#digimon thoughts

Kyo has been a Cleaner since he was a child (and I find the reveal surprising but also sad)

Children in the world of Beatbreak have it absolutely rough if they chose to keep their Digimon don't they? I really want to know what happened to Kyo as a child. I'm still holding out faint hope that he's related to The Star of Wood (Green) aka Rose, but that he was kicked out of the family first. Then maybe she was recruited to be a Five Star (or maybe they were both kicked out then recruited later) I feel like he isn't orphaned and his parents may be alive.

I can see why in earlier episodes he looked at Tomoro with that look of sadness or anguish when he was acting out angrily-- it was because he was seeing flashes of himself from when he was a child, alone as a Cleaner. Kyo saw his younger self reflected in Tomoro.

Going back to his past -- we know he was without any empathy, was battle-obsessed, already had what seems to have been a strong bond with Cougarmon at the time (11 years ago!), looked to be incredibly strong, and had had to grow up very quickly and learned to be independent. Is that why his eyes are the way they are then? Trauma and indifference? Disillusionment? I can't imagine child Cleaners doing well mentally at all when there's adult Cleaners who are (mostly?) greedy, desperate and likely grossly manipulative and the only way to survive is to go down to their level.

EDIT: It's almost like a reverse "Chosen Children" scenario? The children aren't cherished, there's a high risk of starting out alone, and maybe any potential allies might just try to use you to get that bounty (or lash out if you steal their bounty)

This first arc has established that very young children can be Cleaners, and be alone. That's really sad to think about because, that means these children were either pulled out from their regular lives, "willingly" left on their own, or potentially were kicked out from their families. We have so much left to learn about this world but the children are definitely bearing the brunt of things along with the adults. Oof...

(And I think Reina may potentially have been an older child or pre-teen when she started working as a Cleaner, depending on what a future flashback lore story reveals later in the series)

What they showed from 11 years ago seems a little...grim and dangerous for Cleaners work (judging from the flashback)?

It's made me realize that Kaito's comments about "Playing 'family'" were very much on point. We've only been seeing what Cleaner life is like through Glowing Dawn and their little oasis and safe space in the 'safer' zones of Shin-Hikarigahama. I feel that as we progress through the series, we're going to venture deeper into the world of the year 2050 and it's not going to be great? Could it be that it's easier and safer to operate where Kyo has them based?

Goodbye "Murasamemon may not be his original partner" theory!

It was good knowing you!!

Oh and maybe it looks like we also get some insight into some evolution mechanics in Beatbreak in Kyo's flashback? My interpretation of the scene where he evolves Cougarmon for the first time was that he was initially trying to simply give him a big e-Pulse power-up, but he unlocked Ultimate/Perfect evolution in the process. At age 11.

In the other Digimon series, this isn't a big deal as most of the kids achieve this eventually. But here I'd imagine the reason the World Union had their eyes on him (clearly they had been tracking him), was because only some Cleaners can do it consciously it would seem? And usually the ones that do are mostly adults, I would think?

So to have an 11-yr old child have a Champion/Adult Digimon, have what seems to be hinted at as a strong record as a Cleaner, a fairly strong Digimon and to then evolve them to Ultimate/Perfect without any kind of strain that we could see...that must be rare in the world of Beatbreak.

That said, I have to wonder...what happened to the previous Star of Gold then, 11 years ago to necessitate a search for a replacement? Same with the Star of Fire, since Kyo mentions that Kaito joined roughly around the same time. What happened to the previous title holders?

Kyo Sawashiro, The Star of Gold--maybe Kyo the Adamantine?

So, thanks to latest PR posts we've learned the full title of the current Star of Gold --Kanada Genjou the Adamantine.

The adamantine (金剛 (kongou) ) part can also refer to diamond lustre and indestructability (like a diamond) and that may explain Kyo's e-Pulse being so bright and two coloured? I really want to know what Kyo was like back then though. With all the glimpses of his menacing nature we've had throughout Beatbreak's first act, the slightly manipulative or strategically cautious way of talking with others, the way he controls the conversation, it may be that his outfit back then betrays what he was really like.

(Ok. His past outfit looks...well. I'll blame the "low-res" of it all. Maybe it was his final outfit before he quit? Right? Staff, you have quite possibly the most good looking character in your cast and you're letting him out the door dressed like that during his "cool but make it evil" era?)

I do wonder if the titles are passed down between members...and I wonder if replacement candidates are tracked down by the World Union based on e-Pulse colour matching then whittled down to the best candidates? For all we may know, maybe later on it turns out his title isn't Kyo the Adamantine.

As for the current Star of Gold...

The newest Star of Gold, Kanada Genjou I realize has serious potential to be absolutely unhinged later in a face-to-face confrontation. Kamiyan is excellent at this ok I believe it's clear he super-charged that Digimon with more e-Pulse than it could handle, causing it to go beserk. Kaito's little confrontation was interesting too that I wonder if any of the Five Stars actually get along.

Which does keep my "Five Stars are members with glitched e-Pulses" still alive for another week! I do think that if Kyo has one, it's under control. Or is under control because he's not at his strongest anymore because of the Nirinso Project. Or maybe the gems the Five Stars all have, act as limiters/boosters.

Now I do wonder if Genjou is truly the one behind the theft of the Sapotama with Asuka's e-Pulse...and why. Does he have beef with Kyo? He wants to show how loyal he is to the cause? Did Chairmon Wong order it? If so, then why...?

His profile also highlights that he's very loyal and close to Chairman Wong...was that the same for Kyo?

(I find it interesting his eyes are gold, like Kyo's...coincidental?)

Reina's looks to Kyo during the conversation about the Five Stars

I'm not sure where it could even lead, but could she have encountered one of the other Five Stars when she was younger? Between Makoto and Reina, Reina was definitely more invested during this part I found. As if, in a way, she was searching for an answer from Kyo that could confirm that he was staying put with Glowing Dawn. And the way she spoke made me think there was more to it...a fear ? I wonder where this could lead in the future.

Jou and Mimi don’t know each other prior to entering the Digital World!!! I’m a little disappointed by this but this opens up opportunity for different interactions for them

The three children and their partners introduce themselves to Jou.

Jou introduces himself and Taichi realizes Jou is his and Sora’s senpai at school. Sora mentions she has seen Jou around the camp. Mimi says nothing here.

OG episode 1, here is the first scene Jou and Mimi are seen together after they first enter the Digital World.   

OG episode 2, everyone discusses what they brought to camp and ask Jou about his bag. It wasn’t mentioned in the series but in the novel version (I think), Mim and Jou are in the same camp group. They already knew each other in some way before entering the Digital World.

Let me add, as comical Jou and Pukamon’s first meeting was, I appreciate how sweet Gomamon and Jou’s meeting was in Psi. Don’t ever make Gomamon sad again! ;~;

Who can say no to being Gomamon’s partner?? Although I do have questions about the hut. Was it already there? Who made it? How did Gomamon move Jou??