Japanese Title: Sleep in Darkness, The Trailmon Graveyard
As Velgmon flies off in confusion, Kouji is left wondering who Duskmon really is when he’s found by Takuya and the others. Kouji informs them that Cherubimon has caused Duskmon to become Velgmon. Patamon introduces himself to Kouji and the others explain that Seraphimon’s egg was what gave him the power to double spirit evolve, and Kouji thanks him.
The other kids decide to set off for the Rose Morning Star, but Kouji, still troubled by what Ophanimon had said about “mysteries surrounding him”, goes off to follow Velgmon instead. Takuya, knowing that there’s something bothering Kouji, decides to follow after Kouji and tells the others to wait for him there.
Junpei, however, isn’t content with just waiting in one place for Takuya, and comes up with the idea of going around and gathering information about the Rose Morning Star so that they’ll be more prepared for whatever happens when they get there. Fully aware that he won’t be able to be useful like Takuya and Kouji’s ability to double spirit evolve, he declares that there must be something useful he can do, and the others join him in searching for information from the locals on the Rose Morning Star, leaving Bokomon, Neemon, and Patamon behind.
The group finds a railroad, and decides to approach it in the hopes of finding something interesting. They eventually find a place littered with Trailmon parts, and there they run into an overturned and run-down Angler-type Trailmon. Angler tells them that they’re in the Trailmon Graveyard, where old Trailmon go to die when they know their time has come. Junpei asks him if he knows anything about the Rose Morning Star, and the Trailmon claims to know about it...but refuses to divulge anything until the kids service him by lifting him up and giving him a wash.
The kids finally hit their limit, realizing that the Trailmon doesn’t actually know anything, and the Trailmon admits that he got caught up in being treated so well. The kids, feeling bad, decide to grant his last wish and give him a massage. Izumi gives him some of Junpei’s chocolate, and eventually they all get some sleep.
After waking up, the kids decide to take their leave, and the Trailmon reveals that he actually has been to the Rose Morning Star. Before he can finish, however, he begins to fall apart and the kids realize that he’s dying. Instead of dying, however, the Trailmon emerges miraculously revitalized and younger, and the extremely irritated kids spirit evolve to Shutumon, Bolgmon, and Blizzarmon and attack him, believing that they’ve been tricked again.
After everything’s cleared up, the Trailmon takes the kids back and tells them that back when he was old, he was threatened by Cherubimon’s servants and was forced to transport something for them. Having heard that they had recently had a fight with the Three Great Angels right before then, he believes that either Seraphimon or Ophanimon was inside the container he transported. He took the container to the Rose Morning Star, where a castle is, and the kids realize that Ophanimon must be imprisoned there.
Tropes
- Almost Dead Guy: The Trailmon seems to be this, but is really just molting.
- Art Shift: A brief one when Junpei tries to dissuade Takuya from going off after Kouji alone, with Junpei’s Imagine Spot taking the form of an American-style horror comic.Junpei: Hey, Takuya, don’t you get it? If we go by the horror comic pattern, the nosy guy is always the first to die!
- Breather Episode: This is a pretty lighthearted, almost Filler-ish episode that takes place between episode 30 (the formal reveal of Duskmon’s identity and the appearance of Velgmon) and episode 32 (Kouji learning the truth about Duskmon/Velgmon and Velgmon’s defeat and reversion to Kouichi).
- Eye Catch: Junpei and Izumi’s variants are used for this episode.
- I Want My Mommy!: In the dub, when Angler starts moving, Zoe and Tommy cling to each other and start crying "Mommy!" repeatedly.
- Not Quite Dead: Despite the title, the graveyard is actually where Trailmon shed their skin.
- Small Name, Big Ego: Angler believes himself to be the “most handsome Angler-type Trailmon”...even though he’s run-down and old.
