Pokemonhas provided strong female protagonists over its many seasons; whether they love May, Misty or Dawn, most fans have a favorite girl from the series. May is perhaps the most optimistic of the three and is some fans' favorite for that reason. As the secondary protagonist ofPokemon: Ruby and Sapphire, May left home at ten years old and travels through Hoenn and Kanto with Ash, seeking out new places and adventures.
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Over the course of the series, May becomes interested in Pokemon Contests, which allows her to bond with her Pokemon but also pursue her deepest passion. May occasionally returns in later series' episodes, showing that she has become more successful and that most of her Pokemon have already evolved. From her debut inRuby and Sapphireto her return appearances, many of May’s best episodes take viewers on an emotional rollercoaster, all while making them laugh.
6The Bicker The Better
In “The Bicker The Better,” May and Ash bicker on their way to town when they end up in a tag battle with two other trainers who challenge them. Because of their arguing, they end up losing the battle, only making their disagreement worse. The two of them then end up coming across Team Rocket, who, as usual, are interested in stealing May’s and Ash’s Pokemon. May and Ash team up to defeat them, realizing they’re much stronger when they battle together andcombine their Pokemon’s unique strengths.
This episode shows that, although May has many great traits that fans love, she’s not without her faults;she can sometimes be snappy like Ash, and they occasionally argue about trivial subjects. Nevertheless, May and Ash are both willing to quickly reconcile, and they both quickly realize that they can accomplish more with the help of a friend.
5A Full Course Tag Battle!
In “A Full Course Tag Battle,” May meets back up with her old friends to compete in the Wallace Cup. There, she reveals that she’s leveled up all of her Pokemon, and she’s more eager than ever to participate in Pokemon battles. In the middle of their battle, the competitors of the Wallace Cup find out that someone stole all the food from the restaurant where they were planning to eat after the event.
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May uses her Munchlax’s sleuthing skills to find the perpetrator… and to no one’s surprise, it turns out it was Team Rocket!Some of May’s best moments involve her love for food;she’ll do anything for a bite of something good, and it can lead to some pretty hilarious (and tense) interactions.
4Strategy With A Smile!
In “Strategy With A Smile!” Mayfaces off against Dawnin the final battle of the Wallace Cup. It’s a tense battle, with each contender using their strongest Pokemon in an effort to win. It’s a 1-versus-1 showdown, with May’s Glaceon versus Dawn’s Piplup. In the end, Dawn wins the battle after time runs out.
Though Dawn wins the fight, this episode is one of May’s best;she’s a gracious loser to Dawn, and the episode provides some closure to her story for fans who love her. At the end, she heads off to compete in the Johto League on her own, suggesting she’s doing well for herselfin a new regionwithout Ash.
3Once More With Reeling!
This episode takes place in Terracotta Town;with May headed back home, it’s an emotional moment for many viewers and all the characters in the show.In “Once More With Reeling!” Ash and May decide to compete in Terracotta Town’s Pokemon contest before May heads out.
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May faces off against Ash in the arena, with Ash using his Sceptile and May using her newly-evolved Blaziken. The episode ends with a cliffhanger, but the next episode reveals the winner: it’s a tie between Ash and May! They even end up splitting the single award medal by splitting it evenly in half. This episode is a great nod to May and Ash’s bond, suggesting thatMay is perhaps one of his strongest companions, and it’s a strong send-off for May.
2Vs Charem! Contest Battle!
In “Vs Charem! Contest Battle,” May competes in the second Pokemon contest of her career.She’s nervous about winning, especially seeing the competitors, one of which turns out to beJessie from Team Rocket, who happens to be cheating. After calling Jessie out on cheating, May narrowly wins against her competitors, pulling through in the fight’s final moments.
This episode shows that May is not only passionate about Pokemon contests, but she is a strong contender in them. May cares for and about her Pokemon so well that she’s able to defeat a cheating Jessie.
1Spontaneous Combusken!
May finally wins her third Kanto Ribbon in “Spontaneous Combusken.“In this episode, she meets a fan of hers named Brianna, but this fan is also a huge fan of her biggest rival, Drew. To earn Drew’s respect, Brianna attempts to beat May in the contest, but her efforts are futile, especially since May’s Pokemon recently learned astrong new attack,Sky Uppercut.
May uses Combusken’s Sky Uppercut to win the fight and earn her third ribbon in the region, the Chrysanthemum Ribbon. This episode is one of May’s best as it shows her greatest strengths while also giving more personality to her Pokemon.
