Recap: Fight to the Finish

Hello everyone, and Happy Halloween weekend. I will try to get some of the content I had planned out; but I am not ruling out the possibility that it could spill into November. Even so, as I planned; I will be doing Sailor Moon first, so let’s open up “Fight to the Finish!”

After the theme song; we open on Jedite being accosted by Queen Beryl about his failures against the sailor scouts; and is given one final chance to stop them under penalty of “eternal sleep,” essentially a way to get around death in a kids’ show. Sure beats abusing the shadow realm as a “get out of death free” card even when it’s not. 

We then cut to Serena’s house; where she is fantasizing about Tuxedo Mask over the night sky. Oh, young love.

All of a sudden, Jedite appears as an image over the night sky; demanding the sailor scouts meet him at the airport at 1AM tomorrow, or he’ll burn the whole city to the ground!

Oh, and people will die, starting tonight. I'm a man of my word.

After Serena confers with Amy and Rei, while they find the prospect uneasy; they ultimately decide to meet as Jedite wishes, lest any more harm fall upon the city.

The next day at school, everyone tries to determine what happened; and Melvin of course suggests it was aliens. He even looks like an early version of the Ancient Aliens guy (least History Channel’s network decay has birthed some interesting memes). 

When Serena suggests that everyone stay away from the airport, Miss Haruna wonders what’s come over her! She even wonders why she’s acting more serious than usual!

At the arcade, her friend Andrew tells her she needs to be more natural; and she gleefully skips down the street in response to this! 

Then, she unwittingly kicks her shoe off onto Darien’s head; to which he responds, “Why can’t you keep your stupid shoes on your stupid feet, meatball head?” Ah, another rough translation of “odango” from the Japanese version (which I have seen for frame of reference).

After unwittingly insulting her unrequited love; Darien awkwardly gives her shoe back and leaves. Oh, will you just propose to her already?!

That night, at the airport; Jedite sets his nefarious plan in motion. Jeez, it’s because of shit like this I have to take my shoes off at the checkpoint. I even had to remove my DBZ jacket when I went to New York this summer, for corn’s sake!

Serena, Rei and Amy all board the tram; and prepare to meet their fate.

As they reach the runway, they’re confronted by the security; who’ve been possessed by Jedite! Always quaint to see what air travel was like before 2001, don’t you think?

Realizing they’re in over their heads, everyone decides to activate their Sailor powers at that moment! 

Showtime, synergy!

Then, Jedite unleashes his lightning as he sets the place on fire and sends airplanes after the girls! I love the insanity of the ‘90s sometimes. 

Serena even laments her fate as she runs from the plane.

Why is it always me? I'm running from a plane in heels for god's sake!

Tuxedo Mask then confronts Jedite at the runway!

How dare you harm these lovely women, villainous cur!

With some quick thinking; the Sailor Scouts devise a plan to trap Jedite with his own tactics, and Sailor Moon finishes him off with her final move! 

For his failures; Jedite is encased in a large crystal and is replaced by Beryl with Nephrite. As for that whole can of worms with Zoisite: I’m not even going to touch that one right now. Also, the Sailor Says is rather stock information about self-confidence and a clear goal; but it works fine.

“Fight to the Finish” is a strong entry in the early Sailor Moon canon even if it’s a product of its time. As one of the first anime I remember watching; it’s easily conditioning for my admiration of people like Katniss Everdeen, Black Widow and Rey. I also apologize for how short this recap is; but I can rectify that with my next couple ones. I’ve had an episode of Yo-Kai Watch I’ve been wanting to do for a bit; and it should be ideal for Devil’s Night tomorrow night. Bang.