Keep Poipole as far away from this League as possible.
You say that but is Ash using a reserve any better?
I never understood why people seemed to be so critical of certain choices but seem okay with other choices, despite them being on a similar level.
Poipole coming back, evolving makes sense for multiple reasons, and wanting to battle with Ash one last time also makes sense. Sure, you know, Poipole did jack diddly poo when it was with Ash, and there's always "Too Little Too Late" that's been thrown around.
But I don't know what makes Ash calling up Tracey (if Oak is still at the tournament) and asking him to send one of his other Pokemon any better from a purely storywise perspective. Because at least Poipole makes sense given that it actually has a connection to the Alola region and his Pokemon (minus Melmetal). Any other Pokemon Ash has except maybe Bulbasaur doesn't have that connection (and even then with Braviary and Incineroar, Bulbasaur would be a stupid choice) and regardless of who it is, it doesn't make sense story-wise for why Ash is USING it. Unlike Poipole or Naganadel. At this point any reserve would be PURE fan service. At least Sinnoh had Ash using his reserves from the start.
What I'm ultimately saying however, is that they are both valid options for Ash for a full battle (unlike you and other people like you seem to be implying) and either of them could have a chance of happening, depending on the story. But as much as people despise Poipole, dismissing it as a valid legitimate choice, is honestly ridiculous. Because I sort of feel that way with Ash using a reserve, I only accept it because Ash needs a 6th Pokemon, but its too little too late to somehow have Ash bring back something that served no purpose in the entire Alola region and use it against Masked Royal, but its still a valid choice, and I will give some leeway if Ash brings a Pokemon back to fight Guzzlord, surely that would be the time the 6th Pokemon would show up an aid Ash and then be used against Masked Royal, because if that doesn't happen, the idea of Ash using a reserve is even that more ridiculous because it's happening out of nowhere and doesn't make sense. At least if he uses something against Guzzlord, then sure, if NOT Poipole.
Which given Poipole being an Ultra Beast, Solgaleo would likely know about Guzzlord and would want to help, it does make storywise sense that Ash would then use Poipole/Naganadel against Masked Royal.
But okay let me give you a hypothetical, and I want to gauge everyone's reaction here, and I have more than a feeling people are going to immediately hate it. Sure you could all just enthusiastically like the idea just to spite me but I should be more than able to predict a couple of responses "Hell no" or how about "Why the hell would that make any sense?" "It doesn't belong here" "It would upstage all of Ash's Alolan Pokemon and Torracat....Incineroar"
Okay, are you ready?
Ash-Greninja.
Okay have fun debating. Bye.
