Pikachu is Ash’s buddy and nothing could
ever separate them.
Except for Team Rocket.
Ash and Pikachu have been together since the
very first episode.
However, as we all know, they were not exactly
on the friendliest of terms:
Pikachu hated Ash.
Pikachu literally wanted to kill Ash.
Ash ended up dragging Pikachu behind him.
Pikachu laughs at all of Ash’s mistakes.
This all turned around after Ash put himself
between Pikachu and a flock of Spearow:
Spearow!
Do you know who I am?
I am Ash, from the town of Pallet.
I’m destined to be the world’s number one
Pokémon Master.
I can’t be defeated by the likes of you.
I’m going to capture and defeat you all.
You hear me?!
Pikachu, go inside the pokeball, it’s the
only way.
Come and get me!
Pi-ka-chuuuu!!
They bonded over a near death experience…
Pikachu.
Well, we beat ‘em.
Chu.
…brought about because Ash threw a rock
at a Spearow, which is also the reason he
had to give up his Pidgeott, but that is another
story.
From that point on, Pikachu was Ash’s lovable
and loyal companion and Ash’s friend.
Pokémon have their own personality quirks:
Some are energetic.
Some are showman.
Some are affectionate.
Some are dopey.
Some are gluttonous.
And some are sarcastic.
We know that a Pokémon’s personality can
change, but this usually occurs with evolution
such as Ash’s Charizard.
Welcome to the group.
Char.
Char.
I choose you, Charmeleon.
Your turn Charmeleon, go easy on it.
Char.
Charmeleon?
Charmeleon doesn’t look like a loser.
Paras!
It’s okay, hang in there.
No, stop Charmeleon!
Paras.
Please, I’m begging you Charizard, please
battle.
That’s embarrassing.
Pi.
This poor kid is in way over his head.
Rhydon, horn drill!
Oh, give me a break!
What if I told you that Pikachu’s
personality did not change at all?
My fellow Genwunners may not be aware of XY037:
“The Cave of Mirrors”.
Ash and co.
go in to a cave in which each reflected surface
opens to another parallel universe.
Mirror Ash lost Mirror Pikachu and
mistakes Ash’s Pikachu for his own.
Ash then goes into the parallel universe in
attempt to get his buddy back.
We also meet Mirror Pikachu who is a troublemaker
at best and sadistic at worst.
Your volts’ll be no good in this globe.
Chu.
Chu.
Piika Pika.
Pika, Pikachu.
In the end everyone gets back to their won
universe through the power of friendship and
the narrator closes out the episode.
I theorize that not only being struck by lightning,
but generating enough (power) to stop all
of those Spearow created a tear in reality
that switched the two Pikachu.
A kind-hearted Pikachu from the cowardly Ash
to the brave Ash and a troublesome Pikachu
from the bold Ash to the soft-hearted Ash.
Everything else was exactly same and so no
one noticed a difference.
In the end, our Ash has a best buddy that
he can depend on for anything.
Now they are such good buds that nothing could
come between them, except for ketchup.
