Pokemon community mindblown over Ash Ketchum father theory

A Pokemon fan went viral after sharing their wild theory about Ash Ketchum’s father. The out-there idea about the anime protagonist is surprisingly wholesome. 

For millions of 90s children, Ash Ketchum was the face of the Pokemon franchise. The determined trainer was the star of the anime series which made its debut in 1997. Even 23 seasons later, the hero still is the main protagonist of animated adaptation.

One of the show’s biggest mysteries is the 10 year-old’s father who has only been mentioned in passing over the years. One fan’s viral theory about the Pallet Town parent, however, blew the community’s mind.

Game Freak / The Pokemon Company

So far, not a lot is known about Ash Ketchum’s father.

Pokemon fan’s wild theory about Ash’s father

Little information exists about Ketchum’s father, so the topic often sparks theories within the community. One fan posted a wholesome take involving Team Rocket – and the community is loving it.

According to user ‘Serperior98′ on the r/Pokemon subreddit, Ash father could be none other than one of the series’ most notorious villains. “There’s no real evidence for it, but I love the theory that Giovanni is really Ash’s dad,” the user wrote.

• Read More: Ash almost had a different design

The reasoning? According to the fan, the loving father just wants to keep tabs on their child: “He asked Jesse and James to steal Pikachu (knowing they’re too incompetent to actually succeed) as a means for him to have eyes on Ash and get constant reports on his progress.”

Many in the community loved the idea, such as one user who exclaimed, “I like that one a lot.” A fan of the series replied, “I always knew they are more like friendly rivals than actual enemies.” Another joked, “It’s all coming together now.”

Of course, the theory is a bit of a stretch, and not everyone was buying it. Several fans pointed out the amount of times Ash and his friends were put in situations of actual harm and even potential death. Still, the concept is pretty damn wholesome.

The thread kicked off a discussion that led to some other bizarre theories being posted, one even involving time travel. “There was this theory that James was actually Ash, he time traveled back with the help of a Legendary Pokemon to watch over himself and not mess up his life like he did,” one person wrote.

• Read More: Anime scene of Ash being a bad Trainer goes viral

Speaking of Ketchum’s dad, the elusive parent will supposedly be referenced in the upcoming Secrets of the Jungle film set to hit theaters in the West sometime in 2021. For now, the young protagonist’s family lineage is still shrouded in mystery.