Determination

The DigiDestined welcome Meiko and Meicoomon.

Synopsis
protects the Primary Village from an infected, who has broken the s. Ogremon injuries Leomon and runs away, being chased by the latter. Their fight is observed by the Digimon Emperor.

In the Real World, Mimi organizes a large trip to Ooedo-Onsen Monogatari to welcome Meiko to the team as well as try to help Tai and Matt patch things up. Meiko almost arrives late due to not knowing what to wear to make a good impression (gaining no help from Meicoomon) and Mimi has to retrieve Tai and Kari herself. When Gomamon arrives, he announces that Joe has declined due to continued studying. They bring their Digimon partners and despite being told to lay low, they get into their usual hijinks and Biyomon and Meicoomon accidently get lost in the men’s section of the bath. While Mimi distracts the men in the dressing room, Sora, Meiko, and Kari rush in to rescue the two, but Kari slips and is saved by a mostly naked T.K. while Sora and Mei find their partners…but not before getting an eyeful of a nearly naked Tai and Matt. With their trip a “success” (Tai and Matt are still at odds), they return to their homes. In the night, Himekawa and Daisuke use electrical weaponry to battle the infected Ogremon but when he retaliates, they are saved by Leomon’s timely arrival.

At school, Mei joins the School Festival Committee alongside Mimi. When they are asked for suggestions, Mimi immediately volunteers to lead the committee to using a café idea with a Daters theme to it where all the girls where revealing cheerleading outfits. Despite her enthusiasm, she fails to notice most of the girls, including Mei, are uncomfortable with the idea and the boys are left out of her plan however, because no one else has an idea, they move forward with Mimi’s plan. With this, Mimi takes Mei to gather materials to make the cheerleading outfits that Mei masterfully designed. As this happens, a distortion occurs with Ogremon arriving again, but this time, he’s attracted news cameras to his location. Despite being ordered to hold her position until she receives backup, Mimi decides to use the cameras to her advantage to boost the Digimons’ favor in the public eye and has Togemon attack Ogremon. However, Togemon’s area of effect attacks cause damage to the news chopper and it crashes in a lake causing Mimi to realize she is in over her head. As things look grim for Togemon and Meicoomon, Leomon arrives and drags Ogremon back into the Digital World.

After the others (minus Joe) arrive, Izzy grills Mimi for her selfish-egocentric behavior causing them more harm than good which leaves her saddened. At school the next day, Mimi is further put in her place when the rest of the girls at the committee finally announce their dislike of the cheerleading outfits because she “told them to wear them instead of collaborating and asking them” so they refuse to wear them and call Mimi egocentric as well. Saddened Mimi snaps at Sora and Mei when they reveal the cheerleading outfits they made (which Sora made a little more appropriate for their age) which makes her realize she is taking her anger out of them, so she runs off in sorrow.

Elsewhere, Joe is having trouble trying to balance his schooling, becoming an adult, and trying to get into Med School, all bundled up with having to save the world…AGAIN. The stress begins to wear thin on him when Gomamon continuously tries to make him feel better and tries to urge him to aid him in battle as partners again.

As Mimi runs home in the rain, saddened by the events of the day, she spies Joe who is lamenting about his position in life, his struggles as a DigiDestined, and his continued failure to help Gomamon. She asks him if she is egocentric in his eyes which he doesn’t deny, but tells her, her way is better than his avoiding his responsibilities as a DigiDestined which are causing him a great deal of guilt. Kari, who was eavesdropping, realizes that Joe’s doubts about being a DigiDestined are identical to Tai’s and she confronts him about it only to be rebuked. The next morning, Joe discovers that Gomamon has run away.

In Izzy’s Office, Gomamon asks Tentomon for shelter and is allowed as the Digimon are using the office as a base of operations. Tai then arrives with Leomon who informs them of the terror the infection has unleashed on the Digital World. He decides to aid them as best he can between the worlds. When Joe texts the others about Gomamon’s location, Gomamon asks they deny knowledge of his location to Joe causing them to wonder what is happening between the two. As this is going on, Izzy receives a strange message from the Digital World telling him “To look into the darkness in oneself and beyond to find power” leaving him confused. During the school festival, Mimi is surprised that Mei has decided to wear the Cheerleading outfit anyway and is told to “just be herself” by Mei re-lifting her spirits leading her to join in with Mei being the only girls wearing the costumes at their café. Himekawa and Daisuke see the two and, as a joke, texts Izzy a picture of Mimi in costume causing him to race to the school. Learning about all the excitement at the festival, the Digimon pressure Leomon to take them to the festival (thanks to Meicoomon’s “cute face”) who orders them to remain in disguise with him, but they run off from him and land themselves in a “creepy-cute” contest to win snacks. When Tai alerts the others, Matt confronts him about their previous battle with Alphamon where Omnimon’s fusion failed. Matt deduces that the fusion was disrupted by Tai’s inner doubts and presses him about it, only for Tai to run off without an answer.

When Meicoomon wins the competition, the DigiDestined realize the spectators think they are kids in costume and order them to follow suite. With Joe’s arrival, he questions Gomamon for his departure but both have an argument about Joe’s doubts, his fears, and him running from his duties as a DigiDestined causing him to storm off. As this is happening, Himekawa witnesses what she thinks is Ken in the distance in his “Digimon Emperor” persona again but she loses sight of him causing her to increase security.

As Meicoomon gies exploring, she is met by Himekawi who promises her a treat if she stays put; but as she leaves, The Digimon Emperor arrives and abducts Meicoomon as Mimi, Mei, and Leomon try to give chase. As they try to stop who they believe is Ken, he infects Leomon with the virus leaving only Palmon and Gomamon (who made it through the distortion portal) to rescue Meicoomon from the Emperor. However, they are confronted by an infected Imperialdramon of makes quick work of Togemon and Gomamon while Leomon is trying to fight of the virus.

Kari leaves to stop Joe from leaving and confronts him about his fears and doubts proclaiming that he and Gomamon were chosen to be partners and no one else restoring his faith in himself and Gomamon’s partnership. This rebirth of his confidence leads Gomamon to achieve his Mega Level “Vikemon” much to everyone’s surprise. Seeing Joe’s resolve, Mimi regains faith in herself and helps Togemon achieve Mega Level as well with “Rosemon”. The two Megas, united with Leomon who has fought off his infection, defeated Imperialdramon and rescue Meicoomon but fail to apprehend Ken.

Reunited, everyone wonders what has happened to Ken to make him take the persona of the Digimon Emperor again. As the fully reunited DigiDestined discuss their next plan, Meicoomon appears to digivole into an infected form and delete Leomon before running away from a distortion portal to their horror. Planning their next course of action, Himekawa deduces that Meicoomon is somehow the source of the distortions and the infection.

To be Continued in Part III: Confessions

Digivolutions
(Number indicates order of occurrence.)

Quotes
"All were born out of the scorching heat... Beings that create and those who destroy, coexisting, yet mutually opposed... Both created the entire universe... Finally to return to the scorching heat..."
 * —The narrator talks about creation and destruction.

Release
"Determination" was shown on Japanese theaters starting March 12, 2016. A pre-release screening was held on February 11. started streaming the episode for premium users on March 11, 2016, but will b available for normal users on Abril 10. Crunchyroll split the episode into four 23-minute long parts. "Determination" will be available on DVD and Blu-ray on April 2, 2016.