and this episode was perhaps the worst way he ever got a Badge.
I'm sorry but no. Beating Sabrina in an unconventional way and saving her from herself is LEAGUES above being given the Rainbow badge because he saved Gloom even though he was losing to Erika or getting the Cascade Badge because he COULD have won if Pikachu actually respected him as a trainer. There was actually a justifiable in-story reason for Ash to get this badge by unconventional means. Of all the not-earning-by-winning-in-an-actual-battle badges he gets in the Kanto saga I took the least issue with this one.
It really is a tie between the Cascade and Rainbow badge of which was the most embarrassing gratitude/pity badge
He literally had no real battle with Sabrina the second time around.
Yes he did? Unless you mean when he ran away because Haunter went MIA
Ash did earn the Earth Badge because TR were acting as the Gyn Leadersin Giovanni’s absence as he requested and refused to give Ash the Badge he deserved. If you use the argument that Ash never earned that Badge just because Jessie and James weren’t the official Gyn Leaders then you forget thatin the anime thaat during the Kanto season Misty really wasn’t a Gym Leader per say and Brock handed over the title to both his dad and brother. Gym Leaders seem to be able to give the title over to another Trainer whenever they feel it’s necessary.
The problem is Team Rocket weren't COMPETENT trainers. Using the Boss's personal Pokemon and well cheating gave them a bit of an edge but they were still Team Rocket. Ash basically got an easy out for a final badge. Would he have won it if he had to face Giovanni? Not even if he had to face Mewtwo. I think Ash would have been creamed by a Mewtwo-less Giovanni. Misty was clearly a superior trainer to her sisters at least. In order of most deserved to least deserved badges I would rank them as
1. Thunder Badge- Actual strategy!
2. Soul Badge- I mean he didn't actually win the 2-on-2 that was agreed too but he did technically win by battling?
3. Volcano Badge- He won with a Pokemon that doesn't respect him and only fought because he respected Magmar as a Pokemon but he still won in a a battle
4. Marsh Badge- I already defended why I don't mind him beating Sabrina in a unique way as much as his other non-battle earned badges.
5. Earth Badge- Sure he won in a battle...to trainers he beats all the time because they suck as trainers. This might as well have been a freebie no matter how intense the anime tried to pass it off as
6. Boulder Badge- He was going to win I guess. Even if it was by a dumb fluke.
7. Cascade Badge- Ranked above the Rainbow badge only because he was probably going to win anyways if Team Rocket didn't interrupt the battle. Still the logic Daisy used "He would have won if Pikachu listened to him" was ass
8. Rainbow Badge- He was LOSING the battle. He wasn't going to win like the Boulder Badge or probably going to win like the Cascade badge. He didn't win by a bizarre technicality like the Marsh badge. He was LOSING to Erika and she gave him the badge out of gratitude for saving Gloom.