To be the very best, better than anyone, Ash and Pikachu had to journey for a long time (almost two and a half decades), and they have met hundreds of Pokemon trainers and fought thousands of battles. But the truth is, many trainers are stronger than Ash Ketchum from Palet Town, in more than one sense.
This list spotlights five trainers that, if not for a careful series of plot (armor) twists, would have defeated Ash Ketchum in the blink of an eye. Some have the knowledge to pair with the skills, and others are experts at handling a certain type of Pokemon, but all of them are some of the strongest trainers that Ash would never be able to defeat in a fair fight.
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Brock
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- A Pokemon Breeder and Expert Nutritionist
- Highly Skilled, Learned how to raise and heal Pokemon
- Decent strategist, knows every Pokemon by their nature and best qualities
Even though Ash Managed to defeat Brock and earned a lifetime companion and travel partner early during his journeys, Brock followed a much different path than the protagonist of Pokemon. Brock is not only superior in both intellect and as a decent strategist, but he is also caring and a good guy overall (even though he's a chronic womanizer).
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He cares for his Pokemon, not only in terms of emotional nurture, but also breeds them to perfection thanks to his incomparable ability to cook their preferred food, and knows a lot about healing them, too. In other words, Brock would be the perfect trainer and an impossible-to-beat Rival for Ash, if he were interested in Pokemon Battles.
Gary Oak
The Eternal Rival, Always One Step Ahead
- Determined, relentless, always aims for the top
- Skilled at taking advantage of his rivals' weaknesses
- Never says no to battles
Gary was, from the very beginning, the perfect rival for Ash: Capable, Ambitious, Arrogant, and even though many fail to recognize him, a powerful trainer capable of beating nearly every rival. Up to the moment where Gary and Ash face each other at the Johto League, he was nearly unstoppable, and bested Ash at every step of the road. So, what happened there?
Some might say it was Ash' own merit that led to Gary's defeat, and of course, his broken Pikachu and first Charizard had a lot to do with this. Strangely enough, their decisive battle was a spin from the wheel of fate (or a twist in the script) that favored the protagonist over the logical superior trainer. After that, Gary became interested in Researching Pokemon, and he's now following the footsteps of his Grandpa, Samuel Oak. But if the last season of Pokemon has taught fans something, it is that despite that, Gary kept training and polishing his skills and his Pokemon to the utmost.
Cynthia
The Most Powerful Lady Boss In The Series
- Her bond with her partner Pokemon has no equal in the series
- She is known to be ruthless and never backs down from combat
- Almost undefeated, only a miracle could make Ash win against her
Cynthia is, arguably, the strongest female Trainer in the Pokemon universe. She's not only wise, cool-headed, and an unparalleled strategist, she's also better than Ash Ketchum in every aspect of what makes a trainer strong. Her bond with her partner Garchomp is one that has been going on for ages, since she raised its preferred Pokemon from an egg.
This is proven in countless encounters Cynthia has had with other trainers, which she defeats mercilessly without a second doubt. Realistically speaking, Ash shouldn't be able to beat Cynthia, not even by a stretch, but since he's the protagonist of the series, many fans will agree that the fight in Journeys (Lucario Vs. Garchomp) is a victory for Palet Town's pride in more than one sense.
Lance
Under Normal Circumstances, No One Would Beat This Guy
- The strongest Dragon-type Trainer after Cynthia
- Ash never really faces him directly; otherwise, he would have lost
- Another trainer known for ignoring type-advantage and still coming on top
Lance is one of the oldest and most experienced Dragon-type trainers in the Pokemon world, with access to a team of heavy hitters, which includes Dragonite, and the only Shiny (Red) Gyarados appearing in the series. Though much more experienced than Ash and Lionel, and having become a member of the Elite Four of both Kanto and Johto Leagues, Lance was unable to perform at the maximum of his capabilities during his fight against Galar's Champion.
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This was pointed out as tremendously anticlimactic by many Pokemon fans, as Lance is one of the few trainers (besides Goh, Ash, and Cynthia) who care not about type-advantage, and is known for being a single-type trainer who beats all odds with sheer power. Curiously, Lance is originally from Johto, and he was born and raised by a family of Dragon-type Pokemon keepers. Lance's Dragonite is older and more powerful than Ash, so that means he would win 9 out of 10 times in a 1v1 duel. The rest of Lance's team is said to be at least at the same level, and Ash's team has always been undertrained (with very few exceptions and Pikachu): There's no chance that Ash would win in a fair battle against Lance.
Samuel Oak
There's A Reason Why He's Internationally Recognized
- A walking library of Pokemon knowledge
- A worldwide known expert, and former Pokemon Champion
- His original team is said to be one of the strongest seen in official competitions
Few other characters in the Pokemon world are as widely known and respected as Samuel Oak is. The creator of the Pokedex's first prototype, a researcher and, even before all that, a Master Trainer. Samuel Oak is a Pokemon Champion of both the Johto and Kanto Leagues. His eternal rival, Agatha, is also an Elite Four Member, and she has stated that in his prime, Oak was undefeatable. Strangely enough, Oak decided to retire from being an active trainer and decided to focus his efforts on creating the Pokedex.
His knowledge of Pokemon is unparalleled, and no one knows for sure what his Pokemon team composition is, though some clues point to Bulbasaur being his starter, and Nidoran (currently Nidoking) being his strongest Pokemon. Oak has also been speculated to be related to Ash Ketchum as a parental figure. Though the chances of them being related by blood were always denied, the headcannon points to Oak being Ash's Mom's Dad. However, one thing is for sure: Samuel Oak was always a greater trainer than Ash, and even his grandson, Gary.
- Created by
- Satoshi Tajiri