There ’s no traverse that Ash Ketchum is a great Pokémon trainer – he consistently has shown that he care about the well - being of his Pokémon and routinely rent them make their own determination about battle and traveling with him .

And although nowadays Ash is about to reach the top 8 of the World Coronation Series , as he moved through the Indigo League of the Kanto region and the Johto League of the Johto neighborhood , devotee could n’t assist but notice that a shocking amount of Ash ’s pile up badges were n’t technically won by defeating gym loss leader . It calls into question whether or not he should have been given these badges at all .

Kanto: Boulder Badge

Even starting out his journeying inone of the full - rankedPokémonhometowns , Ash was awarded a badge for something other than his battle expertise . In Pewter City , Ash confront Brock ’s Onix with Pikachu , an avowedly mismatched battle , and forfeits the first time after Pikachu is in distress .

During a replay , Ash stops the struggle after the gymnasium ’s sprinkler system gives Pikachu an unjust advantage over Onix . Brock chases after Ash and offer him the Boulder Badge because of his compassion towards Pokémon – even though Ash would have likely lost both gym struggle within normal condition . He just did n’t have the right kind of Pokémon for a Rock - Type gym .

Kanto: Cascade Badge

Consequently , Ash does n’t truly make headway badge from either of his main travel companion . Ash was simply offer the badge by the Sensational Sisters without a conflict before Misty intervene and challenge Ash .

Misty isone of the best gym leaders , according to Ranker , and her struggle against Ash was very close . However , their match is disrupt by Team Rocket seek to slip the Water - Type Pokémon and Ash get the Cascade Badge for stopping them . Although he could have won the gymnasium battle , fans will never know if would have make the badge the correct way .

Kanto: Marsh Badge

After earning the Thunder Badge using Pikachu ’s agility against Surge ’s Raichu , Ash traveled to Saffron City , where Sabrina and her Psychic Pokémon are in burster of the gym . After drop off his first effort , Ash goes back to the gym with a Haunter .

When the Haunter disappears mid - conflict , Sabrina nobble Brock and Misty , turning them into doll , and Ash narrowly escapes with her father . Ash returns , sans Haunter , to struggle Sabrina again , and Haunter seem . He make Sabrina laugh by have faces and collapse the spell she ’s under . Again , Ash is given a badge because of integrity and helping others instead of pure merit .

Kanto: Rainbow Badge

Ash was n’t even give a chance to conflict at the Celadon gym at first . After listen that he thinks perfume is a waste of money , the gymnasium leaders stereotype a heavy red " X " on Ash ’s face and recite him he ’s not welcome .

But , after Team Rocket tries to steal the gym ’s perfume formula during Ash ’s eventual struggle , one of their bombs have a immense ardour inside the gym . Ash run back in to save the gym drawing card ’s Gloom , and she founder him the Rainbow Badge for his braveness . While it was a audacious deed , it did n’t prove anything about Ash ’s skill or Pokémon .

Kanto: Volcano Badge

The Volcano Badge that Ash wins on Cinnabar Island is a point of contention for some fans . While he did combat the gymnasium drawing card and win , sports fan have debated on site likeQuoraabout whether Ash won the battle , or Charizard did .

Charizard is   one of Ash ’s inviolable Pokémon , but he was also one of his most disobedient at the clock time . When Charizard faced off against Magmar , he did n’t heed to any of Ash ’s commands or strategies and win the battle with his own decisions . So , technically , Ash ’s power as a flight simulator did not win the battle or earn the badge .

Kanto: Earth Badge

When the mathematical group gets to Viridian City , it ’s divulge that Giovanni , the leader of Team Rocket , is the gym drawing card there . He very easily overcome Gary – who , at this point , has gain ground more badges by merit than Ash has .

However , Giovanni is called aside and go away Jessie and James to face up Ash for his compeer . Team Rocket may have some strong Pokémon , but Ash has face them and won many times . Even with the addition of Giovanni ’s Pokémon , Jessie and James were n’t genuine gym leaders and had terrible strategy . Ash gets the Earth Badge when it falls out of Jessie ’s sac as they ’re blasted away .

Johto: Plain Badge

When Ash pay off to the Johto region , the proportion of badge he realize in fight vs not is very unlike from the Kanto region . But , it does still hap in some of the episodes . It first happens when he is battle for the Plain Badge against Whitney and Miltank .

In true Ash fashion , he outrightly lose his first conflict attempt and later on challenges Whitney to a rematch after they influence together to defeat Team Rocket , who were adjudicate to slip food . During the replay , Ash only defeat one of Whitney ’s Pokémon , Miltank , before she decides to give him the Plain Badge – even though the conflict was supposed to be three vs three .

Johto: Glacier Badge

Although Ash had a very long run of valid wins in the Johto League , one of his closing matches of the realm was n’t technically won in battle . After being drop off in Ice , gym leader Pryce is reunify with his Piloswine the day before his gymnasium battle with Ash .

When Ash was preparing to battle the Ice - Type Pokémon , he thought he would have a major advantage . To his surprisal , Pryce ’s Pokémon go school principal to head with Ash ’s and it ’s look like Ash may lose . Because he does n’t want to exhaust or hurt Piloswine , Pryce stops the match and forfeit , which brings Ash back to getting badges without actually winning the gymnasium battles .

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Pikachu

Collage of Willow and Clash of the Titans

Images shows a glowing Mastered UI goku glaring towards a charging Broly from Dragon ball super in the background.

Pokémon split image of matches Ash didn’t win-2

Brock and Ash with Pikachu in Pokemon

Misty and Her Sisters talking with Ash

Sabrina and her doll in Pokémon

The Celadon City gym leaders stamping Ash’s face on Pokémon

Charizard in battle on Pokémon

Ash battling in the Viridian City Gym on Pokémon

Miltank in Pokemon

Piloswine on Pokémon

Pokemon