"I'm a Doctor, not a bricklayer!"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was an episode I was looking forward too with some cautious optimism, but I have to say I ended up enjoying it a lot. In fact it's now my current favourite episode of Ghost Game so far, only just topping Piemon's.
It does help that it heavily features my top three characters, plus a Digimon I've long wanted to see onscreen. I like the way they had AncientSphinxmon's mouth operate when talking, it's fittingly creepy.
Breaking the formula established with the Adult and Perfect stages, Angoramon gets the jump on Jellymon this time, and it's certainly a spectacle. I'm bold enough to say by this point he has the best evolution sequences in the show.
Uncommonly, they also forgo the established tactic of trying to best the enemy at their own game, opting instead for a more traditional beat the ancient wḫdw out of them instead. Though I got the impression Sphinxy's riddles were simply a speech pattern rather than an actual test.
I also appreciate that they're not making these debuts a complete curb-stomp, as it does help with making Ultimates feel powerful as they should be. Dilbitmon gets to show off his moveset and skills, but ultimately achieves victory due to his opponent getting hoisted by his own petard.
Having been invested in their relationship for a long time now, I thought they actually did quite a respectable job considering the structure of the series may have worked against it. Including a call-back to Angoramon's desire to be a swordsman, which is a nice bit of foreshadowing in retrospect.
On the subject raised concerning Ruri drifting from interest to interest seemingly coming out of the blue, I believe this was meant to tie into her character description.
"While she is an outgoing girl who is dexterous and can pretty much do anything, she actually has trouble finding things that she deems are suitable for her, and so has a sense of ennui about that"
The show just hasn't put that much emphasis on it. But the focus of the development here seems to be geared more towards Angoramon anyway. Nevertheless I was satisfied, and it certainly felt more earned than most final forms have been in recent years.
