"We all, every one of us, carry a star inside our chests. In order to realise our dreams... and protect those precious to us... In order to keep fighting... please keep shining on and lending me strength, O star inside my chest!"
A beautiful, dazzling finale.
The Outer Senshi arrive to save the Inner Senshi. Together the ten Guardians must protect their prince and princess, Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon. Dead Moon - the new moon - has enveloped earth into darkness and nightmares. Usagi and Mamoru grow sicker from the curse, and Helios’s spirit transports them to Elysion, deep within the earth, in order to protect them. Sailor Chibi-Moon and Sailor Saturn become trapped in mirror shards by Zirconia.
After a funny dream sequence of Usagi and Mamoru as children living together - reality has no place in a child's dreaming - Helios leads the two of them through Elysion towards the Golden Kingdom - Mamoru/Prince Endymion's kingdom in his past life. Menaeds encased in crystal are protected from Dead Moon's curse on the once-sacred land. Usagi and Mamoru share the same destiny, the same power, the same dream of protecting people together. The same similar crystal gems. Usagi figures out that since her Legendary Silver Crystal lives inside her, Mamoru's Golden Crystal must live inside his body. They give each other strength, as they've always done. Queen Nehelenia, Dead Moon's ruler and dark counterpart to Queen Serenity, finds them out after Usagi tries to break Helios's body free from imprisonment. He sends the couple back to the surface, now having it in them to defeat the enemy. Upon further prayer, the Priest of Elysion sends his land's purifying crystals to the surface of a darkened earth - at the cost of his life.
Magnificent artwork takes over as the excitement is truly set in motion. Nightmare battles, Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask shining, and the other Guardians fighting alongside them (Sailors Uranus, Neptune, Mercury and Jupiter especially have their brief but badass moments). Sailor Moon also frees Chibi-Moon and Saturn; the latter goes on to collect the orbed souls of the Amazoness Quartet. All the heroes travel to Elysion for the final showdown. The Menaeds, priestesses of the sanctuary of the Golden Kingdom, have awakened.
It's Sailor Moon versus the vicious and insane Queen Nehelenia (as someone who could possibly be the true queen of the Silver Millenium, the dark side of the moon of shadows, whilst Serenity is the queen of the moon of pure light, Nehelenia is definitely more interesting than Queen Beryl.) There is a 'Sleeping Beauty'-inspired story of Nehelenia cursing the old Silver Millennium to fall for not being invited to Princess Serenity's baby shower. The dark queen rips the Silver Crystal from Sailor Moon's chest, and obtains the power to rule the universe. But with the power of love Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon use their inner light to incapacitate Nehelenia.
A coronation of destiny takes place - even Luna, Artemis and Diana are transported to the group, and in grand human forms! With the power (I’m using this word a lot, aren’t I?) from each of the Guardians' mother planet castles sent to the Holy Grail, Sailor Moon is upgraded into Eternal Sailor Moon (awesome). Together with everyone's protective power, she seals Queen Nehelenia inside her own mirror of darkness. It is also revealed that Zirconia, the spirit guide and servant of Dead Moon, is actually Nehelenia's future self. It isn't explained how this came to be. Shame.
Earth and Elysion are back to normal - all long nightmares and curses lifted. Sailor Chibi-Moon heals Helios with a kiss, then her own Silver Crystal turns into the Pink Moon Crystal. Helios is Chibiusa's prince, and the Amazoness Quartet - Pallas, Ceres, Juno and Vestas - are her awaited Sailor Guardians awakened too soon by Nehelenia, and were manipulated into her nightmare slaves. Sailor Saturn swears to help protect Chibi-Moon until she becomes a fully-fledged Guardian like Sailor Moon, which is really sweet, and shows what true friends these girls have become, through hell and back.
Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask transform into the queen and king of the Silver Millennium, and banish the darkness of Dead Moon - the new moon’s eclipse - for good. In farewell, Helios rides on his Pegasus back to Elysion to continue praying for everyone's collective safety.
Dreams can come true. Girls can become powerful ladies. Destiny can make queens and warriors out of little princesses.
Darkness and Light coexist - even within people's own hearts, like stars...
I've summed up pretty much everything there is to know about this volume. It's all action, action, action! And every page is glorious. Additionally, I love that Queen Serenity's presence - as both a tough, regal monarch and a loving, protective mother - still holds great significance to the story. Sailor Moon is braver, more determined and knowledgeable than ever, too. The future queen and mother is everyone’s light, in spite of always needing their help and combined power - especially from the man/prince she loves - to save the universe.
The ending to the Dead Moon arc is spectacular; while nonetheless feeling complete on its own, it serves as a perfect prelude to the final arc of 'Sailor Moon'.
Join me next time for the beginning of the end with the eleventh volume: The Sailor Stars arc, the darkest yet.
Final Score: 5/5
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