So... any thoughts on the last episode?
I'd rather Ash, Misty, and Brock keep traveling with each other off-screen but the way they all said bye to each other basically suggested that they'd link up again not too long in the future. Misty and Brock didn't need to have a compelling reason to start travelling with Ash again after he became world champion so it's reasonable to assume they can just do it again whenever they feel like it.
Also notable is the hug between Psyduck and Pikachu. I pretty much consider it as an inferred hug between Ash and Misty. Now that the entire miniseries finished airing, MPM02 feels unusual in that it was the only episode in MPM that was dedicated to Ash's relationship with Misty instead of his relationship to Pokemon. The entire episode felt like it was saying that Ash and Misty express themselves to each other through their Pokemon. Hence, the ending with Pikachu and Psyduck finally getting to hug each other.
Overall, it's great that Misty and Brock made it to the last episode of the entire anime. It really solidifies their positions as the companions Ash values the most. I'm gonna miss them so much but I'm super grateful that they ended everything on these terms. Yeah, Pokeshipping isn't canon but everything the staff did throughout these episodes (MPM02, the cute visual easter eggs, Ash and Misty's heroic partnership, Ash asking Misty for her heart hairtie, Misty giving Ash her heart hairtie) basically sold a meta-narrative that said, "Yup, these kids are end game for us."
