Pokemon Ultimate Journeys is gearing up for the final battle between Ash and Leon

Pokemon Ultimate Journeys is quickly reaching its apex episode, which will see Ash Ketchum and the Galar Region's champion Leon in a final battle for the top spot in the World Coronation Series.

Ever since Pokemon Journeys kicked off, Ash has been determined to defeat Leon in battle, and the Coronation Series is the perfect arena for him to do so. To commemorate the final showdown, The Pokemon Company has provided new illustrations to garner excitement between the two spectacular trainers.

There's plenty on the line in this bout, with Ash hoping to secure his first victory in a worldwide tournament and Leon hoping to bring glory and keep his title of Monarch of the World Coronation Series. But who will reign supreme? Fans will have to find out on October 21, 2022 when the three-part finals run begins in Japan.

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Can Ash finally become World Champion in Pokemon Ultimate Journeys?

Defeating Leon is Ash's final obstacle to becoming a World Champion (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Ever since his journey began in Pallet Town, Ash Ketchum has sought to become a Pokemon Master. One surefire step down this path is undoubtedly to become a World Champion, and our protagonist has a real shot at finally achieving this landmark by defeating Leon. Ash has defeated several great trainers on the way to the World Coronation Series finals, including the Sinnoh Region's champion Cynthia.

The battle against Leon in the finals won't be easy, as Lance fields a deadly team of Pocket Monsters, including Rillaboom, Dragapult, and his incredibly powerful Charizard. As a Galar Region champion, Leon also has the power of Gigantamax transformation at his disposal, making his team even more dangerous.

On the opposite side of the arena, Ash has a very capable team of his own. He's speculated to field the likes of Lucario, Gengar, Sirfetch'd, Dragonite, Dracovish, and his beloved partner Pikachu. Fortunately, Ash should also have access to some transformations, including Gigantamax power for Gengar and Lucario's Mega Evolution form.

There's no doubt that Ash and Leon will give it their all in this final battle for the apex of the tournament. There's simply too much on the line for both trainers. Ash, in particular, has reached this final milestone before but has fallen short, only taking the crown of Alola's regional championship somewhat recently. However, with the anime franchise's 25th anniversary approaching, it may be now or never for Ash.

Ash's World Championship victory to commemorate the anime's 25th anniversary would be a huge paradigm shift for the franchise. Finally, after decades of hard work and overcoming many challenges, Ash has a very real chance of reaching one of his loftiest goals. Catching every Pokemon in the world is another matter entirely, but the budding Pokemon Master won't stop if he's crowned Monarch.

Only time will tell if Ash finally overcomes his limitations when the three-part series of final episodes concludes. Hopefully, the longtime protagonist can overcome Leon and show the entire world what he's capable of.