"Make a wish.''note
Usagi reaches the Palace of Nightmares where she bears witness to the end of her future family. And after the vengeful queen succeeds in taking everything she holds dear, Usagi offers her the one thing that can put an end to her hateful curse.
Tropes in this episode include:
- All-Loving Hero: Usagi takes pity on Nehelenia for her miserable life and barters her own so that she can be at peace and have a chance to befriend her Sailor Guardians.
- All Your Powers Combined: With the power of her friends, Usagi is able to turn into Eternal Sailor Moon so she can grant Nehelenia a second chance.
- Ambiguous Situation: The exact details for how Sailor Moon and friends gave Nehelenia a second chance at life. Did they find a way to return Nehelenia to go back in time before she was corrupted by the Magic Mirror? Or was it actually a sort of afterlife they made for her with her passing? Or did they use their power to restore Nehelenia and her people in the present day at a point before she was corrupted as a child?
- Barrier Warrior: One of Saturn's non-lethal moves is making a barrier called Silence Wall.
- Beat: Played for Drama. The scene cuts to pure silence as Saturn prepares to drop her glaive and end Nehelenia's life.
- Berserk Button:
- Saturn brings up Nehelenia's disdain for eyes of determination as she prepares her final attack.
- Usagi also does this after looking at her with eyes of sympathy.
- A Child Shall Lead Them: Nehelenia reveals that she was made queen of her asteroid kingdom when she was only a little girl.
- Cooldown Hug: Chibi Moon gives one to her best friend to keep her from killing herself.
- Continuity Nod:
- Chibi-Usa reminds Hotaru of the same advice she gave her earlier about having faith in their princess.
- Sailor Moon returns Jupiter's rose earring and thanks her for it.
- Crowd Chant: During her flashback, the royal court cried out "My lovely queen, Nehelenia!". Their chant continues to haunt the present as their queen lashes out at Usagi.
- Dangerous Forbidden Technique: Realizing that she has no other option in stopping Nehelenia, Saturn decides to unleash her ultimate power of destruction known as Silence Glaive Surprise. But as the wicked queen points out, using that power will ultimately result in her own death.
- Did You Actually Believe...?: Nehelenia taunts Chibi Moon and Saturn by pointing out that they only reached her palace because she wanted them there as the final pieces for her revenge against Usagi.
- Died in Your Arms Tonight: Chibi-Usa ultimately fades into oblivion while cradled in Usagi's arms.
- Disappears into Light:
- Chibi Moon suffers through this as her body turns into sparkling light.
- Also happens to Nehelenia as she accepts Sailor Moon's kindness.
- Disney Death: Chibi-Usa suffers through the pain of being Ret-Gone. But after her mother's kindness manages to move the wicked queen's heart, Mamoru is able to break free from his curse which restores her back to normal.
- The End... Or Is It?: The Sailor Senshi have used their power to restore Nehelenia's kingdom as it was before she became corrupted, giving her and her people a second chance. It's the dawn of a new day... and somewhere, out in space, the voice that freed Nehelenia lets out an amused laugh.
- Failure Is the Only Option: Nehelenia brags to the remaining Guardians that even if she were to die, her curse will still remain effective with the victims being unable to escape their torment.
- Forced to Watch: Queen Nehelenia summons the imprisoned Guardians to appear in her throne room so they can watch her destroy their beloved princess.
- Freudian Excuse: Queen Nehelenia reveals the final piece of her tragic past by explaining that she ascended the throne at an early age and was unable to bond with others or make friends. As a result, she grew dependent on the mirror and relied solely on loving herself to get by in life.
- Green-Eyed Monster: Nehelenia points out that while Usagi grew up being loved and appreciated in every one of her lifetimes, the queen herself grew up alone with her subjects praising her in shallow love.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Defied. Sailor Saturn isn't bothered with giving up her life using her ultimate attack as it would guarantee the safety of the princess and her friend. But before she can drop the glaive, Chibi Moon manages to stop her with a Cooldown Hug.
- Hope Bringer: Saturn explicitly describes Usagi as such, and this is why she's perfectly willing to die if it means stopping Nehelenia.Sailor Saturn: I believe in our princess.Nehelenia: What?!Sailor Saturn: The princess is the light of our hope. I will not allow your evil to extinguish that light!
- I Just Want to Have Friends: Before she was corrupted by the Magic Mirror and fell to her own vices, Nehelenia's true dream was to have friends she could connect with.
- "I Know You're in There Somewhere" Fight: Chibi Moon begs to her cursed father to wake up while reminding him of his dreams and love for his family.
- I'm Cold... So Cold...: Inverted with Chibi-Usa's last words to Usagi.Chibi-Usa: You're so warm... it feels nice...
- In Medias Res: The last act of the Nehelenia Arc picks up with Chibi Moon and Saturn making their stand against Queen Nehelenia.
- Instant Costume Change: Mamoru regains his Prince Endymion attire while protecting Chibi Moon from Nehelenia's dark blasts.
- Last Request: Before unleashing Silence Glaive Surprise, Saturn internally prays to her princess to protect the future and her best friend Chibi-Usa.
- Lonely at the Top: Because of her high ranking status as queen, Kid!Nehelenia was unable to properly bond with her subjects or have them understand her true feelings.
- Neck Lift: Nehelenia does this to the Usagi as she prepares to choke the life out of her.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Downplayed. Chibi Moon stops Saturn from using Silence Glaive Surprise as that would result in her untimely death. Unfortunately, this gives the Queen Nehelenia an opportunity to imprison Saturn while bringing Chibi Moon closer to death's door.
- Oh, Crap!: Nehelenia gets this reaction when she realizes how serious Saturn is in using her Dangerous Forbidden Technique to stop her.
- Pay Evil unto Evil: A major factor in Nehelenia's revenge scheme was to force Usagi to suffer the same level of loneliness as she did all her life.
- Phantom-Zone Picture: Along with the Sailor Guardians who end up trapped in their own mirror prisons, the regular people who were cursed to stare at their mirrors wound up being imprisoned inside them.
- Rage Breaking Point:
- Usagi snaps after Chibi Moon fades away in her arms, something which Nehelenia takes a lot of joy in seeing.
Usagi: What did she do... WHAT THE HELL DID SHE EVER DO TO YOU?!Nehelenia: Yes! What good eyes! Do you hate me for what I've done?- Nehelenia reaches hers when she explains that she endured horrid loneliness again after Queen Serenity banished her to the New Moon which prompts her to attack Usagi.
- Raise Her Right This Time: Nehelenia ends up in her old court as a little girl. But this time, she makes an effort to bond with her subjects by asking one of them to sing her a lullaby. And to her delight, one of them accepts her request.
- Sympathy for the Devil: Usagi ends up shedding tears of sympathy after hearing how Nehelenia endured a lifetime of loneliness.
- Take Me Instead: Usagi barters her whole life to Queen Nehelenia on the condition that she releases her friends and gives them a chance to befriend her.
- Taking You with Me: Saturn demonstrates she is more than willing to sacrifice herself if it means stopping Nehelenia to save Usagi and Chibi Moon.Nehelenia: Do you think I'm ignorant? The power of destruction is a double edged sword! If you use it on me, you'll be killing yourself as well. If you're really prepared to throw away your own life, go ahead and do it!Sailor Saturn: That is my mission.
- Tears of Awe:
- All of the Sailor Guardians shed these when they see how Usagi is willing to give up her own life for everyone else. Even Mamoru is moved to tears which manages to free him from the curse.
- Nehelenia sheds these when Sailor Moon uses her power to purify her and grant her one true dream.
- Underestimating Badassery: Nehelenia admits that she underestimated Saturn because of her age and didn't think of her as an actual threat. She corrects her mistake by imprisoning her right away.
- Villainous Breakdown: Queen Nehelenia suffers through this after seeing Usagi show pity for her lonely life. She continues to rage and lash out as the Guardians prepare to put an end to her nightmare.
- Yank the Dog's Chain: At first it looks like Chibi Moon begging for her father to wake up has some effect based on his reaction. Unfortunately, Nehelenia catches on and douses him with extra dark energy.
- You Are Not Alone: Each of the Sailor Guardians share their parting but assuring words to Queen Nehelenia.Sailor Mercury: Don't be afraid.
Sailor Uranus: You're not alone anymore.
Sailor Neptune: Anyone's heart would grow cold if they're alone.
Sailor Mars: Please... open your heart.
Sailor Pluto: There's still time to atone for your sins.
Sailor Venus: Be brave.
Sailor Jupiter: Believe in yourself.
Sailor Saturn: And have faith in all of us.
Sailor Chibi Moon: Believe in Usagi, my mommy. - You Monster!: Sailor Saturn openly calls Nehelenia a "depraved woman who's obsessed with nightmares".
"As dreams fade into the night, a new day can begin."
