Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon Act 13 Review

 

Act 13 is my favorite act in the Dark Kingdom Arc. It's more then that though. Sailor Moon is my favorite franchise in fiction, containing the three scenes that I like more than any produced by any other series. This includes the climax of the Sailor Moon R movie, the climax of the final arc of the manga, and the climax of the first arc of the manga which begins in this act. I feel a lot of people do not see the symbolism and meaning in the First Arc's climax. I think this is because Sailor Moon is a very fast-paced manga, and people skirt over lines and sometimes whole scenes without having slowly considering each one as I have. In this overarching review I have pointed out numerous times the recurring themes within this arc, and this is where it pays off, as I express how it seems to me Naoko culminates those themes.

The act begins with Serenity's dying wish. She declares Endymion was the first and only person she has or will ever love romantically and that even if they are reborn again she knows they will find each other and fall in love over again. It's a beautiful sentiment showing that all of it, the horrific strains and stresses she had undergone, even dying from her own blade, she would suffer it all again to be with him, more then that that she would eagerly anticipate their meeting again. It also foreshadows the climax of the final arc. 

The Senshi are obviously horrified with Minako yelling in anguish is this their fate, to reborn to have it ever again, despairing it may be unavoidable fate.

Once again, I'd like to point out the theme is clearly pronounced. I do this because people seem to really not notice the themes being expressed at the end of the first arc in particular. 

From Usagi and Mamoru's prone bodies the two pieces of the Silver Crystal come together again. In seeming death the lovers are finally reunited again, and Usagi's identity is unified, but now it can't be used. Protectively, the Silver Crystal grows over Usagi and Mamoru encasing them in Crystal, seemingly to protect them. This initially seems to be a good thing but the Crystal begins outpouring energy which Metaria begins to absorb and grow rapidly stronger.

Metaria proclaims she can finally move freely and moves to engulf the Crystal, swallowing them up in darkness. Luna briefly tries to emanate energy as Artemis did to stop Metaria but as mentioned last act, Metaria just absorbs all energy. I really like Metaria as a final villain. Even ignoring all the symbolic stuff, her powerset and physiology is just really cool. One of the things I really love about Magical Girl series that a lot of people don't acknowledge is just how often, at least since Sailor Moon, Magical Girls tend to fight cosmic otherworldly horrors as final villains, with Naoko's being my favorite. Like Metaria is a living energy-absorbing darkness. That's just a cool concept, simple enough to be quickly understood, but also conceptually interesting. 

Luna remembers Queen Serenity's words, that she should always protect Usagi, that even though time may pass and she may change in appearence, she will always be her only master and Luna weeps in anguish that she couldn't protect the person most precious to her.

It's a very sympathetic moment, though I do have to admit and I don't think is a real failing, just a funny point, I do find it a little funny that Queen Serenity's like "even though her appearence might change" showing a picture of Usagi next to Princess Serenity and they literally look identical. Like, yes it's symbolic of the permenancy of identity persisting across time, but it's just a clear contrast between image and description. 

Metaria teleports to the surface, carrying the Silver Crystal with her, pursued by the Senshi who teleport after her. On the surface they find the North Pole has been turned to stone, just like the Moon was. They make the explict comparison it looks like the Moon Kingdom ruins, once again cementing that it seems like everything is repeating. Metaria grows to encompass the sky before them proclaiming that the Queen of the Moon Kingdom sealed her below ground so long, and now with the Silver Crystal the planet is hers. The Four Senshi try to combine their power to destroy her like they did to Kunzite, but Metaria once again absorbs their energy.

Luna's wound get worse and the Senshi retreat to the Command Center. Metaria's presence releases cold winds causing a state of emergency across the world. I like how in terms of imagery Metaria is consistently associated with the absense of energy as she drains it away; darkness, cold, stillness. Luna states she is sure that the princess is protected still by the Silver Crystal. The Senshi go back to fight Metaria again leaving just Luna and Artemis. 

Artemis tells Luna that she's pushing herself too hard, re-opening the wound she suffered against Tuxedo Kamen. Luna claims that it's her fault, that Usagi was going through so much pain and Luna made her fight the one she loved. Once again, I can't profess just how pure manga Luna is. Luna asks Artemis to take to the Moon, to the prayer room. There she prays desperately to the spirit of Queen Serenity to release the full power of the Moon. Meanwhile Metaria encompasses the world, and her presence drives humanity to savagery and violence.

Kunzite was shocked Metaria had grown to the size of a person. Metaria is now the size of a planet, and the world is grim and brutal. This is an idea Naoko seems to really like. Villains in her stories aren't just physical threats, they're spiritual threats. They turn people evil. Very often it's unsubtle brainwashing powers like this, however it gets a similar symbolic idea across. Villains like Metaria aren't just people that are evil, they are forms of being opposed to the very order and goodness of being, an idea Naoko references a few times including very early on with the statement Luna makes that their enemy "should not be allowed to exist in this world."

The Guardian Senshi seem out of options as they have no way to contain Metaria. Venus suggests sacrificing their pens to protect the princess, though she says that's as good as sacrificing their lives. Naoko initially wanted to make something more akin to episode 45 of the anime where the Senshi died individually but got told no by her editors. She then got mad, rightfully so I think, when the anime was allowed to kill off her characters but she wasn't.

 The Senshi sacrifice their powers to create a big energy beam which goes within Metaria. Metaria thinks that it did nothing and laughs to herself about their seeming foolishness but deep within Metaria, Usagi stirs from the light.

I do wish the Senshi had more individualized sacrifices but once again I think Naoko just wasn't allowed too do anything like that for some reason. As it stands I think the scene still gets across basically the Senshi's devotion to their princess and it's kinda sweet symbolically that they awaken her from the darkness she's lost in.

Usagi in the darkness dreams of times long-gone by, the time of the Silver Millennium. Princess Serenity tries to sneak off to Earth only to be caught by Sailor Venus. Sailor Venus chastizes Serenity for being irresponsible, but Serenity, being an absolute bastion of responsibility, sticks out her tongue at Venus while making a mocking face saying Venus don't know what it's like to be in love. This becomes more tragic when we see that Venus indeed had some love for Kunzite of Earth herself, though seemingly respected the division between the people of the Moon and the Earth. Venus privately confesses her worries to Mercury about their princess, that being in love will hurt her.

Serenity meanwhile talks to Endymion. They talk of the wind blowing the ocean, a distinctive atmosphere of the Earth being alive in a way the Moon isn't. Serenity comments that from space Earth looks like a blue crystal ball, once again referencing the thing she loves of Endymion and the Earth. As the two lovers hold each other Serenity comments that when she's with him, her heart's desires are clear, and she feels stronger. That she wishes they could be like that forever.

I love their pairing so much and the way Naoko draws them together evokes many feelings from me. However the memory turns dark as Serenity recalls her and Endymion seeing dark clouds on the horizona and then the battle for the Moon Kingdom. Endymion tried to protect Serenity from Beryl and dies stopping a blade swing from hitting her. Serenity in despair killing herself.

Queen Serenity comments here saying she had a feeling it would end this way, that a love that should not be between people of the Earth and Moon, two different worlds, would end in tragedy. The elements are introduced seperately but here they are all seen together. Queen Serenity, the Goddess Selene knew love between Earth and Moon would end in tragedy creating God's law that they would oversee them from afar. When Princess Serenity and Endymion did love each other, it inspired Beryl's jealously allowing Metaria her foothold and the death of the Moon Kingdom, Princess Serenity and Endymion. Queen Serenity, her heart in despair keeping her from fully using the Crystal, sealed away everything; the Moon, the Demon Metaria, entrusting the future to her daughter and her friends. 

Usagi thinks to Endymion that she knows they'll be born together again, on the same world, and the two can be happy.

I find it hard to comment on these events because they are beautiful imagery to me, but it is to such an extent I feel words failing me. Sailor Moon is a modern myth and when it's at its best it speaks for itself in a way that adding commentary can never full encapsulate it, as it speaks to an archetype beyond space and time. I can obviously draw comparisons. The tragic lovers are clearly inspired by Romeo and Juliet. I can comment on individual notions within it I like like Serenity and Endymion being born repeatedly to same place and time in the vastness of the cosmos to fall in love again. I can extoll how the themes are seen again with how Serenity says she feels stronger with Endymion and wishes they could stay in the happy times forever. But unlike most works I've read or seen, I never feel like I've gotten everything from Sailor Moon that I can, no matter how many times I read it.

The light from earlier, the light of the Senshi's desperate attack awakens Sailor Moon within Metaria. She doesn't know where she is, whether she's alive or dead, dreaming or awake. There's not many images on panel but it really shows Naoko's artistic talents.

Sailor Moon sadly looks at Endymion's body, realizing she's neither dead nor dreaming. Examining herself she finds Mamoru's pocketwatch, the gift he gave her, took the blade instead of her and she passed out like Minako did earlier rather then died. Serenity weeps that she can't be the only one of the two of them still alive. The Silver Crystal transforms from it's normal diamond shape, unfolding into a Lotus design.

The Lotus, because it is a beautiful flower that grows in the midst of the dismal murky swamp, is an often used symbol of enlightenment, coming to spiritual awareness in the midst of the illusion of material being like a beautiful flower in a murky swamp. Here now Sailor Moon lies in the monstrous darkness of Metaria and she will develop further.

Metaria notices Sailor Moon and fills her mind of all the hatred and animosity of the people of Earth, the darkness in their hearts in a bid to torment the sensitive Usagi.

As mentioned earlier, Naoko depicted the awakening of Sailor Moon as a theological event, and Sailor Moon not just as a superhero, a superhuman soldier of good, but a spiritual messianic power. Sailor Moon comes to spiritual awakening at the same time she faces the demon Metaria, who thrives on and attacks with the hatred and darkness of mankind. It is at once literal and symbolic.

Sailor Moon realizes that they're inside Queen Metaria, and Queen Metaria similarly realizes Sailor Moon's awake. Metaria goes to crush Sailor Moon who uses the Silver Crystal, an experience Metaria describes as an unpleasent heat within her, as Sailor Moon teleports her and Mamoru outside of Metaria.

Incredibly Mamoru's hands begin to get warmer and he re-awakens to Sailor Moon's shock, calling it a miracle. However Mamoru's vision is gone. 

Once again, this is Naoko doing something that makes symbolic sense even if it doesn't make literal sense. Where does Metaria making Mamoru blind come from? Nowhere really, it's not a power she shows elsewhere and, spoilers, it gets restored soon after. However symbolically Metaria, the darkness, blinds people, just as she blinded Mamoru and the people of Earth, both in the past and in the present, turning them hateful in their blindness. Sailor Moon in contrast is the Moon whose gentle light pierces the darkness, shows us we are not alone, who reveals the truth to us. 

Metaria in the sky bares down upon the two. Sailor Moon tries to blast her with the Silver Crystal but as established, Metaria absorbs all energy used against her and it does nothing. Sailor Moon wonders where her friends are, worried that Metaria has them already, possibly because of how strong Metaria is and because of her insecurity, her power begins wane-ing. Sailor Moon continues to doubt herself saying she can't seal Metaria away, she's not strong enough.

Tuxedo Kamen thinks to himself he can feel the pain Sailor Moon is in, and one of the four gemstones he held to his heart cracks, causing Kunzite's spirit to appear before him proclaiming to his master that at last the've finally met.  Kunzite exposites to Tuxedo Kamen about Metaria, telling him the black diamond set on her forehead is her heart, that as she's grown larger so too has her weak point. This was kind of set up earlier with Kunzite noticing the black diamond on her forehead, but it's still kind of a deus ex machina. 

The spirits of the Heavenly Kings appear before him, saying they're happy they met him before their stones shatter and they disappear. Tuxedo Kamen wonders if their stones caught the holy sword, which is the reason he's still alive. The symmetry is completed between Usagi and Mamoru, Mamoru's guardians protected him from the holy sword, Usagi's guardians awoke her from the power of the holy sword.

Mamoru speaks to Usagi, encouraging her to have faith in herself, saying he's sure that her friends believe in her too. He continues, possibly inspired by the spirits of his guardians appearing before him, saying he's sure her friends are looking over her from afar, and he'll support her in their place now. As they look into each other's eyes, Endymion promises to always be by her side.

Those eyes are the eyes Serenity compares to the Earth seen from afar, a world where the wind blows and the waves crash. A world brimming with possibilities and hope. It is he that Serenity said makes her feel stronger. Serenity comments that he always gives her the strength she needs; that she little by little she's becoming filled with strength and courage.

The themes all finally come to a head in one of my favorite moments in fiction. Across the entire arc there have been constant allusions to the divide between Usagi's identities. Usagi is a crybaby, she is nothing like Sailor V, she's the most undependenable Senshi, she's half as good as the others, she doesn't have their special powers, she can't convince her dad she's Sailor Moon even when she tries to tell him, she's scared of becoming Princess Serenity, she asks if tragically dying is their fate, she will always be the normal girl Usagi, she needs to unify her identities to stop Metaria, physically represented by the divide of her crystal and its power. She's somehow always that cowardly crybaby Usagi. She is somehow always the tragic princess Serenity, who had forbidden love, watched him die tragically and killed herself in anguish. 

Long ago, that tragic princess looked down from the Moon upon the Earth, a world brimming with life. From the still Moon, it was progression in Eternity. She saw that world in the eyes of that world's Prince, who being near always filled her with strength and courage. Usagi was the one who saw everyone else's true selves, being the first to understand the Guardian Senshi despite nasty rumors or idolization. Yet Mamoru was the one who sought and saw Usagi's true self, who knew sometimes she could be so strong for the ones she loves, could show a new face.

Looking into the eyes of the one she loves, that tragic princess is filled with strength and courage again declaring to Metaria the enemy of all, the demon that destroyed the Moon Kingdom, that she is going to destroy Metaria completely

and as the white moon glows with a powerful radiance, allowing Mamoru to see again, as the light of Usagi's heart penetrates through Metaria's darkness just as her love freed him, she declares proudly that she is Princess Serenity AND she is Sailor Moon.

This moment, this sole moment makes Act 13 my favorite act in the Dark Kingdom Arc, and puts the arc above the next three acts. It is one of those few fictional moments that moves me, to my core. It's one of the three best scenes in fiction to me, that I consider an ideal to aspire towards. I can't extract all that is good about it, I've tried for years. But to do my best:

That which exists eternal, which never changes is reassuring just as Usagi wishes she could be with Mamoru forever, just as her dying wish is for it to all happen again. But it bears with it at the same time the threat of being trapped forever by your sins. It is something I've felt strongly, the worry that mistakes you've made in the past will forever define you, that you can not escape what you've done. Likewise change brings about good things and it can be scary. These values, sometimes rendered as order and chaos, or the eternal and the temporal, are what we are trapped in because in some ways we are always changing, yet some part of us is always the same. We are people with a unified identity across time and yet showing mildly different faces based on space and time. We are, to be dramatic, souls in a material world. 

The thing that moderates between these two forms of being is love. When Usagi looks into Mamoru's eyes, she's somehow all that she ever was; she's the tragic princess looking into her star-crossed love, she's the normal girl Usagi looking into the eyes of that strange man who set her heart on fire, she's the Champion of Justice Sailor Moon looking into her superhero partner Tuxedo Kamen's eyes. It unifies us in our identities, something that connects us to our past, and something that we can put our trust in as guides us to our future. Yet in being so it also pulls us into something greater. When Usagi is protecting her loved ones, when she looks into their eyes, she is filled with power and courage, little by little, because we develop in love or the ones we love. Love is the transcendent power that renders us the same as we always have been, yet also makes us greater than we are. 

Usagi is introduced to the reader as a cowardly crybaby who nonetheless rises into heroism for the ones she loves. That idea is so captivating because it reflects something about the human condition, something displayed in this moment. Anyone can be a hero. It doesn't matter how far you've fallen, the sins of your past, or how little capacity you have in this moment. For the ones she loved, even a crybaby like Usagi can turn into a hero, and the same can happen for you.

Usagi was scared she was going to be Princess Serenity again, defined by her failure, but now she proudly declares she is that same princess, yet will still be the champion of love and justice Sailor Moon for the world and people she loves. 

I obviously love Act 13. Even outside its climax, I think Act 13 has a bunch of things I like. It has build up towards the climax, it has a bit more on the Silver Millennium, with Venus and Serenity and the romantic scene with the princess and the prince. It has the Senshi and Luna's mounting frustration culminating in the Senshi's heroic sacrifice and Luna desperately praying to Queen Serenity. It also has Metaria, who in general is an interesting and creepy eldritch monster. I also love the visuals and imagery used in the act with things like the Silver Crystal changing into the lotus shape.

It's not the least bad act. I still think that's probably Act 9. Act 13 is more uneven by comparison, the sacrifice of the Guardian Senshi could have been done better, particularly if Naoko was given more leeway I imagine, and Kunzite's explanation arguably broke up the flow and was kind of deus ex machina-y. With that said these are the kinds of things that are more than accounted for given even just the positives before the ending let alone the ending. 

Act 13's ending isn't just good the way a lot of series can be good. It's the culmination of many good usages of theme, plot, and imagery building efficiently to a single moment across 13 acts, It would be the best moment in any other series and even in Sailor Moon it won't be surpassed until the end of the series. It is a moment of storytelling that will forever for me transcend storytelling and be an ideal I wish to live in aspiration of. 

How they Compare: Makkapitew (Until Dawn)

 

Blackwood mountain once belonged to the Cree who considered the mountain sacred and forbade hunting upon it. Due to colonial expansion and the discovery of the valuable gems deep in the mountains, massive mining operations were performed on the mountain against the Cree's warnings. The mountain cried out and releasing ancient spirits known as the wendigo, creatures born of ice. When any man performs cannibalism upon Blackwood mountain one of the wendigo possesses him and changes him into a monstrous entity. Of them, the fiercest of all and their leader was called Makkapitew. It hunted two young girls one night in 2014, leading to the procession of events of the video game.

Wendigo are significantly stronger than humans often killing them with a single strike. This even includes the protagonists of Until Dawn such as Mike who is able to tear the head off a deer as well as Josh and Jessica both of whom have feats of withstanding long falls while already injured. Wendigo can kill wolves with single strikes and can do serious damage to metal doors. Their skin is like armor which even shotgun shells do not easily damage. Makkapitew is stronger than most, easily withstanding a slash from another wendigo, slamming it through stairs and a wall, and ripping its head off. Makkapitew was even able to slice a tower's support cables. This average Wendigo is likely in the range of 3,000+ joules in terms of damage output with a single strike, while Makkapitew is more likely in the low end wall level range supported by literally slamming another wendigo through a wall.

Wendigo also can outpace a wolf or an elk in terms of speed, complimented by their movement based abilities. This would put them roughly at the range of 13-16 meters per second, This would be slightly faster than Usain Bolt who was able to run at a record 12.2 meters per second. Makkapitew is easily able to outpace another wendigo, grabbing it in a lunge from across a room before the wendigo can grab a victim right next ot them.

Changing into a wendigo causes changes to one's physiology. One grows and becomes more lanky. They seem to lose all aging as wendigo made 50 years older seem no older. The teeth and claws grow out vastly, they no longer feel any pain or cold, and senses change towards a thermal motion tracking sense. This means one can briefly avoid detection by a wendigo by staying perfectly still but a wendigo can track a moving target very well avoiding stealth.

Wendigo are extremely good at ambush tactics. They use stealth to their advantage and can grip and climb or skitter across surfaces in three dimensions easily. They can perfectly mimic voices they've heard which they often use as a lure. Wendigo, due to once being humans, are actually cunning hunters who will use traps and tricks to get their prey. 

However their strongest advantage is their true nature. Wendigo are spirits and cannot be killed conventionally, only having their current body disrupted, which is why they say if you can to always trap a wendigo, not to kill it. Wendigo can pseudo-possess those who are desperate for food, whispering in their brain to commit cannibalism, but only fully possess when the deed is done.

In terms of weaknesses, wendigo have minor trouble detecting things that aren't moving, though can figure it out given enough time. Also as creatures born of ice, fire can burn away their material forms, though it won't kill their spiritual selves.

Name: Makkapitew

Origin: Until Dawn

Powers and Abilities: Spiritual Plane Existence, Possession and Corruption (Can tempt those desperate for food to cannibalism, can possess them when they do), Supernatural Senses (Based on Motion), Superhuman Stats, Voice Mimicry, Immunity to Cold and Pain, Agelessness

Weaknesses: Has trouble detecting if perfectly still things are alive, fire

Destructive Capacity: Wall level (Threw a wendigo through a wall, cut tower support cables, stronger than most wendigo)

Range: Melee Range

Speed: Superhuman (Faster than most wendigo, wolves and elk)

Durability: Wall level (Unharmed by a normal wendigo's strikes)

Stamina: Unknown, likely infinite when a spirit

Standard Equipment: None

Intelligence: Cunning hunter

If the wendigo stalked another verse, how would it do?

In the DC and Marvel universes, Makkapitew would not do especially well do mostly to low stats. In the DC Universe characters like Atlanteans, Amazons, and Parademons have feats well in excess of Makkapitew and are treated basically as fodder. Even as a spirit, good luck charms in DC that can ward off evil spirits are fairly commonly dispersed through the population. In Marvel, there is a similar stats problem and while exorcising an evil spirit might be a little bit harder as there seems to be a bit less of the spiritual plane combat, it would still not be that large of a threat.

In the Dead Space universe, Makkapitew would occupy a strange position given that the Wendigo transformation superficially resembles the Necromorph transformation. Makkapitew would be noticably weaker than most combat based Necromorphs as Makkapitew scales into the upper single digit kilojoules to lower double digit kilojoules range while basic combat Necromorphs scale into the triple digit kilojoule range scaling from the explosions caused by the Crawler type Necromorphs that Isaac handily survives. However Makkapitew would be noticably faster than all except the Twitcher type Necromorphs which are subsonic, as most Necromorphs don't seem dramatically faster than regular humans, only reaching peak human in short bursts while even low tier Wendigo are low level superhuman in speed. Likewise it would have an agility comparable to the Leaper, a Necromorph focused on scaling structures and leaping large distances. This gives it a pretty clear niche in the verse as a movement based fighter that takes down opponents with several precision strikes before they can fight back. Makkapitew has similar levels of animalistic intelligence to a Necromorph, both using ambush tactics and traps for humans. Particularly if Makkapitew learns of where various Necromorph species weak organs are, I could see it conceivably being able to kill a couple of basic Necromorphs at once, though without prior knowledge, several might kill its host and even with knowledge I don't think Makkapitew could kill more advanced forms. Despite this, I don't think anything in the verse, even the telepathic powers of the Marker could kill the spirit of the Wendigo and if more Necromorph species like the Feeder, who emerge from people eating Necromorph-infected meat, can arise, Makkapitew can probably live again, though eventually the Breathern Moons could probably find a way to trap it.

Against Isaac, especially in Dead Space 1, Makkapitew would essentially be a weaker faster version of the Hunter, a regenerator Slasher that was weak to fire, kept regenerating and hunting him down. I very much think Isaac, would be able to kill Makkapitew's host in a similar way. I don't think he could kill the spirit, though if he knows what it is is, using stasis to hold the bold temporarily he could probably find some way to trap it.

In the Over the Garden Wall-verse, Makkapitew would immediately be a fairly strong monster in the unknown it can interact with it. The Unknown contains many talking animals as its inhabitants and the wendigo are considered strong and faster than even predator species. The only beings that would have a power advantage would be Papa, the size of a small building, and The Beast itself who is stronger than Boss as the lord of the Unknown and a part of whom as a wolf withstood enough force to crack a mill. In speed it would be roughly mid tier, above most people, around the speed of the wolves and bears, but below the subsonic speeds some of the main characters have demonstrated.

Against the Beast itself in a battle of the wendigo, Makkapitew would be a significant stat disadvantage. Makkapitew would be unswayed however by the Beast's usual darkness manipulation and voice-throwing as Makkapitew's senses are motion-based. Makkapitew could try to put out the lantern but he's weak to fire and the Beast can freely control the astral flame of his soul which could kill Makkapitew's host fairly easy. However over time Makkapitew might become a threat if it realize that's the Beast's weak point as the Beast naturally can't kill a spiritual entity, though assuming he has knowledge of it, he could try and procure the golden bell which banished the evil spirit in the seventh episode which could put down Makkapitew.

In the Halloween-verse, Makkapitew would be fairly reasonably stated as an antagonist. He would be stronger by a bit than Silver Shamrock Robots and the Modern Myers who can easily crush peoples limbs and  the latter casually destroying hardwood, feats similar to a normal Wendigo Makkapitew can overpower. He would be similar to the Rob Zombie Myers who can overturn a car, though still significantly inferior to the first two timelines Myers who scale to an explosion encompassing a significant portion of a hospital at the end of Halloween 2, a very similar explosion destroying the Lodge at the end of Until Dawn being what killed Makkapitew's body. Speedwise Makkapitew is easily faster than the robots in Halloween 3 which have peak human speed, a speed the Wendigos can outpace. Makkapitew would have similar speed to Rob Zombie Myers which blitzed 4 humans at close range, and Strode Timeline Myers who quickly killed an entire police force, though not quite as fast as Modern Myers who crossed a street into a home on the other side in 3 seconds, and much slower then Thorn Timeline Myers who outpaced a truck speeding down the road, killing everyone inside before anyone realized. 

Against most of the robots, their lack of being alive might confuse Makkapitew's thermal vision, and their universal animacy may confuse the animal instincts, though I think Makkapitew would do particularly well against the Silver Shamrock organization unless they hit him with some hax device or spell, as the Wendigo are good at utilizing stealth and anti-stealth. Thorn Timeline Michael would seemingly stomp Makkapitew though couldn't kill. Despite the power difference I do think Makkapitew could hurt the strongest humans of the verse like Loomis and Laurie by targeting their weakpoints, though a fight is up in the air. Despite this I think Strode Timeline Myers would also win, as he scales very casually to the low building feat and has powerful endurance and regeneration so it makes it hard to imagine Makkapitew could do any damage to him.

The really interesting matchups I think are Makkapitew against Zombie-timeline Myers and Modern Myers. I don't think their illusions would likely work on Makkapitew given it's thermal based vision, and both sides have similar levels of abilities. Makkapitew would have very similar stats to Zombies-timeline Myers and would be a bit stronger but a bit slower than Modern era Myers. I think either match could go either way though I think a subtle advantage for either Myers, especially Modern Myers, is Myers fearlessness and general tendency to stay still or move slowly while stalking a victim which would keep Makkapitew from detecting him due to wendigo's motion-based vision.

In the Dead by Daylight-verse, Makkapitew would be pretty similar in stats to most other killers scaling to The Hillbilly breaking a wooden wall as a child, and the Oni completely fragments a wooden wall violently in two punches, and with most of them being able to walk faster than trained athletes can run. Makkapitew would end up being perhaps a little bit weaker and a little bit faster than most killers.This is of course assuming that none of these characters get scaling to their actual series, which is usually default assumption, though if you think they do, then this would apply only to the game-exclusive killers. 

Makkapitew would honestly fit in incredibly well in the Dead by Daylight-verse and the Entity would absolutely want to incorporate it as one of the Killers, most likely "The Wendigo." While his abilities are kind of on the weak side for one of the Killers, some of them Makkapitew could probably win a direct confrontation with like the Pig (Amanda Young) who uses traps designed to cause as much pain as possible which wouldn't work on a wendigo which doesn't feel pain or against The Plague as the body of a wendigo is considered biologically dead and wouldn't be affected by sicknesses. The Killers are automatically resurrected by The Entity but most of them wouldn't be able to kill the Wendigo spirit regardless so against most it would be a stalemate, although the Spirit, an Onryo on the spiritual plane, and the Wraith which can temporarily enter the spiritual plane should both have the ability to kill Makkapitew.

The really interesting part is if it runs across the Hillbilly (Leatherface.) As The Hillbilly is a cannibal killer, the wendigo spirit could possess and transform him making a hypothetical Wendigo Leatherface. While their combined hax would still not be particularly high tier, the wendigo transformed combined with The Hillbilly's already powerful stats would make him stronger and faster than any of the other Killers, outside of The Nightmare (Freddy Krueger) in the dream world, and possibly the Oni while in a Blood Fury, able to kill pretty much any of them in a close-range physical confrontation. 

Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon Act 12 Review

The act picks up immediatly after the events of Act 11. Usagi is in shock again now that it's been confirmed her enemy truly is Tuxedo Kamen. Though unlike a lot of times when this kind of thing happens in fiction, Mercury immediatly and sensibly says that he's probably just being controlled, and that they just need to beat Beryl to be able to free him. It's pretty nice to see given in a lot of these mind control stories, no one acknowledges that fact.

Beryl proclaims he's died and been resurrected as the Dark Kingdom's greatest warrior, given power by Metaria.

This is one of the most iconic subplots in the history of Sailor Moon as mentioned and numerous Magical Girl stories will have something like this where the protagonist's boyfriend will be possessed or mind erased and temporarily become their enemy.

Prince Endymion just raises one hand and casually starts overwhelming the Senshi making a massive explosion. Mercury and Jupiter teleport Motoki away and reassure him, which is extra cute when you remember they are the two Guardian Senshi that have a crush on him. Mercury is worried about the collateral damage so she uh...

does this?

She somehow makes a higher-dimensional space to avoid collateral damage. It looks really cool and I appreciate Mercury using high level physics idea for a heroic cause. But how? Mercury so far, her powers have been water magic. It gets even more confusing later when you find out that there is a Senshi of spacetime specifically so how does she do this? Is it her computer? Is this just a general thing Sailor Senshi can do?

Beryl is unconcerned and teleports behind Sailor Moon, grabbing Sailor Moon with her hair demanding information about the Silver Crystal. Hair is actually associated with witches often, so that's a cool little touch. 

Beryl gives her backstory, during the time of the Silver Millennium. She was a sorceress who saw a strange meteor shower fortelling Metaria and then a swirl of gas covering the Sun, likely the same event Queen Serenity referred to as their father, the Sun, going dark. From that event was born the dark goddess Metaria who granted Beryl her power. 

Listening to Beryl, Venus recalls back during the Silver Millennium how Beryl led the people of the Earth against the people of the Moon...somehow despite their roughly middles age era technology... and that she was the one who ruined everything, who killed the prince. 

Both Venus and Beryl remember Venus in the past timeline killing Beryl, though Beryl seems unconcerned it will happen this time, possibly due to having Endymion on her side. Venus tries to tell Beryl that Metaria is just using her, but as we already saw and Beryl confirms again she's not actually working for Metaria, she was just using her for power, and now that she has the Silver Crystal she will rule the Earth with Endymion at her side.

Venus tries to attack Beryl but she easily resists Venus' attack. Venus then, ine one of the most bad-*ss part of the entire manga goes "now you've gone and pissed me off", summons the holy sword and runs Beryl through with it.

Once again, Naoko's favorite is seen. However the moment's reall cool, and it actually ties in strongly with the themes and plot development.

As this happens, Sailor Moon is mustering up her will again which causes the Silver Crystal to start glowing in Endymion's hand which he regards with confusion. This will be important plot-wise soon after. More noticably, on a thematic level, it's notable that Sailor Venus killed Beryl via the blade both in the past and now. It gives the sense that destiny is playing out all the same. This will be extremely important soon after.

After stabbing Beryl, the Holy Sword glows and Beryl begins dying. As she dies she admits the real reason for her actions. She actually was in love with Prince Endymion and when she saw him with Serenity, she wanted him for herself.

This is such a good moment thematically. Beryl stirred the people of the Earth to fight the people of the Moon by stoking jealousy of their long lives, a reflection, a projection of her own jealousy of a moon girl having what she didn't. As mentioned, in their romance Usagi represents the Moon, and Mamoru the Earth. Beryl's drive to become ruler of the Earth thus reflects her drive to control Mamoru, to have him be hers alone. Love between Earth and Moon was foretold to end in star crossed tragedy, hence the reason Lunarians were not allowed to go down to the Earth by God's Law, and this explains why. Plus Heroes and Villains are often mirrors and if Usagi is defined as the girl who love ennobled, turned into a hero, Beryl is the girl who love turned into villainy. This moments connects plot-wise and thematically many of the points so far.

Far away, Metaria senses Beryl's death and wonders if this means that the people of the Moon Kingdom have gotten stronger. Once again this is a statement that doesn't really make sense taken literally given Venus killed Beryl in the past, unless you think it means Beryl has gotten stronger or Metaria doesn't know they have the holy sword or something like that. But it does make a lot of sense symbolically. A massive deal will be made shortly about destiny and whether or not we are doomed to make the same mistake over and over in general, and more specifically if Usagi is fated to always be the tragic princess to lose her love and her life. Metaria wondering if they have gotten stronger is actually the first piece of evidence that they are escaping said fate, and it speaks to Metaria's fear of that happening.

On the sword a prophecy is written saying to create the seal, the true power of the moon needs to be released. Venus faints, I guess because of the Holy Sword's toxicity? and Endymion, seeing an opportunity grabs her and teleports away with Sailor Moon following close behind

Sailor Moon while teleporting there sees some kind of bright light, wondering if Endymion is shining with the Silver Crystal, which is an interesting statement literally and thematically. It seems to be referencing how Sailor Moon is following him and both literally and metaphorically means a piece of her, her potency and what makes her strong, is residing within him at the moment.

The Sailor Senshi track Sailor Moon and Endymion's location, finding that they've gone to the North Pole, specifically at "D Point." Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter all quickly head off to help Moon while Artemis goes over and comforts Luna again over Luna's injury in a rather cute scene.

When the Sailor Senshi reach the North Pole, Rei comments ominously that an evil spirit is distorting the space there, feeling Metaria's presence. It ominously tells them to not get closer but of course the Senshi proceed to protect their friend and princess. Deep underground, Usagi awakens in cold and darkness, seeing Dark Endymion, with the unconcious Venus and holy sword behind him. In a part I really like, Sailor Moon pleads with Tuxedo Kamen to remember her, that she is the princess Serenity, with the image of herself as Princess Serenity drawn in the same position as Sailor Moon, briefly shaking Endymion and the Silver Crystal in confusion.

It's a visual indication of both Usagi's feelings and the themes. Usagi is not sure who she is, whether she is the Princess Serenity, who love is fated to end in tragedy or Sailor Moon, the invincible hero of love and justice. Usagi is not a fighter by nature and she pleads with Endymion to remember her as Serenity.

The attempt doesn't work, and Endymion begins choking Sailor Moon, asking where the Silver Crystal's power is and if there is another Silver Crystal with real power. The Silver Crystal is Usagi, and in his blinded dark state, Endymion can't see Usagi's secret power that Mamoru saw in Usagi. Sailor Moon reaches out for the Silver Crystal in Mamoru's hand which erupts with energy, knocking the two away from each other.

The Senshi regain the battle in progress and Metaria reveals herself, calling Serenity "descendent of the Moon Kingdom."

I like how it's drawn as though Metaria was the dark spirit, the dark presence that hangs over the brainwashed Endymion. That kind of IS what she is, but it's also a really evocative poetic image. 

Endymion attacks the Senshi, and Artemis appears doing....something. I'm gonna be honest, it's pretty random and unexplained

Seriously, what's going on here?

Luna tells Sailor Moon that Endymion is as strong as he is because he has the Silver Crystal within him and to seal away Metaria, they need to get the power out from Endymion and reunite it with the other part of the Silver Crystal. Once again, I love how this is symbolic and literal together. To seal away Metaria, Usagi needs to be whole, not divided into many identities, but her love and worry for Endymion and her insecurities are keeping her divided. To overcome our demons, one must come together within themselves.

Metaria demonstrates phenomenally selective hearing, hearing "Silver Crystal" and demanding to know where it is. Luna defiantly tells Metaria the Silver Crystal's power is the power to defeat her, but Metaria declares they know nothing. Mars tries to banish Metaria, but Metaria absorbs the attack. Because of Metaria's ability to absorb the energy of any attack, the Senshi seem to have no way to defeat her.

Venus demonstrates some of her trademark moral pragmaticism and tries to kill Endymion to get the piece of the Silver Crystal back, saying Endymion's been reborn a new person and he's the same as Metaria. However once again, Endymion just swats away her attack.

Sailor Moon tries to use her "Moon Healing Escalation" which actually seems to have some effect on him. But he recovers almost instantly. Sailor Moon begins to think it's hopeless, knowing that they have to beat Metaria but to do that means getting the piece of the Crystal in Endymion, even if that means...

Usagi yells in despair, her heart's strife causing Endymion and the Silver Crystal to shake, as the Silver Crystal is her power.

It's not very complex, but I love how well Naoko builds Usagi's despair, and how the events that are happening, the physical events, the emotional events, the symbolism; they all synchronize and become one. Usagi's heart is with Mamoru, and as her heart falls into despair, Mamoru shakes in tandam. It's one of my favorite things about Sailor Moon, the way Naoko ties the literal and the emotional together so beautifully. It is one of my favorite things about life, seeing the symbolic and the emotional reflected in the literal, and Sailor Moon more than any other work I've seen gives me that feeling. 

Sailor Moon pleads internally with Queen Serenity to tell her what to do. Her past life mother's words ring in her mind. telling her that she's the only one who can do this. Usagi thinks she can't do it, and she hears the Queen ask her to have faith in her role as Princess Serenity and the Soldier of Justice Sailor Moon.

Sailor Moon thinks in despair she doesn't have a path to choose, she can't see him like this anymore and picks up the Holy Sword, a scene that symbolically chills me to this day. The pained despairing acceptance of that which she is most unthinkable to her; a peaceful normal girl forcibly having to choose the way of war and violence. Sailor Moon charges forward, asking herself if truly this is the destiny they've been reborn for. In love, in sorrow, in everything she is Usagi kisses Endymion before stabbing him with the Holy Sword....and then turning the blade and stabbing herself with the blade.

There's been a lot of commentary on this scene that I think does the scene a disservice, and very often dismiss Usagi's motivation as too little to feel suicidal. "lol she killed herself because she didn't get the man she wanted." I find this a rather troubling interpretation. Suicide is always a tragedy. There is never a "good" reason to commit suicide, however all people have a different psychological makeup, and there's no reason which should be shamed for causing said feelings. Usagi is a 14 year old girl at the time of Act 12. She is a sensitive person who cries easily. For weeks now she's had horrid nightmares of watching the man she loves dying horrifically, having his flesh melt off. She would, for a long time, not leave her room and spent all day weeping. She feels helpless and doomed, as she loses her identity to a past life that ended in her own suicide. She tried everything to reach her love, and it didn't work, contributing to the sense she is doomed before she is forced to violently kill him by stabbing him with a sword. It is not a "good" reason to kill oneself, but there is no "good" reason, and as far as I can tell it's quite believable. If anything, I think Usagi was pushed way beyond where anyone should have expected of her.

To comment on the scene symbolically, while I can't fully talk about the symbolism until the end of Act 13, I also think the scene makes sense symbolically and is not as some people will critisize just here for "drama." I get this is a fast-paced manga, moreso then most people might be comfortable with. I get it's easy to just fly by and just glance at some of the words. But slow down for a second and I think you will find that some of the seeming throwaway lines contribute more then was thought. This scene is very obviously meant to parallel her death in the past life. Not only does she attempt suicide, but with the same weapon, and for a related reason as she thinks it's their tragic fate to be reborn and follow the same path. That line isn't there for no reason. The theme of the first arc, reiterated over and over is the idea of identity and how it ties into destiny. Are we fated to be the same as we always were, or can we progress into becoming someone better. This comes up at so many points in the arc, I have pointed them out over these act reviews. The point of the scene is meant to be the part of the journey when the Hero(ine) descends into the underworld, reaches her lowest point. For this arc, that means falling into despair, believeing we can't be more than we were. That's why Usagi presents herself first as Serenity to Tuxedo Kamen, not as Usagi or Sailor Moon. This idea of feeling trapped by a cycle and escaping it is a common motif in Naoko's works. It will show up later with the Outer Senshi in the Dream Arc, and it shows up in Sailor V when Minako awakens declaring "It can't happen again!" seeing something which reminds her of the fall of the Moon Kingdom.

It's completely fine to not like the scene, to have different tastes. I can understand wanting something happier or just not liking the inclusion of plot elements like "suicide" in abstract. But I really have to object to the very surface level criticisms that Usagi only kills herself for "Drama" or "Because she didn't get the man she wanted." I feel like such ignores much of the setup Naoko does for this scene and for the entire first arc.

Speaking about Act 12 in general. I think it's really good. I don't quite like it as much as a few earlier acts like Act 9, nor certainly as much as the act after it. I think Naoko's fast-pace combined with her want to include so many ideas leads to the fight with Endymion and especially Beryl to not reach the potential they could, especially after how much they're built up. And I think there's a few ideas that just aren't explained at all because Naoko decided to only devote 1-2 panels. Not pages, PANELS. 

However there's a lot I like about this act, and a couple of things I love about it. The weight of destiny has slowly been building since Act 9 where Serenity asks herself if this is their fate, to be reborn again only to lose each other again. In this act it builds to it's crescendo. It parallels the events of the Present Day to those of the Silver Millennium, Beryl dying by Venus using the holy sword. The Prince tragically cut down, taken from the princess who kills herself in despair. Ironically the brief foreshadowing that things may be different, that the Senshi may be getting stronger comes from the most unlikely source, Metaria herself as she wonders if the people of the Moon Kingdom have grown stronger. It is clear to break the cycle of tragedy requires that very thing; for those of the Moon, and Usagi in particular to become greater than they were. I want to talk more about it, but the theme will culminate in Act 13, where I will return to it.

I love how Naoko externalizes the emotional reality, the symbolism made literal. Usagi's heart controls the Silver Crystal. It's power, her love, resides within him. As her heart clouds in despair, so it shakes Mamoru. To defeat Metaria, to overcome the darkness that destroyed her past life and the idyllic kingdom, she needs to reunite that power with the Silver Crystal, she needs to become one within herself. But her identities are disunified, she feels like a tragic princess and not the champion of justice.

Beyond that, while I think they often don't have a lot of explanation, I think this act abounds in cool concepts. Some of which like Beryl using her hair to bind Sailor Moon or Metaria's spirit hovering over Endymion and warping the space over the Arctic are cool and work just as little references to evoke an idea. Some of them like Mercury creating a hyperspace to stop collateral damage or Artemis stopping Endymion's attack seem kind of arbitrary and required more explanation. And some, like Beryl's backstory tying into the central themes and mirroring Usagi or the image of Princess Serenity depicted by Sailor Moon's prone form are perfect and even briefly they tie exactly as they need too into the story. Which group Sailor Moon's suicide belongs too I'd understand any of those three categories, though I would strongly disagree that it's a purely empty narrative act devoid of meaning or setup, either in or out of universe. 

Strategy Guide "Rules"

The other day I was talking to a friend of mine about strategy guides and how to make them. Technically there are no "rules" to these, just sort of informal ideas on how to make them. The idea behind them was inspired by two things. TierZoo which looks at evolution as a point-buy stat system video game and will talk about different animal "builds" or how they invest "points" into different stats and abilities that make them more or less competitively viable. Shadiversity's "Fantasy Re-Armed" series talking originally about good weapons for various fantasy races to use or to use against them. The principle idea here was to take vs debating and do something similar with that.

Because it evolved naturally there isn't really "rules", but there are general guidelines:

1: You take the verse you are trying to counter and organize it's characters roughly into tiers. Initially I did on what kinds of threats you were likely to face at a certain sphere of influence, but it's morphed to the more difficult "everything in the verse." 

2: You pick 2-4 characters that you think could counter all the characters in the tiers, generally via abilities you think would be strong in the verse because they neutralize the verse's biggest strengths and/or take advantage of relative blind spots and weaknesses in the verse. These initially weren't ordered but it quickly became the norm to order them from the worst to best counter for the verse.

3: You can't use characters more powerful or faster than the verse by a wide margin. A small margin is acceptable, particularly if having just a small speed or power gap is a strategy that the verse would be weak too, but you're not supposed to rely on just out-stating the verse in question. This was done primarily just so the best counters aren't just "the strongest characters I know about." This makes verses with odd stats combinations much harder. 

4: If a verse is high in attack potency or durability but not both, for instance a series of glass cannon wizards that can destroy cities but have human level durability, you can pick counters who similarly can match their high stat in one stat, but not both. So in the above case, you could pick a counter with city level attack potency, or city level durability, but not both

5: Some characters have things that sort of get around this rule, such as summoning characters much stronger than them or using temporary power-ups that make them way stronger. Generally speaking that's fine so long as you're not relying on that to "cheese" countering a verse's abilities. The point of this is to counter what the verse can and can't do, and just picking a character way stronger, or can get way stronger, or can summon way stronger isn't really interacting with the verse. You know it's a good counter when it feels like the counter's abilities feel tailor made to counter the verse you're comparing it too, rather than just being strong in general. If you want what I consider the ideal example of this, I would look to my friend Thor's countering of the Ring-verse's high tiers, specifically Sadako, with Talim. A mind-bendingly good counter.

6: Likewise to the above, generally you don't wanna pick characters that just outhax. A lot of counters honestly DO come down to being a little bit more hax and that's just sort of the way VS debating can go, but your character should be hypothetically defeat-able. If you put a ghost or a platonic concept in a verse where they have no physical attacks, obviously they're going to win; the verse can't even hit them. That's not engaging with the verse's abilities at all, that's basically the same as picking a character way more powerful.

And that's really it. It's a really fun little VS game that test your knowledge of different verses and tactical thinking with bizarre abilities, which is what I love about vs debating. A side effect of it but now one of the primary reasons I do it is not just do I think it sharpens my ability to vs debate, it very much sharpens my knowledge of my own favorite verses; what their strengths are, what their weaknesses are, and who they realistically would/wouldn't defeat. I think vs debating would be humble in general if people were willing to say "this is my favorite character and these are the characters I think would beat them in a close fight." In other words I think strategy guides not only show your favorite verses best qualities tactically, it helps show where the limits are. 

Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon Act 11 Review

 

The act opens with Usagi dreaming of Endymion wishing to rescue him as soon as possible. Luna awakens her, saying she's gonna be late, causing Usagi's chagrin. Usagi disappointedly says it's only her, causing Luna to sulk off. Usagi sees Mamoru's pocketwatch noting that since they returned from the Moon it has stopped mysteriously. Noticing Luna sulking, Usagi adorably apologizes with a hug.

Usagi heads off to school with her parents commenting that Usagi seems to be back to her old self, commenting it must be because of Luna. Usagi tries to speculate on how her heart can bring out the power of the Silver Crystal when she runs into a mysterious man...a man who Usagi's brief look from behind looks...identical to Mamoru.

Usagi tells herself that it can't possibly be him...she's just imagining things because of her dream. But to her shock, the pocket watch resumes ticking. Dark Mamoru goes and stands ominously outside the game arcade with evil sunglasses of doom. Motoki tries to introduce himself, before recognizing that he's seen Mamoru with Usagi, before Mamoru takes off his shades and shoots a brainwashing beam into Motoki's eyes, telling him that from now Mamoru is his friend "Endou."

Reika, an expert in crystals and Motoki's girlfriend, shows up and is confused that Motoki refers to MAmoru as his old friend Endou as though she should know him. Reika notices Mamoru is looking at a book of crystals and describes the four crystals he's looking at; two varients of Jade called "Jadeite" and "Nephrite" as well as two other types of stone known as "Zoisite" and "Kunzite." Mamoru mentions owning those four stones precisely. 

This is a bit odd, because while it's true Naoko likes to name her villains after gemstones, this is the only time that's acknowledged in-universe and I'm not sure what we're supposed to take from this. That the Heavenly Kings originally had other names? If that was the case, why do other villains have gemstone names? That the gemstones were named after the Heavenly Kings? That doesn't make sense as the evolutionary history of Earth had to restart after the Moon Kingdom. I think it's just supposed to seem atmospheric though in my opinion it leaves me more confused then anything. 

Meanwhile back with the Senshi, Rei sees a bad omen in her flame divination. The Senshi go over to Ami's house for the first time only to find out her family is rich, living in a luxury condo and when Minako accidentally scratches the marble floor with the moon sword, Ami tells her it's no big deal, marble scratches easily.

A trope common in the 90s to the early 00s I kind of miss is having characters from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds be friends without it being a big deal, like having one of the teammates be the rich girl. The scene's meant to be comical and funny and I think it does so well. It continues with Ami asking Minako to test the Holy Sword on a diamond which shatters to pieces, which causes Minako to be embarrased but Ami shrugs off, saying they have lots of diamonds.

Ami expresses what she's found from scientific analysis of the Holy Sword, saying it's tougher then a diamond and is highly toxic. Talking about it leads to a discussion about the Moon Kingdom where the Guardian Senshi demonstrate their memories of the Moon Kingdom, with Makoto commenting the Moon wasn't always a barren planetoid, a world of death, but used to be able to bear life, but the enemy reduced it to cold stone. 

Usagi eventually falls asleep which Ami says is from the hard conversation. Makoto points out she must be emotionally exhausted from everything that's been going on. Thinking of Queen Seretnity causes the Senshi to point out they still don't know how to seal Metaria and how to use the heavy Holy Sword. Usagi awakens remembering the time she awoke in Mamoru's bed. Usagi goes to play the Sailor V game to try to relax but when she gets there

"Endou" introduces himself in a rather creepy fashion, laying hands on Usagi and commenting how much she looks like Sailor Moon. Usagi comments in shock to herself that this man before her is not Mamoru himself; looking the same, sounding the same, having the same warmth to his touch. But his smile is cold and distant. This is one of those scenes it's hard for me to assess because I've read it so many times. It's obviously meant to be a creepy inversion of how Mamoru normally is, to induce worry for Usagi being so near both her greatest love and now a dangerous enemy. Because I've read the manga so often it's hard for me to say how creepy this would be in a vacuum.

Meanwhile, rather goofily, Minako senses someone clearing levels at the Sailor V game quickly. The Senshi rush off to the arcade, to see Dark Mamoru, commenting on how different his eyes is. Rei senses something bad from him and warns that Usagi shouldn't go near to him. Luna tells Usagi she shouldn't go to see him, but she refuses to listen going to see him everyday. Here we see a dramatic inversion. Earlier Luna warned Usagi from being around Mamoru, and was wrong. Here she warns Usagi of doing the same thing and is correct. Usagi is led by her love and more then anything her biggest weakness is an overabundance of empathy and an inability to fight her emotions.

Dark Mamoru and Usagi speak in a tense conversation about Sailor V and how Usagi speaks like she knows her, and how Usagi REALLY looks like Sailor Moon. Mamoru tries to hypnotize Usagi but she manages to get away. 

I find it really interesting how Usagi describes this. If you recall she fell in love with Mamoru because his eyes had the same color as the Earth seen from the Moon, entranced by that world of hope and possibility. Here she once again is entranced by his eyes, but now they are cold and vacant as he tries to control her. She internally pleads with him to call her "Usako" rather then "Usagi."

Makoto and Ami run into Reika who tells them that Endou just appeared out of nowhere, no one seems to know anything about him, and Motoki's spending all his time with him. Meanwhile Minako and Artemis are talking about how he's trying to get access to the control room. Minako says if he's really Tuxedo Kamen, they'll need to avoid any careless moves, which actually makes sense. Prince Endymion, if you recall, was stated to be "stronger than anyone" meaning he's probably more powerful then the Guardian Senshi right now.

Makoto goes to confront Endymion but gets hypnotized for her troubles, which admittingly is kind of sad. As I mentioned, a couple of times Makoto is defeated by the enemy to show how strong they are, the "worf effect." It's, I'd argue, worse in the anime, but still. Hypnotized Makoto lures the Senshi down into the Control Room pretending to be warning them of Endymion. When Usagi reveals she still has the Silver Crystal Makoto lunges for it but Minako, ever fast on the draw quickly knocks her out with a sidekick. 

Once again, Naoko seems to have a favorite ;)

Endymion shows up in the control room, and even worse, he has Motoki brainwashed by his side! How will they ever be able to beat... a normal guy? The Senshi save Usagi, whose still in shock, transform. Motoki goes for the Silver Crystal but Minako stops him and purifies him with her magical chain.

Despite Naoko's favoritism for her fav Guardian Senshi, her love for her dream boyfriend is even stronger and Endymion overpowers Venus. Endymion then uses some kind of...weird....eyebeams thing to teleport the Silver Crystal to him

Venus and Luna call out for Usagi to transform, but Usagi is in shock and can't bring herself to fight against Tuxedo Kamen. Luna tries desperately to protect her princess and pounces on Endymion biting him in the shoulder. Unfortunately Endymion just picks up the cat and throws her away with such force as to case her to begin bleeding out. 

Seeing this breaks Usagi out of her shock as she runs over to Luna in horror. She declares that he is not Tuxedo Kamen, and transforms into Sailor Moon. Her love and concern for Luna causes the Silver Crystal in Endymion's hand to begin glowing with power. Sailor Moon, at Sailor Mercury's prompting uses the Moon Healing Escalation to heal Makoto and Luna. Sailor Moon tries to use it against Endymion but it does nothing, and Queen Beryl teleports in behind him to gain the Silver Crystal

Beryl introduces herself saying that no matter how many times they meet princess, that Serenity is always a delicate childish girl, and that she is Queen Beryl before confirming the man standing on front of them is none other then Prince Endymion. The act ends with Usagi repeating in disbelief that the man she's fighting is Mamoru.

It's hard to talk about Act 11, not beause it's a bad chapter, it's not, but because it always feels like it goes by so quickly and some of the appeals to it are things that are most meant for a first time reader. I've read Sailor Moon countless times so it's a bit hard for me to even imagine what some of this stuff would feel like reading it for the first time. 

What I think the act does best is build up the sense of threat. This is the first time villains enter the command center, and both Beryl and Endymion carry an immense amount of menace. Beryl has looked large over the series to this point and her entrance is suitably dramatic. Meanwhile Endymion seems downright unstoppable physically this act, and just in general him playing off Usagi's emotions gives a creepy atmospheric vibe to the chapter and makes you wonder how Usagi is going to work up the will to fight her love.

This act also has Luna and Usagi's relationship being really sweet and cute, starting with Usagi hugging Luna sorry, the two seeming closer then ever, only for Luna later to try and sacrifice herself for her partner, and that being the thing that snaps Usagi out of her daze. It has the cute comedic scene of the Senshi at Ami's house, that's pretty fun. 

Like I said, some of the impact of this act is a bit lost reading it for the millionth time like I have. It's a very plot focused act, rather then a more thematically focused act. It's pretty good though.