Is Ash's Next Pokemon an Ultra Beast?

Could Ash's next Pokemon be from another dimension?

Yesterday, Pokemon the Series: Sun and Moon wrapped up a lengthy arc that introduced Ultra Space, the Aether Foundation, and the concept of Ultra Beasts to the world of the Pokemon anime. Basically, Ultra Space is a strange alternate dimension in which powerful and unnatural looking Pokemon known as "Ultra Beasts" live.

During the arc, Ash raised and protected a Cosmog called Nebby that could open up portals to Ultra Space. And after one of his friend's mothers was captured by an Ultra Beast, Ash and Nebby mounted a rescue mission that culminated into a harrowing journey into Ultra Space. Ash saved the day using Pikachu's new Z-Move and said goodbye to Nebby, which had evolved into the Legendary Pokemon Solgaleo.

However, a clip at the end of the episode teased that Ash and his friends could soon experience more Ultra Beast shenanigans. While Ash and his friends were celebrating the marriage of their teacher Professor Kukui, an Ultra Beast known as a Poipole escaped into "our" world through an unknown Ultra Wormhole.

While most Ultra Beasts have abilities and powers equivalent to a Legendary Pokemon, Poipole is basically the equivalent to a Starter Pokemon in Ultra Space. And there's a bunch of chatter among fans that Poipole could round out Ash's team of Pokemon.

A lot of the speculation centers on a piece of Japanese merchandise, a dice shooter shaped like a PokeBall that uses dice with pictures of Pokemon on them. One of the dice has Pikachu and Dusk Lycanroc, two of Ash's Pokemon, along with Poipole on it.

Currently, Ash has five Pokemon on his team and has completed two of the Alola Region's grand trials. While there's a few other Pokemon that Ash could still catch in the Alola Region, his prospects seem to be running thin. Most Alolan Pokemon have already gotten a spotlight in the series and those that haven't are owned by prominent characters from Pokemon Sun and Moon that haven't appeared yet in the anime. With choices running thin, it's possible that Ash catches Poipole and eventually releases it, just like he did with Greninja and Goodra (two of his most powerful Pokemon ever) at the end of Pokemon the Series: XY & Z.

We'll have to see what happens next with Ash's journey through the Alola region. While one adventure just ended, it looks like another fantastic one could begin soon.