Is Ash's Pidgeot Still Waiting?

[Thorns]

It's been pretty well over 12 seasons since "Pallet Party Panic" was first aired.

This is a very important episode because Ash's newly evolved Pidgeot was left to take care of the wild Pidgey and Pidgeotto near Pallet Town from a flock of Spearow and a Fearow.

Some people say Ash technically "released" Pidgeot but here are the exact words Ash said to Pidgeot before leaving it:

"We'll be back as soon as we get Professor Oak's Poke Ball. See you soon, Pidgeot!"

Now Let's Recap (All the recap is in Blue so if you don't want to read it, scroll down till it's not Blue):

Now in the last episode, "The Rivalry Revival" of the same season, the Orangle Islands, they did return to Pallet Town with the GS Ball, but were told to go to Johto to take it to Kurt.

They were in Pallet Town that whole day and only left the next day, but Ash never took any time to retrieve Pidgeot.

It wasn't until the final episode of Pokemon Master Quest, "Gotta Catch Ya Later!" that Ash returned to Pallet Town. He did drop off all the pokemon he had on hand except Pikachu. But like before, Ash never takes the time to see his Pidgeot.

By the next episode, and the beginning of Pokemon Advance, Ash and Pikachu were already on the boat to Hoenn.

Ash doesn't return until "The Scheme Team" in Pokemon Advance Battle, and stays until the end of the next episode, "The Right Place and The Right Mime". It should be said that in the span of the two episodes, Ash takes the time to see all the Pokemon he left with Professor Oak, but once again, forgets Pidgeot.

We return to Pallet Town once again in the final episode of Pokemon Battle Frontier, "Home is Where the Start Is", where he drops off all his pokemon on hand except Pikachu. By the end of the episode, he heads out to Sinnoh with Pikachu and Aipom (But Ash doesn't realize Aipom comes along until later). But no love for Pidgeot.

Now recently, in the final episode of Pokemon Sinnoh League Victors, "Memories are Pearls! Friendship is a Diamond!!" and the first episode of Pokemon Best Wishes "To the Isshu Region! Zekrom's Shadow!!", Ash comes back to Pallet Town one last time, and clearly spent at least one day there. But once again, Pidgeot is forgotten.

Now basically, Ash has come back to Pallet town numerous times and clearly spends a large amount of time there.

But why hasn't Ash, not even once, even checked on his Pidgeot, let alone take it back on his journey?

I get sometimes Ash comes to Pallet Town to deposit his Pokemon, but times like he went to Johto and did the Battle Frontier challenge in Kanto, Ash took other Pokemon he previously had, but forgot Pidgeot.

Could it be that he really released Pidgeot? Or did just forget that promise he made with it at the end of "Pallet Party Panic"?

Discuss.

 

[Kenshin5]

I think if there were every a time that would would have reunited with Pidgeot was during the Battle Frontier since he seemed to reunite with most of his other Kanto pokemon. For some reason I don't see them reuniting. Pidgeot will more then likely remain the guardian of Pidgey and Pidgeotto and nothing more then that. I would be nice to see Pidgeot back though.

 

[Vernikova]

Simple question deserves a simple answer. Ash could've visited Pidgeot off-screen. There's no point in showing Ash visit Pidgeot when it isn't necessary to do so. Considering Ash is a very loyal trainer who does everything for his Pokémon, it isn't likely that he forgot his promise to Pidgeot so it's best to assume that he visited Pideot off-screen.

 

[mervyn797]

Oh my! Pidgeot has been forgotten? This is really sad. Pidgeot was a remarkable Pokemon and a great asset to Ash's Kanto team. This is too bad on writers' part. They can't simply forget the promise Ash made to Pidgeot.
Let me see, Pidgeot was assigned the duty to protect the flock of young Pidgey and Pidgeotto from the flock of Spearow and Fearow, right? Maybe Ash would call for it during the Isshu League. Who knows?

 

[Thorns]

I think if there were every a time that would would have reunited with Pidgeot was during the Battle Frontier since he seemed to reunite with most of his other Kanto pokemon. For some reason I don't see them reuniting. Pidgeot will more then likely remain the guardian of Pidgey and Pidgeotto and nothing more then that. I would be nice to see Pidgeot back though.

I thought so to. Because most of the focus in battle Frontier was with his old Pokemon. We saw almost every other Pokemon he used to have though, like Squirtle, Charizard and Bulbasaur. Squirtle was in a whole other city or town as part of a fire-fighting squad and Charizard was in a whole other region! But they couldn't bring back Pidgeot who was just a route or two away?

Simple question deserves a simple answer. Ash could've visited Pidgeot off-screen. There's no point in showing Ash visit Pidgeot when it isn't necessary to do so. Considering Ash is a very loyal trainer who does everything for his Pokémon, it isn't likely that he forgot his promise to Pidgeot so it's best to assume that he visited Pideot off-screen.

Maybe, but don't you think they should of at least shown that scene? I think a lot of fans would of considered it "necessary" to see at least a check-up.

Oh my! Pidgeot has been forgotten? This is really sad. Pidgeot was a remarkable Pokemon and a great asset to Ash's Kanto team. This is too bad on writers' part. They can't simply forget the promise Ash made to Pidgeot.
Let me see, Pidgeot was assigned the duty to protect the flock of young Pidgey and Pidgeotto from the flock of Spearow and Fearow, right? Maybe Ash would call for it during the Isshu League. Who knows?

I don't think so because from what I can see from the first few episodes of Best Wishes, the people of Isshu seem shocked at any thought of a Pokemon from another region. Shooti got mad at Ash for bringing Pikachu to Isshu and the Battle Club members were ecstatic at the thought an Umbreon was in the area.

Plus, Giovanni's Assistant didn't send Team Rocket their old Pokemon because the residents of Isshu would be suspicious at that.

So I doubt it. : (

 

[BHwolfgang]

It would be nice to see Ash visit Pidgeon after what seemed like forever.I wonder if the writers forgot about this. After creating multiple seasons, I guess it's reasonable for them to not being able to remember a small part of the original series. However, they should've realized by now through the outcries of the many fans out there.

Pidgeot must be really strong by the now. Its been protecting the Pidgeys and the Pidgeottos for all this time, so I would expect it to be stronger than before.

 

[GlalieX]

It could be, but I don't think the writers plan on doing anything involving it.

 

[PlatinumDude]

Simple question deserves a simple answer. Ash could've visited Pidgeot off-screen. There's no point in showing Ash visit Pidgeot when it isn't necessary to do so. Considering Ash is a very loyal trainer who does everything for his Pokémon, it isn't likely that he forgot his promise to Pidgeot so it's best to assume that he visited Pideot off-screen.

I never thought of off-screen events. But still, the fans would've loved to see that.

 

[Vernikova]

Maybe, but don't you think they should of at least shown that scene? I think a lot of fans would of considered it "necessary" to see at least a check-up.

They don't need to. It isn't necessary story wise since it won't advance the lot or anything.

I never thought of off-screen events. But still, the fans would've loved to see that.

A bunch of things happen off-screen. Such as when Ash told May and Max about Misty before she made her appearance in the Mirage Togepi episodes.

Pidgeot was a remarkable Pokemon and a great asset to Ash's Kanto team

Ash had it for only the episode it evolved though.

 

[Mew~]

I do miss it but it's not like Ash needs it, his staraptor can do just as much damage with a better moveset too! But in terms on friendship and meeting up for old times sake, thats a no too! He didn't just send it off to train, he RELEASED IT! That means he let it off go into the wild, and you can't just think that Pidgeot and it's flock would want to stay in pallet and wait for Ash's return, birds always travel round and move during spring, winter etc...! The same goes for Butterfree~

 

[yossarian]

It's pretty clear from his wording from the dub at least that he did intend to go back for it and techincally did not properly release it. However there are frequent translation errors and open interprations with the dub so it would be good if someone who has seen the original Jap version translate what was exactly said.

Whilst it would have been nice especially for oldies like me for him to go back for it, there's way now with the new recent directive taken by the writers to exclude any sort of references no matter how vague it is to the original series, that Pidgeot will feature ever again or receive any kind of resolution on the show itself. I can guarantee that.

This however does leave a sort of truth vacumn with no clear way to establish what the real truth behind it is. However there are few options we can take

1. Like the GS Ball fiasco which only got resolved recently I believe, we wait till a fansite manages to obtain another exclusive interview with the original writing staff and ask the pertinent question "What were the original plans for Pidgeot and was he meant to be left behind?". This could take a long time and leaves a lot to chance.
2. We engage in wild speculation and establish the most sensible answer as the truth. In my opinion the most sensible solution is that we have to assume that something happened off screen either when he returned from Orange or Johto involving him bidding a final farewell to it probably realising that the pidgey and pidgeotto needed him a lot more than he did. This does ruin the potential for some romantic and nostalgic reunion in the future.
3. Ash just simply forgot about one of his closest pokemon due to a combination of mental retardism and cold hearteness.

Either way it would be nice to have some closure on this thing as this question will be constantly asked for the duration of the anime series.

 

[mervyn797]

Ash had it for only the episode it evolved though.

When I said Pidgeot, I thought it accounted for its pre-evolutions as well. ._.

Ash just simply forgot about one of his closest pokemon due to a combination of mental retardism and cold hearteness.

I think this is the truth. XD;

 

[Vernikova]

When I said Pidgeot, I thought it accounted for its pre-evolutions as well. ._.

It's not like Pidgeotto did much either. Outside of popping Team Rocket's balloon and scouting for things such as lost Pokémon it didn't do a lot of battling.

 

[okjoek]

True... did he ever reunite with butterfree either? I dont think so =(

Every person whos watched the original sieries is going to have the those sad thaughts looming over them =(

still, i continue to watch with hopes that the day will come when he will meet all his old buddies who seem allmost forgoten =(

 

[ORegan]

Pidgeot, while certainly not the most powerful of his team, still should have alot of sentimental value with Ash, as it's currently his oldest that he captured himself since buterfree was actually released and Pikachu was given to him. Hell, the first Pokemon I caught is my Raticate which is still on my team and currently level 52. Super Fang + Hyper Fang ftw.... at least against the retard AI of the Color generation :D

While I'm willing to accept the off-screen reuinion, I don't agree with yossa rian that he released pidgeot off screen, because that would be deserving of an episode, or Ash would've done so on the episode that he leaves him in.

 

[Vernikova]

True... did he ever reunite with butterfree either? I dont think so =(

No, Ash has not met back up with Butterfree.

 

[TheFuturePokemon]

No, Ash has not met back up with Butterfree.

Well did he ever promise to return back to butterfree?

 

[Spinor]

I honestly think that "promise" thing was just a miserable excuse to get rid of Pidgeot permanently with no mention of it ever again whatsoever. Just like the same way the writers hoped it would be with the GS Ball. "Hopefully the fans are durdur enough to just forget!" Well, the writers are the Durdurs on this one.

Bottom line: No. Pidgeot is forever put on a bus. Let's continue with our lives.

 

[ORegan]

Well did he ever promise to return back to butterfree?

No, butterfree was actually released which excuses its absense, which is not the case with Pidgeot.

 

[Tomackze]

What about Lapras? Has Ash ever reunited with it?