The Four Great Dragons (四大竜 - "Yondairyū") are a group of dragon-based Digimon based off of the Four Dragon Kings that rule over the four seas in Chinese mythology. Their ranks include Goldramon, Megidramon, Azulongmon (who is also one of the Four Holy Beasts), and Magnadramon. Though not much is known about (or has been done with) them, they are known to institute a test known as "Trial of the Four Great Dragons", which only dragon Digimon can undertake. To this date, Slayerdramon is the only one that has successfully completed this quest.
Tropes applying to the group as a whole:
- Dragons Are Divine: All except for Megidramon, who inverts it, these draconic Digimon are divine beings who bring stability and peace to the digital world. Goldramon's and Magnadramon's Japanese names (Goddramon and Holydramon) are particularly obvious about this.
- Dragons Up the Yin Yang: Magnadramon and Megidramon are more based on western theology than on the Asian kind, but they all fall into this category by virtue of being based on the Four Dragon Kings, who are part of a Chinese myth.
- Foil: Magnadramon and Goldramon can be seen as polar opposites of Ophanimon and Seraphimon in regards to being Beast Digimon compared to the latter two's Humanoid Digimon appearances. Coincidently, both sets are associated with Gatomon and Patamon respectively, especially in Digimon Adventure: (2020), where both Gatomon and Patamon were originally Ophanimon and Seraphimon, but show up at first as being Magnadramon and Goldramon.
- Four Is Death: Averted in that they're supposed to be a force for good. However, their fourth member, Megidramon, is incredibly dangerous and violent.
- Good Wings, Evil Wings: All four show different variations of this. Magnadramon has a row of fluffy-looking angel wings, Goldramon's are like those seen on Angel Digimon only metallic, Azulongmon's are angelic but appear made of energy, and Megidramon's are standard issue demonic-looking wings.
- Light Is Good: Goldramon, Magnadramon, and Azulongmon are all Holy Digimon, and in some way oppose evil. Megidramon, not so much.
- Our Dragons Are Different: A fuzzy, pink dragon with a dog-like face and angelic wings, a golden-colored mash up of eastern and western influences, a Chinese-style dragon that commands lightning, and a demonic dragon of the apocalypse. Yeah, we've got this trope covered.
- The Ghost: The also-ran of the special digimon groups, the Four Great Dragons have been around since the days of Tamers but have yet to appear in any anime or manga and only rarely get noticed in other parts of the franchise. It probably doesn't help that everyone is already tied to other groups; Azulongmon is far more prominent as a member of the Four Holy Beasts; Megidramon is tied to the Royal Knights through its Good Counterpart Gallantmon; Goldramon and Magnadramon are both possible evolutions of HolyAngemon and Angewomon, respectively, which means they're more relevant to the Digimon Adventure milieu.
- Training from Hell: The "Trial of the Four Great Dragons", which is mentioned in the profile for Slayerdramon.
Goldramon (Goddramon)
A God Dragon Digimon with six hardened wings and a body that shines gold. On its arm is the proof that it is a holy Digimon, and it is considered a kind of Holy-species Digimon from where it wears its Holy Ring. Goldramon is one of the "Four Great Dragons Digimon", and currently Magnadramon and Goldramon are confirmed as two of the Four Great Dragons Digimon. Also, the tiny dragon Digimon sealed within the vambrace on Goldramon's right hand is called "Amon of Red Flame", who governs over "Destruction", and the one sealed within the vambrace on its left hand is called "Umon of Blue Thunder", who governs over "Regeneration".
Goldramon is a secondary Mega form for the Patamon line, and is partnered to Takeru (T.K.) Takaishi in Digimon Adventure: (2020).
- Accessory-Wearing Cartoon Animal: Its Holy Ring.
- Bowdlerize: Any reference to the word "god" is replaced with "gold" in the American version.
- Cool Helmet: A horned helmet with red markings.
- Depending on the Artist: Whether its right shoulder-plate is red or blue depends on the work it appears in. Digimon Collectors showed both in different images.
- Elemental Punch: Its God Fist is one of these that uses Sacred Flames.
- Exactly What It Says on the Tin: The characters on its shoulder pauldrons read "God Dragon."
- Giant Flyer: It's absolutely massive and has six golden wings to help it fly.
- Gold Makes Everything Shiny: Which is referenced in its dub name.
- Gold and White Are Divine: It's a Holy Dragon Digimon that's covered in gold with a white underside and wings. It's even called "Goldramon" in most localizations.
- Interfaith Smoothie: Design-wise, he has angelic wings, a body and antlers that evoke Dragons Up the Yin Yang, and Amon and Umon may be a reference to Amon-Ra of Egyptian Mythology.
- Lightning/Fire Juxtaposition: The "Amon of Red Flame" and "Umon of Blue Thunder", which respectively govern over destruction and regeneration.
- Out of Focus: Despite being a Great Dragon that's obtainable in most video games, it's hardly appeared as a major character compared to its fellow dragonsnote . Finally subverted in Digimon Adventure: (2020), where it's an official Mega form of Patamon.
- Physical God: In Name Only, despite what many fans say, given that it has never been depicted as having any sort of god-like power. Subverted however in Digimon Adventure: (2020), in which much like Magnadramon before it being a Beast counterpart to Ophanimon, Goldramon has been upgraded to a Beast counterpart to Seraphimon.
- Prayer Pose: Shown performing a Buddhist variation in its stock art.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: Amon and Umon invoke this in their titlesnote , and their respective vambraces are even colored accordingly.
- Sacred Flames: Its God Fist and God Flame attacks both use holy fire.
- Sealed Good in a Can: Amon and Umon are sealed inside its vambraces.
- Snake People: Has a humanoid upper body with a serpentine lower body.
- Sphere of Destruction: "God Flame", which involves Goldramon realeasing its holy power in an explosion that travels out in all directions.
- Summon Magic: Its "Shoukan" attack, which involves releasing Amon and Umon.
- Yellow Lightning, Blue Lightning: Umon is called "Umon of Blue Thunder". Despite him being colored black.
Goldramon X (Goddramon (X-Antibody))
The fact that it was hardly affected by the X-Antibody meant it had already manifested its latent abilities. Although there no longer appears to be any significant changes to Goldramon, who has continued to evolve throughout the history of the Digital World, its hidden grappling abilities have been drawn out. Portions of its head and chest have transformed into new armor, its hardened wings have made it easier to move about during hand-to-hand combat, and also form pairs to act as a shield.
- Big Beautiful Man: It's a bit noticeably thicker-looking than normal Goldramon.
- Good Old Fisticuffs: Despite the tremendous holy power it already had, it now prefers to resolve to just punching foes.
- Megaton Punch: It gains a new attack, "God Fist", in contracting the X-Antibody.
- Red Baron: It's now known as "The Sky-soaring, Strong-armed Fighting Dragon".
Magnadramon (Holydramon)
The ultimate form of god beast Digimon. Its heroic appearance is reminiscent of a ruler of the sky. There are few who have seen its appearance, and it has not even been entirely confirmed where it usually is. However, it is said that it suddenly appeared out of nowhere once when a gigantic evil energy was generated in the Digital World, and laid waste to the evil with its vast power.
Magnadramon is often treated as a main/secondary Mega level to Gatomon due to its appearance in the first 02 movie, and is partnered to Hikari Yagami (Kari Kamiya) and Himari Oofuchi.
- An Ice Person: Its "Hermit Fog" technique is a breath of cold, corrosive mist.
- Bishōnen Line: Inverted Trope. It has the potential to evolve from the humanoid Angewomon. It's also a Zigzagged Trope as Angewomon is known to evolve from the feline Gatomon.
- Beam Spam: Both Digimon Rumble Arena and Digimon Adventure: (2020) depict its Apocalypse attack as a barrage of holy rays.
- Breath Weapon: "Holy Flare" and "Hermit Fog."
- Catlike Dragons: It's a dragon Digimon that combines an Asian dragon's serpentine body with a very lion-like head. It's also furry instead of scaly. Not coincidentally, it evolves from Gatomon, a cat Digimon.
- Death from Above: Its "Apocalypse" attack is a rain of holy energy bolts from the heavens.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: It was more heavily associated with Beast Digimon than Dragon Digimon, and is even referred to as one of the strongest of the Beast Digimon in the bio of Hououmon, who is considered a Bird Digimon equivalent to Magnadramon in terms of sheer power. Though to give some slack to Magnadramon, it's understandable since it was the first member of this group to be created and the group itself wasn't even established to be an actual thing until Megidramon's debut.
- Giant Flyer: It's a massive dragon, and is carried by ten sets of wings similar to Ofanimon.
- Holy Hand Grenade: Its "Apocalypse" attack summons energy bolts from the heavens that cause explosions of light. It can also be shot out as an electric blast from its mouth.
- Kill It with Fire: Its "Holy Flame" attack shoots out a spiraling holy flame that instantly erases the opponent's body.
- Our Angels Are Different: Like Cherubimon, Magnadramon leans towards a bestial aesthetic.
- Pink Means Feminine: Averted, as no specific gender is associated with Magnadramon.
- Retcon:
- Originally depicted as an Ultimatenote .
- It also debuted before the Four Great Dragons group was established, so Magnadramon's new status had to be conveyed by Goldramon's profile.
- Shout-Out: Magnadramon is similar to Falcor from The Never Ending Story, in that they are both fuzzy, serpentine-bodied dragons with catlike heads.
- Spectacular Spinning: "Holy Flame" takes the form of a spinning blast of fire.
Magnadramon X (Holydramon (X-Antibody))
The fact that it was hardly affected by the X-Antibody meant that it had already manifested its latent abilities. Although there no longer appears to be any visible changes to Magnadramon, who has continued to evolve throughout the history of the Digital World, its restrained, wild ferocious nature as a dragon has been completely drawn out.
- The Dreaded: Digimon are starting to fear Magnadramon as a vengeful god, due to its more vicious temperament.
- Good Is Not Nice: In battles against evil Digimon, it completely annihilates them without mercy.
- Purple Is Powerful: Its fur has turned from pink to a deep purple color, with the boost from the X-Antibody.
Megidramon (Megidoramon)
An extremely wicked Digimon and the most evil among Dragon Digimon. It is a pillar of the Four Great Dragons Digimon alongside Quinglongmon, Goldramon, and Magnadramon, but its personality is so fiendish that it doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to the other three. Although it is a rare species that isn't known to be extant, and its very existence is a "Digital Hazard", its powers were sealed away by some sort of "force". However, it is said that a great amount of damage will be exerted on the Digital World when its powers are awakened. It has a body made from Chrome Digizoid. According to one theory, Megidramon and ChaosGallantmon are the same being, and it is said that whether that wave of terror is projected as a dark knight or as a dark dragon depends on the observer.
Megidramon is the Dark Evolution of Guilmon, and was briefly partnered to Takato Matsuda (Matsuki) before reverting back.
- Acid Attack: It has acidic spit in Digimon Tamers
- Appearance Is in the Eye of the Beholder: According to a theory, Megidramon and ChaosGallantmon are one and the same being. Its physical appearance depends solely on the observer, who can see it as either the dragon or the knight.
- Bishōnen Line: According to the Digimon Reference Book, Megidramon can take on a humanoid form as ChaosGallantmon.
- Blade Below the Shoulder: It has a couple bladed gauntlets on its arms.
- Breath Weapon: Its Megiddo Flame has it breathe fire that burns everything to ash.
- Chest Insignia: The Digital Hazard Symbol. Which has also turned red.
- Dark Is Evil: It basically is the Digital Hazard. And yet it's a part of a benevolent group...
- Dragons Are Demonic: In terms of both appearance and powers, Megidramon is a crimson Draconic Abomination whose very existence threatens the Digital World.
- Kill It with Fire: "Megiddo Flame", whose description literally says it'll burn everything into ash.
- Mighty Roar: "Hell Howling" is a howl that causes shockwaves.
- Nigh-Invulnerable: It's made of Chrome Digizoid.
- Person of Mass Destruction: If its powers awaken, it's said that great damage will be inflicted on the Digital World.
- Recurring Element: Continuing the theme of the entire Guilmon line being an expy of the Agumon line, Megidramon is similar to SkullGreymon in that they're both berserker dragons achieved through Dark Evolution that lay waste to everything in their paths. What makes Megidramon this trope and not an outright expy is that it's much more distinct, and far more destructive.
- Red and Black and Evil All Over: It definitely has more black in its color scheme than the previous Guilmon forms, and the "evil" part is at maximum overdrive.
- Snake People: Similar to Goldramon, it has a serpentine lower half and humanoid upper body.
- Token Evil Teammate: It's described as the most evil member of the Four Great Dragons.
- Too Many Mouths: It has a second mouth where its nasal cavity should be.
Megidramon (X-Antibody) (Megidramon X)
The greatest sin of the X-Antibody, which is drawing out the latent abilities of a DigiCore, raising a Digimon's potential, had affected Megidramon's DigiCore. Without leaving any good behind, this Digimon, which is the epitome of evil, is unlike any other so far. Its very existence destroys and burns all of the Digital World to cinders, and its figure is definitely said to be the "incarnation of Hell". If you give up on living, you will be able to catch a glimpse of Megidramon's true form.
- From Bad to Worse: Megidramon was already a serious threat. The X-Antibody has ramped its abilities up to their full might, utterly expunged any possible good there might've been left in there, and turned it into a Walking Wasteland.
- Hot Wings: Its wings are now made of fire.
- Magma Man: Its tail and limbs are made of half-melted rock.
- Spikes of Villainy: The blades on its arms stick out more and it gains several long spikes on its head and shoulders, giving it a far more demonic appearance.
