The Exposition Dragon

We open on an overhead shot of the gods' domain; The parts that lie beyond the South Gate.

Surrounding a gigantic hole in the world are four crystalline structures connected by great bridges to a central structure. Each are color-coded.

To the south, glowing red, is the palace of the Vermillion Bird Zhūquēmon, the southern god of fire, summer, and midday.

To the east, glowing blue, is the palace of the Azure Dragon Qinglongmon, the eastern god of wood, spring, and dawn.

To the north, glowing green, is the palace of the Black Tortoise, the northern god of water, winter, and midnight.

And to the west, glowing black, is the palace of the White Tiger, the western god of metal, autumn, and dusk.

Narrator: This is the domain of the Four Sacred Beasts, gods that were created by the Digimon themselves. There, abandoned by humans, the Digimon protected the radiant power that allowed them to guide their own evolution in the deepest reaches of the Digital World. One day, it was lost. But now....

Culumon's cage ball plummets into the great pit leading down from the center of the gods' realm. The cage breaks open mid-fall, leaving Culumon to plummet without it.

Culumon: CULU!!! FALLING-CULULULULUUUUUU!!!

Culumon lands hard in the center of some sort of giant flask, bouncing once from the force of the impact.

Culumon: Culu!

So that's a neat bit of lore, and the design of the flask in particular intrigues me. Like a device for distilling evolution out of Culumon.

In the dub:

Narrator: Deep in the land of the Four Digimon Sovereign, there was once a shining light. This light gave Digimon the ability to Digivolve to become greater and more powerful than ever before! Then, one day, that light disappeared. Until.... (Calumon plunges into the abyss) Calumon: AHHHHHH!!! (Calumon lands) Calumon: Ow....

"To become greater and more powerful than ever before."

That's not really a significant change. It just remains funny to me whenever the Americans tweak the dialogue to play up the Battle Cartoon aspect of the show.

A consistency since the first Adventure dub is that Dub Team's really only interested in "Digivolution" for how it affects the Power Levels of the characters fighting each other.

At the bottom of the flask, Culumon lies inside the weird little sifter thing and groans.

Culumon: Ouchie-culu....

Culumon sits up, looking up at the endless darkness above from which they entered the flask.

Culumon: Culu?

Standing up quickly, Culumon leaps upward.

Culumon: (English) JUMP!!!

They slam face-first into a barrier, which knocks them back down onto the podium.

Culumon: (English) JUMP!!!

They make another attempt and meet the same results. After the second failure, they stand back up and look around.

Culumon: Culuuu....

Culumon notices their reflection in the glass. It's not showing Culumon the Digimon, but rather a rotating triangular prism. Culumon floats over to the glass and the prism moves too, reflecting their movements.

By now, we have a pretty good idea of what that prism is. That's the power of evolution. It's what Culumon's been using to activate evolutions throughout the series, stored in that triangle sigil on Culumon's forehead. We even see it come out in this exact form during Matrix Evolution.

In the dub:

Calumon: Owwwww.... Huh? (Calumon sees the void) Calumon: Hey! What's the big idea!? (Calumon jumps and hits the barrier) Calumon: Oof! (Calumon tries again) Calumon: Oof! Ugggh... uh-uh.... (Calumon notices the reflection prism)

Pretty much the same, minus Culumon's verbal tics and tendency to narrate their movements.

Culumon approaches the prism, staring into it for a moment.

Culumon: ...huh?

Culumon suddenly realizes something and panics.

Culumon: ACK!!!

They back off, returning to the podium.

Culumon: Culumon was here a long time ago?

Whatever it is, it scares them enough to shake their head frantically, trying to chase the thought away.

Culumon: Culu culu! Culumin is a Digimon-culu! Which means Culumon should know some sort of special attack too! CULUMON TSUYOI KŌSEN!!!

強い光線 Tsuyoi Kōsen means "Powerful Light Ray". Culumon attempts to fire this out of their forehead sigil, to no avail. They cannot shoot lasers out of the evolution triangle.

Culumon: CULUMON NANDAKA TOTTEMO TSUYOI ATTACK!!!

なんだかとっても強い Nandaka tottemo tsuyoi means "Extremely powerful in some sort of way". Culumon's Somehow Extremely Powerful Attack, which they lob by swinging their right fist. This also achieves nothing.

Defeated, Culumon settles back onto the flask's podium.

Culumon: Oh... I guess not....

Out of options, Culumon's ears deflate. They look up at the void they cannot reach.

Culumon: Culu... (despondent) Culululu....

And cut to title card. This was all the episode's opener, taking the place of the usual recap.

This scene circles back to the questions about Culumon's unusual nature. Culumon doesn't evolve. Culumon doesn't have any special attacks. Culumon doesn't like to fight, in stark contrast to all other Digimon.

Now here in the flask and faced with that ominous reflection, the question is asked: Is Culumon even a Digimon?

We have established the existence of non-Digimon AI by this point. Culumon could be a DigiGnome. Or they could be something else entirely. The door is open; Digimon are not the only option, and the likelihood that Culumon is one is becoming smaller by the minute.

In the dub:

Calumon: What's that funny-looking thing? It's too big to be an ice pop. (Calumon approaches the glass) Calumon: Ooh... It's pretty... and it looks real FAMILIAR!!! (Calumon panics and backs off) Calumon: It feels like I've been here before a long time ago. (Calumon shakes it off) Calumon: I've got to get out of here! Okay, Calumon, time to get tough. I'm a Digimon! Maybe I have some special attack too! HAIRY GOOPY BLISTERING BALL!!! (No effect) Calumon: BIG NOOGIE POKE-YOU-IN-THE-EYE POWER BEAM!!! (No effect) Calumon: Aw, nuts. Guess this means I'm stuck here for good. (Calumon deflates and looks up) Calumon: Unless someone rescues me... Ooogh....

Some extra dialogue to explain why Calumon reacts so negatively to the prism all of a sudden.

The dub renames Calumon's attacks and recontextualizes the joke behind them. Culumon's joke is that they have no idea what their attacks would even be. Calumon's joke is that he imaginatively comes up with really weird and goofy attacks.

I do have a nit to pick with Calumon's joke, and that's that Big Noogie Power Beam should be the one he shoots from his forehead and Hairy Goopy Blistering Ball should be the one he throws from his hand. I feel like these attacks are backwards.

To fill Culumon's depressed, hopeless silence, Calumon Monsplains what being a prisoner means to the audience.

After the title card, we find the rest of the Tamers are trudging around the desert world some more. All of their Digimon are hanging out at Adult level: Leomon, Kyūbimon, Growmon, and Guardromon.

Kyūbimon ferries Ruki and Juri on their back while Hirokazu and Kenta ride on Growmon's horns. Juri has to ride sidesaddle because of her dress.

Kenta looks up at the Real World sphere?

Kenta: Do you think we'll ever make it home? Hirokazu: What are you talking about!? Don't even think about trying to get home until we've found Takato! Kenta: But even with Takato and the others, will we even be able to get home? Hirokazu: ... Growmon: We'll find Takato soon enough! Hirokazu: Yeah. Kenta: Sorry for making you carry us. Growmon: It's fine. Growmon's very big! Right, Leomon? Leomon: Yep. ...Juri, are you okay? Juri: Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry about this, Kyūbimon. Kyūbimon: I don't mind. Ruki: More importantly, where could Takato and the others have possibly gone?

So, I have a question: How in the fuck?

Offscreen between episodes, with neither Culumon nor his Tamer present, Guilmon was able to evolve into Growmon. And we are not going to talk about it at all; Growmon just strolls into the scene like this is fine and normal.

In the dub:

Kenta: Hey, who wants to hear another knock-knock joke? Everyone: .... Kenta: Uh... guys...? (Kazu looks up at the Real World) Kenta: I'm so bored. Can't we head home already? Kazu: Hey Knock-Knock Boy, we haven't found Calumon or Takato and you're yapping about home!? What, do you miss your mommy? Kenta: No! All I'm saying is we've been here for days and we haven't found diddly-squat. Kazu: .... Growlmon: Hey Kenta, what's a diddly-squat? Kenta: Never mind. But thanks for the piggyback ride. Growlmon: No problemo! That's Spanish for "No problem", I think.... Leomon: Uhh hehehe.... Jeri, how are you holding up? Jeri: Oh, I'm just peachy! What about you, Kyubimon? Kyubimon: I'm fine. Rika: We're all fine, but we'd be better if we knew where Takato was.

For once, the dub stays on mission better than the original. Hirokazu says they can't go home without Takato, but Kazu remembers that they're here for Calumon too.

Kenta's being a goober. He gets in a goober bit with the whole Knock-Knock Boy thing, while his remarks about getting home are presented in a much more shallow fashion.

EN Kenta also says they "haven't found diddly-squat" since coming to the Digital World, which is factually incorrect. It seems he hasn't watched episode 30, where they found Calumon only to have Calumon taken from them.

At the southern gate to the gods' domain, Shaochung laughs with glee over her new Partner. She has one of Lopmon's ears in one hand and Terriermon's in the other.

Shaochung: Ahahaha ahahahahaha1 These ears are so long! But whose is longer? Jianliang: Shaochung is here too... Mom and Dad must be worried sick. Takato: Then we should hurry up, find Culumon, and go home!

As if in response, the DigiGnomes circle around Takato and Jianliang.

Takato: Oh, it's you guys again! What's up? Jianliang: The DigiGnomes? Artificial intelligences distinct from Digimon....

While Jian Tamersplains the DigiGnomes to Takato, who was there when he learned about them, one of the DigiGnomes flies right up to Takato and chitters energetically.

Takato: Heh, what is it? I can't understand you. Shaochung: Oh, it's those little guys I saw earlier! Jianliang: If it was the DigiGnomes who brought the Blue Cards to us in the Real World, then that implies that there's something they want us to do. Takato: Like what? Jianliang: I don't know. But it must be something very important.

In Jian's defense, he wasn't really Tamersplaining the DigiGnomes. That was just the start of him rotating them in his brain, trying to make sense of what he's learned.

Jian suggests that the DigiGnomes made them Tamers for a reason. We've seen that Mokumon impersonating Mizuno are responsible for the King in Yellow type figure sighted in Shibuya from time to time; I'm not really sure how that plays into the DigiGnomes' activities.

But Mizuno did confirm that the DigiGnomes created Guilmon, so they're obviously involved in the Tamers receiving their Blue Cards. The connection between the DigiGnomes and whatever the Mokumon are doing is unclear.

Nonetheless, the overall logic is right: If the DigiGnomes set all this up, then they must want something from the Tamers. I'm wondering if it's as simple as "They want the Tamers to kill the Four Sacred Beasts"?

If those who worship the Asuras see the Devas as evil, then could these be the Asuras? Could it be that simple?

In the dub:

Suzie: Who wants to hear another rhyme? I do! I do! (Suzie plays with Lopmon and Terriermon's ears) Suzie: One, two, three, four, who's the bunny I adore? Five, six, seven, eight, my new bunny smells like cake! Hahaha! Henry: Hrm... Can't believe Suzie's here. It's not safe for her! And my parents... They're probably climbing the walls by now! Takato: Don't worry. After we find Calumon and the others, we'll get her back pronto! (DigiGnomes circle) Henry: Huh? Takato: Hey-hey, well look who's here! What's up, guys? Henry: It's the DigiGnomes! If they were Digimon, maybe we could understand them. (DigiGnome approaches Takato) Takato: Sorry, fella. I don't speak Gnome. Suzie: Oh look, the fireflies are back! Henry: They must be trying to tell us something. If the DigiGnomes are the ones who brought the Blue Cards to the Real World, there had to be a reason for it. Something they want us to do! Takato: Yeah, like what? Henry: I don't know. But I have a funny feeling it's important.

This is all pretty solid.

They change Suzie's bit to be a reflection of Kenta's a moment ago. No one wants to hear Kenta's knock-knock jokes and no one wants to hear Suzie's rhymes.

In the process, they recontextualize the animation of Suzie playing with Lopmon and Terriermon's ears. In the dub, she's dancing with them while singing her rhyme.

Suddenly, the DigiGnomes stop fluttering about and instead, in unison, pass through the gate and make for Zhūquēmon's weird shell thing between the gate and the big red ice palace.

Takato: Wha-- WAIT!!! I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT GUILMON!!! I need to know....

They do not wait. They continue along, clearly meaning for us to follow them. It doesn't take Jian long to put the pieces together.

Jianliang: (gasp) Lopmon! Lopmon: What can I do for you? Jianliang: Do you know anything about someone called Culumon who-- Oh, Takato!

Jian starts to describe Culumon before remembering Takato's sketch. They show that to Lopmon instead.

Lopmon: That is the vessel for evolution's radiance, which our God has now reclaimed. For this and to eliminate threats to this world and to them, God created us, the Devas, from the fragments of Digimon who had been reduced to dust. Shaochung: ( ಠ_ಠ) I don't understand a single thing you're saying, Lopmon. Jianliang: Lopmon and his colleagues were created by the Digimon Gods, Shaochung. Shaochung: Mrrrrgh.... Takato: Lopmon, have you seen Culumon? Lopmon: Yes, I have. They were taken beyond the Suzakumon. Jianliang: The "Suzakumon"? Lopmon: The dwelling of our god Zhūquēmon lies far beyond that southern gate. Jianliang: (considering) Southern... This is the domain of the Four Sacred Beasts... Zhūquēmon....

Jian seems to be putting the pieces together here about what the Four Sacred Beasts represent, even though Takato already brought up Qinglongmon a couple episodes ago. Maybe Jian never watched the Kyoto episode of Adventure 02 and has to figure this out from scratch?

Lopmon name-drops the gate they were supposed to be guarding. This is the Suzakumon. That's not a Digimon name, though it is kind of a coincidental pun. The Suzakumon or "Vermillion Bird's Gate", named for what they call Zhūquē in Japanese, is a kind of gate that's built to bar entry into the Imperial Palace of Japan.

A Suzakumon has been built at multiple palaces over the years, serving as the place where foreign dignitaries come and are received by the Emperor. It seems the Sacred Beasts have opted to construct one here as well, and assigned a Deva to watch over it.

Maybe this is why they went with Chinese names for the Sacred Beasts. To avoid confusion with the Suzakumon?

In any case, we get some interesting new lore drops here. We already knew that Digimon who aren't Loaded get reduced to junk data and left adrift, and may or may not become part of Dust Packets. Catsuramon brought it up as a grievance against the Tamers. He was furious at them for letting that happen to the other Devas instead of Loading them.

I've been wondering if that data might then reconstitute back into Digimon, like how Digitamas work in Adventure. Here, Lopmon says yes... sort of. It doesn't happen on its own but this dust data can be recorporealized into new Digimon.

We sorta knew that from Mizuno. This is how Guilmon was created. He was born from dust packets that the DigiGnomes assembled to form his data structure.

And it seems Zhūquēmon can do that too, sculpting the Devas by talon from the dust data left behind by vanquished Digimon. Maybe this is why they're so hard to scan; Like Guilmon, they're brand new Digimon that Zhūquēmon made up and so they haven't been indexed like other Digimon who've been around for a while.

I wonder if that's the story behind Culumon too? Maybe the DigiGnomes sculpted them out of Dust Packets around the power of evolution, using themselves as the blueprint since they didn't have a sketch like Guilmon.

I think it's pretty well implied at this point that the DigiGnomes were the thieves who stole evolution, after all. Though why they did that is unclear. So they probably made Culumon to house it. That's my thinking. It's why they acted to try and stop Makuramon from taking Culumon, why they guided Takato and Jian to Mizuno, and why they're now clearly trying to tell Takato and Jian to go rescue Culumon.

They were probably behind bringing Shaochung in too, since they were clearly leading her to Andiramon when they appeared last episode. Only an innocent child who knows nothing of this war could charm a Deva into betraying Zhūquēmon.

There's something almost sinister in the implications here. The DigiGnomes do not want Digimon to have this power of self-guided evolution. For some reason. And everything that's happened to our protagonists has been about that, about stealing evolution away from the Digimon and arming Tamers to defend the stolen power.

I also now feel certain that the DigiGnomes were who Culumon was trying to bring to the soccer field with their summoning sigil way back when. Though it's unclear if DigiGnomes are even capable of Realizing, or if perhaps that's why they have to work through Mokumon in the Real World.

In any case, this was a hefty bit of information from Lopmon.

One last thing, minor detail, but I find it interesting the way Lopmon says 神 Kami, God singular, created them but when Jian simplifies it for Shaochung he says 神たち Kami-tachi or "God and others". Which is a way of pluralizing God but not the actual proper "Gods" pluralization, which is 神々 Kamigami.

Note that pluralization can be complicated and context-sensitive. 神 Kami can mean one or many gods. Every instance of "Our God" throughout the series might actually have meant "Our Gods" this whole time. There are ways to specify pluralization as Jian does for Shaochung, but the bare root 神 Kami can itself be either singular or plural.

Nonetheless, from the way 神 Kami is treated here, I feel like it's safe to say that the Devas have always meant Zhūquēmon specifically when speaking of 神 Kami, not the Sacred Beasts as a whole.

In the dub:

Takato: Oh, maybe they know something about Guilmon? WAIT UP!!! HEY!!! I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT MY DIGIMON!!! COME BACK!!! (The DigiGnomes depart) Henry: (gasp) Hey Lopmon! Lopmon: Yes, Henry? Henry: Do you know a Digimon named Calumon? Uh... Here! (Takato shows Lopmon the picture) Henry: This little guy! Lopmon: Well, of course I know who he is. He's the one who holds the key to Digivolution. The Sovereign need this power to protect our world from those who want to destroy it. That's why they created us Devas out of data from Digimon that are now gone: To help them on their quest. Suzie: ( ಠ_ಠ) Lopmon, you're talking funny. I don't understand. Henry: She's trying to say that she was created by the Digimon Sovereign, Suzie. Suzie: Hmmm.... Takato: Uh, Lopmon? Do you have any idea where Calumon's being held? Lopmon: Yes, I do. I saw him being taken past the Phoenix Gate one day. Henry: "The Phoenix Gate"? Lopmon: That is where the Digimon Sovereign Zhuqiaomon lives. It's just beyond the South Gate I used to guard. Henry: Wow... Land of the Digimon Sovereign... We made it!

New writer, who dis? EN Takato speculates out of nowhere that the DigiGnomes might know something about Guilmon to lead into JP Takato calling after them to come back. He doesn't remember that he already knows that they know everything about Guilmon. He doesn't need to suggest it like it's a brand new hypothesis he came up with just now.

It's a little awkward the way Henry says "Here, this little guy" when Takato takes out the picture. Henry's dialogue doesn't account for Takato at all, and he speaks as if he were the one taking out and showing the image to Lopmon.

JP Lopmon's a bit more descriptive, talking about Digimon being reduced to dust fragments and those fragments being used to form the Devas.

An interesting note is that the show is that the plural of Sovereign is Sovereigns, but the show is opting to treat Sovereign as though it were the plural of itself. This might be their way of backpedaling over the usage of 神 Kami, asking the same question I asked earlier: Did we fuck up by treating this word as singular in past episodes?

The dub's taking the position that yes, all past instances of Digimon God did mean the Four Sacred Beasts as a whole. EN Lopmon here states that "they" created the Devas, meaning the Devas are subjects of all Four Sacred Beasts and are not connected to any one Beast in particular.

This is more accurate to modern Digimon lore regarding the Devas, but not to the way Tamers specifically has been depicting them; Here in the show, they are clearly linked to Zhūquēmon specifically. None of the other Sacred Beasts have been indicated to have anything to do with them.

Speaking of Zhūquēmon, the dub unsurprisingly mispronounces it. The correct pronunciation is Zhoo-chway-mon, but the bewildering decision for the official translation to be Zhuqiaomon leads the dub to pronounce it like you'd expect that to be pronounced. When Lopmon namedrops him, she says Zhoo-chow-mon.

The dub translates Suzakumon as Phoenix Gate, which isn't technically accurate; Suzaku means "Vermillion Bird", not "Phoenix". But Americans are more likely to be familiar with Phoenixes than with the Four Symbols, so it's a good pragmatic choice.

I myself speculated when we first saw Zhūquēmon attack Leomon that they might be Hououmon/Phoenixmon. The imagery is easily transferrable.

Finally, where Jian concludes by rotating everything he's learned in his head, Henry takes a moment to pat the team on the back for a job well done.

While Jian is thinking, Takato's ready for bold action!

Takato: This means Culumon is through there... Let's go, Jian! Jianliang: WE CAN'T!!! Takato: Huh?

Jian looks at Shaochung. Takato and Terriermon turn to follow his gaze, realizing his meaning: Jian refuses to put Shaochung in danger by taking her across the Suzakumon.

Terriermon: Mōmantai! Shaochung has Lopmon for a Partner now, right?

Backing up Terriermon, Shaochung digs through her bag and pulls out her Digivice to show Jian.

Shaochung: Lookit!

But, seeing the direction this conversation is going, Lopmon scurries over to the front of the gate.

Lopmon: I won't let you pass through the Suzakumon! Takato: (gently) Lopmon....

Lopmon may have been taken as Shaochung's Partner now and been fired from their post, but they're still loyal to Zhūquēmon. They still want to protect the sanctity of the holy lands and from the way they explained it, they see taking Culumon as the correct thing to do.

Nothing that's happened to them has given them adequate reason to actually change sides. They've ended up with us more as a matter of circumstances than of reconsidered opinions and changing ideology. And so as soon as the topic of crossing the Suzakumon is raised, Lopmon puts their foot down and falls back into their assigned role as the gate's sentry.

In the dub:

Takato: Well, if we know where Calumon is then let's get him! Henry: NO!!! Takato: Huh? (Everyone gradually looks at Suzie) Takato: But why? What's the matter? Terriermon: Mōmantai! I know you're worried about Suzie but she is a Tamer, you know. Suzie: Yeah! (Suzie digs out her Digivice; Lopmon scurries in front of the Gate) Lopmon: Hold it right there! We're not going anywhere! Takato: What now?

The dub takes its first commercial break here.

Lopmon's last line is tonally different from in the original, in a way we'll get into in a moment.

Inside Culumon's flask, the lighting turns a deep shade of red. Culumon looks up to see a fiery presence that is almost certainly Zhūquēmon looming overhead.

Zhūquēmon: Bearer of evolution's radiance, you are no Digimon. Return now to your original form. Culumon: But Culumon is Culumon, a Digimon-culu! Zhūquēmon: You are what bestows evolution's radiance upon all the Digimon of this world. Return now to your original form and release evolution's radiance once more.

Having said what they need to say, Zhūquēmon leaves, their vermillion flames no longer illuminating the flask.

Culumon: (dismayed) Culuuu....

I'm not sure Culumon even knows how to do what Zhūquēmon is asking.

Like. Imagine that gravity became a guy and now there's no gravity but there is this guy eating McDonald's. If you walked in and were like, "Okay you need to go back to being gravity right the hell now because physics is FUCKED, bruh," would that guy even know how to help you with that? Or would he just point at his burger like, "...uh... Big Mac."

Do we even have a right to take away gravity's intelligence and life now that he has them? Do the catastrophic consequences of anthropomorphizing a law of physics in this way outweigh gravity's right to life? Or is it more ethical for the rest of us to just cope with not having gravity anymore?

In the dub:

Calumon: Huh? Zhuqiaomon: Keeper of the light, you must know that you're not a Digimon like the others. You have a power inside you, a power we need. Calumon: There's no way I'm giving you my insides! And I am too a Digimon! Zhuqiaomon: Once, you were the light that gave us the power to Digivolve. You must become that light again. Resistance is useless; You cannot escape your destiny or this cage!

Mostly the same but Zhuqiaomon throws in some Stock Bad Guy Stuff at the end so that you don't get confused and start thinking maybe there's some merit to their side of this morally grey conflict.

Returning to the Suzakumon, Lopmon explains themself.

Lopmon: The power of God, my creator, is vast. Jianliang: You were punished by that God, though. Lopmon: Exactly. That is proof of how vast God's power is. Shaochung: Lopmon...

Shaochung walks over to Lopmon.

Lopmon: Yes, I have defied God's will, but I don't want to hurt anyone.

Shaochung pets Lopmon on the head.

Shaochung: You're very kind, Lopmon. Terriermon: Okay, but that's no reason why we shouldn't go rescue Culumon.

Before the discussion can continue, they're interrupted by a flash of nearby lightning. Shaochung shrieks and grabs Lopmon, holding them tight.

Takato: Lightning!?

The sky over the gods' domain shifts, turning to a more fiery red. Catsuramon bellows into the air.

Catsuramon: The time has come to carry out the mission God has given me!

It's unclear whether the Tamers hear that.

Fun fact, 雷 Kaminari means both thunder and lightning. They're packaged together in one word, which literally means "God's Roar". As the Deva Catsuramon bellows their intentions across the holy realm, the sky is illuminated by God's Roar.

In the dub:

Lopmon: Please, you're mad to try and face the Sovereign! And I can't help you! Henry: Your Deva powers are gone, but you can still fight. Lopmon: The Sovereign made me and they can destroy me just as easily! Suzie: No, Lopmon. (Suzie approaches Lopmon) Lopmon: Suzie, you don't understand. I've changed. I don't want to fight or hurt anyone. (Suzie pets Lopmon) Suzie: Of course you don't. Nice bunny. Terriermon: Okay, but what now? Calumon's not gonna rescue himself. (Lightning strike) Takato: Aw, nuts! What's that!? Henry: I don't know, but something tells me it's not good! (Sky changes) Catsuramon: The time has come for me to do my master's will!

Here we see that tonal difference I was talking about a moment ago with Lopmon. JP Lopmon is torn. They don't want this to end in violence. They don't want this to end in a situation where Zhūquēmon slaughters the Tamers or the Tamers have to kill Zhūquēmon or what have you. They don't want a big explosive battle to break out between their new associates and their god.

The dub interprets this as "Lopmon doesn't want to fight Zhuqiaomon because she's a coward."

In the desert world, the other Tamers and Partners continue their long trek to nowhere.

Growmon: So why did you become Juri's Partner, Leomon? Leomon: I could ask you the same. Growmon: I was with Takato from the very start! Takato was the person who created me. That's why we're Partners! Leomon: How about you, Kyūbimon? Kyūbimon: In the beginning, I was the one who chose Ruki. I knew at that time that Ruki was the strongest Tamer, and she would help me evolve to become even stronger. Ruki: That's right. Kyūbimon: However, I don't actually remember how I entered the Real World. When I came to, I was just standing there in front of Ruki.

Hearing their stories, Juri looks up at Leomon. After a moment, she shrink in on herself.

Juri: I'm sorry, Leomon. I'm not very strong. I'm completely unqualified to be a Tamer.... Leomon: Juri.... Perhaps the reason I was born into this world as a Digimon was so that I could become your Partner. That's what I think, anyway. Juri: ( ^ᴗ^) Thank you, Leomon. Growmon: You're so strong and kind, Leomon. How did you get to be that way? Leomon: Before, all I ever did was fight. As is the destiny that all Digimon are born into. Growmon: So does that mean I should fight a lot too? Leomon: You have a destiny of your own. Growmon: Hmm... I guess I should ask Takato. Awww... Where could Takato be?

I would call this conversation massive death flags for Leomon but the episode is titled "The One Where Leomon Fucking Dies". I think we're a bit past flags.

An interesting detail that Kyūbimon doesn't actually know how they Realized. I wonder if the DigiGnomes were involved with that too?

In the dub:

Growlmon: Um, Leomon? Do you know how you became Jeri's Partner? Leomon: Well, how did you become Takato's? Growlmon: Gee, I'm not really sure. One day, he thought me up and poof, I was there. It feels like we've always been together, like sausages and sauerkraut!

...sausages and sauerkraut? I'm stunned the dub decided to forego the chance to bring back the peanut butter bit.

Leomon: Oh, I see. What about you, Kyubimon? Kyubimon: It was no accident. I wanted the strongest Tamer so I could Digivolve. No one but the best. The choice was clear: It had to be Rika. Rika: Got that right! Kyubimon: It's strange. I don't know exactly how I came to the Real World. All I know is we were suddenly together, and that's all that mattered. (Jeri looks up at Leomon for a moment, then looks away) Jeri: But I'm not strong at all. Especially for a Tamer. I'm sorry you have to be stuck with me, Leomon. Leomon: Jeri... You have the true heart of a lion. That's all you need. It's not strength or power that makes a good Partner; It's heart. Besides, there's no one else I'd rather be with. Jeri: ( ^ᴗ^) Leomon... Thank you. Growlmon: Aww, Leomon, you're so smart and so strong! How'd you get to be like that anyway? Leomon: I don't know about smart but I'm strong because I've fought all my life. Like most Digimon, I thought it was the only way. Growlmon: Maybe I could be like you if I spent my whole life fighting too. Leomon: Fighting isn't everything. You have your own destiny. Growlmon: Yeah, I guess. I'll ask Takato. He'll know. ...oh, I miss him. Where could he be?

With regard to why/how Leomon became Juri's Partner, that's a bit of a judgment call. どうして Dōshite can mean either "Why" or "How". It's an expression of curiosity about the chain of decisions and events that led to the thing in question.

I chose "Why" because Growmon is asking Leomon to explain his own reasoning, not for a mechanical infodump about the nature of the Digivices. This then turns into Growmon and Kyūbimon explaining their thought processes for why they're with their Partners before Leomon answers with his own.

But the dub goes with "How", which has a minor knock-on effect that cascades through the way the conversation is presented. Though the points they make are largely the same, the topic being rotated isn't about their personal feelings, but rather about trying to figure out how those feelings play into the metaphysics of it all.

Leomon's encouragement to Jeri is completely rewritten. JP Leomon confesses that he feels as though their meeting was predetermined. EN Leomon tells Jeri she has the "heart of a lion". I'm not really sure what criteria he's measuring this on, however, as being "lion-hearted" usually means being loud, rambunctious, and strong-willed.

Nonetheless, this is setup for later. The dub is preparing Leomon to say goodbye in their own way.

When Growlmon compliments Leomon, the dub edits out the word "kind" and adds "smart" for Leomon's descriptors. This is an ironic decision considering their rewrite of his speech. JP Leomon is reflecting on the grand architecture of life here on his last day while EN Leomon is focused on offering comfort and solace to Jeri that will hopefully carry her through his impending death.

If anything, I'd flip those descriptors. JP Leomon is smart, EN Leomon is kind.

The dub also couches Leomon's point about fighting all the time with some direct reassurances that he's not like that anymore. He reflects on it with "I thought it was the only way," indicating that he's a changed mon who's learned the error of his violent ways. Similarly, they add "Fighting isn't everything" to the line where he tells Growmon that he has his own destiny.

Growmon's question about Takato is our queue to head back topside and check in. Takato has a plan he thinks should satisfy all parties.

Takato: Jian, you don't want to be separated from Shaochung. That makes sense, since you are her older brother. So I'll go take a look. Terriermon can come with me. Terriermon: Can I, Jian? Jianliang: Hmm... I don't like it, but.... Takato: We'll be fine! At the first sign of trouble, we'll come right back. If the Four Sacred Beasts really are over there, then they may be the most powerful Digimon but they're also just trying to protect this world. I'm sure we could understand each other if we talked it out. Jian: But--

Whatever Jian was going to say, a nearby explosion cuts him off.

Now that he knows that the wicked threat we've been fighting is the Four Sacred Beasts, Takato doesn't want to keep playing Devas and Asuras. Lopmon said earlier that they don't want this to turn into a fight, and Takato doesn't want that either.

This builds off of Takato and Jian's conversation in the Mizuno episode. Takato's default assumption then was that the Four Sacred Beasts must be hashtag #GoodGuys, though Jian tried to temper that assumption with Chō-sensei's wisdom about the way good and evil shift with perspective.

But despite Jian's different opinion, Takato's holding onto that idea here. If the Devas answer to Zhūquēmon, Zhūquēmon is a force for good, and we only want good things, then we should be able to just settle all of this peacefully, right?

In the dub:

Takato: Look, Henry, I know you don't want to leave Suzie. So why don't you stay with her and I'll go. And Terriermon can come with me, if that's okay with you. Terriermon: Aw, come on. How about it, Henry? Henry: Well, okay, but I'm not sure it's a good idea. Takato: Not to worry. If it gets hairy, we'll skedaddle right back. I'm not crazy; I don't want to pick a fight with anyone powerful enough to create those Devas, but if Lopmon's right and the Digimon Sovereign only want to protect this world, maybe I can just talk to them. Henry: What if-- (Explosion)

EN Takato credits his desire to talk things out to what Lopmon said earlier: That the Digimon Sovereign are trying to protect the Digital World. JP Takato credits it to nothing in particular because we already established two episodes ago what he thinks about the Sacred Beasts.

Before the conversation can continue, something explodes right next to the Tamers.

Takato: W-What the--!?

The Tamers turn and sees Beelzebumon on his motorcycle in an impact crater. That blast seems to have been him landing nearby.

Takato: Beelzebumon! Beelzebumon: The hell? Is this all you've got? And here I was hoping to polish you off with all the rest of your lot!

Beelzebumon draws his shotguns, brandishing them as he speaks.

Takato: Why are you trying to kill us!? Beelzebumon: Those were the terms of my evolution!

Well, you've done a shit job of it so far! Hell, it's kinda implied that you're only here right now because, once again, Catsuramon's making you. It's probably no coincidence that you only showed up after God's Roar.

In the dub:

Takato: What was that!? Beelzemon: Hello, kiddies! Takato: Beelzemon! Beelzemon: You're not with your friends now, are ya, punks? Oh well. I guess I'll just have to annihilate them later! (Beelzemon brandishes shotguns) Takato: Why are you doing this? What did we ever do to you!? Beelzemon: It's nothing personal. It's just business. And I'm a businessman!

Beelzemon blows off Takato's question rather than answering it.

Terriermon's heard all he needs to hear.

Terriermon: Jian! Jianliang: Right! CARD SLASH!!! MATRIX EVOLUTION!!!

Kicking up EVO, Terriermon quickly double-evolves to Rapidmon to face Beelzebumon.

Beelzebumon: Heh. One little squirt like you is hardly a challenge! Rapidmon: That's what you think! RAPID FIRE!!!

Beelzebumon tanks Rapidmon's shots.

Beelzebumon: That didn't even tickle.

Today seems to be the day for iffy evolutions. After Growmon's inexplicable offscreen evolution, now we have Terriermon Matrix Evolving without Culumon.

The Super Evolution card was introduced as a way to get the Partners to Adult level even if Culumon isn't around, but the show's been pretty consistent that Matrix Evolution requires both a Blue Card and Culumon. Culumon's evolution sigil even appears in the Matrix Evolution animation itself.

But now we're saying that no, Culumon isn't necessary for activating Matrix Evolution? We just need the Blue Card?

Because if that's the case, then why have we been refraining from using Matrix Evolution all this time? The only Matrix Evolution we've done since Culumon was captured was when Taomon evolved in episode 30, and that was during the brief window when we had Culumon back.

It is wild to now, out of nowhere, suddenly state that we can freely Matrix Evolve without Culumon and could have been doing that this entire time.

In the dub:

Terriermon: Henry! Henry: Right! DIGI-MODIFY!!! MATRIX DIGIVOLUTION ACTIVATE!!! (Rapidmon Matrix Digivolves) Beelzemon: Ha! I've eaten bigger Digimon for breakfast! Rapidmon: Is that supposed to impress me!? RAPID FIRE!!! (No effect) Beelzemon: No. But you know what? I bet this will.

JP Beelzebumon taunts Rapidmon about not being strong enough to scratch him. EN Beelzemon telegraphs his next attack.

Beelzebumon's turn. He levels his shotguns at Rapidmon.

Beelzebumon: GET LOST!!!

Beelzebumon fires with both shotguns, each clipping the very tips of Rapidmon's ears.

Jianliang/Shaochung: RAPIDMON / TERRIERMON!!!

Despite only glancing Rapidmon, the impact force of the shots throws him over Takato and Jian's heads. He lands hard on his back, skidding through the tiles.

Takato: At a... At a time like this... Guilmon... Why can't you be here? Beelzebumon: Hehehehehehehehe....

Beelzebumon levels his shotguns at Takato, Jian, Shaochung, and Lopmon.

Group: Huh? Takato: GUILMOOOOOON!!!

I keep going back and forth one whether I'm giving Beelzebumon too much benefit of doubt, especially given the title of this episode. And yet I find it curious that Beelzebumon shot Rapidmon's ear tips rather than aiming for center mass.

That really looks to me like he was shooting to hurt rather than to kill.

In the dub:

Beelzemon: DOUBLE IMPACT!!!

The dub censors out Beelzemon firing his guns. We go from calling his attack to a white flash and then Rapidmon's thrown back.

Henry/Suzie: RAPIDMON, NO!!! / TERRIERMON!!! (Rapidmon flies overhead and crashes down hard) Takato: I feel totally useless! Guilmon... Guilmon, where are you?

Another censored shot. The dub cuts the shot where we see down the barrels of Beelzebumon's guns that he's aiming them at the Tamers.

Beelzemon: Is that all you've got? THAT'S PATHETIC!!! Takato: GUILMOOOOOON!!!

See the Censored Shots Addendum for further details.

But an interesting note is that the first edit makes the violence actually look nastier than the uncensored shot does. Because they cut both the firing of Beelzemon's guns and the impact of his slugs, it's not apparent in the dub what Beelzemon actually shot.

So the dub version ends up looking like Rapidmon just took two to the chest and is hanging on by a miracle.

In the desert world, Takato's voice manages to carry all the way to Growmon.

Growmon: Huh? Hirokazu: What? What is it, Growmon? Growmon: I heard Takato's voice just now. Boys & Ruki: What!? Juri: I heard it too! Boys & Ruki: WHAT!?!? Kenta: Are you sure? I didn't hear any-- Takato: (distant) GUILMOOOOOON!!!

Everyone hears it this time, but the more pressing matter is a data stream now moving quickly towards them.

Takato: (distant) GUILMOOOOOON!!! Kenta: Oh crap! We have to get out of here!

But Juri points straight ahead at the oncoming light pillar.

Juri: Right there! The voice is coming from there! Takato: (distant) GUILMOOOOOON!!! Kyūbimon: Yes, I'm sure Takato's voice is coming from there. Takato: (distant) GUILMOOOOOON!!! Growmon: Then it'll take us to Takato! Hirokazu: H-Hang on a second! If we step into that light, we'll be blasted off to who knows where! Growmon: And yet we're going! Takato is calling for me!

Heedless of Hirokazu and Kenta's concerns, Growmon steps forward to approach the light.

Leomon: Perhaps this too is destiny. Ruki: Let's go. It beats wandering aimlessly around this place. We should just take the plunge! Kyūbimon: That's so like you, Ruki. Ruki: ( ¬ᴗ¬) I am who I am.

What strikes me as interesting is the repeating screams from Takato. Like, he's not actually standing up there in the god realm screaming over and over again, is he? Did everyone just stop what they're doing so that Takato could scream repeatedly?

Or are we hearing a recording playing back over and over again? We're about to find out that Catsuramon's arranging this, so it's possible that Takato only screamed once, and Catsuramon's projecting it through the pillar over and over again.

In the dub:

Growlmon: Huh? Kazu: Hey Growlmon, what's going on? Growlmon: It's Takato! I can hear him! Boys & Rika: Huh!? Jeri: I think I heard him too! Boys & Rika: HUH!?!? Kenta: Are you sure? I don't hear anythi-- Takato: (distant) GUILMOOOOOON!!! (Data stream coming in) Kazu: Data stream, twelve o'clock! We gotta scram! (Jeri points at it) Jeri: Isn't Takato's voice coming from there? Kyubimon: You're right. Well, you know what this means. Kenta: No, and please don't tell me. Growlmon: I'm coming, Takato! Kazu: Hold on a minute! You're not actually thinking of going in there, are you? Don't we usually run away from the nasty data stream?

You, specifically? Historically, no.

Growlmon: I'm going! Takato's calling me! Leomon: We'd better make up our minds quickly. Rika: Right! I say we go. Anything's better than schlepping around in the sand. What do you say? Kyubimon: That's so like you. Rika: ( ¬ᴗ¬) I can't be anyone else.

In the original, Takato's voice continues calling through the pillar throughout the scene. He can be heard screaming identical cries of Guilmon's name four separate times, plus the one that only Growmon and Juri heard.

-> The first or, technically, second is to cut off Kenta when he says he didn't hear it. Everyone looks forward, following his voice to the data stream. -> The next scream comes from the data stream during the shot of it moving towards everyone. Then Juri points at the data stream and says the voice is coming from there. -> Then, after Juri speaks, there's another scream, which Kyūbimon uses to confirm what Juri just said. -> A final scream corroborates Juri and Kyūbimon's assertions to Growmon, who makes up his mind to enter the data stream.

The dub throws out the latter three of the screams. They keep only the one that interrupts Kenta and just trust that all the characters had good enough directional hearing to confirm the voice's source after hearing it the one time.

Earlier, JP Leomon said that he thinks becoming Juri's Partner was his destiny. Here, he proposes that destiny also wants them to step into the light pillar. Here, as mortality silently looms and moves towards him like an unstoppable train, Leomon finds himself feeling spiritual, reflecting on the idea that perhaps this trajectory of his life was meant to happen. That the directions he has taken were all in service to something greater than himself.

As before, the dub deletes this self-reflection. They give him a throwaway line instead.

Preparing to jump into the data stream, the Digimon take a moment to shore up who's carrying who.

Growmon: Guardromon, climb up on my back. Guardromon: Oh, uh, sure.

Guardromon does so.

Growmon: Hirokazu, Kenta, hold on tight. Hirokazu: Guess we're going in whether we like it or not. Kenta: Ngggh, really!?

Leomon silently holds his arms out for Juri. Taking his meaning, she climbs up off of Kyūbimon's back and into his grasp.

Ruki: Here we go, Kyūbimon.

The team braces itself and lets the data stream take them, transporting them away to whatever destination fate has in store for them. Fate... or Catsuramon, whose shadow follows them as they pass.

Catsuramon: Soon, God's wrath will be sated. In but a moment, all who defy God will be gathered together in one place!

And break for commercial!

The separation here is an unspoken but interesting detail. Growmon makes a point to have Guardromon hold onto him just as Hirokazu is doing, while Juri passes from Kyūbimon to Leomon. Learning from Takato and Guilmon's separation, they're ensuring that if they end up separated by the data stream, they'll be separated in specific groups of:

-> Growmon, Hirokazu, Kenta, and Guadromon -> Ruki and Kyūbimon -> Juri and Leomon

So that nobody gets separated from their Partner.

In the dub:

Growlmon: Guardromon, you'd better grab on. Guardromon: Oh, good idea. (Guardromon climbs onto Growlmon's back) Guardromon: Ready! Growlmon: Okay, everybody. Hold on tight! Kazu: Come on, Kenta. Don't tell me you're scared! Kenta: Ngggh, okay, I won't. (Leomon reaches for Jeri) Leomon: Jeri? (Jeri climbs into Leomon's hands) Rika: Here it comes! On your marks! Get set! (Data stream passes over them) Kenta: Not again! Rika: GO!!! (Data stream takes them; Catsuramon appears) Catsuramon: Soon, those foolish children will be gathered in one place to meet one fate: The fate of all who dare defy the Digimon Sovereign!

The dub also takes its second commercial break here.

Hirokazu is as nervous as Kenta but Kazu takes the opportunity to pick on Kenta instead.

Following the commercial break, we return to a terrified Shaochung screaming and crying. Jian embraces her, but shoots a withering glare over her head at Beelzebumon.

Beelzebumon: Hehehehehe... Jianliang: Shit... Rapidmon! Rapidmon, are you okay! Rapidmon: Jian... He's strong.... Beelzebumon: Damn right. I'm going to become the strongest Digimon in the whole Digital World! Half-baked Digimon like you are no match for me! Takato: Wait! You used to be Impmon! Beelzebumon: Ngh! Takato: You went camping with us, didn't you? You used to play with us in the park, didn't you!? Beelzebumon: Impmon... That little wretch is already dead!

Infuriated by Takato's words, Beelzebumon levels his guns at the Tamer kids once more.

Beelzebumon here calls Rapidmon 半端なデジモン Hanpana Dejimon. The word 半端な hanpana means incomplete, malformed, a fraction. He's saying that Rapidmon is only partly a Digimon and that's why he can't measure up to Beelzebumon, a true Digimon.

This connects back to the things Impmon used to say about the Partner Digimon being pets instead of behaving like true Digimon. Impmon did it, he found a way to evolve without needing a human Partner to do it, and so now he feels empowered to gloat, lording his power over the humans' half-Digimon pets.

As an aside, I'm not sure what Takato means about Impmon playing with them in the park. Impmon usually hung out in a tree and bitterly watched them play without participating himself. I think going swimming at camp was the only time Impmon actually participated in a group play activity, and they had to drag him into it.

In the dub:

Henry: Suzie.... (Henry embraces Suzie) Beelzemon: Hehehehehe... Henry: Rrrgh... Rapidmon! Talk to me! Are you okay!? Rapidmon: Henry... He's too strong.... Beelzemon: No kidding! Compared to me, you guys are amateur hour, you know that? Pathetic humans and your Digi-pets, you make me want to throw up, kick your butts, and then throw up again! Takato: Wait a minute! You're Impmon, remember? Beelzemon: Ngh! Takato: You went to camp with us and played in the water with us! We even saved your life once. You're our friend! Beelzemon: Impmon... is nothing but a BAD MEMORY!!!

Dub Team's not sure what Takato meant by the playing in the park thing either, so they swap that reference out for referencing Indramon. Though I'm not sure "Remember that time we bailed you out 'cause you're such a loser" really meets the vibe Takato's going for here.

I get what they were going for: "Remember how much we care about you?" But rubbing salt directly into Beelzemon's insecurities isn't the way to go about it.

Out of nowhere, the data stream descends, depositing the rest of the team right next to Takato and the others.

Takato: Growmon!

Ruki hops down off of Kyūbimon.

Ruki: The hell are you doing in a place like this!? Growmon: Takato! I missed you so much! Takato: Me too-- Ah....

For a moment, Takato is caught up in pure relief at seeing Growmon again. But then he remembers and closes off. He flashes back on what he saw at Mizuno's school: DigiGnomes creating Guilmon by assembling dust packets around Takato's sketch data.

Growmon: What's wrong, Takato? Takato: (thinking) Guilmon is just data. Nothing more than a cluster of data.

Takato's emotional brain, the part of him that sees Guilmon as his friend, is warring with his logical brain that feels betrayed by the revelation that Guilmon isn't a real organic living creature.

Though Mizuno did pitch Takato on his own ideological stance, that artificial and organic life are fundamentally the same thing no different from the other, Takato hasn't really embraced that idea. To him, it does matter, and Guilmon is on the wrong side of the line.

In the dub:

Takato: Huh? You found us! (Rika climbs down off of Kyubimon) Rika: Finally. Where have you guys been!? Growlmon: Takato, I missed you so much! Takato: Me too! Oh... (Takato shrinks away) Takato: (thinking) But... What if.... (Dust Packet flashback) Takato: (thinking) What if I lose him again? Mizuno's right. He's just data. Growlmon: What's the matter, Takato? Takato: (thinking) And data can just be erased....

Takato's first line is changed so that he's excited to see everyone instead of tunnel-visioning on Growmon returning to him.

The dub spins out Takato's concerns about Guilmon in a completely different direction. He's not upset by what Guilmon is, you see. He's upset by the logical conclusion of that: He loves Guilmon unconditionally and doesn't want to lose him, but Guilmon being made of data means he might get killed someday.

As opposed to organic creatures who I guess are naturally immortal.

Takato stews on this internal conflict until Kyūbimon suddenly speaks up, calling out to Beelzebumon.

Kyūbimon: Beelzebumon... You-- Beelzebumon: Shut up, fox! Just shut up! Don't look at me like that! I'LL BURY YOU ALL RIGHT HERE!!!

Beelzebumon fires both shotguns at Kyūbimon. His shots strike the ground, forcing Kyūbimon to jump back.

Kyūbimon: Gck!

Guardromon moves between Beelzebumon and where Jian is holding Shaochung.

Guardromon: A violent thug like you cannot be tolerated!

Guardromon raises his arms and fires twin Destruction Grenades. Beelzebumon spins his motorcycle, easily evading the blasts before circling around to face Guardromon again.

Beelzebumon: Just shut up already!

With guns drawn, Beelzebumon speeds forward, closing distance on his bike.

Guardromon: (;;°_°) Oh, that's not good.

Again, despite his bluster, I'm not sure how committed Beelzebumon is to this. He follows up "I'll bury you all" by shooting at Kyūbimon's feet.

It can't just be that he sucks at using his guns and keeps constantly fucking up, right? That whole Chrysalimon fight showed off just how accurate he can be when he's aiming to slaughter. But now he once again seems to be struggling to actually pull the trigger on a killshot.

Hell, he had all the Tamer kids dead to rights before we went to commercial and then just sat there and hung out until Growmon and the others showed up. Beelzebumon may say "Impmon is dead" but it just doesn't feel like he's that eager to actually kill these people.

In the dub:

Kyubimon: Beelzemon, there's still time! Beelzemon: CAN IT!!! You talk too much, you know that? You think you're so smart? Well, in a second, you're gonna be HISTORY!!!

The dub again censors out the firing of Beelzemon's guns. A white flash replaces the removed shot.

Kyubimon: HROOOAGH!!! (Guardromon moves to protect Henry and Suzie) Guardromon: That's uncalled for! GUARDIAN BARRAGE!!! (No effect) Beelzemon: You want trouble? You've got it! (Beelzemon speeds forward) Guardromon: (;;°_°) What? Oh no!

Like Rapidmon getting shot earlier, the dub makes the attack against Kyubimon seem way worse. This time, it's not the censorship but the big scream Kyubimon lets out as if she's just been struck by a devastating blow.

As Beelzebumon closes in, Growmon takes his turn to try and stop him.

Growmon: EXHAUST FLAME!!!

Growmon fires two shots, but Beelzebumon swerves to avoid both and keeps right on coming.

Hirokazu: RUN!!!

In the dub:

Growlmon: PYRO BLASTER!!! (No effect) Kazu: GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!

But before Beelzebumon can mow them down, Kyūbimon leaps into action.

Kyubimon tackles Beelzebumon off of his bike, sending them both crashing to the ground. The first thing approaching a solid hit anyone's landed on him, but the collision seems to have hurt Kyūbimon a lot worse than Beelzebumon.

Beelzebumon starts to pick himself up, rolling onto his knees.

Beelzebumon: (frustrated) Fuck.... Ruki: Kyūbimon!

Ruki holds out her Digivice as Kyūbimon struggles to even get up.

Ruki: Kyūbimon, evolve! You have to evolve! Kyūbimon: ...evolve...?

But then they see it. Beelzebumon beats them to his feet, and before he can raises his weapons, Kyūbimon acts.

Kyūbimon: KOENRYŪ!!!

Using what's left of their strength, Kyūbimon scorches Beelzebumon's arms, forcing him to drop his guns.

Beelzebumon: HROOOAAAUGH!!!

But when they return to their position, their strength gives out and they collapse on the ground.

Ruki: KYŪBIMON!!!

Beelzebumon shakes off his arms and furiously raises his claws.

Beelzebumon: Fine then, bring it on!

He stomps towards Kyūbimon, claws raised menacingly. Growmon runs to intervene.

Growmon: STOP IT, BEELZEBUMON!!! Takato: That's it, Growmon! Beelzebumon... Impmon has become a devil! TAKE HIM DOWN!!!

From the safety of Leomon's arms, Juri watches Takato scream bloody murder. She's shocked by the fury emerging from him.

Juri: Takato-kun....

But Growmon's attempt is short-lived. Beelzebumon floors him with a right hook.

Growmon: WAUCK!!! Beelzebumon: I'll deal with you later, you arrogant bastard.

Beelzebumon walks over to where Kyūbimon's lying prone on the ground.

Beelzebumon: First up is this goddamn conceited fox! You've just been mocking me all this time, haven't you!? Kyūbimon: (weakly) Impmon.... Beelzebumon: SHUT UP!!!

We cut to Ruki frantically going through her cards, but impact noises on flesh can be heard in the background; The sound of Beelzebumon furiously beating or kicking Kyūbimon while they're down.

Ruki: No! Get out of there, Kyūbimon! What do I do? What cards can I use!? WHAT DO I DO!?!?

Having both talked himself into and worked himself up to it, Beelzebumon finally raises his claws for a killing strike.

Beelzebumon: I have no choice but to kill you! Kyūbimon: (weakly) Open... your eyes.... Beelzebumon: Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!!!

He finally does it, stabbing his claws down for Kyūbimon's throat. But at the last second, he stops. For a moment, it seems as if he's stopped himself, but it's quickly revealed to be Leomon holding him back.

Leomon: I may not know your circumstances, but you are being made to dance on another's strings. Think about how ridiculous you look. Beelzebumon: What did you just--

Leomon doesn't wait for him to respond, delivering a left hook to Beelzebumon's jaw before releasing his arm.

Leomon: Strength is not what grants evolution. I've come to understand that much.

Leomon looks over at Juri for a moment.

Juri: Leomon.... Leomon: Your destiny is not to harm these children! Beelzebumon: SHUT UP!!!

Then it happens. Beelzebumon stabs his claw straight through Leomon's gut, mortally injuring him. Everything goes quiet but for Leomon's dying scream and the shocked gasps of the children around him. Leomon staggers for a moment, then falls back.

Kyūbimon gets up and lunges for Beelzebumon, who meets her with a kick and launches her away.

Ruki: KYŪBIMON!!!

But Beelzebumon doesn't care about them right now. All of his attention is on the Digimon he just killed.

Leomon: Why can't you understand? Why wouldn't you just listen? Juri: (horrified wailing) Hirokazu: Leomon... He took out Leomon! Kenta: W-We gotta run... WE HAVE TO GET AWAY FROM HIM RIGHT NOW!!! Jianliang: Leomon... Fuck! Takato: (trembling fury)

Leomon slowly disintegrates into pixel dust, leaving behind only his dying words.

Leomon: It seems this was my destiny. Juri: (gasp)

With Leomon's death, the screen on Juri's Digivice goes to static.

Juri: ( ˃̣̣̥ᯅ˂̣̣̥) NOOOOOO!!!

But while Juri grieves, Beelzebumon Loads Leomon.

Beelzebumon: I'll load strong foes and I'll... I'll become even stronger. I will. I WILL!!!

Beelzebumon is freaking the fuck out.

This is what is known as a point of no return. In a cult, this is the crossing of a line that can't be uncrossed. Beelzebumon has done something he can never take back, and this serves the function of making him feel as if he can never go back. He can never be what he was again.

The point of no return is designed to make the new recruit feel as if no one else would ever want them now that they've done this, that they've become this person. They have nowhere they can go except deeper into the cult. He has to double down on his rhetoric, has to keep going down this path, because he's paid such a heavy toll for it.

Beelzebumon has Leomon's blood on his hands. Who but Zhūquēmon would even take him now?

It's telling, at least to me, that even up to the moment he struck at Kyūbimon, the last thing he said to them was "お前を殺さなきゃならねえんだ Omae o korosunakya narenē nda". I have to kill you. I must kill you. I have no choice but to kill you. The decision to kill you is not under my control.

As if asking for their permission. For their forgiveness. For their understanding. For something that will make doing this easier.

Psychologically, Beelzebumon is a mess right now. He didn't want to do it, finally worked himself up to doing it, was stopped from doing it, killed the guy who stopped him in an emotional outburst, and now he's spiraling and trying to convince himself that he meant to do that and that this is what he's wanted all along.

In the dub:

(Beelzemon starts to get up) Beelzemon: I'll teach you! Rika: Kyubimon!!! (Rika holds out her Digivice) Rika: Come on, you have to get up! To Digivolve! Kyubimon: (weakly) I'm trying.... (Beelzemon gets up) Kyubimon: DRAGON WHEEL!!! (Kyubimon scorches Beelzemon's arms) Beelzemon: HROOOAAAUGH!!! (Kyubimon collapses) Rika: KYUBIMON!!! (Beelzemon shakes off his claws) Beelzemon: Nice try there, Foxface!

In the original, there's an interesting nuance to Beelzebumon's line here. He says "上等じゃねえか Jōtō janē ka", which is basically a macho way of saying "Fine, I accept your challenge."

What makes this interesting is that Beelzebumon's the aggressor here, and yet he speaks here as if Kyūbimon just attacked him unprovoked. As if they're the one picking this fight.

And in a way, they kind of are. Remember earlier when Beelzebumon shot the ground at Kyūbimon's feet instead of shooting Kyūbimon? The first actual attack landed between Beelzebumon and Kyūbimon was when Kyūbimon tackled him off his bike. And the second was Koenryū.

Also remember how Rapidmon actually threw the first punch in their fight too?

Beelzebumon keeps goading people into attacking him. He needs that. He needs to feel like they're attacking him. He needs to feel like he's the victim here because that's the only way he feels justified in fighting "back".

This nuance doesn't quite make it across in Beelzemon's line, which conveys only that Kyubimon's attack wasn't strong enough to put him down.

(Beelzemon advances on Kyubimon) Growlmon: Don't you touch her! Takato: Alright, that's it! Get him, Growlmon! I don't care who he used to be; He's nothing but a monster now! TAKE HIM DOWN!!! (Jeri notices) Jeri: (gasp) Takato.... (Beelzemon floors Growlmon with a right hook) Growlmon: WAUCK!!! Beelzemon: So much for friendship, huh, Pineapple Head? Don't worry, I'll deal with you later.

Beelzemon here displays more emotion towards Growlmon than Beelzebumon has for Growmon.

Beelzebumon blows him off while calling him 貴様 kisama, a vulgar term for someone who's full of themselves. Basically, Beelzebumon just calls Growmon a fuckwad and moves on to Kyūbimon.

But in the dub, Beelzemon actually sounds a little forlorn about the friendship they used to have. I think this might be the most emotion we've gotten out of the dub's Beelzemon yet.

(Beelzemon goes to Kyubimon) Beelzemon: Right after I wipe out your uppity friend. Alright, chatty, any last words? Kyubimon: Impmon, please.... Beelzemon: BE QUIET!!!

As opposed to Kyubimon, who he's much less emotional about.

Looming over the battered Kyūbimon, Beelzebumon accuses them of こけにして koke ni shite, which means to mock, ridicule, or make a fool out of someone, for as long as they've known each other.

He's trying to talk himself up to killing them, to convince himself that he was only ever a joke to Kyūbimon, that the relationship they had meant nothing. To convince himself that he really, really wants to do this. Then, when Kyūbimon tries to interrupt, he snaps at them.

This emotional nuance doesn't make it into the dub either. Beelzemon just asks if Kyubimon has any last words. Kyubimon tries to beg him to stop and he inexplicably snaps at her to shut up even though he just asked her to talk a second ago.

I think the dub thinks that Growlmon is supposed to be the character that Impmon had a complicated emotional relationship with.

(Rika goes through her cards) Rika: Oh no! Kyubimon, please get up! You have to get away! These stupid cards are useless! I can't do anything! (Beelzemon raises his claws) Beelzemon: ENOUGH!!! I MUST DESTROY YOU ONCE AND FOR ALL!!! Kyubimon: Don't be... so blind! Beelzemon: I SAID QUIET!!!

"I must destroy you" isn't an inaccurate translation but it doesn't really convey the idea that a reluctant Beelzemon feels he has no choice but to go through with this. Especially with the other changes made to Beelzemon and Kyubimon's scene, mentioned above.

That said, the dub does catch that Beelzebumon beats Kyūbimon offscreen while Ruki's talking. We get a couple of offscreen striking noises from Beelzemon during Rika's too.

(Leomon stops Beelzemon) Leomon: I don't know who you are, but I do know you're being used. This power you've been given, is it worth hurting these children to keep it? Beelzemon: YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING-- (Punch) Leomon: To have power is not to be strong. You see, I know that better than anyone. (Leomon looks at Jeri) Jeri: Ah! Leomon.... Leomon: Do what you must, Beelzemon, but I will not let you hurt these children! Beelzemon: HRAAAAARGH!!!

JP Leomon says that strength is not the key to evolution. This goes back to the larger conversation that the entire series has been circling again and again: Is evolution really just a matter of killing Digimon and grinding XP? Is it our own selfish advancement that makes us whole, or the connections we form with other people?

This also references the conversation from earlier about how Leomon's spent his life believing in defeating strong foes and grinding XP towards evolution, same as every Digimon. Here, he states in no uncertain terms that he doesn't see things that way anymore.

EN Leomon fucking says "To have power is not to be strong". Leomon, those are synonyms.

Okay, in fairness, I'm pretty sure he's trying to say that strength comes from within. What Beelzemon has is artificial power that's been given to him by Zhuqiaomon and not true strength that he earned for himself. It's circling the same thing JP Leomon's talking about, but he sounds like a mangled fortune cookie.

This may be a consequence of the way the fantasy term "Digivolve" cannot carry the same multiple meanings that "evolution" has for both the Digimon and human characters alike, something that has haunted the dub since Tai and his friends first entered the Digital World way back when.

JP Leomon then says that Beelzebumon's destiny is not to harm these children. This connects with all the destiny talk he's been doing all episode as well as the obvious reluctance Beelzebumon's had to actually do all of this. Leomon can see that Beelzebumon wasn't meant to be this person, to be the selfish murderer who slaughters children in the name of God for his own advancement. He was meant for something else.

This is what gets him killed, as he touches the nerve of Beelzebumon's series-long identity crisis. He tells Beelzebumon, "This isn't who you are," and Beelzebumon snaps and does something terrible to prove it.

Again, the dub doesn't like all this destiny talk and kicks that line to the curb. EN Leomon stands his ground and vows not to let Beelzemon hurt the children, further reinforcing the dub's interpretation that Beelzemon's just a remorseless murderer who wants to slaughter them all with impunity. Except Growlmon who he feels a little bad about, I guess.

This, too, is what gets him killed. He freely hands Beelzemon a "COME AT ME BRO, LET'S FIGHT" and then Beelzemon does so, and Beelzemon wins immediately because he's very strong.

Incidentally, there's more censorship for Kyubimon getting kicked, so that's another one for the addendum.

(Kyubimon lunges for Beelzemon and gets kicked) Rika: KYUBIMON!!! Leomon: Why can't you see? Why won't you try to understand the truth? Jeri: (horrified wailing) Kazu: I don't believe it. I don't believe he got Leomon! Kenta: We could be next! We gotta get out of here; I can't take this! Henry: Leomon... It can't be.... Takato: (trembling fury)

The dub takes its third commercial break here, on the shot of Takato trembling with rage. We pick up right where we left off upon return.

Leomon: Be brave, Jeri. Part of me will always be with you. Remember, you have a lion's heart. (Leomon turns to data; Jeri's Digivice goes to static) Juri: ( ˃̣̣̥ᯅ˂̣̣̥) NOOOOOO!!! (Beelzemon Loads Leomon) Beelzemon: No, to have power is to be strong! I'll keep Loading data 'til no one can stop me! NO ONE!!! NO OOOOOONE!!!

And one last removal of Leomon's reflections on destiny. JP Leomon's final words are effectively a show of faith. He said before that he believes destiny is what brought him to Juri. Now, at the end of it, he reaffirms that this too was destiny.

This is where it was always meant to end for him. This, too, is a part of something greater. From becoming Juri's Partner to dying here in Kyūbimon's place, Leomon's life has been part of something bigger that we probably won't see the full picture of until the end.

The dub replaces that with a more emotional farewell to Jeri, paying off the "heart of a lion" comment he made earlier in the episode. He spends his final words trying to console her, to give her the strength she'll need to live without him now that he's gone.

Which, again, makes it bewildering that the dub refused to call their take on Leomon "kind". He is going out of his way to make sure to the best of his ability that Jeri will survive and be able to cope with his loss.

Then, in place of Beelzebumon's spiraling freakout, Beelzemon gloats triumphantly, throwing that fortune cookie line right back in Leomon's face and verbally dancing on his grave. Just to reaffirm that he is 100% reprehensible monster.

In the wake of Leomon's death, we cut back to Growmon and Takato.

Growmon: Leomon... Leomon, who was so strong and kind....

Growmon's pupils shrink and his face hardens as he shifts into his feral mode. Takato's shaking, fists clenched, snarling out his words.

Takato: Something so awful... How could... How could you!? Someone like you... SOMEONE LIKE YOU....

Takato's spitting out sentence fragments from pure rage. As he screams, a red glow emanates from him. MegaloGrowmon stomps overhead, stepping over Takato to approach Beelzebumon.

Takato: HRAAAAAARGH!!! MegaloGrowmon: HRAAAAAARGH!!!

And, as before with MegaloGrowmon's evolution, Takato and MegaloGrowmon roar together, feeling each other's feelings and feeding back into one another.

I remain confused at how everyone keeps evolving. It was confusing earlier when Rapidmon was suddenly able to Matrix Evolve without Culumon's aid but Takato doesn't even use a Blue Card here. Though Takato also didn't need to use a Blue Card when MegaloGrowmon first evolved so there may be something to that.

Maybe the DigiGnomes did it?

Either way, that's not really the important thing here. What's important here is that Takato is furious. He outright called Beelzebumon an 悪魔 akuma earlier, which means a demon, devil, wicked spirit, or other supernatural creature of strictly malevolent intent.

Takato sees Beelzebumon the way the dub's depicting Beelzemon: He has become a complete monster with any redeeming qualities he once had long since sanded off. A vile, wicked thing made of evil, that seeks only evil, that feels only evil, that can only ever be evil.

That black/white moralistic view he expressed about the Four Sacred Beasts earlier has been flipped the other way around. Where he could not comprehend that the Sacred Beasts could be more complicated than simple well-meaning omnibenevolence, he now looks at Beelzebumon and sees only one-dimensional wickedness. He has, in the heat of this moment, given up on Impmon.

In the dub:

Growlmon: But he... was just trying to help us and YOU.... (Growlmon's eyes change) Takato: How could you? How could you DO THIS HORRIBLE THING!?!? I'll make you hurt. I'LL MAKE YOU PAY!!! (Red shimmer; WarGrowlmon stomps forward) Takato: HRAAAAAARGH!!! WarGrowlmon: HRAAAAAARGH!!!

Again, they don't let Growlmon call Leomon kind and that's weird to me considering their rewriting of his dialogue.

Juri, still reeling from Leomon's death, watches MegaloGrowmon emerge with terror in her eyes.

Juri: What is that? What's... What's happening!?

Hirokazu runs to Juri, grabbing her by the arm to pull her away.

Hirokazu: Katō! Don't just stand there!

But she swings her arm, breaking his grasp.

Juri: DON'T TOUCH ME!!! NOBODY TOUCH ME!!! (starts crying again) Hirokazu: Katō....

She is very understandably breaking down right now.

In the dub:

Jeri: W-What's going on? What is happening to the two of you? (Kazu runs to Jeri and grabs her arm) Kazu: Jeri, what are you doing!? Come on, get out of the way! (Jeri breaks his grip) Jeri: DON'T TOUCH ME!!! EVERYONE JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!!! (starts crying again) Kazu: Jeri....

Solid. No notes.

Up ahead, Beelzebumon faces down MegaloGrowmon. He's not impressed.

Beelzebumon: So you've finally gone to Perfect form. But what good is just getting a little bigger? I've evolved all the way to Ultimate level! All you can do is die like a dog! Takato: We have to beat him once and for all! MegaloGrowmon: HRAAAAAARGH!!!

Turning on his jets full blast, MegaloGrowmon rockets towards Beelzebumon and swipes at him. Beelzebumon leaps upwards, bounding above MegaloGrowmon while summoning his shotguns back to him.

Beelzebumon: You goddamn cyborg... GET LOST!!!

Beelzebumon fires, both shots striking MegaloGrowmon's right shoulder just next to his head. His shots visibly damage the metal but do little to deter MegaloGrowmon. MegaloGrowmon lunges, closing distance quickly and biting down on Beelzebumon.

Beelzebumon tells MegaloGrowmon that he's going to have an 犬死 inujini or "dog's death". This means a meaningless death, a futile death, a wasteful and senseless sacrifice achieving nothing. It's also a play on the whole "Humans keeping Digimon as pets" thing.

And one that strikes a particularly savage note when considering the dub's insistence on treating Guilmon like an actual dog.

In the dub:

Beelzemon: Nice outfit, but you're still no match for me, ya big lug! Just so you know, metal mouth, when I'm done with you, I'm gonna finish your friends off one by one! Takato: You're wrong. You're the one who's finished! WarGrowlmon: HRAAAAAARGH!!! (Beelzemon bounds over WarGrowlmon's attack) Beelzemon: Take this, ya big dump truck!

More censorship on Beelzemon shooting WarGrowlmon. He's allowed to fire his guns, but a white flash obscures the shots hitting WarGrowlmon's shoulder.

MegaloGrowmon bites down on Beelzebumon and, for just a moment, it seems he has the upper hand.

Takato: That's it! DO IT!!! FINISH THIS!!! Juri: Stop....

But the moment passes. Beelzebumon plunges his left claw through MegaloGrowmon's face, disrupting his data. MegaloGrowmon falls back, away from Beelzebumon.

Takato: YOU CAN'T GIVE UP NOW, MEGALOGROWMON!!! Dammit, he needs to evolve to something even stronger.

Takato thrusts his Digivice forward almost like a weapon.

Takato: You have to evolve! EVOLVE!!!

I'm pretty sure that's the same attack that killed Leomon. Now that he's crossed the line, Beelzebumon no longer has the same reservations he did before. He is, as noted, doubling down now and embracing the idea that this is who he is.

It's notable that his shotgun blasts, too, hit a lot closer to home than they ever did against Rapidmon and Kyūbimon. Beelzebumon's tasted blood and now he's ready to be Zhūquēmon's assassin.

In the dub:

Takato: FINISH HIM!!! Do it! Tear him apart! Jeri: Don't do this!

And another censored shot. They cut Beelzebumon plunging his claw into MegaloGrowmon's face.

(Beelzemon smacks down WarGrowlmon) Takato: You cannot lose! I won't allow it! I order you to Digivolve! DIGIVOLVE!!! NOOOOOOW!!!

The ironic thing about the censorship this time is the way it contrasts with Rapidmon's. The censorship when Beelzemon shot Rapidmon made the attack look way worse. This time, it actually makes the attack look tamer; The censored version of Beelzemon's attack just looks like he slapped WarGrowlmon's jaws away.

Takato's cries for MegaloGrowmon to evolve carry down into the flask Culumon's stored in. The sigil on Culumon's forehead glows uncontrollably.

Culumon: Culu? Culu! No, don't-culu! CULUUUUUU!!!

Against their will, the power of evolution pours upwards from Culumon and into a receiving flask: that central structure over the deep hole between the Sacred Beasts' palaces. The radiance then transfers down the bridges, lighting up the Beasts' palaces. It continues on, spreading down the pathways into those weird shell structures.

Finally, it reaches the gates. The Suzakumon glows with the restored power of evolution.

In the dub:

Calumon: Huh!? Oh no! AHHHHHH!!!

No notes. The dub let's the powering up sequence happen without any added dialogue.

As the light of evolution is restored, it shines from the Suzakumon onto MegaloGrowmon.

Beelzebumon: What?

As it does, the sigil on MegaloGrowmon's chest begins to pulse.

Jianliang: That mark on his chest is glowing! What's going on? MegaloGrowmon: HRAAAAAARGH!!!

In the dub:

Beelzemon: What!? (Sigil starts to pulse) Henry: The mark on his chest is glowing! What's happening to him!? WarGrowlmon: Hrrrrrrgh....

WarGrowlmon opts for a reserved snarl in place of a bellowing anime roar.

At Hypnos, their network map lights up with several new markers, all in the image of MegaloGrowmon's sigil.

Red: An abnormal concentration of data is emerging from the deepest layer of the Network! Yamaki: The highest level of crisis there is: A Digital Hazard! Megumi: This is the largest we've ever seen. I-I think it's even going to affect the Real World!

Well, now we know what Guilmon's sigil means. It's the same marking that Hypnos uses to identify a "Digital Hazard", whatever that means. New English-spoken proper noun just dropped.

I have concerns.

Specifically, remember when I said I'm concerned about the implication that the DigiGnomes may have stolen evolution from the Digimon and created Culumon?

And then created the Tamers in order to play keep-away with the stolen power, effectively recruiting the Tamer kids as unwitting minions in whatever agenda they're trying to carry out against the Digimon?

The same concern applies here. If Guilmon has been carrying this Digital Hazard within him all this time, as suggested by his sigil, and the DigiGnomes created Guilmon, then it stands to reason that the DigiGnomes created this Digital Hazard.

Though that's not conclusive. Guilmon was created from dust packets so it's possible that the Digital Hazard just happened to be in the code from one of those packets and got into Guilmon by mistake.

Still, I find myself wondering if the thing the Sacred Beasts fear is coming for them is connected to the DigiGnomes, or if the DigiGnomes even are that thing in some way.

It just kinda feels like the Tamer kids have been "Useful Idiots" this whole series. Both inadvertently defending Hypnos from the Devas and also helping the DigiGnomes try to ensure that the power of evolution never returns to the Digimon.

The more we learn, the more it feels like the Devas were right. Are we the baddies?

In the dub:

Riley: Red alert! I repeat, red alert! Data is converging in massive amounts at the core of the Digital Field. Yamaki: But that could lead to a network meltdown! Tally: This is the biggest I've seen, sir. There's just no telling what kind of effect this is going to have on the Real World!

Riley says data is converging at the core of the "Digital Field", missing the point that it's converging at the deepest layer of the Digital World.

Yamaki skips introducing the new proper noun and warns of a network meltdown instead, which is being caused by this Digital Field.

Just as Megumi warns, a geyser of light emerges from Shinjuku Central Park. However, rather than the usual white of a manifesting Digital Field, the energy is red.

Jiang-yu watches through the window of his home office.

Jiang-yu: What is that!? What's happening!?

On the screen of his laptop behind him, Digital Hazard markers can be seen covering Jiang-yu's desktop as well.

Jiang-yu: Shit! Jianliang... Children... All of you, just stay safe. ...I feel so powerless....

Fuck Shaochung, I guess. She's folded into 子供たち Kodomo-tachi with all the other kids.

In the dub:

Janyu: Something's happening in the Digital plane. (Markers on Janyu's laptop) Janyu: What? NO!!! Henry! Suzie! If anything happens to the two of you, it's all my fault!

Jiang-yu starts freaking out when he sees the crimson pillar, but Janyu doesn't until after we see the closeup on the meltdown markers on his computer. Which suggests that he's reacting to those markers, not the pillar, even though he's looking away from the laptop for this entire scene.

In the Digital World, a spiral of flames wraps itself around MegaloGrowmon.

MegaloGrowmon: HRAAAAAARGH!!! Jianliang: Is he evolving? Takato: Evolving? Yes, evolve! KEEP EVOLVING TO THE ULTIMATE LEVEL!!! MegaloGrowmon: HRAAAAAARGH!!! Takato: Evolve....

Takato gets a glimpse of what MegaloGrowmon's become through the flames, and his enthusiasm starts to deflate. Then the flames disperse, revealing Guilmon's new Ultimate form in all its terrifying grandeur, and still with the Digital Hazard marker on his snout.

I... am of two minds on this terrifying evolution that MegaloGrowmon's undergone.

On the one hand, Hypnos says this is a Very Bad Thing. A Digital Hazard, whatever that means. And it certainly feels like a Very Bad Thing. This has all the hallmarks of a Dark Evolution, with a bloodthirsty Takato demanding evolution out of his Partner so that he could have the strength to slaughter his foe, something we're definitely supposed to see as a bad thing given how scared Juri is of him right now.

Still, we've done this song and dance before. Growmon and MegaloGrowmon were both terrifying evolutions to Takato, only for him to have to come to understand that Guilmon is Guilmon no matter what form he's in.

And. Y'know. Fuck Hypnos. Who cares what they think?

So. Like. Does the same apply with this Ultimate form? Is this just another scary aesthetic wrapped around a Guilmon heart? Or is this Digital Hazard something to actually freak out about?

In the dub:

WarGrowlmon: Hrrrrrrgh.... Henry: He's Digivolving! Takato: Do it! That's it! Digivolve! I order you to Digivolve to MEGA!!! (Takato glimpses the results) Takato: Yes! Mega!

Jianliang asks whether this is evolution because it looks so unlike a typical evolution sequence. He's calling out its abnormality.

Henry overlooks that and just states that this is Digivolution, in no uncertain terms.

JP Takato begins to dial it back when he glimpses Guilmon's new form through the flames, while EN Takato remains exuberant.

Witnessing Guilmon's new Ultimate form, everybody's shocked.

Takato: Was I...? Did he take this form because that's what I wanted?

Faced with the hideousness of his own inner feelings, Takato's rage breaks.

The new Digimon slowly advances on Beelzebumon, who steps back away from the terrifying creature.

Beelzebumon: Tch....

Snarling, the Digimon opens his mouth and lunges forward.

Juri: STOP IT!!!

Juri screams. Takato watches helplessly. And, in Takato's hand, his Digivice cracks. It falls from his hands, breaking open as it hits the ground and disintegrating into pixel dust.

I guess that answers that, doesn't it? This new Digimon is no longer his.

The way Beelzebumon's machismo seems to have evaporated is also interesting. His body language suggests that at his heart, he's still a bully, not a warrior. He talks a big game about Loading strong opponents but he's only really comfortable picking fights with weaker foes.

It's just that with this huge expansion of his power that Zhūquēmon granted him, the category of "Digimon weaker than me" has expanded dramatically. But this is his first time actually facing down a foe on his level, and suddenly the bravado is gone. He's scared shitless.

In the dub:

Takato: Guilmon! What have I done to you, boy? I'm sorry.... (Digimon advances on Beelzemon) Beelzemon: Hrng--! (Digimon lunges) Jeri: NOOOOOO!!! (Takato's Digivice falls and breaks) Davis (V.O.): I don't think Takato meant to turn Guilmon into whatever THAT is! I hope it's not permanent. To find out, keep watching Digimon: Digital Monsters.

And on that note, we have a Next Time promise to evaluate. Today, Davis promised that we'd find out what kind of Partner a former Deva like Lopmon could make for Shaochung.

Lopmon got a bit of attention early on, delivering some lore. But I don't feel like this episode really gave us a clear indication of what Shaochung and Lopmon's relationship will be like as Tamer and Partner. So I'm going to call that a Promise Broken.

Assessment: I mentioned back at the start of this series is that there's one spoiler I know going in, and it's that Leomon dies. I didn't know in what capacity Leomon would be part of the show, only that he eventually shows up and dies.

Was not prepared for it to be Beelzebumon. Holy shit. I am very intrigued to know where he's going from here. There's just enough there to justify either direction: Finding his way back to us or embracing the dark. It'll be interesting to see which he ultimately chooses.

Due to the way it happened, the way he's been presented all episode, I don't think that killing Leomon makes him irredeemable. But I do think that he thinks that, and if there is any chance for him to come back from this, that will be a major stumbling block.

I also was not prepared for it to happen this quickly. Juri only got one serious Tamer Fight with Leomon before his death! I hope this doesn't mean she's being written out.

We open on an overhead shot of the gods' domain; The parts that lie beyond the South Gate.

Surrounding a gigantic hole in the world are four crystalline structures connected by great bridges to a central structure. Each are color-coded.

To the south, glowing red, is the palace of the Vermillion Bird Zhūquēmon, the southern god of fire, summer, and midday.

To the east, glowing blue, is the palace of the Azure Dragon Qinglongmon, the eastern god of wood, spring, and dawn.

To the north, glowing green, is the palace of the Black Tortoise, the northern god of water, winter, and midnight.

And to the west, glowing black, is the palace of the White Tiger, the western god of metal, autumn, and dusk.

Narrator: This is the domain of the Four Sacred Beasts, gods that were created by the Digimon themselves. There, abandoned by humans, the Digimon protected the radiant power that allowed them to guide their own evolution in the deepest reaches of the Digital World. One day, it was lost. But now....

Culumon's cage ball plummets into the great pit leading down from the center of the gods' realm. The cage breaks open mid-fall, leaving Culumon to plummet without it.

Culumon: CULU!!! FALLING-CULULULULUUUUUU!!!

Culumon lands hard in the center of some sort of giant flask, bouncing once from the force of the impact.

Culumon: Culu!

So that's a neat bit of lore, and the design of the flask in particular intrigues me. Like a device for distilling evolution out of Culumon.

In the dub:

Narrator: Deep in the land of the Four Digimon Sovereign, there was once a shining light. This light gave Digimon the ability to Digivolve to become greater and more powerful than ever before! Then, one day, that light disappeared. Until.... (Calumon plunges into the abyss) Calumon: AHHHHHH!!! (Calumon lands) Calumon: Ow....

"To become greater and more powerful than ever before."

That's not really a significant change. It just remains funny to me whenever the Americans tweak the dialogue to play up the Battle Cartoon aspect of the show.

A consistency since the first Adventure dub is that Dub Team's really only interested in "Digivolution" for how it affects the Power Levels of the characters fighting each other.

At the bottom of the flask, Culumon lies inside the weird little sifter thing and groans.

Culumon: Ouchie-culu....

Culumon sits up, looking up at the endless darkness above from which they entered the flask.

Culumon: Culu?

Standing up quickly, Culumon leaps upward.

Culumon: (English) JUMP!!!

They slam face-first into a barrier, which knocks them back down onto the podium.

Culumon: (English) JUMP!!!

They make another attempt and meet the same results. After the second failure, they stand back up and look around.

Culumon: Culuuu....

Culumon notices their reflection in the glass. It's not showing Culumon the Digimon, but rather a rotating triangular prism. Culumon floats over to the glass and the prism moves too, reflecting their movements.

By now, we have a pretty good idea of what that prism is. That's the power of evolution. It's what Culumon's been using to activate evolutions throughout the series, stored in that triangle sigil on Culumon's forehead. We even see it come out in this exact form during Matrix Evolution.

In the dub:

Calumon: Owwwww.... Huh? (Calumon sees the void) Calumon: Hey! What's the big idea!? (Calumon jumps and hits the barrier) Calumon: Oof! (Calumon tries again) Calumon: Oof! Ugggh... uh-uh.... (Calumon notices the reflection prism)

Pretty much the same, minus Culumon's verbal tics and tendency to narrate their movements.

Culumon approaches the prism, staring into it for a moment.

Culumon: ...huh?

Culumon suddenly realizes something and panics.

Culumon: ACK!!!

They back off, returning to the podium.

Culumon: Culumon was here a long time ago?

Whatever it is, it scares them enough to shake their head frantically, trying to chase the thought away.

Culumon: Culu culu! Culumin is a Digimon-culu! Which means Culumon should know some sort of special attack too! CULUMON TSUYOI KŌSEN!!!

強い光線 Tsuyoi Kōsen means "Powerful Light Ray". Culumon attempts to fire this out of their forehead sigil, to no avail. They cannot shoot lasers out of the evolution triangle.

Culumon: CULUMON NANDAKA TOTTEMO TSUYOI ATTACK!!!

なんだかとっても強い Nandaka tottemo tsuyoi means "Extremely powerful in some sort of way". Culumon's Somehow Extremely Powerful Attack, which they lob by swinging their right fist. This also achieves nothing.

Defeated, Culumon settles back onto the flask's podium.

Culumon: Oh... I guess not....

Out of options, Culumon's ears deflate. They look up at the void they cannot reach.

Culumon: Culu... (despondent) Culululu....

And cut to title card. This was all the episode's opener, taking the place of the usual recap.

This scene circles back to the questions about Culumon's unusual nature. Culumon doesn't evolve. Culumon doesn't have any special attacks. Culumon doesn't like to fight, in stark contrast to all other Digimon.

Now here in the flask and faced with that ominous reflection, the question is asked: Is Culumon even a Digimon?

We have established the existence of non-Digimon AI by this point. Culumon could be a DigiGnome. Or they could be something else entirely. The door is open; Digimon are not the only option, and the likelihood that Culumon is one is becoming smaller by the minute.

In the dub:

Calumon: What's that funny-looking thing? It's too big to be an ice pop. (Calumon approaches the glass) Calumon: Ooh... It's pretty... and it looks real FAMILIAR!!! (Calumon panics and backs off) Calumon: It feels like I've been here before a long time ago. (Calumon shakes it off) Calumon: I've got to get out of here! Okay, Calumon, time to get tough. I'm a Digimon! Maybe I have some special attack too! HAIRY GOOPY BLISTERING BALL!!! (No effect) Calumon: BIG NOOGIE POKE-YOU-IN-THE-EYE POWER BEAM!!! (No effect) Calumon: Aw, nuts. Guess this means I'm stuck here for good. (Calumon deflates and looks up) Calumon: Unless someone rescues me... Ooogh....

Some extra dialogue to explain why Calumon reacts so negatively to the prism all of a sudden.

The dub renames Calumon's attacks and recontextualizes the joke behind them. Culumon's joke is that they have no idea what their attacks would even be. Calumon's joke is that he imaginatively comes up with really weird and goofy attacks.

I do have a nit to pick with Calumon's joke, and that's that Big Noogie Power Beam should be the one he shoots from his forehead and Hairy Goopy Blistering Ball should be the one he throws from his hand. I feel like these attacks are backwards.

To fill Culumon's depressed, hopeless silence, Calumon Monsplains what being a prisoner means to the audience.

After the title card, we find the rest of the Tamers are trudging around the desert world some more. All of their Digimon are hanging out at Adult level: Leomon, Kyūbimon, Growmon, and Guardromon.

Kyūbimon ferries Ruki and Juri on their back while Hirokazu and Kenta ride on Growmon's horns. Juri has to ride sidesaddle because of her dress.

Kenta looks up at the Real World sphere?

Kenta: Do you think we'll ever make it home? Hirokazu: What are you talking about!? Don't even think about trying to get home until we've found Takato! Kenta: But even with Takato and the others, will we even be able to get home? Hirokazu: ... Growmon: We'll find Takato soon enough! Hirokazu: Yeah. Kenta: Sorry for making you carry us. Growmon: It's fine. Growmon's very big! Right, Leomon? Leomon: Yep. ...Juri, are you okay? Juri: Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry about this, Kyūbimon. Kyūbimon: I don't mind. Ruki: More importantly, where could Takato and the others have possibly gone?

So, I have a question: How in the fuck?

Offscreen between episodes, with neither Culumon nor his Tamer present, Guilmon was able to evolve into Growmon. And we are not going to talk about it at all; Growmon just strolls into the scene like this is fine and normal.

In the dub:

Kenta: Hey, who wants to hear another knock-knock joke? Everyone: .... Kenta: Uh... guys...? (Kazu looks up at the Real World) Kenta: I'm so bored. Can't we head home already? Kazu: Hey Knock-Knock Boy, we haven't found Calumon or Takato and you're yapping about home!? What, do you miss your mommy? Kenta: No! All I'm saying is we've been here for days and we haven't found diddly-squat. Kazu: .... Growlmon: Hey Kenta, what's a diddly-squat? Kenta: Never mind. But thanks for the piggyback ride. Growlmon: No problemo! That's Spanish for "No problem", I think.... Leomon: Uhh hehehe.... Jeri, how are you holding up? Jeri: Oh, I'm just peachy! What about you, Kyubimon? Kyubimon: I'm fine. Rika: We're all fine, but we'd be better if we knew where Takato was.

For once, the dub stays on mission better than the original. Hirokazu says they can't go home without Takato, but Kazu remembers that they're here for Calumon too.

Kenta's being a goober. He gets in a goober bit with the whole Knock-Knock Boy thing, while his remarks about getting home are presented in a much more shallow fashion.

EN Kenta also says they "haven't found diddly-squat" since coming to the Digital World, which is factually incorrect. It seems he hasn't watched episode 30, where they found Calumon only to have Calumon taken from them.

At the southern gate to the gods' domain, Shaochung laughs with glee over her new Partner. She has one of Lopmon's ears in one hand and Terriermon's in the other.

Shaochung: Ahahaha ahahahahaha1 These ears are so long! But whose is longer? Jianliang: Shaochung is here too... Mom and Dad must be worried sick. Takato: Then we should hurry up, find Culumon, and go home!

As if in response, the DigiGnomes circle around Takato and Jianliang.

Takato: Oh, it's you guys again! What's up? Jianliang: The DigiGnomes? Artificial intelligences distinct from Digimon....

While Jian Tamersplains the DigiGnomes to Takato, who was there when he learned about them, one of the DigiGnomes flies right up to Takato and chitters energetically.

Takato: Heh, what is it? I can't understand you. Shaochung: Oh, it's those little guys I saw earlier! Jianliang: If it was the DigiGnomes who brought the Blue Cards to us in the Real World, then that implies that there's something they want us to do. Takato: Like what? Jianliang: I don't know. But it must be something very important.

In Jian's defense, he wasn't really Tamersplaining the DigiGnomes. That was just the start of him rotating them in his brain, trying to make sense of what he's learned.

Jian suggests that the DigiGnomes made them Tamers for a reason. We've seen that Mokumon impersonating Mizuno are responsible for the King in Yellow type figure sighted in Shibuya from time to time; I'm not really sure how that plays into the DigiGnomes' activities.

But Mizuno did confirm that the DigiGnomes created Guilmon, so they're obviously involved in the Tamers receiving their Blue Cards. The connection between the DigiGnomes and whatever the Mokumon are doing is unclear.

Nonetheless, the overall logic is right: If the DigiGnomes set all this up, then they must want something from the Tamers. I'm wondering if it's as simple as "They want the Tamers to kill the Four Sacred Beasts"?

If those who worship the Asuras see the Devas as evil, then could these be the Asuras? Could it be that simple?

In the dub:

Suzie: Who wants to hear another rhyme? I do! I do! (Suzie plays with Lopmon and Terriermon's ears) Suzie: One, two, three, four, who's the bunny I adore? Five, six, seven, eight, my new bunny smells like cake! Hahaha! Henry: Hrm... Can't believe Suzie's here. It's not safe for her! And my parents... They're probably climbing the walls by now! Takato: Don't worry. After we find Calumon and the others, we'll get her back pronto! (DigiGnomes circle) Henry: Huh? Takato: Hey-hey, well look who's here! What's up, guys? Henry: It's the DigiGnomes! If they were Digimon, maybe we could understand them. (DigiGnome approaches Takato) Takato: Sorry, fella. I don't speak Gnome. Suzie: Oh look, the fireflies are back! Henry: They must be trying to tell us something. If the DigiGnomes are the ones who brought the Blue Cards to the Real World, there had to be a reason for it. Something they want us to do! Takato: Yeah, like what? Henry: I don't know. But I have a funny feeling it's important.

This is all pretty solid.

They change Suzie's bit to be a reflection of Kenta's a moment ago. No one wants to hear Kenta's knock-knock jokes and no one wants to hear Suzie's rhymes.

In the process, they recontextualize the animation of Suzie playing with Lopmon and Terriermon's ears. In the dub, she's dancing with them while singing her rhyme.

Suddenly, the DigiGnomes stop fluttering about and instead, in unison, pass through the gate and make for Zhūquēmon's weird shell thing between the gate and the big red ice palace.

Takato: Wha-- WAIT!!! I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT GUILMON!!! I need to know....

They do not wait. They continue along, clearly meaning for us to follow them. It doesn't take Jian long to put the pieces together.

Jianliang: (gasp) Lopmon! Lopmon: What can I do for you? Jianliang: Do you know anything about someone called Culumon who-- Oh, Takato!

Jian starts to describe Culumon before remembering Takato's sketch. They show that to Lopmon instead.

Lopmon: That is the vessel for evolution's radiance, which our God has now reclaimed. For this and to eliminate threats to this world and to them, God created us, the Devas, from the fragments of Digimon who had been reduced to dust. Shaochung: ( ಠ_ಠ) I don't understand a single thing you're saying, Lopmon. Jianliang: Lopmon and his colleagues were created by the Digimon Gods, Shaochung. Shaochung: Mrrrrgh.... Takato: Lopmon, have you seen Culumon? Lopmon: Yes, I have. They were taken beyond the Suzakumon. Jianliang: The "Suzakumon"? Lopmon: The dwelling of our god Zhūquēmon lies far beyond that southern gate. Jianliang: (considering) Southern... This is the domain of the Four Sacred Beasts... Zhūquēmon....

Jian seems to be putting the pieces together here about what the Four Sacred Beasts represent, even though Takato already brought up Qinglongmon a couple episodes ago. Maybe Jian never watched the Kyoto episode of Adventure 02 and has to figure this out from scratch?

Lopmon name-drops the gate they were supposed to be guarding. This is the Suzakumon. That's not a Digimon name, though it is kind of a coincidental pun. The Suzakumon or "Vermillion Bird's Gate", named for what they call Zhūquē in Japanese, is a kind of gate that's built to bar entry into the Imperial Palace of Japan.

A Suzakumon has been built at multiple palaces over the years, serving as the place where foreign dignitaries come and are received by the Emperor. It seems the Sacred Beasts have opted to construct one here as well, and assigned a Deva to watch over it.

Maybe this is why they went with Chinese names for the Sacred Beasts. To avoid confusion with the Suzakumon?

In any case, we get some interesting new lore drops here. We already knew that Digimon who aren't Loaded get reduced to junk data and left adrift, and may or may not become part of Dust Packets. Catsuramon brought it up as a grievance against the Tamers. He was furious at them for letting that happen to the other Devas instead of Loading them.

I've been wondering if that data might then reconstitute back into Digimon, like how Digitamas work in Adventure. Here, Lopmon says yes... sort of. It doesn't happen on its own but this dust data can be recorporealized into new Digimon.

We sorta knew that from Mizuno. This is how Guilmon was created. He was born from dust packets that the DigiGnomes assembled to form his data structure.

And it seems Zhūquēmon can do that too, sculpting the Devas by talon from the dust data left behind by vanquished Digimon. Maybe this is why they're so hard to scan; Like Guilmon, they're brand new Digimon that Zhūquēmon made up and so they haven't been indexed like other Digimon who've been around for a while.

I wonder if that's the story behind Culumon too? Maybe the DigiGnomes sculpted them out of Dust Packets around the power of evolution, using themselves as the blueprint since they didn't have a sketch like Guilmon.

I think it's pretty well implied at this point that the DigiGnomes were the thieves who stole evolution, after all. Though why they did that is unclear. So they probably made Culumon to house it. That's my thinking. It's why they acted to try and stop Makuramon from taking Culumon, why they guided Takato and Jian to Mizuno, and why they're now clearly trying to tell Takato and Jian to go rescue Culumon.

They were probably behind bringing Shaochung in too, since they were clearly leading her to Andiramon when they appeared last episode. Only an innocent child who knows nothing of this war could charm a Deva into betraying Zhūquēmon.

There's something almost sinister in the implications here. The DigiGnomes do not want Digimon to have this power of self-guided evolution. For some reason. And everything that's happened to our protagonists has been about that, about stealing evolution away from the Digimon and arming Tamers to defend the stolen power.

I also now feel certain that the DigiGnomes were who Culumon was trying to bring to the soccer field with their summoning sigil way back when. Though it's unclear if DigiGnomes are even capable of Realizing, or if perhaps that's why they have to work through Mokumon in the Real World.

In any case, this was a hefty bit of information from Lopmon.

One last thing, minor detail, but I find it interesting the way Lopmon says 神 Kami, God singular, created them but when Jian simplifies it for Shaochung he says 神たち Kami-tachi or "God and others". Which is a way of pluralizing God but not the actual proper "Gods" pluralization, which is 神々 Kamigami.

Note that pluralization can be complicated and context-sensitive. 神 Kami can mean one or many gods. Every instance of "Our God" throughout the series might actually have meant "Our Gods" this whole time. There are ways to specify pluralization as Jian does for Shaochung, but the bare root 神 Kami can itself be either singular or plural.

Nonetheless, from the way 神 Kami is treated here, I feel like it's safe to say that the Devas have always meant Zhūquēmon specifically when speaking of 神 Kami, not the Sacred Beasts as a whole.

In the dub:

Takato: Oh, maybe they know something about Guilmon? WAIT UP!!! HEY!!! I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT MY DIGIMON!!! COME BACK!!! (The DigiGnomes depart) Henry: (gasp) Hey Lopmon! Lopmon: Yes, Henry? Henry: Do you know a Digimon named Calumon? Uh... Here! (Takato shows Lopmon the picture) Henry: This little guy! Lopmon: Well, of course I know who he is. He's the one who holds the key to Digivolution. The Sovereign need this power to protect our world from those who want to destroy it. That's why they created us Devas out of data from Digimon that are now gone: To help them on their quest. Suzie: ( ಠ_ಠ) Lopmon, you're talking funny. I don't understand. Henry: She's trying to say that she was created by the Digimon Sovereign, Suzie. Suzie: Hmmm.... Takato: Uh, Lopmon? Do you have any idea where Calumon's being held? Lopmon: Yes, I do. I saw him being taken past the Phoenix Gate one day. Henry: "The Phoenix Gate"? Lopmon: That is where the Digimon Sovereign Zhuqiaomon lives. It's just beyond the South Gate I used to guard. Henry: Wow... Land of the Digimon Sovereign... We made it!

New writer, who dis? EN Takato speculates out of nowhere that the DigiGnomes might know something about Guilmon to lead into JP Takato calling after them to come back. He doesn't remember that he already knows that they know everything about Guilmon. He doesn't need to suggest it like it's a brand new hypothesis he came up with just now.

It's a little awkward the way Henry says "Here, this little guy" when Takato takes out the picture. Henry's dialogue doesn't account for Takato at all, and he speaks as if he were the one taking out and showing the image to Lopmon.

JP Lopmon's a bit more descriptive, talking about Digimon being reduced to dust fragments and those fragments being used to form the Devas.

An interesting note is that the show is that the plural of Sovereign is Sovereigns, but the show is opting to treat Sovereign as though it were the plural of itself. This might be their way of backpedaling over the usage of 神 Kami, asking the same question I asked earlier: Did we fuck up by treating this word as singular in past episodes?

The dub's taking the position that yes, all past instances of Digimon God did mean the Four Sacred Beasts as a whole. EN Lopmon here states that "they" created the Devas, meaning the Devas are subjects of all Four Sacred Beasts and are not connected to any one Beast in particular.

This is more accurate to modern Digimon lore regarding the Devas, but not to the way Tamers specifically has been depicting them; Here in the show, they are clearly linked to Zhūquēmon specifically. None of the other Sacred Beasts have been indicated to have anything to do with them.

Speaking of Zhūquēmon, the dub unsurprisingly mispronounces it. The correct pronunciation is Zhoo-chway-mon, but the bewildering decision for the official translation to be Zhuqiaomon leads the dub to pronounce it like you'd expect that to be pronounced. When Lopmon namedrops him, she says Zhoo-chow-mon.

The dub translates Suzakumon as Phoenix Gate, which isn't technically accurate; Suzaku means "Vermillion Bird", not "Phoenix". But Americans are more likely to be familiar with Phoenixes than with the Four Symbols, so it's a good pragmatic choice.

I myself speculated when we first saw Zhūquēmon attack Leomon that they might be Hououmon/Phoenixmon. The imagery is easily transferrable.

Finally, where Jian concludes by rotating everything he's learned in his head, Henry takes a moment to pat the team on the back for a job well done.

While Jian is thinking, Takato's ready for bold action!

Takato: This means Culumon is through there... Let's go, Jian! Jianliang: WE CAN'T!!! Takato: Huh?

Jian looks at Shaochung. Takato and Terriermon turn to follow his gaze, realizing his meaning: Jian refuses to put Shaochung in danger by taking her across the Suzakumon.

Terriermon: Mōmantai! Shaochung has Lopmon for a Partner now, right?

Backing up Terriermon, Shaochung digs through her bag and pulls out her Digivice to show Jian.

Shaochung: Lookit!

But, seeing the direction this conversation is going, Lopmon scurries over to the front of the gate.

Lopmon: I won't let you pass through the Suzakumon! Takato: (gently) Lopmon....

Lopmon may have been taken as Shaochung's Partner now and been fired from their post, but they're still loyal to Zhūquēmon. They still want to protect the sanctity of the holy lands and from the way they explained it, they see taking Culumon as the correct thing to do.

Nothing that's happened to them has given them adequate reason to actually change sides. They've ended up with us more as a matter of circumstances than of reconsidered opinions and changing ideology. And so as soon as the topic of crossing the Suzakumon is raised, Lopmon puts their foot down and falls back into their assigned role as the gate's sentry.

In the dub:

Takato: Well, if we know where Calumon is then let's get him! Henry: NO!!! Takato: Huh? (Everyone gradually looks at Suzie) Takato: But why? What's the matter? Terriermon: Mōmantai! I know you're worried about Suzie but she is a Tamer, you know. Suzie: Yeah! (Suzie digs out her Digivice; Lopmon scurries in front of the Gate) Lopmon: Hold it right there! We're not going anywhere! Takato: What now?

The dub takes its first commercial break here.

Lopmon's last line is tonally different from in the original, in a way we'll get into in a moment.

Inside Culumon's flask, the lighting turns a deep shade of red. Culumon looks up to see a fiery presence that is almost certainly Zhūquēmon looming overhead.

Zhūquēmon: Bearer of evolution's radiance, you are no Digimon. Return now to your original form. Culumon: But Culumon is Culumon, a Digimon-culu! Zhūquēmon: You are what bestows evolution's radiance upon all the Digimon of this world. Return now to your original form and release evolution's radiance once more.

Having said what they need to say, Zhūquēmon leaves, their vermillion flames no longer illuminating the flask.

Culumon: (dismayed) Culuuu....

I'm not sure Culumon even knows how to do what Zhūquēmon is asking.

Like. Imagine that gravity became a guy and now there's no gravity but there is this guy eating McDonald's. If you walked in and were like, "Okay you need to go back to being gravity right the hell now because physics is FUCKED, bruh," would that guy even know how to help you with that? Or would he just point at his burger like, "...uh... Big Mac."

Do we even have a right to take away gravity's intelligence and life now that he has them? Do the catastrophic consequences of anthropomorphizing a law of physics in this way outweigh gravity's right to life? Or is it more ethical for the rest of us to just cope with not having gravity anymore?

In the dub:

Calumon: Huh? Zhuqiaomon: Keeper of the light, you must know that you're not a Digimon like the others. You have a power inside you, a power we need. Calumon: There's no way I'm giving you my insides! And I am too a Digimon! Zhuqiaomon: Once, you were the light that gave us the power to Digivolve. You must become that light again. Resistance is useless; You cannot escape your destiny or this cage!

Mostly the same but Zhuqiaomon throws in some Stock Bad Guy Stuff at the end so that you don't get confused and start thinking maybe there's some merit to their side of this morally grey conflict.

Returning to the Suzakumon, Lopmon explains themself.

Lopmon: The power of God, my creator, is vast. Jianliang: You were punished by that God, though. Lopmon: Exactly. That is proof of how vast God's power is. Shaochung: Lopmon...

Shaochung walks over to Lopmon.

Lopmon: Yes, I have defied God's will, but I don't want to hurt anyone.

Shaochung pets Lopmon on the head.

Shaochung: You're very kind, Lopmon. Terriermon: Okay, but that's no reason why we shouldn't go rescue Culumon.

Before the discussion can continue, they're interrupted by a flash of nearby lightning. Shaochung shrieks and grabs Lopmon, holding them tight.

Takato: Lightning!?

The sky over the gods' domain shifts, turning to a more fiery red. Catsuramon bellows into the air.

Catsuramon: The time has come to carry out the mission God has given me!

It's unclear whether the Tamers hear that.

Fun fact, 雷 Kaminari means both thunder and lightning. They're packaged together in one word, which literally means "God's Roar". As the Deva Catsuramon bellows their intentions across the holy realm, the sky is illuminated by God's Roar.

In the dub:

Lopmon: Please, you're mad to try and face the Sovereign! And I can't help you! Henry: Your Deva powers are gone, but you can still fight. Lopmon: The Sovereign made me and they can destroy me just as easily! Suzie: No, Lopmon. (Suzie approaches Lopmon) Lopmon: Suzie, you don't understand. I've changed. I don't want to fight or hurt anyone. (Suzie pets Lopmon) Suzie: Of course you don't. Nice bunny. Terriermon: Okay, but what now? Calumon's not gonna rescue himself. (Lightning strike) Takato: Aw, nuts! What's that!? Henry: I don't know, but something tells me it's not good! (Sky changes) Catsuramon: The time has come for me to do my master's will!

Here we see that tonal difference I was talking about a moment ago with Lopmon. JP Lopmon is torn. They don't want this to end in violence. They don't want this to end in a situation where Zhūquēmon slaughters the Tamers or the Tamers have to kill Zhūquēmon or what have you. They don't want a big explosive battle to break out between their new associates and their god.

The dub interprets this as "Lopmon doesn't want to fight Zhuqiaomon because she's a coward."

In the desert world, the other Tamers and Partners continue their long trek to nowhere.

Growmon: So why did you become Juri's Partner, Leomon? Leomon: I could ask you the same. Growmon: I was with Takato from the very start! Takato was the person who created me. That's why we're Partners! Leomon: How about you, Kyūbimon? Kyūbimon: In the beginning, I was the one who chose Ruki. I knew at that time that Ruki was the strongest Tamer, and she would help me evolve to become even stronger. Ruki: That's right. Kyūbimon: However, I don't actually remember how I entered the Real World. When I came to, I was just standing there in front of Ruki.

Hearing their stories, Juri looks up at Leomon. After a moment, she shrink in on herself.

Juri: I'm sorry, Leomon. I'm not very strong. I'm completely unqualified to be a Tamer.... Leomon: Juri.... Perhaps the reason I was born into this world as a Digimon was so that I could become your Partner. That's what I think, anyway. Juri: ( ^ᴗ^) Thank you, Leomon. Growmon: You're so strong and kind, Leomon. How did you get to be that way? Leomon: Before, all I ever did was fight. As is the destiny that all Digimon are born into. Growmon: So does that mean I should fight a lot too? Leomon: You have a destiny of your own. Growmon: Hmm... I guess I should ask Takato. Awww... Where could Takato be?

I would call this conversation massive death flags for Leomon but the episode is titled "The One Where Leomon Fucking Dies". I think we're a bit past flags.

An interesting detail that Kyūbimon doesn't actually know how they Realized. I wonder if the DigiGnomes were involved with that too?

In the dub:

Growlmon: Um, Leomon? Do you know how you became Jeri's Partner? Leomon: Well, how did you become Takato's? Growlmon: Gee, I'm not really sure. One day, he thought me up and poof, I was there. It feels like we've always been together, like sausages and sauerkraut!

...sausages and sauerkraut? I'm stunned the dub decided to forego the chance to bring back the peanut butter bit.

Leomon: Oh, I see. What about you, Kyubimon? Kyubimon: It was no accident. I wanted the strongest Tamer so I could Digivolve. No one but the best. The choice was clear: It had to be Rika. Rika: Got that right! Kyubimon: It's strange. I don't know exactly how I came to the Real World. All I know is we were suddenly together, and that's all that mattered. (Jeri looks up at Leomon for a moment, then looks away) Jeri: But I'm not strong at all. Especially for a Tamer. I'm sorry you have to be stuck with me, Leomon. Leomon: Jeri... You have the true heart of a lion. That's all you need. It's not strength or power that makes a good Partner; It's heart. Besides, there's no one else I'd rather be with. Jeri: ( ^ᴗ^) Leomon... Thank you. Growlmon: Aww, Leomon, you're so smart and so strong! How'd you get to be like that anyway? Leomon: I don't know about smart but I'm strong because I've fought all my life. Like most Digimon, I thought it was the only way. Growlmon: Maybe I could be like you if I spent my whole life fighting too. Leomon: Fighting isn't everything. You have your own destiny. Growlmon: Yeah, I guess. I'll ask Takato. He'll know. ...oh, I miss him. Where could he be?

With regard to why/how Leomon became Juri's Partner, that's a bit of a judgment call. どうして Dōshite can mean either "Why" or "How". It's an expression of curiosity about the chain of decisions and events that led to the thing in question.

I chose "Why" because Growmon is asking Leomon to explain his own reasoning, not for a mechanical infodump about the nature of the Digivices. This then turns into Growmon and Kyūbimon explaining their thought processes for why they're with their Partners before Leomon answers with his own.

But the dub goes with "How", which has a minor knock-on effect that cascades through the way the conversation is presented. Though the points they make are largely the same, the topic being rotated isn't about their personal feelings, but rather about trying to figure out how those feelings play into the metaphysics of it all.

Leomon's encouragement to Jeri is completely rewritten. JP Leomon confesses that he feels as though their meeting was predetermined. EN Leomon tells Jeri she has the "heart of a lion". I'm not really sure what criteria he's measuring this on, however, as being "lion-hearted" usually means being loud, rambunctious, and strong-willed.

Nonetheless, this is setup for later. The dub is preparing Leomon to say goodbye in their own way.

When Growlmon compliments Leomon, the dub edits out the word "kind" and adds "smart" for Leomon's descriptors. This is an ironic decision considering their rewrite of his speech. JP Leomon is reflecting on the grand architecture of life here on his last day while EN Leomon is focused on offering comfort and solace to Jeri that will hopefully carry her through his impending death.

If anything, I'd flip those descriptors. JP Leomon is smart, EN Leomon is kind.

The dub also couches Leomon's point about fighting all the time with some direct reassurances that he's not like that anymore. He reflects on it with "I thought it was the only way," indicating that he's a changed mon who's learned the error of his violent ways. Similarly, they add "Fighting isn't everything" to the line where he tells Growmon that he has his own destiny.

Growmon's question about Takato is our queue to head back topside and check in. Takato has a plan he thinks should satisfy all parties.

Takato: Jian, you don't want to be separated from Shaochung. That makes sense, since you are her older brother. So I'll go take a look. Terriermon can come with me. Terriermon: Can I, Jian? Jianliang: Hmm... I don't like it, but.... Takato: We'll be fine! At the first sign of trouble, we'll come right back. If the Four Sacred Beasts really are over there, then they may be the most powerful Digimon but they're also just trying to protect this world. I'm sure we could understand each other if we talked it out. Jian: But--

Whatever Jian was going to say, a nearby explosion cuts him off.

Now that he knows that the wicked threat we've been fighting is the Four Sacred Beasts, Takato doesn't want to keep playing Devas and Asuras. Lopmon said earlier that they don't want this to turn into a fight, and Takato doesn't want that either.

This builds off of Takato and Jian's conversation in the Mizuno episode. Takato's default assumption then was that the Four Sacred Beasts must be hashtag #GoodGuys, though Jian tried to temper that assumption with Chō-sensei's wisdom about the way good and evil shift with perspective.

But despite Jian's different opinion, Takato's holding onto that idea here. If the Devas answer to Zhūquēmon, Zhūquēmon is a force for good, and we only want good things, then we should be able to just settle all of this peacefully, right?

In the dub:

Takato: Look, Henry, I know you don't want to leave Suzie. So why don't you stay with her and I'll go. And Terriermon can come with me, if that's okay with you. Terriermon: Aw, come on. How about it, Henry? Henry: Well, okay, but I'm not sure it's a good idea. Takato: Not to worry. If it gets hairy, we'll skedaddle right back. I'm not crazy; I don't want to pick a fight with anyone powerful enough to create those Devas, but if Lopmon's right and the Digimon Sovereign only want to protect this world, maybe I can just talk to them. Henry: What if-- (Explosion)

EN Takato credits his desire to talk things out to what Lopmon said earlier: That the Digimon Sovereign are trying to protect the Digital World. JP Takato credits it to nothing in particular because we already established two episodes ago what he thinks about the Sacred Beasts.

Before the conversation can continue, something explodes right next to the Tamers.

Takato: W-What the--!?

The Tamers turn and sees Beelzebumon on his motorcycle in an impact crater. That blast seems to have been him landing nearby.

Takato: Beelzebumon! Beelzebumon: The hell? Is this all you've got? And here I was hoping to polish you off with all the rest of your lot!

Beelzebumon draws his shotguns, brandishing them as he speaks.

Takato: Why are you trying to kill us!? Beelzebumon: Those were the terms of my evolution!

Well, you've done a shit job of it so far! Hell, it's kinda implied that you're only here right now because, once again, Catsuramon's making you. It's probably no coincidence that you only showed up after God's Roar.

In the dub:

Takato: What was that!? Beelzemon: Hello, kiddies! Takato: Beelzemon! Beelzemon: You're not with your friends now, are ya, punks? Oh well. I guess I'll just have to annihilate them later! (Beelzemon brandishes shotguns) Takato: Why are you doing this? What did we ever do to you!? Beelzemon: It's nothing personal. It's just business. And I'm a businessman!

Beelzemon blows off Takato's question rather than answering it.

Terriermon's heard all he needs to hear.

Terriermon: Jian! Jianliang: Right! CARD SLASH!!! MATRIX EVOLUTION!!!

Kicking up EVO, Terriermon quickly double-evolves to Rapidmon to face Beelzebumon.

Beelzebumon: Heh. One little squirt like you is hardly a challenge! Rapidmon: That's what you think! RAPID FIRE!!!

Beelzebumon tanks Rapidmon's shots.

Beelzebumon: That didn't even tickle.

Today seems to be the day for iffy evolutions. After Growmon's inexplicable offscreen evolution, now we have Terriermon Matrix Evolving without Culumon.

The Super Evolution card was introduced as a way to get the Partners to Adult level even if Culumon isn't around, but the show's been pretty consistent that Matrix Evolution requires both a Blue Card and Culumon. Culumon's evolution sigil even appears in the Matrix Evolution animation itself.

But now we're saying that no, Culumon isn't necessary for activating Matrix Evolution? We just need the Blue Card?

Because if that's the case, then why have we been refraining from using Matrix Evolution all this time? The only Matrix Evolution we've done since Culumon was captured was when Taomon evolved in episode 30, and that was during the brief window when we had Culumon back.

It is wild to now, out of nowhere, suddenly state that we can freely Matrix Evolve without Culumon and could have been doing that this entire time.

In the dub:

Terriermon: Henry! Henry: Right! DIGI-MODIFY!!! MATRIX DIGIVOLUTION ACTIVATE!!! (Rapidmon Matrix Digivolves) Beelzemon: Ha! I've eaten bigger Digimon for breakfast! Rapidmon: Is that supposed to impress me!? RAPID FIRE!!! (No effect) Beelzemon: No. But you know what? I bet this will.

JP Beelzebumon taunts Rapidmon about not being strong enough to scratch him. EN Beelzemon telegraphs his next attack.

Beelzebumon's turn. He levels his shotguns at Rapidmon.

Beelzebumon: GET LOST!!!

Beelzebumon fires with both shotguns, each clipping the very tips of Rapidmon's ears.

Jianliang/Shaochung: RAPIDMON / TERRIERMON!!!

Despite only glancing Rapidmon, the impact force of the shots throws him over Takato and Jian's heads. He lands hard on his back, skidding through the tiles.

Takato: At a... At a time like this... Guilmon... Why can't you be here? Beelzebumon: Hehehehehehehehe....

Beelzebumon levels his shotguns at Takato, Jian, Shaochung, and Lopmon.

Group: Huh? Takato: GUILMOOOOOON!!!

I keep going back and forth one whether I'm giving Beelzebumon too much benefit of doubt, especially given the title of this episode. And yet I find it curious that Beelzebumon shot Rapidmon's ear tips rather than aiming for center mass.

That really looks to me like he was shooting to hurt rather than to kill.

In the dub:

Beelzemon: DOUBLE IMPACT!!!

The dub censors out Beelzemon firing his guns. We go from calling his attack to a white flash and then Rapidmon's thrown back.

Henry/Suzie: RAPIDMON, NO!!! / TERRIERMON!!! (Rapidmon flies overhead and crashes down hard) Takato: I feel totally useless! Guilmon... Guilmon, where are you?

Another censored shot. The dub cuts the shot where we see down the barrels of Beelzebumon's guns that he's aiming them at the Tamers.

Beelzemon: Is that all you've got? THAT'S PATHETIC!!! Takato: GUILMOOOOOON!!!

See the Censored Shots Addendum for further details.

But an interesting note is that the first edit makes the violence actually look nastier than the uncensored shot does. Because they cut both the firing of Beelzemon's guns and the impact of his slugs, it's not apparent in the dub what Beelzemon actually shot.

So the dub version ends up looking like Rapidmon just took two to the chest and is hanging on by a miracle.

In the desert world, Takato's voice manages to carry all the way to Growmon.

Growmon: Huh? Hirokazu: What? What is it, Growmon? Growmon: I heard Takato's voice just now. Boys & Ruki: What!? Juri: I heard it too! Boys & Ruki: WHAT!?!? Kenta: Are you sure? I didn't hear any-- Takato: (distant) GUILMOOOOOON!!!

Everyone hears it this time, but the more pressing matter is a data stream now moving quickly towards them.

Takato: (distant) GUILMOOOOOON!!! Kenta: Oh crap! We have to get out of here!

But Juri points straight ahead at the oncoming light pillar.

Juri: Right there! The voice is coming from there! Takato: (distant) GUILMOOOOOON!!! Kyūbimon: Yes, I'm sure Takato's voice is coming from there. Takato: (distant) GUILMOOOOOON!!! Growmon: Then it'll take us to Takato! Hirokazu: H-Hang on a second! If we step into that light, we'll be blasted off to who knows where! Growmon: And yet we're going! Takato is calling for me!

Heedless of Hirokazu and Kenta's concerns, Growmon steps forward to approach the light.

Leomon: Perhaps this too is destiny. Ruki: Let's go. It beats wandering aimlessly around this place. We should just take the plunge! Kyūbimon: That's so like you, Ruki. Ruki: ( ¬ᴗ¬) I am who I am.

What strikes me as interesting is the repeating screams from Takato. Like, he's not actually standing up there in the god realm screaming over and over again, is he? Did everyone just stop what they're doing so that Takato could scream repeatedly?

Or are we hearing a recording playing back over and over again? We're about to find out that Catsuramon's arranging this, so it's possible that Takato only screamed once, and Catsuramon's projecting it through the pillar over and over again.

In the dub:

Growlmon: Huh? Kazu: Hey Growlmon, what's going on? Growlmon: It's Takato! I can hear him! Boys & Rika: Huh!? Jeri: I think I heard him too! Boys & Rika: HUH!?!? Kenta: Are you sure? I don't hear anythi-- Takato: (distant) GUILMOOOOOON!!! (Data stream coming in) Kazu: Data stream, twelve o'clock! We gotta scram! (Jeri points at it) Jeri: Isn't Takato's voice coming from there? Kyubimon: You're right. Well, you know what this means. Kenta: No, and please don't tell me. Growlmon: I'm coming, Takato! Kazu: Hold on a minute! You're not actually thinking of going in there, are you? Don't we usually run away from the nasty data stream?

You, specifically? Historically, no.

Growlmon: I'm going! Takato's calling me! Leomon: We'd better make up our minds quickly. Rika: Right! I say we go. Anything's better than schlepping around in the sand. What do you say? Kyubimon: That's so like you. Rika: ( ¬ᴗ¬) I can't be anyone else.

In the original, Takato's voice continues calling through the pillar throughout the scene. He can be heard screaming identical cries of Guilmon's name four separate times, plus the one that only Growmon and Juri heard.

-> The first or, technically, second is to cut off Kenta when he says he didn't hear it. Everyone looks forward, following his voice to the data stream. -> The next scream comes from the data stream during the shot of it moving towards everyone. Then Juri points at the data stream and says the voice is coming from there. -> Then, after Juri speaks, there's another scream, which Kyūbimon uses to confirm what Juri just said. -> A final scream corroborates Juri and Kyūbimon's assertions to Growmon, who makes up his mind to enter the data stream.

The dub throws out the latter three of the screams. They keep only the one that interrupts Kenta and just trust that all the characters had good enough directional hearing to confirm the voice's source after hearing it the one time.

Earlier, JP Leomon said that he thinks becoming Juri's Partner was his destiny. Here, he proposes that destiny also wants them to step into the light pillar. Here, as mortality silently looms and moves towards him like an unstoppable train, Leomon finds himself feeling spiritual, reflecting on the idea that perhaps this trajectory of his life was meant to happen. That the directions he has taken were all in service to something greater than himself.

As before, the dub deletes this self-reflection. They give him a throwaway line instead.

Preparing to jump into the data stream, the Digimon take a moment to shore up who's carrying who.

Growmon: Guardromon, climb up on my back. Guardromon: Oh, uh, sure.

Guardromon does so.

Growmon: Hirokazu, Kenta, hold on tight. Hirokazu: Guess we're going in whether we like it or not. Kenta: Ngggh, really!?

Leomon silently holds his arms out for Juri. Taking his meaning, she climbs up off of Kyūbimon's back and into his grasp.

Ruki: Here we go, Kyūbimon.

The team braces itself and lets the data stream take them, transporting them away to whatever destination fate has in store for them. Fate... or Catsuramon, whose shadow follows them as they pass.

Catsuramon: Soon, God's wrath will be sated. In but a moment, all who defy God will be gathered together in one place!

And break for commercial!

The separation here is an unspoken but interesting detail. Growmon makes a point to have Guardromon hold onto him just as Hirokazu is doing, while Juri passes from Kyūbimon to Leomon. Learning from Takato and Guilmon's separation, they're ensuring that if they end up separated by the data stream, they'll be separated in specific groups of:

-> Growmon, Hirokazu, Kenta, and Guadromon -> Ruki and Kyūbimon -> Juri and Leomon

So that nobody gets separated from their Partner.

In the dub:

Growlmon: Guardromon, you'd better grab on. Guardromon: Oh, good idea. (Guardromon climbs onto Growlmon's back) Guardromon: Ready! Growlmon: Okay, everybody. Hold on tight! Kazu: Come on, Kenta. Don't tell me you're scared! Kenta: Ngggh, okay, I won't. (Leomon reaches for Jeri) Leomon: Jeri? (Jeri climbs into Leomon's hands) Rika: Here it comes! On your marks! Get set! (Data stream passes over them) Kenta: Not again! Rika: GO!!! (Data stream takes them; Catsuramon appears) Catsuramon: Soon, those foolish children will be gathered in one place to meet one fate: The fate of all who dare defy the Digimon Sovereign!

The dub also takes its second commercial break here.

Hirokazu is as nervous as Kenta but Kazu takes the opportunity to pick on Kenta instead.

Following the commercial break, we return to a terrified Shaochung screaming and crying. Jian embraces her, but shoots a withering glare over her head at Beelzebumon.

Beelzebumon: Hehehehehe... Jianliang: Shit... Rapidmon! Rapidmon, are you okay! Rapidmon: Jian... He's strong.... Beelzebumon: Damn right. I'm going to become the strongest Digimon in the whole Digital World! Half-baked Digimon like you are no match for me! Takato: Wait! You used to be Impmon! Beelzebumon: Ngh! Takato: You went camping with us, didn't you? You used to play with us in the park, didn't you!? Beelzebumon: Impmon... That little wretch is already dead!

Infuriated by Takato's words, Beelzebumon levels his guns at the Tamer kids once more.

Beelzebumon here calls Rapidmon 半端なデジモン Hanpana Dejimon. The word 半端な hanpana means incomplete, malformed, a fraction. He's saying that Rapidmon is only partly a Digimon and that's why he can't measure up to Beelzebumon, a true Digimon.

This connects back to the things Impmon used to say about the Partner Digimon being pets instead of behaving like true Digimon. Impmon did it, he found a way to evolve without needing a human Partner to do it, and so now he feels empowered to gloat, lording his power over the humans' half-Digimon pets.

As an aside, I'm not sure what Takato means about Impmon playing with them in the park. Impmon usually hung out in a tree and bitterly watched them play without participating himself. I think going swimming at camp was the only time Impmon actually participated in a group play activity, and they had to drag him into it.

In the dub:

Henry: Suzie.... (Henry embraces Suzie) Beelzemon: Hehehehehe... Henry: Rrrgh... Rapidmon! Talk to me! Are you okay!? Rapidmon: Henry... He's too strong.... Beelzemon: No kidding! Compared to me, you guys are amateur hour, you know that? Pathetic humans and your Digi-pets, you make me want to throw up, kick your butts, and then throw up again! Takato: Wait a minute! You're Impmon, remember? Beelzemon: Ngh! Takato: You went to camp with us and played in the water with us! We even saved your life once. You're our friend! Beelzemon: Impmon... is nothing but a BAD MEMORY!!!

Dub Team's not sure what Takato meant by the playing in the park thing either, so they swap that reference out for referencing Indramon. Though I'm not sure "Remember that time we bailed you out 'cause you're such a loser" really meets the vibe Takato's going for here.

I get what they were going for: "Remember how much we care about you?" But rubbing salt directly into Beelzemon's insecurities isn't the way to go about it.

Out of nowhere, the data stream descends, depositing the rest of the team right next to Takato and the others.

Takato: Growmon!

Ruki hops down off of Kyūbimon.

Ruki: The hell are you doing in a place like this!? Growmon: Takato! I missed you so much! Takato: Me too-- Ah....

For a moment, Takato is caught up in pure relief at seeing Growmon again. But then he remembers and closes off. He flashes back on what he saw at Mizuno's school: DigiGnomes creating Guilmon by assembling dust packets around Takato's sketch data.

Growmon: What's wrong, Takato? Takato: (thinking) Guilmon is just data. Nothing more than a cluster of data.

Takato's emotional brain, the part of him that sees Guilmon as his friend, is warring with his logical brain that feels betrayed by the revelation that Guilmon isn't a real organic living creature.

Though Mizuno did pitch Takato on his own ideological stance, that artificial and organic life are fundamentally the same thing no different from the other, Takato hasn't really embraced that idea. To him, it does matter, and Guilmon is on the wrong side of the line.

In the dub:

Takato: Huh? You found us! (Rika climbs down off of Kyubimon) Rika: Finally. Where have you guys been!? Growlmon: Takato, I missed you so much! Takato: Me too! Oh... (Takato shrinks away) Takato: (thinking) But... What if.... (Dust Packet flashback) Takato: (thinking) What if I lose him again? Mizuno's right. He's just data. Growlmon: What's the matter, Takato? Takato: (thinking) And data can just be erased....

Takato's first line is changed so that he's excited to see everyone instead of tunnel-visioning on Growmon returning to him.

The dub spins out Takato's concerns about Guilmon in a completely different direction. He's not upset by what Guilmon is, you see. He's upset by the logical conclusion of that: He loves Guilmon unconditionally and doesn't want to lose him, but Guilmon being made of data means he might get killed someday.

As opposed to organic creatures who I guess are naturally immortal.

Takato stews on this internal conflict until Kyūbimon suddenly speaks up, calling out to Beelzebumon.

Kyūbimon: Beelzebumon... You-- Beelzebumon: Shut up, fox! Just shut up! Don't look at me like that! I'LL BURY YOU ALL RIGHT HERE!!!

Beelzebumon fires both shotguns at Kyūbimon. His shots strike the ground, forcing Kyūbimon to jump back.

Kyūbimon: Gck!

Guardromon moves between Beelzebumon and where Jian is holding Shaochung.

Guardromon: A violent thug like you cannot be tolerated!

Guardromon raises his arms and fires twin Destruction Grenades. Beelzebumon spins his motorcycle, easily evading the blasts before circling around to face Guardromon again.

Beelzebumon: Just shut up already!

With guns drawn, Beelzebumon speeds forward, closing distance on his bike.

Guardromon: (;;°_°) Oh, that's not good.

Again, despite his bluster, I'm not sure how committed Beelzebumon is to this. He follows up "I'll bury you all" by shooting at Kyūbimon's feet.

It can't just be that he sucks at using his guns and keeps constantly fucking up, right? That whole Chrysalimon fight showed off just how accurate he can be when he's aiming to slaughter. But now he once again seems to be struggling to actually pull the trigger on a killshot.

Hell, he had all the Tamer kids dead to rights before we went to commercial and then just sat there and hung out until Growmon and the others showed up. Beelzebumon may say "Impmon is dead" but it just doesn't feel like he's that eager to actually kill these people.

In the dub:

Kyubimon: Beelzemon, there's still time! Beelzemon: CAN IT!!! You talk too much, you know that? You think you're so smart? Well, in a second, you're gonna be HISTORY!!!

The dub again censors out the firing of Beelzemon's guns. A white flash replaces the removed shot.

Kyubimon: HROOOAGH!!! (Guardromon moves to protect Henry and Suzie) Guardromon: That's uncalled for! GUARDIAN BARRAGE!!! (No effect) Beelzemon: You want trouble? You've got it! (Beelzemon speeds forward) Guardromon: (;;°_°) What? Oh no!

Like Rapidmon getting shot earlier, the dub makes the attack against Kyubimon seem way worse. This time, it's not the censorship but the big scream Kyubimon lets out as if she's just been struck by a devastating blow.

As Beelzebumon closes in, Growmon takes his turn to try and stop him.

Growmon: EXHAUST FLAME!!!

Growmon fires two shots, but Beelzebumon swerves to avoid both and keeps right on coming.

Hirokazu: RUN!!!

In the dub:

Growlmon: PYRO BLASTER!!! (No effect) Kazu: GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!

But before Beelzebumon can mow them down, Kyūbimon leaps into action.

Kyubimon tackles Beelzebumon off of his bike, sending them both crashing to the ground. The first thing approaching a solid hit anyone's landed on him, but the collision seems to have hurt Kyūbimon a lot worse than Beelzebumon.

Beelzebumon starts to pick himself up, rolling onto his knees.

Beelzebumon: (frustrated) Fuck.... Ruki: Kyūbimon!

Ruki holds out her Digivice as Kyūbimon struggles to even get up.

Ruki: Kyūbimon, evolve! You have to evolve! Kyūbimon: ...evolve...?

But then they see it. Beelzebumon beats them to his feet, and before he can raises his weapons, Kyūbimon acts.

Kyūbimon: KOENRYŪ!!!

Using what's left of their strength, Kyūbimon scorches Beelzebumon's arms, forcing him to drop his guns.

Beelzebumon: HROOOAAAUGH!!!

But when they return to their position, their strength gives out and they collapse on the ground.

Ruki: KYŪBIMON!!!

Beelzebumon shakes off his arms and furiously raises his claws.

Beelzebumon: Fine then, bring it on!

He stomps towards Kyūbimon, claws raised menacingly. Growmon runs to intervene.

Growmon: STOP IT, BEELZEBUMON!!! Takato: That's it, Growmon! Beelzebumon... Impmon has become a devil! TAKE HIM DOWN!!!

From the safety of Leomon's arms, Juri watches Takato scream bloody murder. She's shocked by the fury emerging from him.

Juri: Takato-kun....

But Growmon's attempt is short-lived. Beelzebumon floors him with a right hook.

Growmon: WAUCK!!! Beelzebumon: I'll deal with you later, you arrogant bastard.

Beelzebumon walks over to where Kyūbimon's lying prone on the ground.

Beelzebumon: First up is this goddamn conceited fox! You've just been mocking me all this time, haven't you!? Kyūbimon: (weakly) Impmon.... Beelzebumon: SHUT UP!!!

We cut to Ruki frantically going through her cards, but impact noises on flesh can be heard in the background; The sound of Beelzebumon furiously beating or kicking Kyūbimon while they're down.

Ruki: No! Get out of there, Kyūbimon! What do I do? What cards can I use!? WHAT DO I DO!?!?

Having both talked himself into and worked himself up to it, Beelzebumon finally raises his claws for a killing strike.

Beelzebumon: I have no choice but to kill you! Kyūbimon: (weakly) Open... your eyes.... Beelzebumon: Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!!!

He finally does it, stabbing his claws down for Kyūbimon's throat. But at the last second, he stops. For a moment, it seems as if he's stopped himself, but it's quickly revealed to be Leomon holding him back.

Leomon: I may not know your circumstances, but you are being made to dance on another's strings. Think about how ridiculous you look. Beelzebumon: What did you just--

Leomon doesn't wait for him to respond, delivering a left hook to Beelzebumon's jaw before releasing his arm.

Leomon: Strength is not what grants evolution. I've come to understand that much.

Leomon looks over at Juri for a moment.

Juri: Leomon.... Leomon: Your destiny is not to harm these children! Beelzebumon: SHUT UP!!!

Then it happens. Beelzebumon stabs his claw straight through Leomon's gut, mortally injuring him. Everything goes quiet but for Leomon's dying scream and the shocked gasps of the children around him. Leomon staggers for a moment, then falls back.

Kyūbimon gets up and lunges for Beelzebumon, who meets her with a kick and launches her away.

Ruki: KYŪBIMON!!!

But Beelzebumon doesn't care about them right now. All of his attention is on the Digimon he just killed.

Leomon: Why can't you understand? Why wouldn't you just listen? Juri: (horrified wailing) Hirokazu: Leomon... He took out Leomon! Kenta: W-We gotta run... WE HAVE TO GET AWAY FROM HIM RIGHT NOW!!! Jianliang: Leomon... Fuck! Takato: (trembling fury)

Leomon slowly disintegrates into pixel dust, leaving behind only his dying words.

Leomon: It seems this was my destiny. Juri: (gasp)

With Leomon's death, the screen on Juri's Digivice goes to static.

Juri: ( ˃̣̣̥ᯅ˂̣̣̥) NOOOOOO!!!

But while Juri grieves, Beelzebumon Loads Leomon.

Beelzebumon: I'll load strong foes and I'll... I'll become even stronger. I will. I WILL!!!

Beelzebumon is freaking the fuck out.

This is what is known as a point of no return. In a cult, this is the crossing of a line that can't be uncrossed. Beelzebumon has done something he can never take back, and this serves the function of making him feel as if he can never go back. He can never be what he was again.

The point of no return is designed to make the new recruit feel as if no one else would ever want them now that they've done this, that they've become this person. They have nowhere they can go except deeper into the cult. He has to double down on his rhetoric, has to keep going down this path, because he's paid such a heavy toll for it.

Beelzebumon has Leomon's blood on his hands. Who but Zhūquēmon would even take him now?

It's telling, at least to me, that even up to the moment he struck at Kyūbimon, the last thing he said to them was "お前を殺さなきゃならねえんだ Omae o korosunakya narenē nda". I have to kill you. I must kill you. I have no choice but to kill you. The decision to kill you is not under my control.

As if asking for their permission. For their forgiveness. For their understanding. For something that will make doing this easier.

Psychologically, Beelzebumon is a mess right now. He didn't want to do it, finally worked himself up to doing it, was stopped from doing it, killed the guy who stopped him in an emotional outburst, and now he's spiraling and trying to convince himself that he meant to do that and that this is what he's wanted all along.

In the dub:

(Beelzemon starts to get up) Beelzemon: I'll teach you! Rika: Kyubimon!!! (Rika holds out her Digivice) Rika: Come on, you have to get up! To Digivolve! Kyubimon: (weakly) I'm trying.... (Beelzemon gets up) Kyubimon: DRAGON WHEEL!!! (Kyubimon scorches Beelzemon's arms) Beelzemon: HROOOAAAUGH!!! (Kyubimon collapses) Rika: KYUBIMON!!! (Beelzemon shakes off his claws) Beelzemon: Nice try there, Foxface!

In the original, there's an interesting nuance to Beelzebumon's line here. He says "上等じゃねえか Jōtō janē ka", which is basically a macho way of saying "Fine, I accept your challenge."

What makes this interesting is that Beelzebumon's the aggressor here, and yet he speaks here as if Kyūbimon just attacked him unprovoked. As if they're the one picking this fight.

And in a way, they kind of are. Remember earlier when Beelzebumon shot the ground at Kyūbimon's feet instead of shooting Kyūbimon? The first actual attack landed between Beelzebumon and Kyūbimon was when Kyūbimon tackled him off his bike. And the second was Koenryū.

Also remember how Rapidmon actually threw the first punch in their fight too?

Beelzebumon keeps goading people into attacking him. He needs that. He needs to feel like they're attacking him. He needs to feel like he's the victim here because that's the only way he feels justified in fighting "back".

This nuance doesn't quite make it across in Beelzemon's line, which conveys only that Kyubimon's attack wasn't strong enough to put him down.

(Beelzemon advances on Kyubimon) Growlmon: Don't you touch her! Takato: Alright, that's it! Get him, Growlmon! I don't care who he used to be; He's nothing but a monster now! TAKE HIM DOWN!!! (Jeri notices) Jeri: (gasp) Takato.... (Beelzemon floors Growlmon with a right hook) Growlmon: WAUCK!!! Beelzemon: So much for friendship, huh, Pineapple Head? Don't worry, I'll deal with you later.

Beelzemon here displays more emotion towards Growlmon than Beelzebumon has for Growmon.

Beelzebumon blows him off while calling him 貴様 kisama, a vulgar term for someone who's full of themselves. Basically, Beelzebumon just calls Growmon a fuckwad and moves on to Kyūbimon.

But in the dub, Beelzemon actually sounds a little forlorn about the friendship they used to have. I think this might be the most emotion we've gotten out of the dub's Beelzemon yet.

(Beelzemon goes to Kyubimon) Beelzemon: Right after I wipe out your uppity friend. Alright, chatty, any last words? Kyubimon: Impmon, please.... Beelzemon: BE QUIET!!!

As opposed to Kyubimon, who he's much less emotional about.

Looming over the battered Kyūbimon, Beelzebumon accuses them of こけにして koke ni shite, which means to mock, ridicule, or make a fool out of someone, for as long as they've known each other.

He's trying to talk himself up to killing them, to convince himself that he was only ever a joke to Kyūbimon, that the relationship they had meant nothing. To convince himself that he really, really wants to do this. Then, when Kyūbimon tries to interrupt, he snaps at them.

This emotional nuance doesn't make it into the dub either. Beelzemon just asks if Kyubimon has any last words. Kyubimon tries to beg him to stop and he inexplicably snaps at her to shut up even though he just asked her to talk a second ago.

I think the dub thinks that Growlmon is supposed to be the character that Impmon had a complicated emotional relationship with.

(Rika goes through her cards) Rika: Oh no! Kyubimon, please get up! You have to get away! These stupid cards are useless! I can't do anything! (Beelzemon raises his claws) Beelzemon: ENOUGH!!! I MUST DESTROY YOU ONCE AND FOR ALL!!! Kyubimon: Don't be... so blind! Beelzemon: I SAID QUIET!!!

"I must destroy you" isn't an inaccurate translation but it doesn't really convey the idea that a reluctant Beelzemon feels he has no choice but to go through with this. Especially with the other changes made to Beelzemon and Kyubimon's scene, mentioned above.

That said, the dub does catch that Beelzebumon beats Kyūbimon offscreen while Ruki's talking. We get a couple of offscreen striking noises from Beelzemon during Rika's too.

(Leomon stops Beelzemon) Leomon: I don't know who you are, but I do know you're being used. This power you've been given, is it worth hurting these children to keep it? Beelzemon: YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING-- (Punch) Leomon: To have power is not to be strong. You see, I know that better than anyone. (Leomon looks at Jeri) Jeri: Ah! Leomon.... Leomon: Do what you must, Beelzemon, but I will not let you hurt these children! Beelzemon: HRAAAAARGH!!!

JP Leomon says that strength is not the key to evolution. This goes back to the larger conversation that the entire series has been circling again and again: Is evolution really just a matter of killing Digimon and grinding XP? Is it our own selfish advancement that makes us whole, or the connections we form with other people?

This also references the conversation from earlier about how Leomon's spent his life believing in defeating strong foes and grinding XP towards evolution, same as every Digimon. Here, he states in no uncertain terms that he doesn't see things that way anymore.

EN Leomon fucking says "To have power is not to be strong". Leomon, those are synonyms.

Okay, in fairness, I'm pretty sure he's trying to say that strength comes from within. What Beelzemon has is artificial power that's been given to him by Zhuqiaomon and not true strength that he earned for himself. It's circling the same thing JP Leomon's talking about, but he sounds like a mangled fortune cookie.

This may be a consequence of the way the fantasy term "Digivolve" cannot carry the same multiple meanings that "evolution" has for both the Digimon and human characters alike, something that has haunted the dub since Tai and his friends first entered the Digital World way back when.

JP Leomon then says that Beelzebumon's destiny is not to harm these children. This connects with all the destiny talk he's been doing all episode as well as the obvious reluctance Beelzebumon's had to actually do all of this. Leomon can see that Beelzebumon wasn't meant to be this person, to be the selfish murderer who slaughters children in the name of God for his own advancement. He was meant for something else.

This is what gets him killed, as he touches the nerve of Beelzebumon's series-long identity crisis. He tells Beelzebumon, "This isn't who you are," and Beelzebumon snaps and does something terrible to prove it.

Again, the dub doesn't like all this destiny talk and kicks that line to the curb. EN Leomon stands his ground and vows not to let Beelzemon hurt the children, further reinforcing the dub's interpretation that Beelzemon's just a remorseless murderer who wants to slaughter them all with impunity. Except Growlmon who he feels a little bad about, I guess.

This, too, is what gets him killed. He freely hands Beelzemon a "COME AT ME BRO, LET'S FIGHT" and then Beelzemon does so, and Beelzemon wins immediately because he's very strong.

Incidentally, there's more censorship for Kyubimon getting kicked, so that's another one for the addendum.

(Kyubimon lunges for Beelzemon and gets kicked) Rika: KYUBIMON!!! Leomon: Why can't you see? Why won't you try to understand the truth? Juri: (horrified wailing) Kazu: I don't believe it. I don't believe he got Leomon! Kenta: We could be next! We gotta get out of here; I can't take this! Jianliang: Leomon... It can't be.... Takato: (trembling fury)

The dub takes its third commercial break here, on the shot of Takato trembling with rage. We pick up right where we left off upon return.

Leomon: Be brave, Jeri. Part of me will always be with you. Remember, you have a lion's heart. (Leomon turns to data; Jeri's Digivice goes to static) Juri: ( ˃̣̣̥ᯅ˂̣̣̥) NOOOOOO!!! (Beelzemon Loads Leomon) Beelzemon: No, to have power is to be strong! I'll keep Loading data 'til no one can stop me! NO ONE!!! NO OOOOOONE!!!

And one last removal of Leomon's reflections on destiny. JP Leomon's final words are effectively a show of faith. He said before that he believes destiny is what brought him to Juri. Now, at the end of it, he reaffirms that this too was destiny.

This is where it was always meant to end for him. This, too, is a part of something greater. From becoming Juri's Partner to dying here in Kyūbimon's place, Leomon's life has been part of something bigger that we probably won't see the full picture of until the end.

The dub replaces that with a more emotional farewell to Jeri, paying off the "heart of a lion" comment he made earlier in the episode. He spends his final words trying to console her, to give her the strength she'll need to live without him now that he's gone.

Which, again, makes it bewildering that the dub refused to call their take on Leomon "kind". He is going out of his way to make sure to the best of his ability that Jeri will survive and be able to cope with his loss.

Then, in place of Beelzebumon's spiraling freakout, Beelzemon gloats triumphantly, throwing that fortune cookie line right back in Leomon's face and verbally dancing on his grave. Just to reaffirm that he is 100% reprehensible monster.

In the wake of Leomon's death, we cut back to Growmon and Takato.

Growmon: Leomon... Leomon, who was so strong and kind....

Growmon's pupils shrink and his face hardens as he shifts into his feral mode. Takato's shaking, fists clenched, snarling out his words.

Takato: Something so awful... How could... How could you!? Someone like you... SOMEONE LIKE YOU....

Takato's spitting out sentence fragments from pure rage. As he screams, a red glow emanates from him. MegaloGrowmon stomps overhead, stepping over Takato to approach Beelzebumon.

Takato: HRAAAAAARGH!!! MegaloGrowmon: HRAAAAAARGH!!!

And, as before with MegaloGrowmon's evolution, Takato and MegaloGrowmon roar together, feeling each other's feelings and feeding back into one another.

I remain confused at how everyone keeps evolving. It was confusing earlier when Rapidmon was suddenly able to Matrix Evolve without Culumon's aid but Takato doesn't even use a Blue Card here. Though Takato also didn't need to use a Blue Card when MegaloGrowmon first evolved so there may be something to that.

Maybe the DigiGnomes did it?

Either way, that's not really the important thing here. What's important here is that Takato is furious. He outright called Beelzebumon an 悪魔 akuma earlier, which means a demon, devil, wicked spirit, or other supernatural creature of strictly malevolent intent.

Takato sees Beelzebumon the way the dub's depicting Beelzemon: He has become a complete monster with any redeeming qualities he once had long since sanded off. A vile, wicked thing made of evil, that seeks only evil, that feels only evil, that can only ever be evil.

That black/white moralistic view he expressed about the Four Sacred Beasts earlier has been flipped the other way around. Where he could not comprehend that the Sacred Beasts could be more complicated than simple well-meaning omnibenevolence, he now looks at Beelzebumon and sees only one-dimensional wickedness. He has, in the heat of this moment, given up on Impmon.

In the dub:

Growlmon: But he... was just trying to help us and YOU.... (Growlmon's eyes change) Takato: How could you? How could you DO THIS HORRIBLE THING!?!? I'll make you hurt. I'LL MAKE YOU PAY!!! (Red shimmer; WarGrowlmon stomps forward) Takato: HRAAAAAARGH!!! WarGrowlmon: HRAAAAAARGH!!!

Again, they don't let Growlmon call Leomon kind and that's weird to me considering their rewriting of his dialogue.

Juri, still reeling from Leomon's death, watches MegaloGrowmon emerge with terror in her eyes.

Juri: What is that? What's... What's happening!?

Hirokazu runs to Juri, grabbing her by the arm to pull her away.

Hirokazu: Katō! Don't just stand there!

But she swings her arm, breaking his grasp.

Juri: DON'T TOUCH ME!!! NOBODY TOUCH ME!!! (starts crying again) Hirokazu: Katō....

She is very understandably breaking down right now.

In the dub:

Jeri: W-What's going on? What is happening to the two of you? (Kazu runs to Jeri and grabs her arm) Kazu: Jeri, what are you doing!? Come on, get out of the way! (Jeri breaks his grip) Jeri: DON'T TOUCH ME!!! EVERYONE JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!!! (starts crying again) Kazu: Jeri....

Solid. No notes.

Up ahead, Beelzebumon faces down MegaloGrowmon. He's not impressed.

Beelzebumon: So you've finally gone to Perfect form. But what good is just getting a little bigger? I've evolved all the way to Ultimate level! All you can do is die like a dog! Takato: We have to beat him once and for all! MegaloGrowmon: HRAAAAAARGH!!!

Turning on his jets full blast, MegaloGrowmon rockets towards Beelzebumon and swipes at him. Beelzebumon leaps upwards, bounding above MegaloGrowmon while summoning his shotguns back to him.

Beelzebumon: You goddamn cyborg... GET LOST!!!

Beelzebumon fires, both shots striking MegaloGrowmon's right shoulder just next to his head. His shots visibly damage the metal but do little to deter MegaloGrowmon. MegaloGrowmon lunges, closing distance quickly and biting down on Beelzebumon.

Beelzebumon tells MegaloGrowmon that he's going to have an 犬死 inujini or "dog's death". This means a meaningless death, a futile death, a wasteful and senseless sacrifice achieving nothing. It's also a play on the whole "Humans keeping Digimon as pets" thing.

And one that strikes a particularly savage note when considering the dub's insistence on treating Guilmon like an actual dog.

In the dub:

Beelzemon: Nice outfit, but you're still no match for me, ya big lug! Just so you know, metal mouth, when I'm done with you, I'm gonna finish your friends off one by one! Takato: You're wrong. You're the one who's finished! WarGrowlmon: HRAAAAAARGH!!! (Beelzemon bounds over WarGrowlmon's attack) Beelzemon: Take this, ya big dump truck!

More censorship on Beelzemon shooting WarGrowlmon. He's allowed to fire his guns, but a white flash obscures the shots hitting WarGrowlmon's shoulder.

MegaloGrowmon bites down on Beelzebumon and, for just a moment, it seems he has the upper hand.

Takato: That's it! DO IT!!! FINISH THIS!!! Juri: Stop....

But the moment passes. Beelzebumon plunges his left claw through MegaloGrowmon's face, disrupting his data. MegaloGrowmon falls back, away from Beelzebumon.

Takato: YOU CAN'T GIVE UP NOW, MEGALOGROWMON!!! Dammit, he needs to evolve to something even stronger.

Takato thrusts his Digivice forward almost like a weapon.

Takato: You have to evolve! EVOLVE!!!

I'm pretty sure that's the same attack that killed Leomon. Now that he's crossed the line, Beelzebumon no longer has the same reservations he did before. He is, as noted, doubling down now and embracing the idea that this is who he is.

It's notable that his shotgun blasts, too, hit a lot closer to home than they ever did against Rapidmon and Kyūbimon. Beelzebumon's tasted blood and now he's ready to be Zhūquēmon's assassin.

In the dub:

Takato: FINISH HIM!!! Do it! Tear him apart! Jeri: Don't do this!

And another censored shot. They cut Beelzebumon plunging his claw into MegaloGrowmon's face.

(Beelzemon smacks down WarGrowlmon) Takato: You cannot lose! I won't allow it! I order you to Digivolve! DIGIVOLVE!!! NOOOOOOW!!!

The ironic thing about the censorship this time is the way it contrasts with Rapidmon's. The censorship when Beelzemon shot Rapidmon made the attack look way worse. This time, it actually makes the attack look tamer; The censored version of Beelzemon's attack just looks like he slapped WarGrowlmon's jaws away.

Takato's cries for MegaloGrowmon to evolve carry down into the flask Culumon's stored in. The sigil on Culumon's forehead glows uncontrollably.

Culumon: Culu? Culu! No, don't-culu! CULUUUUUU!!!

Against their will, the power of evolution pours upwards from Culumon and into a receiving flask: that central structure over the deep hole between the Sacred Beasts' palaces. The radiance then transfers down the bridges, lighting up the Beasts' palaces. It continues on, spreading down the pathways into those weird shell structures.

Finally, it reaches the gates. The Suzakumon glows with the restored power of evolution.

In the dub:

Calumon: Huh!? Oh no! AHHHHHH!!!

No notes. The dub let's the powering up sequence happen without any added dialogue.

As the light of evolution is restored, it shines from the Suzakumon onto MegaloGrowmon.

Beelzebumon: What?

As it does, the sigil on MegaloGrowmon's chest begins to pulse.

Jianliang: That mark on his chest is glowing! What's going on? MegaloGrowmon: HRAAAAAARGH!!!

In the dub:

Beelzemon: What!? (Sigil starts to pulse) Henry: The mark on his chest is glowing! What's happening to him!? WarGrowlmon: Hrrrrrrgh....

WarGrowlmon opts for a reserved snarl in place of a bellowing anime roar.

At Hypnos, their network map lights up with several new markers, all in the image of MegaloGrowmon's sigil.

Red: An abnormal concentration of data is emerging from the deepest layer of the Network! Yamaki: The highest level of crisis there is: A Digital Hazard! Megumi: This is the largest we've ever seen. I-I think it's even going to affect the Real World!

Well, now we know what Guilmon's sigil means. It's the same marking that Hypnos uses to identify a "Digital Hazard", whatever that means. New English-spoken proper noun just dropped.

I have concerns.

Specifically, remember when I said I'm concerned about the implication that the DigiGnomes may have stolen evolution from the Digimon and created Culumon?

And then created the Tamers in order to play keep-away with the stolen power, effectively recruiting the Tamer kids as unwitting minions in whatever agenda they're trying to carry out against the Digimon?

The same concern applies here. If Guilmon has been carrying this Digital Hazard within him all this time, as suggested by his sigil, and the DigiGnomes created Guilmon, then it stands to reason that the DigiGnomes created this Digital Hazard.

Though that's not conclusive. Guilmon was created from dust packets so it's possible that the Digital Hazard just happened to be in the code from one of those packets and got into Guilmon by mistake.

Still, I find myself wondering if the thing the Sacred Beasts fear is coming for them is connected to the DigiGnomes, or if the DigiGnomes even are that thing in some way.

It just kinda feels like the Tamer kids have been "Useful Idiots" this whole series. Both inadvertently defending Hypnos from the Devas and also helping the DigiGnomes try to ensure that the power of evolution never returns to the Digimon.

The more we learn, the more it feels like the Devas were right. Are we the baddies?

In the dub:

Riley: Red alert! I repeat, red alert! Data is converging in massive amounts at the core of the Digital Field. Yamaki: But that could lead to a network meltdown! Tally: This is the biggest I've seen, sir. There's just no telling what kind of effect this is going to have on the Real World!

Riley says data is converging at the core of the "Digital Field", missing the point that it's converging at the deepest layer of the Digital World.

Yamaki skips introducing the new proper noun and warns of a network meltdown instead, which is being caused by this Digital Field.

Just as Megumi warns, a geyser of light emerges from Shinjuku Central Park. However, rather than the usual white of a manifesting Digital Field, the energy is red.

Jiang-yu watches through the window of his home office.

Jiang-yu: What is that!? What's happening!?

On the screen of his laptop behind him, Digital Hazard markers can be seen covering Jiang-yu's desktop as well.

Jiang-yu: Shit! Jianliang... Children... All of you, just stay safe. ...I feel so powerless....

Fuck Shaochung, I guess. She's folded into 子供たち Kodomo-tachi with all the other kids.

In the dub:

Janyu: Something's happening in the Digital plane. (Markers on Janyu's laptop) Janyu: What? NO!!! Henry! Suzie! If anything happens to the two of you, it's all my fault!

Jiang-yu starts freaking out when he sees the crimson pillar, but Janyu doesn't until after we see the closeup on the meltdown markers on his computer. Which suggests that he's reacting to those markers, not the pillar, even though he's looking away from the laptop for this entire scene.

In the Digital World, a spiral of flames wraps itself around MegaloGrowmon.

MegaloGrowmon: HRAAAAAARGH!!! Jianliang: Is he evolving? Takato: Evolving? Yes, evolve! KEEP EVOLVING TO THE ULTIMATE LEVEL!!! MegaloGrowmon: HRAAAAAARGH!!! Takato: Evolve....

Takato gets a glimpse of what MegaloGrowmon's become through the flames, and his enthusiasm starts to deflate. Then the flames disperse, revealing Guilmon's new Ultimate form in all its terrifying grandeur, and still with the Digital Hazard marker on his snout.

I... am of two minds on this terrifying evolution that MegaloGrowmon's undergone.

On the one hand, Hypnos says this is a Very Bad Thing. A Digital Hazard, whatever that means. And it certainly feels like a Very Bad Thing. This has all the hallmarks of a Dark Evolution, with a bloodthirsty Takato demanding evolution out of his Partner so that he could have the strength to slaughter his foe, something we're definitely supposed to see as a bad thing given how scared Juri is of him right now.

Still, we've done this song and dance before. Growmon and MegaloGrowmon were both terrifying evolutions to Takato, only for him to have to come to understand that Guilmon is Guilmon no matter what form he's in.

And. Y'know. Fuck Hypnos. Who cares what they think?

So. Like. Does the same apply with this Ultimate form? Is this just another scary aesthetic wrapped around a Guilmon heart? Or is this Digital Hazard something to actually freak out about?

In the dub:

WarGrowlmon: Hrrrrrrgh.... Henry: He's Digivolving! Takato: Do it! That's it! Digivolve! I order you to Digivolve to MEGA!!! (Takato glimpses the results) Takato: Yes! Mega!

Jianliang asks whether this is evolution because it looks so unlike a typical evolution sequence. He's calling out its abnormality.

Henry overlooks that and just states that this is Digivolution, in no uncertain terms.

JP Takato begins to dial it back when he glimpses Guilmon's new form through the flames, while EN Takato remains exuberant.

Witnessing Guilmon's new Ultimate form, everybody's shocked.

Takato: Was I...? Did he take this form because that's what I wanted?

Faced with the hideousness of his own inner feelings, Takato's rage breaks.

The new Digimon slowly advances on Beelzebumon, who steps back away from the terrifying creature.

Beelzebumon: Tch....

Snarling, the Digimon opens his mouth and lunges forward.

Juri: STOP IT!!!

Juri screams. Takato watches helplessly. And, in Takato's hand, his Digivice cracks. It falls from his hands, breaking open as it hits the ground and disintegrating into pixel dust.

I guess that answers that, doesn't it? This new Digimon is no longer his.

The way Beelzebumon's machismo seems to have evaporated is also interesting. His body language suggests that at his heart, he's still a bully, not a warrior. He talks a big game about Loading strong opponents but he's only really comfortable picking fights with weaker foes.

It's just that with this huge expansion of his power that Zhūquēmon granted him, the category of "Digimon weaker than me" has expanded dramatically. But this is his first time actually facing down a foe on his level, and suddenly the bravado is gone. He's scared shitless.

In the dub:

Takato: Guilmon! What have I done to you, boy? I'm sorry.... (Digimon advances on Beelzemon) Beelzemon: Hrng--! (Digimon lunges) Jeri: NOOOOOO!!! (Takato's Digivice falls and breaks) Davis (V.O.): I don't think Takato meant to turn Guilmon into whatever THAT is! I hope it's not permanent. To find out, keep watching Digimon: Digital Monsters.

And on that note, we have a Next Time promise to evaluate. Today, Davis promised that we'd find out what kind of Partner a former Deva like Lopmon could make for Shaochung.

Lopmon got a bit of attention early on, delivering some lore. But I don't feel like this episode really gave us a clear indication of what Shaochung and Lopmon's relationship will be like as Tamer and Partner. So I'm going to call that a Promise Broken.

Assessment: I mentioned back at the start of this series is that there's one spoiler I know going in, and it's that Leomon dies. I didn't know in what capacity Leomon would be part of the show, only that he eventually shows up and dies.

Was not prepared for it to be Beelzebumon. Holy shit. I am very intrigued to know where he's going from here. There's just enough there to justify either direction: Finding his way back to us or embracing the dark. It'll be interesting to see which he ultimately chooses.

Due to the way it happened, the way he's been presented all episode, I don't think that killing Leomon makes him irredeemable. But I do think that he thinks that, and if there is any chance for him to come back from this, that will be a major stumbling block.

I also was not prepared for it to happen this quickly. Juri only got one serious Tamer Fight with Leomon before his death! I hope this doesn't mean she's being written out.

We open on an overhead shot of the gods' domain; The parts that lie beyond the South Gate.

Surrounding a gigantic hole in the world are four crystalline structures connected by great bridges to a central structure. Each are color-coded.

To the south, glowing red, is the palace of the Vermillion Bird Zhūquēmon, the southern god of fire, summer, and midday.

To the east, glowing blue, is the palace of the Azure Dragon Qinglongmon, the eastern god of wood, spring, and dawn.

To the north, glowing green, is the palace of the Black Tortoise, the northern god of water, winter, and midnight.

And to the west, glowing black, is the palace of the White Tiger, the western god of metal, autumn, and dusk.

Narrator: This is the domain of the Four Sacred Beasts, gods that were created by the Digimon themselves. There, abandoned by humans, the Digimon protected the radiant power that allowed them to guide their own evolution in the deepest reaches of the Digital World. One day, it was lost. But now....

Culumon's cage ball plummets into the great pit leading down from the center of the gods' realm. The cage breaks open mid-fall, leaving Culumon to plummet without it.

Culumon: CULU!!! FALLING-CULULULULUUUUUU!!!

Culumon lands hard in the center of some sort of giant flask, bouncing once from the force of the impact.

Culumon: Culu!

So that's a neat bit of lore, and the design of the flask in particular intrigues me. Like a device for distilling evolution out of Culumon.

In the dub:

Narrator: Deep in the land of the Four Digimon Sovereign, there was once a shining light. This light gave Digimon the ability to Digivolve to become greater and more powerful than ever before! Then, one day, that light disappeared. Until.... (Calumon plunges into the abyss) Calumon: AHHHHHH!!! (Calumon lands) Calumon: Ow....

"To become greater and more powerful than ever before."

That's not really a significant change. It just remains funny to me whenever the Americans tweak the dialogue to play up the Battle Cartoon aspect of the show.

A consistency since the first Adventure dub is that Dub Team's really only interested in "Digivolution" for how it affects the Power Levels of the characters fighting each other.

At the bottom of the flask, Culumon lies inside the weird little sifter thing and groans.

Culumon: Ouchie-culu....

Culumon sits up, looking up at the endless darkness above from which they entered the flask.

Culumon: Culu?

Standing up quickly, Culumon leaps upward.

Culumon: (English) JUMP!!!

They slam face-first into a barrier, which knocks them back down onto the podium.

Culumon: (English) JUMP!!!

They make another attempt and meet the same results. After the second failure, they stand back up and look around.

Culumon: Culuuu....

Culumon notices their reflection in the glass. It's not showing Culumon the Digimon, but rather a rotating triangular prism. Culumon floats over to the glass and the prism moves too, reflecting their movements.

By now, we have a pretty good idea of what that prism is. That's the power of evolution. It's what Culumon's been using to activate evolutions throughout the series, stored in that triangle sigil on Culumon's forehead. We even see it come out in this exact form during Matrix Evolution.

In the dub:

Calumon: Owwwww.... Huh? (Calumon sees the void) Calumon: Hey! What's the big idea!? (Calumon jumps and hits the barrier) Calumon: Oof! (Calumon tries again) Calumon: Oof! Ugggh... uh-uh.... (Calumon notices the reflection prism)

Pretty much the same, minus Culumon's verbal tics and tendency to narrate their movements.

Culumon approaches the prism, staring into it for a moment.

Culumon: ...huh?

Culumon suddenly realizes something and panics.

Culumon: ACK!!!

They back off, returning to the podium.

Culumon: Culumon was here a long time ago?

Whatever it is, it scares them enough to shake their head frantically, trying to chase the thought away.

Culumon: Culu culu! Culumin is a Digimon-culu! Which means Culumon should know some sort of special attack too! CULUMON TSUYOI KŌSEN!!!

強い光線 Tsuyoi Kōsen means "Powerful Light Ray". Culumon attempts to fire this out of their forehead sigil, to no avail. They cannot shoot lasers out of the evolution triangle.

Culumon: CULUMON NANDAKA TOTTEMO TSUYOI ATTACK!!!

なんだかとっても強い Nandaka tottemo tsuyoi means "Extremely powerful in some sort of way". Culumon's Somehow Extremely Powerful Attack, which they lob by swinging their right fist. This also achieves nothing.

Defeated, Culumon settles back onto the flask's podium.

Culumon: Oh... I guess not....

Out of options, Culumon's ears deflate. They look up at the void they cannot reach.

Culumon: Culu... (despondent) Culululu....

And cut to title card. This was all the episode's opener, taking the place of the usual recap.

This scene circles back to the questions about Culumon's unusual nature. Culumon doesn't evolve. Culumon doesn't have any special attacks. Culumon doesn't like to fight, in stark contrast to all other Digimon.

Now here in the flask and faced with that ominous reflection, the question is asked: Is Culumon even a Digimon?

We have established the existence of non-Digimon AI by this point. Culumon could be a DigiGnome. Or they could be something else entirely. The door is open; Digimon are not the only option, and the likelihood that Culumon is one is becoming smaller by the minute.

In the dub:

Calumon: What's that funny-looking thing? It's too big to be an ice pop. (Calumon approaches the glass) Calumon: Ooh... It's pretty... and it looks real FAMILIAR!!! (Calumon panics and backs off) Calumon: It feels like I've been here before a long time ago. (Calumon shakes it off) Calumon: I've got to get out of here! Okay, Calumon, time to get tough. I'm a Digimon! Maybe I have some special attack too! HAIRY GOOPY BLISTERING BALL!!! (No effect) Calumon: BIG NOOGIE POKE-YOU-IN-THE-EYE POWER BEAM!!! (No effect) Calumon: Aw, nuts. Guess this means I'm stuck here for good. (Calumon deflates and looks up) Calumon: Unless someone rescues me... Ooogh....

Some extra dialogue to explain why Calumon reacts so negatively to the prism all of a sudden.

The dub renames Calumon's attacks and recontextualizes the joke behind them. Culumon's joke is that they have no idea what their attacks would even be. Calumon's joke is that he imaginatively comes up with really weird and goofy attacks.

I do have a nit to pick with Calumon's joke, and that's that Big Noogie Power Beam should be the one he shoots from his forehead and Hairy Goopy Blistering Ball should be the one he throws from his hand. I feel like these attacks are backwards.

To fill Culumon's depressed, hopeless silence, Calumon Monsplains what being a prisoner means to the audience.

After the title card, we find the rest of the Tamers are trudging around the desert world some more. All of their Digimon are hanging out at Adult level: Leomon, Kyūbimon, Growmon, and Guardromon.

Kyūbimon ferries Ruki and Juri on their back while Hirokazu and Kenta ride on Growmon's horns. Juri has to ride sidesaddle because of her dress.

Kenta looks up at the Real World sphere?

Kenta: Do you think we'll ever make it home? Hirokazu: What are you talking about!? Don't even think about trying to get home until we've found Takato! Kenta: But even with Takato and the others, will we even be able to get home? Hirokazu: ... Growmon: We'll find Takato soon enough! Hirokazu: Yeah. Kenta: Sorry for making you carry us. Growmon: It's fine. Growmon's very big! Right, Leomon? Leomon: Yep. ...Juri, are you okay? Juri: Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry about this, Kyūbimon. Kyūbimon: I don't mind. Ruki: More importantly, where could Takato and the others have possibly gone?

So, I have a question: How in the fuck?

Offscreen between episodes, with neither Culumon nor his Tamer present, Guilmon was able to evolve into Growmon. And we are not going to talk about it at all; Growmon just strolls into the scene like this is fine and normal.

In the dub:

Kenta: Hey, who wants to hear another knock-knock joke? Everyone: .... Kenta: Uh... guys...? (Kazu looks up at the Real World) Kenta: I'm so bored. Can't we head home already? Kazu: Hey Knock-Knock Boy, we haven't found Calumon or Takato and you're yapping about home!? What, do you miss your mommy? Kenta: No! All I'm saying is we've been here for days and we haven't found diddly-squat. Kazu: .... Growlmon: Hey Kenta, what's a diddly-squat? Kenta: Never mind. But thanks for the piggyback ride. Growlmon: No problemo! That's Spanish for "No problem", I think.... Leomon: Uhh hehehe.... Jeri, how are you holding up? Jeri: Oh, I'm just peachy! What about you, Kyubimon? Kyubimon: I'm fine. Rika: We're all fine, but we'd be better if we knew where Takato was.

For once, the dub stays on mission better than the original. Hirokazu says they can't go home without Takato, but Kazu remembers that they're here for Calumon too.

Kenta's being a goober. He gets in a goober bit with the whole Knock-Knock Boy thing, while his remarks about getting home are presented in a much more shallow fashion.

EN Kenta also says they "haven't found diddly-squat" since coming to the Digital World, which is factually incorrect. It seems he hasn't watched episode 30, where they found Calumon only to have Calumon taken from them.

At the southern gate to the gods' domain, Shaochung laughs with glee over her new Partner. She has one of Lopmon's ears in one hand and Terriermon's in the other.

Shaochung: Ahahaha ahahahahaha1 These ears are so long! But whose is longer? Jianliang: Shaochung is here too... Mom and Dad must be worried sick. Takato: Then we should hurry up, find Culumon, and go home!

As if in response, the DigiGnomes circle around Takato and Jianliang.

Takato: Oh, it's you guys again! What's up? Jianliang: The DigiGnomes? Artificial intelligences distinct from Digimon....

While Jian Tamersplains the DigiGnomes to Takato, who was there when he learned about them, one of the DigiGnomes flies right up to Takato and chitters energetically.

Takato: Heh, what is it? I can't understand you. Shaochung: Oh, it's those little guys I saw earlier! Jianliang: If it was the DigiGnomes who brought the Blue Cards to us in the Real World, then that implies that there's something they want us to do. Takato: Like what? Jianliang: I don't know. But it must be something very important.

In Jian's defense, he wasn't really Tamersplaining the DigiGnomes. That was just the start of him rotating them in his brain, trying to make sense of what he's learned.

Jian suggests that the DigiGnomes made them Tamers for a reason. We've seen that Mokumon impersonating Mizuno are responsible for the King in Yellow type figure sighted in Shibuya from time to time; I'm not really sure how that plays into the DigiGnomes' activities.

But Mizuno did confirm that the DigiGnomes created Guilmon, so they're obviously involved in the Tamers receiving their Blue Cards. The connection between the DigiGnomes and whatever the Mokumon are doing is unclear.

Nonetheless, the overall logic is right: If the DigiGnomes set all this up, then they must want something from the Tamers. I'm wondering if it's as simple as "They want the Tamers to kill the Four Sacred Beasts"?

If those who worship the Asuras see the Devas as evil, then could these be the Asuras? Could it be that simple?

In the dub:

Suzie: Who wants to hear another rhyme? I do! I do! (Suzie plays with Lopmon and Terriermon's ears) Suzie: One, two, three, four, who's the bunny I adore? Five, six, seven, eight, my new bunny smells like cake! Hahaha! Henry: Hrm... Can't believe Suzie's here. It's not safe for her! And my parents... They're probably climbing the walls by now! Takato: Don't worry. After we find Calumon and the others, we'll get her back pronto! (DigiGnomes circle) Henry: Huh? Takato: Hey-hey, well look who's here! What's up, guys? Henry: It's the DigiGnomes! If they were Digimon, maybe we could understand them. (DigiGnome approaches Takato) Takato: Sorry, fella. I don't speak Gnome. Suzie: Oh look, the fireflies are back! Henry: They must be trying to tell us something. If the DigiGnomes are the ones who brought the Blue Cards to the Real World, there had to be a reason for it. Something they want us to do! Takato: Yeah, like what? Henry: I don't know. But I have a funny feeling it's important.

This is all pretty solid.

They change Suzie's bit to be a reflection of Kenta's a moment ago. No one wants to hear Kenta's knock-knock jokes and no one wants to hear Suzie's rhymes.

In the process, they recontextualize the animation of Suzie playing with Lopmon and Terriermon's ears. In the dub, she's dancing with them while singing her rhyme.

Suddenly, the DigiGnomes stop fluttering about and instead, in unison, pass through the gate and make for Zhūquēmon's weird shell thing between the gate and the big red ice palace.

Takato: Wha-- WAIT!!! I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT GUILMON!!! I need to know....

They do not wait. They continue along, clearly meaning for us to follow them. It doesn't take Jian long to put the pieces together.

Jianliang: (gasp) Lopmon! Lopmon: What can I do for you? Jianliang: Do you know anything about someone called Culumon who-- Oh, Takato!

Jian starts to describe Culumon before remembering Takato's sketch. They show that to Lopmon instead.

Lopmon: That is the vessel for evolution's radiance, which our God has now reclaimed. For this and to eliminate threats to this world and to them, God created us, the Devas, from the fragments of Digimon who had been reduced to dust. Shaochung: ( ಠ_ಠ) I don't understand a single thing you're saying, Lopmon. Jianliang: Lopmon and his colleagues were created by the Digimon Gods, Shaochung. Shaochung: Mrrrrgh.... Takato: Lopmon, have you seen Culumon? Lopmon: Yes, I have. They were taken beyond the Suzakumon. Jianliang: The "Suzakumon"? Lopmon: The dwelling of our god Zhūquēmon lies far beyond that southern gate. Jianliang: (considering) Southern... This is the domain of the Four Sacred Beasts... Zhūquēmon....

Jian seems to be putting the pieces together here about what the Four Sacred Beasts represent, even though Takato already brought up Qinglongmon a couple episodes ago. Maybe Jian never watched the Kyoto episode of Adventure 02 and has to figure this out from scratch?

Lopmon name-drops the gate they were supposed to be guarding. This is the Suzakumon. That's not a Digimon name, though it is kind of a coincidental pun. The Suzakumon or "Vermillion Bird's Gate", named for what they call Zhūquē in Japanese, is a kind of gate that's built to bar entry into the Imperial Palace of Japan.

A Suzakumon has been built at multiple palaces over the years, serving as the place where foreign dignitaries come and are received by the Emperor. It seems the Sacred Beasts have opted to construct one here as well, and assigned a Deva to watch over it.

Maybe this is why they went with Chinese names for the Sacred Beasts. To avoid confusion with the Suzakumon?

In any case, we get some interesting new lore drops here. We already knew that Digimon who aren't Loaded get reduced to junk data and left adrift, and may or may not become part of Dust Packets. Catsuramon brought it up as a grievance against the Tamers. He was furious at them for letting that happen to the other Devas instead of Loading them.

I've been wondering if that data might then reconstitute back into Digimon, like how Digitamas work in Adventure. Here, Lopmon says yes... sort of. It doesn't happen on its own but this dust data can be recorporealized into new Digimon.

We sorta knew that from Mizuno. This is how Guilmon was created. He was born from dust packets that the DigiGnomes assembled to form his data structure.

And it seems Zhūquēmon can do that too, sculpting the Devas by talon from the dust data left behind by vanquished Digimon. Maybe this is why they're so hard to scan; Like Guilmon, they're brand new Digimon that Zhūquēmon made up and so they haven't been indexed like other Digimon who've been around for a while.

I wonder if that's the story behind Culumon too? Maybe the DigiGnomes sculpted them out of Dust Packets around the power of evolution, using themselves as the blueprint since they didn't have a sketch like Guilmon.

I think it's pretty well implied at this point that the DigiGnomes were the thieves who stole evolution, after all. Though why they did that is unclear. So they probably made Culumon to house it. That's my thinking. It's why they acted to try and stop Makuramon from taking Culumon, why they guided Takato and Jian to Mizuno, and why they're now clearly trying to tell Takato and Jian to go rescue Culumon.

They were probably behind bringing Shaochung in too, since they were clearly leading her to Andiramon when they appeared last episode. Only an innocent child who knows nothing of this war could charm a Deva into betraying Zhūquēmon.

There's something almost sinister in the implications here. The DigiGnomes do not want Digimon to have this power of self-guided evolution. For some reason. And everything that's happened to our protagonists has been about that, about stealing evolution away from the Digimon and arming Tamers to defend the stolen power.

I also now feel certain that the DigiGnomes were who Culumon was trying to bring to the soccer field with their summoning sigil way back when. Though it's unclear if DigiGnomes are even capable of Realizing, or if perhaps that's why they have to work through Mokumon in the Real World.

In any case, this was a hefty bit of information from Lopmon.

One last thing, minor detail, but I find it interesting the way Lopmon says 神 Kami, God singular, created them but when Jian simplifies it for Shaochung he says 神たち Kami-tachi or "God and others". Which is a way of pluralizing God but not the actual proper "Gods" pluralization, which is 神々 Kamigami.

Note that pluralization can be complicated and context-sensitive. 神 Kami can mean one or many gods. Every instance of "Our God" throughout the series might actually have meant "Our Gods" this whole time. There are ways to specify pluralization as Jian does for Shaochung, but the bare root 神 Kami can itself be either singular or plural.

Nonetheless, from the way 神 Kami is treated here, I feel like it's safe to say that the Devas have always meant Zhūquēmon specifically when speaking of 神 Kami, not the Sacred Beasts as a whole.

In the dub:

Takato: Oh, maybe they know something about Guilmon? WAIT UP!!! HEY!!! I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT MY DIGIMON!!! COME BACK!!! (The DigiGnomes depart) Henry: (gasp) Hey Lopmon! Lopmon: Yes, Henry? Henry: Do you know a Digimon named Calumon? Uh... Here! (Takato shows Lopmon the picture) Henry: This little guy! Lopmon: Well, of course I know who he is. He's the one who holds the key to Digivolution. The Sovereign need this power to protect our world from those who want to destroy it. That's why they created us Devas out of data from Digimon that are now gone: To help them on their quest. Suzie: ( ಠ_ಠ) Lopmon, you're talking funny. I don't understand. Henry: She's trying to say that she was created by the Digimon Sovereign, Suzie. Suzie: Hmmm.... Takato: Uh, Lopmon? Do you have any idea where Calumon's being held? Lopmon: Yes, I do. I saw him being taken past the Phoenix Gate one day. Henry: "The Phoenix Gate"? Lopmon: That is where the Digimon Sovereign Zhuqiaomon lives. It's just beyond the South Gate I used to guard. Henry: Wow... Land of the Digimon Sovereign... We made it!

New writer, who dis? EN Takato speculates out of nowhere that the DigiGnomes might know something about Guilmon to lead into JP Takato calling after them to come back. He doesn't remember that he already knows that they know everything about Guilmon. He doesn't need to suggest it like it's a brand new hypothesis he came up with just now.

It's a little awkward the way Henry says "Here, this little guy" when Takato takes out the picture. Henry's dialogue doesn't account for Takato at all, and he speaks as if he were the one taking out and showing the image to Lopmon.

JP Lopmon's a bit more descriptive, talking about Digimon being reduced to dust fragments and those fragments being used to form the Devas.

An interesting note is that the show is that the plural of Sovereign is Sovereigns, but the show is opting to treat Sovereign as though it were the plural of itself. This might be their way of backpedaling over the usage of 神 Kami, asking the same question I asked earlier: Did we fuck up by treating this word as singular in past episodes?

The dub's taking the position that yes, all past instances of Digimon God did mean the Four Sacred Beasts as a whole. EN Lopmon here states that "they" created the Devas, meaning the Devas are subjects of all Four Sacred Beasts and are not connected to any one Beast in particular.

This is more accurate to modern Digimon lore regarding the Devas, but not to the way Tamers specifically has been depicting them; Here in the show, they are clearly linked to Zhūquēmon specifically. None of the other Sacred Beasts have been indicated to have anything to do with them.

Speaking of Zhūquēmon, the dub unsurprisingly mispronounces it. The correct pronunciation is Zhoo-chway-mon, but the bewildering decision for the official translation to be Zhuqiaomon leads the dub to pronounce it like you'd expect that to be pronounced. When Lopmon namedrops him, she says Zhoo-chow-mon.

The dub translates Suzakumon as Phoenix Gate, which isn't technically accurate; Suzaku means "Vermillion Bird", not "Phoenix". But Americans are more likely to be familiar with Phoenixes than with the Four Symbols, so it's a good pragmatic choice.

I myself speculated when we first saw Zhūquēmon attack Leomon that they might be Hououmon/Phoenixmon. The imagery is easily transferrable.

Finally, where Jian concludes by rotating everything he's learned in his head, Henry takes a moment to pat the team on the back for a job well done.

While Jian is thinking, Takato's ready for bold action!

Takato: This means Culumon is through there... Let's go, Jian! Jianliang: WE CAN'T!!! Takato: Huh?

Jian looks at Shaochung. Takato and Terriermon turn to follow his gaze, realizing his meaning: Jian refuses to put Shaochung in danger by taking her across the Suzakumon.

Terriermon: Mōmantai! Shaochung has Lopmon for a Partner now, right?

Backing up Terriermon, Shaochung digs through her bag and pulls out her Digivice to show Jian.

Shaochung: Lookit!

But, seeing the direction this conversation is going, Lopmon scurries over to the front of the gate.

Lopmon: I won't let you pass through the Suzakumon! Takato: (gently) Lopmon....

Lopmon may have been taken as Shaochung's Partner now and been fired from their post, but they're still loyal to Zhūquēmon. They still want to protect the sanctity of the holy lands and from the way they explained it, they see taking Culumon as the correct thing to do.

Nothing that's happened to them has given them adequate reason to actually change sides. They've ended up with us more as a matter of circumstances than of reconsidered opinions and changing ideology. And so as soon as the topic of crossing the Suzakumon is raised, Lopmon puts their foot down and falls back into their assigned role as the gate's sentry.

In the dub:

Takato: Well, if we know where Calumon is then let's get him! Henry: NO!!! Takato: Huh? (Everyone gradually looks at Suzie) Takato: But why? What's the matter? Terriermon: Mōmantai! I know you're worried about Suzie but she is a Tamer, you know. Suzie: Yeah! (Suzie digs out her Digivice; Lopmon scurries in front of the Gate) Lopmon: Hold it right there! We're not going anywhere! Takato: What now?

The dub takes its first commercial break here.

Lopmon's last line is tonally different from in the original, in a way we'll get into in a moment.

Inside Culumon's flask, the lighting turns a deep shade of red. Culumon looks up to see a fiery presence that is almost certainly Zhūquēmon looming overhead.

Zhūquēmon: Bearer of evolution's radiance, you are no Digimon. Return now to your original form. Culumon: But Culumon is Culumon, a Digimon-culu! Zhūquēmon: You are what bestows evolution's radiance upon all the Digimon of this world. Return now to your original form and release evolution's radiance once more.

Having said what they need to say, Zhūquēmon leaves, their vermillion flames no longer illuminating the flask.

Culumon: (dismayed) Culuuu....

I'm not sure Culumon even knows how to do what Zhūquēmon is asking.

Like. Imagine that gravity became a guy and now there's no gravity but there is this guy eating McDonald's. If you walked in and were like, "Okay you need to go back to being gravity right the hell now because physics is FUCKED, bruh," would that guy even know how to help you with that? Or would he just point at his burger like, "...uh... Big Mac."

Do we even have a right to take away gravity's intelligence and life now that he has them? Do the catastrophic consequences of anthropomorphizing a law of physics in this way outweigh gravity's right to life? Or is it more ethical for the rest of us to just cope with not having gravity anymore?

In the dub:

Calumon: Huh? Zhuqiaomon: Keeper of the light, you must know that you're not a Digimon like the others. You have a power inside you, a power we need. Calumon: There's no way I'm giving you my insides! And I am too a Digimon! Zhuqiaomon: Once, you were the light that gave us the power to Digivolve. You must become that light again. Resistance is useless; You cannot escape your destiny or this cage!

Mostly the same but Zhuqiaomon throws in some Stock Bad Guy Stuff at the end so that you don't get confused and start thinking maybe there's some merit to their side of this morally grey conflict.

Returning to the Suzakumon, Lopmon explains themself.

Lopmon: The power of God, my creator, is vast. Jianliang: You were punished by that God, though. Lopmon: Exactly. That is proof of how vast God's power is. Shaochung: Lopmon...

Shaochung walks over to Lopmon.

Lopmon: Yes, I have defied God's will, but I don't want to hurt anyone.

Shaochung pets Lopmon on the head.

Shaochung: You're very kind, Lopmon. Terriermon: Okay, but that's no reason why we shouldn't go rescue Culumon.

Before the discussion can continue, they're interrupted by a flash of nearby lightning. Shaochung shrieks and grabs Lopmon, holding them tight.

Takato: Lightning!?

The sky over the gods' domain shifts, turning to a more fiery red. Catsuramon bellows into the air.

Catsuramon: The time has come to carry out the mission God has given me!

It's unclear whether the Tamers hear that.

Fun fact, 雷 Kaminari means both thunder and lightning. They're packaged together in one word, which literally means "God's Roar". As the Deva Catsuramon bellows their intentions across the holy realm, the sky is illuminated by God's Roar.

In the dub:

Lopmon: Please, you're mad to try and face the Sovereign! And I can't help you! Henry: Your Deva powers are gone, but you can still fight. Lopmon: The Sovereign made me and they can destroy me just as easily! Suzie: No, Lopmon. (Suzie approaches Lopmon) Lopmon: Suzie, you don't understand. I've changed. I don't want to fight or hurt anyone. (Suzie pets Lopmon) Suzie: Of course you don't. Nice bunny. Terriermon: Okay, but what now? Calumon's not gonna rescue himself. (Lightning strike) Takato: Aw, nuts! What's that!? Henry: I don't know, but something tells me it's not good! (Sky changes) Catsuramon: The time has come for me to do my master's will!

Here we see that tonal difference I was talking about a moment ago with Lopmon. JP Lopmon is torn. They don't want this to end in violence. They don't want this to end in a situation where Zhūquēmon slaughters the Tamers or the Tamers have to kill Zhūquēmon or what have you. They don't want a big explosive battle to break out between their new associates and their god.

The dub interprets this as "Lopmon doesn't want to fight Zhuqiaomon because she's a coward."

In the desert world, the other Tamers and Partners continue their long trek to nowhere.

Growmon: So why did you become Juri's Partner, Leomon? Leomon: I could ask you the same. Growmon: I was with Takato from the very start! Takato was the person who created me. That's why we're Partners! Leomon: How about you, Kyūbimon? Kyūbimon: In the beginning, I was the one who chose Ruki. I knew at that time that Ruki was the strongest Tamer, and she would help me evolve to become even stronger. Ruki: That's right. Kyūbimon: However, I don't actually remember how I entered the Real World. When I came to, I was just standing there in front of Ruki.

Hearing their stories, Juri looks up at Leomon. After a moment, she shrink in on herself.

Juri: I'm sorry, Leomon. I'm not very strong. I'm completely unqualified to be a Tamer.... Leomon: Juri.... Perhaps the reason I was born into this world as a Digimon was so that I could become your Partner. That's what I think, anyway. Juri: ( ^ᴗ^) Thank you, Leomon. Growmon: You're so strong and kind, Leomon. How did you get to be that way? Leomon: Before, all I ever did was fight. As is the destiny that all Digimon are born into. Growmon: So does that mean I should fight a lot too? Leomon: You have a destiny of your own. Growmon: Hmm... I guess I should ask Takato. Awww... Where could Takato be?

I would call this conversation massive death flags for Leomon but the episode is titled "The One Where Leomon Fucking Dies". I think we're a bit past flags.

An interesting detail that Kyūbimon doesn't actually know how they Realized. I wonder if the DigiGnomes were involved with that too?

In the dub:

Growlmon: Um, Leomon? Do you know how you became Jeri's Partner? Leomon: Well, how did you become Takato's? Growlmon: Gee, I'm not really sure. One day, he thought me up and poof, I was there. It feels like we've always been together, like sausages and sauerkraut!

...sausages and sauerkraut? I'm stunned the dub decided to forego the chance to bring back the peanut butter bit.

Leomon: Oh, I see. What about you, Kyubimon? Kyubimon: It was no accident. I wanted the strongest Tamer so I could Digivolve. No one but the best. The choice was clear: It had to be Rika. Rika: Got that right! Kyubimon: It's strange. I don't know exactly how I came to the Real World. All I know is we were suddenly together, and that's all that mattered. (Jeri looks up at Leomon for a moment, then looks away) Jeri: But I'm not strong at all. Especially for a Tamer. I'm sorry you have to be stuck with me, Leomon. Leomon: Jeri... You have the true heart of a lion. That's all you need. It's not strength or power that makes a good Partner; It's heart. Besides, there's no one else I'd rather be with. Jeri: ( ^ᴗ^) Leomon... Thank you. Growlmon: Aww, Leomon, you're so smart and so strong! How'd you get to be like that anyway? Leomon: I don't know about smart but I'm strong because I've fought all my life. Like most Digimon, I thought it was the only way. Growlmon: Maybe I could be like you if I spent my whole life fighting too. Leomon: Fighting isn't everything. You have your own destiny. Growlmon: Yeah, I guess. I'll ask Takato. He'll know. ...oh, I miss him. Where could he be?

With regard to why/how Leomon became Juri's Partner, that's a bit of a judgment call. どうして Dōshite can mean either "Why" or "How". It's an expression of curiosity about the chain of decisions and events that led to the thing in question.

I chose "Why" because Growmon is asking Leomon to explain his own reasoning, not for a mechanical infodump about the nature of the Digivices. This then turns into Growmon and Kyūbimon explaining their thought processes for why they're with their Partners before Leomon answers with his own.

But the dub goes with "How", which has a minor knock-on effect that cascades through the way the conversation is presented. Though the points they make are largely the same, the topic being rotated isn't about their personal feelings, but rather about trying to figure out how those feelings play into the metaphysics of it all.

Leomon's encouragement to Jeri is completely rewritten. JP Leomon confesses that he feels as though their meeting was predetermined. EN Leomon tells Jeri she has the "heart of a lion". I'm not really sure what criteria he's measuring this on, however, as being "lion-hearted" usually means being loud, rambunctious, and strong-willed.

Nonetheless, this is setup for later. The dub is preparing Leomon to say goodbye in their own way.

When Growlmon compliments Leomon, the dub edits out the word "kind" and adds "smart" for Leomon's descriptors. This is an ironic decision considering their rewrite of his speech. JP Leomon is reflecting on the grand architecture of life here on his last day while EN Leomon is focused on offering comfort and solace to Jeri that will hopefully carry her through his impending death.

If anything, I'd flip those descriptors. JP Leomon is smart, EN Leomon is kind.

The dub also couches Leomon's point about fighting all the time with some direct reassurances that he's not like that anymore. He reflects on it with "I thought it was the only way," indicating that he's a changed mon who's learned the error of his violent ways. Similarly, they add "Fighting isn't everything" to the line where he tells Growmon that he has his own destiny.

Growmon's question about Takato is our queue to head back topside and check in. Takato has a plan he thinks should satisfy all parties.

Takato: Jian, you don't want to be separated from Shaochung. That makes sense, since you are her older brother. So I'll go take a look. Terriermon can come with me. Terriermon: Can I, Jian? Jianliang: Hmm... I don't like it, but.... Takato: We'll be fine! At the first sign of trouble, we'll come right back. If the Four Sacred Beasts really are over there, then they may be the most powerful Digimon but they're also just trying to protect this world. I'm sure we could understand each other if we talked it out. Jian: But--

Whatever Jian was going to say, a nearby explosion cuts him off.

Now that he knows that the wicked threat we've been fighting is the Four Sacred Beasts, Takato doesn't want to keep playing Devas and Asuras. Lopmon said earlier that they don't want this to turn into a fight, and Takato doesn't want that either.

This builds off of Takato and Jian's conversation in the Mizuno episode. Takato's default assumption then was that the Four Sacred Beasts must be hashtag #GoodGuys, though Jian tried to temper that assumption with Chō-sensei's wisdom about the way good and evil shift with perspective.

But despite Jian's different opinion, Takato's holding onto that idea here. If the Devas answer to Zhūquēmon, Zhūquēmon is a force for good, and we only want good things, then we should be able to just settle all of this peacefully, right?

In the dub:

Takato: Look, Henry, I know you don't want to leave Suzie. So why don't you stay with her and I'll go. And Terriermon can come with me, if that's okay with you. Terriermon: Aw, come on. How about it, Henry? Henry: Well, okay, but I'm not sure it's a good idea. Takato: Not to worry. If it gets hairy, we'll skedaddle right back. I'm not crazy; I don't want to pick a fight with anyone powerful enough to create those Devas, but if Lopmon's right and the Digimon Sovereign only want to protect this world, maybe I can just talk to them. Henry: What if-- (Explosion)

EN Takato credits his desire to talk things out to what Lopmon said earlier: That the Digimon Sovereign are trying to protect the Digital World. JP Takato credits it to nothing in particular because we already established two episodes ago what he thinks about the Sacred Beasts.

Before the conversation can continue, something explodes right next to the Tamers.

Takato: W-What the--!?

The Tamers turn and sees Beelzebumon on his motorcycle in an impact crater. That blast seems to have been him landing nearby.

Takato: Beelzebumon! Beelzebumon: The hell? Is this all you've got? And here I was hoping to polish you off with all the rest of your lot!

Beelzebumon draws his shotguns, brandishing them as he speaks.

Takato: Why are you trying to kill us!? Beelzebumon: Those were the terms of my evolution!

Well, you've done a shit job of it so far! Hell, it's kinda implied that you're only here right now because, once again, Catsuramon's making you. It's probably no coincidence that you only showed up after God's Roar.

In the dub:

Takato: What was that!? Beelzemon: Hello, kiddies! Takato: Beelzemon! Beelzemon: You're not with your friends now, are ya, punks? Oh well. I guess I'll just have to annihilate them later! (Beelzemon brandishes shotguns) Takato: Why are you doing this? What did we ever do to you!? Beelzemon: It's nothing personal. It's just business. And I'm a businessman!

Beelzemon blows off Takato's question rather than answering it.

Terriermon's heard all he needs to hear.

Terriermon: Jian! Jianliang: Right! CARD SLASH!!! MATRIX EVOLUTION!!!

Kicking up EVO, Terriermon quickly double-evolves to Rapidmon to face Beelzebumon.

Beelzebumon: Heh. One little squirt like you is hardly a challenge! Rapidmon: That's what you think! RAPID FIRE!!!

Beelzebumon tanks Rapidmon's shots.

Beelzebumon: That didn't even tickle.

Today seems to be the day for iffy evolutions. After Growmon's inexplicable offscreen evolution, now we have Terriermon Matrix Evolving without Culumon.

The Super Evolution card was introduced as a way to get the Partners to Adult level even if Culumon isn't around, but the show's been pretty consistent that Matrix Evolution requires both a Blue Card and Culumon. Culumon's evolution sigil even appears in the Matrix Evolution animation itself.

But now we're saying that no, Culumon isn't necessary for activating Matrix Evolution? We just need the Blue Card?

Because if that's the case, then why have we been refraining from using Matrix Evolution all this time? The only Matrix Evolution we've done since Culumon was captured was when Taomon evolved in episode 30, and that was during the brief window when we had Culumon back.

It is wild to now, out of nowhere, suddenly state that we can freely Matrix Evolve without Culumon and could have been doing that this entire time.

In the dub:

Terriermon: Henry! Henry: Right! DIGI-MODIFY!!! MATRIX DIGIVOLUTION ACTIVATE!!! (Rapidmon Matrix Digivolves) Beelzemon: Ha! I've eaten bigger Digimon for breakfast! Rapidmon: Is that supposed to impress me!? RAPID FIRE!!! (No effect) Beelzemon: No. But you know what? I bet this will.

JP Beelzebumon taunts Rapidmon about not being strong enough to scratch him. EN Beelzemon telegraphs his next attack.

Beelzebumon's turn. He levels his shotguns at Rapidmon.

Beelzebumon: GET LOST!!!

Beelzebumon fires with both shotguns, each clipping the very tips of Rapidmon's ears.

Jianliang/Shaochung: RAPIDMON / TERRIERMON!!!

Despite only glancing Rapidmon, the impact force of the shots throws him over Takato and Jian's heads. He lands hard on his back, skidding through the tiles.

Takato: At a... At a time like this... Guilmon... Why can't you be here? Beelzebumon: Hehehehehehehehe....

Beelzebumon levels his shotguns at Takato, Jian, Shaochung, and Lopmon.

Group: Huh? Takato: GUILMOOOOOON!!!

I keep going back and forth one whether I'm giving Beelzebumon too much benefit of doubt, especially given the title of this episode. And yet I find it curious that Beelzebumon shot Rapidmon's ear tips rather than aiming for center mass.

That really looks to me like he was shooting to hurt rather than to kill.

In the dub:

Beelzemon: DOUBLE IMPACT!!!

The dub censors out Beelzemon firing his guns. We go from calling his attack to a white flash and then Rapidmon's thrown back.

Henry/Suzie: RAPIDMON, NO!!! / TERRIERMON!!! (Rapidmon flies overhead and crashes down hard) Takato: I feel totally useless! Guilmon... Guilmon, where are you?

Another censored shot. The dub cuts the shot where we see down the barrels of Beelzebumon's guns that he's aiming them at the Tamers.

Beelzemon: Is that all you've got? THAT'S PATHETIC!!! Takato: GUILMOOOOOON!!!

See the Censored Shots Addendum for further details.

But an interesting note is that the first edit makes the violence actually look nastier than the uncensored shot does. Because they cut both the firing of Beelzemon's guns and the impact of his slugs, it's not apparent in the dub what Beelzemon actually shot.

So the dub version ends up looking like Rapidmon just took two to the chest and is hanging on by a miracle.

In the desert world, Takato's voice manages to carry all the way to Growmon.

Growmon: Huh? Hirokazu: What? What is it, Growmon? Growmon: I heard Takato's voice just now. Boys & Ruki: What!? Juri: I heard it too! Boys & Ruki: WHAT!?!? Kenta: Are you sure? I didn't hear any-- Takato: (distant) GUILMOOOOOON!!!

Everyone hears it this time, but the more pressing matter is a data stream now moving quickly towards them.

Takato: (distant) GUILMOOOOOON!!! Kenta: Oh crap! We have to get out of here!

But Juri points straight ahead at the oncoming light pillar.

Juri: Right there! The voice is coming from there! Takato: (distant) GUILMOOOOOON!!! Kyūbimon: Yes, I'm sure Takato's voice is coming from there. Takato: (distant) GUILMOOOOOON!!! Growmon: Then it'll take us to Takato! Hirokazu: H-Hang on a second! If we step into that light, we'll be blasted off to who knows where! Growmon: And yet we're going! Takato is calling for me!

Heedless of Hirokazu and Kenta's concerns, Growmon steps forward to approach the light.

Leomon: Perhaps this too is destiny. Ruki: Let's go. It beats wandering aimlessly around this place. We should just take the plunge! Kyūbimon: That's so like you, Ruki. Ruki: ( ¬ᴗ¬) I am who I am.

What strikes me as interesting is the repeating screams from Takato. Like, he's not actually standing up there in the god realm screaming over and over again, is he? Did everyone just stop what they're doing so that Takato could scream repeatedly?

Or are we hearing a recording playing back over and over again? We're about to find out that Catsuramon's arranging this, so it's possible that Takato only screamed once, and Catsuramon's projecting it through the pillar over and over again.

In the dub:

Growlmon: Huh? Kazu: Hey Growlmon, what's going on? Growlmon: It's Takato! I can hear him! Boys & Rika: Huh!? Jeri: I think I heard him too! Boys & Rika: HUH!?!? Kenta: Are you sure? I don't hear anythi-- Takato: (distant) GUILMOOOOOON!!! (Data stream coming in) Kazu: Data stream, twelve o'clock! We gotta scram! (Jeri points at it) Jeri: Isn't Takato's voice coming from there? Kyubimon: You're right. Well, you know what this means. Kenta: No, and please don't tell me. Growlmon: I'm coming, Takato! Kazu: Hold on a minute! You're not actually thinking of going in there, are you? Don't we usually run away from the nasty data stream?

You, specifically? Historically, no.

Growlmon: I'm going! Takato's calling me! Leomon: We'd better make up our minds quickly. Rika: Right! I say we go. Anything's better than schlepping around in the sand. What do you say? Kyubimon: That's so like you. Rika: ( ¬ᴗ¬) I can't be anyone else.

In the original, Takato's voice continues calling through the pillar throughout the scene. He can be heard screaming identical cries of Guilmon's name four separate times, plus the one that only Growmon and Juri heard.

-> The first or, technically, second is to cut off Kenta when he says he didn't hear it. Everyone looks forward, following his voice to the data stream. -> The next scream comes from the data stream during the shot of it moving towards everyone. Then Juri points at the data stream and says the voice is coming from there. -> Then, after Juri speaks, there's another scream, which Kyūbimon uses to confirm what Juri just said. -> A final scream corroborates Juri and Kyūbimon's assertions to Growmon, who makes up his mind to enter the data stream.

The dub throws out the latter three of the screams. They keep only the one that interrupts Kenta and just trust that all the characters had good enough directional hearing to confirm the voice's source after hearing it the one time.

Earlier, JP Leomon said that he thinks becoming Juri's Partner was his destiny. Here, he proposes that destiny also wants them to step into the light pillar. Here, as mortality silently looms and moves towards him like an unstoppable train, Leomon finds himself feeling spiritual, reflecting on the idea that perhaps this trajectory of his life was meant to happen. That the directions he has taken were all in service to something greater than himself.

As before, the dub deletes this self-reflection. They give him a throwaway line instead.

Preparing to jump into the data stream, the Digimon take a moment to shore up who's carrying who.

Growmon: Guardromon, climb up on my back. Guardromon: Oh, uh, sure.

Guardromon does so.

Growmon: Hirokazu, Kenta, hold on tight. Hirokazu: Guess we're going in whether we like it or not. Kenta: Ngggh, really!?

Leomon silently holds his arms out for Juri. Taking his meaning, she climbs up off of Kyūbimon's back and into his grasp.

Ruki: Here we go, Kyūbimon.

The team braces itself and lets the data stream take them, transporting them away to whatever destination fate has in store for them. Fate... or Catsuramon, whose shadow follows them as they pass.

Catsuramon: Soon, God's wrath will be sated. In but a moment, all who defy God will be gathered together in one place!

And break for commercial!

The separation here is an unspoken but interesting detail. Growmon makes a point to have Guardromon hold onto him just as Hirokazu is doing, while Juri passes from Kyūbimon to Leomon. Learning from Takato and Guilmon's separation, they're ensuring that if they end up separated by the data stream, they'll be separated in specific groups of:

-> Growmon, Hirokazu, Kenta, and Guadromon -> Ruki and Kyūbimon -> Juri and Leomon

So that nobody gets separated from their Partner.

In the dub:

Growlmon: Guardromon, you'd better grab on. Guardromon: Oh, good idea. (Guardromon climbs onto Growlmon's back) Guardromon: Ready! Growlmon: Okay, everybody. Hold on tight! Kazu: Come on, Kenta. Don't tell me you're scared! Kenta: Ngggh, okay, I won't. (Leomon reaches for Jeri) Leomon: Jeri? (Jeri climbs into Leomon's hands) Rika: Here it comes! On your marks! Get set! (Data stream passes over them) Kenta: Not again! Rika: GO!!! (Data stream takes them; Catsuramon appears) Catsuramon: Soon, those foolish children will be gathered in one place to meet one fate: The fate of all who dare defy the Digimon Sovereign!

The dub also takes its second commercial break here.

Hirokazu is as nervous as Kenta but Kazu takes the opportunity to pick on Kenta instead.

Following the commercial break, we return to a terrified Shaochung screaming and crying. Jian embraces her, but shoots a withering glare over her head at Beelzebumon.

Beelzebumon: Hehehehehe... Jianliang: Shit... Rapidmon! Rapidmon, are you okay! Rapidmon: Jian... He's strong.... Beelzebumon: Damn right. I'm going to become the strongest Digimon in the whole Digital World! Half-baked Digimon like you are no match for me! Takato: Wait! You used to be Impmon! Beelzebumon: Ngh! Takato: You went camping with us, didn't you? You used to play with us in the park, didn't you!? Beelzebumon: Impmon... That little wretch is already dead!

Infuriated by Takato's words, Beelzebumon levels his guns at the Tamer kids once more.

Beelzebumon here calls Rapidmon 半端なデジモン Hanpana Dejimon. The word 半端な hanpana means incomplete, malformed, a fraction. He's saying that Rapidmon is only partly a Digimon and that's why he can't measure up to Beelzebumon, a true Digimon.

This connects back to the things Impmon used to say about the Partner Digimon being pets instead of behaving like true Digimon. Impmon did it, he found a way to evolve without needing a human Partner to do it, and so now he feels empowered to gloat, lording his power over the humans' half-Digimon pets.

As an aside, I'm not sure what Takato means about Impmon playing with them in the park. Impmon usually hung out in a tree and bitterly watched them play without participating himself. I think going swimming at camp was the only time Impmon actually participated in a group play activity, and they had to drag him into it.

In the dub:

Henry: Suzie.... (Henry embraces Suzie) Beelzemon: Hehehehehe... Henry: Rrrgh... Rapidmon! Talk to me! Are you okay!? Rapidmon: Henry... He's too strong.... Beelzemon: No kidding! Compared to me, you guys are amateur hour, you know that? Pathetic humans and your Digi-pets, you make me want to throw up, kick your butts, and then throw up again! Takato: Wait a minute! You're Impmon, remember? Beelzemon: Ngh! Takato: You went to camp with us and played in the water with us! We even saved your life once. You're our friend! Beelzemon: Impmon... is nothing but a BAD MEMORY!!!

Dub Team's not sure what Takato meant by the playing in the park thing either, so they swap that reference out for referencing Indramon. Though I'm not sure "Remember that time we bailed you out 'cause you're such a loser" really meets the vibe Takato's going for here.

I get what they were going for: "Remember how much we care about you?" But rubbing salt directly into Beelzemon's insecurities isn't the way to go about it.

Out of nowhere, the data stream descends, depositing the rest of the team right next to Takato and the others.

Takato: Growmon!

Ruki hops down off of Kyūbimon.

Ruki: The hell are you doing in a place like this!? Growmon: Takato! I missed you so much! Takato: Me too-- Ah....

For a moment, Takato is caught up in pure relief at seeing Growmon again. But then he remembers and closes off. He flashes back on what he saw at Mizuno's school: DigiGnomes creating Guilmon by assembling dust packets around Takato's sketch data.

Growmon: What's wrong, Takato? Takato: (thinking) Guilmon is just data. Nothing more than a cluster of data.

Takato's emotional brain, the part of him that sees Guilmon as his friend, is warring with his logical brain that feels betrayed by the revelation that Guilmon isn't a real organic living creature.

Though Mizuno did pitch Takato on his own ideological stance, that artificial and organic life are fundamentally the same thing no different from the other, Takato hasn't really embraced that idea. To him, it does matter, and Guilmon is on the wrong side of the line.

In the dub:

Takato: Huh? You found us! (Rika climbs down off of Kyubimon) Rika: Finally. Where have you guys been!? Growlmon: Takato, I missed you so much! Takato: Me too! Oh... (Takato shrinks away) Takato: (thinking) But... What if.... (Dust Packet flashback) Takato: (thinking) What if I lose him again? Mizuno's right. He's just data. Growlmon: What's the matter, Takato? Takato: (thinking) And data can just be erased....

Takato's first line is changed so that he's excited to see everyone instead of tunnel-visioning on Growmon returning to him.

The dub spins out Takato's concerns about Guilmon in a completely different direction. He's not upset by what Guilmon is, you see. He's upset by the logical conclusion of that: He loves Guilmon unconditionally and doesn't want to lose him, but Guilmon being made of data means he might get killed someday.

As opposed to organic creatures who I guess are naturally immortal.

Takato stews on this internal conflict until Kyūbimon suddenly speaks up, calling out to Beelzebumon.

Kyūbimon: Beelzebumon... You-- Beelzebumon: Shut up, fox! Just shut up! Don't look at me like that! I'LL BURY YOU ALL RIGHT HERE!!!

Beelzebumon fires both shotguns at Kyūbimon. His shots strike the ground, forcing Kyūbimon to jump back.

Kyūbimon: Gck!

Guardromon moves between Beelzebumon and where Jian is holding Shaochung.

Guardromon: A violent thug like you cannot be tolerated!

Guardromon raises his arms and fires twin Destruction Grenades. Beelzebumon spins his motorcycle, easily evading the blasts before circling around to face Guardromon again.

Beelzebumon: Just shut up already!

With guns drawn, Beelzebumon speeds forward, closing distance on his bike.

Guardromon: (;;°_°) Oh, that's not good.

Again, despite his bluster, I'm not sure how committed Beelzebumon is to this. He follows up "I'll bury you all" by shooting at Kyūbimon's feet.

It can't just be that he sucks at using his guns and keeps constantly fucking up, right? That whole Chrysalimon fight showed off just how accurate he can be when he's aiming to slaughter. But now he once again seems to be struggling to actually pull the trigger on a killshot.

Hell, he had all the Tamer kids dead to rights before we went to commercial and then just sat there and hung out until Growmon and the others showed up. Beelzebumon may say "Impmon is dead" but it just doesn't feel like he's that eager to actually kill these people.

In the dub:

Kyubimon: Beelzemon, there's still time! Beelzemon: CAN IT!!! You talk too much, you know that? You think you're so smart? Well, in a second, you're gonna be HISTORY!!!

The dub again censors out the firing of Beelzemon's guns. A white flash replaces the removed shot.

Kyubimon: HROOOAGH!!! (Guardromon moves to protect Henry and Suzie) Guardromon: That's uncalled for! GUARDIAN BARRAGE!!! (No effect) Beelzemon: You want trouble? You've got it! (Beelzemon speeds forward) Guardromon: (;;°_°) What? Oh no!

Like Rapidmon getting shot earlier, the dub makes the attack against Kyubimon seem way worse. This time, it's not the censorship but the big scream Kyubimon lets out as if she's just been struck by a devastating blow.

As Beelzebumon closes in, Growmon takes his turn to try and stop him.

Growmon: EXHAUST FLAME!!!

Growmon fires two shots, but Beelzebumon swerves to avoid both and keeps right on coming.

Hirokazu: RUN!!!

In the dub:

Growlmon: PYRO BLASTER!!! (No effect) Kazu: GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!

But before Beelzebumon can mow them down, Kyūbimon leaps into action.

Kyubimon tackles Beelzebumon off of his bike, sending them both crashing to the ground. The first thing approaching a solid hit anyone's landed on him, but the collision seems to have hurt Kyūbimon a lot worse than Beelzebumon.

Beelzebumon starts to pick himself up, rolling onto his knees.

Beelzebumon: (frustrated) Fuck.... Ruki: Kyūbimon!

Ruki holds out her Digivice as Kyūbimon struggles to even get up.

Ruki: Kyūbimon, evolve! You have to evolve! Kyūbimon: ...evolve...?

But then they see it. Beelzebumon beats them to his feet, and before he can raises his weapons, Kyūbimon acts.

Kyūbimon: KOENRYŪ!!!

Using what's left of their strength, Kyūbimon scorches Beelzebumon's arms, forcing him to drop his guns.

Beelzebumon: HROOOAAAUGH!!!

But when they return to their position, their strength gives out and they collapse on the ground.

Ruki: KYŪBIMON!!!

Beelzebumon shakes off his arms and furiously raises his claws.

Beelzebumon: Fine then, bring it on!

He stomps towards Kyūbimon, claws raised menacingly. Growmon runs to intervene.

Growmon: STOP IT, BEELZEBUMON!!! Takato: That's it, Growmon! Beelzebumon... Impmon has become a devil! TAKE HIM DOWN!!!

From the safety of Leomon's arms, Juri watches Takato scream bloody murder. She's shocked by the fury emerging from him.

Juri: Takato-kun....

But Growmon's attempt is short-lived. Beelzebumon floors him with a right hook.

Growmon: WAUCK!!! Beelzebumon: I'll deal with you later, you arrogant bastard.

Beelzebumon walks over to where Kyūbimon's lying prone on the ground.

Beelzebumon: First up is this goddamn conceited fox! You've just been mocking me all this time, haven't you!? Kyūbimon: (weakly) Impmon.... Beelzebumon: SHUT UP!!!

We cut to Ruki frantically going through her cards, but impact noises on flesh can be heard in the background; The sound of Beelzebumon furiously beating or kicking Kyūbimon while they're down.

Ruki: No! Get out of there, Kyūbimon! What do I do? What cards can I use!? WHAT DO I DO!?!?

Having both talked himself into and worked himself up to it, Beelzebumon finally raises his claws for a killing strike.

Beelzebumon: I have no choice but to kill you! Kyūbimon: (weakly) Open... your eyes.... Beelzebumon: Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!!!

He finally does it, stabbing his claws down for Kyūbimon's throat. But at the last second, he stops. For a moment, it seems as if he's stopped himself, but it's quickly revealed to be Leomon holding him back.

Leomon: I may not know your circumstances, but you are being made to dance on another's strings. Think about how ridiculous you look. Beelzebumon: What did you just--

Leomon doesn't wait for him to respond, delivering a left hook to Beelzebumon's jaw before releasing his arm.

Leomon: Strength is not what grants evolution. I've come to understand that much.

Leomon looks over at Juri for a moment.

Juri: Leomon.... Leomon: Your destiny is not to harm these children! Beelzebumon: SHUT UP!!!

Then it happens. Beelzebumon stabs his claw straight through Leomon's gut, mortally injuring him. Everything goes quiet but for Leomon's dying scream and the shocked gasps of the children around him. Leomon staggers for a moment, then falls back.

Kyūbimon gets up and lunges for Beelzebumon, who meets her with a kick and launches her away.

Ruki: KYŪBIMON!!!

But Beelzebumon doesn't care about them right now. All of his attention is on the Digimon he just killed.

Leomon: Why can't you understand? Why wouldn't you just listen? Juri: (horrified wailing) Hirokazu: Leomon... He took out Leomon! Kenta: W-We gotta run... WE HAVE TO GET AWAY FROM HIM RIGHT NOW!!! Jianliang: Leomon... Fuck! Takato: (trembling fury)

Leomon slowly disintegrates into pixel dust, leaving behind only his dying words.

Leomon: It seems this was my destiny. Juri: (gasp)

With Leomon's death, the screen on Juri's Digivice goes to static.

Juri: ( ˃̣̣̥ᯅ˂̣̣̥) NOOOOOO!!!

But while Juri grieves, Beelzebumon Loads Leomon.

Beelzebumon: I'll load strong foes and I'll... I'll become even stronger. I will. I WILL!!!

Beelzebumon is freaking the fuck out.

This is what is known as a point of no return. In a cult, this is the crossing of a line that can't be uncrossed. Beelzebumon has done something he can never take back, and this serves the function of making him feel as if he can never go back. He can never be what he was again.

The point of no return is designed to make the new recruit feel as if no one else would ever want them now that they've done this, that they've become this person. They have nowhere they can go except deeper into the cult. He has to double down on his rhetoric, has to keep going down this path, because he's paid such a heavy toll for it.

Beelzebumon has Leomon's blood on his hands. Who but Zhūquēmon would even take him now?

It's telling, at least to me, that even up to the moment he struck at Kyūbimon, the last thing he said to them was "お前を殺さなきゃならねえんだ Omae o korosunakya narenē nda". I have to kill you. I must kill you. I have no choice but to kill you. The decision to kill you is not under my control.

As if asking for their permission. For their forgiveness. For their understanding. For something that will make doing this easier.

Psychologically, Beelzebumon is a mess right now. He didn't want to do it, finally worked himself up to doing it, was stopped from doing it, killed the guy who stopped him in an emotional outburst, and now he's spiraling and trying to convince himself that he meant to do that and that this is what he's wanted all along.

In the dub:

(Beelzemon starts to get up) Beelzemon: I'll teach you! Rika: Kyubimon!!! (Rika holds out her Digivice) Rika: Come on, you have to get up! To Digivolve! Kyubimon: (weakly) I'm trying.... (Beelzemon gets up) Kyubimon: DRAGON WHEEL!!! (Kyubimon scorches Beelzemon's arms) Beelzemon: HROOOAAAUGH!!! (Kyubimon collapses) Rika: KYUBIMON!!! (Beelzemon shakes off his claws) Beelzemon: Nice try there, Foxface!

In the original, there's an interesting nuance to Beelzebumon's line here. He says "上等じゃねえか Jōtō janē ka", which is basically a macho way of saying "Fine, I accept your challenge."

What makes this interesting is that Beelzebumon's the aggressor here, and yet he speaks here as if Kyūbimon just attacked him unprovoked. As if they're the one picking this fight.

And in a way, they kind of are. Remember earlier when Beelzebumon shot the ground at Kyūbimon's feet instead of shooting Kyūbimon? The first actual attack landed between Beelzebumon and Kyūbimon was when Kyūbimon tackled him off his bike. And the second was Koenryū.

Also remember how Rapidmon actually threw the first punch in their fight too?

Beelzebumon keeps goading people into attacking him. He needs that. He needs to feel like they're attacking him. He needs to feel like he's the victim here because that's the only way he feels justified in fighting "back".

This nuance doesn't quite make it across in Beelzemon's line, which conveys only that Kyubimon's attack wasn't strong enough to put him down.

(Beelzemon advances on Kyubimon) Growlmon: Don't you touch her! Takato: Alright, that's it! Get him, Growlmon! I don't care who he used to be; He's nothing but a monster now! TAKE HIM DOWN!!! (Jeri notices) Jeri: (gasp) Takato.... (Beelzemon floors Growlmon with a right hook) Growlmon: WAUCK!!! Beelzemon: So much for friendship, huh, Pineapple Head? Don't worry, I'll deal with you later.

Beelzemon here displays more emotion towards Growlmon than Beelzebumon has for Growmon.

Beelzebumon blows him off while calling him 貴様 kisama, a vulgar term for someone who's full of themselves. Basically, Beelzebumon just calls Growmon a fuckwad and moves on to Kyūbimon.

But in the dub, Beelzemon actually sounds a little forlorn about the friendship they used to have. I think this might be the most emotion we've gotten out of the dub's Beelzemon yet.

(Beelzemon goes to Kyubimon) Beelzemon: Right after I wipe out your uppity friend. Alright, chatty, any last words? Kyubimon: Impmon, please.... Beelzemon: BE QUIET!!!

As opposed to Kyubimon, who he's much less emotional about.

Looming over the battered Kyūbimon, Beelzebumon accuses them of こけにして koke ni shite, which means to mock, ridicule, or make a fool out of someone, for as long as they've known each other.

He's trying to talk himself up to killing them, to convince himself that he was only ever a joke to Kyūbimon, that the relationship they had meant nothing. To convince himself that he really, really wants to do this. Then, when Kyūbimon tries to interrupt, he snaps at them.

This emotional nuance doesn't make it into the dub either. Beelzemon just asks if Kyubimon has any last words. Kyubimon tries to beg him to stop and he inexplicably snaps at her to shut up even though he just asked her to talk a second ago.

I think the dub thinks that Growlmon is supposed to be the character that Impmon had a complicated emotional relationship with.

(Rika goes through her cards) Rika: Oh no! Kyubimon, please get up! You have to get away! These stupid cards are useless! I can't do anything! (Beelzemon raises his claws) Beelzemon: ENOUGH!!! I MUST DESTROY YOU ONCE AND FOR ALL!!! Kyubimon: Don't be... so blind! Beelzemon: I SAID QUIET!!!

"I must destroy you" isn't an inaccurate translation but it doesn't really convey the idea that a reluctant Beelzemon feels he has no choice but to go through with this. Especially with the other changes made to Beelzemon and Kyubimon's scene, mentioned above.

That said, the dub does catch that Beelzebumon beats Kyūbimon offscreen while Ruki's talking. We get a couple of offscreen striking noises from Beelzemon during Rika's too.

(Leomon stops Beelzemon) Leomon: I don't know who you are, but I do know you're being used. This power you've been given, is it worth hurting these children to keep it? Beelzemon: YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING-- (Punch) Leomon: To have power is not to be strong. You see, I know that better than anyone. (Leomon looks at Jeri) Jeri: Ah! Leomon.... Leomon: Do what you must, Beelzemon, but I will not let you hurt these children! Beelzemon: HRAAAAARGH!!!

JP Leomon says that strength is not the key to evolution. This goes back to the larger conversation that the entire series has been circling again and again: Is evolution really just a matter of killing Digimon and grinding XP? Is it our own selfish advancement that makes us whole, or the connections we form with other people?

This also references the conversation from earlier about how Leomon's spent his life believing in defeating strong foes and grinding XP towards evolution, same as every Digimon. Here, he states in no uncertain terms that he doesn't see things that way anymore.

EN Leomon fucking says "To have power is not to be strong". Leomon, those are synonyms.

Okay, in fairness, I'm pretty sure he's trying to say that strength comes from within. What Beelzemon has is artificial power that's been given to him by Zhuqiaomon and not true strength that he earned for himself. It's circling the same thing JP Leomon's talking about, but he sounds like a mangled fortune cookie.

This may be a consequence of the way the fantasy term "Digivolve" cannot carry the same multiple meanings that "evolution" has for both the Digimon and human characters alike, something that has haunted the dub since Tai and his friends first entered the Digital World way back when.

JP Leomon then says that Beelzebumon's destiny is not to harm these children. This connects with all the destiny talk he's been doing all episode as well as the obvious reluctance Beelzebumon's had to actually do all of this. Leomon can see that Beelzebumon wasn't meant to be this person, to be the selfish murderer who slaughters children in the name of God for his own advancement. He was meant for something else.

This is what gets him killed, as he touches the nerve of Beelzebumon's series-long identity crisis. He tells Beelzebumon, "This isn't who you are," and Beelzebumon snaps and does something terrible to prove it.

Again, the dub doesn't like all this destiny talk and kicks that line to the curb. EN Leomon stands his ground and vows not to let Beelzemon hurt the children, further reinforcing the dub's interpretation that Beelzemon's just a remorseless murderer who wants to slaughter them all with impunity. Except Growlmon who he feels a little bad about, I guess.

This, too, is what gets him killed. He freely hands Beelzemon a "COME AT ME BRO, LET'S FIGHT" and then Beelzemon does so, and Beelzemon wins immediately because he's very strong.

Incidentally, there's more censorship for Kyubimon getting kicked, so that's another one for the addendum.

(Kyubimon lunges for Beelzemon and gets kicked) Rika: KYUBIMON!!! Leomon: Why can't you see? Why won't you try to understand the truth? Juri: (horrified wailing) Kazu: I don't believe it. I don't believe he got Leomon! Kenta: We could be next! We gotta get out of here; I can't take this! Jianliang: Leomon... It can't be.... Takato: (trembling fury)

The dub takes its third commercial break here, on the shot of Takato trembling with rage. We pick up right where we left off upon return.

Leomon: Be brave, Jeri. Part of me will always be with you. Remember, you have a lion's heart. (Leomon turns to data; Jeri's Digivice goes to static) Juri: ( ˃̣̣̥ᯅ˂̣̣̥) NOOOOOO!!! (Beelzemon Loads Leomon) Beelzemon: No, to have power is to be strong! I'll keep Loading data 'til no one can stop me! NO ONE!!! NO OOOOOONE!!!

And one last removal of Leomon's reflections on destiny. JP Leomon's final words are effectively a show of faith. He said before that he believes destiny is what brought him to Juri. Now, at the end of it, he reaffirms that this too was destiny.

This is where it was always meant to end for him. This, too, is a part of something greater. From becoming Juri's Partner to dying here in Kyūbimon's place, Leomon's life has been part of something bigger that we probably won't see the full picture of until the end.

The dub replaces that with a more emotional farewell to Jeri, paying off the "heart of a lion" comment he made earlier in the episode. He spends his final words trying to console her, to give her the strength she'll need to live without him now that he's gone.

Which, again, makes it bewildering that the dub refused to call their take on Leomon "kind". He is going out of his way to make sure to the best of his ability that Jeri will survive and be able to cope with his loss.

Then, in place of Beelzebumon's spiraling freakout, Beelzemon gloats triumphantly, throwing that fortune cookie line right back in Leomon's face and verbally dancing on his grave. Just to reaffirm that he is 100% reprehensible monster.

In the wake of Leomon's death, we cut back to Growmon and Takato.

Growmon: Leomon... Leomon, who was so strong and kind....

Growmon's pupils shrink and his face hardens as he shifts into his feral mode. Takato's shaking, fists clenched, snarling out his words.

Takato: Something so awful... How could... How could you!? Someone like you... SOMEONE LIKE YOU....

Takato's spitting out sentence fragments from pure rage. As he screams, a red glow emanates from him. MegaloGrowmon stomps overhead, stepping over Takato to approach Beelzebumon.

Takato: HRAAAAAARGH!!! MegaloGrowmon: HRAAAAAARGH!!!

And, as before with MegaloGrowmon's evolution, Takato and MegaloGrowmon roar together, feeling each other's feelings and feeding back into one another.

I remain confused at how everyone keeps evolving. It was confusing earlier when Rapidmon was suddenly able to Matrix Evolve without Culumon's aid but Takato doesn't even use a Blue Card here. Though Takato also didn't need to use a Blue Card when MegaloGrowmon first evolved so there may be something to that.

Maybe the DigiGnomes did it?

Either way, that's not really the important thing here. What's important here is that Takato is furious. He outright called Beelzebumon an 悪魔 akuma earlier, which means a demon, devil, wicked spirit, or other supernatural creature of strictly malevolent intent.

Takato sees Beelzebumon the way the dub's depicting Beelzemon: He has become a complete monster with any redeeming qualities he once had long since sanded off. A vile, wicked thing made of evil, that seeks only evil, that feels only evil, that can only ever be evil.

That black/white moralistic view he expressed about the Four Sacred Beasts earlier has been flipped the other way around. Where he could not comprehend that the Sacred Beasts could be more complicated than simple well-meaning omnibenevolence, he now looks at Beelzebumon and sees only one-dimensional wickedness. He has, in the heat of this moment, given up on Impmon.

In the dub:

Growlmon: But he... was just trying to help us and YOU.... (Growlmon's eyes change) Takato: How could you? How could you DO THIS HORRIBLE THING!?!? I'll make you hurt. I'LL MAKE YOU PAY!!! (Red shimmer; WarGrowlmon stomps forward) Takato: HRAAAAAARGH!!! WarGrowlmon: HRAAAAAARGH!!!

Again, they don't let Growlmon call Leomon kind and that's weird to me considering their rewriting of his dialogue.

Juri, still reeling from Leomon's death, watches MegaloGrowmon emerge with terror in her eyes.

Juri: What is that? What's... What's happening!?

Hirokazu runs to Juri, grabbing her by the arm to pull her away.

Hirokazu: Katō! Don't just stand there!

But she swings her arm, breaking his grasp.

Juri: DON'T TOUCH ME!!! NOBODY TOUCH ME!!! (starts crying again) Hirokazu: Katō....

She is very understandably breaking down right now.

In the dub:

Jeri: W-What's going on? What is happening to the two of you? (Kazu runs to Jeri and grabs her arm) Kazu: Jeri, what are you doing!? Come on, get out of the way! (Jeri breaks his grip) Jeri: DON'T TOUCH ME!!! EVERYONE JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!!! (starts crying again) Kazu: Jeri....

Solid. No notes.

Up ahead, Beelzebumon faces down MegaloGrowmon. He's not impressed.

Beelzebumon: So you've finally gone to Perfect form. But what good is just getting a little bigger? I've evolved all the way to Ultimate level! All you can do is die like a dog! Takato: We have to beat him once and for all! MegaloGrowmon: HRAAAAAARGH!!!

Turning on his jets full blast, MegaloGrowmon rockets towards Beelzebumon and swipes at him. Beelzebumon leaps upwards, bounding above MegaloGrowmon while summoning his shotguns back to him.

Beelzebumon: You goddamn cyborg... GET LOST!!!

Beelzebumon fires, both shots striking MegaloGrowmon's right shoulder just next to his head. His shots visibly damage the metal but do little to deter MegaloGrowmon. MegaloGrowmon lunges, closing distance quickly and biting down on Beelzebumon.

Beelzebumon tells MegaloGrowmon that he's going to have an 犬死 inujini or "dog's death". This means a meaningless death, a futile death, a wasteful and senseless sacrifice achieving nothing. It's also a play on the whole "Humans keeping Digimon as pets" thing.

And one that strikes a particularly savage note when considering the dub's insistence on treating Guilmon like an actual dog.

In the dub:

Beelzemon: Nice outfit, but you're still no match for me, ya big lug! Just so you know, metal mouth, when I'm done with you, I'm gonna finish your friends off one by one! Takato: You're wrong. You're the one who's finished! WarGrowlmon: HRAAAAAARGH!!! (Beelzemon bounds over WarGrowlmon's attack) Beelzemon: Take this, ya big dump truck!

More censorship on Beelzemon shooting WarGrowlmon. He's allowed to fire his guns, but a white flash obscures the shots hitting WarGrowlmon's shoulder.

MegaloGrowmon bites down on Beelzebumon and, for just a moment, it seems he has the upper hand.

Takato: That's it! DO IT!!! FINISH THIS!!! Juri: Stop....

But the moment passes. Beelzebumon plunges his left claw through MegaloGrowmon's face, disrupting his data. MegaloGrowmon falls back, away from Beelzebumon.

Takato: YOU CAN'T GIVE UP NOW, MEGALOGROWMON!!! Dammit, he needs to evolve to something even stronger.

Takato thrusts his Digivice forward almost like a weapon.

Takato: You have to evolve! EVOLVE!!!

I'm pretty sure that's the same attack that killed Leomon. Now that he's crossed the line, Beelzebumon no longer has the same reservations he did before. He is, as noted, doubling down now and embracing the idea that this is who he is.

It's notable that his shotgun blasts, too, hit a lot closer to home than they ever did against Rapidmon and Kyūbimon. Beelzebumon's tasted blood and now he's ready to be Zhūquēmon's assassin.

In the dub:

Takato: FINISH HIM!!! Do it! Tear him apart! Jeri: Don't do this!

And another censored shot. They cut Beelzebumon plunging his claw into MegaloGrowmon's face.

(Beelzemon smacks down WarGrowlmon) Takato: You cannot lose! I won't allow it! I order you to Digivolve! DIGIVOLVE!!! NOOOOOOW!!!

The ironic thing about the censorship this time is the way it contrasts with Rapidmon's. The censorship when Beelzemon shot Rapidmon made the attack look way worse. This time, it actually makes the attack look tamer; The censored version of Beelzemon's attack just looks like he slapped WarGrowlmon's jaws away.

Takato's cries for MegaloGrowmon to evolve carry down into the flask Culumon's stored in. The sigil on Culumon's forehead glows uncontrollably.

Culumon: Culu? Culu! No, don't-culu! CULUUUUUU!!!

Against their will, the power of evolution pours upwards from Culumon and into a receiving flask: that central structure over the deep hole between the Sacred Beasts' palaces. The radiance then transfers down the bridges, lighting up the Beasts' palaces. It continues on, spreading down the pathways into those weird shell structures.

Finally, it reaches the gates. The Suzakumon glows with the restored power of evolution.

In the dub:

Calumon: Huh!? Oh no! AHHHHHH!!!

No notes. The dub let's the powering up sequence happen without any added dialogue.

As the light of evolution is restored, it shines from the Suzakumon onto MegaloGrowmon.

Beelzebumon: What?

As it does, the sigil on MegaloGrowmon's chest begins to pulse.

Jianliang: That mark on his chest is glowing! What's going on? MegaloGrowmon: HRAAAAAARGH!!!

In the dub:

Beelzemon: What!? (Sigil starts to pulse) Henry: The mark on his chest is glowing! What's happening to him!? WarGrowlmon: Hrrrrrrgh....

WarGrowlmon opts for a reserved snarl in place of a bellowing anime roar.

At Hypnos, their network map lights up with several new markers, all in the image of MegaloGrowmon's sigil.

Red: An abnormal concentration of data is emerging from the deepest layer of the Network! Yamaki: The highest level of crisis there is: A Digital Hazard! Megumi: This is the largest we've ever seen. I-I think it's even going to affect the Real World!

Well, now we know what Guilmon's sigil means. It's the same marking that Hypnos uses to identify a "Digital Hazard", whatever that means. New English-spoken proper noun just dropped.

I have concerns.

Specifically, remember when I said I'm concerned about the implication that the DigiGnomes may have stolen evolution from the Digimon and created Culumon?

And then created the Tamers in order to play keep-away with the stolen power, effectively recruiting the Tamer kids as unwitting minions in whatever agenda they're trying to carry out against the Digimon?

The same concern applies here. If Guilmon has been carrying this Digital Hazard within him all this time, as suggested by his sigil, and the DigiGnomes created Guilmon, then it stands to reason that the DigiGnomes created this Digital Hazard.

Though that's not conclusive. Guilmon was created from dust packets so it's possible that the Digital Hazard just happened to be in the code from one of those packets and got into Guilmon by mistake.

Still, I find myself wondering if the thing the Sacred Beasts fear is coming for them is connected to the DigiGnomes, or if the DigiGnomes even are that thing in some way.

It just kinda feels like the Tamer kids have been "Useful Idiots" this whole series. Both inadvertently defending Hypnos from the Devas and also helping the DigiGnomes try to ensure that the power of evolution never returns to the Digimon.

The more we learn, the more it feels like the Devas were right. Are we the baddies?

In the dub:

Riley: Red alert! I repeat, red alert! Data is converging in massive amounts at the core of the Digital Field. Yamaki: But that could lead to a network meltdown! Tally: This is the biggest I've seen, sir. There's just no telling what kind of effect this is going to have on the Real World!

Riley says data is converging at the core of the "Digital Field", missing the point that it's converging at the deepest layer of the Digital World.

Yamaki skips introducing the new proper noun and warns of a network meltdown instead, which is being caused by this Digital Field.

Just as Megumi warns, a geyser of light emerges from Shinjuku Central Park. However, rather than the usual white of a manifesting Digital Field, the energy is red.

Jiang-yu watches through the window of his home office.

Jiang-yu: What is that!? What's happening!?

On the screen of his laptop behind him, Digital Hazard markers can be seen covering Jiang-yu's desktop as well.

Jiang-yu: Shit! Jianliang... Children... All of you, just stay safe. ...I feel so powerless....

Fuck Shaochung, I guess. She's folded into 子供たち Kodomo-tachi with all the other kids.

In the dub:

Janyu: Something's happening in the Digital plane. (Markers on Janyu's laptop) Janyu: What? NO!!! Henry! Suzie! If anything happens to the two of you, it's all my fault!

Jiang-yu starts freaking out when he sees the crimson pillar, but Janyu doesn't until after we see the closeup on the meltdown markers on his computer. Which suggests that he's reacting to those markers, not the pillar, even though he's looking away from the laptop for this entire scene.

In the Digital World, a spiral of flames wraps itself around MegaloGrowmon.

MegaloGrowmon: HRAAAAAARGH!!! Jianliang: Is he evolving? Takato: Evolving? Yes, evolve! KEEP EVOLVING TO THE ULTIMATE LEVEL!!! MegaloGrowmon: HRAAAAAARGH!!! Takato: Evolve....

Takato gets a glimpse of what MegaloGrowmon's become through the flames, and his enthusiasm starts to deflate. Then the flames disperse, revealing Guilmon's new Ultimate form in all its terrifying grandeur, and still with the Digital Hazard marker on his snout.

I... am of two minds on this terrifying evolution that MegaloGrowmon's undergone.

On the one hand, Hypnos says this is a Very Bad Thing. A Digital Hazard, whatever that means. And it certainly feels like a Very Bad Thing. This has all the hallmarks of a Dark Evolution, with a bloodthirsty Takato demanding evolution out of his Partner so that he could have the strength to slaughter his foe, something we're definitely supposed to see as a bad thing given how scared Juri is of him right now.

Still, we've done this song and dance before. Growmon and MegaloGrowmon were both terrifying evolutions to Takato, only for him to have to come to understand that Guilmon is Guilmon no matter what form he's in.

And. Y'know. Fuck Hypnos. Who cares what they think?

So. Like. Does the same apply with this Ultimate form? Is this just another scary aesthetic wrapped around a Guilmon heart? Or is this Digital Hazard something to actually freak out about?

In the dub:

WarGrowlmon: Hrrrrrrgh.... Henry: He's Digivolving! Takato: Do it! That's it! Digivolve! I order you to Digivolve to MEGA!!! (Takato glimpses the results) Takato: Yes! Mega!

Jianliang asks whether this is evolution because it looks so unlike a typical evolution sequence. He's calling out its abnormality.

Henry overlooks that and just states that this is Digivolution, in no uncertain terms.

JP Takato begins to dial it back when he glimpses Guilmon's new form through the flames, while EN Takato remains exuberant.

Witnessing Guilmon's new Ultimate form, everybody's shocked.

Takato: Was I...? Did he take this form because that's what I wanted?

Faced with the hideousness of his own inner feelings, Takato's rage breaks.

The new Digimon slowly advances on Beelzebumon, who steps back away from the terrifying creature.

Beelzebumon: Tch....

Snarling, the Digimon opens his mouth and lunges forward.

Juri: STOP IT!!!

Juri screams. Takato watches helplessly. And, in Takato's hand, his Digivice cracks. It falls from his hands, breaking open as it hits the ground and disintegrating into pixel dust.

I guess that answers that, doesn't it? This new Digimon is no longer his.

The way Beelzebumon's machismo seems to have evaporated is also interesting. His body language suggests that at his heart, he's still a bully, not a warrior. He talks a big game about Loading strong opponents but he's only really comfortable picking fights with weaker foes.

It's just that with this huge expansion of his power that Zhūquēmon granted him, the category of "Digimon weaker than me" has expanded dramatically. But this is his first time actually facing down a foe on his level, and suddenly the bravado is gone. He's scared shitless.

In the dub:

Takato: Guilmon! What have I done to you, boy? I'm sorry.... (Digimon advances on Beelzemon) Beelzemon: Hrng--! (Digimon lunges) Jeri: NOOOOOO!!! (Takato's Digivice falls and breaks) Davis (V.O.): I don't think Takato meant to turn Guilmon into whatever THAT is! I hope it's not permanent. To find out, keep watching Digimon: Digital Monsters.

And on that note, we have a Next Time promise to evaluate. Today, Davis promised that we'd find out what kind of Partner a former Deva like Lopmon could make for Shaochung.

Lopmon got a bit of attention early on, delivering some lore. But I don't feel like this episode really gave us a clear indication of what Shaochung and Lopmon's relationship will be like as Tamer and Partner. So I'm going to call that a Promise Broken.

Assessment: I mentioned back at the start of this series is that there's one spoiler I know going in, and it's that Leomon dies. I didn't know in what capacity Leomon would be part of the show, only that he eventually shows up and dies.

Was not prepared for it to be Beelzebumon. Holy shit. I am very intrigued to know where he's going from here. There's just enough there to justify either direction: Finding his way back to us or embracing the dark. It'll be interesting to see which he ultimately chooses.

Due to the way it happened, the way he's been presented all episode, I don't think that killing Leomon makes him irredeemable. But I do think that he thinks that, and if there is any chance for him to come back from this, that will be a major stumbling block.

I also was not prepared for it to happen this quickly. Juri only got one serious Tamer Fight with Leomon before his death! I hope this doesn't mean she's being written out.