Anyone who has watched the first few seasons of the Pokémon anime will recognize Misty's Togepi, which she was almost always depicted as carrying from the moment it hatched. But when Misty left the Pokémon anime, what happened to Togepi, and why doesn't she have it in later appearances?

Misty's Togepi hatched from an egg that Ash discovered in an excavation site where they were searching for fossil Pokémon. It remained an egg for only a few episodes, and despite the three friends having a tournament to decide who got to keep it, Togepi imprinted on Misty as its mother when it hatched, settling the issue for good. Misty's Togepi was always kept outside of a Poké Ball, like Pikachu, and never did much fighting, although it would use Metronome on occasion, particularly to get rid of Team Rocket. When Pokémon's Misty and Ash parted ways before he set off to Hoenn, Togepi went with her.

Related: Pokémon's Biggest Missed Opportunity is Still its Dropped GS Ball Plot

Setting a trend that many of Ash's future companions would follow, Misty did have a guest appearance in the Ruby and Sapphire Pokémon anime. In one such appearance, in a two-part episode entitled "The Princess and the Togepi/A Togepi Mirage!", Misty met up with Ash and his new traveling partners outside of a place known as the Mirage Kingdom for a "Togepi Festival." The festival was a Team Rocket trap, however, and Togepi was stolen, so the group set off to save it. However, Team Rocket weren't working alone this time; instead, they stole Togepi on behalf of a man named Colonel Hansen, who wanted to become the new ruler of the Mirage Kingdom. A tradition in the Kingdom states that the new ruler must be selected by a Togepi as having a pure heart, and those Togepi usually come from a place known as the Togepi Paradise. Togepi gets away but is found by the Kingdom's rightful ruler, a young princess Sara. Once Sara discovers this Togepi is Misty's Pokémon, they work together to stop Colonel Hansen. Misty's Togepi evolves into Togetic and stays behind to watch over the Togepi Paradise. A Togepi from the Paradise chooses Sara, guaranteeing the Kingdom's safety under her rule. After a tearful goodbye, Misty, Ash, and the rest head back towards Hoenn, and Misty parts ways with them again.

Togetic Follows in Many Other Pokémon's Footsteps

Pokemon: Injured and suffering Togepi at the Togepi Paradise

Togetic isn't the first Pokémon belonging to a main character to stay behind like this. Ash released his Pidgeot so that it could protect a flock of Wild Pidgey in much the same way. Squirtle and Lapras also were left with groups of Pokémon, although in that case it was a group which they were once a member of. Since this episode was about 45 episodes after Misty left and doesn't really get mentioned again, though, it would be easy for one to miss this, and then be left wondering where Togepi is during Misty's other later Pokémon reappearances, such as during Sun and Moon. Since Togepi hasn't really come up again, it's safe to assume that Togetic has continued to guard the Paradise and happily watch over the young Togepi.

While it's sad that such an iconic aspect of the series hasn't continued to appear, Misty moved on and has a variety of Pokémon in her later appearances. With the anime set to end its time with Ash by bringing back Brock and Misty, perhaps Togetic will reappear one last time, too.

Next: The Rarest Pokémon Ash Has Ever Caught isn't a Legendary