In this episode, Joe sets out to prove himself as the rational pragmatist of the group by turning into a goddamn action hero.Completing the set of character introduction episodes, this episode was more fun than I thought it would be. It's still tied to the formula and a lot of stuff makes absolutely no sense, so it will never take off as an instant classic. But there's a lot of little things that are just nice and sweet. Also, not a single Digimon hurls crap in this episode.
The first act is one big “lighten up, Francis” scene, which is mildly irritating since Joe hijacked episode two from Tai with this similar routine. Thankfully, the cute camaraderie that seems to be forming amongst the rest of the group makes up for it. The team is starting to get used to the harsh conditions, to the point where Mimi is even capable of forgetting the cold with thoughts of playing in the snow. When they stumble upon actual snow, she and TK are the ones romping around.
At the convenient hot spring, they find the refrigerator of random eggs, marking the first time one of these anatopisms actually proves functional. Yet everybody gets on Joe's case for being uneasy about this gift.
Still, it turns into a pretty amusing scene as they all goof off over their feast of eggs. They're starting to come together now, getting all the more ridiculous when discussing proper egg condiments. This isolates Joe, who's still flipping out about all this and is in no mood to goof off. Considering negative possibilities and trying to exercise caution is quite justifiable, and being ignored should leave him a bit frustrated. Even though the show doesn't, it's worth pointing out that Joe is the oldest of the group, and usually acts like it.When spontaneous Tai/Matt fighting erupts (which, unlike spontaneous Sora angst, is a natural and usually harmless occurrence) over Tai's plan to scale Infinity Mountain, Joe gets caught up in the argument and Sora has to shut them all up. Joe comes to the logical conclusion that someone should go and scout the place out before sending the whole team up. He comes to the completely illogical conclusion of going alone with nothing more than a note in the sand. Logical would have been taking Tai along and actually telling someone. Preferably someone like Izzy who won't object.
But no, it's just Joe and Gomamon, finally getting something of a team-building exercise. They see the dark gears originate from the mountain and Unimon's corruption into the monster of the week. After Sora and Tai fail to save the day, Joe's completely stupid heroics prompt Gomamon to digivolve, save Joe's life and finish the job. Yes, we're back to the kid throwing himself in danger to prompt an evolution, and it just looks weird when it's Joe, especially when there had to be a more measured approach than jumping off a cliff onto the back of a hostile animal and attempting to rip out a gear embedded into animal's back. I am so glad these introductory episodes are over. In the meantime, Tai, Sora and Joe get a good look at the top of the mountain and are dismayed to find nothing. They should be more dismayed to learn that the gears originated out of somewhere in the mountain... and even more dismayed that all this time, they've been wandering on an island. What gives? Find out next time on LOST!
My Grade: C+
Loose Data:
- Loved the ominous black gears flying everywhere to start the episode. Fade in to EVIL!
- Hated the random orchestra hit of Joe paralyzed with fright after the shocking twist that Sora would demand that everybody stop fighting and go to bed. Even when it doesn't involve the script, it's a silly dub.
- For a bunch of people who complained about sleeping in a presumably temperate trolley car, they seemed to be pretty comfortable in a cold-weather cave with no pillows.
- Did Sora seriously jump off a cliff to go after Birdramon?
I agree that it was ridiculous for Joe to jump onto Unimon's back, but I think it served to prove that Joe is not just a high-strung complainer. While being actually pretty immature, his heroics foreshadow that he will become a relied-upon member of the group and something of a moral compass, a trait that is picked up by Cody in season 2.
ReplyDeleteWhat's an anatopism? Dictionary.com didn't recognize it when I typed it in.
ReplyDeleteIt's similar to an anachronism but it's something that appears to be in an illogical place rather than an illogical time.
DeleteSo many good things in this episode. Insight and character depth given to Joe, Gomamon being hilarious and adorable, Tai and Matt having their first big fight with one another, Sora being a hardcore Team Mom, the snowy atmosphere, the hilarious egg topic, climbing Infinity Mountain, a black gear infected Digimon not showing up 'til towards the end this time, and of course, Joe being a brave action hero by jumping on the flying horse's back. The evolution and resolution was predictable, but it was worth it for the reveal that File Island is in fact...an island. In a big wide ocean. In the middle of nowhere. We're screwed!
ReplyDeleteAs far as the dub go, my big complaint is Unimon. He did not talk in the original, and even if they wanted to make him talk, they didn't need to make him talk that much! The voice they gave him was strange and sort of frightening as well.