landing. Suddenly, dark clouds gather, and strong electrical charges trigger an electromagnetic pulse, depriving [[Ash's Pikachu|Pikachu]] of the ability to use [[Electric]] attacks. Ash realizes this must be caused by a strange Pokémon that appeared in the dark cloud: [[Zekrom (anime)|Zekrom]], as it turns out later. But no one suspects that Pikachu is ill.

After this, Ash separates from Iris and Cilan, who want to continue their journey alone, and returns to [[Alba]] with [[Alba]] in ''[[Chasing the Dream!]]''. After a reunion with his mother, old friends, and his Pokémon, he decides to travel to [[Kalos]] with Alba, as he wants to participate in the league there. He leaves all of his Pokémon except Pikachu with Professor Oak and receives a new outfit from his mother before they depart.

[[File:Ash Kalos.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Ash and Pikachu in Kalos]]

Accompanied by [[Alba#In the anime|Alba]], Ash and Pikachu reach ''[[Kalos, Land of Dreams and Adventures!]]'', more specifically: [[Illumina City]]. There, Ash encounters [[Clemson (anime character)|Clemson]] and his sister [[Benedict (anime character)|Benedict]]. Ash and Clemont agree to a battle, but the battle is interrupted by [[Team Rocket (anime)|Team Rocket]]. Ash is protected by a Froakie, which is seriously injured in the attack. Ash takes the Froakie to the laboratory of [[Professor Sycamore#In the anime|Professor Sycamore]], where it is able to fully recover. After helping Ash calm a rampaging Garchomp, it joins the young trainer from Pallet Town. On the way to [[Nouvaria City]], Ash, with Froakie's help, catches the robin Pokémon [[Ash's Talon|Dartiri]].

In the episode ''[[A Festival of Decisions!]]'', his [[Ash's Greninja|Amphitheatre]] evolves into [[Greninja (Anime)|Greninja]] and, for the first time in this episode, transforms into a special, mysterious form known as "Ash-Greninja". From now on, Ash's and his perceptions merge, so that they can see what the other sees. However, Ash initially has problems with this fusion, as he often collapses when Ash-Greninja is hit by enemy attacks. After losing the first Gym Battle against [[Galantho#In the anime|Galantho]], Ash retreats to the forest alone to think. Finally, in ''[[Seeing the forest for the trees!]]'', he remembers why he wanted to become a trainer, and he and Greninja master the transformation to [[Puponcho (anime)|Puponcho]]. In the next episode, he also manages to defeat Galantho and qualify for the Kalos League. There, Ash defeats, among others, Sawyer, a rival who sees Ash as a role model and has fought him several times before. However, he is defeated in the finals by his friend Alain, thus finishing second.

[[File:Ash Alola.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Ash and Pikachu in Alola]]

In the episode ''[[Alola, New Adventures!]]'', we learn that Ash and his mother have won a vacation to the Alola region, and he travels there with her. They bring an egg, which [[Professor Samuel Oak#In the anime|Professor Oak]] gives them for his cousin [[Henry Oak#In the anime|Henry Oak]]. He runs the [[Alola Trainer School#In the anime|Pokémon School]] on [[Mele-Mele]]. Ash meets the students [[Lillie#In the anime|Lillie]], [[Kiawe#In the anime|Kiawe]], [[Sophie#In the anime|Sophee]], [[Lanai#In the anime|Lanai]], [[Lanai#In the anime|Lanai]], [[Lanai#In the anime|Lanai]], and [[Maho#In the anime|Maho]], with whom he quickly becomes friends and who show him around. Several exciting experiences, such as a battle against [[Team Skull]] and an encounter with the [[Alola's patron saint|patron saint]] [[Tapu Koko]], ultimately lead to Ash deciding to stay in Alola and attend the Pokémon School, while his mother travels back to [[Alabaster]]. Ash seems to have been chosen by Tapu Koko, so it gives him a [[Z-Ring]]. The [[Electron Z]] breaks, however, after the first use of [[Gigavolt Spark Barrage]]. Ash therefore decides to go on an [[Island Wandering]] to find a new Z-Crystal.

In the episode ''Alola, Kanto!'', Ash travels with his classmates on a field trip to Kanto, where he reunites with his friends Misty and Brock, who have now mastered Mega Evolution. Ash defeats the former in an official Gym battle, after which the Gym Leader declares that he has officially earned the Source Badge.

In ''A Dream Encounter!'', Ash finds a Cosmog, which he and his classmates call "Cloudy." Fabian from the Æther Foundation is after it, but the children, with Gladion's help, are able to protect it for the time being. Over time, Cloudy evolves into a Solgaleo. With his help, Ash and company rescue Samantha, who was killed by Anego, an Ultra Beast. After the rescue, Solgaleo says goodbye. In Anego, an Ultra Beast, Ash and his classmates are finally appointed Ultra Guardians by Samantha, as she considers them capable of capturing the Ultra Beasts appearing in Alola. Ash is the first to capture [[Masskito (anime)|Masskito]], before capturing [[Ash's Agoyon|Venicro]] in ''[[Love at First Sight!]]'', which accompanies him from then on as a team member.

== Personality ==

Already in the [[Pikachu|first episode]], it becomes clear that Ash wants to become a Pokémon Master and gives his all for it. He is very ambitious and determined. When saying goodbye to his mother, he seems happy to finally be able to leave. His courage becomes clear during the first battle against Team Rocket. Ash's ambition is also evident when, upon entering a town with a Gym, he wants to visit it immediately, without visiting the city's attractions, as his friends often want to do. He is also tempted to challenge supposedly stronger opponents, such as [[Lauro#In the anime|Lauro]], the Champion of [[Unova]].

At the beginning of his journey, Ash seems to suffer from an inferiority complex based on his rivalry with [[Gary Oak|Gary]]. As a result, he is initially overconfident after victories, which often leads to problems. For example, in [[Hoenn]], Ash is reprimanded by [[Dragan#In the anime|Dragan]], and on the Orange Archipelago by [[Lorelei#In the anime|Prima]]. He was also very hot-headed at first, reacting immediately to taunts from Gary or Misty with irascible behavior. After defeats, such as the one against [[Richie]], he was very depressed and could only be cheered up by his friends. Over time, however, he matures, analyzes his mistakes in defeats, and usually congratulates his rivals on their victory, congratulating them when, in his eyes, they deserve to win. He has the talent to make friends with most people he meets, thanks to his open-heartedness and good-naturedness. Furthermore, he also encounters many legendary Pokémon that recognize his pure heart and are well-disposed towards him.

Ash likes to try new things.