Pokemon: Horizons just debunked a major Ash Ketchum theory

Ash Ketchum has faded away from the Pokemon universe, but never from our memories. Devoted fans of the anime series were quick to theorise that while he has exited the show and Pokemon completely, his legacy hasn't.

Ash and Pikachu have left Pokemon on a high after the esteemed trainer finally won a World Championship, and his replacement as the show's main protagonist has been introduced to begin a journey of their own.

While Ash's venture into the Pokémon games is imminent, Liko has just kicked off her story in Pokemon: Horizons, and her background is becoming more apparent.

Pokemon Horizons just debunked the Ash and Liko theory

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As fresh-faced new characters look to catch 'em all, Liko does more than just resemble Ash in the Anime. With some timeline trickery, viewers suggested Liko is a Ketchum kid. More than that, they suggest she's Ash's daughter.

However, the theory has now been debunked, as the newly released series Pokemon Horizons has pretty much ruled out the possibility of him being Liko's dad. As pointed out by Twitter user @GryphonCool, Horizons's latest episode has seemingly nixed the family connection.

Liko claims that "When I asked my father and mother about school, they told me about this place, how they both went here," and while this may seem like a miscellaneous throwaway comment, it's clear she's not talking about Ash.

Is Ash Ketchum Liko's Dad in Pokemon?

Liko claims her father went to the school Indigo Academy, and nowhere in the current Pokemon lore is there evidence of Ash attending this school - despite being in his region. Serena also didn't attend the school either, which debunks the theory of her being Ash and Serena's daughter.

There remains a glimmer of hope for "shippers," as it's been pointed out that Ash is only 10 when he left the Pokemon anime. It's possible that by the time he came to father a child, he could've gone back to school, maybe to study for a new adventure, or to profess his knowledge to others.

For the time being, it's all but confirmed that Ash isn't Liko's dad after all, which is a shame for the long-time fans. It means that (for now), the OG trainer has been fully removed from the current lore.