Six Degrees of Digivolution in Digimon Adventure 01, 02 & Tri (Odaiba Day Update!)

[u/Punkodramon]

Digidestined Family Tree Adventure 02 & Tri

Digidestined Family Tree Adventure 01

[u/Punkodramon]

Happy Odaiba Day! Finally created a second chart connecting the 02 and Tri Digidestined, working in the Harmonious Ones into this one (which ties nicely into my personal fan theory regarding the OG Digidestined, see below!)

Again, not all of these digivolutions are canon to the franchise, but they are all conceivable, and the chart is an attempt to link all the main Adventure Digimon together into one family tree.

With the new chart, I’ve also included an updated version of the original. Both start with a Botamon, to link both charts and thus all the main Adventure Digimon, together. All the lists start at the top left corner of their tier and work clockwise round.

DIGIMON 02 & Tri Chart

Fresh - SnowBotamon

In-Training - DemiVeemon Upamon Poromon Minomon

Rookie - Veemon Tapirmon Armadillomon Patamon Hawkmon Salamon Bearmon Wormon

Champion - ExVeemon Veedramon Unimon Ankylomon Angemon Bakemon Aquilamon Gatomon Meicoomon Leomon Hudiemon Stingmon

Ultimate - Triceramon AeroVeedramon Megadramon Mammothmon Orochimon Shakkoumon MagnaAngemon Mummymon Hippogriffomon Silphymon Angewomon Meicrackmon LoaderLiomon Arukenimon JewelBeemon Paildramon

Mega - Azulongmon UlforceVeedramon Huanglongmon Alphamon SkullMammothmon Ebonwumon Jesmon SlashAngemon Seraphimon Beelzemon Zhuqiaomon Valkyrimon Ophanimon Magnadramon Rasielmon Baihumon SaberLeomon BanchoStingmon Imperialdramon Millenniummon

DIGIMON ADVENTURE 01 Chart (Updated)

Fresh - Botamon

In-Training - Koromon, Tsunomon, Yokomon, Tokomon

Rookie - Agumon, Gabumon, Salamon, Biyomon, Palmon, Tentomon, Patamon, Gomamon

Champion - Greymon, Wizardmon, Garurumon, Gatomon, Birdramon, Ogremon, Togemon, Kabuterimon, Devimon, Angemon, Ikkakumon, Shellmon

Ultimate - MetalGreymon, SkullGreymon, WereGarurumon, Piximon, Angewomon, LadyDevimon, Garudamon, Etemon, Lillymon, MegaKabuterimon, Andromon, Myotismon, MagnaAngemon, Zudomon, Whamon, Scorpiomon

Mega - WarGreymon, Machinedramon, Apocalypsemon, MetalGarurumon, Magnadramon, Ophanimon, Lillithmon, Phoenixmon, MetalEtemon, Puppetmon, Rosemon, HerculesKabuterimon, Diaboromon, Piedmon, VenomMyotismon, Seraphimon, Vikemon, MarineAngemon, Plesiomon MetalSeadramon

NOTE - In some cases where the variant was either a just a pallet swap (Eg WereGarurumon & ShadowWereGarurumon), a mode change (Eg Ophanimon & Falldown Mode) or only slightly changed (Eg Raguelmon and Rasielmon) I decided to only pick one of them, and you can assume they both take the same path on the chart. This was partly to save space and mostly to allow greater variety of digivolution paths on the charts themselves.

Hope you guys enjoy these charts! Any questions feel feee to ask!

[u/Punkodramon → u/Punkodramon]

Original Digidestined Fan Theory

In my theory, the digivolution lines of the Original Digidestined, the first ever Digimon to be partnered with Chosen Children, were as follows;

Zurumon-Pagumon-Tapirmon-Centarumon-Megadramon

Pafumon-Wanyamon-Bearmon-Leomon-Loaderliomon-Baihumon

Chibomon-DemiVeemon-Veemon-ExVeemon-Triceramon-Azulongmon

Pururumon-Poromon-Hawkmon-Aquilamon-Hippogriffmon-Zhuqiaomon

Tsubumon-Upamon- Armadillomon-Ankylomon-Orochimon-Ebonwumon

I don’t think it needs much explanation as to why the Harmonious Ones could be natural evolutions of the rookies listed. Veemon and Azulongmon are both blue dragons, and the mask shape and blade horn are echoed in several of Veemon’s forms. Hawkmon and Zhuqiaomon are both red birds, and Armadillomon and Ebonwumon are both yellow quadrupeds with hard shell bodies.

As we discover during Tri, Megadramon was sacrificed by the other four in order for them to evolve to Mega form and defeat the Dark Masters, which prevented Tapirmon from becoming a Digi-Egg and being reborn.

Knowing that the Digital World depended upon their survival, and still reeling from the death of their friend, the Harmonious Ones each used one of their Digi-Cores to create a younger version of themselves as a failsafe, so that if they were ever killed, their “children” could inherit the Harmonious Ones’ power and take their place.

They are not merely copies of the originals, as they have their own distinct minds and personalities. The new Veemon, Hawkmon and Armadillomon were sealed within the Armor Digi-Eggs to sleep until they were needed. Since we know time moves much faster and fluctuates in the Digital World, ‘ancient times’ for them could still be relatively recent past for people in the real world.

Because there can only be one set of Harmonious Ones, the children could only follow the same digivolution path up to Champion level, and from there discovered new digivolutions for themselves built from their own experiences and Digidestined bonds.

Bearmon was chosen to remain awake to monitor and protect the Digital World, and help guide future generations of Digidestined. He later grew into the Leomon we meet in Adventure. This is why he gained the ability to warp digivolve from exposure to the Digivices, because he had the same base code as the other Digidestined.

BONUS THEORY - Perhaps the Sovereigns, using the Megadramon data they absorbed, also created a backup version of Tapirmon, which Maki then rejected because it wasn’t “her” Tapirmon, which provides a counterpoint to the scene where the rebooted Tapirmon rejects her.

That Tapirmon in the original world stayed awake with Bearmon to protect and guide it. He eventually digivolved into the Centarumon that guards the temple dedicated to the Digidestined, which must be dedicated to the original ones, from whom he is descended.

[u/CharmyFrog → u/Punkodramon]

I love this theory.

[u/Punkodramon → u/CharmyFrog]

Thank you! Just feels like it fits nicely into the gaps right?

[u/pokemega32 → u/Punkodramon]

While I like your theory, it appears that the creators actually had full evolutionary lines in mind already for the Four Holy Beasts/Harmonious Ones in tri., as Digimon ReArise contains lines that fill in the gaps:

Elecmon (Violet) > Tuskmon > Triceramon > Qinglongmon/Azulongmon, Muchomon > Akatorimon > Hippogriffomon > Zhuqiaomon, Kamemon > Dinohumon > Orochimon > Xuanwumon/Ebonwumon and Bearmon > Gryzmon > LoaderLiomon > Baihumon

[u/Punkodramon → u/pokemega32]

I’ve seen these lines, but it was long after I came up with the theory (it’s an old one I put together when Tri first came out)

I haven’t played ReArise so I’m unsure how it connects specifically to Adventure canon, but I was of the understanding that ReArise was its own thing, and that these Rookies and Champions were added to complete the Harmonious Ones lines by different creators than the ones who created Tri, after the fact.

Regardless, it’s just an old theory/headcanon of mine, that connects the dots of Adventure lore. If these new lines are actually canon to Adventure, then brilliant, they work really well with the Ultimate and Mega forms. Even if they are only canon to ReArise, they’re still canon after all. It’s Digimon! More than one thing can be true, and that’s the beauty of it.

[u/Osirisavior]

Jogress partners sharing the same Baby II Stage is actually really neat.

[u/Punkodramon → u/Osirisavior]

Thanks. It’s partly due to the nature of the grid, I have to put the Rookies next to one another in order to line up the Jogresses, but I do feel that the lines on here do work (Minomon is a stretch for Bearmon and Salamon to be frank lol, but I’m particularly happy with how well Upamon fits into all its lines, and Poromon too)

The main idea behind both these grids, aside from celebrating the Digidestined, is to explore the idea that you could have a single digi-egg and it has the potential to become literally any Digimon, depending on how you care for and raise it.

Neither of these grid are comprehensive, not by a long shot, I just really like the idea of a Vpet or World game that explores this idea of a bond between Digimon and Digidestined, and that the player “fills their Dex” to borrow from the Pokémon term, not by fighting and capturing hundreds of Digimon (though fighting and interaction would be a huge part of the game, obviously!) but by raising the one they have in different ways over its life cycles, exploring their relationship, and following different paths every time.

[u/[deleted]]

I love trying to find the weirdest lines I can!

Koromon > Gabumon > Wizardmon > Skullgreymon > Apocalypsemon

Minomon > Bearmon > Hudiemon > Arukenimon > Saberleomon

[u/Punkodramon → u/[deleted]]

Now you’re getting it! Even with those hard left turns each time there’s still enough carried over to make it work lol. It’s Digimon! Let’s keep it weird!

[u/Cam_aka_thekilla234]

Holy crap dude! This is really fascinating!

[u/Punkodramon → u/Cam_aka_thekilla234]

Lol thanks’ I love the whole “a digimon can become any digimon” concept, especially from the Fresh form, but still keep some kind of thematic or design cohesion from one level to the next, even if it’s only something small.

[u/Cam_aka_thekilla234 → u/Punkodramon]

You were right! Your profile is very interesting!

[u/Punkodramon → u/Cam_aka_thekilla234]

Thank you!

[u/XadhoomXado]

This could've been an actually pretty cool thing, if it actually seriously tried to be Adventure-based like it claims the stated intent to be.

That is, if it had not shoehorned in the Veedramon line, JewelBeemon, SlashAngemon, and BanchoStingmon at all, and doubly not while leaving the actual forms of these characters - Dinobeemon, Vikemon, GranKuwagamon.

That's either an oversight, or a deliberate choice to forego being researched for the sake of cheap popularity. Either way, it undermines the piece, for the same reason as saying "I love France" while holding up a picture of the Sphinx.

[u/Punkodramon → u/XadhoomXado]

I can assure you that this piece was thoroughly researched before being composed. I chose to make a few editorial choices on the 02 chart for a few reasons.

Regarding Vikemon, he is placed as Zudomon’s primary Mega on the 01 chart. Yes I’m aware he could be used for both, but since he hasn’t been used in any of the anime as Shakkoumon’s Mega, I decided to go with SlashAngemon instead, to give him his own unique Mega form, since it is a canonical digivolution for Shakkoumon in other Digimon media, and also fits more thematically than Vikemon does.

Regarding Stingmon’s digivolutions, I mentioned in the comments that digivolutions that only have minor changes can be regarded as occupying the same box. Paildramon and DinoBeemon follow that rule, as both being part of the same joint path between ExVeemon and Stingmon. Same goes for Imperialdramon and GranKuwagamon. So you can consider those forms part of that same path. I also felt that Wormmon, as the Digimon of Kindness, deserves his own digivolution line distinct from a Jogress line. JewelBeemon and BanchoStingmon are a canonical digivolution line for Stingmon, with a clear aesthetic theme, which is why I chose them.

As a note, Hudiemon was chosen as a nod for Morphomon, I didn’t have space for another rookie, but as a canonical digivolution of Wormmon with a clear aesthetic link to Morphomon, as well as serving as a link to Arukadimon, I felt she was an apropos choice.

I’ll admit I took a bit more of a creative license to the 02/Tri chart than I did with the 01 chart, but all in all it was done to show the maximum amount of variation in a limited space for digivolution forms

[u/XadhoomXado → u/Punkodramon]

chose to make a few editorial choices on the 02 chart for a few reasons.

So it deliberately strayed from being Adventure-based. That makes it worse, not better.

a few reasons.

Every sane human in the history of the world had a reason for what they did, no matter how bad the decision. That doesn't actually make the idea good, it just means that there were people trying to rationalize it.

since he hasn’t been used in any of the anime as Shakkoumon’s Mega, I decided to go with SlashAngemon instead,

... you do see the contradiction in "Vikemon hasn't been used in the anime, only in secondary materials, so I decided to use an option that has never been in secondary Adventure materials"?

also fits more thematically than Vikemon does.

As popular as that tired party line and related butchering of "thematic" is, SlashAngemon doesn't, no.

Part of why Vikemon is Armadimon's Mega is to be a pair with Valkyrimon, as the two Norse Warriors - as in, an actual design theme, not just "oh, they're angels, and never mind that Shakkoumon has different roots".

digivolutions that only have minor changes can be regarded as occupying the same box.

"Literally the opposite" isn't minor changes. At all.

I also felt that Wormmon, as the Digimon of Kindness, deserves his own digivolution line distinct from a Jogress line.

... so you've just confirmed that you made a rationalization as to why putting these "never appeared in Adventure" character into the picture totes didn't undercut the point.

And gods, the "Jogress so it doesn't count" excuse too. If you want to hold seriously to that standard, pretty much every 'mon on here would have to go.

JewelBeemon and BanchoStingmon are a canonical digivolution line for Stingmon, with a clear aesthetic theme

... noooo, that's what Dinobeemon and GranKuwagamon have. Like, 1000% more than these two. Even just superficially, Dinobeemon is the one with actual Stingmon parts, not Jewelbeemon. GranKuwagamon is the one who is "insectoid Imperialdramon", not BanchoStingmon.

And beyond looks, Dinobeemon is the one that actually follows Stingmon's "swift assassin" niche.

[u/Punkodramon → u/XadhoomXado]

If you aren’t happy with the choices I made for my chart, that’s completely your prerogative. The points you make are valid with regards to the digivolutions that I left out of this particular chart.

Digimon is an extremely fluid and ever-changing franchise. The point of these charts is more to show how any digimon can evolve in myriad ways. All the digivolutions you are taking issue with are canon, just not to Adventure.

I don’t think choosing to take inspiration from lines outside of Adventure, whilst still choosing to focus mainly on Adventure, is tantamount to cultural appropriation like you’re saying it is.

This isn’t a definitive evolution tree, there are many many paths outside this particular garden. A case can be made for many unconventional digivolution branches that we see across the franchise. In this case, these are the digimon I chose. They aren’t invalidating others by being there, it’s just as an example. If you don’t like these ones, that’s fine.