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Im just gonna throw my own two cents here: Tomiyasu stated in an interview towards the beginning of PM that Leon is Ash’s “ideal version of a trainer” and thats why he idolizes him. And it makes sense:
>is strong
>loves and is beloved by pokemon
>battles purely for the enjoyment of it, and to grow closer to his pokemon: not for ulterior personal motives
I don’t think beating Leon is Ash’s end goal; being strong is just one aspect of becoming a Pokemon Master. However, it is a stepping stone towards that goal, as Ash has literally stated verbatim in PM.
