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It's interesting to analyze the story structure of the Digimon Emperor arc. It's cleanly divided into two halves, a Dark Ring half and a Dark Spiral half.

The first half has Ken undercover going to school in the human world and controlling Adult levels with the Dark Rings, while the second half has Ken living in the Digital World full-time and controlling Perfect Levels with the Dark Spirals.

The first half focuses on the first set of Digimentals, the second half focuses on the second set.

Both halves cycle through the 01 cast for guest-spots focusing on their specific Crest.

But the Dark Ring and Dark Spiral as a story mechanic allow the story to escalate the stakes to "Perfect Level" without actually letting the main characters escalate their power level. The second set of Digimentals are side-grades, not upgrades. Alternate routes, all being at Adult-level in terms of overall power, but with different specialties.

But having all of the villains have a big "hit this for an instant win" weak point allows for Ken to escalate to using Perfects while still allowing the new Armors to shine via teamwork and strategizing.

In that way, the Dark Ring half mirrors the Devimon arc with his Dark Gears, while the Dark Spiral half mirrors the Etemon arc. The Etemon arc focused more on Perfects, but the main characters couldn't compete with them directly until Metalgreymon at the end. However, they were able to outplay Etemon's Dark Network.

Digimon Adventure 02x16 - Submarimon's Escape from the Bottom of the Ocean / 20,000 Digi-Leagues Under the Sea

Previously on Digimon Adventure: Miyako starred in a samurai film while the plot was happening nearby, but somebody gave her the wrong script notes so she brought ninjas to the set instead. It still worked out!

We begin at a destroyed oil rig. A lone MegaSeadramon surfaces to let the audience know that they're what's happening here, then we follow them down a long shaft leading down into the depths. MegaSeadramon passes by a window and that's where we find the Chosen Children.

Daisuke: DAMMIT!!! Miyako: I wonder why they aren't attacking us? Takeru: Because it's only a matter of time. It's simple. Once the air runs out, we'll--

Hikari puts a hand on Takeru's shoulder to stop him. They both look across the room at Iori. The Digimon are all curled up on the floor unconscious while Iori sits apart from the other children with his knees pulled up to his chest.

Iori: It's all my fault... It's all my fault....

If you're new here, welcome to Digimon, boys and girls! We have fun and merriment here.

As an easy to miss note, as MegaSeadramon passes the window, the Evil Spiral on the end of their tail is briefly visible.

Don't worry, the dub will break us into the direness of a slow, miserable suffocation death gently.

Davis: MegaSeadramon's still out there! Yolei: Why doesn't he attack us? T.K.: He doesn't have to because he knows it's only a matter of time before our air supply runs out down here! (Kari taps T.K.'s arm) T.K.: Huh? (They look at Cody) Cody: I'm afraid of being down here in the ocean....

HA I TRICKED YOU WE'RE DYING SLOWLY HERE TOO

A few notable differences. First is that Hikari's arm tap is recontextualized. T.K. finishes talking before she does it, so it instead looks like she grabbed his arm out of fear for their situation. She's also given this nervous shivering vocalization as she does to reinforce that she's reaching for him out of fear.

Iori is basically in catatonic. Just sitting there staring into space and reciting his guilt to himself. He's trauma spiraling. Cody, by contrast, is emotionally breaking down. He sniffles and sobs as he wrestles with his feelings.

The biggest change by far, however, are the words coming out of Iori and Cody's mouth. "It's all my fault" has been replaced by a fear of the ocean.

So. Ahem. Record scratch I BET YOU'RE ALL WONDERING HOW I GOT INTO THIS MESS

Narrator: Our story begins a few hours earlier. I just wanted to show you that part first so we're on the same page about how grim this episode is going to be.

Flashing back to the actual beginning of the story, the Chosen Children find themselves on the bridge leading out to an oil rig in the Digital World.

If you're wondering, yes, it is normal for the rig to be on fire. That's called a flare stack. It's used to burn away excess gases so they can't build up and explode in a massive fireball that consumes the entire rig or some shit. Visibly scary but it's actually a valuable safety procedure.

The Children are here following a signal, which Daisuke is tracking with his D-3.

V-mon: A Digimental? Daisuke: Yeah, it's somewhere inside this offshore oil rig. Iori: That has to be mine! Armadimon: That's right-dagyaa! Hawkmon: How so? It could be for Takeru-san or Hikari-san-- Huh?

Iori and Armadimon bolt across the bridge in the middle of Hawkmon's counterpoint.

Iori: Then it's a race to reach it first! Armadimon: And we aren't gonna lose! Miyako: He's so impatient! Patamon/Hawkmon: WAIT FOR US!!! / PLEASE WAIT FOR US!!!

Once Patamon and Hawkmon pursue Iori and Armadimon, the rest of the team joins in. The rest of the team follows Iori deeper into the oil rig.

In the dub, the narrator is replaced by Cody continuing his thought about his fear of the depths.

Cody: (thinking) I'd give anything to be out in the fresh air again. We were all fine a little while ago when we were tracking the signal of a new Digi-Egg.

They then use a wide shot zooming out from the oil rig to give the kids a couple lines of extra offscreen dialogue.

Davis: Okay, this is it. Cody: This is a strange place to find a Digi-Egg, Davis. Davis: I know, but if the Digivice says it's under an offshore oil platform, who am I to argue? Veemon: Where's the Digi-Egg? Davis: According to the D-3, we're almost right on top of it. Cody: You mean in the water!? Armadillomon: Hope it's waterproof! Hawkmon: Well, I'm just wondering if the Egg belongs to T.K. or perhaps Kari or maybe--HEY, WAIT!!! (Cody and Armadillomon take off into the rig) Cody: Well, I'm gonna go look for that Digi-Egg! Armadillomon: Last one there is a rotten Digi-Egg! Yolei: We should be careful! Patamon & Hawkmon: HEY, WAIT UP!!!

They use some of the points in the original, like Hawkmon speculating if the Digimental is Takeru or Hikari's. But again, this scene is very different. Iori's impatient eagerness to claim the Digimental as his own has been surgically extracted from the scene, despite being the scene's central fixture.

So now we just have dry exposition explaining why we're going inside an oil rig, with a couple lines added regarding Cody's dub arc: His fear of the water.

That said, I do appreciate Cody calling out the oil rig is a weird place for a Digimental. All the ones we've seen before have come from the ground or been hidden away in temples. Sometimes both.

But... this is the Digital World, an Uncanny Valley reality formed in shallow imitation of the real world. It's basically what you'd get if ChatGPT created a new Earth. The difference between this oil rig and that one South American temple that Miyako and Iori got their first Digimentals from may be negligible at best.

As the Children enter the oil rig, MegaSeadramon emerges from the water, thrashing and roaring.

From the Digimon Kaiser's control room, the Kaiser and Wormmon briefly discuss the situation on the oil rig. MegaSeadramon is visible on the Kaiser's screen.

Wormmon: What should we do, Ken-chan? Kaiser: I'm busy right now. I don't have time to spare for them. MegaSeadramon, I'll let you decide how to handle this.

Then he presses a few buttons and changes over to a different feed showing one of his Airdramon. Back to work.

Given the authority to figure out their own approach, MegaSeadramon attacks the oil rig with gusto. They open their attack by breaking off a tower with their tail, which falls onto the bridge and collapses it. Once the only escape route is cut off, they go to town, smashing off chunks of the rig.

Once they're satisfied with their rampage on the top of the rig, they wrap up with the flare stack. Channeling lightning into their horn, they blast the base of the stack, knocking it over.

Inside the rig, the Chosen Children have no idea what's happening. They're already descending that inner shaft that descends beneath the ocean, but they can feel the rig shaking from the damage happening topside. When the flare stack blows, the rig shakes so violently that it throws them all to the ground and the lights suddenly go out.

In the dub:

Wormmon: What are you gonna do to those kids, Master? Emperor: I don't have time for them! I'm taking over the world at noon! And then I have a lunch date.... MegaSeadramon, you have my permission to do with them what you will. (MegaSeadramon rampages on the surface and finishes with the flare stack) MegaSeadramon: LIGHTNING JAVELIN!!! (The rig shakes and throws the kids to the ground) T.K.: THIS IS REALLY GONNA HIKE UP OIL PRICES!!!

MegaSeadramon calls his attack and T.K. gets a quip in.

The main notable difference here is the Emperor's dialogue. They flesh out what he means about being too busy... incorrectly. The Kaiser being too busy is a continuation of the point raised last episode: Though he's still monitoring them, he's stopped getting personally involved in fights with Daisuke's team because he's working on something.

The last time the Kaiser went away for a while, he came back with the Evil Spiral. Now he's doing it again, secluding himself in his command center for another huge, nasty special project. He doesn't care about the monster-of-the-week fighting anymore because he's preoccupied with something big.

The Emperor just... makes up some throwaway lines to explain his absence in this episode, writing off the continuity of his trajectory through the show.

Down in the rig, MegaSeadramon continues their assault.

They attack the vertical shaft, carving deep gashes into it with their horn.

Inside the rig, Daisuke is the first to get to his feet. He races to the window to see what's going on and spots MegaSeadramon out there, Evil Spiral and all.

Inside, the damage from MegaSeadramon's horn cuts through. The water from the ocean pours through the slices MegaSeadramon cut into the wall, threatening to flood the entire shaft.

Takeru: IT'S FLOODING!!! Miyako: WHAT DO WE DO!?!? Daisuke: DON'T ASK ME!!!

V-mon notices an emergency button on the wall.

V-mon: What is this, Daisuke? It says "Emergency Shutter". Daisuke: Emergency? That's it! Push it! V-mon: On it!

V-mon presses the button, activating several large shutters that seal off the vertical shaft into a set of isolated chambers.

...okay, yeah, I agree with Miyako actually. Why isn't MegaSeadramon attacking in the scene we started on? All they need to do is tear one gash into the chamber that the children are in and everybody drowns. The shutters here are very unhelpful.

In the dub, Davis has another quip for us.

Davis: I've heard of earthquakes before but never ocean quakes! (Davis gets up and runs to the window, spotting MegaSeadramon) Davis: Whoa.... (MegaSeadramon keeps up the assault and floods the shaft) T.K.: THE ROOM IS FLOODING!!! Yolei: WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO!?!? Veemon: Davis, look! I found an emergency shutoff valve! Davis: I'd classify this as an emergency! So what are you waiting for!? Hit the switch! (Veemon activates the shutters)

Veemon calls the shutter button an "emergency shutoff valve" which is wrong twice over. It's not a valve, it's a button. And it's not shutting anything off. You cannot shut off the ocean. Literally the only word Veemon got right was "emergency".

I think they mistranslated "shutter" into "shutoff", since the word was English to begin with. The Japanese line uses the English loanword シャッター shattaa. The label V-mon reads off says 非常用シャッター hijou-you shattaa. So somebody might have seen "shut-taa" and took it as "shut-off"? That's my best guess.

But no. "Shutoff" makes zero sense in context. And I don't know where "valve" came from because the animation clearly shows V-mon press a button.

So, good news is that instead of drowning, we're now sealed in an enclosed coffin deep beneath the ocean with a limited supply of air. Bad news is....

Daisuke: WE'RE SAVED!!!

Miyako earns some Senpai Points by cradling Hikari to quiet her worries, though that questionable look on her face may imply some ulterior motives. Miyako, what is that face? Why are you smiling right now?

Tailmon: But now what? Miyako/Hikari: Huh? / Eh? Tailmon: We can't go back up, so we're trapped down here.

Nobody has an answer to that. The reality of what Tailmon said slowly settles in on them all. Outside the shaft, MegaSeadramon lurks in the waters. Waiting them out.

The flashback ends here. That is the story of how we came to be deep inside an oil rig and under attack by MegaSeadramon. We entered an oil rig and then got attacked by MegaSeadramon.

Look, not everything has to be complicated okay?

In the dub:

Davis: Great! The water can't get in! Gatomon: Yeah, but we can't get out! (Yolei and Kari look at Gatomon) Gatomon: And even if we could, then we'd just be bait because MegaSeadramon's still out there waiting for us. (Cut to MegaSeadramon out there) MegaSeadramon: Ehehehehehehehe....

Solid. Gatomon adds the valid point that even if they could escape, there is still the problem of a very powerful Digimon trying to murder them. They aren't just fucked, they are turbo-fucked.

Back in the present, Iori continues spiraling.

Iori: It's all my fault... It's all my-- Armadimon: What's all this about it being your fault-dagyaa? Iori: Can't you see? I shouldn't have rushed in here without even considering that it might be a trap! Armadimon: That's not true-dagyaa. It just so happened that you were first-dagyaa! Iori: (forcefully) It's all my fault!

It is true. Iori let his eagerness for a second Digimental get the better of him and Leroy Jenkins'd the whole affair. We didn't even have time to be cautious because everyone had to run to catch up to him.

But, in fairness? Even if we had the chance to be cautious, this team of hyperactive children too enthusiastic for their own good would have just walked straight in anyway, so Armadimon is right too. They do not have a fantastic track record of avoiding peril.

The veterans are a little better at it but only because they have so much experience dumbassing themselves into situations already.

Patamon: Hey, guys! What's this!?

Patamon, the only one of them who's actually been looking for solutions thus far, suddenly calls out to the others. He's found a compartment in the wall containing a single-person submersible.

Hawkmon: Oh! It reads "Emergency Escape Pod". Daisuke: YES!!! WE'RE SAVED!!! Patamon: But it looks like it's only for one person.

We could probably squeeze two or three in there, but it'd be a tight fit. Definitely not five people and their associated critters. Also, it's child-sized? What a terrible safety measure for an oil rig. Not only is it woefully insufficient but it kind of implies this rig is staffed by child laborers.

I am absolutely filing a complaint with Digimon OSHA as soon as we get out of here and maybe also the Digimon Labor Board.

(In seriousness, the rig is probably staffed by nobody. Like the perpetual motion factory on File Island, it just does things.)

In the dub:

Cody: (thinking) I've never been so scared in my whole life.... Cody: We're not gonna make it out alive, are we!?

The dub uses those ominous words to send us off for the first commercial break, then picks back up right where they left off upon return.

Cody: Urrrrrrgh.... Armadillomon: Why ya so upset, Cody? Cody: I've had this nightmare ever since I was little. The dream was always the same. I was trapped at the bottom of the ocean and I couldn't get out! Armadillomon: Hey, we'll find a way outta here, I promise! It was just a dream. By the way, how did it end? Cody: (forceful) I always woke up! Patamon: Well, this doesn't look like a dream. It sure looks real to me! What the heck is it? Hawkmon: I do believe it says it's an Emergency Ejection Vehicle. Davis: Alright, we're saved! Look out, sunshine; Here we come! Patamon: Uh-oh! It only holds one person!

As Patamon delivers his first line, the dub adds the mechanical sound of the escape pod's compartment opening offscreen, indicating that Patamon's pressed a button or something. This makes more sense than the submersible sitting out there in plain view five feet to the group's left, going unnoticed.

In the original, it does just seem to be sitting there. Failed Spot Checks all around. In fact, the first shot we see shows it partway out of the compartment. It's about halfway over the line in the floor marking the edge of the compartment. But subsequent shots show it more firmly tucked inside. The submersible subtly moves between shots, making either interpretation plausible. But it's likely supposed to have been tucked inside the whole time, whether or not the door was open.

Also, Cody remains wildly off-script. They have written an entirely new narrative about phobias to take the place of his feelings of guilt and personal responsibility.

The children spend no time at all deliberating what to do about the pod. They're in agreement before a single word is spoken.

Hikari: I think Iori-kun should go. Cody: Eh? Miyako: Definitely! I was thinking the same thing! Takeru: Me too. Cody: EHHH!?!? V-mon: How about you, Daisuke? Daisuke: Huh? Hikari: (big smile at Daisuke) It's obvious, right? Daisuke: (blushes) Oh yeah, I agree with Hikari-chan too....

Correction: Three of them were on the same page. Daisuke, on the other hand, has no idea what's going on but Hikari knows what buttons to push to get him to blindly go along with it.

Hikari: That settles it, Iori-kun. Go ahead and climb into the escape pod. Cody: W-Why me!? Is it just because I'm little? Because if so, I refuse! Daisuke: What!? You refuse!? You're saying, after everything we're trying to do for you, that you won't take it!? Cody: I CAN'T TAKE IT!!! Daisuke: QUIT WHINING AND TAKE IT!!! Cody: I REFUSE!!!

This is going nowhere.

Hawkmon: Iori would say that, wouldn't he? Miyako: (quietly) Leave it to me. (loudly, to group) Hey, I have an idea! Why don't we draw straws, so there's no hard feelings. Armadimon: Draw straws-dagyaa? Daisuke: You really want to decide it like that...?

Daisuke doesn't like this plan, but Hikari quickly lends her voice to Miyako's to smooth it over.

Hikari: No, it's a great idea! I like it. Would that be okay, Iori-kun?

Iori is as surprised as Daisuke by this suggestion, but he nods in agreement. He's onboard with the lottery plan. That seems fair.

In the dub:

Kari: In that case, Cody should be the one to go. Cody: Huh!? Yolei: He's the one! I agree! T.K.: I think we all agree! (forcefully) Right, Davis? Veemon: Well, how about it? Davis: Uhhh.... Kari: (big smile at Davis) Yeah? Davis: (blushes) Of course I agree. Cody's the one to go. Kari: Then it's all settled! Go ahead, Cody. Climb into the pod! Cody: The reason you want me to go is because I'm afraid! Well, I won't go! I just have to face my fear!

...what is that even supposed to mean? Cody wants to face his fear of being trapped at the bottom of the ocean with no way out by continuing to have no way out. Um?

Iori, by contrast, accuses them all of patronizing him for his age, which nobody really denies.

Davis: Cody, are you nuts!? You're gonna get out of here alive! If I was given that chance, I'd be all over it like a cheap suit! Cody: ALRIGHT, THEN YOU GO!!! Davis: I CAN'T GO BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING!!! Cody: I AM NOT GOING!!! Hawkmon: To be honest, I can't tell which one of them is the youngest. Yolei: (quietly) Relax, I've got a plan. (loudly, to group) Here's what we're gonna do. We'll draw straws and whoever wins gets to go! Armadillomon: It sounds fair to me. Davis: Not me! I'm not good at drawing! Kari: That seems like a really good plan, Yolei. I'm in! How does that sound to you, Cody? Cody: Uh... Mhm.

"I'm not good at drawing!" Goddammit, that got me. XD

Hikari and Miyako work together to prepare the straws, using their bodies to block anyone else from seeing the preparation. It is unclear what, exactly, they're using to make them.

V-mon: You don't need to make any for us Digimon. Tailmon: No, since we're here, you should make them for us too. Patamon: I want to draw too! Takeru: That's right! Humans and Digimon are equals! Daisuke: Let's decide with rock-paper-scissors! Takeru: Gack....

That suggestion takes the wind out of Takeru's sails. He turns to Daisuke and tries to urge him to fucking cool it.

Takeru: (forcefully) Drawing straws is fine.... Daisuke: Huh?

Soon, Miyako and Hikari have prepared ten straws. Miyako holds them in her hand and offers them to the group.

Miyako: So! First up is-- Daisuke: I'll go.

Daisuke reaches for a straw, but Takeru shoves his dumb ass out of the way and drags Iori over by the arm instead. Subtle.

Takeru: Iori-kun is first! Iori: I-I am? Armadimon: Yeah, draw one-dagyaa! Iori: O-Okay....

Despite his misgivings about how weird this is becoming, Iori agrees and reaches for a straw.

In the dub:

Veemon: Don't bother making any straws for me, Yolei. I'm not thirsty. Gatomon: Actually, to be fair, they should make straws for all of us. Patamon: I agree! T.K.: We're all in this together, so we should all have an equal chance to make it out of here! Davis: That's right! One for all and all for me! T.K.: ...I don't think that's how it goes. Davis: Huh? (Yolei presents the straws) Yolei: One of them has red on the bottom. Davis: Okay! (reaches for a straw) (T.K. shoves Davis away and drags Cody over) T.K.: Wait! Let's let Cody go first! Cody: (stammering) Uh-- But-- Why me!? Armadillomon: Just do it, Cody. Cody: (resigned) Oh, alright....

They took out the part where Daisuke suggests playing janken and Takeru has to hiss at him to shut the fuck up.

Because not only is ten-person janken unmanageable but it is also incredibly difficult to rig. Daisuke again is not following along with the groupthink and instead blindly agreeing with whatever Hikari said last, so he's inadvertently getting in the way. This doesn't quite come across with Davis.

Iori draws the first lot. And, shockingly, he pulls the red straw! Iori wins!

Miyako: CONGRATULATIONS, IORI!!! Hikari: You pulled the winning straw on the very first try! Armadimon: Looks like it was fate after all-dagyaa! Takeru: Go on, Iori-kun!

Yeah, all of this is suspicious as hell. Iori glares at the straw in his hand like it's about to give him the flu. Then he takes the straw and slaps the back of Miyako's hand with it.

Miyako: Eep!

Miyako drops the straws, revealing every last one of them to have a red tip.

Miyako: What was that for!? Iori: Isn't this cheating!? Miyako: ...sure, I guess it's cheating, but-- Iori: It isn't fair! Miyako: Well, you didn't leave us many options! Hikari: That's right! We did it because you're being stubborn!

While they're arguing with Iori about this, Daisuke and V-mon marvel at the straws on the ground and finally catch up to the rest of the group.

Daisuke: Wow, what an idea.... V-mon: I had been wondering what I was supposed to do if I won.... Hawkmon: Did neither of you realize...? V-mon: Wait, the rest of you knew!? Tailmon: It was common sense.

The trick was so obvious that even the one person whose head it was supposed to go over caught on. Sorry guys, you're just dim.

Iori: In any case, I'm not going! Hikari: Daisuke! Takeru-kun! Daisuke & Takeru: RIGHT!!!

Diplomacy has failed. Subterfuge has failed. Time to resort to violence. Daisuke and Takeru each take one of Iori's arms and lift him up.

Iori: Ah! Let me go! Let me go! LET ME GOOOOOO!!!

The boys throw Iori into the escape pod and seal it up before he can get out. Plan C is a triumphant success.

In the dub:

Yolei: Cody, you're it! Kari: I can't believe you picked the straw on the first try! Armadillomon: Talk about beginner's luck! That was amazing, Cody! T.K.: So climb in! (Cody smacks Yolei's hand and makes her drop the straws) Yolei: Hey! What'd you do that for!? Cody: All the straws have red on them! Yolei: The first one was so pretty, I just couldn't stop coloring? Cody: YOU CHEATED!!! Yolei: Alright, but we had no other choice! Kari: She's right! You were being so stubborn about it! Davis: I still don't understand. Veemon: I guess they set the whole thing up so Cody would feel like he had to go. Hawkmon: Do you mean that neither of you two were in on the plan? Veemon: You mean everyone knew but us!? Gatomon: Of course we did! Cody: So what!? I'm still not going! Kari: Davis! T.K.! Davis & T.K.: RIGHT!!! (Davis and T.K. grab Cody) Cody: HUH!?!? HEY, LET ME GO!!! PUT ME DOWN!!!

I like the addition of Yolei lying badly to try and smooth over the cheating.

I take a little issue with the reveal that everyone was "in on it" because that implies that, like, they all conspired to make this outcome happen. They sort of did, but each of them had to figure it out for themselves. The gag here is that Daisuke and V-mon just weren't observant enough to catch on when literally everyone else (including Iori, unfortunately) figured it out.

The dub's circling the idea but their phrasing makes it sound like the others had been informed somehow, and Davis and Veemon were simply left out of the loop.

As the pod closes up, Hikari gives Iori his marching orders.

Hikari: Iori-kun, once you get back, tell Jou-san what happened. Ikkakumon is the only one who can save us from this situation.

A glass door closes over the compartment, revealed to be an airlock. Due to an animation error, it closes incorrectly; The door with Iori and the escape pod behind it is off-center to the left by a wide margin. This leaves a huge gap where the empty airlock is visible while water fills up the chamber behind the glass, including the section of not-airlock to the left.

Armadimon: We believe in you, Iori-dagyaa! Iori: Let me out! LET ME OUT OF HERE!!!

Miyako looks out the window, watching MegaSeadramon patrol the oil rig area. Once the creature's far enough away, she gives the command.

Miyako: Now! MegaSeadramon just left! Daisuke: Yes!

Against Iori's will, they launch the pod and send him safely back up to surface, where the Digital Gate is waiting.

If Iori and Jou make it back to rescue everyone but they're too late and everybody's dead, he's going to think that it's his fault for taking too long to retrieve Jou. And I just want him to know, from the bottom of my heart, that it won't be true.

It will be his fault because he wasted so much of the limited air supply arguing about going and even getting into shouting matches over it. It's a myth that talking uses more air than breathing; As long as you're talking calmly at a normal breathing pace, it's fine.

But the rate at which people are breathing is nonetheless the biggest danger. Yelling and arguing and physically wrestling does use more air than slow, controlled breaths and calm speaking. And anything that makes people breathe faster is bad.

In the dub:

Davis: Now, Cody, make sure you keep your arms and legs inside the ride at all times. Kari: As soon as you get back, find Joe and tell him what happened. Ikkakumon's the only one who can get us out of this place. Armadillomon: Good luck, Cody! Cody: Wait a second, guys! LET ME OUT OF HERE!!! (The airlock fills with water. Yolei watches MegaSeadramon through the window) Yolei: Okay! MegaSeadramon's not watching; Let's do it! Davis: Right! (They launch the pod) Cody: (thinking) Okay... I can do this... If I just hold perfectly still.... (Pod reaches the surface) Cody: (thinking) I made it! Oh, fresh air....

Davis makes a quip at the start, while Cody gets a couple extra lines at the end to advance the dub plot regarding his fear of the ocean.

Cut to Iori making his way on foot to the apartment complex Odaiba T.D.W. Garden, named in English. This is where he, Takeru, and Miyako all live. I don't know what T.D.W. is supposed to mean in context but creatively, they probably came up with those initials because of "The Digital World". Just a hunch.

Once home, Iori grabs the phone and tries to call Jou.

Recording: The number you have dialed cannot be reached, because it is either outside of its service area or turned off.

Well, that didn't work. Next, Iori goes through the phone book.

Iori: Kido... Kido....

Presumably he called Jou's home and talked to Jou's family or something because we next see him standing outside the elevator. Would you believe that Jou's studying for entrance exams? It's so unlike him.

Iori: Shinagawa cram school... Shinagawa cram school....

Once the elevator arrives, Iori's mother Fumiko and his grandfather Chikara step out. Chikara's sucking down a ChuChu Jelly while Fumiko carries grocery bags.

Fumiko: Oh, Iori? You're home already? Iori: Eh? Uh.... Fumiko: Good timing. I'd like you to go run an errand for me at Nobuzane-san's. Iori: Uh, you see... Right now.... Fumiko: Do you have something more important to do? Iori: Well.... Fumiko: What is it? Please tell me. Iori: I'm sorry. I can't say. Fumiko: What do you mean, you can't say? Chikara: You should let it go, Fumiko-san. Fumiko: Huh? Chikara: If you force Iori to talk, he'll have no choice but to tell a lie he clearly doesn't want to tell. If he can't say, then that can be enough. It's a better answer than being lied to. (firmly) You should never tell a lie.

With that, Iori bows to his parents.

Iori: Thank you very much!

The elevator dings, returning from dropping off its other occupant. Iori hurries inside and gives his family one last look before heading off for Shinagawa.

...while I do see where Grandpa's coming from, I too would have concerns if my nine-year-old suddenly had secret business in another part of the city and refused to tell me why. Iori is not old enough to have confidential pressing affairs. I'm on Fumiko's side here. He's up to something.

Which. He is. All of Iori's friends suffocating to death in an oil rig absolutely qualifies as a thing their parents would want to know about and put a stop to. By definition, kid heroes are always up to something.

Chikara's advice is... complicated. Because it's true, children do reach an age where they start having their own secrets and private lives, and trying to force them to share things they don't want to share can erode trust between a parent and their child. Parents might think that strict parenting will make their child behave, but it actually just teaches children how to lie and sneak around behind a parent's back.

The best-case scenario is that your child trusts you to be open and honest about the things they're going to be doing whether you want them to or not. So they feel comfortable letting you be their emergency phone call or sharing their whereabouts with you. So they trust you enough to ask for your advice, rather than having it forced on them and promptly ignored. Which can mean loosening the cord and accepting their autonomy.

I think this is what Chikara's driving at.

...but nine is nonetheless a little young to start undergoing teenage independence.

In the dub:

Joe: (recording) Hi! This is Joe. Sorry I can't answer my cell phone right now but I had to turn it off so it wouldn't ring during my biology test. I'm pretty good at biology so I'll turn it back on real soon. Unless the test is on molecular biology... Oogh, I have to go study. Bye! (Cody hangs up and flips through the phone book) Cody: I have to find Joe's school....

That is a startlingly personalized voicemail message. Does Joe record a new message every time he has to turn his phone off?

Here, the dub once again has to confront the problem of Joe's cram school and resolves it by putting Joe in regular school, consequently implying that the junior team are skipping class right now.

As an aside, Iori searching the phone book for Jou's family name and then running off to Jou's school is a little "missing step", but you can infer that he called Jou's house and found out about cram school that way.

Cody flipping through the phone book to "find Joe's school" is completely inscrutable. Does Joe's school provide a listing of active students in the phone book?

Fumiko: Oh, Cody! You're home. Cody: Uh.... Fumiko: I'm glad, because I have some errands I want you to run for me. Now, do you want to write it down or will you remember? Cody: Well, I can't. I'm kinda busy. Fumiko: What's so important? Cody: Well, uh.... Fumiko: Come on, Cody. You can tell me what it is. Cody: I'm sorry, but... I can't. Fumiko: You know I don't like you keeping secrets from me. Chikara: You should not keep asking him about it. Fumiko: Huh? Chikara: If he's forced to tell you something, he might have to tell you a lie even though that's not what he wants to do. It's better that he say nothing at all rather than say something that isn't the truth. There's nothing worse than telling a lie, you see. Cody: Prune juice sure makes you smart, Grandpa! (Cody bows and gets on the elevator) Cody: I'll be back soon! Thanks, Grandpa.

Solid. Hits all the key points.

They once again refer to the ChuChu Jelly as prune juice, and that is the biggest difference between the two versions.

Down in the oil rig, the steadily diminishing air supply is making people irritable.

Daisuke bangs his head against the railing until Miyako calls out to him.

Miyako: Hey, could you stop that? It's annoying to listen to. Daisuke: Is that right? Why don't you stop tapping your foot? (imitating Miyako) It's annoying to watch. Miyako: I'm not doing that because I want to!

Anyone who fidgets involuntarily can feel Miyako right now.

Armadimon: Guys, we shouldn't start bickering. Daisuke: (turns away) We're not! Armadimon: (skeptical) Really? Miyako: (turns away) Really! Armadimon: Whatever you say. Hey, let's all sing a song to lighten up the mood! Hikari: I'm sorry, I'm not really in the mood. Hawkmon: How can you even think of something like that at a time like this? Armadimon: Because I have faith in Iori. Miyako: I have faith in him too, but we're up against a time limit here. Daisuke: Yeah, if we don't get out of here soon, we'll run out of air. And when the air is gone... it's gone....

Which is why we probably shouldn't be burning oxygen by bickering so much. Iori wasted a lot of the limited air by resisting earlier. Daisuke and Miyako just wasted more of it. Armadimon wanted to sing a fucking song. These kids understand the basic concept of a finite air supply but they don't actually know how this works or what you should do in these conditions.

They're on a clock, but they're also exacerbating the situation. They are burning up their limited time because not one of them understands how air actually works. Because children!

This episode is giving me anxiety.

The team languishes in silence for a moment, crushed under the reality of what Miyako and Daisuke said. Then the sound effect of a slide whistle plays and Hawkmon awkwardly topples over the railing. It's super abrupt and bizarre, as if the puppeteer controlling him suddenly tripped and fell backstage.

Hawkmon: Oop! Daisuke: Huh?

...was that a fucking outtake?

In the dub:

Yolei: Do you have to keep banging your head!? You're driving me crazy! Davis: Huh? Yolei: It hurts just watching you! Davis: I'll stop when you stop tapping your foot like that! It's rather annoying! Yolei: How about if I tap my foot ON YOUR HEAD!?!? Armadillomon: There's no reason for you two to be fighting. Davis: (turns away) WE'RE NOT!!! Armadillomon: Or arguing! Yolei: (turns away) WE'RE NOT!!! Armadillomon: Good. Well, I'm glad that's settled. Now, how about a nice game of checkers? We can use my shell as the board.

I would ask where Armadillomon expects us to find pieces but Miyako pulled those straws from earlier right out of her ass so manifesting checkers pieces out of thin air should be no more difficult.

Kari: I'm sorry, but I don't feel like playing a game right now. Hawkmon: Forgive me, Armadillomon, but how can you be thinking of playing games at a time like this? Armadillomon: Easy. 'Cause I know Cody will come and rescue us. Yolei: We all know Cody will try his best, but I just don't know if he'll make it back in time. Davis: My guess is that we've only got a couple of hours left... and shortly after that, we'll completely run out of air.... Group: .... (Down Hawkmon goes for some reason) Davis: Huh?

Davis estimates the length of time remaining and I have no idea how he, of all people, came up with that number. In the original, Miyako just points out that they have limited time but offers no guess as to how long. Because none of them have any idea how long they have.

That's part of the overbearing dread. We might have enough air to survive the next ten hours. We might die in fifteen minutes. We have no way of measuring how much time is left.

Back in the human world, Iori arrives at Shinagawa cram school and speaks to a receptionist at the front desk.

Receptionist: He's taking a test right now, kiddo. Iori: But we need Kido Jou-san! It's an emergency! Receptionist: We have a policy of not interrupting people during an exam. Well, if a family member was in an accident or a parent had taken ill and been hospitalized or something, that'd be a different story. Iori: His parents are in the hosp--

Iori suddenly cuts himself off before he can finish telling the lie.

In his mind's eye, he can see them all clearly. Their air gone, collapsing to the ground. Their bodies lying still on the middle floor.

But then he remembers his grandfather's words.

Chikara: You should never tell a lie. (End flashback) Iori: What... What should I do!?

Lie like a motherfucker. People's lives are in danger! But, as Iori hesitates, taken by this conflict, we go to commercial.

In the dub:

Receptionist: I'm sorry but he's taking a test right now. Cody: But this is an emergency! I need to see Joe! Receptionist: The rules say, "Don't interrupt anyone during the test." Now, if there had been some kind of accident or maybe a member of his family was rushed to a hospital or something like that, it would be a different story. Otherwise, you have to wait. Cody: But there was an accident! (Cody imagines everyone dying) Cody: And someone might have to go to the hospital! (Flashback to Chikara) Chikara: There's nothing worse than lying, understand? (End flashback) Cody: Yeah, but... What do I do now!?

For some reason, the dub uses a different take for the flashback than the one they used when Chikara said it. The line in the actual scene was "There's nothing worse than telling a lie, you see."

Inconsistent flashbacks were all over the place in the first series dub. I think there was one time where they flashed back on a scene and it was actually the same dialogue as in the scene they were referencing. But that was generally across episodes and often a product of forgetting to say a thing from the original script before WHOOPS that thing they didn't mention is now relevant to the plot.

Here, I am baffled by why they didn't use the same audio clip for both lines.

In any case, the dub also takes their second commercial break here.

Returning from the commercial break, we check back in with the team in the oil rig. A curious metallic clacking and scraping is echoing through the water. MegaSeadramon's quit their patrols and taken a stationary position, watching the rig curiously.

Takeru was notably absent during the bickering earlier. It seems this is where he's been: On a lower floor of the rig. He's located a pickaxe and we find him digging up dirt beneath the metal floor.

Hikari: What are you doing, Takeru-kun? Takeru: The Digimental should be under here. Daisuke: You can't seriously be thinking about the Digimental at a time like this! Takeru: You might be right, but wouldn't it be a waste of time to just sit around doing nothing?

This was the real reason they wanted him to be the one to go. You heard Iori. It's a race to reach the Digimental first. And while Iori's preoccupied, Takeru's seizing his chance to win.

To answer Takeru's question, no. As a matter of fact, doing hard manual labor to the point that you start sweating profusely is much worse than doing nothing. It increases your breathing rate and causes you to burn up the limited air supply.

There's a reason that nobody suggests doing jumping jacks when trapped in an airtight survival situation. What are you doing, child!? The best thing any of them can do right now is sit still, take slow and controlled breaths, and avoid any unnecessary physical activity or shouting.

Hawkmon: Miyako-san, we should lend a hand. Miyako: Yeah! Tailmon: Let's all help out! V-mon: Yeah! Armadimon: (pushing rocks) That's right-dagyaa!

NO. BAD. I NO LONGER BLAME IORI IF EVERYONE SUFFOCATES DOWN HERE.

In the dub, since they don't pay attention to the original's sounds, T.K.'s mining isn't so loud. During the shots slowly zooming back in to the rig and showing MegaSeadramon watching the rig carefully, we don't hear the "TOK. TOK. TOK." ringing through the water. T.K.'s pickaxe only makes noise inside the rig.

Kari: T.K., what are you doing over there? T.K.: I think the Digi-Egg is buried somewhere in here so I'm trying to find it. Davis: Shouldn't you be more worried about trying to get out of here!? T.K.: I just didn't feel like sitting around here doing nothing so I figured, at least, let's find the Digi-Egg! Hawkmon: That sounds like a good idea. Let's help. Yolei: Right! Gatomon: What do you say? Shall we? Veemon: Sure! Armadillomon: (pushing rocks) Left! Left!

Solid.

Armadillomon's doing an army cadence to motivate himself.

Back in the human world, Jou comes running down the hall in his cram school.

Jou: D-DAAAAAAD!!!

Iori hesitated for a moment but as soon as we left for commercial, he lied like a motherfucker. Because people's lives are in danger! Sorry, Gramps, but your advice today is bad and you should be ashamed.

Outside of the school building, Jou and Iori run full-sprint down the sidewalk.

Iori: Jou-san! I'm so, so sorry! How can I make it up to you? Jou: Don't worry about it! I was shocked at first, but at a time like this, there wasn't any other choice! Iori: Really, I'm very sorry.... Jou: I already said it's fine!

Suddenly, Jou stops running. He fishes around in his backpack for something.

Jou: Ah, that's right.... Iori: What are you doing? (Jou pulls out a phone) Iori: We have to hurry! Jou: I know, but first I need to call Koushiro.

Jou dials the number. It rings a couple times, but then Koushiro picks up.

Jou: Ah, Koushiro! Turns out, Daisuke and the others are in a lot of trouble, so I need you to do something for me....

Naturally, we cut away before we find out what Jou intends.

In the dub:

Joe: My dad's in the hospital!? HOLD ON PAAAAAA!!! (Cut to Joe and Cody running on the sidewalk) Cody: Sorry I lied and said your dad was sick, but I had to get you out of class! Joe: Don't worry about it, Cody! I'm just glad to know my dad's okay. Besides, this is a real emergency and you had no other choice! Cody: Yeah, but since your dad's alright, why are you still running!? (Joe stops) Joe: Oh. Right. Yeah. (Joe fishes around his bag for his phone) Joe: Let's see, I've gotta turn my phone back on. Cody: Now!? We're running out of time! Joe: I realize that but I've gotta tell Izzy. (Joe makes the call) Joe: For once in your life, get off the computer and answer the phone! ... Hey, Izzy! It's Joe. The others are trapped under an offshore oil platform and they need our help. Now, I want you to try to track down a very old friend of ours....

Joe gives away a bit more of what the plan is. Jou plays it close to his chest while Joe basically spells it out for anyone who watched the first series.

Cody isn't nearly as apologetic as Iori. Iori is practically beside himself with remorse for telling a lie after his grandpa told him it's a bad awful horrible wrong thing to ever, ever do. Cody spends the first line of apologies explaining and justifying himself, and then spends the second line delivering a joke.

The gag here is that Joe was running to the hospital until Cody stopped him. In the original, they're trying to get back to Odaiba Elementary so they can enter the Digital World.

Down in the oil rig, Takeru hits paydirt.

He uncovers a new Digimental branded with Jou's Crest of Sincerity/Reliability.

Hikari steps up to try it first. She grips the Digimental and lifts, but it won't budge.

Hikari: It's not mine. Takeru: Then it must be Iori-kun's after all. Armadimon: Then that means I'm gonna get a new Armor Evolution! Patamon: But what will you Armor Evolve into? Armadimon: Oh, that's obvious. Surely....

Armadimon imagines something that's basically Angemon in a metal suit.

Armadimon: Ehehehehe.... Daisuke: Nah, that can't be it. It's probably....

Daisuke imagines a form that's just a bigger Armadimon with a bunch of spikes sticking out of it.

Daisuke: Something like that. Miyako: I think....

Miyako whispers her guess into Hikari's ear. We don't get to see, but Armadimon listens in and all three have a good laugh out of it.

The ironic thing about Daisuke's guess is that although he's wrong, Daisuke has pretty accurately guessed at what Armadimon's Adult form is going to look like.

It's nice that everyone's getting along. ^_^ It's less nice that laughing burns up your oxygen faster.

In the dub:

Hikari: I guess it's not mine. T.K.: Then that must mean it belongs to Cody. Armadillomon: Yeah, and that means that I'm the one who gets to Armor Digivolve. Yeehaw! Patamon: I wonder what kind of Digimon you're gonna be? Armadillomon: I think I have a pretty good idea. Like this! (Metal armor Angemon) Armadillomon: Ehehehehehe.... Davis: I think it will be more like this! (Spiky Armadillomon) Davis: Kinda like a porcupine! (Yolei whispers to Hikari) Yolei: I kinda hope he's the handsome one. (Yolei, Hikari, and Armadillomon all laugh)

Solid. Kinda kills me in both versions that Takeru doesn't even both giving it a tug. He's just like, "Yeah, no, I know my limitations. I'm good."

V-mon: Everyone's laughing.... Hawkmon: Armadimon's faith in Iori-san has spread to Miyako-san and the others. Patamon: That's great! Tailmon: But they're also tiring out.

As Tailmon talks, we see the kids are no longer laughing. They're slumped against whatever's near them, breathing hard.

Tailmon: They're trying to keep their spirits up by forcing themselves to laugh, but they're all approaching their physical and mental limits. V-mon: Oh no....

And also using up the air faster arghabarghbargh

Suddenly, Miyako starts coughing

Hikari: A-Are you okay, Miyako-san!?

When her coughing fit ends, Miyako looks at Hikari... then past Hikari. Out the window behind Hikari, she sees a shadow slowly approaching the oil rig through the murky water.

Miyako: Huh? I-It can't be... Am I seeing things?

Miyako and Hikari both take a closer look out the window as the shadow takes shape.

Miyako: Ikkakumon! Hikari: Ikkakumon's here to save us! Miyako & Hikari: IKKAKUMON!!!

The boys hurry over to the window to see what they're looking at too.

In the dub:

Veemon: I don't get it. How come everyone's laughing? Hawkmon: It's just one of those times when you feel like you can't help but laugh! Patamon: That's right! Gatomon: See, everyone's so tired, they're pretending nothing's wrong. (Everyone is exhausted) Gatomon: Laughter's just a way to cover things up. You know, sort of like I do in the catbox! Veemon: How sad.

And also gross. Thanks, Gatomon.

(Yolei has a coughing fit) Kari: Yolei, are you going to be alright? Yolei: I think so.... (Yolei notices the shadow) Yolei: Am I seeing things? Ikkakumon.... (Kari and Yolei look out the window) Yolei: (gasp) Look, everybody! Ikkakumon's here to save us! Yolei & Kari: IKKAKUMON!!!

Solid. I'm not actually mad at the catbox joke. Digimon poop. Sometimes they poop onscreen. Sometimes they poop onscreen and then throw it at Mimi specifically. It's just. A thing that happens.

In any case, Ikkakumon is here! We're saved! We're--

Ikkakumon: Sorry to keep you wai--

Out of nowhere, a sudden flick of MegaSeadramon's tail sends Ikkakumon flying.

Ikkakumon: That's... MegaSeadramon!

Why are you surprised? Did Iori not mention this? Goddammit, Iori. You had one job.

MegaSeadramon is a Perfect-stage Data-attribute Aquatic Digimon. We saw one of these in the first series among the mercenaries Tailmon recruited to invade Tokyo for Vamdemon. They destroyed the Rainbow Bridge like a complete fucking asshole and then got konked in the head by Zudomon, so this is sort of a grudge match.

Though this is not that same MegaSeadramon. That one never made it back to the Digital World and actually we never even saw them die. These days, they're probably living the good life as a new cryptid stalking the waters around the Philippines or something.

Narrator: MegaSeadramon! A Perfect-stage Digimon that relentlessly hunts down their opponents like a homing torpedo. Their special attack is Thunder Javelin! Ikkakumon: (thinking) I defeated them in Tokyo before... But can I still win without becoming Zudomon?

MegaSeadramon answers by flicking their tail and effortlessly slapping Ikkakumon down to the seafloor.

Ikkakumon: UWAAAAAAUGH!!!

Daisuke rudely shoves the girls away from the window so that he can see.

Daisuke: IKKAKUMON!!!

And he wonders why they were more charmed by five minutes with Wallace than the past few months with him. Hikari will remember this.

This is our first hint that something is up with the veterans' evolution abilities besides the Dark Digivice and Dark Towers. Ikkakumon is worried that he won't be able to beat MegaSeadramon without going Zudomon, so the natural follow-up question is... Why doesn't he just do that? Why didn't he go Zudomon before even coming down here?

And while we won't find out for a while, there is an answer to that. There is a reason that they can't evolve past Adult. Uh... as long as you forget that you saw the angels in the movie. ...and also Angewomon in the Dagomon episode.

In the dub:

Ikkakumon: Sorry I'm late-- (MegaSeadramon flicks him away) Ikkakumon: It's MegaSeadramon, my old foe! Ikkakumon: (rundown) He's an Ultimate-level Digimon who destroys his enemies with his Lightning Javelin and Mega Ice Blast attacks! Ikkakumon: I have faced him once before in Tokyo, but I don't think I can defeat him unless I digivolve to Zudomon! (MegaSeadramon tail slaps Ikkakumon) Ikkakumon: UWAAAAAAUGH!!! (Davis shoves the girls aside) Davis: IKKAKUMON!!!

Ikkakumon claims in both versions to have fought MegaSeadramon before in Tokyo. He describes them simply as ことわ koto wa, as simply... that, them, it, the thing in front of me. I have fought that before. This muddies the waters about whether this is supposed to be the same MegaSeadramon.

They really can't be. I like to joke about that one surviving but even if they died, there are other reasons they couldn't have reincarnated and appeared here now, which will be kind of plot-critical near the end of the series.

But there is a possibility that they made it back here through a plot hole, I suppose. In any case, it really raises the "Um, what?" hackles to see Ikkakumon suggest this is the same Digimon as the one from the first series, but he got that straight out of the Japanese script.

Maybe they survived the battle and then Homeostasis picked them up out of the ocean while they were menacing some fisherman, like Parrotmon and Hikari's Greymon.

Ikkakumon: HARPOON VULCAN!!!

Landing on the seabed, Ikkakumon returns fire with a Harpoon Vulcan straight into MegaSeadramon's face. MegaSeadramon roars from the impact.

Daisuke: Yeah! Now get in there and aim for the Evil Spiral! Ikkakumon: HARPOON VULCAN!!!

Ikkakumon fires a follow-up shot for the Evil Spiral wrapped around the end of MegaSeadramon's tail. But MegaSeadramon moves too swiftly in the water. They swim up, pulling their tail out of Ikkakumon's line of fire long before the shot arrives.

MegaSeadramon returns fire with Thunder Javelin. A surge of lightning shoots from MegaSeadramon's horn, tearing up the seabed in a line right towards Ikkakumon before hitting him like a truck. The blast throws Ikkakumon off his feet and sends him tumbling across the seafloor. This is not how any of these physics work when you're underwater. XD

In the dub:

Ikkakumon: HARPOON TORPEDO!!! (Ikkakumon shoots MegaSeadramon in the face) Davis: That's the way! Keep going! Aim for the Dark Spiral! Ikkakumon: HARPOON TORPEDO!!! (That one's a miss) MegaSeadramon: LIGHTNING JAVELIN!!!

MegaSeadramon calls his attack in this version.

Miyako, Hikari, and Daisuke watch the fighting through the window. Suddenly, the oil rig shakes violently.

Miyako, Hikari, & Daisuke: IKKAKUMO--WAAAAAAUGH!!!

A torrent of water sprays down from above, washing the three of them away from the window.

Daisuke: WHAT'S HAPPENING!?!?

What's happening is a breach. Up above, a hole in the wall wrenches open as Whamon forces their way through. Once their head is inside the rig, Whamon opens their mouth to reveal Jou and Iori standing on their tongue.

Jou: We're here to save you! Iori: Everyone, please hurry up and climb into Whamon's mouth! Miyako: IORI!!! Patamon: JOU!!! Armadimon: See, what did I tell you-dagyaa? Daisuke: That's right! We'd be lost without Iori.

Outside, Ikkakumon recovers just in time to see MegaSeadramon's horn cutting straight down through the water at him. He rolls to his right, just barely dodging the blade as it slams into the ground.

Taking advantage of MegaSeadramon momentarily being stuck, Ikkakumon swims down the length of the creature's body and bites down onto the end of their tail, gripping it between his teeth.

In the dub:

Yolei, Kari, and Davis: WAAAAAAUGH!!! Davis: Oh, great! Now what's happening!? (Whamon smashes through the wall) Joe: Whamon's taxi service! Cody: Come on! It'll be the perfect way out of here, except for the smell! Yolei: LOOK!!! IT'S CODY!!! Patamon: JOE!!! Armadillomon: I toldja Cody would come through for us, didn't I? Davis: You sure did! And we never doubted him.

Solid.

The children start to climb up into Whamon's mouth, but they're dragging their heels about it. Hikari and Miyako makes the climb while Daisuke and Takeru remain below.

Hikari: But... why is Whamon here? Jou: I asked Koushiro to have Tentomon help us out with that. Iori: What are you doing? Please hurry up!

Suddenly, the boys down below call out from the hole Takeru dug, where the Digimental's sticking out.

Takeru: Iori-kun! Iori: What is it? Daisuke: This is your Digimental! Iori: My Digimental...? Jou: Ah! Isn't that the Crest of Sincerity? Tailmon: Sincerity suits Iori well, doesn't it? Iori: That's not true. Jou: I think it suits you perfectly, Iori-kun. Diasuke: Come on, get down here! Iori: N-no! That Digimental is the reason we were all in this mess! (quietly) ...it was all that Digimental....

Here, Iori's projecting his own self-doubt and remorse onto the Digimental. He blames himself for this, because he wanted the Digimental so badly. And so too does he blame the Digimental.

We need to talk about Jou's Crest and the twin Sincerities again for a moment. This has already come up quite a lot, so I'll be brief.

It's well known that Mimi and Jou's Crests are the Crests of Purity and Sincerity in Japanese, and the Crests of Sincerity and Reliability in English. What's lesser known is that, actually, Sincerity and Reliability are fairly apt translations for the ideas expressed in 純真 Junshin and 誠実 Seijitsu.

Mimi's virtue is that with her, what you see is what you get. She expresses herself openly and honestly, warts and all.

Jou's virtue is that he has a strong moral fiber and sense of civic responsibility. He looks after and shepherds the wellbeing of the younger children in his care. The dub called this trait "Reliability" and the fan-translation community has decided that this is "Sincerity". I would probably go with a word like "Integrity" or "Responsibility".

Mimi and Jou's virtues are honesty, by different meanings of the word. This is important because the episode's conversation around Iori centers on that range of meanings. The question surrounding Iori is whether he can be trusted to act morally, responsibly, and to put others above himself.

A question Iori answers immediately after this discussion when he sees Miyako have another coughing fit. The carbon dioxide in the air is getting to her.

Iori: More importantly, we need to hurry up and get out of here! Daisuke: Yeah, we will! Right after you come get this Digimental. Iori: I SAID I DON'T WANT IT!!! Jou: Are you serious? I'm not about to let the Crest of Sincerity become debris at the bottom of the ocean! Come with me, Iori-kun.

Jou isn't asking, he's telling. Grabbing Iori by the arm, he escorts him downstairs by force. We do not have time for a drawn-out debate.

In the dub, Whamon tells their own story rather than leaving it to Joe to recap. Courtesy of a wide shot showing Whamon's body with everyone in silhouette, he and Kari are able to converse.

Kari: I don't get it. How'd you get here, Whamon? Whamon: I swam. When Tentomon told me our friends were in trouble, I set sail. Kari: It's good to see you again. Have you lost weight? Whamon: A couple pounds. T.K.: Hey, Cody! Cody: What? Davis: You were right! It's your Digi-Egg! Cody: It is!? Why do you think that? Joe: Hey, that Digi-Egg has the Crest of Reliability on it. Gatomon: The Crest of Reliability is perfect for Cody. Cody: I don't agree with that! Joe: Well, if you ask me, I think it's a perfect fit. Davis: Come down here and get it! Cody: No way! It's because of that Digi-Egg that all of us were trapped down here in the first place! I don't want to have anything to do with it. (Miyako coughs) Cody: Besides, we're running out of time! We have to go! Davis: We will as soon as you come down here and get this Digi-Egg! Cody: I TOLD YOU THAT I DON'T WANT IT!!! Davis: Listen, we didn't come all the way down here and go through all of this just so you can say "Thanks but no thanks!" Joe: Cody, come with me.

Jou expresses frustration with Iori's behavior before grabbing and dragging him out of Whamon's mouth. The dub gives that moment to Davis, so we don't have a clear idea what's going through Joe's head when he suddenly grabs Cody and drags him away.

Nonetheless, Cody's dialogue in the dub version nails Iori's hesitancy and obstinance.

We very briefly cut back to the fight happening outside. MegaSeadramon drags their tail along the ground, trying to shake Ikkakumon off of it. And then we return to the interior oil rig as Jou brings Iori down to the Digimental.

Jou: (gently) Go on. Pick it up. Daisuke: Just grab it already. Iori: There's no point. I won't be able to lift it. Takeru: You never know until you try, right? Iori: But... but it's all my fault that we were all in danger to begin with! Daisuke: Huh? It is? V-mon: If that's what you're worried about... I mean, we were the ones who closed the shutter. Takeru: It wasn't anybody's fault. Iori: (tearing up) And I... I lied... (crying) My grandpa told me that you should never lie. That's why... It's why I don't deserve the Digimental of Sincerity!

Here, Iori lays it all out. He's in a similar position to where Daisuke was with the Digimental of Friendship. He already believes he's unworthy of the Crest, and he's afraid to even try because if he does try and it rejects him? That will be inescapable validation of all of his self-doubts.

It's easy to feel like it would be better to languish in uncertainty and doubt than to find out, for certain, that you aren't any good. Especially when you're young.

Iori feels that he betrayed his moral principles by lying and he disregarded his civic responsibility by leading the other children into danger for his own selfish desires. He feels that he has violated 誠実 Seijitsu in every possible way.

In his defense, Jou led the group straight into harm's way a few times too. Jou strongly advocated for staying at Devimon's mansion and walked right into Bakemon's clutches on File Island out of an unwillingness to accept that making contact with adult humans and going home wasn't an option. Also he yelled at everyone about eggs that one time.

None of the veterans were effortless paragons of virtue, and neither is Iori. And yet we've also seen Iori's sense of responsibility right here in this episode.

Jou comes up behind Iori, gripping Iori's shoulders to support him.

Jou: Yeah, you lied. But there are good lies and bad lies. Iori: Huh? Jou: Some lies are told to hurt people, and other lies are told to help people. Armadimon: Yeah, a lie is a means to an end-dagyaa! Jou: That's right.

Armadimon's line is "嘘も方便 Uso mo houben". This phrase, literally "Lies too are a means", is a Japanese proverb. It's basically "The ends justify the means" as it pertains to lying specifically. A lie has no intrinsic moral value and can only be judged by the purpose that telling it was meant to achieve.

Iori: But-- Jou: No buts. I can explain the whole situation to your grandfather when we get back. I wasn't hurt in the slightest by your lies. But what would have happened if you hadn't lied?

Iori wipes the tears from his eyes and smiles.

Iori: Jou-san.... Jou: Do you understand now. Iori: Yes!

Finally, Iori is ready to try and take the Digimental.

In the dub:

Joe: Alright, Cody, pick it up. It's all yours. Davis: You heard what Joe said. Cody: It can't be mine. There's no way. T.K.: You'll never know unless you try. So go ahead! Cody: I told you, I'm the one that caused this mess so it can't be my Digi-Egg! Davis: We're in this together. Veemon: Yeah. Besides, we all wanted to find the Digi-Egg, not just you. T.K.: So it's nobody's fault, then!

Cody has not, at any point, said he caused this mess. That plot point was entirely replaced with his fear of the ocean. The closest he came was when he blamed the Digi-Egg itself in the previous scene.

Additionally, Daisuke and V-mon provide a tangible counterargument for how they can be considered at fault too. Then Takeru steps in and plays peacemaker by wiping away all blame. Davis, Veemon, and T.K. are all on the same page, and nobody mentions the emergency shutter.

Cody: (tearing up) Yeah, but I also told a lie.... (crying) My grandfather said the worst thing you can do is tell a lie and that's just what I did! I don't deserve the Digi-Egg of Reliability! (Joe grips Cody's shoulders to support him) Joe: There's two kinds of lies, Cody. There are lies that are wrong and then there are the lies that are acceptable. Cody: Huh? Joe: You see, some lies can hurt people. Then again, some can actually help them. Armadillomon: Just like there's good Digimon and bad Digimon. Joe: Yeah, something like that. Cody: But-- Joe: I'll tell you what, Cody. When we get back, I'll explain the whole situation to your grandfather. I'll tell him that I wasn't hurt by your lie. As a matter of fact, if you didn't lie, we might not have made it here in time. So your lie not only helped people but actually saved their lives. (Cody wipes his eyes) Cody: Joe.... Joe: So, do we have a deal? Cody: Yeah!

This part, on the other hand, is perfect. Because it pertains to material they did not inexplicably cut from the episode until the exact moment they needed to pay it off.

Invigorated, Iori kneels down and grips the Digimental. It's time for the moment of truth.

Armadimon: Go on, Iori! Try and pick it up-dagyaa!

It doesn't come up. Whoops, it was actually Takeru's Digimental and we could have gotten out of here hours ago if he hadn't just assumed it couldn't be.

The Digimental of Sincerity comes up effortlessly, like all the others when the right hand was applied.

Iori: Ah! Daisuke: Just like we thought, it was Iori's. Armadimon: Iori! Armor Evolution-dagyaa! Iori: DIGIMENTAL UP!!!

What, now!? Gonna be super awkward if Armadimon evolves into some hulking monstrosity that won't fit in Whamon's mouth, and then they have to sheepishly undo the evolution.

In the dub:

Armadillomon: Alright, Cody! Go for it! (The Digi-Egg comes up) Cody: Ah!? Davis: See!? I told you it was yours! Armadillomon: Pardner, I'm ready when you are. Cody: DIGI-ARMOR ENERGIZE!!!

Loads of charm in that second line from Armadillomon.

The Digimental of the final Crest has been claimed. Armadimon, ARMOR SHINKAAAAAA!!!

Submarimon: WHIRLING SINCERITY, SUBMARIMON!!! Daisuke: Hoo! Sincerity's as cool as I thought! V-mon: This must be some kind of sea Digimon!

Correct. Submarimon is an Armor-stage Free-attribute Aquatic Digimon. Their name サブマリモン Sabumarimon is derived from the English word サブマリン sabumarin, or "submarine".

For some reason, the Digimon Reference Book decided we should call the English translation "Sabmarimon" and I refuse on the grounds that that's stupid. If "submarine" is sabumarin in Katakana then Sabumarimon is clearly supposed to be Submarimon. Gonna file Sabmarimon away right next to Holsmon.

This is not a case of "Nobody fucking knows how to translate Horusmon" however. The dub actually got this right and then they were later corrected incorrectly.

(For clarity on why it's サブ sabu, it's because long and short vowel sounds in English don't always make for an effective 1:1 transliteration. スブ Subu would be pronounced "soob".)

Narrator: Submarimon! An Aquatic Digimon that Armor Digivolved through the power of the Digimental of Sincerity! His special attacks are Oxygen Homing and Submarine Attack!

Jou, Takeru, and Daisuke join the girls inside Whamon's mouth.

Jou: Quick, let's get out of here!

Down below, Submarimon opens his passenger compartment for Iori.

Submarimon: Get in, Iori-dagyaa. Iori: Yeah!

Iori lays flat inside the compartment, gripping a pair of joysticks.

Iori: Yes! Let's go, Submarimon!

Submarimon's narwhal horn spins, drilling their way out of the rig and into the ocean beyond.

Nefertimon, Horusmon, Raidramon, and Pegasmon are all rideable Armor forms, but Submarimon's the only one that implies the rider has a degree of manual control over the Digimon. I have so many questions about what those joysticks do. This is some Mekanorimon shit.

In the dub:

Submarimon: SUBMARIMON, GUARDIAN OF THE SEAS!!! Davis: Well, so much for my idea of the porcupine. Veemon: Wow, a submarine! What perfect timing! Submarimon: (Rundown) I am Submarimon. I Digivolved using the Digi-Egg of Reliability. My Oxygen Torpedo attack makes my enemies truly seasick. (The boys pile into Whamon's mouth) Joe: Alright, everybody. Now let's get out of here! Submarimon: Come on, Cody. Hop in. (Cody climbs in) Cody: ...well, I have to face this sooner or later....

We paid off the original's "Iori blames himself" storyline. Now we have to pay off the "Cody's afraid of being underwater" storyline.

Like Digmon, Submarimon combo-breaks his title by refusing to abide by the "[Noun] of [Crest Virtue]" naming convention. What a dick!

Whamon and Submarimon depart the oil rig in separate directions.

Whamon makes for shore while Submarimon heads for MegaSeadramon.

MegaSeadramon slams Ikkakumon's face into a rock, finally hitting him hard enough to make him lose his grip on their tail. But, before they can follow up, Submarimon appears.

Submarimon: AQUA VULCAN!!!

We were briefed on two of Submarimon's attacks and this is neither. Aqua Vulcan rapid-fires what appear to be bullets of compressed air out of the tip of Submarimon's horn. They are very hard to see. The shots pummel MegaSeadramon's face, but the titanic sea monster doesn't even flinch.

In the dub:

Submarimon: SUBMARINE ATTACK!!!

That actually is one of the moves listed in the rundown... but only the Japanese one. XD

After the initial ineffective assault, Submarimon settles by Ikkakumon.

Iori: We're here to help. Ikkakumon: Thank you. Alright! Let's get them!

Ikkakumon and Submarimon take off through the water, leading MegaSeadramon away. The leviathan takes shots at them with Thunder Javelin. The pair momentarily find cover behind a ridge, but a shot from Thunder Javelin shatters the rocks and forces them to flee once more.

In the dub, it's Submarimon who talks to Ikkakumon.

Submarimon: Ikkakumon, are you alright? Ikkakumon: Yeah! Now let's take care of this worm together! (Submarimon and Ikkakumon lead MegaSeadramon away) MegaSeadramon: LIGHTNING JAVELIN!!!

MegaSeadramon calls the attack and Submarimon's the one who calls out to Ikkakumon instead of Cody.

Ikkakumon: I'll take over and hold their attention. Submarimon: Counting on you-dagyaa.

Ikkakumon leads MegaSeadramon through a narrow cave, slowing them down by forcing them to bully their way through the rocks and dirt. Submarimon breaks off, getting into position.

In the dub:

Ikkakumon: I'll get him to follow me! You sneak up on him! Submarimon: Got it!

Back out in open sea, Ikkakumon's luck runs out. MegaSeadramon overtake him, whipping him with their tail and knocking him down against the seafloor.

Suddenly, Submarimon erupts from the ground in a surprise attack.

Submarimon: OXYGEN HOMING!!!

Before the leviathan can evade, Submarimon fires a barrage of torpedo-shaped oxygen projectiles into MegaSeadramon's body, which explode on impact. The shots momentarily stun MegaSeadramon, long enough for Submarimon's momentum to drive their horn straight into the Evil Spiral. The Spiral shatters on impact, ending this battle once and for all.

Iori: You did it, Submarimon! Submarimon: That should settle them down.

In the dub:

Ikkakumon: I'm up here, you overgrown garden snake! (MegaSeadramon smacks Ikkakumon into the seabed; Submarimon ambushes) Submarimon: OXYGEN TORPEDO!!! (Direct hits; MegaSeadramon is stunned) Submarimon: Now for the Dark Spiral! (Submarimon breaks the Dark Spiral off) Cody: Way to go! You did it! Submarimon: Well, he should be back to normal now. Ikkakumon: Nice job, Submarimon! Submarimon: Thanks! Couldn't have done it without you!

The dub version of this final exchange is a lot more verbose, including an added pair of lines where Ikkakumon and Submarimon congratulate each other for a job well done.

Back up topside, the rest of the team waits with bated breath for news of the battle happening below. Suddenly, MegaSeadramon breaches the surface.

Group: Wha--!? Takeru: Uh... They seem calm....

MegaSeadramon lifts the end of their tail out of the water to show the children that they no longer have an Evil Spiral.

Hikari: Hooray! Daisuke: The Evil Spiral's been destroyed! Miyako: Iori! Hikari: Submarimon! Jou: Ikkakumon! Group: THEY DID IT!!!

Meanwhile, in his command center, the Digimon Kaiser is monitoring the situation on a smaller screen but it's not his main focus. On his central monitor, he's studying Airdramon and Monochromon.

Kaiser: (disinterested) Oh, looks like they were saved somehow. Wormmon: Are you okay with that, Ken-chan? Kaiser: Heh.

That little laugh is the only answer Ken offers. His focus remains on his monitor. He has Airdramon front and center now, with a stream of DigiCode passing in the background behind it. Studying its data.

Wormmon: What are you working on? Is this that keikaku you were talking about earlier?

Translator's note: Keikaku means plan.

It also means other things too.

Wormmon: What are you working on? Is this that project you were talking about earlier? Kaiser: (grinning) It's none of your concern. Huhuhu....

Ominous!

In the dub, the kids on Whamon's back are given extra dialogue to break the silence.

Yolei: They've been down there a long time. T.K.: Don't worry! We can count on Cody! (MegaSeadramon breaches the surface) Group: (collective gasp) (MegaSeadramon reveals his tail) Group: YAAAAAY!!! Davis: Way to go! They destroyed the Dark Spiral! Joe: Let's hear it for Cody! Hip hip.... Group: ...HOORAY!!!

They dropped Takeru's nervous, "Uh, they seem calm" line right before MegaSeadramon shows their tail. It's not a super big deal, though.

The dub goes to its third commercial break here, as we bid farewell to MegaSeadramon. Then we return on the Emperor summing it up.

Emperor: So, the DigiDestined managed to get away again. Wormmon: What are you going to do about it this time? Emperor: Nothing. Wormmon: You're not mad? Emperor: No. Wormmon: That's not like you, Master. Usually you would have smashed something by now. Like me. This is all part of that secret plan you've been talking about, isn't it? Emperor: Wormmon, it's none of your business. Hahahaha!

The Emperor actually responds to Wormmon's questions in a way that confuses the context of what they're talking about in the last bit.

When Wormmon asks if this is related to the Kaiser's project, he's talking about the images onscreen. The Kaiser doesn't really care about the events at the oil rig. That much was established when he delegated MegaSeadramon to just go figure something out. Oh look, they won, cool, whatevs.

He's spent his day studying Airdramon. And also briefly Monochromon apparently. That's what Wormmon is talking about when he says this is part of the Kaiser's project. Ken-chan blew off the first topic, so Wormmon switched to a new one.

But the conversation in the dub makes it sound like they're still on the same topic. That Cody's victory at the oil rig is some sort of 4-D chess maneuver and they're all playing into the Emperor's hands somehow.

Finally, we wrap up with Iori and Submarimon in the ocean depths.

Iori: Come on, let's go back to the others. Submarimon: There's no rush. Iori: Eh? Why not?

Submarimon takes Iori on a beautifully animated tour of the ocean floor, swimming with schools of fish and letting him see the ocean's majesty.

Submarimon: Hey... Iori: Eh? Submarimon: The ocean sure is vast-dagyaa. Iori: It's peaceful... and beautiful....

A turtle swims by them. Gomamon clings to the turtle's back, enjoying the ocean right alongside Iori and Submarimon.

Narrator: Submarimon said just a few simple words, but they were etched into Iori's heart forever.

And this is where we leave them, after all that dread and terror: Blissfully enjoying all the beauty and life that the ocean also has to offer.

In the dub, this is the payoff for Cody's fear of the ocean.

Cody: Well, I guess we should get back to the others now. Submarimon: What's your hurry? I wanna show you something. Cody: What is it? Submarimon: I think you were afraid of the ocean because it was something you never had the chance to see and experience it for yourself. It's true that some things about the ocean are dangerous, but there are things down here that are more beautiful than you could ever imagine. Look up ahead! Cody: Ahhh.... (Submarimon and Cody explore the ocean) Submarimon: Hey, Cody? Cody: Yeah? Submarimon: Together, you and I can learn a lot about the ocean. Cody: Yeah! Like I don't have to be afraid of it! (Turtle passes with Gomamon) Gomamon: Ahahahaha! Narrator: What is the secret plan of the Digimon Emperor!? Will it finally destroy the DigiDestined!? Find out on the next Digimon: Digital Monsters!

Get the fuck out of here with your ominous cliffhanger-baiting. We were having a nice moment.

Also, not sure if we'll actually find that out next episode but I think episode 17 does officially kick off the endgame arc of the Digimon Kaiser storyline. Now that the last Digimental has been claimed, it's time to start moving towards the climax.

Assessment: Like Daisuke and Miyako's second Digimental episodes, this is a strong delve into the qualities that make up this particular virtue, how Iori struggles with it, and how he excels more than he realizes.

Iori is a very young child and he's trying to live up to the things he's been taught. But we also see the limitations of parental guidance and the importance of a community to make up for parental shortcomings.

There is sound logic in the advice that Chikara gives Fumiko, though I disagree with the application of it. But the advice Chikara gives Iori is bad. And so it falls to Iori to figure out for himself how his responsibility to others supercedes his own moral principles and to learn from other mentors as well, all to shape a more well-rounded moral basis for the person he's going to become.

Grandpa isn't a bad guy, but he's not always going to be right about everything. But that's okay because Iori also has Fumiko, Jou, Miyako, Takeru, Hikari, Koushiro, and Armadimon to guide and shape his values. This episode is about the responsibilities that Iori owes to his teammates who rely on him, but it's also about the responsibility that everyone in turn owes to Iori.

And also the ocean is very pretty when it's not suffocating you to death.

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