>>31967726Using the loss as a justification is not an argument, because it's the loss that's in contention. You can't just claim the loss justifies itself.
It sounds like you need to rewatch the episodes. He was visibly more injured in their second fight, beaten to the ground by cut and about to be finished before Ash fainted. In the Zygarde fight he was on the ropes right as TF fired their lasers. There was no visible power up akin to Greninja.
Again, more headcanon. Do you really think Paul wouldn't pick his most optimal lineup against Ash? Ash won because he visibly improved and his mons had emotional drive against Paul, which is another narrative shortcoming in XY's rivalries. Again, by conventional storytelling and what was actually presented on screen, Ash should have won. If you're arguing that XY's plot was better than conventional, I'd ask you what the fuck point the writers were trying to make, and who in the audience enjoyed having their time wasted.
