WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Episode 53 of Digimon Adventure 2020, "The Geko Hot Springs' Revolt," now streaming on Crunchyroll.
Now over a year into its run, the Digimon Adventure reboot series has been keeping fans well-fed with a steady stream of old and new evolutions. From familiar favorites like Omnimon to newer forms like BlitzGreymon, the upgrades have also been getting bigger and better as the series progresses -- culminating in the likes of Holydramon and Goddramon appearing to battle the apocalyptic Milleniumon at the end of the last arc. But there is reason to believe that the best is yet to come.
Following the introduction of the aforementioned angelic Mega forms, and, more recently, Hououmon -- the Adventure debut of Biyomon's Mega form -- a clear path towards a relatively fresh Omnimon form is being paved: Omnimon Merciful Mode.
Introduced in Digimon Adventure tri, Omnimon's Merciful Mode takes the heroic knight and adds a lick of angelic, silvery paint, transforming the avenging warrior into a sorrowful rescuer of wayward souls who have strayed into darkness -- complete with feathery, white wings. His iconic weapon Grey Sword, meanwhile, becomes a laser katana called Fearsome Blade. Just like his normal mode, which is a fusion of WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon, Ominmon Merciful Mode additionally fuses the Mega forms of Biyomon, Gomamon, Tentamon, Patamon (as Seraphmon) and Gatomon/Tailmon. In other words, this form pools all of the Chosen Ones' and their Digital partners' powers together in one almighty force for good.
But it's not just that all the necessary components for the form are being assembled that make this an apt prediction. This iteration of Digimon Adventure has been heavily geared towards Holy and Celestial Digimon in its new canon, within which this tearful, warrior angel would make perfect sense. Omnimon Merciful Mode's introduction would also make Omnimon's premature entrance into Digimon Adventure 2020 make a lot more sense in retrospect. The powerful fusion Digimon was summoned into being just two episodes in and has so far appeared once more following that. At that early juncture, viewers were both excited and troubled by what this meant. Omnimon, a Digimon that radiates pure, unfiltered coolness, is always a welcome addition to any franchise entry, but some fretted the show was giving away the goods too early.
To put a more positive spin on it, it seemed possible, even then, that bringing out the big guns so soon was a sign of greater things to come -- whetting fans' appetites for a dramatic expansion of Digimon lore to encompass the full scope of the property's 20-year history since the first Adventure series first aired. Omnimon Merciful Mode would certainly satiate that built-up hunger.
Unfortunately, the latest episode, "The Geko Hot Springs' Revolt," has thrown a spanner in the works. Centering Joe and Gomamon in the way that Episode 52 did to Sora and Biyomon, this would -- and should -- have been the perfect platform for Gomamon to unlock his Mega form, Vikemon. However, Gomamon, disappointingly, doesn't get past the Ultimate level in his tussle with a lecherous Tonosamagekomon. It could be that Digimon Adventure 2020 is trying to avoid predictability and will introduce Vikemon at a later stage, or, as has been the case with previous evolutions, the show has changed the circumstances of Omnimon Merciful Mode's creation for its canon. Whatever the case, it seems like a safe bet at this point that this upgrade is still on the horizon.
