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SPOILERS: Masters Eight Discussion/Speculation Thread

Who says Ash is going to the next region? This whole arc has "series finale" written all over it; I'm convinced they might be starting over with a new protagonist for Scarlet and Violet. There's literally nowhere else for them to go.
There are tons of Elite 4 or champions Ash has never beat.
 
Who says Ash is going to the next region? This whole arc has "series finale" written all over it; I'm convinced they might be starting over with a new protagonist for Scarlet and Violet. There's literally nowhere else for them to go.
Or we still have Ash, but the SV series is a reboot. Not a soft reboot like BW and SM were, just a full continuity reboot. Either that or Ash goes the way of Goku and continues to search for new challenges. As JN100 stated, Leon can still grow stronger despite already being the strongest, so the same is true for Ash.
 
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I figure Iris might get to win one battle or else there was no point to bring her back. Like if she faces Cynthia in the first round she's doomed.

That's why I can see Iris vs Lance because they're both dragon masters and it gives her a shot at winning. And none of the other champions have any connection to her so seeing her beat say Diantha would be pointless
 
Ash is way too iconic and recognizable for them to replace. They're about twenty years too late to make changing protagonists work with the Pokemon anime. I'm sure that they'll just find something for Ash to do ideally within the new region.

A full on reboot wouldn't be impossible, but I'd be surprised if that does happen. The continuity has never been much of a barrier for fans and I don't know if they'd want to erase all of the older Pokemon and companions that could be used to tie into future games. Plus, regardless of how well Ash does in the PWC, I don't think it would prevent the writers from doing something new with Ash or having him start a new journey. While I know it isn't the same thing as a tournament full of Champion level trainers, getting to the Kalos League finals didn't stop them from having Ash start fresh with a new team and region. I could see them doing something similar regardless of where Ash ends up in the PWC.
 
The important thing about that is, while Ash made it to the finals of Kalos, he still didn't win. And I'm sure the writers did that so there would be a justification, however flimsy, for him to travel to the next region and compete in the next League. Of course, Alola wasn't structured like past Leagues, but it was nonetheless the first region where Ash actually won the League. There's a pattern to Ash's placement in the various regional tournaments, and it's been consistent in every region except one.

In Kanto he placed in the Top 16. In both Johto and Hoenn he placed in the Top 8. In Sinnoh, he made it to the quarterfinals. Unova marks the only region so far where Ash regressed from a previous League placement, coming in the Top 8 once again. However, Unova served as a "reset" for the anime as a whole, so from a storytelling perspective Ash's poor performance makes sense in that context. In Kalos he returned to his original trajectory, only losing in the finals, and this trend continued in Alola, where he finally won a League tournament. The Masters Eight are a tournament of Champions and Trainers of equivalent skill, and Ash has earned his place in it partly by virtue of his status as the Alola Champion.

So with the exception of the "reset" in Unova, every regional tournament has seen Ash place at least as high as the previous one, if not higher. He is already a Champion; the only higher achievement left is winning the Masters Eight. And after that, I have no idea. I cannot see them going back to the old formula of Ash traveling through a region, battling Gym Leaders, and competing in the League. But what alternative is there?
 
Honestly, I can see them going back to the old formula of Ash going through a region, battling Gym Leaders and competing in the League. While not likely, I don't think it would be hard to do. Despite getting to battle Champion level trainers at the end, the PWC has largely been unimpressive, which has always made it harder for me to see it as this next step in Ash's goal like other fans have painted it since the beginning. Plus, unless they introduce alien trainers, they kind of have to downscale Ash's next goal. They can't keep increasing the stakes when he's already battling the world's top ranked trainers.

At the very least, I don't think it will be an issue for them to do something else with Ash in the new region. We still know nothing about them, so there could be something they can adapt for Ash's new goal if he isn't doing the Gym Challenge again. They didn't mention Ash being the Alola League Champion for over seventy episodes into Journeys. I don't think his rank in the PWC is going to determine what they'll do with him in the next series since the Alola League was at least not an in-universe justification for doing the PWC.
 
Honestly, I can see them going back to the old formula of Ash going through a region, battling Gym Leaders and competing in the League. While not likely, I don't think it would be hard to do. Despite getting to battle Champion level trainers at the end, the PWC has largely been unimpressive, which has always made it harder for me to see it as this next step in Ash's goal like other fans have painted it since the beginning. Plus, unless they introduce alien trainers, they kind of have to downscale Ash's next goal. They can't keep increasing the stakes when he's already battling the world's top ranked trainers.

At the very least, I don't think it will be an issue for them to do something else with Ash in the new region. We still know nothing about them, so there could be something they can adapt for Ash's new goal if he isn't doing the Gym Challenge again. They didn't mention Ash being the Alola League Champion for over seventy episodes into Journeys. I don't think his rank in the PWC is going to determine what they'll do with him in the next series since the Alola League was at least not an in-universe justification for doing the PWC.
No, but it was used as a justification for Ash to travel the entire world instead of just one region at a time like he used to. SM ends with Ash deciding to travel the world, and that's more or less what he's doing here, the PWC just gives him a more tangible goal.
 
Civility, Politeness, & Respect - Remember That, Please
Alola, everyone.

Just wanted to drop a reminder to be civil, polite, and respectful to one another when conversing - not just in this thread, but the forums altogether. That being said, we've been receiving a notable number of reports lately from this thread in particular. Remember, we all have opinions on how the Masters 8 and conclusion of Journeys will go - each of those opinions need to be presented and addressed with respect. Also, please remember you can use the "Ignore" function for users whose posts you may not like. :bulbaWave:
 
Still wondering what they're planning to do with Paul. I just hope we won't learn he's finally quitted his career as a Pokemon trainer.... :censored:

And have I mentioned yet I'm getting really hyped for the Masters Eight? :LOL:
 
Still wondering what they're planning to do with Paul. I just hope we won't learn he's finally quitted his career as a Pokemon trainer.... :censored:

And have I mentioned yet I'm getting really hyped for the Masters Eight? :LOL:
I want them to reveal that Paul was also in the World Championships, but he’s ranked 10th or 11th or something. The episode could show that he’s frustrated that he barely missed the cutoff for Masters Eight. I think that would be pretty interesting, considering he most likely reaches out to Ash to meet up again after seeing Ash’s 8th ranking.
 
Still wondering what they're planning to do with Paul. I just hope we won't learn he's finally quitted his career as a Pokemon trainer.... :censored:
The logical thing would be to give him a new off-screen powerup if he's still an active trainer.I just can't fully buy into the idea of Iris being champion a few series later when we all know she was way out of his league when BW was new and still airing episodes.

Him being a Frontier Brain or losing in the earlier rounds of the PWC are the only routes to go otherwise it's lazy writing.Someone as competitive as he is couldn't possibly pass up this opportunity.
 
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The logical thing would be to give him a new off-screen powerup if he's still an active trainer.I just can't fully buy into the idea of Iris being champion a few series later when we all know she was way out of his league when BW was new and still airing episodes.

Him being a Frontier Brain or losing in the earlier rounds of the PWC are the only routes to go otherwise it's lazy writing.Someone as competitive as he is couldn't possibly pass up this opportunity.
The latter would mean Paul has REALLY fallen behind Ash
 
The latter would mean Paul has REALLY fallen behind Ash
Yeah if he just stayed stagnent,but I was saying he could be written in as someone that lost to a formidable opponent in the lower rankings.But as I went back to see who participated I could see Paul beating most if not all the trainers in the Normal,Great and Ultra Classes.Seeing as how him and Ash were both equals in DP and he is/was obsessed with gaining power and training his pokemon to the absolute limits should be on Ash's level currently or damn near close to it.

Journeys reached Dragon Ball Super territory by having regular trainers like Iris and Ash become Champion and defeat E4 members in a short period of time.Having Paul come back and have him be at the same level he was in DP would be silly.

Alain's only real advantage over Paul is his OP MCX,Paul is superior to him in many other areas as a trainer.Obtaining Mega Evolutiion/Gigantamax/Z-Move would close the gap between the two.
 
I want them to reveal that Paul was also in the World Championships, but he’s ranked 10th or 11th or something. The episode could show that he’s frustrated that he barely missed the cutoff for Masters Eight. I think that would be pretty interesting, considering he most likely reaches out to Ash to meet up again after seeing Ash’s 8th ranking.
I could never imagine Paul being happy with Ash ranking higher than him now. Man, that Paul must be frustrated!
Also, I'd love to see a battle between Paul and Alain, Ash's strongest two rivals by far. It sure would be an intense fight!

Or maybe ... we're all wrong and will finally learn Paul has become a pacifist (a bit like N in BW) who is opposed to Pokemon battles now... Haven't decided if I would find that idea just funny or disappointing.
 
The worst character most stupid lucky one iris became champion and now one the eighteenth players. I will not accepted and will not like it at all.

Battle pyramid and sinnoh champion most be in the masters eight. Iris and Alan most been through outside it
 
The latter would mean Paul has REALLY fallen behind Ash
I don't think that's too weird, really; it'd actually be strange if everyone's power relative to each other remained static the whole time.
The fact Alain was the only league kicker to make it into Master Eight is a good example; Ash has probably gotten stronger than the others now (except maybe Tobias).
 
I don't mind that Paul isn't in the Master 8. I think having Alain there is a bigger unexpected twist. I do think it's a shame that he wasn't at least in the Ultra Class as one of Ash's opponents. Maybe they didn't want to have more than one former rival for Ash in the tournament or maybe Paul already losing to Ash in the Sinnoh League meant that they didn't need to use the PWC to give them another battle. It does feel a bit weird, but it's possible that his return will be handled fine regardless.
 
I don't think Paul will reach. If both ainnoh league champion, and battle pyramid couldn't. If the worst character most stupid lucky one Iris reached it.

Both sinnoh champion who had both latios with darkrai with battle pyramid most reach it. And aye alder who lost to stupid one iris
 
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