Pokemon Journeys: A Bittersweet Ending for Cynthia
Cynthia, one of the Pokemonseries’ all-time greatest, is currently part of a World Coronation Series story arc in the Pokemon Journeys manga. Although she has been a recurring character throughout the games, she was primarily featured in Pokemon Diamond and their remakes, where she was the champion for the Sinnoh area. However, her anime appearances have been focusing more on the character. The latest episode that aired this morning in Japan seems to bring her reign to an abrupt end.
Spoilers Pokemon Journeysepisode121:
Pokemonprotagonist Ash Ketchum has reached the end of the World Coronation Series, where he will be facing some of the strongest trainers from the Pokemon world. Any Pokemonplayer who has played for a while will recognize Cynthia as one of them. She’s the champion, and she is also one of the series’ most difficult battles. Players’ minds are fried with her musical theme. Without going into too many spoilers, battling Cynthia Diamond & Pearlelevates another Pokemon Legends, Arceus’best moments. It is a well-known moment among fans.
Although Cynthia and the Sinnoh area received some love over the past year with the Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearlremakes and Pokemon Legends, Arceus fans haven’t had the chance to see her in new contexts in a while. Hence, her appearances in recent anime episodes were very welcome. After the tournament, this will be her last appearance as a Pokemon battling champion. Diantha, the champion of the Kalos region as seen in Pokemon X & Y, agreed.
This is before she faces Ash in the next episode. It remains to be determined if Cynthia will retire, but it would allow Ash to win the fight and allow Cynthia to step aside and let the next generation take her place. This could be a fake-out, and Ash’s fight will motivate her to keep fighting. Who would be the Sinnoh champion, even if she was not? While it’s unclear now, fans believe Barry and Paul could be her rivals. Perhaps even Dawn, a former protagonist.
I am excited to see how the match plays out as Ash and Cynthia have never actually fought, even in the Diamond & Pearl eras of the anime. However, I have been reflecting on Sinnoh, Cynthia, and her place in the Pokemonuniverse’s apparent history (again, play Pokemon Legends Arceus and go through the post-credits questline. It’s a great game. Over the past year, her retirement from fighting in anime feels like a sad but heartfelt way to end this chapter.
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Pokemon Journeys is just a few episodes away. This will align timewise with Pokemon Scarlet & Violet’sSwitch debut on November 18. Whatever the outcome of Ash and Cynthia’s battle, a new era in Pokemonanime will be here.
