What will Ash's team be for the finals in Pokemon Ultimate Journeys?

Pokemon Ultimate Journeys, the 25th animated series of the Pocket Monsters franchise, is well underway. Protagonist Ash Ketchum is facing an uphill battle to become victorious in the series' championship bout.

Fans have speculated which Pokemon Ash will be bringing into the series' final episodes. To become the champion of the World Coronation Series tournament, Ash will need to defeat Leon, the League Champion of the Galar region and the current "Monarch" of the Coronation Series.

But which creatures will Ash bring into battle alongside him to defeat Leon? Speculation abounds, but a recent leak may have shone some light into the future Pokemon Master's team.

---

Pokemon Ultimate Journeys: Potential leak points to a notable exclusion of a fan-favorite

Ash's Greninja has remained a fan favorite among the anime community since the XYZ series (Image via The Pokemon Company)

As the showdown between Ash and Leon has approached, countless anime fans have opined about who they hoped would be used in the final battle. Many Pokefans pointed to Ash's Greninja, a team mainstay since the Pokemon XYZ series, and even unlocked its unique form thanks to its bond with Ash.

There's no doubt that Greninja would be a capable ally to our protagonist against fearsome enemies like Leon's Charizard. However, a recently leaked image featuring promotional material for the upcoming battle may point to Greninja remaining on the sidelines. According to a Tweet by @CRK91335336, the Ninja Pokemon may not be stepping into the arena.

In the promotional image between Ash and Leon, Greninja is surprisingly missing. Instead, Pocket Monsters like Gengar, Sirfetch'd, Dracovish, Lucario, and Dragonite are seen with the protagonist and his Pikachu. We see Dragapult, Rillaboom, and Leon's powerful Charizard on Leon's side.

Greninja's absence is strange, considering it matches up particularly well against Charizard, which is undoubtedly Leon's most potent option.

Though the promotional material shared on Twitter doesn't feature Greninja, that doesn't explicitly mean it won't appear. The battle between Ash and Leon will contain its share of surprises and tricks. The Pokemon Company may withhold some secrets in the upcoming episodes to keep the suspense high.

At the moment, it's unclear whether Greninja will be returning, though its Battle Bond with Ash will undoubtedly come in helpful. The promotional material would indicate that Greninja won't be participating, but until the finals arrive, it's difficult to confirm until the finals arrive. After episode 127, Ash and Goh spent time together removed from training before Goh departed, keeping Ash's strategy for the finals ambiguous.

Since Ultimate Journeys has covered all eight of the game's known regions, Galar included, it can't be ruled out that favorites from previous regions may suddenly appear. It's just as likely that the final battle will focus on Ash's more recent team, including Pikachu, Lucario, Gengar, Dracovish, and others.

The only way to ensure which creatures will appear in the finals is to catch the upcoming episodes. There is little doubt that the battle between Ash and Leon will be legendary in scope and will likely dictate what comes next for the protagonist at Ultimate Journey's upcoming conclusion.