Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon Act 14 Review

 

Act 14 marks the final act of Sailor Moon's first arc, and also sort of begins the second arc. This is a general tendency of Naoko's where she will have the climax of an arc extend from the end of the penultimate act and go into the final act which serves as something of a conclusion and a preview of the next arc.

The act resumes where Act 13 left off with Sailor Moon prepared to fight Metaria. Sailor Moon blasts her and it initially doesn't do anything. But whereas Usagi might have cowered and cried once, now Sailor Moon declares she can't give up. She calls upon every last bit of power in her body and her soul. Far away, the holy sword, and the transformation pens of the Guardian Senshi begin to glow in resonance with her power, and the Moon itself glows brighter

Meanwhile on the Moon, Luna and Artemis watch in shock as the Crystal Tower, and though they don't know it yet, the whole of the Moon Kingdom is becoming restored. I think symbolically this is a really beautiful part. The fall of the Moon Kingdom is the great tragedy that Usagi thought was her inescapable fate. But as we progress, as we grow stronger little by little growing stronger than the demons that bound us, even our trials and our failures prior are restored and shown as part of the glorious triumph. When you finally overcome a long-held struggle, all the times you've failed at it, though they pained you no less then, are redeemed in the light of the triumph.

Luna on the Moon thinks backs to Queen Serenity's words, that this is the power of prayer, of belief. Down on Earth, Sailor Moon is believing in herself, that she can do this, and this power is controlling the Silver Crystal, restoring the Moon. Luna declares that she's going to pray with Usagi believing in her.

It is once again a moment Naoko merges the symbolic/the emotional with the literal. It is literally Usagi's belief that overcomes Metaria, and it is symbolically her belief that does so. It reminds me of the quote from the poet Tennyson "More things are wrought by prayer that this world dreams of. " I also think it's a redemptive moment for Luna who felt in despair for the last few acts for not believing enough in Usagi, and now puts her all her belief into her.

The great power of the Moon is released, as the Moon begins shining in the sky as brightly as the Silver Crystal. Metaria is astonished and declares it the power she's been searching for, trying to grasp for it. But because she's made of darkness, the holy light pushes her back. In a awesome beautiful image, the image of Princess Serenity is depicted alongside Sailor Moon as she puts everything she has in a energy blast, burning Metaria to ashes as she collapses from the exertion.

There are a lot of things I wanna say about this part. I think Metaria grasping and being repelled in the light will be an interesting note much later. I love the way that Serenity and Sailor Moon are shown together, showing the unity of identities. I mentioned in Act 1, that "Bishojo Senshi" is something of a paradoxical statement yet is one so perfectly exemplified by Sailor Moon here. And beyond all that, it's just awesome. Sailor Moon put every last bit of her will into it, destroying the planetary-sized demon made of darkness, the cosmic energy-vampire that destroyed her princess kingdom, restoring that kingdom as a side effect of her holy power. I don't get "hyped" very often with fictional things, but Sailor Moon is one of the few things that makes me do so.

As Sailor Moon falls, her transformation brooch breaks and she reverts to being Usagi. With the danger passed, she no longer needs for now to be the invincible champion of love and justice. Luna tells Artemis that they did it and Artemis commented that as she prayed, Luna had a holy aura around her, that she became one with Princess Serenity. The two cats look around in shock seeing that the Moon Kingdom has been restored by Usagi's holy power. It's a mild contention why Usagi's power didn't resurrect the inhabitants, but my personal feeling is that they went to the afterlife, and Usagi didn't wanna take them away from that, as Queen Serenity's spirit can still appear at times.

Back on Earth, Mamoru comments that the Moon has returned to its usual soft glow, which I think connects to its guardian has returned to being Usagi rather than Sailor Moon. Foreshadowing his psychometry, Mamoru feels the Earth, feeling the damage done to it. Mamoru goes over to Usagi's body, which looks lifeless and has gone cold wondering if she truly gave every bit of her to defeat Metaria. In sorrow he kisses her and...

It's one of the oldest cliches in fiction aimed at women and girls, that true love's kiss awakens the dormant princess. I don't really mind it, especially with these two 💕

In one of the scenes that brings me most joy in the entire series, the two lovers look into each others faces, and as beautifully displayed in the art through their love they are all at once Usagi and Mamoru, Serenity and Endymion, Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen, but more important than any of those they are finally together again.

Space and time, the law of gods and the will of demons, even death and fate have tried to keep them apart. But their love has conquered all. 

Luna from the Moon can somehow see the two of them together and is happy. There's several pages devoted to Usagi and Mamoru holding each other and their joy at finally being reunited, and if you know this series, you know that Naoko devoting several pages to ANYTHING means it is a BIG deal.

Usagi suddenly thinks of her friends and worries about them, if they are alright after the battle. Mamoru places his hand on the ground like he did before and Usagi comments she can actually see what he sees, which is interesting. This doesn't happen with most people Mamoru touches but I'll give my theory on it in a later act.

Usagi sees the guardian senshi's bodies lying lifeless across the ground and grips her mouth in horror. From the Moon, Luna contacts Usagi, telling her to come to the Moon. Usagi says, her thoughts still on her friends, she needs to help them before admitting to Luna that her transformation brooch broke, and now she has no powers. Luna corrects her stating she can pray upon the Silver Crystal and use its powers now. 

Usagi does not, and she teleports her and Mamoru to the Moon, the newly resurrected Silver Millennium. Luna proclaims her the new Queen of the Moon, Queen Serenity the second. 

This is a symbolic moment I really like and one I wished later Magical Girl series learned from, including in some ways later arcs that will continue to refer to Usagi as "princess." Usagi was the princess serenity, but she has progressed, she has undergone the trials and transformations representing adolescence, and is coronated now the queen. It is a symbolic moment of progression that is important in the hero's journey. Also I just think it's really cool. If you're noticing a recurring theme, it's that everything in this act I think both has really cool symbolism, and is also just really cool.

Usagi protests to Luna that she may be Serenity, but she is also Usagi Tsukino of the Earth, and on that Earth with Mamoru is where she belongs now. Luna looks disappointed but the spirit of Queen Serenity the first herself comes and blesses this message, wishing her happiness with the one she loves.

It's really heartwarming to see Usagi so confidently and clearly assert her identities, no longer in conflict, but in harmony. She's no longer scared of losing herself to becoming Princess Serenity, but is now Serenity and Usagi together without conflict. As we grow and develop we fear losing who we were to who will we be, but the true end result of progression is to become one with oneself, who will were, who we are, and who we aspire to be, melting and melding into each other. And having Queen Serenity show up to bless the endeavor, symbolic of the old traditions, of the wisdom of those who have come before blessing this new generation's extending into territory unventured....ah it's perfect.

Queen Serenity leaves a new brooch, to allow Sailor Moon a new transformation, with new power. If the series ended with the Dark Kingdom arc as it originally was supposed too, I imagine this part wouldn't be here, and symbolically Usagi would use the Silver Crystal just as she is to do what she's about to do but you know, it was continued and you can't really have Sailor Moon without Sailor Moon. Usagi transforms into Sailor Moon and casts Moon Healing Escalation upon the world, healing and reviving everyone. It is a good first law from the new Queen: "I decree that everyone is okay." 

The Guardian Senshi awaken on Earth wondering what happened only to see Sailor Moon running towards them.Sailor Moon runs into their arms, crying with joy at being reunited with them.

Rational, reserved Ami. Stoic, otherwordly Rei. The ever-strong Makoto. The Unsentimental Minako who never cries. All shed tears at their reunion. It's really sweet, made even more so by Minako's reunion with Artemis, giving more of their typical friendly banter. 

The Senshi rejoice and return to their peaceful lives, and a montage ensues of the Senshi living their peaceful happy lives. Usagi even gets up at the right time, making her mother happy.

But all is not as it seems. As Rei does her flame divination, she sees a figure of a new enemy, a strange man with a black crescent Moon upon his forehead in her divination.

Sailor Moon was an insane smash hit, and Naoko had to revise her plans from this single arc to suddenly go on for longer, hence including a sudden swerve into introducing the second arc. Rei pleads, maybe to the universe, maybe to cruel, maybe to God himself, that they might have peace. Though they are Soldiers, and it seems that is not to be...

It cuts to Usagi and Mamoru having a cute little moment at the park, doing a mild tsundere routine before shifting into a romantic kiss when a little toy cat orb drops from the sky falling on Mamoru's head. A massive explosion in the sky suddenly appears and out of it comes a little girl who falls on Usagi comedically. Usagi gets angry at the girl, seeming unfazed by the explosion and the girl showing up out of nowhere. She introduces herself angrily in exchange, the two having the same hairstyle and name only exaggerating their instant conflict.

Even if this is your first time reading I'm sure you've already narrowed it down to either time travel or alternate universe, and given her size and age....

The little girl upon hearing Usagi's name, makes her introduction proper by pointing a gun in her face and demanding the Silver Crystal

which is still hilarious 30 years later, seeing this little girl out of nowhere threaten the main character of a magical girl series by suddenly putting a gun in her face.

When I think of the best acts of the first arc, my mind goes to Act 9, Act 13, and Act 14. Act 13 is my overall favorite due to how incredible it's themes are, and how personally inspired I've become by its climax. Act 9 is the most solid of the acts of the first arc, having almost no points I think could be strengthened, and being incredibly efficient more than any other act in the arc, if not the entire series, containing so many iconic deep elements in it. Act 14 isn't either of those, it's not as deep as either of them, but it makes up for it in terms of just how emotionally cathartic to it, how sweet and heartwarming it is. I read Act 9 when I want to ponder, Act 13 when I want to feel inspired, and Act 14 when I want to feel good. 

Act 14 contains the defeat of Metaria a moment that completes the themes at the end of Act 13, and it just really cool besides with Sailor Moon and Princess Serenity together as identities trapping the cosmic darkness between the light of the Moon and the light of her heart. It contains Usagi and Mamoru's reunion, one of my favorite moments in my favorite ship in all of fiction as not only does Naoko draw it amazingly, not only are the lines sweet as honey, but she ties it beautifully into the themes, showing how they are unified in all their identities through their love for each other depicting them all at once as all the versions of themselves. 

It also contains Luna's redemption and absolution of her guilt as she puts her faith in her partner, Usagi becoming the new queen of the Moon, having her mundane life on Earth being blessed by Queen Serenity, Sailor Moon's heartwarming re-union with the Guardian Senshi and Chibiusa's funny introduction. Most of these aren't as deep as the depths of Act 9 and Act 13, but they all make me feel happy because they're sweet or in the last case, funny. 

In terms of faults, I'd say that as per typical with Naoko some parts don't really make literal sense, and are focused more on making symbolic sense. Naoko's penchant for wanting to draw striking controversial imagery continues with her drawing Chibiusa accidentally kissing Mamoru, a scene that I understand can make some readers feel gross despite its accidental nature and tying into the themes of the second arc of Usagi's jealousy issues. Also just in general the sudden detour into the second arc, can seem a bit jarring. With that said none of these are things I really care that much about. I adore Act 14, it makes me happy everyime I read it, especially if I read it right after the rest of the first arc as it acts as a moment of emotional release after the quite dark acts 12 and 13. 

Act 13 is my personal favorite of the first arc, but I'd totally understand if someone had Act 9 or this Act as their favorite. Not that I think less of someone or anything that had a different act as favorite, I just wouldn't necessarily get it.