History AshesOfThePast / TropesPToS

** It's taken UpToEleven when one of Ash's Running Gags ends up [[DoubleSubversion Double Subverting]] ''another'' of his RunningGags[[note]]Ash manages to beat Wallace without destroying the Sootopolis Gym, but after Ash leaves, his evolution aura causes the gym's population of Wailmer to all spontaneously evolve into Wailord (which are around 8 times bigger) at once, and bring down a gym wall anyway.[[/note]].

** Brock trying hard to invoke StatusQuoIsGod on his status as a Rock-type Trainer, and everyone LampshadeHanging how he's done everything BUT. The consensus is that his actual shtick is illusion; he's a Rock gym leader with just a Geodude, but with both Ninetales and Stantler. It's taken UpToEleven when his girlfriend catches a Rockruff as a gift for him, because it's a rock-type that doesn't look like a rock, matching his theme - but when he gets it, it turns out ''not to be a Rockruff at all, but a Zorua using an illusion to imitate one''.

*** Slowly taken UpToEleven, as Morrison's Beldum, Roark's Cranidos and Nando's Budew all evolve within moments of meeting Ash, while being sent out of the Poké-ball, ''mid-materialization''.

* PrideBeforeAFall: What happens to Flannery's Pyroar after she knocks out Ash's new [[spoiler: Sliggoo ([[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown who was trying to adjust to being blind]])]], and Corphish is sent out to replace him.
--> '''Corphish:''' Aren't you going to say anything?
--> '''Pyroar:''' Nobles do not speak to their inferiors.

-->'''Fearow:''' "Protect, Endure and your order to dodge there makes me think of Detect. You're an impressively paranoid fellow."
-->'''Ash:''' "I try. And I've been attacked enough to make it seem the right choice."

** [[spoiler: The human soul found in Ash's ceremonial sword, which when awakened turns it into a Honedge, was once a female knight by the name of Dame Kari Burns [[labelnote:*]]Caliburn[[/labelnote]].]]

** After [[spoiler:The first new timeline Team Galactic run-in, and their [[PerceptionFilter weird amnesia effect]]]] Ash looks through Aaron's notebooks for info, but can't find any, and even worries that he might be unable to perceive it if it ''is'' there.

* ParalysisByAnalysis: When approaching an island surrounded by whirlpools, Ash and Co. take so long trying to figure out the best solution to get around them from all their available options that they end up in the whirlpool itself.

** Max later starts following in Ash's footsteps. When he shows up to the Cerulean Gym, in Ash's company, Misty's sisters all start taking anything they want to save into a bunker and tell him not to use any Pokemon capable of destroying the building.
** When the gang meets the new Kanto Fairy-type Gym Leader during the Battle Frontier arc, she mentions how her Pokemon keep damaging the Gym, leading Max to say that she's Ash as a Gym leader. We see it in the battle with Max, though May does blame Ash a bit for getting Max into the habit. Apparently Juvia and Gray were bred for excessive power, and the others got overpowered trying to keep up with them.

** Lucario used Fling.[[note]]In the games, Fling is used to throw a Pokemon's held item at an opponent to deal damage. Lucario exploits this by [[FastballSpecial throwing his teammates]] (usually Pikachu) at his opponents.[[/note]]

* SamusIsAGirl: Turns out Ash's Pidgeot is female. As is his Swellow, Quilava, Gliscor, Brock's Forretress, and a few other Pokémon who weren't gender-identified in canon.
* SayMyName: [[spoiler: "[[LikeADaughterToMe Mawile]], who just saw Ash get [[NoBodyLeftBehind vaporized]] by Primal Dialga, screams, "DAD!"]]

*** In Chapter 218, the Phantom Pirate squad leader of the latest [[spoiler: Manaphy theft attempt]] orders his Pokemon to attack [[spoiler:''Ho-Oh'']]. More than one of his Pokemon return themselves, and the others start looking at him as if he's insane.

*** At one point, Professor Oak tries to justify it as the fact that Ash gives off so much Aura that exposed Pokémon are given a massive power boost and can evolve much more easily that way. Ash rejects this, as even ''before'' he got a massive Aura power boost, Pokémon would ''still'' spontaneously evolve around him (such as Caterpie, Ponyta, and Charmander (for a ''very'' abridged list of all the evolutions that happen around him)).

* PardonMyKlingon: Pok&ecacute;mon tend to have their own takes on cussing.

* PardonMyKlingon: After Ash's Tauros charges at a Dugtrio, but the target pops back underground.
--> '''Tauros''': ''...well, bullocks.''

* ParryingBullets: Any Pokémon with a suitable blade move can do this.

** When the Legendary Beasts and [[spoiler: their shiny counterparts]] come by to watch Ash battle Morty, Suicune asks Entei to make them all some popcorn.

** When Butch and Cassidy encounter Ash during one of their scams, they immediately abandon the whole thing.

* SchrodingersButterfly: Referenced when [[spoiler: Tobias's Darkrai]] asks Ash's Butterfree if he's a poet or ever dreamed that he was a poet.

* PunnyName: [[spoiler: The human soul found in Ash's ceremonial sword, which when awakened turns it into a Honedge, was once a female knight by the name of Dame Kari Burns [[labelnote:*]]Caliburn[[/labelnote]].]]

* SureLetsGoWithThat: [[spoiler: Arceus's reasoning to create the Fairy-type at the beginning of time, since thanks to a TimeCrash, Molly's self-created Sylveon was present and her typing became the originator of the Fairy-type.]]

** In Chapter 1, when Dexter fails to register Ho-Oh, Ash hits the machine with his hand to restore its memories. It registers Ho-Oh… and reports that it has data on pretty much all Pokémon in existence up to this point… and then reveals himself to have become a fully functional {{AI}}.

* ShaggyDogStory: Gary's whole ChainOfDeals ordeal leads him to talk to his grandpa for some help, only to find that the professor had the links to bypass the entire chain from the start.

*** The Magikarp actually evolves into a Gyarados mid-battle, and Dawn points out the Machamp could have used ''it'' as a flail if Morrison hadn't beaten them then.

* RealityEnsues:
** The group needs to name their Porygon's evolutionary forms because no one's seen them before, and they don't just know it.
** [[spoiler: Getting rid of an asteroid, especially ''one the size of a mountain'' (the ones Rayquaza deals with are usually much smaller), by blowing it up doesn't make it go away; the fragments will just hit the Earth in multiple places, heat up the atmosphere, and burn all life on Earth to a cinder. The only real solution is to push it out of the way, which is a truly monumental job even for a planet full of superpowered creatures and living forces of nature.]]
** If a single Sonicboom attack could knock the tower containing the Spiritomb over, then a strong gust of wind could do the same. After all, it was built centuries ago and obviously not maintained much since.
** [[spoiler: Since Giratina spends all of his time in the Reverse World, he has no one to train with or against, so his skills have stagnated a bit]].

'''Sir Aaron''': Err... Nooo?

* SleptThroughTheApocalypse: Cresselia went to sleep for an evening, and slept right through [[spoiler: the Delta Episode]]. Considering a lunar night is approx. 2 weeks, it's unsurprising that she missed the whole 4 hours of terror.

** Everyone is unsettled at the thought that [[spoiler: thanks to Team Galactic's PerceptionFilter, the [[BrainwashedAndCrazy Shadow]] Lucario that they had never even realised he was being corrupted until it was done.

* RightForTheWrongReasons: Sometimes, Barry's {{Wild Mass Guess|ing}}es hit on the right point, even if his [[InsaneTrollLogic logic]] is a little shaky.
** He believes that since Ash's Absol and a lot of Psychic-types are needed during the [[spoiler: Delta Episode]], the problem must be a really powerful Psychic-type. That's not the main problem, [[spoiler: but that MeteorOfDoom did have a very [[UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom careless Deoxys]] for a driver...]]

** Raikou, as the only Johto Legendary Beast who hasn't learned to use Aura to make himself understood to humans, instead made a bundle of signs. As his gym circuit proceeds, it's clear that some of them have been reused many times, such as "Let's get on with it!" and "I don't see what you're complaining about." He also starts using them in combat, and makes a new collection after they're destroyed.
--> '''Raikou''': ''Wood Hammer''!

* StealthPun: E4 member Will makes one while watching a Gallade face off against a Dragonair.
--> '''Karen:''' Is this a knight against a dragon?\\

* SuperMode: The author writes in the concept of Mega Evolution further down the line, and starting in Johto, we see several examples, good, bad, and neutral. SpoileredRotten, but if you care... [[labelnote:Overall]]As of chapter 261, 43 of the 47 canon Mega Stones have appeared or been mentioned (along with Mega Rayquaza, the 48th canon Mega Evolution; Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y also made cameos in the ''Pokémon Conquest'' game that Arceus set up in his dimension, meaning that only Diancite and Cameruptite have yet to appear or be mentioned in any way.[[/labelnote]][[labelnote:Protagonist-wise,]]Ash's Charizard evolves between both X and Y forms during the [[Anime/{{Pokemon3}} Greenfield incident,]] without the use of Charizardite, the Unown proving to distort reality enough for that (and later, his girlfriend Charla from the Charicific Valley can loan him her Charizardite Y). Pidgeot has evolved twice, both times in a BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind, without a Pidgeotite. Using the actual Mega Stones, Ash's first usable one is a Heracronite, which he obtains from Chuck; he learns what it is shortly before taking on the Mahogany Gym. His Squirtle creates Squirtilite, and while the stone explodes after one use, it works effectively for that use, and he knows how to make more. Then he obtains Latiosite and Latasite from the [[Anime/PokemonHeroes Altomare incident]], and the two dragons take turns training with him; he also relieves Annie and Oakley of their Beedrillite, which he gives to Casey. Much later, Gary gives him an Absolite after an Absol native to [[Anime/PokemonJirachiWishmaker Forina]] chooses to join Ash, the Rota Kingdom loans him their Lucarionite, Baron Alberto gives him a Charizardite X after saving Alamos Town, and Steven delivers some Mawilite to him in exchange for an ancient Key Stone. Apart from Ash, Misty obtained a Gyaradosite from the Lake of Rage, Brock obtained a Steelixite from Steven in Granite Cave, Max discovers that he had been carrying a Manectite after his starter evolves, the group finds a Banettite in the ruins containing the giant Claydol (which Casper managed to use by Cerulean), and May is trying hard to get her hands on a Blazikenite, and she does manage to find an Altarianite, though she only managed to use it during the Grand Festival; she later got a Venusaurite while in Johto. Gary has in his possession Blastoisinte, Sablenite, Alakazamite, a Lopunnite that he hasn't found a permanent use for yet, and it's implied that he has or knows where to obtain a Sharpedonite and Houndoomite. Ash and friends also discover an Audinite, which they give to the Team Rocket trio for their recently acquired medic/chef after the Groudon/Kyogre clash. They repay the favor with a Sceptilite that they picked up from the Team Rocket armory along with their keystone. In the Ever Grande Conference, Ritchie was briefly seen using Galladite. Professor Oak also borrowed Tyranitarite, Pidgeotite, Houndoomite, Glalitite and Mawilite for an experiment.[[/labelnote]][[labelnote:Antagonist-wise,]]Tyson, the Rocket Admin at the Lake of Rage, had a Tyranitarite, and the antagonist from the Mirage Kingdom, Colonel Hansen, used a Gengarite. Annie and Oakley attempted to use a Beedrillite on a borrowed Pokémon; it didn't work, as they had no bond with it, and Ash ultimately took it off their hands. Cassidy has an Aggronite, Butch has a Charizardite (unknown which one), and the agents under them (Ariana, Proton and Petrel) have an Abomasite, a Slowbronite, and an Aggronite. One Phantom Pirate had Kangaskhanite, but he couldn't use it on account of being unable to send out his Pokémon. Team Galactic also has a Gardevoirite.[[/labelnote]][[labelnote:and Other]]Gurkinn, a.k.a. the Mega Evolution guru, has a Lucarionite. Jasmine has a Steelixite, Clair and the dragon clan have in their possession an Ampharosite, Sceptilite, and Altarianite, Agatha has a Sablenite, Lance has a Salamencite, Steven has a Scizorite, Mawilite, Steelixite, Aerodactylite, and Aggronite, Mr. Stone and Winona both have a Pinsirite, Tate and Liza have a Galladite and Gardevoirite, respectively, Giovanni has a Kangaskhanite, Greta has a Medichamite, Spencer has a Venusaurite, Anabel has an Alakazamite, and Misty's sisters have a Slowbronite. One Silver Conference contestant used Blazikenite, Metagrossite and Garchompite, Rebecca, a trainer Ash met in [=LaRousse=] City has a Tyranitarite, some participants in the Indigo Conference have Kangaskhanite and Sharpedonite, and the man who looked after the Mudkip where Brock got his Marshtomp has a Swampertite, though it's implied he has no use for it currently. During the Groudon/Kyogre clash, Rayquaza swallows the meteor Ash got from Mt. Chimney, enabling Rayquaza to go Mega.[[/labelnote]]

* SweetAndSourGrapes: Invoked. Whenever one of Ash and Co.'s Pokémon either has to leave family to join the team or decides to leave for another reason, they can still [[CommutingOnABus rejoin the team or their family whenever they want to due to Professor Oak's portable transceivers]].

* RequiredSecondaryPowers: The whole purpose of the Larvitar line's Pupitar evolution is to give the Pokémon time to get used to moving and jetting via an internal pneumatic system, which becomes an integral part of simple walking and movement when it evolves again into Tyranitar. [[spoiler: Unfortunately for Ash's Larvitar, spending only a minute as a Pupitar and going straight into Tyranitar [[HowDoIShotWeb means that just keeping his balance becomes more than a little difficult.]]]]

* PassingTheTorch: During the Johto saga, [[spoiler:three of the Elite Four decide to step down from their positions: Lorelei (so she can focus on her writing career), Agatha (due to her age), and Lance (so he can fully take on the responsibilities as Grand Champion of the Kanto and Johto leagues). Subsequently, Karen, Will, and Misty (who beat out Koga due to her heightened skill as a result of the time travel) are admitted in to take their places. Ash is also recruited as an opponent for exhibition matches with the old line-up, including Bruno, the only one who's staying]].

* RashEquilibrium: Team Magma has the Blue Orb. Team Aqua has the Red Orb. Both agree to trade their orb for the other. [[spoiler: Both know that the other has the Legendary they want. Both decide to double-cross the other by getting the orb they have to the Legendary the other has. [[SuperMode Primal Reversion ensues]]. [[FromBadToWorse And so begins the Scuffle of Legends]]. ]]

** Played for laughs when [[spoiler: Ash causes a TimeCrash during the incident with Celebi. The resulting CosmicRetcon puts Fairy-types into existence from the beginning, rewriting the entire type effectiveness chart - and causing Max, who was already Reminded of a previous timeline, to miss the ripple effects in his memory and fail a test on the subject.]]

** People who knew Brock before the time travel not believing him when he says that he's got a steady girlfriend in Professor Ivy.

*** Ash's Lucario helps ambush some Pokemon kidnappers who were using a Skuntank to keep their victim subdued. After protecting his nostrils with Aura, he wields the skunk Pokemon as a club.

* ParanoiaFuel: InUniverse.

** Everyone is unsettled at the thought that [[spoiler: thanks to Team Galactic's PerceptionFilter, the [[BrainwashedAndCrazy Shadow]] Lucario that they had [[NightmareFuel never even realised he was being corrupted]] until it was done]].