Preview JN108: Lucario and Gekkouga! The Wave Guidance of Destiny!!

[Ghost Diplocaulus]

That's true too. I do wonder who's stronger though, Dragonite or Lucario? It's definitely between the two of them as Ash's ace.

We'd need to see both in action close together. Though I'd argue that with the Journeys team there might not even be one true "ace", and instead all the Pokemon will be ace-tier in their own right: Dragonite has proven to be able to take hits like a champ and currently has an undefeated record; Lucario is the designated Mega Evolver and has gotten the most fleshed-out training arc; Gengar is the designated Gigantamaxer and shares a similar background to Charizard and Infernape, who are the aces of their respective teams; Dracovish became the first ever Pokemon to knock out a Champion's Pokemon; Pikachu doesn't need an explanation on top of being the designated Z-Move user of Ash's team. Sirfetch'd is the one outlier, but that'll most likely change when the Drasna episode airs.

 

[Die-Hard Dragon Devotee]

We'd need to see both in action close together. Though I'd argue that with the Journeys team there might not even be one true "ace", and instead all the Pokemon will be ace-tier in their own right: Dragonite has proven to be able to take hits like a champ and currently has an undefeated record; Lucario is the designated Mega Evolver and has gotten the most fleshed-out training arc; Gengar is the designated Gigantamaxer and shares a similar background to Charizard and Infernape, who are the aces of their respective teams; Dracovish became the first ever Pokemon to knock out a Champion's Pokemon; Pikachu doesn't need an explanation on top of being the designated Z-Move user of Ash's team. Sirfetch'd is the one outlier, but that'll most likely change when the Drasna episode airs.

You make very good points all around. I probably should have written that instead; that all of Ash's Journeys Pokemon are powerful in their own rights.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

First because Greninja had nothing to do with aura

The title actually uses the word "nami" (wave) instead of "hadō" (aura), probably to fit both Greninja and Lucario.

 

[R1ke]

Hope Greninja still gets to battle in pwc as well, even briefly. He could use some redemption imo

 

[Rath]

Aw you guys know this premise just reminded me of?
The theories and headcanons people used to have about Greninja training Sobble (back when people thought Sobble was going to Ash)
And now here we have Greninja coming back to train another Blue Pokemon

It just gave me a nostalgic and bittersweet feeling really

(Tbh I still kinda wish that had happened instead, because Lord knows Goh's Starters sure as hell NEED someone to train them a hell of a lot more than Ash’s Lucario does)

We'd need to see both in action close together. Though I'd argue that with the Journeys team there might not even be one true "ace", and instead all the Pokemon will be ace-tier in their own right: Dragonite has proven to be able to take hits like a champ and currently has an undefeated record; Lucario is the designated Mega Evolver and has gotten the most fleshed-out training arc; Gengar is the designated Gigantamaxer and shares a similar background to Charizard and Infernape, who are the aces of their respective teams; Dracovish became the first ever Pokemon to knock out a Champion's Pokemon; Pikachu doesn't need an explanation on top of being the designated Z-Move user of Ash's team. Sirfetch'd is the one outlier, but that'll most likely change when the Drasna episode airs.

Dracovish was also revived from a Fossil and fossil Pokemon have been shown to retain the memories of their past lives (in Dracovish's case, the memories of the Vish half at least), so it was likely just strong to begin with

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Hope Greninja still gets to battle in pwc as well, even briefly. He could use some redemption imo

I don't personally think Greninja needs any kind of redemption. It performed very well in its Gym battles, the Kalos League, and the Team Flare crisis.

 

[Die-Hard Dragon Devotee]

I don't personally think Greninja needs any kind of redemption. It performed very well in its Gym battles, the Kalos League, and the Team Flare crisis.

I think he means that Greninja should go out with a win instead of a loss.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

I think he means that Greninja should go out with a win instead of a loss.

I think Greninja's achievements during the crisis could be considered a big win.

 

[Queen Cynthia]

Greninja and Lucario in one episode. Wow!
Two Pokemon having a special connection to Ash thanks to the bond phenomenon and aura. Now that sounds like an intense episode I've always wanted to see. Hope it'll be epic!

Although I don't think it'll be likely to happen, I wish Dracovish would get replaced by Greninja. Dracovish-fans, don't be mad at me now but that Pokemon is just too ordinary. (Yes, I know it defeated Iris' Haxorus, but frankly, Iris wasn't that strong in the PWC and apart from that Drcovish hasn't done much so far...)
My point is if Ash really wants to hold his own in the Master Class, he'll need his ultimate all-star team, and that of course includes Greninja, Infernape, Charizard and maybe one of his Alolan Pokemon (Lycanroc/Melmetal/Naganadel) as well.

Gengar is the designated Gigantamaxer and shares a similar background to Charizard and Infernape

You mean because he was abandoned or treated badly by his former trainer just like the other two?

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Although I don't think it'll be likely to happen, I wish Dracovish would get replaced by Greninja. Dracovish-fans, don't be mad at me now but that Pokemon is just too ordinary. (Yes, I know it defeated Iris' Haxorus, but frankly, Iris wasn't that strong in the PWC and apart from that Drcovish hasn't done much so far...)

Dracovish will be getting some focus in the next week's episodes.

My point is if Ash really wants to hold his own in the Master Class, he'll need his ultimate all-star team, and that of course includes Greninja, Infernape, Charizard and maybe one of his Alolan Pokemon (Lycanroc/Melmetal/Naganadel) as well.

Ash's current team is plenty strong. Even if him using reverses would be awesome, I don't think it's necessary.

 

[Unireon]

Ash's current team is plenty strong.

Strong due to the writers giving them buffs when required.

Almost none of their feats feel earned, instead some are asspulls.

Without continuous onscreen development, it is not believable.

I'd rather have Satoshi lose, badly, and realise that he needs either reinforcements.....
Or swap the full team, sans Pikachu, for his past Aces.

 

[Queen Cynthia]

Strong due to the writers giving them buffs when required.

Almost none of their feats feel earned, instead some are asspulls.

Without continuous onscreen development, it is not believable.

I'd rather have Satoshi lose, badly, and realise that he needs either reinforcements.....
Or swap the full team, sans Pikachu, for his past Aces.

I agree with you. (Although I think some victories did in fact feel earned)
I mean when was the last time we've seen Ash actually train his current Pokemon? And with training I mean actual training, not just calling out a few moves.
Apart from the Iris battle, Dracovish usually plays the comedic part in Ash's team, the successor of Piplup and Oshawott so to speak. If you ask me, the only clown Ash can afford to have on his team right now is, literally speaking, Mr. Mime. ...wait, oh well, that wouldn't be such a bad idea after all! I've always thought that Mr. Mime would eventually turn out to be Ash's secret ace and I'm sure he would really rock in the Hyper and the Master Class .

But coming back to my original concern: If we're supposed to believe that Ash is actually able to stand his ground in the Master Class (without being given cheap DEM victories courtesy of the writers) I think it's vital for him to start using those Pokemon that have been around for some time and have already gathered plenty of experience. I mean it hasn't been long since he got Dragonite, Gengar and Lucario and we hardly saw them train. Well, Dragonite has always been pretty strong per se, Gengar and Lucario have been given Gigantamax and Megaevolution. So, I guess we can buy it off the writers those Pokemon are somehow ready for the Master Class. But why continue with Dracovish who's been pretty ordinary so far if we could have Greninja that's easily among the three or four strongest Pokemon Ash ever had?
If you ask me it would be a shame if they didn't let Greninja stay for at least a few battles in the Ultra and Master Class considering that almost every Pokemon on Ash's team now has got some form of special ability. It goes without saying that Ash-Greninja would fit into this pattern just perfectly.

 

[Lucifer Angel]

Now this eppy sounds interesting just from the title alone.

 

[Rath]

Strong due to the writers giving them buffs when required.

Almost none of their feats feel earned, instead some are asspulls.

Without continuous onscreen development, it is not believable.

I'd rather have Satoshi lose, badly, and realise that he needs either reinforcements.....
Or swap the full team, sans Pikachu, for his past Aces.

Swapping them out would be a massive waste, they need to be the ones used in the PWC finals. If Ash was just going to use his old Pokemon for the battles that matter, there'd be no point in giving him new ones in the first place.

 

[Unireon]

Swapping them out would be a massive waste, they need to be the ones used in the PWC finals. If Ash was just going to use his old Pokemon for the battles that matter, there'd be no point in giving him new ones in the first place.

There was a point in that plotline, but not anymore.

They are already wasted by now, discarding them wouldn't make any difference.

Since their characterization is non-existent and their growth, contrived/forced.
Why should I care about those Pokemon, the reserves are better in those aspects.

 

[puddleths]

Swapping them out would be a massive waste, they need to be the ones used in the PWC finals. If Ash was just going to use his old Pokemon for the battles that matter, there'd be no point in giving him new ones in the first place.

Mixing the old with the new doesn't seem like much of an issue. Not like this team has some unbreakable bond... or has ever really been used together, for that matter.

 

[Gengarzilla]

And with that, Journeys is officially dead to me. No more. I'm through. This was the one, single, solitary, unmoving red line that I would never in several trillion millennia ever tolerate them crossing. They're pulled a lot of junk so far but this just tops literally all my worst expectations and then some.

See you in the Gen IX series! Hopefully it won't be as atrocious as this one's been...

 

[Die-Hard Dragon Devotee]

And with that, Journeys is officially dead to me. No more. I'm through. This was the one, single, solitary, unmoving red line that I would never in several trillion millennia ever tolerate them crossing. They're pulled a lot of junk so far but this just tops literally all my worst expectations and then some.

See you in the Gen IX series! Hopefully it won't be as atrocious as this one's been...

I have to ask though, since I remember you saying something similar to this about Ash's Greninja in the past, why do you dislike it so much? Is it because it stole screentime from all of Ash's other Pokemon in XYZ?

 

[Sai]

And with that, Journeys is officially dead to me. No more. I'm through. This was the one, single, solitary, unmoving red line that I would never in several trillion millennia ever tolerate them crossing. They're pulled a lot of junk so far but this just tops literally all my worst expectations and then some.

See you in the Gen IX series! Hopefully it won't be as atrocious as this one's been...

If Ash having two powerful pokemon meeting bothers you so much I don't know what to tell you. We sat through two decades of Ash having unevolved starters and losing every league.

If Greninja knocking down Diantha's Gardevoir bothered you so much as you said before, I don't know why Ash being strong enough is a bad thing. Perhaps seeing Ash use Oshawott and lose to Cameron back in BW is what people want again I guess...lol

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

And with that, Journeys is officially dead to me. No more. I'm through. This was the one, single, solitary, unmoving red line that I would never in several trillion millennia ever tolerate them crossing. They're pulled a lot of junk so far but this just tops literally all my worst expectations and then some.

See you in the Gen IX series! Hopefully it won't be as atrocious as this one's been...

Believe me, I may not be the biggest fan of Greninja either, but I personally don't see anything bad in it returning.