Excellent summary by "Akino Ame". Images prepared by yours truly (Julie).

(Notice that every episode in this saga begins with “The”? Don’t count “Departure for a New Continent,” though because it technically isn’t Etemon.)

Sora has been kidnapped, and no one is more distraught over it than Tai. Joe and Matt try to console him, assuring him that it really wasn’t his fault (though I could argue judging on how he thought he was invincible. Couldn’t he have had Koichi’s insecurity about practically being Superman?). Izzy desperately tries to look for a solution while the others try to plan. Finally, he has it. The whole time, Datamon had Sora in a secret chamber underneath the pyramid! Tai vows to bring Sora back (and the Taiora fan in me becomes all giddy), and the others pledge to help.

Meanwhile, Sora awakens to find herself on some odd cot while Biyomon is shackled in a crucifix position to the wall (think of Beelzemon in the D-Reaper, if you’re wondering what I mean). Datamon states that the unconscious Digimon is fine, which is good for him when he uses her to bring down Etemon. Sora argues that Biyomon can’t digivolve without her, and she’d never help Datamon achieve his means. However, Datamon starts messing with his console, sending a red laser thing across Sora’s body. It stops at her feet as it starts scanning her data. The whole mechanism looks like it’s straight out of “The Man on the Moon is You” from Frontier, in case you haven’t seen this episode in so long that you forgot it. On another Frontier-esque cot, a pair of feet identical to Sora’s appears, freaking her out. Datamon explains that he believes that the DigiDestined are not necessary for digivolution, and that the Crests and digivices are the real key. Of course, he conveniently has both. He just needs someone to operate them, which is where Sora and that machine come in. He’s going to clone her and use the clone to exact his revenge on Etemon.

Tentomon scouts the pyramid so Izzy can come up with a battle plan. He comments on how hard it will be to get Tai past the guards, and Matt points out that it’s the reason why he and the others are acting as decoys. Joe warns Tai to get into the pyramid fast once Etemon’s forces buy the fake battle bit. But Izzy cautions him of another electrified wall in front of the secret room. Tai nearly loses his nerve but assures everyone that he won’t let anything stop him from saving Sora. Joe warns Tai not to do anything stupid, and then Izzy warns Matt the same thing. If they see Etemon, they have to run. Off they go.

Mimi throws a sheet over her, Tai, T.K., and their Digimon as Ikkakumon fires the first shot. It hits the pyramid, rudely waking several Gazimon. After another few blasts, Etemon comes in, ordering his forces to bomb them back. Joe tells himself to be brave, but once he sees the Tyrannomon and Monochromon coming at him, he decides, “Maybe tomorrow!” Luckily Matt and Garurumon are there to help him with a little Howling Blaster (On an unrelated note, I just discovered that Kirk Thornton plays both Garurumon and Hajime Saitou, the Wolf of Mibu. Plus, he played Karatenmon, who kept calling Lobomon a puppy. Coincidence, or a behind-the-scenes joke? You decide). Of course, lone wolf and his wolf only attack some Gazimon and then retreat. Etemon notices this and wonders why. Usually, the kids would be fighting harder. So he decides to go out and get rid of them once and for all. From there, Tai and Izzy run for the pyramid and enter through a fake wall. But a passage is blocked, so they pass through another. Unfortunately, a camera catches them. Fortunately, though, the Gazimon watching wasn’t paying attention, and he argues with another over what he saw.

When Mimi notices that Joe and Matt are in trouble, she orders Palmon to digivolve, and she does it without an evo sequence. But before she can get there, Joe’s already facing Etemon, who calls him a nuisance. Joe’s reaction?

Joe: “Of course. It’s ‘cause I’m a teenager!”

Funny, I thought he was only twelve. Anyway, on the inside, Datamon compliments Sora for having such persistent friends and having figured out his hiding place. Behind him, the clone is almost completed. He informs her of the battle going on outside and of the presence of some of her friends in the pyramid. Oh yeah, and those Gazimon figured out where Tai and Izzy were. While Ikkakumon, Togemon, and Garurumon fight Etemon (and lose badly just before looking at him funny for threatening to sing), the Gazimon start running around looking for them, making Tai nervous. And a nervous Tai is not a good thing. But before they can go down a stairway that leads to the secret room, Etemon crashes in through the ceiling. Izzy tells Tai to go find Sora while Kabuterimon fights him off. Tai and Agumon then run down the stairwell only to find…dun-dun-dun, the electrified wall. Insert melodramatic clap of thunder and lightning here.

Agumon: “I could break through it, Tai.”
Tai: “Wait.” He holds his hand out to block Agumon from attacking. “I’ll do it, Agumon.”
Agumon: “Are you sure?” Tai looks at the wall.
Tai: “Not exactly.” He approaches. “But if I don’t do this on my own, right here, right now, I may never be able to do it.”
Agumon: “Huh?”
Tai: “A man must face himself before he could face his enemies.”

With that said, he places his hand toward the wall and passes through, his Crest glowing. But Etemon has knocked out Kabuterimon and found them. Agumon quickly becomes Greymon while Tai runs into the room to see the clone. Datamon’s about to give her the Crest and digivice when Tai grabs them and runs to Sora. Datamon quickly opens up the ground beneath Sora, and Tai reaches out his free hand in time to grab hers. Underneath them is the center of Etemon’s Dark Power Network, as Datamon puts it, and if they fall in, they’ll never come out. Tai drops the Crest and digivice to Sora, who takes them and evolves Biyomon to Birdramon. The firebird saves the two Digis, breaks down the wall, and electrocutes Etemon in just a few seconds. Cool. Erm, I mean…

The Digis all reunite while Datamon deletes the useless clone. Etemon threatens him, and Datamon opens the floor to pull them both into the black pit. But before he goes in, he injects a few viruses in to allow it to absorb all dark energy in their cosmos (yet there’re still another three arcs to go and a direct sequel. Odd) But the viruses are doing their job and suck in every one of the villains like Juggernaut in Tamers. While the Digis watch from a safe distance, the pyramid collapses to reveal Etemon, hooked up to the black cables. The Digimon try to fight, but their attacks disintegrate before they hit. Etemon then retaliates, but his attack warps the areas it hits, creating a rift in dimensions. But Tai won’t give up. He holds up his Crest and runs into battle with Greymon. When an attack hits Greymon, Tai proclaims that he won’t leave him, causing both the Crest and the digivice to glow orange.

“Greymon digivolve to… MetalGreymon!”
Tai: (in a really weird voice) “Etemon is everybody’s enemy! Use the power of the Crest!”

MetalGreymon head-butts Etemon and then dishes out his Giga Blaster (Not “Geeja Destroyer” as Tentomon called it. Someone alert the writers), but the area warps. Tai’s being pulled into it, but MetalGreymon holds him tight. However, their efforts are in vain as it pulls them in and seals behind itself. The other six watch in complete shock at what’s happened, unable to do a thing.

A plane flies overhead in a bright blue sky. Tai and Koromon feel the sweat beading down on them as they stand on concrete, staring at everyone pass them by. Everyone, meaning humans.

Tai: “Where am I? Who are all these people?” He looks at the skyscrapers through the heat. “Koromon, I’m…I’m home!”

Wow. Pretty decent summary for part of the worst collective episode of Digimon ever. (Statistics from “The First Annual Digi-Awards” on The Digimon Encyclopedia)

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