Japanese Title: Renamon VS Guilmon! Fighting is a Digimon's Purpose
Takato isn’t sure about Guilmon fighting, saying that he was just born and that Takato created him, but Ruki presses on, saying that Takato is a Tamer and should understand that Digimon are born to fight. Guilmon obliges and fights with Renamon, while Ruki perplexed at being unable to find data on Guilmon in her Digivice. As Takato notices that Guilmon’s unusually invested in the battle, Ruki decides to speed up the battle by using Card Slash to give Renamon a heavy metal blunt, but Takato manages to snap Guilmon out of the battle and escape with him.
Ruki, saying that she won’t allow one loss from Renamon, has her pursue them, but Jian and Terriermon intervene. Terriermon asks Renamon if she can evolvenote , and Jian says that he can’t understand why Tamers would use their Digimon friends as tools for battles, while Ruki believes that Digimon are meant to fight. Irritated, she withdraws from the fight with Renamon.
Takato and Jian formally introduce themselves to each other, recognizing each other as students from the same school. Jian explains that Terriermon lives with him at home, and Takato, expressing envy that Terriermon’s small enough to be able to stay with him, finds a small alcove in a park that Guilmon can use as a hiding spot. Jian says that it’s good that Takato has a Digimon for a friend, and when Takato asks if he and Jian can be friends, Jian agrees and decides to take his leave with Terriermon. Before they depart, Takato asks Terriermon what his signature “moumantai” means, and Terriermon responds that it means “take it easy”.
Takato returns to the family bakery to find that Juri is a customer, and as she leaves she tells Takato that she didn’t tell his mother that he ran off during class. When Takato returns to his room, he remembers what Ruki had said about Digimon being tools for battle. Ruki walks through the streets while Renamon watches her, and at Jian’s house, Jian’s sister plays a little with Terriermon, who’s forced to remain motionless in her presence since he’s pretending to be a stuffed animal. When his sister leaves the room, Jian asks Terriermon if he wants to evolve too, saying that they won’t be able to stay friends like they are now if Terriermon evolves, and Terriermon responds that he won’t if Jian doesn’t want him to.
Takato arrives at the park late at night to bring Guilmon some bread, only to find out that Guilmon has dug up the place while playing. Guilmon is happy to see Takato again, so much that he falls asleep on him, and Takato tells him he’ll see him tomorrow.
Still curious about the world around him, Culumon wanders around the streets. Meanwhile, Ruki is recognized by a passerby kid as the “Digimon Queen”, who reached the finals in the prior year’s Digimon card battle tournament. Ruki shrugs them off and keeps walking, calling for Renamon. Ruki asks Renamon if she wants to be stronger, and when Renamon says that she will, Ruki demands to know why she hasn’t evolved yet despite having defeated many Digimon. Renamon says that she doesn’t know, and Ruki continues to have doubts about the idea that Digimon can be friends.
The next morning, Hirokazu and Kenta have a Digimon card battle, and as Takato meets up with them, Hirokazu says that a good Tamer has to know how to properly use Option Cardsnote . Takato remembers how Ruki had used an Option Card to give Renamon a blunt weapon, and realizes that he needs to use them.
In the park at Shinjuku, a squad of investigators searches the area, and the leader of the mysterious Government Agency of Fiction happens upon an Option Card on the ground there...
At school, Hirokazu and Kenta discuss the Digimon card battle tournament and the fact that the famous “Digimon Queen” lives nearby. Takato, figuring out that the Digimon Queen is Ruki, realizes that’s why she was so familiar to her. Juri happens to barge in on the conversation, saying that Tarot cards are cooler; Kenta claims that Digimon battling is a “game for men” and Hirokazu offers to teach her how to play with Digimon cards, but Juri calls it “silly” and leaves with a friend.
When Takato leaves school, he sees the investigation squad approaching the park and, assuming the worst, heads to the park to find Guilmon. He finds Guilmon missing from his hiding place and searches for him in a panic, and his Digivice leads him to a nearby bush where Guilmon happens to be. Guilmon says that it’s boring staying in the hideout and asks why he has to stay there, and Takato says it would be abnormal for people to see a giant dinosaur walking around...until he realizes that he can take advantage of that and starts to pass Guilmon off on the street as a really good cosplayer.
Takato’s Digivice suddenly beeps and Guilmon starts to run off, and when Takato follows him he runs into Ruki and Renamon. Ruki says that Digimon are attracted to each other’s presence because fighting is the only thing they live for, and declares that Renamon will defeat Guilmon and evolve. Takato, knowing that this means she wants Renamon to load Guilmon’s data, refuses to let this happen and pleads with Guilmon to stop, but Guilmon continues to attack and causes some property damage in the process. Jian and Terriermon manage to intervene in time again; Jian says that it’s not normal for Digimon to appear in the Real World, and the same rules of living only for fighting that apply in the Net shouldn’t apply here.
Ruki refuses to listen and has Renamon continue the attack, and Terriermon, walking around aimlessly, gets caught in the battle and is about to get hit by one of Renamon’s attacks. Jian, frightened for Terriermon’s safety, runs into the fray, and as a result his Digivice lights up and causes Terriermon to evolve to Galgomonnote . Unfortunately, Galgomon seems to lack some self-restraint and shoots everywhere, destroying things left and right despite Jian’s protests for him to stop. It gets to the point where Galgomon is about to kill Ruki, and as Renamon goes to save her, Takato has Guilmon push Galgomon away. Renamon withdraws, while Ruki is too shocked to react.
Tropes
- Accessory-Wearing Cartoon Animal: When Terriermon evolves into Gargomon, it dons a pair of pants and a bandolier.
- Be Careful What You Wish For: Ruki becomes terrified when she sees what happens when the sweet-tempered Terriermon evolves to the violent Galgomon, wondering if that will happen to Renamon when she evolves.
- Big Damn Heroes: Jian stops Renamon from hurting Guilmon and Takato by yelling “Stop!”
- When Gargomon turns its weapon towards Ruki, Guilmon tackles it into the wall.
- Bowdlerise: A shot of Galgomon aiming his gun at Ruki is snipped out for the dub, leaving the shot of him simply approaching her in a menacing manner.
- Blood Knight: Ruki is a variation. While she does not appear to enjoy herself during fights, she is obsessed with gaining strength and feels that Digimon are tools for battle.Takato: I don’t want Guilmon to fight for no reason!Ruki: Reason? I’m telling you there is no reason! This is just what a Digimon does!
- Bloodless Carnage: Likewise a shot of Renamon scratching over Galgomon's eyes and leaving bloody streaks is cut, though the damage remains on his face for the rest of the scene.
- Coincidental Dodge: Renamon was about to hit Guilmon in the head with a hand-mounted pile bunker, but then he turns and dodges it, causing her to fly back from the recoil.
- Cooldown Hug: A variant. Before Renamon can bring down Heavy Metal on Guilmon’s head, Guilmon hears Takato’s voice and snaps out of its feral state.
- Darker and Edgier: This episode is a departure from usual Digimon affairs, with brutal battles, Digimon becoming psychotic upon evolving and a Digimon attempting to kill a human child. It is a tone setter for the rest of Digimon Tamers, especially the latter half.
- Didn't See That Coming: For Renamon, who has deleted several Adult level Digimon in the past, she was surprised a Child level Digimon like Guilmon could actually fight her off.
- Don't Celebrate Just Yet: Ruki smugly declares Renamon’s victory before the battle has ended.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: There's a scene in this episode which implies Ruki and Renamon have something of a psychic bond, but this is never really explored again, instead just leaving them as especially close partners.
- Foreshadowing: Terriermon casually asks Renamon if it can evolve after its battle with Guilmon. Later on in the episode, Terriermon goes into its Adult level. Culumon’s forehead glows as it witnesses the fight.
- Gatling Good: Gargomon dual wields two rotary guns.
- Headphones Equal Isolation: Ruki sports these as she walks through the streets.
- Hidden in Plain Sight: When Guilmon expresses boredom at being cooped up in his park hideout, he decides to take him on a walk. Guilmon really impresses a child named Riku and his mother compliments him on his “handiwork”.
- Inner Monologue Conversation: Before crossing the street Ruki presses Renamon and why it won’t evolve while Renamon cannot answer.
- Jerkass: Ruki is shown to be obsessed with accumulating strength, believes Digimon exist only to fight, strong arms a stranger into a battle he doesn’t want, attempts to attack him and his Digimon when they have left the battle. Ruki then dismisses another viewpoint that differs from her own and emotionally blackmails Renamon several times.
- Kick the Dog: When Guilmon returns to its senses and goes to Takato, Ruki tells Renamon to ignore that and attack it. Renamon hesitates, and Ruki emotionally blackmails it by promising not to forgive Renamon if it loses.
- Laughing Mad: Newly evolved Gargomon laughs as it opens fire on everything around it.
- Let's Get Dangerous!: Once Renamon begins its attack, Guilmon stops being adorable and becomes a snarling beast.
- Leitmotif: Renamon’s theme
begins to play as it begins its attack on Guilmon. - Luminescent Blush: Takato has this whenever he has any form of interaction with Juri.
- Man Bites Man: Guilmon chomps down hard on Renamon’s arm during their duel.
- Masculine Girl, Feminine Boy: Because Ruki believes there is no point to Digimon besides fighting, she is very aggressive and ignores Takato’s unwillingness to battle. Takato sees differently and is much more passive and submissive, shying away from combat.
- Jian does not understand how Ruki can only see Digimon as tools for battle.
- Most Gamers Are Male: The fact that Ruki is talented at the Digimon card game and is female draws the surprise of a few.
- No-Sell: Renamon’s signature Kyousetsu is completely harmless to Feral Guilmon.
- On the Next: We learn about Jian and Terriermon’s past and the specific reason Jian does not want it to evolve.Jian and Takato: You, too, should aim to be a Tamer!
- Power Fist: Ruki slashes the Armor Card Heavy Metal, equipped Renamon with an iron fist.
- Reluctant Warrior: Both Jian and Takato do not treat violence as their first option.
- Red Baron: Ruki is known the “Digimon Queen” by Digimon card players for being really good and being the grand prize winner of the Cathode Tamer tournament.
- Toy Disguise: Jian tells Takato that Terriermon lives with him at home. We later see that Terriermon pretends to be inanimate around other members of Jian’s family.
- With Great Power Comes Great Insanity: Upon evolving to the Adult Level, Gargomon completely loses its mind.
- Wham Episode:This episode completely shattered the expectations of what came before and what came after forever.
- Van in Black: Hypnos’ numerous black vans pulling away from the park causes Takato to rush to check on Guilmon.
