WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Episode 28 of Digimon Adventure 2020, "The Children's Fight for Survival," now streaming on Crunchyroll.
Just as the DigiDestined are reunited on a new continent in the Digital World, the Digimon Adventure reboot has once again chosen to divide and conquer. After defeating a cannibalistic Groundramon in Episode 27, the kids are confronted by Darknightmon, the mysterious Digimon that was working with Devimon. Only a reappearance from Angemon is enough, in Episode 28, to get the villain off their tail -- but at the cost of once again splitting the party up.
The good news is that their number, though divided, has recently grown with the addition of Tai's younger sister, Kari -- one of the original members of the group the first time around. But the bad news is that she's the villain's main target now. What's worse, it becomes apparent in the latest episode that without her, MetalGreymon will have a hard time achieving Mega evolution again.
Following Angemon and Darknightmon's big clash, the force of their fighting scatters the kids to parts unknown. Darknightmon, though knocked back down the evolutionary scale to Skullknightmon, seems to be able to emit powerful lightning blasts of dark energy, which strike the continent and make some of the Digimon there go berserk with power. Tai and Kari, who end up flung to the same place, are confronted by Volcdramon, a draconic creature hardcore enough to live inside active volcanoes. With only Agumon to defend both kids, a tough battle ensues. Even MetalGreymon's Slide Evolution isn't quite enough to put the Ultimate-level foe down for good, but just as things look dicey, Kari places a hand over her brothers' -- which grips his DigiVice.
The device glows brighter, and a surprised Tai watches MetalGreymon briefly take on its Mega form -- last glimpsed during that decisive battle against DoneDevimon. Again, the form is obscured by an aura of white-hot light, so it's not quite a true transition; however, it is enough to put Tai's team over the edge. Augmon is completely wiped out following the fight, and all he and Tai can do is watch, helplessly, as Skullknightmon arrives to whisk Kari away.
Each new evolutionary form inevitably becomes harder and harder to reach for Digimon, hence the rather desperate necessity some of them have to absorb each other, as we witnessed in the past couple of episodes. Similarly, the past two times MetalGreymon has come closest to becoming WarGreymon has been thanks to extra boosts outside he and Tai's control: In the battle against DoneDevimon, Tai's apparent "death" pushed the Digimon to nearly change forms. This time, it appeared to thanks be the combined efforts of both Kamiya siblings placing their faith in Tai's partner. With Kari gone, Tai and Agumon will have to go back to the drawing board if they want to bring WarGreymon out to play properly.
With Ultimate Digimon aplenty in this dangerous new part of the map, and no one else to rely on but themselves, the series' most prominent pairing might not have to wait for long before they're pushed to their limit again. The question is, without any more external assistance, can they push past that limit -- and maintain it?
