If I didn't know any better, after that last episode I would think they're setting Ash up to become the next Kalos Champion...the dynamic of his battle with Diantha just gives me such strong Ash/Paul vibes that I can't help but think it, as ridiculously unlikely as it may be.
Because come on now, Diantha is a Champion. She's a miserably poor excuse for one - easily the weakest the anime has shown thus far - but a Champion nonetheless. I really don't like how utterly useless she is; it's pretty depressing to see. Her latest battle with Ash is a great illustration for why she shouldn't have appeared in the series in the first place, and why she shouldn't again. Using the strongest trainer in the entire region to further Ash's personal growth is generally a bad idea, as it doesn't really show much character development...especially when you consider other characters further down the line are going to wipe the floor with him in all probability. It makes Diantha look like a joke, at the very least.
