How many minds have caused the type of monumental change in how we think about the planet and our place on it as Charles Darwin’s? His brilliant theory of evolution wasn’t just controversial when his seminal work, On the Origin of Species, was published in 1859, it is still being argued and fought over today, by politicians debating how much protection to give the environment, by school boards deciding how, or if, to teach it to our children, and by people with strong religious beliefs whose very faith is questioned by his ideas.

So when Epic Rap Battles of History decided to place Charles Darwin into their lyrical arena, who did they put up against him? Did they choose someone like the pope? Or a politician who has made a career out of denying science? No, they choose Pokemon‘s Ash Ketchum.

Yeah, we…we aren’t exactly sure why either. Evolution, maybe?

Obviously they both have a kind of mastery over animals, one literal and one figurative, but they don’t seem like natural enemies, the way say Darwin would be with a creationist like Ben Carson. Or how Ketchum might be with PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk.

But don’t think the strangeness of this battle of wits meant the two went easy on one another, because this was a vicious fight, one that even included Ketchum mocking the deaths of Darwins kids.

Oof, you’d think we would have evolved past such low blows by now.

We got Darwin winning this one since, as always, he has science on his side — as well as the slightly better rhymes — but who do you have as the champ? Duke it out with us in the comments below and tell us who you think threw the knockout blow.

Images: Epic Rap Battles of History