See Charmander just choosing to leave his abusive trainer.
I mean, this episode started with the Charmander having been abandoned by its trainer. Ash & co found it sick on a rock and rushed it to a Pokemon center before the flame on its tail went out, and the episode ended with Charmander proving how strong it was and then refusing to go back.
Thats literally my point. Charmander never had to stay, it was abuse that made it feel it needed to stay on that rock and suffer for being weak. It could and DID reject its trainer after it was given help. The episode handles it really fucking well,
edit: I hate that Suede's Pokemon Journey got taken off of youtube cause he makes this point far better than I
I mean, this episode started with the Charmander having been abandoned by its trainer. Ash & co found it sick on a rock and rushed it to a Pokemon center before the flame on its tail went out, and the episode ended with Charmander proving how strong it was and then refusing to go back.
Thats literally my point. Charmander never had to stay, it was abuse that made it feel it needed to stay on that rock and suffer for being weak. It could and DID reject its trainer after it was given help. The episode handles it really fucking well,
edit: I hate that Suede's Pokemon Journey got taken off of youtube cause he makes this point far better than I