No, Ash Ketchum Has Never Caught Mew in the Pokémon Anime

Despite forming close bonds with this mythical creature over the years, aspiring Pokémon Master Ash Ketchum has yet to add the rare psychic-type Mew to his lineup after 25 seasons. However, he recently added its powerful clone, Mewtwo, to his collection in the latest anime series.

Ash‘s Encounters with the Mirage Pokémon

Across movies, specials, and television episodes spanning decades, Ash has crossed paths with the tiny Mythical Pokémon Mew multiple times. Their meetings have often left a profound emotional impact on the determined Trainer.

In the very first episode of the Pokémon anime in 1997, a glimpse of the elusive Mew flying above Ash signified there were still mysteries and adventures to come. In the franchise’s first feature film Mewtwo Strikes Back soon after, an injured Mew’s DNA led to the engineered birth of its genetic copy—Mewtwo. Ash demonstrated his courage and compassion by nearly sacrificing himself to stop their fighting, creating a template for further run-ins with powerful Legendaries.

While Mew typically appears only to those who believe, it clearly trusted the pure-hearted Ash enough to reveal itself. But as one thought extinct and only re-discovered thanks to Team Rocket meddling, Mew has valued its secrecy and freedom too much to be caught. After he helped the playful Mew befriend a young girl named Mimi in the special Mew & the Wave Hero, Ash again simply had to bid it farewell.

Why Catching Legendaries Is an Exception for Ash

Throughout eight regions and over sixty badges collected, catching Pokémon has been intrinsic to Ash Ketchum’s routine and identity as a Trainer. But when it comes to exceptionally rare and mighty Legendaries like Mew, he tends to prefer forging an emotional rather than material bond.

Ash commonly acts selflessly, racing to defend abused or captured Legendaries like the Titan Pokemon Regigigas and Sky Warrior Rayquaza without expecting anything in return. He appears to relate to their awesome power and isolation, much as he does with his own fiercely loyal but unmatched Pikachu.

In a few special cases like the manmade Mythical Pokémon Meltan and Mewtwo, Ash has welcomed Legendaries onto his squad willingly joining him as comrades rather than captives. But the deeper connection of trust and friendship beyond Pokéballs matters most to him.

So How Did Ash Catch Mewtwo in Pokémon Journeys?

Late in the series currently airing, Ash encountered a Mewtwo being attacked by Team Rocket in an illegal attempt to clone it for battle. After saving this tortured specimen and realizing their shared history, Ash invited Mewtwo to recuperate safely at Professor Cerise’s laboratory.

Over time this Mewtwo chose to join Ash’s team, perhaps feeling indebted to the Trainer who prevented it being cloned and abused like the genetic original. Despite emerging under different circumstances to the iconic Mewtwo Strikes Back character, similarities like tremendous psychic power linked it to Ash.

Their bond appeared strong enough to Mega Evolve the battered Mewtwo into an even more formidable fighter. In adding a Legendary he’s familiar with to his ranks at last, Ash signaled he may be ready for more independence from mentorship figures.

What Does Mew Represent for Ash?

As the rarest of Mythical Pokémon only appearing to unambiguously kind souls, Mew has served as an aspirational figure for Ash to live up to. Its childlike playfulness echoes his own youthful exuberance, while its nurturing care for all life reflects his habitual self-sacrifice to help Pokémon in need.

And as the franchise prepares to retire Ash as the central protagonist after 25 years, perhaps his childhood dream to find and catch Mew will finally come true. With the anime concluding his current journey across all regions in 2024, might fulfilling this outstanding ambition signify Ash reaching unparalleled Pokémon Master status?

Could Ash Catch Mew as His Ultimate Achievement?

Knowledgeable fans have speculated these conclusive episodes titled “Pokémon: Aim to Be a Pokémon Master!” might depict Ash definitively catching Mew at last. As the supposed genetic ancestor of all Pokémon, adding this elusive Mirage Pokémon to conclude his legendary quest could cement his name in history.

If the boy who saw Mew in Episode 1 becomes the man to catch Mew in the ultimate finale, it would perfectly bookend his era as protagonist. Perhaps the passing of the torch to new characters also opens the door for an uninhibited Ash to claim the amazing Mew without endangering it further.

Would you relish seeing the payoff decades in the making of Ash capturing this extremely rare Psychic-type Mew? Which iconic Legendaries may fall to other ambitious Trainers once Pokémon shifts beyond the Ash Ketchum chronicles? Share your own theories on what the teased future episodes heralding the end of an era might reveal!