So, this was probably the densest episode yet with Sailor Moon lore. It was also probably the worst subtitles thus far (that's not the episode's fault - Hulu needs to fire the 14 year old that subbed this episode) BUT, the animation quality was aces.
So, the episode opens with the girls talking about how they'll get to the moon, and Luna says they'll wait until it's full again. Usagi's parents are noticing that she's becoming a mature woman, and that she's changing before their eyes. It's true - Usagi is maturing with all the new knowledge and responsibility, but she'll always be Usagi. She still misses Mamo-Chan though, and looks at the watch, hoping that he's okay.
The Senshi use the Sailor Teleport for the first time, and go to the Sea Of Serenity. Everything is desolate (duh - it's the moon), but they head to the ruins of the Silver Millennium. They arrive at the former prayer room of Moon Castle, and see a sword in the stone. Excalibur!! Venus is able to pull it out (because she's so fucking awesome), and then a hologram of Queen Serenity shows up to talk to them. She explains about the Moon Kingdom, and how they were beings with long life that were to guard the Legendary Silver Crystal and watch over the Earth and help it grow. As Serenity tells the story, the Senshi see the castle for what it used to be. They start getting flashes of memory from that time, of Usagi going down to earth to eat Endymion, of the Senshi chastising her for not paying attention to her Princess duties. (So, nothing's really changed...)
They're to find out their true purpose for being reincarnated in this time, and are told of the war with Earth, and how Queen Metalia poisoned the mind of the Earthlings. It shows that Endymion was stabbed, and that Serenity went all seppuku and stabbed herself in the chest to die with him.
The girls go back to Earth, and we then go to the Dark Kingdom. The Four Kings go after Beryl as she visits Metalia, and they overhear that Beryl wants to act fast before their memories return - which totally causes their memory to return. It shows them in the throne room with Endymion, pledging themselves and everything is all shiny, bright, and happy. But just as they realize who they really are, Beryl brainwashes them again, and tells them to go get the Legendary Silver Crystal, which they of course obey.
Suddenly (like REALLY suddenly), Tokyo is frozen over, and it's the Four Kings' doing. The Senshi go to square off, and they start fighting each other in pairs that become very important very quickly. Venus v. Kunzie, Mercury v. Zoisite, Jupiter v. Nephrite, and Mars v. Jadeite. Venus implores Kunzite to remember the man he used to be, and we're given another flashback, where the girls remember following Princess Serenity to Earth. They were mesmerized by the green beauty of Earth (this was before we felt the need to cut down every fucking tree and pollute all the time, I guess), and they met the Four Kings, falling in love. This is new for the anime AND the manga. The love relationships between the Kings and the Senshi was only implied by a piece of artwork done by Naoko. It was never part of the canon, until now.
I know there are fans that aren't liking it because they think it will go down the route of bad fanfic, but I'm withholding judgement. While I'm bummed that Kunzite and Zoisite aren't a couple anymore, I was kind of expecting that, since they weren't in the original manga. Everything that this anime is doing has been right in terms of storytelling, so I think that this will wind up good, too. I'm REALLY hoping that it means they'll hang around as secondary characters when we move to season 2 (which has been CONFIRMED with some artwork released featuring Sailor Chibi Moon).
Usagi pretty much does a Superman attack where she flies into space to save the Earth from the freezing attack. She tries to heal the Kings, but Beryl cockblocks, and they teleport back to the Dark Kingdom. Beryl bargained with Metalia to save Tuxedo Mask's life, and now Beryl asks for the power to awaken him. So, now Mamoru is possessed, and given the task of killing the Princess and taking the Crystal. Dun dun DUNNNNNN.
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