Pokemon: Path to the Peak episode 4 recap: Showdown at Worlds

Pokemon: Path to the Peak reached its conclusion on August 30, 2023, when the fourth and final episode aired online via The Pokemon Company's YouTube channel. When watchers last saw the series' hero, Ava, she had just incurred a massive blow to her confidence after losing to Edgar of Team Falinks at the International Championships, shaking her resolve as a TCG player.

Episode 4 of Pokemon: Path to the Peak sees Ava taking the loss hard, which is understandable, considering her groundswell of fans and the expectations hoisted on her shoulders at a young age. Fortunately, our hero doesn't give up, and the support of her friends brings her back into action.

For Pokemon: Path to the Peak watchers who may have missed out on the final episode, it doesn't hurt to examine the events as they unfolded.

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Breaking down Pokemon: Path to the Peak episode 4 - Worlds

Ava's mother reveals her own past as a TCG player in Pokemon: Path to the Peak's fourth episode (Image via The Pokemon Company)

After her loss to Team Falinks' Edgar Troy in the International Championships in Pokemon: Path to the Peak episode 3, Ava is dejected. She's disconnected from the Pokemon Club and her friends and has lost her will to play the trading card game. Despite receiving an invite to the World Championships, Ava has no intent to participate.

Ava's mother stops to talk with her and reveals that she also used to be an accomplished player of the Pokemon TCG. Much like Ava, she was dealt a devastating loss, though her loss was at the World Championships. Afterwards, she gave up her dream of becoming champion and stopped playing the game.

Ava thinks back to her friends during her Nationals win in Pokemon: Path to the Peak (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Ava's mother consoles the Pokemon: Path to the Peak protagonist and tells her that she was thrilled to see the spirit that Ava and her friends had while playing the TCG. She adds that she believes that is what the Pokemon TCG is all about: having fun and making friends, not titles, fame, and championships.

After the talk, Ava feels much better and returns to school the next day, leaving TM10 paper Pikachus in Josh's and Celestine's lockers. This is a callback to Josh doing the same for her in Pokemon: Path to the Peak's first episode. Josh and Celestine head to the school roof and find Ava. She explains that winning at the TCG rewarded her with friends, but she conflated the two.

Ava explains her newfound resolve to Joshua and Celestine (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Pokemon: Path to the Peak's protagonist explains that she realizes victories aren't as important as keeping her friends, which she values above all else. She gives Joshua and Celestine copies of Jolteon ex and Mismagius ex, respectively, and they're absolutely delighted. Ava asks if they'll accompany her to the World Championships, and they accept.

The Pokemon: Path to the Peak heroes show up to Worlds in outfits signifying their favorite Pocket Monster cards. They encounter Team Falinks and Edgar again. Edgar makes it clear that he values winning Worlds above everything, but Ava and her friends are nonplussed.

Edgar and Team Falinks state their desire to win (Image via The Pokemon Company)

The tournament follows very closely to the International Championship in episode 3, with Edgar and Ava climbing the ranks to another Grand Finals showdown. Much like their previous meeting, Edgar concedes in their first match before storming back to take the second one, leading to a do-or-die Game 3.

Ava begins the third match with Oddish but ends up with a bad hand against Edgar's Groudon. Edgar begins stacking energy cards to take out Oddish and win the match, and Ava has a conversation with her Oddish.

Edgar asks what the point of playing the Pokemon TCG is if not to win, and Ava states that she simply wants to have fun and compliments his skill.

Ava's Oddish faces off against Edgar's Groudon in Pokemon: Path to the Peak (Image via The Pokemon Company)

With the combo of a stadium card and a Rare Candy, Ava evolves her Oddish into Bellossom, which Edgar has no answer for. Ava tells Edgar to do his best regardless, but Bellossom overcomes Groudon to seal Ava's victory and new title as the Pokemon TCG World Champion. She shakes hands with Edgar, who remarks that he surprisingly had fun during the battle.

The Pokemon Company's president, Tsunekazu Ishihara, emerges onstage to give Ava her World Champion trophy, which she hoists alongside her friends. As the crowd cheers at her accomplishment, she gazes out over them and imagines a legion of delighted Pokemon celebrating her victory.