Homeward Bound

Homeward Bound is the forty-first episode of Digimon Tamers. It was preceded by Janyu's Ark and followed by Reunion.

Plot
Takato, Guilmon, Henry, Terriermon, Jeri, Kazu, Guardromon, Kenta, Ryo, Cyberdramon, and Calumon stand before the ark. A sandstorm comes up, and everyone except Takato gets on the ark, Cyberdramon standing on top of it. Takato doesn't get on yet, as there is no sign of Rika and Renamon.

Renamon is currently running toward the ark as Kyubimon, with Rika and Impmon riding on her back.

The ark begins moving. Ryo and Cyberdramon fly off to get Rika as Takato runs after the ark. The others try to get Takato back on the ark, with Calumon grabbing Takato's hand while holding Guilmon's hand simultaneously, but is unable to lift Takato up, and both Takato and Calumon fall. Guilmon yells at the ark to stop, and it does. Yamaki doesn't understand why this is happening, and calls for Dolphin, who designed the ark. Shortly after, Rika, Kyubimon, Impmon, Ryo, and Cyberdramon arrive.

Dolphin tries to figure out why the ark stopped, and says he used the same AI program to create it as he used for the Digimon, as it was the only way to get it to work, but doesn't think even this would have caused the ark to think for itself.

Rika grabs Takato's hand so that Kyubimon takes him and Calumon aboard the ark along with her, Rika, and Impmon. Upon entering the ark, Kyubimon dedigivolves to Renamon, and Cyberdramon dedigivolves to Monodramon. Kazu can't believe Rika went back to save Impmon, calling her "crazier than catfish". Kenta suddenly finds MarineAngemon in his pocket, along with a digivice, as he is now his tamer. With everyone aboard, the ark begins moving again, while a DigiGnome flies by it. Its emergence point changes to Shinjuku Park.

Guilmon talks to the ark, mentioning to Takato that it listened to him when he told it to stop. Jeri, whose eyes are still yellow, doesn't move or talk. The D-Reaper's blobs of chaos attack the ark, which loses its strength, but Takato tells the ark to go just a little further so they can get home, and it continues its path to Earth. Eventually it arrives on Earth, in Shinjuku Park. The tamers are reunited with their parents, while Impmon walks away, saying he's back where he doesn't belong. Riley finds Jeri's parents, who are staying with relatives in East Matsumoto, and won't be coming, as Jeri's father said that she left on her own and should come back on her own. Takato decides to take Jeri back. His father is reluctant, as it is a long way away, but in a role reversal, his mother tells him to let him go. The ark dissolves.

Takato, Guilmon, and Jeri get on a train to go to East Matsumoto. The conductor is intimidated by Guilmon, thinking him to be a monster as he believes all Digimon to be after Vikaralamon's attack, but when Guilmon says he is hungry and wants a lunchbox, the conductor says he never heard of a monster wanting a lunchbox, and realizes he is not evil. Jeri doesn't eat any of the food, and Takato tells her that he loves her, and wishes she would talk to him. Jeri eerily reads the nutritional value of the lunchbox, talking for the first time since her reappearance.

They finally reach East Matsumoto, and Mr. Katou takes Jeri in his car. Calumon goes with them.

A report is shown of strange apparitions in Shinjuku. At the train station, Takato sees the report, which shows the D-Reaper's mass of chaos attacking Shinjuku. The D-Reaper followed the tamers to Earth and is increasing at an alarming rate.