Dark Masters
The Dark Masters (ダークマスターズ Dāku Masutāzu), or also known as the Four Heavenly Kings of Evil (悪の四天王 Aku no shiten'nō)[1] and the Rulers of Darkness (闇の諸王 Yami no Shoō)[2], are a group of four evil Ultimate level Digimon who originally debuted in Digimon Adventure.
Members[edit]
| Dark Masters | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ダークマスターズ Dāku Masutāzu | ||||||
| Metal Seadramon | ||||||
| Pinochimon | ||||||
| Mugendramon | ||||||
| Piemon | ||||||
Appearances[edit]
Anime[edit]
- Main article: Dark Masters (Adventure)
Digimon Adventure[edit]
In the absence of the Chosen Children and having sealed the Four Holy Beasts, the Dark Masters took over the Digital World and reformatted much of it into Spiral Mountain, making it easier for them to conquer.
Digimon Adventure tri.[edit]
The group appears in "Loss" in a flashback that recounts their first defeat by Himekawa Maki's original group of Chosen Children, resulting in the birth of the Four Holy Beasts in the Adventure universe.
Digimon Adventure 20th Anniversary Memorial Story Project[edit]
The Dark Masters appear in a flashback alongside Apocalymon in the short "The Shibuya-ish Heroic Saga of Pump and Gottsu", where Gottsumon and Pumpmon tell Gabumon and V-mon a story arc of their lives called "The Ultimate Four Kings of Hell Tower Arc" (invented by them) where they supposedly defeated the group.
Manga[edit]
Novel[edit]
Digimon Adventure[edit]
The Dark Masters are indirectly introduced as the "Rulers of Darkness" in an excerpt from the Digimon Book of Revelations, which describes their intention to seal the four pillars governing the world's four corners: the Four Holy Beasts. The group consists of Metal Seadramon, Pinochimon, Mugendramon, and Piemon, four Ultimate-level Digimon whose powers rival those of the Holy Beasts. Devimon, Etemon, and Vamdemon serve as their subordinates.
Their preparations to conquer the Digital World span centuries within its accelerated flow of time. Drawing on the Book of Revelations, they order Nanomon, then enslaved by Etemon, to develop a program that will divide the world's information into four elements—ocean, forest, cities, and darkness—and reconstruct them as the intertwined territories of Spiral Mountain. After Nanomon disappears into a black hole, the program passes through Etemon to the Dark Masters.
The Four Holy Beasts' powers initially prevent this restructuring. While leaving their subordinates to control other parts of the world, the Dark Masters wage a prolonged struggle against its protectors. Once all four Holy Beasts have been sealed, they activate the program and rebuild the Digital World into Spiral Mountain. Metal Seadramon rules its ocean, Pinochimon its forest, Mugendramon its cities, and Piemon its territory of darkness.
Before the current Chosen Children arrive in the Digital World, Piemon also discovers Homeostasis' preparations for their coming and attacks its Agents. Gennai, the only surviving Agent, escapes in a captured Mechanorimon with the eight Digitama and their Digivices, but cannot recover the Crests. During the attack, Piemon implants a sphere of darkness in Gennai's back, a prototype of the Dark Seed.
When the children return from the human world, they confront the Dark Masters in succession. Metal Seadramon is defeated through the efforts of Saber Leomon, Metal Garurumon, Zudomon, and War Greymon, at the cost of Whamon and Leomon's lives. Metal Garurumon subsequently destroys Pinochimon, while War Greymon defeats Mugendramon after Yagami Hikari's prayer restores his strength. Finally, the reunited children and their allies overcome Piemon's forces, and War Greymon and Metal Garurumon destroy him together. Each ruler's defeat causes his corresponding territory to disappear.
The disappearance of Spiral Mountain exposes Apocalymon, which absorbs the Dark Masters' data and subsequently reproduces their attacks. The narrator suggests that Apocalymon had transmitted its thoughts through the Wall of Fire, unconsciously influencing the Dark Masters to reject evolution. Their restructuring permanently disabled the Village of Beginnings' function, threatening the world's cycle of rebirth. The Dark Masters themselves may never have understood this consequence of their plan.
Video Games[edit]
Digimon Adventure: Anode Tamer & Cathode Tamer[edit]
The Dark Master Piemon from Digimon Adventure is among the Digimon that is revived by Millenniumon, whom he then served.
Digimon World: Digital Card Arena[edit]
Infinity Tower's third Battle Arena, unlocked after beating all the Adventure Chosen Children, is centered around the Dark Masters, with the player having to fight Metal Seadramon, Pinochimon, Lady Devimon and Piemon in a row. Piemon himself uses the Four Heavenly Kings Assault deck which is centered around the Dark Masters. All of them wish to harm the player, with Piemon specifically holding a grudge from his defeat against the Chosen Children and vowing revenge, even after being defeated by the player.
While Mugendramon appears in the game in Infinity Tower's first Battle Arena, he's not considered part of the Dark Masters in the game, with Lady Devimon taking his place instead.
Digimon Tamers: Digimon Medley[edit]
Digimon Adventure[edit]
- Main article: Dark Masters (Adventure)
Digimon Fortune[edit]
Digimon Soul Chaser[edit]
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth[edit]
After Aiba Takumi/Aiba Ami collects all of the Dark Masters medals, the Medal Man rewards them with a Shine Guard DX and a Dark Guard DX.
Digimon Linkz[edit]
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth Hacker's Memory[edit]
After Amasawa Keisuke collects all of the Dark Masters medals, the Medal Man rewards him with a Shine Guard DX and a Dark Guard DX.
Digimon ReArise[edit]
Digimon New Century[edit]
Digimon Super Rumble[edit]
"Dark Masters" is a Deck formed by the four Digimon of the group and Apocalymon.
Digimon: Source Code[edit]
The Dark Masters are subordinates of Lilithmon from the Seven Great Demon Lords.
 Lilithmon summoning the Dark Masters in Digimon: Source Code. |
TCG[edit]
Carddass Digimon Adventure[edit]
101 is the Dark Masters card. It describes them as such: "The Four Heavenly Kings, who lead an army of dark Digimon, have made Spiral Mountain their fortress. They show the children who had returned to the Digital World the power of darkness and how terrifying Ultimate-levels can be!"
Starting from said 101 to 117, all cards are related to the Dark Masters in some way, be it themselves, their armies or their followers.
Digimon Card Game[edit]
Dark Master is a trait given to Digimon cards, namely those that were part of the group in Digimon Adventure, in the Digimon Card Game, introduced in BT-15 Exceed Apocalypse. Digimon that served them in the anime may have effects that specifically target Digimon cards with this trait.
Miscellaneous[edit]
Super Evolution Stage "Digimon Adventure tri. ~Adventure of August 1~"[edit]
Trivia[edit]
- They all originate from the Digimon Pendulum x.0 series (although Mugendramon debuted in Digimon World). Their armies in Digimon Adventure are each named after the Pendulum version featuring the respective member of the Dark Masters, with exception of Nature Spirits and Virus Busters.
- As of September 24, 2024, all of the members of the Dark Masters (alongside at least one other Digimon) obtained Jogress Evolutions tied to their Field; Aegisdramon for Metal Seadramon, Cernumon for Pinochimon, Millenniumon for Mugendramon, and Voltobautamon for Piemon.
- In the March 2013 issue, the article "Secrets of Adventure!!" was published in V-Jump magazine, with the director of Digimon Adventure, Kakudou Hiroyuki.
When talking about the Dark Masters, the director revealed that the group is based on the "Four Heavenly Kings".
Additional Information[edit]
| References | Notes |
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