Japanese Title: The Enemy is MetalGreymon
Taichi is unable to focus at school due to worrying over Agumon. An incredibly depressed Miyako shows up to their meeting in the computer lab late, and Taichi, somewhat stressed, tells them that while he’s not angry, he doesn’t want people to be unnecessarily thrown in danger and if Miyako isn’t feeling up to it, she shouldn’t go. With Miyako staying behind for in case something happens, the others enter the Digital World.
The Kaiser reflects on his Evil Ring’s failure to control Perfect-level Digimon and wonders what the problem is...
Tentomon greets them in the Digital World. The kids express disgust that the Kaiser would enslave Taichi’s Agumon, particularly Iori, who’s upset that someone so despicable could be human. As they try to gather information on where Agumon is, they notice that Taichi is rather understandably more unhinged than usual.
The Kaiser continues his experimentation on Greymon, but continues to only be able to get him to become SkullGreymon. As he gets an idea, Wormmon looks on sadly.
The kids get information on where the Kaiser is from a Woodmon after freeing him from an Evil Ring. Tentomon tells Koushirou that they’ve gotten a lead to a place called Locomotown, and Miyako decides to let everyone else know about it.
The Kaiser’s failed experiments on Greymon continue, and he realizes that he needs to expand the functions of the Evil Ring to control a Perfect-level Digimon. The Kaiser uses three Evil Rings to make an Evil Spiral, which he hopes can both control Perfect-level Digimon and be able to function without the use of a Dark Tower. Meanwhile, Wormmon goes into Agumon’s cell and frees him from the Evil Ring, and Agumon begins to try to escape, which the Kaiser finds out about quickly...
In Locomotown, a train approaches the kids with the rider turning out to be none other than Agumon. Agumon happily reunites with Taichi, and the kids decide to get out of there in order to get Agumon to safety.
Wormmon reveals to the Kaiser that he was the one who let Agumon go, telling the Kaiser that he is Ken’s partner and that he wants to be used as the test experiment to evolve for his sake. The Kaiser sneers, unable to entertain the idea that something as pathetic as Wormmon could be partner to the Digimon Kaiser, and kicks him away, telling him that he won’t allow himself to be called “Ken”. Before he can continue hurting Wormmon, however, he finds that the Chosen Children are in the Digital World and goes off to confront them.
He catches them while they’re fleeing and, irritated at them insisting on referring to him as Ken Ichijouji, shrugs off all of their verbal assaults. The kids have their Digimon armor-evolve and quickly take out the Kaiser’s army, but the Kaiser throws an Evil Spiral onto Agumon, putting him back under his control. The Kaiser successfully gets Agumon to evolve into a corrupted version of MetalGreymon and sends them to attack the Chosen.
Taichi goes berserk, first trying to appeal to the Agumon he knows and then insisting on going forward, but Daisuke holds him back. The other Digimon attempt to attack only the Evil Spiral and not MetalGreymon, but abstaining from attacking MetalGreymon himself proves difficult. Taichi’s insistence on telling them not to go all-out causes them to be defeated. With that, the Kaiser and the brainwashed MetalGreymon go off to continue the conquest of the Digital World...
Fortunately, reinforcements arrive in the form of Miyako and Yamato. Yamato catches up on the situation and, upon seeing the hesitant Taichi, punches him in the face. To Daisuke’s shock, Taichi gets up and thanks Yamato, saying that there’s no point in hesitating anymore. Knowing that Agumon would have wanted them to, Taichi tells the others not to hold back the next time they have to face MetalGreymon.
With Miyako having gained her usual cheer, and with the others having regained their determination, they set off to go rescue Agumon.
Tropes
- Badass in Distress: Agumon is still struck with this.
- Catchphrase: In the original Japanese version, since Miyako is depressed, Hikari has to supply her usual Digital World entrance catchphrase of "Digital Gate, open! Chosen Children, let's roll!" It doesn't really have the same effect.
- Leeroy Jenkins: Agumon decides to try and attack the Digimon Emperor. Unfortunately, this only results in him being enslaved again.
- Wham Episode: Ken discovers how to control Perfect-level Digimon with a stronger version of the Evil Ring, the Evil Spiral.
