Ash and Pikachu’s relationship is at the core of thePokémonanime, and it might seem as if the pair were brought together entirely by chance. However, onePokémonmovie accidentally provided another reason as to why Pikachu ended up with Ash, and it actually involves time travel.
The fourthPokémonmovie,Pokémon 4Ever, also known asCelebi: Voice of the Forest, revolves around the time-traveling Mythical Pokémon Celebi, who in the course of the film brings forward in time a young boy by the name of Sam. Sam meets Ash and his friends, and together they embark on a quest to protect Celebi froma Team Rocket agent who wields powerful and dangerous Poké Ballsthat can control almost any Pokémon. Of course, Ash and friends do manage to save Celebi from Team Rocket, and Celebi then takes Sam back to his own time.
The real surprise comes when Sam’s identity is revealed at the end of the film: he was actually a young Professor Samuel Oak.
Ash and Pikachu Are Together as a Paradox
Professor Oak Knew to Give Ash Pikachu
Professor Oak met Ash when Oak was still a child, and knew that Ash’s partner Pokémon was a Pikachu. The end of the film clearly shows that Oak not only remembers his adventure with Ash, but has been anticipating Ash’s run-in with his younger self for some time. This is confirmed by the presence of Sam’s sketchbook in Oak’s possession, which includes a sketch of Celebi and Pikachu. This revelation has some truly wild implications, not the least of which being that Ash and Pikachu were brought together by a time travel paradox, known as a Bootstrap Paradox.
In the Bootstrap Paradox, an event is responsible for causing itself to occur due to time travel. Professor Oak remembered Ash from all those years ago, and recognized the boy growing up in Pallet Town as the one he met due to Celebi. That suggests that Oak also knew that Ash had to be given Pikachu as his starter Pokémon, and saved Pikachu specifically for the day that Ash set out on his journey. In the first episode, it’s said that Ash ended up with Pikachu due to him oversleeping and missing out on choosing a conventional starter, but Oak had to have known how many kids were coming that day, and would’ve been adequately prepared. Oak always intended to give Ash Pikachu.
Therefore, Professor Oak gave Pikachu to Ash, who showed Pikachu to Sam, who then remembered that Ash and Pikachu were meant to be together, and gave Ash Pikachu for that reason. It’s a never ending circle of cause and effect–AKA a paradox. It’s impossible to answer what would’ve happened if Oak never time traveled, because Oakalwaystime traveled as a kid, as evidenced by the sketchbook. This kind of complicated situation often arises when time travel is involved, but few would’ve guessed thatPokémon’s most iconic trainer and Pokémon combo arose due to a time-traveling Celebi.
Pokémon
Cast
Pokémon follows Ash Ketchum on his journey to become a Pokémon Master, accompanied by his loyal Pikachu. Released in 1997, the series explores Ash’s travels through various regions, where he encounters new friends and challenges, underscoring the themes of adventure and teamwork.
