Ash's Issue Revisited

[MrMeowPuss]

Very early in the series there was the whole dilemma of having Pikachu evolve into Raichu which Ash decided against. With Mega evolutions being a main part of XY, what if a Mega evolution was announced for Raichu? Since Korrina's strong Mega Lucario is being featured in upcoming anime episodes, it could make an interesting twist if Ash finds out Raichu is capable of the transformation, Pikachu wants to be stronger yet they don't want to have to evolve Pikachu?

Does anyone else reckon this could make an interesting twist in the story plot?

 

[EliteTrainerXeos]

Very early in the series there was the whole dilemma of having Pikachu evolve into Raichu which Ash decided against. With Mega evolutions being a main part of XY, what if a Mega evolution was announced for Raichu? Since Korrina's strong Mega Lucario is being featured in upcoming anime episodes, it could make an interesting twist if Ash finds out Raichu is capable of the transformation, Pikachu wants to be stronger yet they don't want to have to evolve Pikachu?

Does anyone else reckon this could make an interesting twist in the story plot?

It's simple really. Sho 2.0. Yet another trainer with a Raichu challenges Ash and it Mega-Evolves.

 

[Moe]

Considering Ash hasn't even got Pikachu a Light Ball or decent moveset, I don't think he's that concerned about Pikachu wanting to be stronger.

 

[Life]

Pretty confident Pikachu doesn't want to evolve, and even more confident Ash wouldn't make/force him. Pikachu wants to get stronger without evolving; surely he and Ash can find another way to do so. To make my point clear, they've already established this issue, so them bringing back the option again would either show that they're running out of ideas, or want to showcase Mega Raichu.

If there eventually came to be a Mega Raichu, the writers could, and most likely would, find another way to showcase it instead of completely ignoring past episodes and Pikachu's wishes.

Not to mention that Pikachu is the franchise's mascot and it would be completely awkward if they had to change it to Raichu

 

[Solayoh]

Yeah that Pika aint never evolving into a Raichu no what, come what may.

Although I've always wondered, how Pichu evolved into Pikachu in the first place? Why was it ok evolving into Pikachu but not Raichu?

 

[Osprey]

Pikachu could evolve, Megavolve, then revert to its Pikachu form once done
Hahaha, no. I'm betting Ash'll be like "Well we can beat em because FRIENDSHIP" and Pikachu will kick Mega butt all over the place inexplicably. Basically a Lt. Surge's Raichu vs. Pikachu rehash. And I'm just gonna pray there'll be no Megas for ANY of the Pikachu line. And the only time Ash's Pikachu's evolving is the anime's final finale. So, never.

 

[garrison-san]

Although I've always wondered, how Pichu evolved into Pikachu in the first place? Why was it ok evolving into Pikachu but not Raichu?

Chiefly, because Pichu didn't actually exist at the time that Pikachu's refusal to evolve into Raichu was established as a character trait.

(Though Pichu's dex entries don't exactly sell it as the kind of form you'd want to be stuck in for all eternity, given that they're apparently so inept at storing electricity and have a tendency to accidentally shock themselves.)

 

[Solayoh]

Although I've always wondered, how Pichu evolved into Pikachu in the first place? Why was it ok evolving into Pikachu but not Raichu?

Chiefly, because Pichu didn't actually exist at the time that Pikachu's refusal to evolve into Raichu was established as a character trait.

(Though Pichu's dex entries don't exactly sell it as the kind of form you'd want to be stuck in for all eternity, given that they're apparently so inept at storing electricity and have a tendency to accidentally shock themselves.)

Yes I know it wasn't around in the first gen, I was there. But its still a big plothole as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Shadao]

Perhaps Pikachu was shocked by his first evolution that he didn't want to go through it again.

 

[Magma Bomb]

They already used this plot twice already and I don't want to see it recycled for two reasons:

1 - We already know how it ends. Pikachu, being as strong as the plot needs him to be, will beat him through sheer protagonist power. Loses first battle, wins the rematch, you know the drill.
2 - A Raichu being a Mega will only make it all the more jarring than the last two times.

 

[Life]

Yes I know it wasn't around in the first gen, I was there. But its still a big plothole as far as I'm concerned.

I've always thought that Pikachu was fine with evolving up until Electric Shock Showdown, where he decided that he wanted to become strong without evolving. Therefore, he didn't mind evolving into a Pikachu, just into a Raichu.

Even if you believe it to be a plothole, you can't really blame the writers as they didn't know what the new batch of Pokemon would be.

 

[Solayoh]

Yes I know it wasn't around in the first gen, I was there. But its still a big plothole as far as I'm concerned.

I've always thought that Pikachu was fine with evolving up until Electric Shock Showdown, where he decided that he wanted to become strong without evolving. Therefore, he didn't mind evolving into a Pikachu, just into a Raichu.

Even if you believe it to be a plothole, you can't really blame the writers as they didn't know what the new batch of Pokemon would be.

I think they did. Ho-oh was able to put in an appearance in the first episode of the cartoon. I know cartoon =/= game, but the 2 sides do talk to each other, hence Ho-oh and I'm sure the mascot getting a pre-evolution would have been pretty big talk at the time in those circles.

 

[LuxrayOfTheWild]

I really hate to say it, but its never gonna happen...With Pikachu being the series mascot, the writers are never going to evolve Ash's Pikachu. Its such a shame also since Raichu is among my favorite Pokemon. Pikachu has kinda had a thing against evolving, though Ash still holds onto that thunderstone I think.

 

[MrMeowPuss]

I know they wouldn't evolve him, but the temptation of being stronger through evolution could easily be revisited considering how the writers like to reuse material. A big loss to a strong opponent has gotten to Ash before, so I just think it would be interesting to see how he would handle losing to a Mega Raichu!

 

[DracoMan]

I really hate to say it, but its never gonna happen...With Pikachu being the series mascot, the writers are never going to evolve Ash's Pikachu. Its such a shame also since Raichu is among my favorite Pokemon. Pikachu has kinda had a thing against evolving, though Ash still holds onto that thunderstone I think.

Actually, I think Team Rocket stole the Thunder Stone. And since it hasn't been seen since, they probably lost it, so Ash won't be evolving Pikachu anyway.

 

[garrison-san]

I really hate to say it, but its never gonna happen...With Pikachu being the series mascot, the writers are never going to evolve Ash's Pikachu. Its such a shame also since Raichu is among my favorite Pokemon. Pikachu has kinda had a thing against evolving, though Ash still holds onto that thunderstone I think.

Actually, I think Team Rocket stole the Thunder Stone. And since it hasn't been seen since, they probably lost it, so Ash won't be evolving Pikachu anyway.

Team Rocket ended up with the Thunder Stone and said that they were going to sell it. So yes, it's gone.

To answer the main question, I've no pressing desire to see an Electric Shock Showdown/Pika and Goliath revisit myself. The "evolving is a temptation to be resisted" mentality is one of the things that I disliked about the original series (not because I was particularly desperate to see the main cast's pokemon reach their final forms, mind, but because I didn't like how the process was consistently villainised, particularly stone evolution). I've long accepted that Pikachu is never going to evolve and do not have any problems with this, but it's not a point that I think needs to be belaboured any further.

 

[Dr. Buni]

I always disliked this mentality too because it kinda contradicts one of the biggest selling points of the Pokémon series, which is the concept of monsters evolving. The idea of unevolved Pokémon surpassing their evolved forms through sheer determination made their evolution look like something awful (as well as not as stronger as they are supposed to be) that they should avoid evolving into. So yeah, Pikachu is never going to evolve, which is a damn shame since Raichu > Pikachu and evolved Pokémon > unevolved Pokémon in my books.

 

[Almonds]

They could always make an exception and make Pika evolve if there's a Mega Raichu.

Under two conditions:
1. Mega Raichu's design and other features made it so popular among the target audience and gamers that it literally spells MONEY everytime it makes an appearance.
2. Ash's journey ends with XY. No, seriously - if Pika ever, ever evolves, it's when Ash and Pika retires from the series. The mascot is no longer a mascot, its job is done.

Still, chances are very very low. The issue itself may be revisted in other ways with Pika not evolving but I'd rather they don't do it again because it's getting old.