SPOILERS: Masters Eight Discussion/Speculation Thread

[Imtnt]

I think reserves would take spotlight away from Ash's Journeys team.

I agree because using for every round a dif reserve doesnt make sense.
PLUS I think it is unlikely we will see reserves.
If its for the Final, I think it could be plot-wise- now that he is using all of his 6 in the Semis and it isn't enough.

Using one or two pokemon out of his JNs team (instead of the so called flops we might see in Friday), could still be a surprise. Surprising both the fans and Leon, who watched every important fight Ash had and might be calculating new moves which will be usfull against Ash.
*Then again, it isn't introduced so well that Leon makes some homwork.. and we didnt see so much of him in the whole tour. If anything at all in the Semis...

 

[Turbo]

I don't even know if there will be enough time to even have Ash vs. Leon.

I kinda agreed because of the breaks but I think it’s more a scheduling thing

We’re either going to get some double episodes to get on schedule for the next series like a Project Mew two parter released together

Or the next series will be pushed back a # weeks so they can release these episodes

As unless they’re forced to change their plan it seems clear we have at the very least 7 episodes (AshvsCynthia, Project Mew, Ash vs Leon) not to mention any conclusion or transitioning episodes so at least 7 means we would be in October which is before November

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

I think reserves would take spotlight away from Ash's Journeys team.

That ignores the fact that
1. They already implemented reserves in a way that doesn’t take the spotlight away from the JN team.
2. The JN team would still greatly outnumber the reserves in a match.
3. They would be the only ones battling Leon under this arrangement.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

That ignores the fact that
1. They already implemented reserves in a way that doesn’t take the spotlight away from the JN team.
2. The JN team would still greatly outnumber the reserves in a match.
3. They would be the only ones battling Leon under this arrangement.

They've only gotten spotlight outside of battles, outside of Infernape's brief participation in the match against Moltres. The battles themselves still belong to Ash's current team.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

They've only gotten spotlight outside of battles, outside of Infernape's brief participation in the match against Moltres. The battles themselves still belong to Ash's current team.

So? One matchup for a reserve wouldn’t ruin the spotlight the JN team is getting. I'm basically just replacing the obligatory Lucario/Pikachu finish with something different. Its pretty weird for me for Ash being the most "unpredictable" masters 8 trainer when he has the most predictable team and moves- specially when Z Moves and Dynamax can be used on every Pokémon, them being wasted on only one is a huge missed opportunity.

 

[Turbo]

So? One matchup for a reserve wouldn’t ruin the spotlight the JN team is getting. I'm basically just replacing the obligatory Lucario/Pikachu finish with something different. Its pretty weird for me for Ash being the most "unpredictable" masters 8 trainer when he has the most predictable team and moves- specially when Z Moves and Dynamax can be used on every Pokémon, them being wasted on only one is a huge missed opportunity.

I think it would ruin the Pokemon that gets replaced in this case
Like if Greninja replaces Dracovish or Infernape with Sirfetch etc etc
Then those Pokemon get shafted by not getting their “moment” in the final tournament

There is a story line where they can write around it whether good or not kinda like Ash in the indigo league against Richie,

But if the reason is because of unpredictability I think that discredits previous leagues that kept that series team

I'm not against reserves but it feels from fans more (not necessarily you) like they don't like the JN team or a specific JN Pokemon and want the old ones/fan favorite back instead of just looking forward to what this team can do

But I think on paper just replacing one member of the team for a reserve feels too forced and in a way disrespects that substituted team member as it wasn’t done at all this series

 

[Daren]

For me, at least, I was hoping to see reserves because frankly a lot of them lose their last battle then Ash discards them, and it's at odds with his characterization in the first half of the series and makes the show's thesis that he loves Pokémon feel hollow. If so why does he barely spend time with so many of his apparently close friends? Why shouldn't they have a chance to be involved in a big victory so they can feel pride in their accomplishment?

 

[Turbo]

For me, at least, I was hoping to see reserves because frankly a lot of them lose their last battle then Ash discards them, and it's at odds with his characterization in the first half of the series and makes the show's thesis that he loves Pokémon feel hollow. If so why does he barely spend time with so many of his apparently close friends? Why shouldn't they have a chance to be involved in a big victory so they can feel pride in their accomplishment?

That's more a general Pokemon thing from the anime to games to other media

It's like asking why does he want a new team every series?
He had a capable team in __ and they're all his friends so why leave them with Oak when he goes to ___

I think that's just what it is every series if you don't like it that's fine but it applies to every series

As stuff like the Battle frontier and Sinnoh league were the exceptions

 

[Daren]

As stuff like the Battle frontier and Sinnoh league were the exceptions

At the time those were the normal, not exceptions. OS, AG, and DP all let older Pokémon do things.
Edit:

That's more a general Pokemon thing from the anime to games to other media

I don't think it's really the same in the games; each one has a different protagonist so Ruby/Sapphire doesn't still have you playing as Red, having left everyone at home.

 

[Hidden Mew]

Honestly, I'm still not surprised that they didn't use Ash's reserves. While that would potentially make defeating Champion level trainers more believable and give some varieties to his battles too, I didn't think that they'd bring them in during the last stretch of the series. Putting aside how I feel about the PWC and his Journeys team on the side for a moment, I didn't think that he'd need to bring in his older Pokemon for the Master Class when his Journeys team already got him through most of the tournament already. Plus, if they were going to make use of his reserves, I figured that it would have started earlier in the PWC instead of the last minute. Infernape and Greninja getting some appearances weren't enough to make me think that he'd bring in his older Pokemon for the Master Class.

That being said, I certainly can't blame anyone for being upset or disappointed that his reserves aren't being used. If they could have gone for a balance between his old and current teams, similar to how reserves were handled for the Sinnoh League, it could have worked. Admittedly, I'm not sure how well they could have pulled that off given the screentime issue for Pokemon in this series in general and Ash's DP team as a whole was more well developed than his Journeys team, but going for a mix between his current team and reserve could have worked.

 

[cricketlaxwolvesbandy]

For me, at least, I was hoping to see reserves because frankly a lot of them lose their last battle then Ash discards them, and it's at odds with his characterization in the first half of the series and makes the show's thesis that he loves Pokémon feel hollow. If so why does he barely spend time with so many of his apparently close friends? Why shouldn't they have a chance to be involved in a big victory so they can feel pride in their accomplishment?

Greninja
Infernape won its last battle though

 

[Imtnt]

It is not about a progress of PWC anymore.. the final is the only match maters in JNs, it is not a final boss for being number 1 - it is a goal of its own.

But there is something about the fact Ash in the Semis seems to know he has to be stronger than that.. and we get 2 episodes a break for Goh and it means Ash will get more time for a special training.. and who know he might be rethinking his 6 (now that he used them all).

To be honest, it feels there is a small connection between how Jns treats reserves and Ash's old friends. They are there, but only for the cheers, and from distance. If they are going to give us some more interactions familiar faces in the next episodes it might also light up an option for using older pokemon.

 

[Turbo]

At the time those were the normal, not exceptions. OS, AG, and DP all let older Pokémon do things.

Sure I just mean as of now out of the seven series (Os for me is Kanto-Johto making it one series so his kanto pokemon in the silver conference I don't view as “old” Pokemon) two have done it with BF being in a weird space imo so it's the exception not the rule to me at least

And for better or worse they have made an effort to make the series more separate after DP. So they're just sticking with that it seems
So if you're just looking at it from the first three series pov I get it but it's been three series since then that haven't done that, at most was Charizard in BW who wasnt in the league

Edit:
I don't think it's really the same in the games; each one has a different protagonist so Ruby/Sapphire doesn't still have you playing as Red, having left everyone at home.

I mean that the protagonist is always the player aka us not the entities of Red, May, Lucas etc,
We have box Pokemon whether we just caught or got gifted one extra than the six team limit
Or were trying to fill the pokedex
Or even just a HM Pokemon in older gens

Not to even added the transfer between generation mechanic

It's just a Pokemon thing to have more than six Pokemon therefore we put them in storage which in Ash’s case is with Professor Oak


And even with the different protagonist idea there are so many variables from different universes, timelines, remakes, etc that make that point really weird
As there's no canon version of game characters if that makes sense

 

[Turbo]

For me, at least, I was hoping to see reserves because frankly a lot of them lose their last battle then Ash discards them, and it's at odds with his characterization in the first half of the series and makes the show's thesis that he loves Pokémon feel hollow. If so why does he barely spend time with so many of his apparently close friends? Why shouldn't they have a chance to be involved in a big victory so they can feel pride in their accomplishment?

Recently watched this episode and I think this kinda sums up the thing with Ash (sorry for quality and frame rate can't post video so I had to make a gif)

And don't know if the translation from JP is 100%
but basically they treat Ash using just his Hoenn team as bold and maybe not the smartest thing and that using his old pokemon might have given him an advantage just on the fact that Kanto and Johto Pokemon are more rare in Hoenn

But Ash is set on his plan to just use his Hoenn team so they let him be

Basically the same logic for this Journeys team (you can argue about them wording like being a “team”)

It's Ash logic, not the most optimized, pre thought out, plan but the one he feels most comfortable in a feels is best

 

[BigDocFan]

As we have no confirmed episode threads for the match featuring Ash battling Leon, I thought I would create a thread where we can have a guess at what might happen

A full battle is confirmed, that is good, we know Ash will likely use his current team

 

[fidjnr]

Leon maybe in heaven but he will leave (As the runner up) in 11
If Ash will get Leon around the bend he will end it in 10
Ash will be fine he will win it in 9
Leon maybe be great but he will leave in 8
If he'll (Leon) wanna go to Heaven then he (Ash) will get him in 7
Leon will be in a worse fix if Ash will cut it in 6
barring any major mishaps if Leon keeps talking jive he will go in 5
same as the previous one if Leon makes Ash's pride sore then he'll (Leon) go like moore aka down in 4
same as the previous two if Leon keeps talking about Ash then Ash will get Leon in 3
same as the previous three if that won't do then Leon will fall in 2
and as same on the previous four if Leon will run he'll go in 1 and if Leon don't wanna fight he'll kept himself home that night

 

[RetroPokeFan]

We've seen Mega Evolution vs Dynamax, Mega Evolution vs G-MAX, Z-Move vs Mega Evolution, G-MAX vs G-MAX.

Do you wanna know what we haven't seen yet? Z-Move vs G-MAX (well also Mega vs Mega but alas that ship has sailed with Cynthia's battle). I'm hoping we get to see Pikachu vs Charizard once more and it's able to deliver on that front since we all know Ash is NEVER G-Maxing Pikachu ever again and that's Gengar's now.

 

[Daren]

Yeah, I'll be amazed if we don't see Pikachu Z-Move VS Gigantizard.

I've said before but I'll repeat; I expect Ash's old companions to come to cheer for him (or at least Brock and Misty).

For the final outcome I lean to Ash winning. Leon's story in the game is tightly wrapped up in being defeated by the new generation so adapting him as a roadblock would be a very strange choice.

 

[cricketlaxwolvesbandy]

Yeah, I'll be amazed if we don't see Pikachu Z-Move VS Gigantizard.

But we saw the Z Move vs Metagross

 

[cricketlaxwolvesbandy]

I just want to see all of Ash’s companions in person watching the battle at the stadium.
GMAX Gengar would make sense here and seeing GMAX Pika would be cool.