Ash Ketchum’s primary goal throughout the Pokémon Journeys anime has been to battle against Leon, the Galar Region Champion and reigning Monarch of the World Coronation Series. Now that Ash has earned his spot in the Masters Eight Tournament, the fated battle he longs for is pretty much inevitable. However, regardless of whether Ash defeats Leon and wins the WCS, Journeys should have one more item on its to-do list before this latest adventure comes to a close -- a battle between Ash and Goh.
Goh got off on the wrong foot with many fans thanks to his ability to capture wild Pokémon with little to no effort. The original slogan of “Gotta Catch ‘Em All,” has never been embodied by a (main series) character more than Goh – who has caught over 100 Pokémon throughout the Journeys anime. In his defense, he certainly takes better care of all his Pokémon than Ash does, as Goh spends most of his non-excursion time caring for each and every one at Cerise Labs. Ash, meanwhile, leaves that grunt work to Professor Oak and Tracey Sketchit when it comes to his own collection of Pokémon.
Unlike Ash, Goh isn’t overly interested in Pokémon battling beyond helping Ash train and Team Rocket scuffles. Despite his own disinterest in battles, Goh has been at Ash’s side every step of the way during the World Coronation Series, cheering him on during every match. The first reason a battle between Goh and Ash would be interesting would be to find out what quirky battle strategies Goh has picked up from watching Ash, as the protagonist seldom faces an opponent who’s equally clever. In all honesty, Ash would most likely mop the floor with Goh -- but that doesn’t mean this hypothetical battle couldn't be compelling.
Full 6v6 battles have gone the way of Aerodactyl in Pokémon Journeys (extinct). The Masters Eight Tournament has the most powerful, iconic trainers in the entire franchise and it’s still shaping up to be 1v1 battles -- meaning Pokémon has well and truly moved on from one of its most popular traditions. A battle between Ash and Goh would be the perfect opportunity for a full battle to give Ash’s Journeys team one last hurrah before he inevitably leaves them somewhere and moves on. Goh, on the other hand, has such a vast collection of Pokémon that it'd be interesting to see which six he'd choose to go against Ash, other than the givens like Cinderace and Inteleon.
Goh has grown from an overly ambitious kid who thought he’d catch Mew as his first Pokémon, to someone who didn’t understand that Pokémon’s personalities can change when they evolve, to a genuinely talented trainer with multiple Legendary captures under his belt. He’s grown tremendously both as a person and in his relationship with Pokémon, and a lot of that growth has come from being exposed to Ash’s infectious enthusiasm for all things Pokémon. Battles have always been a way for trainers to get to know one another and show their growth, and Goh taking everything he’s learned from Ash and throwing it back at him in a full battle would be a poetic end to Pokémon Journeys.
The future of Pokémon has never been foggier; the series is running out of things to do with Ash Ketchum, while Goh’s disinterest in battles leaves him unsuited to be the new protagonist. If this truly is the last go-round for Ash or Goh or both, then a full battle would be the perfect way to wrap up their arc together. His seemingly Arceus-given talent for catching wild Pokémon with ease aside, Goh has cemented himself as one of Ash’s best travel companions as the two have become the closest of friends. If nothing else, Journeys could use Goh’s Suicune and Regieleki as a Tobias-substitute to end Ash’s adventures with a Legendary-spamming defeat – just for old time’s sake.