Is it possible for Misty to go out and earn her own badges

[owenpeterson]

Something occurred to me as I was watching the series. It occurred to me during the Whirl Cup match between Ash and Misty with Misty going over in the end. It got me to thinking that if they made her the victor in the match, then why doesn't she or Brock (as well as Iris and Cilan) go out and earn their own gym badges? I mean, Misty herself has even bragged about becoming a Water Pokemon Master and she and Ash do have a competitive rivalry with each other based on what others have said. She even took interest in the Orange League badges because of their seashell shapes. However I do have a theory for this.

I'm guessing it's because of a few factors.

1. Misty and Brock are gym leaders and a gym leader is already a high enough standing position in the Pokemon League and the badges are meant for general Pokemon trainers like Ash.
2. Type specialists like Brock and Misty know full well that Rock and Water type Pokemon respectively can't cut it alone against every gym leader or other trainers in the tournament. You need variety like various fire, water, grass, electric and rock Pokemon on your team.

May I also mention that another factor is because several of Ash's traveling partners (even those who aren't gym leaders) have dreams of their own:

• Brock wants to be a Pokemon Breeder/Doctor.
• Tracey is a Pokemon Watcher.
• May and Dawn are Pokemon Coordinators
• Max is just getting a hands on experience before he becomes a trainer himself as he is not yet old enough to be one.
• Cilan wants to be a Pokemon Connoisseur.

I mention Misty here specifically because she never stated what main goal she had in her life that doesn't involve earning badges and competing in Pokemon League tournaments. Misty was already an established Gym Leader even when she was traveling with Ash. Iris on the other hand, wasn't a Gym Leader when she was traveling with Ash, so why couldn't she try earning badges herself?

What is the main goal for a type specialist and does my theory make any sense?

 

[Moe]

Perhaps a bit off your intended topic - but I think it should be mandatory, not just 'possible'. It's utterly baffling to me how gym leaders don't have a requirement to have eight badges - beating someone who isn't good enough/hasn't tried to make it to the Pokemon League is the test to whether you can make it to the Pokemon league?

Obviously the Gym leaders couldn't be all ex-champions, but considering 256 trainers have entered a single Pokemon League in the anime, 8 badges clearly isn't onerous.

That said - even if it wasn't required - I think it would be a very good acknowledgement if Misty or anyone else decided that they thought they needed to prove themselves to that level to be confident in their own abilities. I suppose the ideal from the anime perspective would be Ash running into them while trying to challenge the Gym leader of their same type in a different region. Misty vs Marlon would have been much nicer than watching Cameron.

 

[Muur]

You probably can't if you're already a Gym Leader. Maybe if you resign you can enter? as long as you don't use your own badge of course...

 

[Hidden Mew]

I don't think that Misty was an established Gym Leader when she was traveling with Ash. She didn't become a Gym Leader until she left. There's no indication that she battled against challengers prior to Ash and the only reason she battled Ash was because her sisters didn't have Pokemon and were just going to give him the badge. As for Gym battles, it's probably not allowed for Gym Leaders to challenge other Gyms while they still hold their positions as Gym Leaders. Plus, it would require them to leave the Gym for a long period of time and I'm not sure if Misty would want to do that either. She could leave the Gym for her own training journeys like what Fantina does, but it might be too long to do even that.

As for the other characters, they have goals that don't really require them to go after badges. It wouldn't make sense for Tracey to even consider them and both Brock and Cilan's goals don't really require battling to begin with. As for Iris, I don't think that she was interested in going after Gym badges because that would require for her to battle more often and she didn't really do much to achieve her Dragon Master goal even during those Club Battle tournaments. Besides that, she couldn't have tried challenging Gyms while traveling with Ash anyway since that would make each Gym Leader match twice as long, or even longer if one of them lost, and that would just make the pacing tedious.

 

[pokemon fan 132]

Its certainly not out of realm of plausible possibilities. It would fit nicely with Misty story too since she wanted to become strongest water trainer in world and this way she could follow Wallace footsteps who also left gym to go on journey to improve skills, enter league becoming champion abnd eventually one of top class water experts.

Definitely has potential imo.

Why i mentioned Misty collecting badges fits with her story and own dreams in a way?
Well as some may not renember Misty had main goal in life. It was to become water pokemon master and one of main reasons behind leaving gym leader position when traveling with Ash until her susters called her back having to help them out.

Goal she used to brag about but never really accomplished . Involving to become strongest water trainer in world. It was also showed with Whirl Cup going by prof. Elm and sea priest Maya how there exists prestige water events you need to enter and obtain erving as steps which bring you closer toward title of water master(proof;its said how winner gets title Alpha Omega of water being one of tasks water masters from past achieved) and netting ticket to prove your worth, learn about more effective techniques and get recognized by other trainers worldwide.

Additionally Misty showed open interest in E4 member Lorelei in Orange Islands openly saying how she is her idol admiring knowledge and skilled use of water/ice types.
Coincidentally enough her game counterpart worships Lorelei too stating she plans to leave gym to meet stronger trainers and become stronger.
With E4 members being strongest mono trainers in world and labeled as type masters in games.

So in Misty case based on that it makes lot of sense to go on journey to become E4 member of water types.

Which is where OP idea about Misty going on quest to challenge gym leaders and earn gym badges herself holds water. Considering how one of ways to earn right to battle E4 members lies in winning pokemon league. There are always alternate ways i presume though like becoming E4 apprentice taking over their position after their retirement possibly through recommendation.

In advent of that Misty going on journey to try collect badges and qualify for pokemon league makes sense. Because going by Wallace who is one of strongest water trainers in world(quite possibly closest to water pokemon master we encountered so far), he also used to be gym leader of Sootopolis city leaving gym to Juan to go on journbey and improve as trainer. Eventually entering Hoenn league based on what both games and amnime mentioned becoming champoion. One of top water experts in world and later on contest master as well.

All through use of mostly water pokemon, showing how if you train enough and develop adequate strategies you can overcome any challenge even with use of only one type of pokemon. Something E4 members mastered as well not having any trouble in battling all kind of pokemon types with single one.

For same reason alone in pokemon world every gym leder which strived, strive to become stronger, carry his name on global basis to bde acknowledged for skills and gain more experience learning about more innovative way of battling, training and knowing pokemon strenhth and weaknesses leave his place at one point. Wallace, Cilan, Brock etc are cpouple examples. Candice too simce she promised her friend Zoey how she will leave gym some day and become champion indicating how she will go on journey.

Giving to Misty purpose and justification to follow same footsteps eventually working under presumption her sisters become more reliable thus allowing to freely leave gym for long time periods. Going on quest to defeat other gym leaders and earn right to challenge E4 members herself with aspiuration of getting promoted to such position herself. Fitting her adventurous, competitive attitude of wanting to become best as possible with water pokemon making name for herself in world.

p.s. Regarding dilemma about Misty being gym leader or not when traveling with Ash? I recall it was mentioned several times how she is one of Cerulean gym leaders in OS.

It was mentioned in "Waterflowers of Cerulean City"(if im not mistaken), in "Totodile Duel"when battling Ash with Misty stating how she "needs to defend her reputation as gym leader". In third pokemon movie when battling against Molly and her mirage pokemon as some of examples i can think from top of my mind.

 

[henrymidfields]

I think it's feasible for Misty. Theoretically, the type in question only has two weaknesses, and even then there are decent counters for those two. For Grass, an Ice-type attack would help, which most Pokemon can learn. Some water Pokemon can also nullify Electric types with dual typings (Whiscash and Quagsire) and counter spamming Earthquake etc (possibly Wacan Berry-(insert any Pokemon not having x4 weakness to Electric)). And there's always Water + Dragon types (eg Kingdra) which can somewhat resist both.

 

[Alola]

I'm not sure I understand your theory entirely, but there are some portions of your question I can provide an answer for.

As for the main goal of a type specialist, I would say that it is to truly maximize the potential of their selected type. Thus that includes solely using that type in battle, successfully developing effective counters for types stronger than said specialized type, being knowledgeable about that type (such as weaknesses, advantages, origins, trivia, etc), being able to train others with said type, being comfortable handling any Pokemon of said type and just overall having a clearly explicit passion for that type. Once all of that criteria has been met, then you can officially declare yourself a type specialist (in addition to whomever makes the status official).

Given what I just said, I don't feel that type specialists should actually go out and vie for badges. It would be pointless, especially when they could and should focus on honing their own desired type expertise. Additionally, there would be Gyms that they technically would not be able to defeat due to a type disadvantage. And as Hidden Mew said, it would also require already established Gym Leaders to have to leave their Gyms for this venture, much to the chagrin of challengers. So let's leave badge collecting for trainers who wish to become ultimate Pokemon Masters.

 

[pokemon fan 132]

Given what I just said, I don't feel that type specialists should actually go out and vie for badges. It would be pointless, especially when they could and should focus on honing their own desired type expertise. Additionally, there would be Gyms that they technically would not be able to defeat due to a type disadvantage. And as Hidden Mew said, it would also require already established Gym Leaders to have to leave their Gyms for this venture, much to the chagrin of challengers. So let's leave badge collecting for trainers who wish to become ultimate Pokemon Masters.

Technically last part shouldn't represent too much of an issue for gym leaders which want to become something more having other, bigger dreams to accomplish. If substitute is found filling up for those who leave. I mean Fantina leaves gym for months without any substutute, Candice revealed desire to become champion one day implying she will go on journey possibly challenging gyms.
Or Cilan, Brock, Clemont, Wallace etc, etc who left on long travels in advancing their skills or trying to accomplish their own dreams after finding substitute .

Which extends to Misty as well since her ultimate goal is to become water pokemon master and reach strength of her idol E4 Lorelei for which traveling is required(because of entering tournaments to make you noticed for skills globally as Whirl Cup showed revealing there exist special tasks to bring you closer toward title and ability to learn more through journey).

E4 members are best mono trainers in world i mean so its not strange imo for Misty to go on quest to become perhaps their apprentice or elite member herself one day. Because they are ones which learned how to maximize full strength of type they specialize in being strongest specialists out there.

Which is where OP theory of collecting badges and battling gym leaders makes sense given how one of ways to earn right to challenge E4 and become one of them is through qualifying for league and collecting badges.

It kinda happened in games already with Misty game counterpart leaving gym to travel, challenge stronger trainers and sharp her skills if events which took place in BW2 games were something to go by. And her famechecker dialogue in Gold, Silver.

Would it happen? Unlikely, but in theory it would make sense in my opinion.

 

[owenpeterson]

Great posts, but I just thought of another factor that may perhaps what would lead me to conclude why I believe Misty shouldn't seek her own badges. I believe it's because she chooses not to.

She's one of Ash's traveling partners and to earn her own badges while traveling with him would have labeled her as more of a rival for Ash and less of a friend, and Misty doesn't want that. As I have stated before, she does tend to be competitive with Ash, but she doesn't want to do it too much to the point where her goals wind up clashing with his. She obviously wants him to do his best to achieve his goals and she really cares about him (even more so than friendship but that's another matter altogether) which is why she prefers to root for him in the Gym Battles and Pokemon League Tournaments as opposed to challenging the gym leaders herself so it wouldn't hurt their friendship.

The reason why she entered the Whirl Cup was because it was a Water Pokemon only tournament and this was the biggest chance to showcase how great of a water type trainer she was. Ash entered because he enjoys competing in Pokemon tournaments. This tournament obviously meant more to Misty than it did to Ash, which is why they made her win her match with him. Water type specialists don't get many chances like these to prove how great they are to a large audience. Ash obviously had bigger fish to fry, IE the Pokemon League Tournament.

So overall I feel that Misty shouldn't go after the gym badges herself. I think it's because she She knows there are other methods of becoming the greatest Water Pokemon Master, but she prefers to leave the ultimate prize of overall Pokemon Master to Ash Ketchum.

That's what I've come to believe anyway.

 

[majormanafemale]

Misty was not officially gym leader in the anime till Hoenn. So the call Daisy made was justifiable in Kanto episode. But on to bigger topic I really don't see why they didn't switch it up in Johto or orange islands. This really only applies to Misty. May goal eventuallybecame contest. Dawn's goal from start was contest. Iris well idk best wishes was mess. Now will Serena have a goal I sure hope so.

 

[Jukain]

I was discussing this in another thread. Apparently, anyone can be a gym leader in the anime as long as they meet the League's requirements. You only need to be skilled enough to make trainers think twice about their tactics. However, I don't suppose there is anything preventing them from having collected the badges beforehand. The games seem to imply that there is little separating the gym leaders and E4, they are all pretty doggone powerful, and it can be plainly seen they had to have proven their mastery to begin with to even be a gym leader. I would prefer it this way, but this does not seem to be true in the anime. Although, it seems they were trying to invoke this with Iris, mastering other pokemon before she could master dragons. Then again, the idea has long been that dragons are much harder to train than other pokemon, so I guess the idea was that she needed to be flipping good at other pokes first before taking on dragons. (Then again, what happened in the anime makes me more think that it's not harder per se, but rather that it takes more patience since it takes a long time for a dragon to control it's abilities and/or temperament) I still think the same thing could apply for ANY type. It's about more than concentrating on one type. You have to understand how all types act relative to it. It's no different than mastering any other pokemon.

 

[pokemon fan 132]

After reading few last posts and rethinking it through for Misty collecting badges isn't necessarily only way to become master of water pokemon, but being gym leaders wont allow this either. Going by games and anime canon from what i gathered myself makes suggestion of mentioned character going on quest to collect badges even more sense.

Because even in game canon as far as gym leaders go only those who wish to become something more than gym leader and bring their skills to higher level go on special training and own ventures. Or go to journey to become champions prior to that presumably collecting badhes.

Something which extends itself to anime too where game canon was followed with Wallace who at some point ensured gym to Juan to travel and compete in league becoming champion. Candice from Snowpoint promised her friend Zoey that eventually she will go on journey and try to become champion.
Etc.

Which strongly indicates how as means to get there part of it lies in traveling and battling other gym leaders to collect badges and earn right to enter league.

With Misty as i mentioned before both in anime and games they worship E4 Lorelei. In games(Gold Silver, HGSS and BW2 in World Cup) Misty plans to go traveling and improve skills battling stronger trainers. While in anime Misty also wants to become best water trainer in world and learn how to master water pokemon.

With her desires exceeding position of gym leader shooting for higher ranks such as E4 member, top water experts in world who carried out his name and reputation through entering and wining prestigue tournaments like Whirl Cup or even becoming champion like Wallace had making him with this achievement effective top water trainer currently known in world.

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Now please do bear with me to explain reasoning why i constantly bring up Misty water pokemon master dream, E4 position and possibly going out there to earn badges?

Because in Misty case only afore mentioned things serve as ways to become worldwide honored and one of best water trainers in world.

Granted i suppose there are alternative ways to become E4 member through possibly becoming legatee or battling special evluators and passing tests somewhat similar to what Battle Frontier established, and entering specialized tournaments where you can make name for yourself and prove your worh as expert to all other water trainers worldwide like Whirl Islands showed.

However there is no denying how Wallace is strongest water trainer or one of them in world and prior to achieving such status he became champion carying out expertize and realization of how to ue specific type of pokemon to maximum potential(in his case water). Collecting badhes himself.

Which is where Misty going on quest to battle other fellow gym leaders and earn badges makes sense.

I mean yea you could make a point how in anime Drayden is gym leader and dragon master. But we reliably know through what was stated by elders in dragon village how Drayden didn't achieved this goal solely by becoming gym leader and we don't know what trials and challenges he needed to overcome before becoming recognized as enough knowledgeable and skilled to earn such title.

Even so while with Iris goal it was showed how "dragon master" means specific title which is given to those from dragon village who have proven themselves to be worthy of it by having immense knowledge and expertise about dragons.
Making it possible as showed with Drayden how you can be both gym leader and dragon master. Not needing to collect badges, travel around the world entering all kind of tournaments, become E4 member etc.

In Misty case things are notably different. She has more complex dream wanting to become something much higher(best water trainer in world),which is basically becoming one of E4 since they are best mono trainers. Interesting notion is how in games only E4 members are classified as mono type masters being recognized and acknowledged for ability to extract full strength of single pokemon type on surface, truly understand its nature and develop most effective strategies for type specialist.

That and with Whirl Cup it was showed how there exist tasks, tournaments you need to enter expanding abit on whole term.Episodes like "Around the Whirlpool", "Dueling Heroes" or "Perfect duel" further touch this revealing how there exist specific tasks to conquer like coordinators do with contests.

Hency why in Misty case if it ever comes down to go on badge hunting quest and follow Wallace footsteps it would make in theory more sense than it would for Iris.

Despite both girls aiming to master specific type.

p.s. Its interesting how type master careers can be similar yet so different in ways of what title entails and represents. Similar how word "light" can have different meanings either being opposite to heavy, or referring to term "bright". Word "Crane" can refer to animal, but it also describes tool used to lift heavy objects etc.

Misty was not officially gym leader in the anime till Hoenn. So the call Daisy made was justifiable in Kanto episode. But on to bigger topic I really don't see why they didn't switch it up in Johto or orange islands. This really only applies to Misty. May goal eventuallybecame contest. Dawn's goal from start was contest. Iris well idk best wishes was mess. Now will Serena have a goal I sure hope so.

Iris goal was to become dragon master. As for Misty i suppose reason why nothing has changed in character finding goal to pursue eventually liker May did with contests is because Misty already had goal established in mind of wanting to reach.

Her goal was to become water pokemon master, strongest water trainer in world.

p.s. As for whole gym leader thing. Based on Misty being labeled as Cerulean gym leader in Kanto, Orange and Johto for multiple times, even in some movies like "Spell of Unknown" i always thought Misty was during travels dormant gym leader whose status was frozen.

I mean i know that at end of "Cerulean Blues" she says how "she finally became gym leader" but that was added by english dub. In original Japanese version this was never said with Misty only asking nurse Joy to let Ash know how everything is fine passing inspection and how being at gym isn't too bad.

Or something similar to those lines.