Royal Knights

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Royal knights cyber sleuth.jpg

The Royal Knights (ロイヤルナイツ Roiyaru Naitsu) are a group of thirteen Ultimate Holy Knight Digimon. Regarded as guardian deities of the Network,[1] they are the highest rank of Network Security and are under the jurisdiction of Yggdrasill itself.[2]

Overview[edit]

Origin[edit]

Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode was the founder of the Royal Knights,[3] in its capacity as the one who saved the ancient Digital World from total collapse in a time of unprecedented crisis.[4]

In order to manage the Digital World, Yggdrasill assembled thirteen Holy Knight Digimon and bestowed upon them the title of Royal Knight.[5][6]

Although it had been said that the Royal Knights had thirteen members, for a long time there were only twelve due to the lack of a thirteenth worthy Digimon. This changed when Gankoomon encountered Hackmon, who was identified as having the makings of a Royal Knight. Upon completing Gankoomon's[7] training regimen and evolving into JESmon, it filled the thirteenth position and completed the Royal Knights, notwithstanding the continued absence of a Digimon who fits Alphamon's profile.[6]

Properties[edit]

Nature[edit]

The term "Royal Knight" has been variously defined as a group,[2] a title bestowed upon Digimon by Yggdrasill,[2] and a collective term for Holy Knight Digimon who act with the aim of defending the Digital World.[4]

It is Yggdrasill who assembled the Royal Knights and who selects Digimon to be granted the title of Royal Knight. It is possible for new Royal Knights to be created as Yggdrasill sees fit.[2]

In Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth, Gankoomon says the title of Royal Knight is not just handed out. He says a Digimon can only be named a Royal Knight once they have protected the World.[8]

The Royal Knights boast absolute power within the Digital World.[6] Their abilities are rivaled by those of the Olympos XII from the Digital World: Iliad.[9]

The majority of Royal Knights are Human Digimon. Sleipmon is an exception with its bestial silhouette.[10] All Royal Knights are Holy Knight Digimon, but there are other Holy Knight Digimon who have never been identified as Royal Knights, such as Rapidmon Armor and various subspecies and variations of Omegamon.

Role and Duties[edit]

The Royal Knights are the guardian deities of the Network[11] and the Digital World.[6] They reign as the highest rank of Network Security;[4] it is said that in their presence, violating security is absolutely impossible.[12][1]

Each Royal Knight acts to defend the Digital World[2] and resolve conflicts in various places.[4] Although they all answer to Yggdrasill, each has their own differing personal principles, philosophies, and conceptions of justice, which influence both how they each interpret Yggdrasill's orders and the means by which they resolve problems and accomplish their missions.[13][5][2][4] Their motivations range from absolute fealty to Yggdrasill, to gratitude to their chosen master, to absolute and unparalleled power, to the oaths between a teacher and its student.[5][6] In some cases, they may clash with each other over their opinions, and even come to blows over them.[2]

The majority of the Royal Knights typically act independently[14] and tend to work alone.[15] From time to time, depending on their respective philosophies, they may collaborate with each other.[4] For example, the Royal Knight Dukemon initially acts independently during the L&R Wars, however it ultimately works together with Metal Garurumon to defeat the Tempest-corrupted Qinglongmon. A select number of Royal Knights will sometimes recruit Digimon from where they are dispatched to as allies in order to execute their assigned missions. The way they obtain these allies varies depending on the nature of the mission, but Craniummon is said to acquire allies as its subordinates by challenging Digimon it recognizes as formidable to one-on-one combat and making them submit,[16] as is the case with Craniummon + Enbarrmon. Other exceptions include JESmon, who tends to employ teamwork such as by coordinating its response with local Digimon and the Sistermons;[14] and Gankoomon, who is assisted by the Sistermons in various capacities.[17][18][19][20] Duftmon is also noted for its ability to take command of the other Royal Knights despite their independence.[15][13] The Royal Knight Omegamon is a fusion of two Virus Busters, War Greymon and Metal Garurumon, the Virus Busters being a group of justice that exterminates "Evil" in Digimon.[21][22]

It is similarly rare for the Royal Knights to show their faces in the Digital World. Gankoomon is once again an exception, as it actively involves itself in affairs in the Digital World,[17] and JESmon is likewise the first to come running when it senses signs of abnormality or chaos.[14]

Some of the Royal Knights also preside over other Digimon species, such as with Examon and all Dragon Digimon,[23] or Lord Knightmon and the Knightmons.[24]

As the Royal Knight assigned to the position of the "Empty Seat," Alphamon plays a very different role to the others. Depsite being regarded as a Royal Knight, its purpose is to serve as a deterrent force against the other Royal Knights.[25] Under normal circumstances it does not appear at all,[26] and no Digimon fitting its description has ever shown itself.[6]

The Royal Knights are expressly unable to interfere with the Digital World: Iliad, owing to its protection by the Olympos XII.[6]

Perception[edit]

The Royal Knights are famous among Digimon.[27] Due to its delusions of being royalty, Prince Mamemon is convinced that the Royal Knights are its own servants.[28] Among other royal titles, King Etemon has proclaimed itself to be a Royal Knight,[29] and Omekamon dresses itself as one of the Royal Knights, Omegamon, in lieu of any identity of its own.[27] Dracumon is currently attempting to play a prank on the Royal Knights.[30] The Royal Knights are among the few Digimon deemed worthy by Armamon of the Legend-Arms to wield Armamon itself as a weapon.[31]

The group has a natural rivalry with the Seven Great Demon Lords [32] and might be mortal enemies in some circumstances [33][34]. The Seven Great Demon Lords can sometimes corrupt Royal Knights to do their bidding, however. [35][34]

Events[edit]

During Project Ark, Yggdrasill gives the Royal Knights the mission of deleting Digimon.[4]

A prophecy that has been handed down from the ancient Digital World states that the Royal Knights will someday assemble when the Digital World faces its ultimate crisis.[12][11]

The Royal Knight Dukemon is among the casualties of the L&R Wars, it is then reincarnated as a special Digitama with its evolutionary code altered by Qinglongmon’s blessing.

It is speculated that some day, the Royal Knights and their Digital World: Iliad counterparts, the Olympos XII, will cross between the servers and face each other; hypothetical reasons include orders from Yggdrasill and a virus consuming the world. Whether the two groups will meet as enemies, or as allies with common cause, is unknown.[6]

Design & Analysis[edit]

The Royal Knights are modeled on the motif of the Knights of the Round Table from Arthurian mythology.[36] Among the few overt references to the Knights of the Round Table are Examon's attack technique Pendragon's Glory, which incorporates the epithet "Pendragon" borne by King Arthur's father, Uther; and Alphamon and its "Empty Seat," which parallels the permanently empty Siege Perilous at the Round Table.

The concept of the Royal Knights, and its first three identified members—the new Digimon Dukemon, and the two pre-existing Digimon Omegamon and Magnamon—ere first introduced in 2001 in Dukemon's profile text and other associated lore.[37] The identification of Dukemon as a Royal Knight even extended to a profile of the Dukemon from Digimon Tamers (i.e. the Matrix Evolved form of Guilmon and Matsuda Takato) posted on Toei Animation's website for the series, even though the Royal Knights are not mentioned in Tamers itself at all.[38]

More Royal Knights continued to be introduced over the next thirteen years. That the group serves Yggdrasill, and that there would ultimately be thirteen members, were both established in 2003 in the Digimon Chronicle narrative and the introduction of Alphamon.[39] As of the introduction of the thirteenth member, JESmon, in 2014, the Royal Knights were identified as having complete membership.[4][6]

Watanabe Kenji has publicly spoken of a concept for a possible future development for the Royal Knights, inspired by both the introduction of Hackmon and how the Royal Knights' membership of thirteen is far smaller than that of the Knights of the Round Table. The idea is that the current membership would "pass the baton" to a new generation of Royal Knights, with Hackmon/JESmon as a link between the two generations. This concept has yet to occur in any Digimon media, which Watanabe attributes to a dearth of opportunities in which to depict it, and as of 2017, he had no concrete plans for when, if ever, it would eventuate.[36]

Collaboration Designs[edit]

The collaboration Medarots in Medarot S.

Tyuga has designed three Medarots using Royal Knights as the design basis as part of a larger collaboration between the franchises. Omega Knight (based on Omegamon), Magna Knight (based on Magnamon), and Duke Knight (based on Dukemon) share the distinction of being the only Digimon motif Medarots to share a part of their names, "Knight". Tyuga also designed Duke Knight's cape to use Omega Knight's cape parts due to these shared names. [40]

Members[edit]

Despite being considered the Royal Knights' founder, Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode is not considered a member of the Royal Knights.
Medieval Dukemon is an alternate form that Dukemon takes in certain media, but Medieval Dukemon is not a Royal Knight in that form despite it being the same individual as the Royal Knight Dukemon.[41]

Royal Knight Duties/Comparison Other forms
X-Antibody Other
Omegamon.jpg
Omegamon
Omegamonx.jpg
Omegamon
(X-Antibody)
Omegamon zwart.jpg
Omegamon Zwart
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Omegamon Zwart Defeat
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Omegamon Alter-B
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Omegamon Alter-S

See: Omegamon-species

Magnamon.jpg
Magnamon
  • Boasts the best defensive prowess of the Royal Knights[45] and forms the cornerstone of their defense[46]
Magnamonx.jpg
Magnamon
(X-Antibody)
N/A
Dukemon.jpg
Dukemon
  • A living contradiction, as a Virus-attribute guardian deity, with the potential to become a dangerous being if its balance is lost[1]
  • Stakes everything on its pride as a Royal Knight[47]
  • The Royal Knight of devotion, who saves the weak[48]
Dukemonx.jpg
Dukemon
(X-Antibody)
Dukemon crimson2.jpg
Dukemon:
Crimson Mode

Medievaldukemon.jpg
Medieval Dukemon
Dynasmon.jpg
Dynasmon
  • Unique among the Royal Knights in that it will serve a lord who shares and embodies its own sense of justice with deep, unquestioning loyalty[49][50]
  • As Dynasmon (X-Antibody), it is the most skillful at aerial combat of the Royal Knights[51]
Dynasmonx.jpg
Dynasmon
(X-Antibody)
N/A
Lordknightmon.jpg
Lord Knightmon
  • Presides over all Knightmons and knight-type Digimon[24][52]
  • Faithful to what it regards as "justice" over the concepts of good and evil[24]
  • Utilitarian and unparalleled in its ruthlessness in executing its duties;[24] willing to resort to rule by force and killing off the weak to ensure peace[52]
Lordknightmonx.jpg
Lord Knightmon
(X-Antibody)
N/A
Ulforcevdramon.jpg
Ulforce V-dramon
Ulforcevdramonx.jpg
Ulforce V-dramon
(X-Antibody)
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Ulforce V-dramon
Future Mode
Alphamon.jpg
Alphamon
  • Is assigned to the position of the "Empty Seat," and is known as the Aloof Hermit because it does not appear at all under normal circumstances[26]
  • Said to serve as a deterrent force against the other Royal Knights[25] and Holy Knight Digimon, despite being a Holy Knight itself[26]
  • Possesses the Alpha inForce[26]
N/A
(Already a natural
X-Antibody carrier)
Alphamon ouryuken.jpg
Alphamon: Ouryuken
Craniummon.jpg
Craniummon
  • Has the greatest understanding of decorum, and observes the most proper decorum, of the Royal Knights[54][55]
  • Perfectionistic; competes with the other Royal Knights for the top two mission completion rates for Yggdrasill's orders[54]
Craniummonx.jpg
Craniummon
(X-Antibody)
Craniummon enbarrmon.jpg
Craniummon + Enbarrmon
Sleipmon.jpg
Sleipmon
  • Guardian of the super-ancient ruins beneath the ice of the Digital World's north pole[10]
Sleipmonx.jpg
Sleipmon
(X-Antibody)
N/A
Duftmon.jpg
Duftmon
  • Regarded as the foremost strategist of the Royal Knights, even earning the praise of the others for it[13][15]
  • Has the invaluable ability to take command of the other Royal Knights[13][15]
Duftmonx.jpg
Duftmon
(X-Antibody)
Duftmon leopard.jpg
Duftmon:
Leopard Mode
Examon.jpg
Examon
  • Simultaneous to its role as a Royal Knight, is also the Dragon Emperor who stands at the pinnacle of all Dragon Digimon[23]
Examonx.jpg
Examon
(X-Antibody)
N/A
Gankoomon.jpg
Gankoomon
  • Roams the Digital World and deals with signs of anomalies and chaos[17]
  • Noted for its unusual preference for actively involving itself and counting many Digimon as friends[17]
  • Travels with Hackmon, whom it is having trained to be the successor to its own Royal Knight title[17]
Gankoomonx.jpg
Gankoomon
(X-Antibody)
N/A
Jesmon.jpg
JESmon
  • Hackmon's Ultimate form who, upon evolving into this form, filled the long-vacant thirteenth Royal Knight position[6]
  • The first of any of the Royal Knights to come running in response to signs of abnormalities or chaos, which it is capable of detecting[14]
  • Noted for its unusual tendency to coordinate its responses with other Digimon, including both locals and the Sistermons[14]
Jesmonx.jpg
JESmon
(X-Antibody)
Jesmongx.jpg
JESmon GX

Appearances[edit]

Anime[edit]

Digimon Tamers[edit]

Dukemon is stated in its official Toei Animation profile to be a member of the Royal Knights.[38]

Digimon Frontier[edit]

According to Baromon, the Royal Knights are known for their righteous hearts.[56]

Two Royal Knights, Dynasmon and Lord Knightmon, are servants of Lucemon. Viewing Lucemon as the only one capable of bringing order to the Digital World in its state of chaos, they harvest the Digicode of the Digital World's Areas in order to release Lucemon from his captivity in the Dark Area, and fight in the name of his brand of justice.[56] The Chosen Children attempt to stop them, but are routinely defeated and unable to prevent Areas from being scanned.

The Royal Knights are also motivated by a desire to invade and conquer the Real World, and by the promise that Lucemon will give them the key to enter the Real World once he is revived. However, during their last battle with the Chosen Children on the Digital World's moons, Lucemon betrays them when the Chosen Children subdues them, and scans their data to evolve into Lucemon: Falldown Mode.[57]

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Digital Monster X-evolution[edit]

The Royal Knights are servants of Yggdrasill. There are twelve active members, including Omegamon, Dukemon, Magnamon, and Lord Knightmon; a thirteenth Royal Knight, Alphamon, is also acknowledged but is said to not actually exist. Despite taking orders from Yggdrasill, even the Royal Knights are unable to physically meet it. When not in action, they inhabit their own domain, which includes a viewscreen chamber for conferences set up with a circle of twelve viewscreens through which they can communicate remotely, with an empty space for a thirteenth.

Yggdrasill commands the Royal Knights to execute Project Ark. The unclear intentions behind Project Ark, and its dubious morality as a mission to exterminate X-Antibody Digimon, begin to divide the Royal Knights along ideological lines, ranging from Magnamon's hardline stance of obedience to Yggdrasill, to Dukemon's open questioning and sympathy for the X-Antibody Digimon. Although Omegamon also initially has a hardline view similar to Magnamon's, he begins to have a crisis of faith following his encounters with DORUmon, his discovery of DORUmon's nature as an unexplained experiment, and his philosophical clashes with Dukemon which culminate in his killing of Dukemon.

The conflict between the Royal Knights comes to a head when DORUmon/DORUguremon enters the Royal Knights' domain with the assistance of Dukemon, who had returned from the data space in an X-Antibody form of his own to assist the rebels in fighting off Yggdrasill's hordes of Death-X-DORUguremons. Intrigued by DORUguremon expressing motivations similar to his own—in search of answers, seeking an audience with Yggdrasill—and engages him in a duel that results in DORUguremon evolving into Alphamon and filling the thirteenth Royal Knight' position (with a thirteenth viewscreen in the chamber also being added). Alphamon's intent to stop Yggdrasill convinces Omegamon to join him on his mission, over the objections of Magnamon, who does not waver from his hardline stance on order and obedience.

Alphamon and Omegamon intrude on Yggdrasill's domain and fight a series of battles which culminate in Alphamon and Death-X-mon defeating each other, Omegamon taking in Alphamon's X-Antibody, and Alphamon reverting into DORUmon. When Yggdrasill does not respond to his demands for answers, Omegamon X uses All Delete to shatter Yggdrasill and reform the Digital World.

After the reformation of the Digital World, Omegamon X and Dukemon X rejoin each other and watch over DORUmon.

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Digimon Savers[edit]

Main article: Royal Knights (Savers)

The Royal Knights are servants of Yggdrasill. They are the highest rank of Network Security in the Digital World, and have been dubbed "guardian deities."[58]

In the aftermath of Kurata Akihiro shattering the dimensional barrier between the Real and Digital Worlds, Yggdrasill—having deemed humanity unworthy of survival due to the constant crises that they have brought to the Digital World—orders the Royal Knights to eradicate humanity and destroy the Real World, in order to avert the destruction of the Digital World by collision with the Real World.[59] However, their battles with the DATS team and the influence of Kudamon/Sleipmon cause them to waver, and ultimately, the six surviving Royal Knights defect from Yggdrasill and assist DATS.[60]

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Manga[edit]

D-Cyber[edit]

Omegamon, Medieval Dukemon/Dukemon and Magnamon are the last of the the Royal Knights, who fought Death-X-mon 10,000 years ago, and allies of the chosen children.[citation needed]

DORUmon is ultimately revealed to be the lost leader of the Royal Knights Alphamon. He merges with Ouryumon to form Alphamon: Ouryuken, who destroys Death-X-mon.[citation needed]

Digimon Chronicle[edit]

The Royal Knights are servants of Yggdrasill, and have been tasked with enforcing Project Ark.

However, Alphamon and Ouryumon are fighting against Yggdrasill but make a compromise with him after they merge together to defeat Death-X-mon.[citation needed]

Digimon Xros Wars[edit]

The Royal Knights in Digimon Xros Wars.

The Royal Knights are the guardian knights of the Digital World[61] and servants of Homeostasis, the successor to Yggdrasill.[62] There are, or were, ten known members, including Omegamon and an Ulforce V-dramon who once had his own adventures with a human partner.[61]

Several hundreds of years in the Digital World's past,[61] the Royal Knights heard a prediction from Homeostasis about a "red-black two-headed dragon" who would bring about the end of the Digital World, and embarked on a fruitless search to identify it and prevent its rise. During their search, however, the Bagra Army launched an invasion that none of them had seen coming. They attempted to resist, but failed to prevent the shattering of the Digital World, which cast Ulforce V-dramon and his squires into the Real World.[63] They do not know for certain how many of their number survived these events, and Omegamon in particular went missing in action and is presumed deceased.[61]

On April 3, 20XX, Ulforce V-dramon encounters Kudou Taiki and secures his assistance in returning to the Digital World.[63]

On their return, they succeed in reuniting some of the Royal Knights: Duftmon, Craniummon, Dynasmon and Lord Knightmon join Taiki, Ulforce V-dramon and the rest of Xros Heart and Blue Flare in their attack on the Bagra Pandemonium, while Sleipmon and Dukemon are occupied subduing Bagra Army factions in other Zones. The Royal Knights volunteer to take on Arkadimon while Shoutmon X7 focuses on Lilithmon, and Duftmon and Ulforce V-dramon destroy Arkadimon. After the battle, the Royal Knights hold off a surprise attack from Amano Nene and Dark Knightmon while Xros Heart and Blue Flare infiltrate the castle to confront Bagramon.[61]

From outside the castle, the Royal Knights witness the formation of the "red-black two-headed dragon" as a candidate that, despite the warning signs, they had neglected to take seriously: Zeed Millenniumon. Dynasmon is soon sucked into Zeed Millenniumon in an attempt to destroy it gone awry.[64]

When the Generals enact their plan to undo Zeed Millenniumon's DigiXros from within, the remaining Royal Knights remain outside and leave everything to the children. On observing Shoutmon X7's use of All Omega the Fusion to enter Zeed Millenniumon, they all agree that they recognize the presence/code of the late Omegamon within Shoutmon.[64] They witness the success of the Generals' plan and the splitting of Zeed Millenniumon into a horde of evil Digimon, as well as the return of Dynasmon.[65]

Digimon Chronicle X[edit]

The Royal Knights are servants of Yggdrasill.

Decades after Project Ark, Yggdrasill sends Sleipmon and Craniummon to survey the state of the old Digital World, and grants them both the X-Antibody;[66] when they request reinforcements due to what they see, they are joined by JESmon (also X-Evolved), who devises a plan to resolve the chaotic state of the old Digital World with a one-on-one battle royale to determine a leader to shape the world's future.[67] After the battle royale ends, however, the barrier between the old Digital World and the Dark Area breaks down, and the Royal Knights face an assault by the Seven Great Demon Lords, who have acquired the X-Antibody for themselves in the confusion.[68]

Digimon Knuckles[edit]

The Royal Knights are the greatest protectors of the Digital World, and are considered intimidating to others, especially children[69]. Gankoomon, JESmon, Craniummon and Examon were members.

Some time ago, the Royal Knights managed to capture and monitor all of the Seven Great Demon Lords save for Leviamon. Right before Gankoomon was summoned into the human world by Kawashima Hajime, Leviamon corrupted Hackmon and used its evolved form, JESmon to do its bidding.

Hiragana Digimon: A Tale of the Royal Knights[edit]

Dynasmon of the Royal Knights is one of the protagonists of this manga, with the other protagonist, Wanyamon, being a fan of them. The other Royal Knights make appearances as well. All the Royal Knights are shown in the Episode 1 title page.

The Royal Knights in Hiragana Digimon

Novel[edit]

Digimon Chronicle X[edit]

Digimon Seekers[edit]

Omegamon is a member of the Royal Knights and a servant of Yggdrasill. It is described as a killing machine used by the Digital World's system to eradicate all intruders and easily defeated Eiji's Helloogarmon and was only briefly stalled off by Leon's Pulsemon with the cost of him going DMIA.

While first making their way to the Source Code, an unnamed Royal Knight forced the Sons of Chaos to retreat when it halted Kisakata Kosuke's DORUGreymon's Metal Meteor with ease.

The other 12 Royal Knights exist and also serve Yggdrasill, but they do not make any appearances in the novel.

Digimon Liberator[edit]

Hackmon is a Royal Knight. It is the protector of the Sanctuary where Digimon from another game, Cross Connectia, live and has hacked an NPC to battle for it. It also plays a JESmon GX deck, which features cards related to JESmon and Gankoomon, and whose top end has a When Attacking trigger that trashes the top card of the opponent's security for every 2 [Royal Knight]-trait cards in evolution bases. Hackmon happens to be an old acquaintance of Cool Boy, feeling betrayed by him in the past due to Cool Boy's failure to fulfill the promise of protecting free Digimon from Hackmon's perspective. After facing Yuuki in a match during "THROUGH THE FIRE AND METAL", Yuuki befriends Hackmon.

Omekamon is the Partner Digimon of Cool Boy. He takes the form of Omegamon (X-Antibody)[N 1] on his own to battle Zenith in "RODS FROM GOD". Omekamon uses Cool Boy's Royal Knights deck, which includes cards like Dukemon[N 2] and Yggdrasill_7D6, in this match.

Video Games[edit]

Digimon World X[edit]

Lord Knightmon is part of the Royal Knights.

Digimon Collectors[edit]

Digimon collectors cutscene 18 26.png Digimon collectors cutscene 31 10.png Digimon collectors cutscene 67 2.png
Digimon collectors cutscene 67 31.png Digimon collectors cutscene 78 68.png Digimon collectors cutscene 78 72.png

Digimon Adventure[edit]

Gankoomon is a member of the Royal Knights, as stated by Hackmon, his student, in Episode 73, "Dragon Beast! Arresterdramon".

Digimon World Re:Digitize[edit]

The Royal Knights appear as a collectable card set.

Digimon World Re:Digitize Decode[edit]

The Royal Knights appear as a collectable card set.

Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth[edit]

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The Royal Knights were sent to the human world by Yggdrasill to eliminate humanity as a way to stop the Eaters. However some Royal Knights opposed this mission, leading to an internal war between the knights following Yggdrasill's orders (Lord Knightmon, Dynasmon, Duftmon, Craniamon, & Examon) and those who wished to protect humans (Alphamon, Omegamon, Gallantmon, Magnamon, Jesmon, Gankoomon, & Sleipmon). Ulforce Veedramon is the only Royal Knight not to directly appear in the game, as his data was destroyed when he attempted to enter the human world, leading to V.V. taking his place.

Digimon World -next 0rder-[edit]

Digimon World -next 0rder- International Edition[edit]

Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth Hacker's Memory[edit]

Digimon ReArise[edit]

Digimon Masters[edit]

Digimon New Century[edit]

JESmon, the Player's partner, is one of the Royal Knights. After the great war in which Yggdrasill disappeared, all the Royal Knights except Omegamon died. Some time later, Omegamon sent the Digitamas of his fallen companions, with the exception of Duftmon (who had already been reborn and grown to his Ultimate level once again), to the Human World, trusting in the children of this world.

Digimon: Source Code[edit]

Digimon Story: Time Stranger[edit]

Omegamon is a particular Royal Knight that supports Dan/Kanan at various points in time, in places like the Material World, in Central Town within Iliad, and so on. In these cases, Omegamon occasionally takes the separate forms of Agumon and Gabumon, the two only fusing into Omegamon for battle.

In the "A Mysterious Letter" side mission, the Royal Knights help Yuki defeat the same Mugendramon who killed Misono Inori's mother and was thought to have been killed her younger brother.

Near the end of the game, believing the events occurring in Digital World: Iliad to be on too wide a scale to ignore, Yggdrasill sends the Royal Knights to fight against the powers threatening the world. However after entering Iliad, all the Royal Knights (bar Omegamon) became too preoccupied to form a unified force or were crippled by Iliad's firewall, leading Yggdrasill to recruit Dan/Kanan to gather them all and remind them of their mission.

During the final battle, Yggdrasill ordered Omegamon, who is not bound by the laws of Iliad, to intervene and weaken Chronomon so that the Olympus XII can defeat it. If Yuki gathered all of the Royal Knights, all of them will appear in the cutscene instead. This is purely cosmetic and has no effect on gameplay.

Royal Knights DSTS.jpg

Digimon are given genes in the game that align to size, their type, and groups. The Royal Knights are given the "Royal Knight" genes, usually alongside the "Holy" and "Knight" genes to reflect their "Holy Knight" type. Nearly all forms of the Royal Knights have the gene, including the new addition of Craniummon + Enbarrmon. Some Royal Knights are excluded, such as Alphamon: Ouryuken, which instead has the "Unknown" gene to reflect its "No Data" type. Duftmon: Leopard Mode, Dukemon: Crimson Mode, and Omegamon Zwart are other forms of Royal Knights who don't have this gene. In contrast, Blitz Greymon, Cres Garurumon, Omegamon Zwart Defeat, Omegamon Alter-S, and Omegamon Alter-B all have the Royal Knight gene and were added to the game in Additional Digimon and Episode Pack 1, "Alternate Dimension". In Pack 3, "Anti-ParadoX", the X-Antibody forms of five Royal Knights in Omegamon (X-Antibody), Magnamon (X-Antibody), Dukemon (X-Antibody), JESmon (X-Antibody), and Ulforce V-dramon (X-Antibody) were added to the game featuring the Royal Knight gene.

Virtual Pets[edit]

Digivice Ver.15th[edit]

Digital Monster X[edit]

Digital Monster X Ver.2[edit]

Digital Monster X Ver.3[edit]

TCG[edit]

Digital Monster Card Game[edit]

"Royal Knights" is a Group property which is ascribed to Digimon cards depicting members of the Royal Knights from Expansion Kit S onward. Some Digimon cards' special abilities and Option cards have effects which target, or criteria which require or involve, cards with the "Royal Knights" Group.

The Royal Knights are prominently featured in the eponymous Royal Knights Set of Ultimate Battle Deck 4, and in the Premium Select File Vol.1. In addition to the Royal Knights, the former set contains several cards depicting non-Royal Knight Digimon who have "Royal Knights" Group-related effects, such as St-829 Rapidmon, St-832 Silphymon and, most notably, St-884 King Etemon, whose special ability enables it to itself acquire the "Royal Knights" Group as well.

Digimon Xros Wars Super Digica Taisen[edit]

From Super Digica Taisen Set 3 onward, cards depicting members of the Royal Knights often bear the D-Skill "Royal Knights," which powers up their DigiBlast attack based on how many fielded allies have D-Skills which share the same D-Skill attribute (Digisoul) of Light, including other instances of the "Royal Knights" D-Skill.[70]

Super Digica Taisen Set 4 prominently features the Royal Knights, and touts their good affinity with the "legendary General" Yagami Taichi.[70] Promotional material for the set gives a backstory in which the Royal Knights, with Taichi as their General, are assembling and mobilizing in response to the Digital World's "greatest crisis" and the appearance of Mega Decker Greymon, and an "ultimate clash" has broken out between them and Mega Decker Greymon's faction of dragon Digimon, commanded by Aonuma Kiriha.[71]

In addition, the Omegamon card D5-CP5 states that Taichi's Omegamon is a member of the Royal Knights.

D5-cp5 front.jpg
D5-CP5
Omegamon

Digimon Card Game[edit]

"Royal Knights" is a trait characteristic which is ascribed to all cards depicting members of the Royal Knights. Numerous cards depicting Royal Knights or the Sistermons have effects which target, or have criteria requiring, cards or Digimon with the "Royal Knights" trait belonging to the player. They are also featured on merchandise releases like the PB-13 Royal Knights Binder Set, which contains both a binder with art of the Royal Knights and promotional cards featuring the Child forms of some of their members.

The Royal Knights are prominently featured in the BT-13 VS Royal Knights booster set, alongside Yggdrasill_7D6[72].

BT-20 Over the X features several Royal Knights prominently, with the booster set themed around Digimon Chronicle, Chronicle X, and Liberator. Key Digimon featured in this set include Jesmon GX[73], Alphamon: Ouryuken[74], Omegamon (X-Antibody)[75], and Examon[76].

In the BT-22 Cyber Eden and BT-23 Hackers' Slumber booster sets, all Royal Knights and Yggdrasill_7D6[77] are featured together again, all with the "CS" trait (the abbreviation for Cyber Sleuth).

AD-01 Digimon Generation features cards based on the various Digimon anime series, including Digimon Adventure and Digimon Tamers. The individuals from those series are denoted with the "Adventure" and "Hero" traits, meaning the Omegamon and Dukemon of those series are also identified as Royal Knights with the "Royal Knights" trait.[78][79]

Image Gallery[edit]

Royal knights cyber sleuth.jpg Royal Knights binder set.jpg Agumonhakase terriermonassistant omegamon digimonprofile.png
Illustration for Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth by Watanabe Kenji Digimon Card Game
Royal Knights Binder Set
Digimon Profile



Additional Information[edit]

References Notes
  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Digimon Reference Book: Dukemon
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Digimon Profile: [Digi-Basics] The Holy Knights "Royal Knights" (Translation on Wikimon)
  3. Bo-660
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 デジタルモンスター ART BOOK Ver.1~5&20th [Digital Monster - Artbook Ver.1~5&20th]. Bandai. p. 150. December 9, 2017.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Digimon Chronicle X: "On the Royal Knights"
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9 "デジモンアドベンチャー デジヴァイス Ver.15th (15周年記念バージョン)". Premium Bandai. July 19, 2014.
  7. Digimon Reference Book: Hackmon
  8. Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth, "Parallel World", Gankoomon: "Hackmon... The Royal Knights appellation is not granted to you by someone. You are first called a "Royal Knight" when you protect the world.
  9. Digimon Profile: [Digi-Basics] Digimon of the "Olympos XII" (Translation on Wikimon)
  10. 10.0 10.1 Digimon Reference Book: Sleipmon
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 Digimon Reference Book: Ulforce V-dramon
  12. 12.0 12.1 デジモン大図鑑―デジタルワールド研究白書 [Digimon Visual Dictionary: Digital World Research White Paper]. Futabasha. p. 217. November 15, 2002. ISBN 978-4575163537.
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Digimon Reference Book: Duftmon
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 Digimon Reference Book: JESmon
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 2-058
  16. Digimon Reference Book: Craniummon + Enbarrmon
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 Digimon Reference Book: Gankoomon
  18. Digimon Reference Book: Sistermon Noir
  19. Digimon Reference Book: Sistermon Blanc
  20. Digimon Reference Book: Sistermon Ciel
  21. Digimon Reference Book: Omegamon
  22. Digimon Reference Book: Revolmon
  23. 23.0 23.1 Digimon Reference Book: Examon
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 Digimon Reference Book: Lord Knightmon
  25. 25.0 25.1 Digimon Story Visual Art Book. Bandai Namco Entertainment. p. 105. December 14, 2017.
  26. 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 Digimon Reference Book: Alphamon
  27. 27.0 27.1 Digimon Reference Book: Omekamon
  28. Digimon Reference Book: Prince Mamemon
  29. St-884
  30. Digimon Reference Book: Dracumon
  31. Digimon Reference Book: Armamon
  32. Digital Monster Card Game - Booster 24 Advent of the Seven Great Demon Lords (THE EVIL GATE)
  33. Digimon Chronicle X
  34. 34.0 34.1 Digimon Knuckles
  35. Digimon Frontier
  36. 36.0 36.1 Habu, Kazumasa. "【いろいろ知りたい 関係者に聞く!】<<第ニ回:玩具企画担当 ウィズ前川氏前半>>" ["[I Want to Know All Sorts of Things—Listen to the Staff!] <<#2: Toy Production Planner Maekawa-shi from WiZ, Part 1>>"]. デジモンゲームコミュ [Digimon GameCommu]. September 5, 2017.
  37. 最新版 デジタルモンスター大集合! [Latest Version: The Great Digital Monster Gathering!] Keibunsha. p. 205. October 2001. ISBN 978-4766939736.
  38. 38.0 38.1 "DIGIMON CHARACTER LIST ―キャラクター紹介―". Toei Animation. Date unknown.
  39. "NDWに生息するデジタルモンスター". Digimon Chronicle. Date unknown.
  40. Digimon Partners Interview - Part 2
  41. Digimon Chronicle
  42. Bo-1151
  43. Re-124
  44. Digimon Reference Book: Omegamon (X-Antibody)
  45. St-551
  46. St-724
  47. St-385
  48. Bo-1176
  49. Digimon Reference Book: Dynasmon
  50. 4-055
  51. Digimon Reference Book: Dynasmon (X-Antibody)
  52. 52.0 52.1 4-038
  53. Digimon Reference Book: Ulforce V-dramon (X-Antibody)
  54. 54.0 54.1 Digimon Reference Book: Craniummon
  55. 3-053
  56. 56.0 56.1 Digimon Frontier: "Endless Death Match! The Prelude of Lucemon's Revival"
  57. Digimon Frontier: "The Royal Knights Fall, And...!!"
  58. Digimon Savers: "The Strongest Order of Knights - The Royal Knights Gather"
  59. Digimon Savers: "Human World Annihilated! Yggdrasil's Decision"
  60. Digimon Savers: "Protect the Future! DATS' Final Battle"
  61. 61.0 61.1 61.2 61.3 61.4 Digimon Xros Wars: "Xros Wars!! The Prologue to the End!!"
  62. Digimon Xros Wars: "Xros Miracle!! Reel in a Sliver of Hope!"
  63. 63.0 63.1 Digimon Xros Wars: "Xros Memories!! The Boys' Old Days"
  64. 64.0 64.1 Digimon Xros Wars: "Xros Apocalypse!! The Beast of Revelation!!"
  65. Digimon Xros Wars: "Xros Songs!! To All The Teens Who Are Chasing After Their Dreams!!"
  66. Digimon Chronicle X: "More than 10 years..."
  67. Digimon Chronicle X: "New Order"
  68. Digimon Chronicle X: "Dark Area"
  69. Digimon Knuckles - Episode 1
  70. 70.0 70.1 "第4弾、稼働直前特報!伝説のデジモン「オメガモン」とロイヤルナイツが参戦!" データカードダス デジモンクロスウォーズ 超デジカ大戦. Date unknown.
  71. V Jump. April 2011 issue. pp. 298-299. February 21, 2011.
    (Scans by Vande)
  72. BT13-007
  73. BT20-019
  74. BT20-060
  75. BT20-102
  76. BT20-045
  77. BT23-072
  78. AD1-025 (DCG)
  79. AD1-008 (DCG)
  1. While not stated, this Omegamon (X-Antibody) is likely BT20-102, as it's the only Omegamon (X-Antibody) card that can return an opponent's Digimon to the bottom of the deck.
  2. While not stated, this Dukemon is likely P-186, as it's the only Dukemon card with both destruction and recovery effects