#sm002

Ash battling Kukui makes the most sense. The final fight being against Guzma and Kukui would be good for their connection, but a big final battle not being a main character like Ash would seem kind of weird. And Guzma wants to destrot the League. I don’t see him only destroying the League (if he goes through with it) after defeating every other opponent. And Ash has a reason to fight against him as well, due to Ash’s fights with the Masked Royal and helping Ash out with his Litten and Torracat. 

140 episodes later, the battle finally begins!

That the first character in the Alola Squad to get a focus episode, outside of Satoshi, and by focus episode I mean totally focusing on the said character as the main plot teller or whatever the proper word for that would be, is none other than Suiren/Lana.

She was also the very first new companion introduced. In the very first cold opening.

That kinda counts her as the main Pokegirl of the series, no? In a sense, that is. Mao and Lilie are just as much of pokegirls in the series as she is but... she got the pokegirl traits of owning one of the starter Pokémon, and being introduced first.

She also ends up being the one catching an Eevee.

Lilie may be best developed out of the group, but Suiren has been treated as the pokegirl with the usual pokegirl traits. I don’t know, it intriques me quite a bit.

What also interests me is how the Alola Squad seems to already be a tight squad before Satoshi comes in. Like, they work on the surprise party for Satoshi together, seen doing events together, seen talking and helping each other with their hobbies and dreams and whatnot before Satoshi arrives for his first School day... I don’t know why I never thought about this, but I did now.  Like, take SM002, where Lilie is shown having reviewed Mao’s recipes for Pokémon Food and researching how to make them better. And how the two seem close?  Even Kaki is asked about his morning run, which is where we learn about his Moomoo Milk tasks every morning. Busy boy.

I don’t know, I kinda adore seeing that the group was already close before Satoshi, but Satoshi sort of came in and.... helped each of them with their personal goals? I wonder how long ago the class had started studying together, and how much Satoshi missed. Hmmmmmm.

...Also, the mention of training room in Kukui’s basement. He has it in the games too, but it’s.... never utilized in the anime I think? But it makes sense with Kukui being the Royal Mask that he’d have his own training room. Which he... never got to use... after Satoshi... moved... in...???!!! :O