If you’ve been hiding under a Geodude for the past week you might have missed the most cringeworthy, kill-it-with-fire thing to ever happen to your childhood: Pikachu having a natter with Ash, complete with nails-on-a-chalkboard voice. If you haven’t then, well, step right up. Warning: this comes towards the end of the new movie Pokemon: I Choose You so spoilers ahoy. Also, it’s just plain terrible, so a big ol&rsquo♌; warning for that too. It’s close to NSFW levels.

Firstly, I want to give the clip some context. Yes, it is awful but at this point in the movie Ash is kinda halfꦺ-dead/seriously concussed. He’s hearing and seeing things. Unfortunately, one of the things he hears is this. Sꦉkip to 0:35 for the nostalgia-ruiner…

What to make of that? Oh, geez. I mea𒐪n, the whole Pikachu not getting into a Pokeball thing had to be resolved at some point. But that’s not the way to do it. Half of Pikachu’s appeal – other than being a tiny yellow mouse thing – is that he’s so emot𒆙ive without having to speak. So that’s been ruined forever.

2017 won’t let up until everything we’ve loved has been reduced to ash (pun absolutely inte♏nded) in our hands, will it?

You can even , to relive the moment over and over and over again, like a nightmare carousel intent on scarring the only moments you&✅rsquo;ve ever held dear.

I’d love to know what others make of it, especially within the context of the moꦕvie. Did you find it just as baffling and WTF-worthy as I did, or weirdly endearing? Let us know in the comments!

Image: OLM