Ash's Ultimate Victory Over Gary in Pokémon Completely Silences Critics

Throughout the Pokémon anime, Ash has faced criticisms of lacking personal growth and failing to learn from his mistakes. However, his remarkable triumph over his rival Gary in the original series offers evidence of Ash's substantial development during his Pokémon journey. Despite its length, Ash's path is marked by genuine growth.

In the early stages of the Pokémon anime, Ash displays childlike behavior, often whining, complaining, and engaging in quarrels with Misty, much as one would expect from a ten-year-old boy. He struggles to accept defeat gracefully, particularly when it involves his main Pokémon rival, Gary Oak. In the beginning, Gary proves to be quite a jerk, constantly provoking Ash by choosing the Pokémon he desires as a starter or flaunting his impressive Pokémon badge collection when Ash only possesses a few. Regardless of Ash's efforts, Gary consistently outshines him, leading Ash to become increasingly frustrated. In fact, a significant source of Ash's initial motivation stems from his desire to surpass Gary, even in trivial matters such as Pokémon size. This competitive drive extends to their battles as well, until Ash's pivotal encounter with Gary during the Johto League Silver Conference.

Ash Proves His Character Growth After Finally Beating Gary

After 250 episodes, Ash and Gary finally have a dramatic face-off in the Silver Conference. Both have made it to the Sweet Sixteen tier, surpassing hundreds of other trainers. This battle showcases their full skills in the rarely seen 6 versus 6 format. Ash fields his Tauros, Muk, Heracross, Charizard, Bayleef, and Snorlax (without his usual Pikachu), while Gary counters with his Blastoise against Ash's Charizard. Despite the typing disadvantage, Ash emerges as the victor thanks to his unique strategies. Instead of gloating, Ash surprises everyone by initiating a quiet conversation with Gary that night. Gary acknowledges Ash's fair win and pledges to cheer him on from the sidelines in the next round, rekindling their childhood friendship.

This behavior from Ash is a far cry from his earlier days in the series. In the beginning, he relished in gloating and would often taunt his opponents. However, after more than 250 episodes, Ash has truly grown. He learned to fight fairly, refraining from overpowering inexperienced trainers with his high-level Charizard. He also developed better relationships with Misty and even came to understand Gary as the latter matured as well. By the time of the Silver Conference, Ash has matured enough to accept defeat gracefully. In fact, Gary is already considering a future in Pokémon research, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Professor Oak. Although Ash's growth may have been slow and inconsistent over time, this particular scene proves his undeniable maturation. Some viewers may find him "boring" in later seasons, but it is precisely because he no longer acts out like in the anime's early episodes.

The Silver Conference marked the conclusion of the original Pokémon series featuring Misty and Brock. Recognizing Ash's progress through this victory, despite not emerging as the overall champion, held significant importance. The rivalry between Ash and Gary in Pokémon initially portrayed animosity, but by the end of the conference, they had reconciled and become friends once again.