April 6th: SM20&21 1 Hour Special

[Golden_Latias]

Yeah, I see what you mean, and I agree. What I meant was that XY(Z) didn't really have Ash singled out for greatness by a Legendary (like some are assuming the Tapus are/will be doing). I mean, it's not like Squishy actively searched him out for his help (or anyone else for that matter). They just happened to stumble across it and over time it became intrigued enough by them to stick around. And even then Ash wasn't the who bonded with it; Bonnie was.

He was kind of singled out for greatness in Olympia's prophecy, I will admit, but like I said before, he wasn't the only one. Professor Sycamore and the TRio were "foreseen" as well

Perhaps I shouldn't have used XY(Z) as an example, and I apologize for that. The whole point is, I'm tired of Ash being this special snowflake who gets singled out by some entity to save the world, and one of his Pokemon gets some special power (Ash-Greninja, Infernape's boosted Blaze ability, etc.). It's cliche at this point. And I really don't want to see SM head in that direction.

Like I said, I really hope everyone else here is right, and Tapu Lele's appearance was nothing more than foreshadowing the Akala arc. There still needs to be some catalyst to drive Ash to take on the Akala Island Trials, though.

I could see him telling his classmates about Tapu Lele at the end of the episode. Kiawe would probably recognize Lele immediately since he lives on Akala Island, and Lillie might because she's booksmart. But since he's still clearly on Melemele Island in SM21, even if he does tell them about Lele, it's still not enough of a catalyst.

 

[satopi]

Maybe now, Kiawe will get more focus and interactions with Ash. It seems like this will kickstart Ash's trial in Akala Island.

 

[lemoncatpower]

You sickos and your fixation with changing underwear on a 10-year old.

i'd say Ash is on par with Meliodas by now although I think Ash will end up living longer.. so its okay

I think I'm at the point that I just assume Ash is always a special little snow flake

 

[Satomine Night]

Like I said, I really hope everyone else here is right, and Tapu Lele's appearance was nothing more than foreshadowing the Akala arc. There still needs to be some catalyst to drive Ash to take on the Akala Island Trials, though.

I could see him telling his classmates about Tapu Lele at the end of the episode. Kiawe would probably recognize Lele immediately since he lives on Akala Island, and Lillie might because she's booksmart. But since he's still clearly on Melemele Island in SM21, even if he does tell them about Lele, it's still not enough of a catalyst.

Unless he decides to train with his Pokémon before challenging the Akala Island trials, and he has no reason to leave Melemele Island to train. Now that he knows about Totem Pokémon, I can see him wanting to be as prepared as possible. He is also still busy with school, which means he would probably have to wait until his next day off to visit Akala Island for a trial. There's also the possibility that SM21 takes place a day or two after the end of SM20, and Ash hasn't had a chance to leave Melemele Island before he encounters Litten.

For now, I'm going to predict Tapu Lele's appearance is just to foreshadow the Akala arc, as well as to introduce (to Ash) the existence of Alola's other guardian deities. (I don't think Ash himself has learned that each island has its own guardian deity, has he?) He sees a Pokémon that, to him, kind of looks like Tapu Koko, and when he tells his friends about it, Kiawe and/or Lillie informs him that he saw Tapu Lele, Akala Island's guardian deity and Kiawe may or may not lose his **** that Ash has now seen two guardian deities.

 

[Golden_Latias]

I don't know about him wanting to train. :/ We already know he's been training Rowlet and Rockruff offscreen, and he'll have Litten too. He might think that's enough to get him through the Akala Island Trials. I know I would. Fair point about school, though. I still don't think he's leaving Melemele permanently or traveling or anything ftr, but something needs to happen to drive Ash to start on one of them at least.

I imagined a scenario where Olivia is somehow introduced in the near future, she explains the three Trials and their locations and informs Ash that one of the Trials is ready for him (I stand by the theory that they're reversing the order of the Akala Trials, so Lush Jungle would be first). There may or may not be 1-3 episodes involving him traveling to Lush Jungle, doesn't matter what happens in these episodes. Ash arrives, torches Totem Lurantis, wins the Grassium-Z, and Olivia tells him that it will be some time before the next Trial is ready for him. So Ash returns to school and spends the however much time back at school before the next Trial. Maybe he'll visit Akala again for some reason, but if he does, it'll be for one episode, kind of like SM11. Wash, rinse, repeat.

It probably won't happen like that, though.

Also, yes, please let Kiawe lose his **** when Ash tells him that he's seen Tapu Lele. More angry Kiawe is always good.

We really need new episode titles soon

(Nice banner btw).

 

[Frozocrone]

I don't know about him wanting to train. :/ We already know he's been training Rowlet and Rockruff offscreen, and he'll have Litten too. He might think that's enough to get him through the Akala Island Trials. I know I would. Fair point about school, though. I still don't think he's leaving Melemele permanently or traveling or anything ftr, but something needs to happen to drive Ash to start on one of them at least.

I imagined a scenario where Olivia is somehow introduced in the near future, she explains the three Trials and their locations and informs Ash that one of the Trials is ready for him (I stand by the theory that they're reversing the order of the Akala Trials, so Lush Jungle would be first). There may or may not be 1-3 episodes involving him traveling to Lush Jungle, doesn't matter what happens in these episodes. Ash arrives, torches Totem Lurantis, wins the Grassium-Z, and Olivia tells him that it will be some time before the next Trial is ready for him. So Ash returns to school and spends the however much time back at school before the next Trial. Maybe he'll visit Akala again for some reason, but if he does, it'll be for one episode, kind of like SM11. Wash, rinse, repeat.

It probably won't happen like that, though.

Also, yes, please let Kiawe lose his **** when Ash tells him that he's seen Tapu Lele. More angry Kiawe is always good.

We really need new episode titles soon

(Nice banner btw).

Akala will have a transfer school that Ash goes to, only this one has Gladion/Acerola/Ilimia/Mina (or they'll transfer the other five/just Lillie) *shrugs*

Kind of grasping at straws...these previews and recent episodes & no new episode titles really didn't give us a lot to go on.

 

[Zoruagible]

Someone actually thinks that Soph is going to give Togedemaru to Ash. I doubt this, but it is a good idea.

Who...... what? Why? Vikavolt would be a way better option for Ash as his first Electric type capture. It's just a Pikachu clone anyways

 

[Frozocrone]

Who...... what? Why? Vikavolt would be a way better option for Ash as his first Electric type capture. It's just a Pikachu clone anyways

Give him Tapu Koko as an Electric capture, Grubbin's long gone

 

[TheWanderingMist]

Give him Tapu Koko as an Electric capture, Grubbin's long gone

Grubbin's going to be this saga's Krookodile. It's way popular for an early game Bug type. As to the transfer school thing, I think it's highly unlikely, nay, near infinitely improbable. Imagine if they started bringing all Ash's old companions in as one episode lecturers. You'd get continuity at least.

 

[satopi]

Aside from Litten, I don't see Ash catching any more Pokémon until much later. I like it that we get to see his bonds with Rowlet, Pikachu, Rockruff, and soon Litten. His team shouldn't expand unless it's required. It'll be nice to have 4 Pokémon for a while. I don't want their bonds to diminish or have one Pokémon (aside from Pikachu) being more prioritized over the other and having one Pokémon left out. No Grotle/Torterra please.

 

[DatsRight]

Grubbin's going to be this saga's Krookodile. It's way popular for an early game Bug type. As to the transfer school thing, I think it's highly unlikely, nay, near infinitely improbable. Imagine if they started bringing all Ash's old companions in as one episode lecturers. You'd get continuity at least.

I wouldn't mind if Grubbin came back in the long run. They could even steady it's evolving since Grubbin starts off with some battle capabilities compared to standard bug Pokemon (the anime acknowledges this too, it could match Pikachu).

But yeah I agree with above, work slowly and steadily. Rockruff and Litten will need their focus and I want Rowlet to get enough exposure to avoid it being standard comic relief.

 

[Satomine Night]

Akala will have a transfer school that Ash goes to, only this one has Gladion/Acerola/Ilimia/Mina (or they'll transfer the other five/just Lillie) *shrugs*

Kind of grasping at straws...these previews and recent episodes & no new episode titles really didn't give us a lot to go on.

I think you're grasping at straws. If Akala Island has its own Pokémon School, then why is Akala native Kiawe attending a school on Melemele Island? Unless these schools are like colleges and universities, where certain schools are known for certain things and it's worth traveling to another island to attend a certain school. (Though it's kind of hard to know what these schools are known for when we rarely see the students actually, y'know, studying.)

 

[Frozocrone]

I think you're grasping at straws. If Akala Island has its own Pokémon School, then why is Akala native Kiawe attending a school on Melemele Island? Unless these schools are like colleges and universities, where certain schools are known for certain things and it's worth traveling to another island to attend a certain school. (Though it's kind of hard to know what these schools are known for when we rarely see the students actually, y'know, studying.)

Yeah I was only half serious :/

I need more. Damn this break :'(

 

[mystic9899]

idk why, but seeing those multiple alolan exeggutor drinking out of the river makes me feel.....strangely satisfied.

 

[TheWanderingMist]

Starting to wonder if those Alolan Exeggutor are foreshadowing which Alolan Form Ash will get.

 

[Golden_Latias]

Aside from Litten, I don't see Ash catching any more Pokémon until much later. I like it that we get to see his bonds with Rowlet, Pikachu, Rockruff, and soon Litten. His team shouldn't expand unless it's required. It'll be nice to have 4 Pokémon for a while. I don't want their bonds to diminish or have one Pokémon (aside from Pikachu) being more prioritized over the other and having one Pokémon left out. No Grotle/Torterra please.

Yeah, I agree. I think the four he has (or will soon have) will provide plenty of material for development for awhile.

My prediction for Ash's fourth capture is Dewpider anyway, and if I'm correct and they do reverse the order Ash does the Akala Trials in, I wouldn't expect Dewpider at least until the end of the year. Maybe even early 2018.

 

[DotKU]

The preview for the first one looks a bit .. underwhelming. Hyped for the Litten one tho, looks like its gonna deliver!

 

[TheWanderingMist]

The preview for the first one looks a bit .. underwhelming. Hyped for the Litten one tho, looks like its gonna deliver!

Underwhelming it was...which makes me even more suspicious of what happens during it.

 

[Chomper4]

Hmmm. So I think that Litten's capture is more or less confirmed now.

Okay, thank you Jesus. I was worried it would end up with Jessie or James.

 

[Frozocrone]

The preview for the first one looks a bit .. underwhelming. Hyped for the Litten one tho, looks like its gonna deliver!

This is how I feel. Thankfully there's no break (well, aside adverts).