The last chapter of Ash's journey in the main series comes to a close as our hero and Goh find themselves facing Lugia once more. Though Ash still has a few more adventures lying ahead, no matter what the outcome, our hero will forever be bound in friendship to those he cares for, and this battle helps to remind Goh he's never truly alone.
Next Trope, A New Beginning!
- Art Evolution: The pink Butterfree has the gender-differences on its wings first instituted in Generation 4.
- Back for the Finale: For the final episode of Ash's tenure in the main series, Butterfree returns to see his old trainer 25 years after he first left.
- Bittersweet Ending: Ash and Goh part ways to continue their own journeys, to the latter's dismay, but they're both friends again, and will always be connected no matter what. In the meantime, Chloe's found her calling as a research fellow.
- Book Ends:
- Ash and Goh's first journey together saw them ride on the back of a Lugia, and here they do so again before they part ways.
- The first episode of the entire series began with an orchestral rendition of the games' main theme. It plays once again here, as Ash and Goh ride on Lugia's back.
- In Episode 1, Ho-Oh appeared before Ash and Pikachu. In Episode 1221, Ash and Pikachu's final time as the leads of the main series, Ho-Oh appears before them once again.
- In "Bye Bye Butterfree!", Ash demonstrated his first act of maturity in his younger days by parting ways with the very first Pokémon he ever caught, promising one day to see him again. Now, he's fulfilled that promise, as Butterfree and his mate both come to pay the newly-crowned World Coronation Series Champion a visit before he rides off into the sunset.
- The Bus Came Back: This marks Butterfree's first return to the anime 25 years after Ash said goodbye to him.
- Bullying a Dragon: Team Rocket really didn't think going after Ash wasn't a smart idea now that the boy's the most powerful trainer in the world, even getting Giovanni's expressed permission to do so.
- The Cameo:
- During the final credits, Goh is seen meeting Misty (who gushes at Inteleon), Leon is supervising Hop's training under Bea, and Ash gets a reunion with Butterfree.
- Ash has his battle with a man resembling series executive director and creative supervisor Kunihiko Yuyama.
- Continuity Nod: Misty is still gushing at every Water Type she sees, including Goh's confused Inteleon.
- Divine Intervention: It's implied that Lugia appeared to help Ash and Goh patch their friendship before they left.
- End of an Era: The entire Journeys cast makes their final appearances here, and this episode is the very last one in the main series that Ash serves as the lead protagonist, with the final special eleven episodes To Be A Pokémon Master serving as the remainder of his tenure. After that, Liko and Roy take over as the leads.
- Epic Fail: Team Rocket's latest attempt at catching Pikachu goes up in smoke because Morpeko is too busy chowing down on food to notice it broke the containment capsule. One Thunderbolt later and they're blasting off again.
- Friendship Moment: Ash and Goh repair their friendship before they leave for their own journeys, assuring each other they'll still be there for one another no matter what, even if Goh fears he can't handle things out on his own.
- Grand Finale: Downplayed. The series still continues with Ash's journey for the next 10 episodes, but it's treated as a special miniseries epilogue containing random Slice of Life episodes loosely tied by Latias following Ash. This episode deals with Ash and Goh repairing their friendship, having them battle a Legendary Pokémon together, and even finally meeting Ho-Oh again to bookend the first episode. It's all capped off with Ash, Goh, and Chloe in separate places of the same city, which pans out and shows the entire Pokémon world.
- Put on a Bus: Goh leaves all of his Pokémon at Cerise Labs, only taking the Galar starters with him. Professor Cerise promises that he'll take good care of them all.
- Shouldn't We Be in School Right Now?: Subverted. Chloe states she's only going to be a weekend researcher because she still has to attend school.
- Throw the Dog a Bone: Fresh off his win against Leon at the World Coronation Series, Ash is given the reunion with Butterfree he had long hoped for.
- The Unreveal: We never see what Pokémon Goh managed to catch.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Ash gave this to Goh, after hearing his doubts about traveling alone, as he assured him that he'll be okay on his own because he was able to participate with Project Mew and got to meet the Mythical Pokémon through his own efforts.
To Be Continued...
