Tiger's Battle with Destiny is the first episode of Season 2 and the twenty-seventh overall episode of the Monster Rancher anime series. It aired in Japan on October 23, 1999.
Tired of his brother and his group's resistance to Moo's reign, Gray Wolf decides to challenge his brother, Tiger of the Wind, to a duel that will determine who's stronger. The baddie has become treacherous and cowardly, so he won't play nice, but the Searchers got each others' backs and will risk their own lives for their friends.
Full Recap[]
The episode begins with young Gray Wolf rushing to young Tiger for help; a Shel has stolen his slab of meat. The young Tiger then drove the monster away before unexpectedly challenged Grey Wolf to take the meat himself. Unfortunately, his bully façade for the endeavor worked too well that Gray Wolf started to cry, unaware that it was just a ruse and Tiger would go easy on him. So, the disappointed Tiger returned the meat to his brother, much to Gray Wolf's joy.
The whole event was revealed to be a dream Tiger had while sleeping alongside the Searchers one night. Smiling at the dream, he then looked on to the sky while remembering his missing brother; there's no denying he did tried to tough Gray Wolf up in the past not unlike in said dream.
On the next day, Holly consulted with her Magic Stone for the direction leading to Phoenix. Just as Genki and Mocchi rallied their friends to set out for the direction the Stone showed them, Suezo noticed an approaching Cabalos with Baddie Crest. As everyone prepared for battle as always, Tiger and Golem noted the Baddie was coming alone for some reasons. Suezo stepped in to face the Baddie himself only to be intimidated by the latter, much to Genki and Hare's bemusement. The Cabalos then relayed a message from Gray Wolf in which he challenged Tiger to a one-on-one battle to the death. Despite Genki and the others' misgivings, Tiger, deeming the matter to be personal for him that it's best his friends not interfere, accepted the challenge and left with the Cabalos as the guide.
Seemingly relented with Tiger's decision, Genki assured Holly that they'll follow Tiger and the Cabalos regardless. At one point while tracking down Tiger and his companion, Golem hurled Suzeo sky high to ensure they still on the right track but distracted by Mocchi who got slipped from his shoulder that she caught the latter instead of the falling Suezo, much to his chagrin. Tiger and the Cabalos' trip brought the two to the top of a mountain the former and Gray Wolf traveled through, initially by themselves, then with their very own pack. In fact, it was the same mountain top where they fought a losing battle against Master Moo and his group of Baddies culminating to Tiger passing out from his injuries while watching their powerful foes taking Gray Wolf away. Noticing Tiger having a flashback, the Cabalos demanded him to hurry up, returning him to the present.
At the designated meeting spot, Tiger and Gray Wolf — now one of Big Bad Four — had an uneasy reunion. Seeing what his beloved little brother had become dismayed Tiger that it took him some doing in assuring the former that he could never forget him. Gray Wolf denied such statement, citing Tiger to be a self-serving liar who had since shed away his good-hearted older brother façade. Tiger rightfully pointed out that Master Moo had fed Gray Wolf with lies and hatred which led to his transformation into some Baddie commander before reasoning to his brother to no avail. Evading a blast of lightning from Gray Wolf, Tiger was soon surrounded by Cabalos troops whom he fought after rejecting Gray Wolf's demand to join him. It was when the rest of the Searchers joined the fray, much to Gray Wolf and Tiger's chagrin.
Genki and Mocchi told Rygar that they and the others were just "passing through". Upon being called out by Golem for his deception, the undeterred Gray Wolf lied to the group that Tiger has joined him. Of course, neither Genki nor Mocchi bought it, since they knew their friend enough that he wouldn't do such a thing. Holly's own explanation and mention of friend apparently touched Gray Wolf's nerves, which didn't help by Golem's guess that loneliness had something to do with the Baddie commander's emotional issues.
Having enough, Gray Wolf rallied Cabalos troops to attack, prompting Genki and co. to deal them so Tiger could deal his brother in a proper duel, much to Tiger's relief. Cabalos troops proved to be formidable adversaries that Genki and co. had to channel their courage-based emotional energy to boost themselves; Genki knocked a Cabalos with energized headbutt, Mocchi unleashed Cherry Blossom Blizzard at another Cabalos who too distracted in pinning Genki down, Hare delivers Dragon Kick as a Cabalos trop, Golem sent two of Cabalos troops sailing with Tornado Attack after initially defensive as he had to protect Holly at the same time, and Suezo teleports in order to rapidly swat his Cabalos opponent from behind only for his miscalculation led to him ended up having his back facing the latter thus causing the bemused monster to bite him from behind. Their fights however, were nothing compared to Tiger vs. Gray Wolf whose techniques literally empowered by courage and hatred respectively. Claw attack, blizzard, lightning, both not only mastered same techniques, but both combatants fought evenly. It was until they agree to use claws for direct attack only for Gray Wolf swatted his tail at Tiger, blinding him. This angered Genki and Mocchi for being underhanded, though Tiger was by contrast impressed since it was he who taught the technique to Gray Wolf in the first place.
Now having his brother at grave disadvantage, Gray Wolf was able to go all-out against Tiger after gloating his supposed gratitude to Master Moo for taking him in despite their sordid beginnings. Once again, Gray Wolf coerced Tiger to join him and Moo. But Tiger refused because the price was too great, angering Gray Wolf that he continued his assaults all while revealing his hidden envy and resentment toward his brother whom he perceived better than him in many ways. Realizing his errors, Tiger stated that he didn't mind being punished for his flawed attempt to toughen his brother up all this time but pleaded that he should leave his friends out of this mess. But Gray Wolf was too angry to listen and proceeded to go all-out again.
Before Gray Wolf could deliver a final blow, Genki intervened and attempted to help Tiger on his feet. Tiger plead to Genki to stay out of the fight, which didn't help Gray Wolf's fury. Genki's defiance by standing between him and Tiger proved to be a last straw for Gray Wolf that he resolved to finish them both. Other Searchers attempted to join Genki only to be deterred by remaining Cabalos troops. Unknown to Gray Wolf who rushed toward Tiger and Genki with murderous intent, Tiger used his senses to read his brother's movement before finally (and abruptly) charged past Genki and speared Gray Wolf's Baddie crest with his left horn, shattering it and freed its owner from Moo's evil. Gray Wolf was astonished by this counterattack, though not as much as the others upon his surviving Cabalos troops' desertion.
As the last bit of Moo's evil faded from him along with his own strength, Gray Wolf relented upon Tiger's pity, praising him for his loyalty toward his friends. Tiger confessed that he had honed himself in order to both save Gray Wolf and defeat Master Moo. Gray Wolf believed his story before pleaded to Tiger to leave as having him dying in the latter's paws would be too unbearable for either of them. As snow began to fall in the area, Gray Wolf, with his final breath and a single tear flowing from his eyes, wished that they could return to how things they were before turning into a Lost Disc. With that, Tiger howled sadly as the Searchers joined him in mourning Gray Wolf's death.
Meanwhile, within a cave situated on top of a mountain somewhere at the northern region of the world, a group of Baddies condicted an excavation inside. Without warning, the cave began to shook, prompting everyone to evacuate. Fortunately for a Jell troop who inadvertently left behind, the tremor stopped, though he beheld something horrifying in front of him. Meanwhile, a Weed reported to Master Moo who looked on the blizzard outside of their discovery. To his shock, it was his original body, perfectly preserved within the ice for centuries since The Final War. The delighted Moo laughed maniacally, as he would be able to return into his old self at last.
Because it is the sole episode of Gray Wolf Arc in the second season, it may originally had been intended to be the season finale of Season 1, with Naga Arc starting on Season 2.
Gray Wolf's loss of Baddie Crest which deemed too violenf by FOX
FOX did not air this episode in the US, most likely because of the violent image of Tiger stabbing Gray Wolf in the throat (though it was only the baddie crest that was damaged).
Another reason being visible blood on injuries sustained by Tiger.
