Those familiar with the Pokémon games will know that the only way to obtain a gym badge is by defeating a gym leader in a Pokémon battle. However, to keep things fresh and exciting, the Pokémon anime adds twists and turns to how the protagonist, Ash Ketchum earns his.
In the original Indigo League, Ash is well remembered for scraping through gym battles and sometimes winning by unconventional means. However, it’s also a matter of how legitimate these badge wins were. Sometimes compassion and stopping an outside threat to the gym can also earn a trainer their gym badge.
8 Sabrina: Saffron City Gym
Whilst Kadabra proved to be one of Ash’s biggest challenges, the real threat he faced was Sabrina herself who turned Brock and Misty into dolls. After a previous defeat, Ash finds a Haunter who agrees to help defeat Sabrina.
To Ash’s dismay, Haunter disappears multiple times and Pikachu steps forward to face Kadabra. Pikachu’s type disadvantage barely affects Kadabra. Fortunately for Ash, Haunter reappears and aims to make Sabrina laugh and break her telekinetic barrier.
Its humor causes both Sabrina and Kadabra to uncontrollably break down laughing through telekinesis. This makes Kadabra unable to battle without really battling in the first place. Ash is awarded the Marsh Badge in reply to Haunter’s efforts and has since gone on to catch a Gengar as well. There’s barely a battle involved here.
7 Erika: Celadon City Gym
Following comments about his distaste for perfume, Ash’s efforts to reach Erika and win a gym badge are unconventional. A disguise and assistance from Team Rocket enable him to reach the gym floor before having his cover blown by Pikachu.
The match goes ahead anyway and is a three vs three battle. Both trainers are tied before being interrupted by Team Rocket. Their bomb causes a fire in the gym and everyone evacuates besides Gloom who is trapped. Ash runs back into the gym and his heroism in saving Gloom earns him the Rainbow Badge out of bravery.
It looks as though in the anime, the kindness, and protection of Pokémon, especially a gym leader’s is worthy of earning a badge.
6 Misty: Cerulean City Gym
Whilst not the most exciting gym in the original games, Cerulean City Gym is both a place for Pokémon battles and spectacular water show displays. Misty who decides to take on Ash in place of her lazy sisters, proves to be a real challenge to Ash and his team.
The two are tied before being interrupted once again by Team Rocket, whose suction machine aims to take out the water and Pokémon from the gym. Ash uses Pikachu’s electricity which conducts with the pool water to send Team Rocket blasting away.
Ash’s efforts of saving the gym earn him the Cascade Badge from Misty’s sisters, despite Misty expressing how the match never finished. Part of a Pokémon battle is had, but the fact there is no true victor places the Cascade Badge lower than more legitimate gym victories.
5 Brock: Pewter City Gym
A previous defeat to Brock and Ash’s type-disadvantages gives him the inspiration to power up and win with Pikachu. In their second battle, Pikachu’s newfound electrical surge somehow obliterates Geodude which raises questions about the anime’s accuracy.
When Onix is sent out, Pikachu’s powerful electric attack catches the gym’s sprinklers. Thanks to Misty’s information on rock Pokémon and their weakness to water, Ash instructs another electric move from Pikachu which is super effective against Onix.
Whilst Pikachu does technically defeat Onix, it still had some unconventional assistance along the way. However, this is certainly a victory after defeating a gym’s Pokémon and Ash is awarded the Rock Badge.
4 Team Rocket: Viridian City Gym
To the gang’s surprise, Jessie, James, and Meowth are the new gym leaders at Viridian City Gym and aim to cheat their way to victory. In a three vs three battle, the stages have been rigged up to give trainers electric shocks when a trainer’s Pokémon takes a hit.
Team Rocket aims to cheat their way further by adding more Pokémon who are defeated by a powerful attack from Pikachu. Team Rocket withholds the Earth Badge from Ash until they are blasted away and drop the badge in the process.
Whilst it is a gym battle full of cheating and illegal additional Pokémon, a battle is still had with a victor at the end of it.
3 Blaine: Cinnabar Island Gym
Blaine’s gym which is considered to be one of the best in the games is one of the most exciting battles in anime. The first meeting between Ash and Blaine sees a quick loss for Ash due to Charizard not listening to him.
After these events, Team Rocket let off missiles inside the gym that causes an eruptive reaction from the volcano. Ash, Brock, and Misty’s Pokémon help block the lava with rocks which include Charizard helping. An epic rematch ensues between Blaine and Ash at the top of the volcano with Charizard facing off against Magmar.
Charizard listens to Ash and a victorious Seismic Toss seals the victory for them. Despite losing the first match, this battle between Ash and Blaine is a straightforward Pokémon battle with Charizard being the victor.
2 Koga: Fuschia City Gym
Once again Ash finds his gym battle interrupted and whilst facing Koga’s Venomoth with Charmander, Team Rocket tries to steal Koga’s Voltorb. Through sheer luck of Misty’s Psyduck learning confusion, Team Rocket’s plans are thwarted and the battle can resume.
Ash’s Charmander which is becoming quite powerful, engulfs Koga’s Golbat with a fire spin and Koga declares Ash the victor for both the match and for the Voltorb being saved. This can be considered a legitimate match as an actual Pokémon battle takes place after the events and has a decided victor.
1 LT. Surge: Vermillion City Gym
Despite losing the first time around to Surge’s powerful Raichu, Ash and Pikachu work together to pick out Raichu’s weak points. They learn that Raichu was evolved quickly using a thunderstone and missed out on learning important speed and technical moves.
Using this information in the second meeting Pikachu’s agility and quick attack moves tire the powerful Raichu, which earns Ash the Thunder Badge. This gym battle can be viewed as the most legitimate victory by Ash, due to Pikachu’s win over Raichu having no interruptions or foul play.
NEXT: Every Main Rival Of Ash Ketchum, Ranked By Skill
