Yggdrasil
Yggdrasil (イグドラシル, Igudorashiru?) is the name of a
fictional character in several iterations of the
Digimon franchise, named after the
world tree from Norse mythology. It primarily factors into the backstory written for the Digimon virtual pets and card game, which is a background storyline that is less prominent and often contradictory to the various anime. It appears as a character in
Digital Monster X-Evolution and
Digimon Data Squad.
In the continuities it appears in, although always presented as being very mysterious and powerful, Yggdrasil is the master computer that controls the
Digital World, the otherworldly realm home to all
Digimon. Due to this position of power, it is always presented as the "god" of the
Digital World, overseeing its survival and, in some cases, destruction.
In two of the continuities in which he appears, Yggdrasil has command over the majority of the
thirteen Royal Knights.
Yggdrasil from the Digimon X-Evolution Movie
In the animated movie,
Digital Monster X-Evolution, which is based on the
Digimon Chronicle storyline created by Bandai in conjunction with the Pendelum X virtual pet and card game, the original Digital World was cultivated and populated with Digimon by Yggdrasil. However, the continuous multiplication of Digimon left the computer unable to handle the data load, resulting in an apocalyptic event known as the "Digital Hazard" that saw the Digital World begin to collapse. Yggdrasil initiated "Project Ark," hand-picking a small number of Digimon to survive the catastrophe and transplanting them to a new Digital World it had created. However, Digimon who survived the death of the old world by way of the mysterious "
X-Antibody" have appeared in this new Digital World, disrupting Yggdrasil's plans.
In order to move Project Ark into its second phase - the complete extermination of the Digital World and all Digimon life - Yggdrasil created an experimental being,
Dorumon, from whose data it created a vast army of
DexDoruGreymon, as well as his personal protector,
DexDorugoramon, who later became
Dexmon. Discovering Yggdrasil's true intentions, the Royal Knight
Gallantmon turned on him, and after becoming an "X-Digimon" himself, he sent Dorumon to his comrades,
Omnimon and
Magnamon, in an attempt to bring an end to the fighting.
In the Royal Knights' stronghold, Dorumon was revealed to be
Alphamon, the legendary leader of the Knights. This was enough to convince Omnimon to face Yggdrasil, and he went with Alphamon to seek counsel with his master, defeating DexDoruogoramon and Dexmon, who barred their way. It was then that Yggdrasil initiated the second phase of Project Ark, and the Digital World began to die as the DexDoruGreymon swept across it, reality crumbling in their wake. To stop the computer's scheme, Omnimon - transformed by Alphamon's X-Antibody - struck his master down with his "All Delete" attack, destroying Yggdrasil and allowing the Digital World to be reborn.
Later, Omnimon and Gallantmon speculated on Yggdrasil's intentions. For all that he had done, a reason remained unclear to both Knights - but in the end, Gallantmon believed that Yggdrasil had, just as all Digimon had been, fighting against his own inevitable destruction.