He finally did it. After two and a half decades of near-misses, heartbreaks, and questionable tactical decisions, the kid from Pallet Town reached the summit. When Ash becomes world champion in the Pokémon Ultimate Journeys series, it isn't just a plot point for a kids' show. It feels like a genuine cultural milestone for a generation that grew up alongside him. Honestly, most of us thought it would never happen. We watched him lose in Kanto because Charizard felt like taking a nap. We saw him get absolutely demolished by a guy with a Darkrai in Sinnoh. But in the Masters Eight Tournament, the writers finally let the underdog win.
The victory happened during the Pokémon World Coronation Series. Ash Ketchum faced off against Leon, the undefeated champion of the Galar region. This wasn't just some local gym battle; it was a clash of titans involving Mega Evolution, Z-Moves, and Gigantamaxing all at once. Pikachu, the scrappy yellow mouse that refused to get into a Poké Ball in 1997, was the one to deliver the final blow. It was loud. It was emotional. And for anyone who had been following the journey since the Orange Islands, it was a long time coming.
The Long Road to the Masters Eight
To understand why this specific win mattered, you have to look at the wreckage of Ash’s previous attempts. For years, the "Pokémon League curse" was a running joke in the fandom. Ash would get close—Top 16, Top 8, Top 4—and then the narrative would find a way to reset him. He’d leave all his powerful Pokémon at Professor Oak’s lab and head to a new region with nothing but Pikachu and a dream. It was a loop.
Then came Alola. Ash won the first-ever Alola League championship, which was a huge deal, but critics (and fans) argued it wasn't a "real" league because the region was so new. The World Coronation Series changed that narrative entirely. This was a global ranking system. To even get into the Master Class, Ash had to beat legendary trainers, gym leaders, and Elite Four members from every corner of the Pokémon world.
The Masters Eight lineup was basically a "Who's Who" of Pokémon royalty. You had Cynthia, the terrifying champion of Sinnoh whose Garchomp has given real-life players nightmares for years. You had Steven from Hoenn, Lance from Kanto/Johto, and Diantha from Kalos. Ash wasn't just competing against rivals; he was competing against the established lore of the entire franchise. By the time he stood across from Leon, he had already overcome the impossible by defeating Cynthia in a match that many fans actually consider better than the final.
🔗 Read more: British TV Show in Department Store: What Most People Get Wrong
How Pikachu Defied the Odds
The final battle against Leon’s Charizard was a masterclass in fanservice—the good kind. There’s a moment toward the end of the fight where Pikachu is nearly unconscious. He’s spent. The animation shifts, and we see a montage of every Pokémon Ash has ever caught. Pidgeot, Butterfree, Bulbasaur, Sceptile, Greninja—they’re all there in a dream-like sequence, cheering him on. It’s a bit cheesy, sure, but it acknowledges the 1,200+ episodes of history leading to this moment.
When Pikachu woke up and unleashed that final, massive thunderbolt, it wasn't just about power levels. It was about the bond. In the game mechanics, Pikachu probably shouldn't be beating a champion-level Charizard, but the anime has always operated on "heart" and "battle spirit." The writers leaned into that. They let Ash use his full arsenal: the 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt Z-Move, Mega Lucario, and Gengar’s Gigantamax form. It was the first time the show allowed Ash to be the powerhouse we knew he could be.
Why This Win Changed the Franchise Forever
For the longest time, the Pokémon anime was stuck in a status quo. Ash couldn't win because if he became a Pokémon Master, the story would have to end. That was the prevailing wisdom at the Pokémon Company and TV Tokyo for decades. By letting Ash becomes world champion, the creators signaled a massive shift in strategy. They were finally ready to let Ash grow up—well, as much as a ten-year-old can—and move on.
This victory paved the way for Pokémon Horizons, the new series featuring Liko and Roy. Without Ash reaching the top, the franchise would have stayed tethered to his journey forever. His win was a closing of a chapter. It allowed the series to breathe and explore new characters without the shadow of Pallet Town hanging over everything. It was a "thank you" to the fans who stayed through the lean years of the Unova region or the disappointment of the Kalos League final (we still haven't forgotten that loss to Alain, by the way).
💡 You might also like: Break It Off PinkPantheress: How a 90-Second Garage Flip Changed Everything
Breaking Down the Masters Eight Finalists:
- Leon: The Galar Champion (Rank 1). Known for his "Unbeatable" Charizard.
- Cynthia: Sinnoh Champion (Rank 2). The tactical genius with her Garchomp.
- Steven Stone: Hoenn Champion (Rank 3). The steel-type specialist.
- Lance: Kanto/Johto Champion (Rank 4). The dragon master.
- Diantha: Kalos Champion (Rank 5). The movie star with Mega Gardevoir.
- Alain: Kalos League Winner (Rank 6). The man who broke Ash's heart in X&Y.
- Iris: Unova Champion (Rank 7). Ash's former traveling companion grown up.
- Ash Ketchum: Alola Champion (Rank 8). The kid who finally did it.
The Cultural Impact Beyond the Screen
When the episode aired in Japan, it wasn't just a TV event. It was broadcast on giant screens in Shibuya, Tokyo. People stopped in the streets to watch the final moments of the match. It felt like a real-world sporting event. Social media exploded. "Ash Ketchum" and "Satoshi" (his Japanese name) were trending worldwide for days.
This reaction proves that Pokémon isn't just a brand; it’s a shared history. For people in their 30s, seeing the kid they watched on Saturday morning cartoons finally win was a weirdly cathartic moment. It’s rare in media to see a protagonist struggle for twenty-five years before achieving their primary goal. Usually, they win by season three. Ash's journey was a lesson in persistence, even if that persistence was dictated by corporate branding needs for most of those years.
Realism Check: Was the Win "Earned"?
If you talk to competitive Pokémon players, they’ll point out a dozen reasons why Ash's team shouldn't have won. His Dracovish is a beast, sure, but his Gengar and Dragonite often felt under-leveled compared to Leon’s squad. However, the anime has its own logic. It values "unconventional strategies." Ash winning wasn't about math; it was about him using Sirfetch'd to deflect attacks and Pikachu having literal plot armor.
The nuanced view is that the win was earned through narrative weight rather than tactical perfection. The writers spent the entire Journeys series building Ash as a mentor figure. He was no longer the bumbling kid who didn't know how to catch a Caterpie. He was a veteran. He was teaching Goh. He was respected by the Elite Four. The win felt like the natural conclusion to that specific character arc.
📖 Related: Bob Hearts Abishola Season 4 Explained: The Move That Changed Everything
Lessons from Ash’s Victory
There is actually some practical stuff to take away from this whole saga. It’s not just about a cartoon.
- Iterative Growth Matters More Than Instant Success: Ash failed six different regional leagues before winning the big one. Each loss taught him something different about his Pokémon and himself.
- Adaptability is Key: In the final match, Ash didn't stick to one gimmick. He used everything he had learned across different regions—Z-moves from Alola, Mega Evolution from Kalos, and Gigantamaxing from Galar.
- The "End" is Just a Pivot: Many feared the show would die without Ash. Instead, Pokémon Horizons has breathed new life into the series by taking it in a more serialized, adventurous direction.
Moving Forward After the World Championship
Now that the dust has settled, what should you do if you're a returning fan? First, go watch the final four episodes of the Masters Eight tournament. Even if you haven't watched Pokémon in a decade, the animation in the Ash vs. Leon fight is some of the best the series has ever produced. The choreography is fluid, the stakes feel high, and the music—specifically the remixes of the original theme—is a massive nostalgia trip.
After that, check out Pokémon: To Be a Pokémon Master. It’s an 11-episode epilogue that follows Ash after his big win. It doesn't focus on battles. Instead, it’s a quiet, reflective look at what it actually means to be a "Master." Hint: It’s not just about winning a trophy.
Finally, give Pokémon Horizons a fair shake. It’s weird seeing a Pokémon show without Pikachu on Ash’s shoulder (though there is a "Captain Pikachu"), but the storytelling is significantly more modern. Ash becomes world champion was the perfect ending to an era, but it’s definitely not the end of the world of Pokémon.
The journey continues, just with different feet on the path. You've got twenty-five years of history to catch up on if you've been away, but the peak of that mountain is finally occupied by the kid from Pallet Town. He did it. He's the best, like no one ever was. Or at least, he was for that one, glorious moment in Galar.
Next Steps for Pokémon Fans:
- Watch the Finale: Locate "Partners in Time!" (Season 25, Episode 42) to see the final showdown between Pikachu and Charizard.
- Explore the Epilogue: Search for the "To Be a Pokémon Master" special miniseries to see Ash's final farewell and his reunion with Misty and Brock.
- Start Horizons: Begin the new era with Liko and Roy to see how the franchise has evolved post-Ash.