Which of these gym badges did Ash deserve?

[Aduro]

In most gym battles Ash does win in fair battles against the official gym leader. l. But in some of them Ash simply did not win a fair match or got a badge without winning at all. Which of these do you think Ash truly earned?

Spoiler: Badge List

Brock's Boulder Badge
Ash "beat Brock", firstly because he accidentally set off Brock sprinklers hurting his onix (everything exlodes in the anime, those sprinklers should go off every match, but that's a topic for another thread) but refused to attack it while it was down. He proved his kindness instead of his skill.

Misty's Cascade Badge
Ash refused an easy badge from Misty's sisters and battled Misty instead. He was doing quite well but it could still have gone either way. Rocket interrupted and Ash won a badge for saving the day.

Erika's Rainbow Badge
Ash got this for saving a gym full of pokemon from a fire by being brave and coordinating his pokemon in a rescue effort. Pretty solid heroism from Ash but he didn't win a battle.

Sabrina's Marsh Badge
Ash won this one by making Sabrina laugh. No seriously that's how he won it. When they battled he got wrecked.

Giovanni's Earth Badge
Ash won this by beating Team Rocket using Giovanni's pokemon instead of Giovanni himself. When they cheated, he sank to their level and used several pokemon.

Whitney's Plain Badge
Ash only beat Whitney's miltank in their rematch. But Ash swept her first two pokemon really easily in the first match anyway.

Wattson's Dynamo Badge
Ash won this because his pikachu was supercharged, he didn't notice this while wrapped up in battle and it put Pikachu in great danger. He won by neglecting the health of a pokemon that lives on his shoulder. He also lost a rematch with Wattson that was fair by spamming overheat.

Maylene's Cobble Badge
Ash drew with Maylene. Her lucario and Ash's buizel took each other out.

Elesa's Bolt Badge
Ash had to go and get more pokemon after the battle had started and he had seen Elesa's pokemon. Because he assumed he could win with one ground type.

Roxie's Toxic Badge
Ash barely beat Roxie when he had 3 mons to her 6. Roxie also had to give Ash a berry so he could win.

 

[U.N. Owen]

Anyone who has played the games knows that Whitney's badge was well earned. That murdertank is a freak of nature.

 

[Moonstardust]

Ash winning the Cobble Badge was deserved the most since that was his best Sinnoh Gym battle.

 

[UltimateNinja]

You forgot the Glacier badge from Pryce since he gave up.

Ash winning the Cobble Badge was deserved the most since that was his best Sinnoh Gym battle.

Highly debatable. For me it was the worst Sinnoh gym battle together with the Pastoria one. Also wasn't "his" best gym battle since he made a clean sweep against Crasher Wake.

 

[Mrs. Oreo]

The Plain badge cuz he showed a good strategy when he beat Miltank. :3

 

[Greneuliest808]

I have to go with the Plain Badge and the Cobble Badge. In a tie, the leader decides if the trainer deserves a badge, and Maylene decided that Ash deserves the badge so there's that. The battle of Miltank though, good strategy of trying to slow down Miltank's rollout.

 

[Aduro]

You forgot the Glacier badge from Pryce since he gave up.

Didn't have room on the poll. Besides, Pryce gave up because he knew he couldn't win. Ash earned that one.

Also, which do you think Ash's least deserved badges were? For me it was Wattson's where he won by getting too wrapped up in winning and failing to notice his own pokemon was sick. Followed by his battle with Roxie, which was the opposite of the Trio Badge where Ash chose the toughest battle he could. He settled for a 3V6 and Roxie still had to take pity on him with a pecha berry.

 

[Navin]

Also, which do you think Ash's least deserved badges were?

Several in Kanto.

Other than that, Volkner (TR interference, letting Infernape regain its bearings, not using Raichu) and Roxie (6 v 3, berry), and to a lesser extent Wulfric (felt like a cop-out that Wulfric didn't reuse the Ice Body healing tactic). Kind of makes sense considering these are all the final gym leaders.

 

[Lord Trollbias]

Wattson is the least deserved. Pikachu was legit haxxed there and Ash lost the rematch. Then the Kanto ****ery badges. Then Volkner as Ash was actually beaten before TRio interference allowed Infernape to get the time to get Blaze Second Wind. Then Roxie because 6v3. Bruh.
That being said other than Wattson and the Kanto ****ery ones I wouldn't have Ash actually rematch any of the others to re-earn the badge as even Volkner and Roxie were won playing by the Gym Leader's discretion, even if said discretion made the battle unfair.

 

[Xenon Blue]

He did not deserve 5/8 of his Kanto badges, the one with Wattson was bs as well, and Roxie just showed how incapable BW Ash was.

Also why would people say Wulfric when he used M-Abomasnow in the second match instead of Ice Body tactic? Seems to me like both is as powerful as one another.

 

[XY Rules]

He didn't deserve any of the Kanto badges that are listed. He just got them handed to him for practically nothing with Brock's being the biggest offender. Ash got whooped twice, got a lucky unfair advantage, and then gave up. He didn't show any skill at all. He didn't deserve that badge even an inkling.

Same goes for Misty's, but it was interupted, so he might have won. But in the end, all he did was beat Team Rocket, which he's been doing constantly at this point.

And then there was Erika's...all he did was save Gloom...

Sabrina just laughed into submission...

And he didn't even battle Giovanni....He battled Team Rocket (again as he always does) that should say more than enough...

Wattson's I don't really remember, so can't say anything here.

Maylene's was well earned. For one it was easily one of his best gym battles in the series, if not the best. And secondly, it actually used the term "earned" right. It's up to the gym leader's discretion, but the trainer in question should still have to prove their skill in battle, not by just being a nice person. Ash showed actual skill and competence in this battle, something he didn't do in most of the Kanto ones. So it made sense as to why Maylene decided to give him the badge.

Now in Roxie's case, it would be the same case as Maylene (just nowhere near as great of a battle) if it wasn't for the pecha berry.

As for his least deserved badge, it's a toss up between the Kanto badges that are listed. But I'd have to give it to Brock's. At least in the others he wasn't getting completely wrecked lol.

 

[Opal Pikachu13]

Cobble and Plain Badges were his most deserving. He didn't deserve the majority of the Kanto badges, especially Brock's, Sabrina's and Erika's. Ash gave up against Brock due to his (Brock's) brothers and sisters crying for him to not hurt his Onix, since he didn't hurt Pikachu, but yet he still got the badge. Haunter just made Sabrina laugh, and Ash just saved Gloom. Wattson's, it was all because Pikachu got overcharged with electricity, and Ash even admitted himself that he didn't deserve the badge because of that, he also lost the rematch due to spamming Torkoal's Overheat. Roxie should not have shown pity with the Pecha Berry.

 

[Mrs. Oreo]

And then there was Erika's...all he did was save Gloom...

I felt that he would've won the battle if it wasn't for the fire that Team Rocket started however. Erika's team was just pitiful. ^^;

 

[Leonhart]

Satoshi deserved Takeshi's badge the most since he could've won if Takeshi's siblings hadn't interfered.

 

[UltimateNinja]

That being said, Ash deserved the first two Kanto badges, the Plain and maybe the Cobble badge. Didn't deserved the Dynami badge and even lost against Wattson some time later. Wondered why they even gave him a free badge in Hoenn after a so long time. Was it really necessary and to hard to write a regular 3vs3?

 

[Aduro]

And then there was Erika's...all he did was save Gloom...

Seems a little harsh, Ash did rush into a burning building to save Erika's pokemon, that shows a lot of bravery and compassion. And those are basically Ash's main heroic qualities so it makes sense that he would be rewarded for it somehow.

 

[XY Rules]

Satoshi deserved Takeshi's badge the most since he could've won if Takeshi's siblings hadn't interfered.

He was getting his butt handed to him and only would've won due to the sprinklers going off...(which again is bullcrap and plot armor) That is like undeniably the most least deserved badge. XD

 

[Wednesdayz]

He deserved them all, minus the Marsh Badge since all he did was make Sabrina giggle.