ThePokémonanime is unique in that it shakes up its cast every few years, finding new companions for Ash with new goals and fresh perspectives. The first time this occurred was as the show moved into the Hoenn region, when Misty left the group.While traveling, Ash picked up a new friend, May, who was just starting her Pokémon journey.
May stood out quite a bit from Misty; where Misty was an experienced trainer even before meeting Ash, May had selected her starter Pokémon, a Torchic, after she met Ash. It flipped the script, and Ash went from being the newbie who needed mentoring to the mentor that May needed. While May initially didn’t like Pokémon very much,she developed a special love of Pokémon Contestsas they traveled together, and found her true calling thanks to Ash. These 10 episodes are some of May’s best throughout her run, showcasing her character, skills, and greatest victories.
10There’s No Place Like Hoenn
Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, Episode #3
While traveling together not long after meeting, Ash and May make their way to Petalburg City to challenge the gym leader there. May is evasive about the gym leader, however, and disappears when Ash goes to the gym. After being challenged by a young boy who claims to be the gym leader, May appears with her parents, revealing thather father, Norman, is actually the gym leader here. Ash, with only Pikachu, doesn’t have enough Pokémon to challenge Norman officially, however.
After losing an unofficial match, Ash finds the young boy he met earlier, Max, wants to travel with him, too, and eagerly agrees.This early episode is important because it introduces May’s family, which explains a lot about her character. With a father so interested in Pokémon, it’s natural that May might not share that interest. This episode also sets up Max, May’s younger brother, as a companion, something else that helps differentiate May from Misty.
9Win, Lose, or Drew!
Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, Episode #35
The group rushes into town, making it just in time to enterMay in her first Pokémon Contestwith her recently evolved Beautifly. May discovers that Drew, a coordinator that she had met previously, is also competing, and becomes determined to defeat him. WhileMay struggles a bit in her first contest, she pulls off a decent performance, enough to make it to the next round. May soon finds her next round opponent is Drew, and after a gripping contest battle, it just isn’t enough, and May loses.
Drew doesn’t make it all the way, either, and the two vow to try again in the future.Learning to lose is an important part of competing, and May has to pick that lesson up the hard way here. She cries and gets it out of her system, but eventually finds her resolve once more and remains committed to contests. In the end, May has gained valuable experience that will surely serve her well in future contests.
8The Bicker the Better
Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, Episode #72
Ash and May are arguing as they travel, and bump into a couple who challenge them to a double battle. However, their argument bleeds over into battling, and the two can’t work together, ultimately losing.Team Rocketthen runs into the same couple, and lose just as quickly, blaming each other for the loss. Ash and James end up teaming up, so May and Jessie join forces, and they have a battle along gender lines.
For May, it’s a reminder of what’s really important, and that her friendship with Ash is more valuable than whatever they might bicker about.
Things get out of hand quickly, and Meowth uses the opportunity to steal Pikachu, turning the battle into Ash and May vs. Team Rocket, which they easily win. This episode shows that May and Ash still have some of the same problems he had with Misty, arguing over unimportant things. It’s an interesting episode for Team Rocket as well, shaking up the usual group dynamics. For May, it’s a reminder of what’s really important, and thather friendship with Ash is more valuable than whatever they might bicker about.
7Spontaneous Combusken!
Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, Episode #162
May receives a mysterious invitation to a conteston a small island, Chrysanthemum island. Thinking it’s from Drew, she attends, but soon discovers Drew won’t be competing, and didn’t send the invite. Instead, it was sent by a fan of Drew, who intends to compete against May. May enters the contest, defeating Jessie in disguise in the second round, and then going up against the fan in the final round. May’s Combusken learns Mega Kick, helping to seal her victory and earn her a third Kanto contest ribbon!
This episode is a major victory for May, and proves that she’s making waves in the contest world by receiving challenges directly. It also further develops her relationship with Drew, which has been slowly building in each contest episode. There’s every indication she has something of a crush on him, and despite a rocky start, May has clearly earned his respect by this point.
6Rhapsody in Drew
Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, Episode #123
Having successfully earned the five ribbons needed to enter the Hoenn Grand Festival, May finds herself up against the rivals she’s made throughout her journey. She’s in for a difficult contest battle against Harley, an underhanded competitor who had given her deliberately bad advice in the past. May’s wit helps her to defeat Harley, but in the quarterfinals, she’s up against Drew, her true rival. May gives it her all, but it isn’t enough, and Drew comes out on top.
Drew loses in the final round, however, and foregoes the festivities in favor of more training.This is the culmination of May’s journey through Hoenn, which all her struggles have led to. May really gives it her all, and takes her loss with dignity and grace. Drew’s commitment to training inspires her to continue, already planning to make it back here next year.
5True Blue Swablu
Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, Episode #64
While traveling, May and the group discover an injured Swablu whose tree had fallen the night before. They take the Swablu to a forest ranger’s station and try to look after it as it recovers. While Swablu’s wing heals with relative speed, it’s still unable to fly, which the ranger says may be due to the trauma of the event. May helps Swablu learn to fly again, using “magic powder” from Beautifly to raise its confidence.
They attempt to reunite Swablu with its flock, but the flock seems to be gone. As May offers Swablu a place with her, the flock reappears, and she instead sends it off to live with its own kind.May’s kindness and compassion for Pokémon is on full display in this episode, showing how much she’s grown since her first episode, where she didn’t know much about or particularly care for Pokémon. Many fans wish she had kept this Swablu, but the episode remains a fan favorite even in spite of that.
4Channeling the Battle Zone!
Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, Episode #182
May is deep into the Kanto Grand Festival, in the quarterfinals up against her long-time rival, Drew. Battling with two Pokémon each, both May and Drew give it everything they’ve got, leading to a nail-biting climax, which sees May finally emerge victorious over Drew. Unfortunately, May proceeds to lose in the next round, and her competitor goes on to take the festival trophy. Once again, May must face the fact that she’s come so close and lost, but at least this time she was able to prove herself to Drew.
This isMay’s last contest competition in the series, so it’s quite the bittersweet episode. Seeing May finally overcome Drew is exciting, but having to watch her lose again puts a damper on any celebration fans may feel. Ironically, May’s strategy that cost her victory was mirroring Ash’s all-offense style, which would end up costing Ash a tournament victory, too.
3Strategy with a Smile!
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, Episode #079
In one of May’s few appearances outside ofRuby and Sapphire, she made a dramatic return for the Wallace Cup arc ofDiamond and Pearl, which eventually came down to a contest battle between her and Ash’s new companion, Dawn. Both Dawn and May make it to the final round, so it all comes down to this. May debuts her Glaceon, which recently evolved, against Dawn’s Piplup.
It’s a close battle, but eventually when time runs out, it’s Dawn who has the higher score, and wins the entire Wallace Cup. While it’s rough seeing May lose yet another major contest, it’s wonderful to see her again inDiamond and Pearl, and it helps to highlight the differences between May and Dawn, especially in their approaches to contests.It’s alsoMay’s last speaking appearance in the series, giving fans one last chance to say goodbyeto her character.
2Once More With Reeling!
Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, Episode #191
Astheir journey through Kanto came to an end, Ash and May learned of an unofficial Pokémon contest, the Terracotta Contest, and Ash decides to enter it, prompting May to as well. Both trainers make it through the first round, with Ash doing surprisingly well for his contest debut.
It all comes down to a battle betweenMay’s Combusken, now evolved into Blaziken, and Ash’s Sceptile in the final round, and things end in dramatic fashion as two attacks collide and fill the stadium with dust. In the next episode, it’s revealed that Ash and May tied, and they split the prize ribbon between them, each keeping a memento.
One of the final episodes ofRuby and Sapphire, havingAsh and May tie in one final contestwas a great way to bond their charactersbefore the group parted ways. Their willingness to accept a tie is indicative of their respect for one another after all this time, and May gets one last victory in to help soften the blow of her loss in the Grand Festival.
1Time Warp Heals All Wounds
Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, Episode #157
May’s Pokémon egg is getting ready to hatch, but Squirtle runs off, leading May to chase it down. May arrives at an abandoned train station, where she meets an old lady who claims to be waiting for someone. The old lady’s granddaughter explains that her husband passed away while on a trip years ago, and she still comes to wait for him.
It’s a touching episode that centers on undying love, and a rare case of someone traveling through time and successfully changing the future for the better.
May discovers the old lady’s lost pendant, which transports her and Team Rocket’s Meowth back in time, giving them a chance to save her husband’s life by stopping him from getting on the train. They return to the present, having fixed everything, and feel quite good about themselves.It’s a touching episode that centers on undying love, and a rare case of someone traveling through time and successfully changing the future for the better.
May and Meowth make for an interesting pairing, allowing fans to see a softer side of Meowth. This episode also sees May obtain her Eevee from the egg with the help of the old lady and her husband, rewarding her efforts. For May, there’s no doubt that this is her best episode in all ofPokémon, and it proves her time as Ash’s companion was a worthy one.
Pokémon
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Pokémon follows Ash Ketchum on his journey to become a Pokémon Master, accompanied by his loyal Pikachu. Released in 1997, the series explores Ash’s travels through various regions, where he encounters new friends and challenges, underscoring the themes of adventure and teamwork.
