The tragedy of the original Pokémon theme is that wild Pokémon respawn infinitely in the tall grass areas. This means that Ash has unwittingly set himself a task that is not merely improbably difficult, but literally impossible. Try all he likes, he can never catch them all.

This is why his friends and companions grow, change, and move on with their lives, while he remains eternally 10 years old and not very good at Pokémon. Without knowing it, he's become a lich. Billions of years hence, when civilization is dust and the Sun is growing dim and cool, he will still be roaming what remains of the Earth, catching the stunted abominations of the far future.

Cursed by the gods for his hubris. Never to be forgiven.

Never declare something you don't fully understand to be your destiny.

You may turn out to be right.

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.

LAST EDITED ON Nov-21-19 AT 04:03 AM (EST)
 
At least, until someone comes along, taps him on the shoulder and tells him "Uh, Ash? The phrase 'catch them all' only means to catch one of each. Y'know, to get the Pokedex entry?"

Ash: "... Well, shit."

edit: I know it's a kid's show and he actually wouldn't say that, but after a revelation that big there's really not much else to say, especially after the aforementioned 'becoming a lich' thing.

Luckily for Ash, there's evidence his situation is not because of Hubris on his part. Rather, there's an awful lot of prophecies all finishing up within a few decades of each other, all of which mention a 'Chosen One'. Some of them are pretty specific about who they're aimed at, such as the prophecy that includes the phrase 'And the World shall turn to Ash'. Most of them probably could be solved by any passing ten year old and their team of monsters.

But the Gods, as they often do, got lazy. Why prepare dozens of Chosen Ones, when you can just grant someone a form of immortality and make them do all the work? 'Gotta catch them all' is just the justification for their cruelty.

That said, the Gods could be in for an unpleasant shock. After all, Pokéballs work on ALL monsters, even the one that made the universe...

Matrix Dragon, J. Random Nutter

>That said, the Gods could be in for an unpleasant shock. After all,
>Pokéballs work on ALL monsters, even the one that made the
>universe...

(two thousand, five hundred sixty-eight failed attempts with Ultra Balls later)

(poof!)

God ran away!

"... dammit."

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.

This is where I get my Pokémon nerd on and point out that if you've been trying that long, Timer Balls have the best catch rate.

Okay the Master Ball has the actual best catch rate, but you only get one of those, which should be saved for a roaming legendary. Arceus doesn't roam.