Traveling companions

In the anime, traveling companions are a group of people who accompany others Trainers on a Pokémon Journey.
==Ash Ketchum==
Ash Ketchum traveled with various companions throughout his travels in to become a Pokémon Master. Traveling companions are for the most part temporary, only lasting until a region is finished, the exceptions being Brock who accompanied Ash in Kanto and again later on from Johto to Sinnoh, Misty who ventured from Kanto to Johto then making appearances in both Hoenn and Alola, and Pikachu, who is a permanent member of Ash's roster of Pokémon. Each companion usually has one or more characteristics that fit them into one or more archetypes (see below).
To date, Ash has had seventeen companions throughout the series, excluding those who have only accompanied him for a short time (Alexa, Korrina, etc.), his Pokémon and the companions he traveled with in Pokémon The Movie: I Choose You!.
==Liko and Roy==
Liko and Roy travel the world with a group of adventures call the Rising Volt Tacklers as they want to discover the secrets of their mysterious items they possess.
==Characteristics and "Types"==
While each companion has their own individual traits, goals, character arcs and teams of Pokémon, they all fit within an archetype of some sort.
===Regional girls===
These companions are usually native to the region Ash travels to at the beginning of each series, accompanying him for reasons that in the beginning range from collecting on a debt (initially the case for Misty), seeing the world (May), sheer happenstance (Dawn and Iris), to personal and/or romantic interest (Serena) but that later shifts to achieving a personal goal (Misty sought to refine her talents as a Water Pokémon Trainer; May wanted to become Pokémon Coordinator; Dawn is already a Pokémon Coordinator when she started her journey; Iris aimed to become a Dragon Master; and Serena eventually decided on being a Pokémon Performer). In their first few episodes as a companion either they or Ash will serve as an audience surrogate for when either series basics like how to catch Pokémon or features of a new region need to be explained. They are usually involved in one of the series' two hallmark running gags where their bike is shocked and destroyed by Ash's Pikachu, but this was retired after ; from the onwards they themselves are the one shocked by Pikachu (though in the XY series Bonnie was the one shocked instead of Serena). This archetype is subverted in the Orange Islands with the male character Tracey Sketchit.
===Younger siblings===
Occurring with less frequency than the others, these companions are the younger siblings of one of the other characters who so far has always been of the opposite gender. As their older sibling is usually around Ash's age, which is also the age that new Trainers get their first Pokémon, they are too young to have one themselves and so are often excited when the group encounters one. Each series to have this kind of companion always has an episode where they have an argument with their older sibling and refuse to speak to them for a time until they reconcile. Because they and their older sibling are traveling without their parents, the older sibling is usually responsible for them. Max and Bonnie are the only companions of this kind.
===Gym Leaders===
This archetype frequently overlaps with the regional girl and the cook. Despite being based off a game counterpart, when traveling with Ash the Gym Leader companion has either resigned from their position (in the cases of Brock and Cilan) or has yet to become one (Misty and Iris); in the latter case, this companion returns to their Gym's city to take up the position once done traveling with Ash. This makes Clemont unique in that he is the only one of Ash's traveling companions to still serve as the acting Gym Leader while on the road.
===Classmates===
These companions are not only there to travel around to see the Alola region but also his classmates at the school. These are Mallow, Sophocles, Kiawe, Lana and Lillie. Also some of them have the same characteristics as the friends that Ash used to travel with, although none of them are Gym Leaders.
===Teammates===
These companions not only travel the world with the companions but also severs as a team. These are the Rising Volt Tacklers. Their leader is a Pokémon Professor.
==Roles==
In addition to the above, companions usually serve one or more important functions within the group.
===The Cook===
Predominantly a male character, this companion usually takes charge over providing the group with their daily meals. Their cooking is always well-loved by the other characters and their Pokémon. For a long time this role belonged to Brock and was one of his most defining characteristics, but after his departure at the end of Diamond and Pearl this role transferred to Cilan when Ash went to Unova in the Black & White series and became Clemont's in XY.
So far, the only series in which there was no cooking companion was in the Original Series when Ash, Misty and Tracey Sketchit traversed the Orange Islands.
===The Navigator===
One companion in Ash's group will always provide the group with directions on how to get to their next destination. The group is usually lost without them.
===The Ref===
This companion will usually break up any squabbles, petty arguments and disagreements between Ash and someone else (usually the regional girl). This used to be Brock during the first and third to fifth regions, but was Tracey in the Orange Islands and Cilan in Unova.
==The Companions==
===Ash's Companions===
====Main====
Name	Name 	Gender	Hometown 	Region 	Biography 	First appearance
 	Misty 	Female	Cerulean City 	Kanto 	The first of Ash's companions, Misty first met Ash in the very first episode of the series. She initially joined him because Pikachu destroyed her bike with an Electric attack and in the beginning only traveled with Ash until he could pay her back, though later changing her motives. She is the second-longest-serving companion of Ash's behind Brock, traveling with him throughout Kanto, the Orange Islands and finally Johto before settling into her role as the Gym Leader of Cerulean City. She is credited with initiating the running gag of pulling Brock away by the ear, which transferred to Max in Hoenn, which she briefly visited, and later to Brock's Croagunk in Sinnoh.
She makes a guest appearance in four Alola episodes alongside Brock. 	
 	Brock 	Male 	Pewter City 	Kanto 	Ash's second companion joined him in his travels after giving him his very first Gym Badge. Unlike Misty, Brock gave up the position before traveling with Ash. His dream was to become the world's greatest Pokémon Breeder before deciding to become a Pokémon Doctor. He has departed Ash's company not once but twice, the first time to work with Professor Felina Ivy, which ended badly, and the second to fulfill his Pokémon Doctor aspirations. He is Ash's longest-serving human companion, traveling with him in Kanto and then rejoining him in Johto and lasting until the end of Sinnoh. Brock's most famous gag in the series is being prevented by another character from flirting with a girl after he makes an awkward attempt to woo them. He hails from Pewter City. He is guest in four Alola episodes. 	
 	Tracey Sketchit	Male 	Tangelo Island 	Orange Islands 	The third of Ash's companions joined him after Brock's first departure when the latter decided he wanted to be Professor Ivy's assistant. After helping Ash and Misty defeat a bunch of thugs abusing an infant Lapras, he invited himself along when he found out Ash personally knew Professor Oak, who he admires. Tracey is a former Pokémon Watcher who would stop the group so he could draw Pokémon he saw in the wild. After traveling with Ash in the Orange Islands, Tracey departed Ash's company to be Professor Oak's assistant. He is the only one of Ash's companions to have a last name. 	
 	May 	Female	Petalburg City 	Hoenn 	May was the fourth companion to join Ash's company when he traveled to Hoenn. The daughter of Petalburg City Gym Leader Norman, she is a tomboyish, determined girl whose team of Pokémon has many similarities with Ash's. Throughout their travels together May's relationship with Ash was that of mentor and student: Since May was a new Trainer, Ash would often show her the ropes of how to do certain things like how to catch a wild Pokémon. While others expected her to take the Pokémon League challenge and earn badges, she instead decided to become a Pokémon Coordinator. When she and Ash parted ways, she decided to head to Johto to compete in Pokémon Contests. 	
 	Max 	Male 	Petalburg City 	Hoenn 	Ash's fifth companion was May's younger brother. Max is very studious regarding Pokémon and often has an encyclopedic knowledge of them. He asked to join him and May on their travels since he knew Ash from watching him during the Johto League Silver Conference. He served as the group's navigator during their journey. Max parted ways from Ash as he went back to Hoenn and is now helping Norman take care of his Pokémon while he waits to become a Pokémon Trainer someday. 	
 	Dawn 	Female	Twinleaf Town 	Sinnoh 	Dawn is a Pokémon Coordinator from Sinnoh and the sixth companion to travel with Ash. Unlike the others, she had no reason to travel with him, but chose to regardless. Her maxim is "No need to worry!" which usually makes others including her mother worry all the more. She is the only companion to trade Pokémon with Ash, trading her Buizel for his Aipom which is currently in training. Like May did for Johto, she left Ash to compete in Pokémon Contests in the Hoenn region. Dawn briefly reunited with Ash in Unova and participated in a tournament together before leaving for Johto to compete in the Wallace Cup being held their. 	
 	Iris 	Female	Village of Dragons	Unova 	Iris is an aspiring Dragon Master hailing from Unova's Village of Dragons and the seventh person to join Ash on his travels. They first met when Ash mistook her for a wild Pokémon and tried to catch her. She often annoys Ash by calling him a "little kid", despite the fact that Ash has traveled for much longer and achieved more than her. Her Dragonite struck up a rivalry with Ash's Charizard. Her main partner is the Tusk Pokémon, Axew, who dreams of evolving into a Haxorus. Iris part ways from Ash by traveling to Johto first then head to other places in order to grow as a Trainer and continue her training to become a Dragon Master. After returning to Unova, Iris became the Regions new champion, after she defeated Alder. 	
 	Cilan 	Male 	Striaton City 	Unova 	Ash's eighth traveling companion joined him in a much similar manner to Brock. He asked to travel with Ash after giving him the Trio Badge for beating all three Striaton City Gym Leaders. He is an A-class Pokémon Connoisseur who is very adept at his evaluations, though he maintains to be a connoisseur in a variety of other things. When the group arrived back in Kanto, he and Iris parted ways with Ash to travel in Johto. 	
 	Clemont 	Male 	Lumiose City 	Kalos 	The older of the two siblings, Clemont is the Gym Leader of Lumiose City. He is an inventor whose inventions often backfire and explode, often ruining the group's hair in the process. He joined Ash after the Garchomp incident after being impressed by both the latter's selflessness in how far he would go to help a Pokémon in its time of need, and his bravery in the physical courage exhibited in doing so. (To help Professor Sycamore's Garchomp, Ash climbed all the way to the top of Prism Tower and leapt off the edge to catch Pikachu when the latter fell). His maxim is "Science brings forth the future ("The future is now thanks to science") ! Citronic/Clemontic Gear on!". He is also an excellent cook according to Bonnie. After finishing his journey with Ash, Clemont decided to remind in Kalos and resume his duties as a Gym Leader. 	
 	Bonnie 	Female	Lumiose City 	Kalos 	An enthusiastic and energetic girl, Clemont's younger sister Bonnie often comments on how cute or cool something is, usually a Pokémon. She is often seen with Clemont's Dedenne as its keeper. A running gag in the XY series is Bonnie proposing to a female character asking them to look after her brother (meaning marry him). She does this because she insists it is her duty to find him a wife since he is too shy to do it himself. When her journey with Ash ended, Bonnie stayed in Kalos with Clemont while she waits to become a Trainer one day. 	
 	Serena 	Female	Vaniville Town 	Kalos 	Serena is a fashionable girl from Vaniville Town who knew Ash from childhood. He found her scared and alone in a forest after she got separated from the rest of their group and injured her knee, which he bandaged before helping her up and leading her out of the forest by the hand, which impressed and initially sparked her romantic interest in him. After helping him earn his first Kalos badge from the Santalune City Gym, she became the eleventh companion to join Ash on his travels while being the first to both seek him out and be asked by Ash himself to join them. She is fashionable and skilled at baking and serves as the group's navigator. For a while, Serena didn't know what her goal was until eventually discovering Pokémon Performances from Shauna, she decided to become a Performer and compete for the title of Kalos Queen. Serena part ways from Ash as she not only decided to travel further by going to Hoenn in order to compete in Pokémon Contests but also grow as a Performer.	
 	Lana 	Female	Hau'oli City 	Alola 	Lana is a quiet girl, but filled with actions who likes Water-Type Pokémon. She first met Ash while he was on vacation before meeting up him at the school, while she was having a Tauros race with her classmates. Lana became Ash's twelfth companion when he decided to stay in Alola and study at the Pokémon school. During a filed trip to Akala Island, Lana became the first female in the group to obtained both a Z-Ring and Z-Crystal. Lana part ways from Ash when he decided to resume his journey and she went to help her father look for Manaphy for her vacation from the Pokémon school. Sometime after returning to Alola, Lana briefly reunited with Ash when he came to visit. 	
 	Kiawe 	Male 	Paniola Ranch 	Alola 	Kiawe is from Akala Island, who likes Fire-Type Pokémon and takes Z-moves very serious, matching his personality. However, he does care for his friends and family. Kiawe was the first male of the class to get a Z-Ring and Z-Crystal. He met Ash while he was ambushed by Team Skull, who wanted his Pokémon. Ash helped him out by defeating Team Skull grunts. Kiawe then became Ash's classmates and thirteenth companion when he decided to stay in Alola. At first, Kiawe was spectacle of Ash but became friends with him and considers him as a rival because he can match up with him for battling but does respects him for his sportsmanship for battles. Kiawe decided to become Olivia appertains in order to fulfill his dream of becoming an Island Kahuna someday, which led him to part ways from Ash but he planed to return to Kanto in order to resume his travels. Kiawe briefly got to see Ash again when he returns to Alola for a visit. 	
 	Lillie 	Female	Hau'oli City 	Alola 	Lillie is a kind girl who loves Pokémon. However, a childhood trauma caused by Nihilego after it tried to take her away in the Ultra Wormhole, she can't touch them, but after she meets her partner and best friend Snowy, she starts touching Pokémon again and in Mission: Total Recall! she completely let go of her fear with Ash and Nebby's help. She met Ash when she was watching her classmates Pokémon while they were racing. Once Ash decided to enroll into the school, Lillie became his fourteenth companion. Lillie was the second female of the group to obtained a Z-Crystal and Z-Ring, which happens to belong to her long lost father. Lillie left Alola with her family in order to find her long lost father and part ways from Ash but not before thanking him for not only all the things he did for her but also for not giving up on her. 	
 	Sophocles 	Male 	Hau'oli City 	Alola 	Sophocles is a boy that likes Electric-Type Pokémon with massive skills at inventing and programming. He first met Ash during a Tauros race with his classmates. When Ash decided to stay, he became one of his classmates and his fifteenth companion. After winning race he entered, Sophocles became the last male of the group to received a Z-Crystal as a prize and Z-Ring from Hapu. Wanting to achieve his dream of becoming an astronaut someday, Sophocles left for Hoenn with his cousin Molayne to check out the space center in Mossdeep City and part ways from Ash as he was planning to return to Kanto in order to continue his journey. Sometime after retuning to Alola, Sophocles got to see Ash again when he came for a visits. 	
 	Mallow 	Female	Hau'oli City 	Alola 	Mallow is an active girl, who likes Grass-Type Pokémon. She can be a scatter brain sometimes, but a very good cook. She first met Ash during a Tauros race with her classmates. After Ash decided to stay in Alola, Mallow became his sixteenth companion and classmate. After helping a friend of her father, Mallow became the last female of the group to obtained a Z-Crystal and Z-Ring. However, Mallow not only had to part ways from Ash when he decided to continue his journey and Lillie when she left to go look for her father with her family but also the rest of her friends for a while as their doing their vacations plans. Sometime after returning with Lana, Kiawe and Sophocles, Mallow briefly reunites with Ash again when he came to visits Alola. 	
 	Goh 	Male 	Vermilion City 	Kanto 	Goh is a beginning Trainer who had a chance encounter with Mew when he was younger. His goal as a Trainer is to catch Mew, and his dream is to eventually catch every Pokémon. Ash met Goh upon countering the Legendary Pokémon, Lugia. 	
 	Chloe Cerise 	Female	Vermilion City 	Chloe is a beginning Trainer, she who originally stayed mostly in school, instead of traveling on a Pokémon journey. This was until she grew closer with the family pet Yamper when he protected her from a Gengar, followed by that she found an Eevee and decided to capture her, making her become her partner. Thus, she decided to start travel with her childhood friend Goh and Ash Ketchum to help with her father's research on the occasion.	 	
====Alternate Community====
Name	Name 	Gender	Hometown 	Region	Biography 	First appearance
 	Verity	Female	Twinleaf Town 	Sinnoh	Verity is one of Ash's traveling companions in I Choose You!, which is set in a continuity different from the main anime. She is a vibrant and tomboyish Pokémon Trainer who seems to enjoy adventures. Her mother is a famous Trainer back in her home region of Sinnoh. Because of that, she expects a lot from Verity, which puts a lot of pressure on her. She met Ash when they were both chasing after an Entei. She then joined him and Sorrel on a journey to the Raizen Mountains, where Ho-Oh was said to live. After meeting Ho-Oh, Verity left Ash and Sorrel to continue on her own journey. 	
 	Sorrel	Male 	Veilstone City	Sinnoh	Sorrel is one of Ash's traveling companions in I Choose You!, which is set in a continuity different from the main anime. He is a young Trainer whose goal is to become a Pokémon Professor. He is interested in Legendary Pokémon. He met Ash and Verity when he chased after an Entei. Although he initially had no interest in interacting with them, he later met them again in a cave to shelter from a rain. The three Trainers became friends and decided to travel to the Raizen Mountains together, where Ho-Oh was said to reside. After meeting Ho-Oh, Sorrel left Ash and Verity to go on his journey and meet more Legendary Pokémon.	
===Liko and Roy's companions===
Name	Name 	Gender	Hometown 	Region 	Biography 	First appearance
 	Professor Friede	Male 	 	Kanto 	Professor Friede is the leader of the Rising Volt Tacklers. 	
 	Ludlow 	Male 	 	 	Ludlow serves as the fishermen of the Rising Volt Tacklers. 	
 	Orla 	Female	Slateport City	Hoenn (formerly Kanto)	Orla serves as the engineer of the Rising Volt Tacklers. 	
 	Mollie 	Female	 	 	Mollie serves as the nurse and medical of the Rising Volt Tacklers.	
 	Murdock 	Male 	 	 	Murdock serves as the chef of the Rising Volt Tacklers. 	
 	Dot 	Female	 	 	Dot serves as the tech member of the Rising Volt Tacklers. 	
==Trivia==
*Misty, Iris, and Bonnie are the only regional girl companions to not sport any headwear.
**However, Iris did support a piece of headwear in her return appearance.
*Ash's traveling companions have been captured by at least one or more by a villainous organization in every region, except by Team Aqua, Team Flare, Team Skull and Team Yell.
*So far:
**None of the major companions have become or is a member of the Elite Four.
**None of the major companions are Stat Trainers.
**None of the major companions have a fully evolved , and -type.
**None of the major companions have caught or received a pure -type.
**None of the major companions are from Johto or Galar.
**None of the major female companions is a Pokémon Professor.
**None of the major female companions have caught or received a Male-only and Legendary Pokémon.
**None of the major female companions have permanently caught or received a -type, Mythical, Ultra Beast, Artificial and Shiny Pokémon.
**None of the major female companions have caught or received a pure and -type.
**None of the major female companions have a fully evolved , , and -type.
**None of the major female companions have caught more than one , , , , , , , , , , , and -type.
**None of the major female companions have a Dynamax Band.
**None of the major female companions have used Dynamax or Gigantamax.
**None of the major male companions have caught or received a and -type as their first Pokémon partner.
**None of the major male companions are from Paldea and Sinnoh, although one of the companions is from one of the regions in a different community.
**None of the major male companions other than Ash have caught a Pseudo-Legendary, Ultra Beast and Mythical Pokémon.
**None of the major male companions other than Ash have a pure and -type.
**None of the major male companions other than Ash have a fully evolved , , and -type.
*In the anime there would be a pattern with the traveling companions:
**Kanto, Orange Islands, Sinnoh and Unova had Ash with one female (Misty in original, Dawn in Diamond and Pearl and Iris in Black and White), and one male (Brock and Tracey in original and Cilan in Black and White).
**Orange Islands and World had Ash with a male companion that wasn't introduce in the games (Tracey in original and Goh in Journeys).
**Hoenn and Kalos had Ash with two siblings (May and Max in Ruby and Sapphire and Bonnie and Clemont in X&Y)
***also with a female with a Fire starter (May with Torchic and Serena with Fennekin)
**Sinnoh and Alola had Ash with one female with a water type starter (Dawn with Piplup in Diamond and Pearl and Lana with Popplio in Sun and Moon).
==Gallery==
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