Line #37 WesternAnimation/DiGataDefenders


1	%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample entries are not allowed on wiki pages. All such entries have been commented out. Add context to the entries before uncommenting them.
2	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/digata.png]]
3	[[caption-width-right:350:Counter-clockwise starting bottom left: Melosa, Seth, Kara, Erik, and Adam]]
4
5	-> ''"Great energy lay locked within the very bedrock of [=RaDos=]. The Di-Gata Stones were forged from this living rock, and engraved with the eight sigils of power - Nega, Yin, Yan, Ogama, Infinis, Dako, Sum, and Altas. The evil wizard Nazmul thirsted for the stones' power. Only the Di-Gata Defenders, legendary protectors of [=RaDos=], stood in Nazmul's way. And even they could not stop the Megalith. All seemed lost, until a powerful spell was cast, binding the beast within four Pure Stones. Nazmul and his Order of Infinis were defeated, but... with great sacrifice. Fearing evil would rise again, the children of the Defenders were hidden away, to train for the day when [=RaDos=] would again call upon the Di-Gata Defenders."''
6
7	And so goes the exposition at the beginning of the first episode of ''Di-Gata Defenders'' [[CanadianSeries a Canadian action/adventure/fantasy animated television series]] from Creator/{{Nelvana}} that was created by Canadian animator Greg Collinson.
8
9	But many years after the abovementioned events, the magic that imprisoned the Megalith is weakening, threatening to release Nazmul's terrible creation upon [=RaDos=] once more. Now, the four children of the Di-Gata Defenders have been let out into the world and tasked with again sealing the Megalith after having spent a long time in seclusion studying under the mentorship of Professor Alnar. Trained in casting the sigil-based power of Di-Gata Stones and commanding their [[{{Mon}} Guardians]] (magical monsters linked to the power of Di-Gata Stones), the four teenage successors of the Di-Gata Defenders - Seth, Melosa, and siblings Erik and Kara - search for both adventure across [=RaDos=] and the Pure Stones containing the Megalith within.
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11	As they travel the realm of [=RaDos=], the four young Stone Casters will make friends and allies (such as rogue and fellow Stone Caster Adam) while also encountering enemies. Most dire of the latter category however is the newly-resuscitated Order of Infinis, now under the leadership of Nazmul's successor Brackus and his lieutenants Flinch and Malco, who seek to destroy the children of the Di-Gata Defenders and continue their master's work in using the Megalith. And for the new generation of Di-Gata Defenders, knowing just who is friend or foe is vital if these young heroes are to succeed in their mission to save their world.
12
13	''Di-Gata Defenders'' premiered on Creator/{{Teletoon}} in Canada in 2006. New episodes of the show were broadcast from August 2006 to September 2008, with a total of 52 episodes over two seasons. The show also aired on Creator/{{Fox}} in the United States, as part of [[Creator/FourKidsEntertainment 4KidsTV]]
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15	Nelvana started uploading episodes onto Youtube through their Cartoon Power Up channel in 2021. [[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiih4uqcEp-013SVsFqvE9uqvmBq9wCyE The playlist is here!]]
16	----
17	!!This series contains examples of:
18	* ActionGirl: Mel and Kara, with the former being a wizard who can cast without the use of Di Gata Stones.
19	* AffectionateGestureToTheHead: In one episode, Kara's guardian, V-Moth, goes missing, and Kara is convinced she's been captured. Mel ruffles her hair, saying, "We don't know that for sure."
20	* AfterTheEnd: [[spoiler:It's revealed near the end of season 1 that the Megalith has actually been sealed by more than one group of Defenders in the past, but the containment spell devastated [=RaDos=] each time, eventually resulting in the mostly-barren wasteland seen in the show's present.]]
21	* AgonyOfTheFeet: happens to Mel in the episode "Cast-Aways", when a heavy rope is dropped on her foot.
22	* AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: People who are possessed by Ethos have blue or purple skin.
23	* AmbiguouslyBrown: Mel.
24	* AmnesiacVillainJoinsTheHeroes: Happens with [[spoiler: Brackus]] in season 2. [[spoiler: Once he regains his memories he immediately starts scheming to take over [=RaDos=].]]
25	* AnArmAndALeg: In Season Two Lady K'tahsh implants a stone in [[spoiler: Seth's]] right hand sending a powerful monster after the Defenders. In battle with the monsters [[spoiler: Seth]] orders [[spoiler: Brackus]] to destroy his arm to save the Defenders. The resulting spell turns his forearm into a petrified stump.
26	* AncientConspiracy
27	* {{Animesque}}
28	* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Kara can be this to Erik at times, and she occasionally bugs Seth and Mel too.
29	* AppliedPhlebotinum
30	* TheAtoner: Brackus tries to be this. [[spoiler:It doesn't work.]]
31	* BadassAdorable: Kara's small, but don't underestimate her.
32	* BattleBolas: Adam has a spell called "Black Bolas" which creates [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin black bolas to restrain the enemy]].
33	* BewareTheNiceOnes: Although they each have their flaws, the defenders are all good-hearted and genuinely heroic kids. But pissing any of them off is a bad idea.
34	* BigBad: Lord Nazmul and the Megalith (Season 1) and later, The Ethos (Season 2).
35	* BigBrotherInstinct: One of Erik's defining traits is his protective attitude towards his sister Kara. Mel and Seth also watch over her.
36	* BigCreepyCrawlies: Kara's guardian V-Moth is a giant [[NonIndicativeName wasp]] that can shoot sonic blasts from her stinger.
37	* BigEater: Seth.
38	* BitchInSheepsClothing: In the season one finale it's revealed that [[spoiler: Zad]] works for the [[spoiler: Ethos]] and only helped the Defenders so that they would unwittingly release them.
39	* BlondeBrunetteRedhead: Rion, Seth, and Eric, respectively.
40	* BodyHorror: Nazmul looks like he's been StrippedToTheBone and apparently has no limbs anymore.
41	* BountyHunter: [[LizardFolk Snare]].
42	* BrattyHalfPint: Rion
43	* ButtMonkey: Erik, somewhat.
44	** On the villains' side, Flinch.
45	* TheChosenOne: The Defenders, of course.
46	** This stops in season 2, and Rion becomes the sole Chosen One.
47	* CombatTentacles: Seth's "Twisting Chaos" spell causes four tentacles to sprout from his back. They can be used for combat, increase his mobility and detach from him to restrain enemies.
48	* CombinationAttack: The "Warrior Henge" where four stone casters form a back-to-back square and blast all their standard stone's energies at a target.
49	* TheCutie: Kara.
50	* DarkActionGirl: Lady K'Tahsh.
51	** DarkMagicalGirl
52	* DarkLordOnLifeSupport: Lord Nazmul.
53	* DarkerAndEdgier: Season 2, although season 1 wasn't exactly lighthearted either.
54	* DarkIsNotEvil: Rion, despite his SuperpoweredEvilSide, is still a hero. This also applies to Seth, whose spells mostly involve dark energy.
55	* DeadpanSnarker: Eric, especially at Seth's expense. Mel too. Even Kara has her moments.
56	* DreadfulMusician: Mel loves music, but she's a terrible singer.
57	* DudeMagnet: Mel has both Seth and Adam crushing on her, and even Rion in one episode (although he was under the influence of a love potion at the time).
58	* DroppedABridgeOnHim: [[spoiler:Lady K'Tashsh]]'s death. After being a constant and significant threat to the defenders and even having an intense emotional reunion with [[spoiler:Brackus at the time of his own death]], her death comes extremely abruptly and with almost zero dramatic impact, as [[spoiler:Eric uses the two lost sigils to split the earth open and cause her to [[DisneyVillainDeath fall to her death]] in the chasm as he closes it behind her]].
59	* EatenAlive: Malco does this [[GoryDiscretionShot off-screen]] to a bird that landed on its head (complete with SickeningCrunch) in "Cast Away".
60	* EnemyMine: Seth and Snare team up together to escape from Ogama-Gor despite the fact Snare fully and openly intended (and intends again) to capture the group.
61	* ExpressiveHair: Kara's hair weirdly droops when she's sad, and bounces up when she's happy.
62	* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath: One episode has a character boiled alive in lava. Another is stabbed to death.
63	** There's also [[spoiler:Kara's demise in season two]]. The Defenders are attacked by a monster from another dimension, and [[spoiler:Kara]] uses an extremely powerful spell to defeat it. Unfortunately, the energy required is too great and ends up destroying the poor girl's physical body. Though the scene itself isn't graphic, [[spoiler:Kara]] screams in agony throughout. Oh, and she's only twelve years old.
64	* FortuneTeller: Madame Leizel
65	* FrogMen: There's a race of humanoid frogs known as amphitigons.
66	* FusionDance: [[spoiler: Omniaxor merges with Kragus so that the latter does not die.]]
67	** Seth, Mel, and Rion gain the ability to merge with their guardians.
68	* GadgeteerGenius Erik, just Erik. Techno-geek is an apt nickname.
69	* GoldfishPoopGang: Malco and Flinch. The former is actually pretty strong, but [[DumbMuscle isn't too smart]]... [[spoiler:Unless [[GrandTheftMe he gets possessed]], however]].
70	* GrandTheftMe: Nazmul attempts this on Kara. [[spoiler:...and successfully takes over Malco, though it doesn't last.]] The Ethos can do this too.
71	* HandicappedBadass: Kara is unable to walk without her power boots. She is just as capable a stone-caster as the rest of the defenders.
72	** [[spoiler:Seth]] becomes this in season 2 after sacrificing his arm and getting a new mech one that gives him greater control of his spells. He is also shown to be a strong and resourceful warrior even without his mech-arm.
73	* HandsomeLech
74	* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:Kara's death in the season two episode "The Di-Gata Redemption."]]
75	* HumanAliens: [[spoiler:The people of Ra Dos]]
76	* HuntingTheMostDangerousGame ("Hunter and the Hunted")
77	* ImNotAHeroIm: Seth has many of these moments.
78	** See also HeroicSelfDeprecation.
79	* InnocentlyInsensitive: Kara at times, due to her age and lack of maturity. One notable example is after Mel learns she is a wizard and is obviously confused and unnerved by the revelation. Kara doesn't pick up on this and instead teases Mel, asking her if she can turn Eric into a frog.
80	* {{Intangibility}}: The Phase Stone is a champion stone that allows its caster to walk through walls.
81	* KidHero: Well, Kid Heroes; none of the Defenders are past their early teens.
82	* IAmLegion: [[spoiler:Ethos!Malco refers to himself as we, since he's being controlled by three Ethos at once.]]
83	* AnIcePerson: Mel casts ice-based spells.
84	* LeeroyJenkins: Rion has a tendency to impulsively rush into battle without input from the other Defenders.
85	* LivingBattery: [[spoiler:The whole plot of "Escape from Ogama-Gor" centers around capturing people to turn them into this]].
86	* LizardFolk: The bounty hunter Snare and brainwashed civilian Ronnie have scaly skin and tails.
87	* LotusEaterMachine: The corrupted stone in "A Flaw in the Ointment" causes the desolated Happy Valley to seem like paradise.
88	* LovableRogue: Adam
89	* MagicAIsMagicA: Use of the Sigils and their upper level, the Power Sigils.
90	* MagicIsFeminine: Most characters on the show can cast spells using small, dice-like stones. Mel and Kara, the [[TwoGirlsToATeam sole female Defenders]], are the only ones with mystical powers unconnected to stonecasting; Mel can cast spells without stones while Kara's body is a natural conduit for Di-Gata energy, a fact which makes her a target for the BigBad who wants to possess her body.
91	** Maia is a random little girl with special eyes that grant AuraVision and [[{{Seers}} can see the future]].
92	* MagicMisfire: Casting a Di-Gata spell while unfocused or with incorrect sigils will cause the direction of the spell to go wild, possibly harming the caster.
93	* ManySpiritsInsideOfOne: Three different Ethos possess [[spoiler:Malco]] at once.
94	* MatchstickWeapon: The twins in "Ms. Fortune" have a spell that shoots alight with [[TechnicolorFire green fire]].
95	* MergingMistake: Happens between [[spoiler:Seth and Kragus]] late in season one. The merge causes [[spoiler: Seth's]] right arm, chest, neck, and cheek to be covered in stony armor and gives him super strength. They are eventually separated by [[spoiler: the Megalith.]]
96	* TheMole: Brackus in Season 2.
97	* MonMode: In season 2, thanks to an accident with the Dojo's power core, Seth, Mel, and Rion can fuse with their Guardians, giving the Defenders their abilities.
98	* MouthyKid: Rion.
99	* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Seth is horrified [[spoiler: to learn he let Arboth be destroyed so his arm could be restored, while under the influence of infinimatter poisoning.]] He immediately reverses the process and destroys the machine that [[spoiler: healed him.]]
100	* MysticalWhiteHair: Mel has light blue hair, but it is so pale that it sometimes appears completely white.
101	** Rion has hair so blonde it's almost silver.
102	* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Congratulations, Defenders, for [[spoiler:vanquishing the Megalith once and for all]]! Unfortunately, this removed the sealing on the Ethos.
103	* NighInvulnerability: Malco's shields are fused to him allowing him to [[NoSell shrug off]] minor spells and survive both the [[SuperSpecialMove "Warrior Henge" and the Nova Stone]].
104	* ObliviousToLove: Played with. In the past Brackus and a princess named Torash were in love. However when the Ethos invaded their land, Torash was kidnapped and presumed killed. In reality she was just turned [[spoiler:into Lady K'Tahsh ]]. Brackus still carries a torch for her, although she has no memory of it.
105	* OurDragonsAreDifferent: Mel's guardian Draykor is a winged, bipedal dragon with ice powers that is smaller than a human.
106	* OurLichesAreDifferent: Lord Nazmul is effectively a lich, held together by [[{{Magitek}} magical technology]] and [[GrandTheftMe seeking a new body]] before his current one falls apart.
107	** Season 2 introduces Kor-Yinan, who was cursed with undeath by the Wizards of Yan for attempting to betray humanity to the Ethos.
108	* PintSizedPowerhouse: Kara is far more powerful than her small stature and young age would suggest. Rion could also count.
109	* PlayingWithFire: Several of Eric's spells involve fire.
110	* RagTagBunchOfMisfits: The Defenders.
111	* RedheadedHero: Erik and Kara, though the latter is more strawberry-blonde.
112	* RockMonster: Seth's guardian Kragus is a giant that forms from the ground.
113	* RunicMagic: Magic in [=RaDos=] is cast by using stones with the sigils of power engraved on them.
114	* ScienceWizard: Both Erik and Flinch are skilled stonecasters as well as scientists and inventors.
115	* SelfDamagingAttackBackfire: As a young child Kara damaged her legs when she miscast her brother's stones.
116	* ShoutOut: The gate to Ogama-Gor with its robotic guard embedded in it right down to the way it opens up is very reminiscent of [[Film/ReturnOfTheJedi Jabba's Palace]] front door.
117	** The device that [[spoiler:turns people into Dako batteries]] from the same episode looks straight out of the torture device in Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack.
118	** Speaking of Ogama-Gor, it's an [[OrderVersusChaos orderly]] ShiningCity [[spoiler:that's actually ruled by a fascist government]] in a chaotic CrapsackWorld. Visitors can only enter for up to 24 hours at a time. [[VideoGame/{{Fallout2}} Vault City]] much?
119	* SnakePeople: The Mortagarians an aquatic race that slither upright.
120	* SnakesAreSinister: Brackus' guardian Anaconduit is a giant snake with a cobra's hood and rattler's tail, capable of conducting electricity.
121	* SourSupporter: Downplayed with Eric. He often expresses skepticism or doubt when it comes to Seth's plans, but goes along with them regardless and remains loyal to the team.
122	* SpoilerOpening: The second season's intro spoils several plot points; them being [[spoiler: Malco's possession by Ethos, Seth and Mel's guardian-merge forms, Seth's mech-arm, and Erik carving the primordial sigils.]]
123	* TheStarscream: Brackus wishes to usurp control of the Megalith from Nazmul and become the supreme ruler of Rados.
124	* TallDarkAndHandsome: Seth.
125	* TomatoInTheMirror: [[spoiler:Rion learns near the series finale that he has some Ethos genes inside him, as part of his birth into becoming the weapon made to destroy the Ethos.]]
126	* TrueBlueFemininity: Mel. She isn't especially girly, but she's definitely more feminine compared to Kara, and her colour scheme is blue.
127	* TrueCompanions
128	* {{Tsundere}}: Mel can be this at times.
129	* TwoGirlsToATeam: Mel and Kara are the two girls on the team [[spoiler:until Kara's sacrifice in season two.]]
130	* UnexplainedRecovery: It is unexplained how [[spoiler: Brackus]] escaped the Dark Realm.
131	* ViciousCycle: [[spoiler:It eventually turns out that the Megalith had actually been sealed more than once, with the magic containing it growing ''steadily weaker'' each time. The current Defenders decide to kill it and fully break the cycle once and for all.]]
132	* VocalEvolution: In his first appearance Nazmul had a deep, booming voice. For the rest of the series his voice is more subdued and raspy.
133	* WeatherManipulation: Kara's spells are based on wind and lightning.
134	* WillTheyOrWontThey?: Mel with both Seth and Adam.

Context WesternAnimation / DiGataDefenders