Ash's friends

**Ash's friends** are the traveling companions that Ash Ketchum has had with him on his journey on his quest to become a Pokémon Master. While he started his journey alone, many people have joined his party while touring the Pokémon world; usually at least one new companion joins—and another leaves—every time a new region is visited.

Johto is the only region where Ash did not acquire a new friend that would travel with him, excluding Brock, who came back after his absence.

In *Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon*, Ash's friends are not traveling companions, but rather classmates, since Ash is attending the Pokémon School instead of traveling around the Alola region. Later in the series, Ash and his Alolan friends form a team under the supervision of Aether Foundation, known as the Ultra Guardians.

## Original series

### Misty

 File:Misty (JN).png
Main article: Misty
Misty joined Ash in *Pokémon Emergency!*, traveling with him because she wanted him to replace her bike, which was destroyed by his Pikachu. She would consistently travel with him until *Gotta Catch Ya Later!*, when she returned to Cerulean City to lead her family's Gym nearly full-time. However, she briefly traveled to Hoenn and met up with Ash's *Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire* group in *The Princess and the Togepi* and *A Togepi Mirage!*. Misty met the same group again from *The Scheme Team* until *A Real Cleffa-Hanger*, when they accompanied her back home; and also in *The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon*. After a long absence, she and Brock reappeared in *Alola, Kanto!* and *When Regions Collide!*, where Ash and his classmates from the Pokémon School of Alola visited Kanto. She returned in *Alola, Alola!* and *Heart of Fire! Heart of Stone!*, where she and Brock visited Melemele Island. She reunited with Ash again in *A Fated Face-Off!* and both of them decided to travel with each other again until *The Rainbow and the Pokémon Master!*.

Pokémon

### Brock

Main article: Brock

Brock first joined Ash in *Showdown in Pewter City* after Ash battled him in the Pewter City Gym. After his father Flint offered to take over the duties of Gym Leader, Brock followed Ash through Kanto, leaving briefly from *Poké Ball Peril* to *A Tent Situation* to work for Professor Ivy. In *The Rivalry Revival*, Brock returned to be with Ash and Misty until *Gotta Catch Ya Later!*, though he, unlike Misty, would return shortly, in *You Can Never Taillow*, sticking with Ash until *Home is Where the Start is!*. He would again return in *Two Degrees of Separation!*, and so traveled through Sinnoh with Ash until *Memories are Made of Bliss!*. He and Misty also appeared in *Alola, Kanto!* and *When Regions Collide!*, where Ash and his classmates from Pokémon School visited Kanto, and returned in *Alola, Alola!* and *Heart of Fire! Heart of Stone!*, where he and Misty visited Alola. Brock reunited with Ash and Dawn in *The Arceus Chronicles (Parts 2* to *4)*, while also meeting Goh for the first time. He reunited with Ash and Misty again in *Must Be Our Heroes and the Witch!* and all of them decided to travel with each other again until *The Rainbow and the Pokémon Master!*.

Pokémon

### Tracey Sketchit

Main article: Tracey Sketchit

After Brock left to work for Professor Ivy, Ash's traveling group was down to two, as it had been for the first five episodes of Kanto. However, this would not last very long, as in *The Lost Lapras* Ash met a Pokémon Watcher named Tracey who essentially invited himself along for the rest of the Orange Islands saga. Traveling with Ash, he wished to attain his ultimate goal of meeting Professor Oak, which he did when Ash returned to Kanto in *A Tent Situation*. After this, he remained in Pallet Town to be Professor Oak's assistant in *The Rivalry Revival*. Ash has reunited with Tracey during his visits to Pallet Town in *Gotta Catch Ya Later!*, *The Right Place and the Right Mime*, *Home is Where the Start Is!*, and *The Rainbow and the Pokémon Master!*.

Pokémon

## Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire

### May

Main article: May
Ash may have traveled to Hoenn alone; however, shortly after his arrival, he met May, a young girl who desired to travel around the world and a fellow Trainer who was just starting her journey and then ended up destroying her bike just like that of Misty. Though she initially did not care for Pokémon, she eventually found Pokémon Contests, in which she competed while in Hoenn and then later in Kanto. May traveled with Ash through the entire *Advanced Generation* saga, from *Get the Show on the Road* to *Home is Where the Start Is!*, after which she went off to Johto to compete in Contests there. She, like Misty, reappeared briefly during *Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl* to compete in the Wallace Cup from *A Full Course Tag Battle!* until *Strategy with a Smile!*.

Pokémon

### Max

Main article: Max
Max is May's younger brother. He does not have any Pokémon of his own because he is too young, but he often befriends certain Pokémon. He traveled with the group from *There's no Place Like Hoenn* until *Home is Where the Start Is*, when he went home to Petalburg City. However, he made a promise to Ash that as soon as he got his own Pokémon, he would battle Ash.

## Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl

### Dawn

Main article: Dawn

Like his journey into Hoenn, Ash ventured to Sinnoh alone, where, in *When Pokémon Worlds Collide!*, he would meet Dawn, the daughter of a Top Coordinator wishing to follow in the footsteps of her mother. From that point, after saving Ash's Pikachu and having her bike fried in a similar way to May's and Misty's, Dawn would travel with Ash and Brock through Sinnoh, which she did until *Memories are Made of Bliss!* when all three friends split up.

Dawn rejoins Ash's group in *Pokémon the Series: Black & White* in *Piplup, Pansage, and a Meeting of the Times!* to compete in the Pokémon World Tournament Junior Cup. Dawn would leave the group in *Goodbye, Junior Cup - Hello Adventure!* and travel to Johto to compete in the Wallace Cup.

Having returned from her journey in Johto and around the world, she met up with Ash again in *Pokémon Journeys: The Series* during his research travel in Sinnoh with Goh to investigate Darkrai and Cresselia in *Nightfall? Nightmares!* and *A Midsummer Night's Light!*, also meeting Chloe before meeting them. She met up with them again in *The Gates of Warp!* and *Showdown at the Gates of Warp!*, helping to solve a crisis involving Dialga and Palkia. She reunited with Ash and Goh in *The Arceus Chronicles (Part 1* through *4)*, and reunited with Ash and Chloe from *A Flood of Torrential Gains!* to *Partners in Time!*.

Pokémon

## Pokémon the Series: Black & White

### Iris

Main article: Iris

Iris is said to be a wild girl, as proven by the fact that she swings on vines. She decided to travel throughout Unova and the Decolore Islands with Ash from *Enter Iris and Axew!* until *Best Wishes Until We Meet Again!*

Her goal is to become a Dragon Master. She left the group in order to travel to Blackthorn City in the Johto region and challenge Clair, to gain more experience towards her goal. Iris returned in *Thrash of the Titans!*, where it was revealed she had unseated Alder to become the Champion of the Unova League. She returned to participate in the Pokémon World Coronation Series Masters Eight Tournament from *Curtain Up! Fight the Fights!* to *Battling as Hard as Stone!*.

Pokémon

### Cilan

Main article: Cilan

Cilan, a Pokémon Connoisseur and one of the Gym Leaders of the Striaton City Gym, travels with Ash and Iris in their journey through Unova and the Decolore Islands from *Dreams by the Yard Full!* until *Best Wishes Until We Meet Again!*.

Cilan decided to depart from the group in order to further his skills as a Pokémon Connoisseur, starting by heading to Dewford Town to take part in a fishing tournament held by Mr. Briney. He reunited with Ash and Brock and met Misty for the first time in *Must Be Our Heroes and the Witch!*, where he also revealed to Ash that he was already acquainted with Brock.

Pokémon

## Pokémon the Series: XY

### Clemont

Main article: Clemont

Clemont is an inventor Ash met after being ejected out of the Lumiose City Gym. His backpack, called the "Clemontic Gear", carries a variety of inventions and gadgets. He traveled with Ash from *A Battle of Aerial Mobility!* until *The Future Is Now, Thanks to Determination!*, then rejoined the group in *The Moment of Lumiose Truth!*, he decided to stay in Lumiose City in *Till We Compete Again!* when Ash returned to Kanto. He and Bonnie reunited with Ash in *The Future is Now, Thanks to Strategy!* and *Taking Two For The Team!*, while also meeting Goh for the first time.

Pokémon

### Bonnie

Main article: Bonnie

Bonnie is Clemont's little sister. She is a young and cheerful girl, who despite being too young to officially train Pokémon, holds a great interest in them. She is proud of her big brother's accomplishments but is not above criticizing him. She started traveling with Ash in *A Battle of Aerial Mobility!* and stayed in Lumiose City with her brother when the group went their separate ways in *Till We Compete Again!*. She and Clemont reunited with Ash in *The Future is Now, Thanks to Strategy!* and *Taking Two For The Team!*, while also meeting Goh for the first time.

Pokémon

### Serena

Main article: Serena

Serena is a Pokémon Trainer from Kalos who met Ash once before when they were younger. While the daughter of a famous Rhyhorn racer, Serena eventually sets her goal to become Kalos Queen. She started traveling with Ash in *Giving Chase at the Rhyhorn Race!* until *Till We Compete Again!* where she traveled to the Hoenn region to participate in Pokémon Contests in order to further her skills. As revealed in *Pokémon Journeys: The Series*, she has since become a rising star in the region, working her way to the Master Rank and cooperating with Lisia to liven up the local Contests.

While traveling with Ash, she cut her hair short and changed into her new outfit in *A Showcase Debut!*. She briefly reunited with Ash in *Reuniting for the First Time!*, while also meeting Goh for the first time.

Pokémon

## Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon

### Lana

Main article: Lana

Lana is one of Ash's classmates. She enjoys many seafaring activities such as fishing while riding on Lapras. She was the first of Ash's classmates in *Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon* series to meet Ash when she accidentally fished him up while he was riding on a Sharpedo. Lana remained in Alola to accompany her father in a fishing survey to research Manaphy in *Thank You, Alola! The Journey Continues!*. Lana reunited with Ash in *That New Old Gang of Mine!*, where she also met Goh for the first time. She returned again in *Helping the Hometown Hero!*.

Pokémon

### Kiawe

Main article: Kiawe

Kiawe is one of Ash's classmates. He is very gruff compared to his classmates and makes deliveries between islands on his Charizard. Ash first spotted Kiawe flying on his Charizard when he was lost in a forest. They formally met while Kiawe was in a battle with Team Skull and Ash joined in, making Kiawe the last of Ash's classmates Ash would meet. Kiawe remained in Alola in *Thank You, Alola! The Journey Continues!* to resume his island challenge, with the goal of becoming Akala Island's next island kahuna and following in his grandfather's footsteps. Kiawe reunited with Ash in *That New Old Gang of Mine!*, where he also met Goh for the first time. He returned again in *Helping the Hometown Hero!*.

Pokémon

### Lillie

Main article: Lillie

Lillie is one of Ash's classmates. Prior to *Lillie's Egg-xhilarating Challenge!*, she was terrified of physically interacting with Pokémon, and tended to freeze up whenever one Pokémon entered her personal space. She was the second of Ash's classmates he would meet. She was watching a Tauros race between Lana, Mallow and Sophocles as Ash accidentally stumbled upon the racing track and spotted Lillie on the other side. They became classmates when Ash enrolled himself at the Pokémon School shortly thereafter.

Over the course of the series, Lillie adopted her first Pokémon, Snowy, overcame her fear of Pokémon, and reaffirmed her family bonds with her older brother Gladion, her estranged mother Lusamine, and learned more about her long-missing father, Mohn. In *Thank You, Alola! The Journey Continues!*, Lillie left with her family on a journey in search of Mohn. She found her father in the Crown Tundra and reunited with Ash in *The Homecoming Crown!*, while also meeting Goh and Chloe for the first time. Lillie returned home to Alola in the following episode with her family and friends.

Pokémon

### Sophocles

Main article: Sophocles

Sophocles is one of Ash's classmates. He enjoys inventing helpful devices and machinery. He met Ash while he was having a Tauros race against Lana and Mallow and they ran him over when he accidentally stumbled upon the track. They became classmates when Ash enrolled himself at the Pokémon School shortly thereafter. In *Thank You, Alola! The Journey Continues!*, Sophocles left to spend his vacation at Mossdeep City's Space Center. Sophocles reunited with Ash in *That New Old Gang of Mine!*, where he also met Goh for the first time. He reunited with them in *Lighting the Way Home!* and *Helping the Hometown Hero!*.

Pokémon

### Mallow

Main article: Mallow

Mallow is one of Ash's classmates. She is talented cook for both people and Pokémon, and is a self-proclaimed poster girl at her family's restaurant, Aina's Kitchen. She met Ash while she was having a Tauros race against Lana and Sophocles and they ran him over when he accidentally stumbled upon the track. They became classmates when Ash enrolled himself at the Pokémon School shortly thereafter. In *Thank You, Alola! The Journey Continues!*, Mallow remained in Alola, aiming to succeed her father as the Aina's Kitchen's owner and turn it into a place that caters to both humans and Pokémon. Mallow reunited with Ash in *That New Old Gang of Mine!*, where she also met Goh for the first time. She returned again in *Helping the Hometown Hero!*.

Pokémon

### Rotom Pokédex

Main article: Rotom Pokédex

Rotom possessed Ash's newly acquired Alola Pokédex at the beginning of *Loading the Dex!*. Since then, it has accompanied Ash as one of his companions, with the hopes of fulfilling its dream of becoming the world's greatest Pokédex. In *Thank You, Alola! The Journey Continues!*, Rotom remained in Alola to work with the Aether Foundation at Aether Paradise. It reunited with Ash in *That New Old Gang of Mine!*, where it also met Goh for the first time.

## Pokémon Journeys: The Series

### Goh

 File:Goh JN.png
Main article: Goh

Goh is a 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 in existence. Goh first met Ash in his hometown of Vermilion City in *Legend? Go! Friends? Go!*, while he was pursuing a Lugia during a Raid Battle, despite owning no Pokémon at the time. The duo later became Professor Cerise's research assistants. Goh later caught his first Pokémon and partner, Scorbunny, in *Mind-Boggling Dynamax!* during his first excursion to the Galar region. Goh has temporarily separated from Ash in *Time After Time!*, *Sword and Shield, Slumbering Weald!*, *Chasing to the Finish!*, and *Just a Scone's Throw From Here!*. In *Leaping Toward the Dream!*, Goh joined the Project Mew research team in the hopes of furthering his dream. In *This Could be the Start of Something Big!*, Goh officially parted ways from Ash when he decided to tour different regions alone in order to become a stronger Trainer who can equal Mew.

## I Choose You!

### Verity

 File:Verity M20.png
Main article: Verity

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.

Pokémon

### Sorrel

 File:Sorrel M20.png
Main article: Sorrel

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.

Pokémon

## Temporary traveling companions

### Haunter

Main article: Sabrina's Haunter
Haunter briefly accompanied Ash from *The Tower of Terror* to *Haunter versus Kadabra*, helping Ash in the Gym battle against Sabrina before it was left with her.

### Todd Snap

 File:Todd Snap.png
Main article: Todd Snap
Todd Snap accompanied Ash, Misty, and Brock from *Pokémon Paparazzi* to *The Breeding Center Secret*. He later meets up with Ash again in *Moving Pictures* during his journey through Johto, trying to take a photograph of the legendary Articuno. They meet an elderly couple celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, and Todd has the honor of taking their anniversary photo for them. Later on, in *Freeze Frame* Todd finally finds Articuno and manages to get a photograph of it. He then departs from the group once more.

### Ritchie

Main article: Ritchie
Ritchie accompanied Ash, Misty, and Brock from *The Mystery is History* to *A Promise is a Promise* while he was searching for a mysterious Pokémon that can be found in the Whirl Islands, which turned out to be a Lugia.

Pokémon

### Larvitar

Main article: Ash's Larvitar
Larvitar was cared for by Ash from *Hatch Me if You Can* to *Mother of All Battles*, when it was returned to its mother.

### Mr. Briney

 File:Mr Briney anime.png
Main article: Mr. Briney
Mr. Briney accompanied Ash, Brock, May, and Max as they traveled to Dewford from *On a Wingull and a Prayer!* until *Sharpedo Attack!*.

Pokémon

 Unknown

### Professor Birch

 File:Birch anime.png
Main article: Professor Birch
Professor Birch accompanied Ash, Brock, May, and Max as they traveled through the forests of Dewford from *A Three Team Scheme!* until *Seeing is Believing!*.

Pokémon

### Cheryl

 File:Cheryl anime.png
Main article: Cheryl
Cheryl accompanied Ash, Brock, and Dawn through the Eterna Forest from *Some Enchanted Sweetening!* until *An Angry Combeenation!*.

Pokémon

### Barry

 File:Barry anime.png
Main article: Barry
Barry accompanied Ash, Brock, and Dawn from *Barry's Busting Out All Over!* until *Jumping Rocket Ship!* while Ash was trying to earn the Relic Badge. He then traveled with them to the Pokémon Ping Pong Tournament from *Stopped in the Name of Love!* until *To Thine Own Pokémon Be True!*.

Pokémon

### Zoey

 File:Zoey.png
Main article: Zoey
Zoey accompanied Ash, Dawn, and Brock from *Classroom Training!* until *A Pyramiding Rage!* while the group was in Snowpoint City. During this time, she guided them around her hometown, watched Ash's Gym battle against Candice, and accompanied them to the Battle Pyramid.

Pokémon

### Lyra

 File:Lyra anime.png
Main article: Lyra
Lyra met Ash, Dawn, and Brock during the Johto Festival in *An Egg Scramble!*. She and Khoury accompanied them to Lilypad Town and left the group in *Bagged then Tagged!* when she returned to Johto.

Pokémon

### Khoury

 File:Khoury.png
Main article: Khoury
Khoury met Ash, Dawn, and Brock during the Johto Festival when Lyra introduced them in *An Egg Scramble!*. He and Lyra accompanied them to Lilypad Town and left the group in *Bagged then Tagged!* when he returned to Johto.

Pokémon

### Cynthia

 File:Cynthia anime BW2.png
Main article: Cynthia
Cynthia is the Champion of the Sinnoh region and has helped deal with several crises, particularly those involving Team Galactic and Team Rocket.

Pokémon

### Bianca

 File:Bianca anime.png
Main article: Bianca
Bianca first met Ash in *Minccino Neat And Tidy* where she gave him his Badge case from Professor Juniper. She later accompanies him, Iris, and Cilan for a short time on their way to Nimbasa City. However, upon hearing that Ash had three Badges, she was inspired to catch up to him and left to collect Badges on her own. Since then, Bianca has temporarily joined the group numerous times during their journey from *Emolga the Irresistible!* until *Emolga and the New Volt Switch!*, then temporarily rejoined them from *Crisis at Chargestone Cave!* until *Evolution Exchange Excitement!*.

Pokémon

### Luke

 File:Luke.png
Main article: Luke
Luke first met Ash, Iris, and Cilan in his hometown where they helped him produce a movie. At the end of *Movie Time! Zorua in "The Legend of the Pokémon Knight"!*, he accompanies them to Nimbasa Town, where he stays with them during the Club Battle tournament, before heading back home at the end of *The Club Battle Finale: A Heroes Outcome!*.

Pokémon

### Meowth

Main article: Meowth (Team Rocket)
After reportedly being "disbanded" from Team Rocket in *Meowth's Scrafty Tactics!*, Meowth was found unconscious by Ash's Tepig and Iris' Axew. The group nursed him back to health and invited him to accompany them so as to protect him from Trainers wanting to capture the only talking Meowth in Unova. He used his ability to speak to humans and Pokémon many times during their travels together.

He later revealed their travels to be a facade to gain their trust for a mission, and reunited with Jessie and James in *Crisis from the Underground Up!*.

### Stephan

 File:Stephan.png
Main article: Stephan
Stephan decided to travel with Ash and co. in *Climbing the Tower of Success!* after taking part in a competition with them. He left the group after winning the Clubsplosion tournament in *Commanding the Clubsplosion Crown!*.

Pokémon

### Meloetta

 File:Meloetta Pirouette Forme anime.png
Main article: Meloetta
Meloetta decided to travel with Ash and his friends from *Piplup, Pansage, and a Meeting of the Times!* until *Unova's Survival Crisis!*.

### Cameron

 File:Cameron Unova.png
Main articles: Cameron (Unova) and Cameron
After Dawn left the group after the Junior Tournament, Cameron decided to join Ash, Iris, and Cilan. He left the group after he won his eighth and final Badge against Marlon from *Goodbye, Junior Cup - Hello Adventure!* until *The Road to Humilau!*.

Pokémon

### N

 File:N anime.png
Main article: N
After meeting with Ash and the others again in *Saving Braviary!*, he agreed to travel with them to Driftveil City. After an encounter with Team Plasma, N was forced to leave the group in *Secrets From Out of the Fog!*.

### Alexa

 File:Alexa anime.png
Main article: Alexa
Alexa, a journalist from Kalos, met Ash and friends in *The Journalist from Another Region!* on Harvest Island. She traveled with the group through the Decolore Islands, and joined Ash on his journey to Kalos, but officially split with Ash in *Kalos: Where Dreams and Adventures Begin!* because her sister Viola was away from Santalune Gym.

Pokémon

### Korrina

 File:Korrina anime.png
Main article: Korrina
Korrina, the Shalour City Gym Leader, met Ash, Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie in *Mega Revelations!* on their way to her hometown. The group accompanied her as she traveled to Geosenge Town to understand and master the Mega Evolution of her trusted partner, Lucario. She left the group at Pomace Mountain in *The Bonds of Mega Evolution!*. In *An Adventure of Mega Proportions!*, she accompanied Ash and Goh to Mega Island in search of a Lucarionite for Ash's Lucario.

Pokémon

### Sawyer

 File:Sawyer.png
Main article: Sawyer
Sawyer met Ash, Serena, and Bonnie in *A Fashionable Battle!* in the Laverre Gym, where he was asking for a Gym Battle with Valerie. He recognized Clemont as the Lumiose City Gym Leader, as he had had a Gym Battle with him in *Battling with Elegance and a Big Smile!*. He left the group in *Rivals: Today and Tomorrow!*.

In *A Full-Strength Battle Surprise!*, after battling Ash and winning, Sawyer decided to accompany him and his friends to Snowbelle City. In the following episode, he watched Ash battle Wulfric before leaving to train for the Lumiose Conference.

Pokémon

### Squishy

 File:Squishy.png
Main article: Squishy
Squishy first met Ash and the group in *From A to Z!*. After saving it from Team Flare, the group took it with them with Bonnie taking care of it. Later, it left the group in *Forming a More Perfect Union!* and disappeared along with Z2.

### Professor Kukui

 File:Professor Kukui anime.png
Main article: Professor Kukui
Professor Kukui is the teacher of Ash's class in Pokémon School, and his caretaker while he stays in the Alola region. As teacher, Kukui often chaperones class trips.

By the end of *Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon*, Ash and his friends learn Professor Kukui is also The Masked Royal, the famous masked Trainer who fights in Battle Royals in the Battle Royal Dome with his partner Incineroar.

Pokémon

### Olivia

 File:Olivia anime.png
Main article: Olivia
Olivia is the island kahuna of Akala Island. She traveled with Ash, his classmates, and Professor Kukui during their first group trip to the island. In *Currying Favor and Flavor!*, she watched over Ash's trial in the Lush Forest. In the following episode, Ash battled Olivia in a grand trial Double Battle and won.

Pokémon

### Solgaleo

Main articles: Light trio § Solgaleo, and Light trio → Solgaleo
Solgaleo, previously known as Nebby, was a Cosmog that was briefly entrusted to Ash from *A Dream Encounter!* to *10,000,000 Reasons to Fight!* by Lunala, Solgaleo and the guardian deities. It was targeted by Faba due to its ability to open Ultra Wormholes. In *Faba's Revenge!*, it evolved into Cosmoem, and then in *Revealing the Stuff of Legend!*, with the help of the Guardian deities, it evolved once more into Solgaleo. After Ash and his friends' adventures in the Ultra Deep Sea it disappeared in *10,000,000 Reasons to Fight!*, making a short reappearance in *The Professors' New Adventure!*.

Solgaleo would later appear in *Filling the Light with Darkness!*, being pursued by Necrozma. In *Full Moon and Many Arms!*, Solgaleo temporarily reunited with the Ultra Guardians, but after freeing Lunala from Necrozma's absorption, Solgaleo was absorbed instead. It was freed during the final confrontation in *Securing the Future!*, where it combined its power with Ash, Gladion, and Lunala to give enough Ultra Aura to Necrozma to return it to its Ultra form. After Ash and Pikachu said goodbye to Poipole, Solgaleo and Lunala traveled back to Alola with the Ultra Guardians.

### Gladion

 File:Gladion anime.png
Main article: Gladion
Gladion is Lillie's older brother, and Ash's rival in *Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon*. In *Revealing the Stuff of Legend!*, Gladion and Lillie reunited with Ash and the rest of Lillie's friends, and joined forces to rescue Lusamine, who had been abducted by a Nihilego.

In *Filling the Light with Darkness!*, it was revealed that Gladion had joined the Ultra Guardians as its seventh member. Together with Ash and his classmates, they traveled to Poipole's home world in Ultra Space, and were able to restore light to Necrozma.

Pokémon

### Acerola

 File:Acerola anime.png
Main article: Acerola
In *Tough Guy Trials!*, Ash and his Pokémon arrived alone on Ula'ula Island to challenge its grand trial. There, he met Acerola and the island kahuna, Nanu. After being defeated by Nanu, Acerola joined Ash to help him train for his upcoming rematch, following Ash's defeat at Nanu's hands in an unofficial battle. Once Ash eventually won the rematch, she said goodbye to him and promised to visit Melemele Island sometime.

Pokémon

### Dia

 File:Dia Alola.png
Main article: Dia (Alola)
In *Battling the Beast Within!*, Ash and Pikachu were sent to an alternate dimension Hau'oli City that had been devastated by a Guzzlord. A Trainer named Dia and the Zeraora he befriended saved Ash and Pikachu from being devoured by the Ultra Beast. With the help of their Pokémon and the Z-Power granted by the alternate Melemele Island's Shiny Tapu Koko, Ash and Dia were able to send Guzzlord back to the world it came from.

Pokémon

### Shaymin

 File:Mallow Shaymin.png
Main article: Mallow's Shaymin
Shaymin is a wild Pokémon that Mallow cared for. It first appeared in *Memories in the Mist!*, where it encountered Mallow after being drawn to her strong feelings of gratitude towards her late mother. Mallow then decided to take it in until the time came for it to turn into its Sky Forme and fly away. In *Thank You, Alola! The Journey Continues!*, Mallow's brother Ulu returned home, carrying flowers that turned out to be Gracideas, which allowed Shaymin to change into its Sky Forme and fly away.

### Chloe

 File:Chloe anime.png
Main article: Chloe
Chloe is Professor Cerise's daughter and a supporting character in *Pokémon Journeys: The Series*. Chloe occasionally accompanies Ash and Goh during their research trips, with these occurances happening much more frequently after she obtained her starter Pokémon, Eevee.

Pokémon

### Leon

 File:Leon Charizard pose anime.png
Main article: Leon
Leon is the current Champion of the Galar region and the reigning Monarch of the World Coronation Series. Leon initially joined Ash and traveled to various locations to stop the Darkest Day, and would once again join him for a training session in the Wild Area.

Pokémon

## Trivia

* Every starter Pokémon prior to Generation IX has been owned by either Ash or one of his friends.
* Alexa is the only human companion, main or temporary, to accompany Ash through the end of one series to the start of the next.
* Serena is the only one of Ash's friends that Ash has met prior to the beginning of the series.
* Clemont is the first of Ash's friends that has left the group in the middle of a journey.
* Ash's Alolan classmates are the first main characters who do not appear in every episode of their series during their time in the main cast following their debut.
	+ They are also the first main characters not to appear in any Pokémon movies released during their series in any form.
* Goh is Ash's first traveling companion to be officially classified as a protagonist instead of simply a traveling companion.
	+ Goh is also the first of Ash's friends to have a rivalry with one of Ash's former rivals.
* Goh is the only one of Ash's friends to not be present for the entirety of Ash's major tournament of their journey.
* Eevee and its evolutions are the most frequently occurring Pokémon to be caught amongst Ash's travelling companions, with three of them capturing one each, and another two being captured by two temporary travelling companions.