This is it...the final showdown between Ash and Leon is nearly over, and Eternatus has decided to join the party! But it seems the ancient Pokémon has something else in mind for its return, and it may be the deciding factor in who will emerge as World Coronation Series Champion.
This episode contains the following tropes:
- Animation Bump: During the final clashes between Charizard and Pikachu, the animation becomes much more vibrant and fluid to really show how much these two are giving it their all.
- Back for the Finale: Ash's final major battle in the whole series is witnessed by nearly all of his traveling companions and Pikachu gets a vision of Ash's entire Pokémon roster, past and present, cheering him on as he's on the verge of fainting, giving Pikachu the needed Heroic Second Wind to turn the tide of the battle.
- Bait-and-Switch:
- Despite Eternatus showing up at the end of the last episode to seemingly cause trouble, it was really there to stop the possible destruction caused by all the Galar Particles, and gives Leon and Ash one extra Dynamax Boost for them to battle with.
- After getting hit with a Fire Blast, it seems like Pikachu is down for the count. Then it hears Ash's familiar first words, and soon some friendly faces appear to get him back up.
- When Pikachu gets his Heroic Second Wind, it cuts to him waking up in the Pokémon Center next to Ash, making it seem like it wasn't enough. But Ash confirms the two did win; Pikachu was just so exhausted, he needed immediate treatment.
- Beam-O-War: Overlapped with Brawler Lock. Pikachu and Charizard finish off the battle with Thunderbolt and Fire Blast respectively, which are normally projectile moves, but the two effectively merge with their own attacks for a head-on assault, leading to an utterly explosive final clash.
- The Bus Came Back:
- May and Max make their first and only Journeys appearance here alongside Serena and Lisia, having been left out of the anime since Diamond and Pearl because of the health complications with May's Japanese actress.
- Many Pokémon who haven't appeared on Ash's team such as Primeape, Pidgeot and Nagandel all turn up in Pikachu's vision to cheer him on.
- The Cameo: Every single one of Ash's companions, including the long absent May and Max, all make brief appearances watching Ash's final match. Also, all of Ash's True Companions amongst his Pokémon such as Primeape, Lapras, Nebby and even Ambipom appear in Pikachu's vision.
- Alexa also makes a cameo alongside Brock to watch Ash's final battle against Leon.
- Call-Back:
- Eternatus restores Leon and Ash's Dynamax Bands in the same way the Tapus did to Ash and Kukui's Z-Rings during their final match.
- Brock and Cilan are seen watching Ash's match together, no doubt having finally learned about their mutual connection to Ash after they failed to realize it during their first meeting in the Japanese-only aired post-Black and White special episode.
- Misty is seen at her expanded gym in the pool, wearing the same blue bikini she wore during her Alola guest appearances.
- May, Serena, and Lisia are all watching the match together alongside Max, revealing the three are part of the same Idol Unit that Lisia was putting together during "Reuniting For The First Time!" and that Serena's familiarity with May isn't just by reputation. May's also wearing the same outfit that Chloe wore during the episode.
- Chekhov's Skill: Earlier in the series, Pikachu was established to be able to Gigantamax, but it didn't gel well with Ash's preferred battling style and neither he nor Pikachu used it again in favor of having Gengar have that ability. Given the opportunity to Gigantamax again, Ash has Pikachu use it, and it takes Leon's Cinderace out of the match.
- Dark Is Not Evil: Eternatus may look frightening, but it demonstrates its care for the Galar Region and its people by preventing the Galar Particle buildup from destroying the area.
- Defeating the Undefeatable: With this episode, Ash has managed to do the impossible, and beat Leon, who had never been defeated on screen before.
- Determinator: Pikachu manages to take far more punishment than he normally can because he's that set on winning, and he manages to pull off a nail-biter of a victory.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: After 25 long years, Ash Ketchum finally becomes the very best(, like no one ever was!) by winning the World Championship.
- End of an Age: With the exception of Misty, Brock, Cilan, Tracey, and all of Ash's Pokémon excluding Lycanroc and Melmetal (not counting the ones seen in Pikachu's vision), the rest of Ash's former companions, team members, rivals, and old friends from episodes past make their final appearances here.
- Forgot About His Powers: Leon calls for Cinderace to use G-Max Fireball instead of Max Quake, evidently forgetting the fact that Cinderace's Libero would have made it completely immune to Electric-type moves. It stands out especially because this was the very first play Leon made at the start of the battle.
- Glass Cannon: Despite being able to beat Dracovish, a collision between G-Max Volt Crash and G-Max Pyro Ball knocks Cinderace out of the match for good.
- Graceful Loser: Despite this being his first (official) loss, Leon is overly thrilled that Ash beat him, since he gave him the most epic battle of his life in the process.
- Heroic Second Wind: It seems Pikachu is down for the count, and Ash narrowly lost to Leon...but Pikachu is greeted by the spirit of all of Ash's old Pokémon, including the ones he no longer owns or temporarily traveled with, and is able to pull himself up to win the match.
- Irony: Many years ago, Ash failed to win his first Pokémon League thanks to his Charizard napping on him. Now, he manages to take down Leon's Charizard and finally fulfill his goal of beating the World Monarch.
- Made of Iron: ZigZagged. Pikachu is already well worn from battling previously, and had to will himself past his limits to take down Charizard despite taking even further punishment in the process, but is so exhausted that he collapses afterwards and has to be taken to the Pokémon Center for treatment.
- Once More, with Clarity: The episode fades to a commercial break before we learn who won the match. Pikachu was so exhausted afterward he initially forgot he won upon waking up.
- Post-Victory Collapse: Pikachu could barely walk a few steps back to Ash after the battle before his body gives out.
- Protagonist Title: The titular partners are Ash and Pikachu, obviously. Also doubles as Team Title.
- Real Life Writes the Plot: May and Max have no lines in the original Japanese dub due to May's original voice actress, Kaori, having semi-retired due to vocal chord troubles, and Max's original voice likewise retired. As such, they have no dialogue in the English dub when they appear.
- The Reveal: All of those flashbacks Leon had been having to his childhood were of his first match...and of his first defeat at the hands of Sonia.
- Rule of Cool: Pikachu and Charizard's final clash is full of this, from how they somehow both knew to charge in with their attacks to how it resembles a clash between Volt Tackle and Flare Blitz, even though their current moves were already locked in and Pikachu had forgotten Volt Tackle over a decade ago. There's no real explanation for any of it beyond it just looking plain awesome.
- Rule of Symbolism:
- All of Ash's old traveling companions—Misty, Brock, Tracey, May, Max, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, Clemont, Bonnie, Serena, Lillie, Lana, Mallow, Sophocles, Kiawe, Goh, and Chloe—along with other familiar faces like Professor Oak, Delia Ketchum, Todd Snap, Alexa, Gladion, and Professor Kukui, are all watching with their Pokémon. Even if everyone isn't there with Ash, they're all there with him in spirit. Since most of them appear during Ash's Badass Boast, it's clear he knows he'll win because he has his friends with him.
- When Pikachu falls, he's greeted with the first words Ash ever spoke to him, and all the Pokémon Ash ever traveled with appear before him. There, a spirit of Ash assures him that victory is all but guaranteed, as everyone's there to cheer them on.
- As Ash's Pikachu and Leon's Charizard clash for the final time, the English dub plays the original Indigo League theme song to show that this is indeed Ash's most triumphant moment — a long way from the overeager rookie he started out as — and he is about to fulfill the promise he made to be the best, like no one ever was.
- Morpeko spent the entire tournament in Hangry mode eating whatever snack it could get its hands on. Right as the tournament is about to end, it finally turns back into Full Belly mode.
- All of Ash's Journeys team help him hold up his WCS trophy, symbolizing a team victory against Leon.
- Shout-Out:
- The painting in Ash's hotel room looks similar to "A sailing ship on a high sea by moonlight" by Ivan Aivazovsky.
- Pikachu's Battle Aura during his Heroic Second Wind made him look like a Super Saiyan.
- Stock Sound Effects: Kingler, Muk, Swellow and Boldore are portrayed using Stock Sound Effects of the late Unshō Ishizuka during Pikachu's vision in the Japanese version.
- Theme Music Power-Up: After Pikachu gets his Heroic Second Wind, both versions play the very first theme song from their respective first seasons - Aim to be a Pokémon Master and the Indigo League theme song respectively.
- Took a Level in Badass: This marks Ash's biggest growth as a trainer yet: successfully taking down Leon, the reigning World Monarch and a man who's never lost an official match in his life, and ascending to the position himself.
- True Companions: Really shown here with Ash as most of his old Pokémon appear in Pikachu's vision, such as Goodra, Greninja and Nebby, and all of his old traveling companions and many of his friends and family are also watching the match as well.
- Wham Episode: After 25 years, Ash emerges the victor in the World Coronation Series, truly making him the best, like no one ever was.
- Wham Shot: In the final bout of the match, Pikachu hits Charizard right in the face...and it falls, finally knocked out.
- Wham Line: Along with the Wham Shot above, these two lines reveal the victor and a series-long dream accomplished.Referee: Charizard is unable to battle! Which means the victory goes to... Ash!
Commentor: IT'S DECIDED! WE NOW HAVE OURSELVES A NEW CHAMPION! FROM THE KANTO REGION, BORN IN PALLET TOWN... ASH KETCHUM!!! - The Worf Barrage: Iron Tail is usually one of Pikachu's most reliable moves, but every time it's used here against Charizard, it's either dodged or shrugged off.
- World's Best Warrior: Ash becomes the strongest trainer in the world after having beat Leon.
