To Kine: Cliche #1 about Anime: Nothing is left hanging! Ever!! Every question WILL be answered in the series, whether the viewers like the answer, or not. As for the GS Ball, it started out as an Advertisement for GS, but if that's ALL it was meant for, why does Ash still have it in Hoenn??
Regarding Ash's Dad: There are many theories about his identity. Most people in PC seem to think that the original character, Red from the GB games is Ash's father. This CANNOT be true! Otherwise, why would Ash be a selectable name? Just like Gary is selectable in Blue. You can check the opening to the games if you want; they'll be there.
My theory is that Ash has already SEEN his father once or twice. I believe it's Giovanni. The reason that he doesn't recognize Ash is because he left Mom while she was pregnant. In order to reinforce my claim, let me bring up a little history of Giovanni's actions.
In his own words, he says that he flopped as a Pokemon Trainer, and decided to form Team Rocket instead. Fast forward a few years, and he had his scientists clone MewTwo. He, in turn, destroys the lab that he was born in, without realizing that he was originally a Human.
A few years later, one of his scientists that survived the Cinnibar incident that resulted from MewTwo goes out and tries to capture Lugia. Pokemon 2000 shows a picture of Mew at the end of the movie, so people that saw the First Movie were like, "Ahh! He was one of the SCIENTISTS!". I still don't know why he says that that was how it began and how it will begin again; I think we haven't seen the last of that guy.
Pokemon 3 is irrelevant in this Giovanni theory, so I'll skip it here.
Some time between Pokemon 3 and Pokemon 4-Ever, Giovanni finds MewTwo. He tries to force the Pokemon to give him his Psychic Energy, to transfer to a new Pokemon that Giovanni is starting to create, or something; they didn't really clarify, but this was my assumption. Anyway, Ash and Giovanni meet face to face, and Giovanni doesn't know him. Duh! He went on his Journey before Ash was born, so of course he's never met his own son, and thus, Ash doesn't know him, because his Master Trainer Dad would NEVER do the unspeakable things that Giovanni would do!!
In Pokemon 4-Ever, Neo Team Rocket shows up and I think the guy from 2000 is the head. That's why they are STILL looking for the Legendaries. Pokemon Heroes also has NTR in it, just two that don't have masks.
I originally saw a scene with Giovanni in his office and a picture of Ash's Mom in the background on one of the banned Kanto Episodes that aired on CN once. Sadly, I can't seem to find it on the Internet, and I don't have the capability of uploading it from a DVD. If I ever can, I'll put it on this post, I swear! Until then, rest assured knowing that the episode is STILL shown on CN every time they cycle through the Kanto Saga, so if you watch it enough, chances are you'll see it.
Do not fear, though. I have a feeling that this is going to come into light sometime within the next saga or two. After all, in the games, Giovanni turns good at the end...
