Sailor Moon episode 78

Episode title: Birth of the Wicked Lady

Canadian Air date: 11/17/97

Crystal Tokyo. The thirtieth century. Dark. Dead. Silent. Cold. Craterous. In the middle of the ruins, stood the Crystal Palace. Inside it, the Sailor Scouts were looking for Rini. They met up, and hadn't found the child. They split up again to look over the palace from top to bottom.

The Wiseman sat in his chamber. Before him, Rini was floating upside down in a bubble of black energy. She looked at him scared, though somewhat safe.

"Hmm. I feel great pain in you, Small Lady." He said. "You're such a vibrant, jubilant child. A child any parents would eagerly want for their own. And yet, your parents were cruel and uncaring! I see they've hurt you." He began to look into his crystal ball. "Deeply." He added. "Very deeply." Rini looked in zombie-like wonder, as the Wiseman began to probe her memories.

Rini, Neo-Queen Serenity, and the King of the Earth were walking together in a park. They were all holding umbrellas, as it had begun to rain. Rini saw a small frog, and went after it.

"You can get up yourself." He said sternly. Rini's eyes widened, and she gasped with shock.

"What mean, uncaring parents." Said Wiseman. "Kind, loving parents would have helped you up! I don't think they really love you, Small Lady!" Rini stared at the Wiseman, with a look of shock. She remembered her parents, looking down on her with disgust.

"Maybe we spoiled her too much." Said Neo-Queen Serenity. The King agreed. Rini gasped at the memory.

"You deserve better parents than that." Said Wiseman. "And your other friends. They're no better, are they?" Rini's face became tainted with anger, as Wiseman probed another memory.

Rini stood atop the Crystal Palace, overlooking the beautiful city of Crystal Tokyo. The sun shone, and the city was gleaming beautiful shades of white, blue, and purple. Rini, however, was not as happy as she should have been. Behind her, the four Sailor Scouts walked up to her.

"Maybe, if we get done on time, we can do something." Said Venus. All the Sailor Scouts ran to the palace together, leaving Rini to cry by herself.

"None of them." Rini said, coming out of the memory. "Not one of them cared!" Her face was becoming more angry. "Nobody celebrated my birthday. I was all by myself!"

"And they call themselves friends." Wiseman said, with his insincere sympathies. "You deserve to be loved, and cherished. Is this what you call friendship?"

Rini's mind began to fall away.

"No!" Screamed the last of Rini. "They loved me!" She saw the four Sailor Scouts, each of them looking at her with contempt. Their forms moved away from Rini, and disappeared. She called for her mother and father. Each disappeared as soon as they had entered her mind.

"None of them love me!" She shouted, as the image of her angry mother faded. Rini screamed as her sanity slipped away.

"Who are these heartless people?" Asked Wiseman. "How could they do that to you, Small Lady? Don't you deserve better than that?"

Rini's face was that of a zombie, and she had tears in her eyes. Suddenly, the dark energy bubble around her intensified, as Rini growled with anger.

"In fact," added Wiseman, "is there anyone on this miserable planet you can say really genuinely loves you? "People with such cold hearts should be punished!" Rini's anger was getting more intense, with each passing moment. Her eyes glazed over, as her anger, combined with the bubble, began to intensify her hatred.

"And," added Wiseman, "you're just the person to do it, Small Lady! I can give you the power to do it! The power of the Dark Crystal!"

With that, Wiseman's eyes glowed a bright blue, and he utilized the powers of his crystal ball. It glowed intensely, and the bubble around Rini became complete blackness. It wrapped around her, taking the shape of her body. Her body began to grow. First, her hands became bigger, then her feet, and her legs. She soon had the figure of a grown woman, and her hair changed to match Serena's.

"Welcome to your destiny." Exclaimed Wiseman. "Welcome to the realm of the Dark Crystal...Wicked Lady!"

The Wicked Lady had been formed. With Rini's red eyes, and Rini's pink hair, and with the earrings and crescent of the Negamoon. She chuckled. She stood very tall, and slender. She wore a see through shirt, and her torso, down to her feet was covered in a long black dress. Either side of the dress had slits down the sides, and the Wicked Lady had a pink scarf, which she held with her hands. Her body began to glow, with a bright blue aura.

The indicator of the Dark Crystal, located behind Diamond's throne, went off the scale. Diamond was hardly disturbed, that is, until Wiseman came, with a strange woman standing beside him.

"Allow me to introduce our newest servant of the Dark Crystal." Said Wiseman. "Once known as Small Lady. As you can see, no longer small, and no longer weak!" Diamond looked shocked, at the woman.

"Were you really Small Lady?" He asked in amazement. He looked closely at the woman, and saw the Negamoon crescent on her forehead. Diamond gasped.

"But, that's our family symbol!" He said. The woman chuckled.

"Just call me Wicked Lady." She said.

"Diamond," Wiseman said in his advisor tone, "you must return to the Earth of the past immediately! The power of the Dark Crystal now courses through Wicked Lady's veins. And, with her help, you will finally dominate the Earth!" At this point, Diamond was still looking in amazement at Wiseman's handiwork. Wicked Lady laughed, as she and Wiseman disappeared.

"At last!" Diamond said silently to himself. "The sweet, sweet taste of revenge is in my grasp! This planet will finally be mine!"

"Your highness." Came a voice, some feet away. It was Sapphire, who had just appeared to Diamond. "I don't believe we should be trusting the Wiseman right now." Sapphire said. "I believe the Wiseman just used Emerald in an experiment that cost her her life."

"Used her?" Replied Diamond. "Rubbish! We were banished by the people on Earth, to a cold, dim, isolated and distant moon! It's worth losing one of our own, if it means getting revenge on the people of the Earth!"

"But, Prince Diamond," Sapphire argued, "there's just so much about the Wiseman that makes me suspicious."

"Nonsense!" Diamond retorted. "You mustn't forget, it's only because of the Wiseman's knowledge of the Dark Crystal, that we are as close as we are to re-conquering the Earth. The Wiseman didn't need to help us. I trust him with my life! I can't support you theory."

Sapphire looked to the pedestal that Diamond used to show his images, and it showed an image of the Sailor Scouts of the future, each standing around the crystal that shielded the Crystal Palace.

"And anyway, Sapphire," continued Diamond, "all our efforts to destroy the Sailor Warriors have failed miserably. So, we've got to beat them in another way. Wiseman's plan to go back into the past and destroy Earth then, when it's more vulnerable, is a good one." Diamond stood up, and turned to face Sapphire, with a look of excitement in his eyes. "This is our moment of triumph." He said. "Now that Small Lady's become a servant of the Dark Crystal, we can't lose! So, I'm leaving shortly for Earth in the past, and I will hear no more negative comments about the Wiseman. Keep an eye on the Energy Absorption Indicator."

"Yes, sir." Replied Sapphire.

"I'm counting on you." Diamond said. Sapphire nodded.

"What?" Sailor Moon said. "Rini's no longer here?" Sailor Moon, the Sailor Scouts, Tuxedo Mask, the cats, and Luna-P were all talking to an image of Sailor Pluto.

"It seems that way." Replied Sailor Pluto. "Diamond also left for Earth in the past."

"Diamond too?" Said Jupiter.

"Small Lady is not what she was, I'm afraid." Said Sailor Pluto, when Sailor Moon inquired about them going to the past. At those words, Sailor Moon flinched.

"What's wrong with her?" Sailor Moon asked.

"I'm not exactly sure." Replied Pluto. "But, she needs your help badly. You must hurry back to the past, and save her please!" With that, Sailor Pluto pointed behind the Sailor Scouts. They all looked, and saw a forest. The forest was covered by fog, and the Gate of Time appeared. The Sailor Scouts watched in amazement as the doors opened, revealing the Time Tunnel.

"We'll do what we can, Sailor Pluto." Said Tuxedo Mask. "But, we're kind of at a disadvantage here. Is it possible for you to tell us exactly what happened before we became King and Queen of Crystal Tokyo of the future? What happened that changed Earth so drastically. Can you tell us?"

"You've seen far to much of your future already." Replied Pluto. "No one should know their future. The important thing is to live your lives as best you can, and you'll shape your own future, according to how you live."

With those words said, the Sailor Scouts, Tuxedo Mask, the cats, and Luna-P all went into the time warp, and it was not a long journey to the other side.

Tokyo. The twentieth century. Late in the night, and still full of life. The moon shone brightly, and in a park, the Sailor Scouts and company appeared. They looked around, and Sailor Moon looked up at the moon. She was joined by Mars, and they stared at it's unnatural beauty. Sailor Moon took a deep breath of air, and noticed that the air was much fresher than in the future.

"We must protect this world." Said Sailor Mars. Sailor Moon agreed.

"The first thing we've got to do is find out what Diamond's plan is to destroy Tokyo in the present." Stated Mercury. Sailor Moon, hugging the Luna Sphere, said,

"Yeah, and we have to try and find Rini, too." She hugged the ball tightly, and looked up at the moon. Please, Rini, she said in her thoughts, wherever you are, I hope you're safe and sound.

Meanwhile, in another part of Tokyo, not too far away, Wicked Lady stood atop a tall building. Diamond stood atop a building across the street. He took off his earring, and held it out. A bolt of black energy pierced the cement of the road, and a crystal began to grow there. Wicked Lady used her powers to fuel the crystal, and it began growing quickly. From afar, the Sailor Scouts could see energy radiating from some distance away, and a dark cloud forming over it. They ran to investigate it, but were stopped by a swirling mass of darkness. It stopped swirling, and revealed a strangely dressed woman.

"You silly Scouts have finally met a force you can't beat!" The woman said. The Sailor Scouts looked in awe at their new enemy.

"Who are you?" Sailor Moon asked.

"You should know!" The woman replied. "Thanks to Wiseman of the Negamoon Family, I've got a great life! You may call me Wicked Lady!" The Sailor Scouts repeated the name in amazement. Luna and Artemis were distracted when the Luna Sphere's antenna began to flash.

"This planet's due for a major remodel, courtesy of me." Said Wicked Lady. "How does noxious gas and gloom sound to you?"

The Sailor Scouts looked on as the Luna Sphere rose into the air, and floated over to Wicked Lady. Wicked Lady laughed.

"Luna-P!" She said. "I'm so glad you still recognize me!" She hugged the ball lovingly. The crescent moon on the ball turned from the crescent of the Moon Kingdom to the Negamoon crescent. "You've always been my only friend, and always will be." Wicked Lady said. Sailor Moon gasped, as the sight of Wicked Lady hugging the Luna Ball reminded her of something.

"Could that be Rini?" She wondered aloud.

"She is Rini!" Replied Sailor Mars. Wicked Lady laughed.

"I used to be called that once, in my sad, pathetic little life!"

"But, why?" Asked Tuxedo Mask.

"I can't believe this loud-mouthed Meatball Head!" Said Sailor Moon. "We gave that ungrateful brat everything!"

"Everything but love, you air-headed potty mouth!" Retorted Wicked Lady. "Now, to get your full attention!" She bounced Luna-P on the ground, and it flew high into the air. It turned into a large black umbrella, and landed in Wicked Lady's hand. She opened it, and began to spin it at the Sailor Scouts. A bolt of energy shot from it, and hit the Sailor Scouts, scattering them about.

"Incredible Power!" Said Jupiter.

"Rini," Venus pleaded weakly, "why are you doing this to us?" Wicked Lady's face contorted with rage.

"I despise all of you!" She replied.

"Something odd, in her eyes." Mars said, looking closely. "I think she's been brainwashed!" Sailor Moon gasped, and Mercury surmised that the Negamoon had control of her mind. Sailor Moon wondered what to do.

"There's nothing you can do, but hope that I neglect you!" Wicked Lady said. "Just as the bunch of you neglected me!"

"Neglected you?!" Sailor Moon replied. "What do you mean? Answer me!"

"You know what I mean!" Wicked Lady said angrily.

"You're wrong, Rini!" Sailor Moon said, getting up. "Now, listen! You've got your mom and dad, and friends all around you! We all love you, Rini!" Wicked Lady closed her umbrella, and it began to spin like a drill.

"All lies!" Wicked Lady said. "You didn't love me ever!" She lunged at Sailor Moon with the umbrella, and Sailor Moon leapt backwards to dodge the hit. Wicked Lady tried again, and Sailor Moon dodged again.

"Sailor Moon," said Luna, "You've got to fight her back!"

"But Luna," replied Sailor Moon, "how can I possibly fight Rini?" Wicked Lady rose into the air, and opened her umbrella again. The top opened, and fired thorns at Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon fell to the ground as she dodged them, and was pinned down by a second volley.

"Get my point?" Wicked Lady said jokingly. She lunged at Sailor Moon again, but didn't make it. A rose stopped her. Tuxedo Mask appeared, standing atop a lamp post. The umbrella reverted to the Luna Sphere, and it bounced into Wicked Lady's hands.

"Be careful what you wish for." He announced. "Do you really think things will be better off if you destroy Earth? Rini, you're not yourself! You're possessed by an evil energy! You've got to fight it! Now, wake up!"

"I'm wide awake, and all I see is a chump in a bad tuxedo!" Shouted Wicked Lady, throwing her Luna Ball at Tuxedo Mask. Tuxedo Mask tilted his head to dodge the Ball, and he told Sailor Moon to use the Silver Crystal to wipe out the Dark Energy from Rini.

"Despite your cool taste in hairdos," Sailor Moon announced to Wicked Lady, "you're not a real lady until you've gone back to being a real person!"

"MOON CRYSTAL POWER!"

With that, Wicked Lady was bathed in pink light.

"Rini!" Sailor Moon called out. "You've got to remember things like they really were! Think about it! Think about your childhood! We love you very much! Can you remember, Rini?"

In the pink light, Wicked Lady's clothes, Negamoon crescent, and her earrings disappeared. She heard her voice as Rini calling out to her parents. She went into a memory.

Rini was running through the palace, wanting to be with her parents on her birthday. She saw a large door, and the room behind it was dark, so she went in. The room was completely black, and when she stepped in, party streamers flew through the air, and the candles on a cake (That said "Omedetou Sumoururedi". It means "Happy Birthday, Small Lady. See the pronunciation key.) lit up. All around, her friends and family were there to wish her a happy birthday.

"Sorry about that, Rini!" Said Venus. Rini knew all was forgiven. She was the happiest girl on the planet.

Wicked Lady remembered that day. Her parents were there for her after all. So were her friends. Her dear, sweet friends...

In the pink light, Wicked Lady was naked, and was beginning to transform back into Rini. The Sailors gasped.

"It's Rini!" Said Sailor Moon.

"Do you think she's really herself again?" Wondered Sailor Mars. Wicked Lady continued to bath in the light, and became more and more like Small Lady. The Sailor Scouts smiled hopefully.

"She's figuring out the truth!" Said Mercury.

"The brainwashing is losing its effect!" Said Jupiter.

"I hope so!" Added Venus. There was finally hope for the Wicked Lady. The crescent on the Luna Ball reverted back the Moon Kingdom insignia. It was then that the Wiseman chose to appear.

"Wicked Lady!" He called. "Don't be deceived by a few ... memories!" Rini/ Wicked Lady opened her eyes. "Don't forget your vacuous airhead mom!" He said. "And your shallow, pretty boy dad!" Sailor Moon watched in worry, as the Wicked Lady began to emerge. "You're a sad little girl." Said Wiseman. "Starved for affection. The lost little soul, crying out for a little love and kindness from the people who should have loved you most!"

"You know that's not true, Rini!" Said Sailor Mars, in opposition to the magic of the Wiseman. "Don't listen to him!"

"You're so deprived of love and affection." Wiseman said, egging on the emergence of Wicked Lady. "You create your own illusions of a happy childhood!"

"Illusions?" Wondered Wicked Lady. "You mean what I just remembered about my birthday was an illusion?" Sailor Moon looked into the woman's eyes.

"That's a lie!" Sailor Moon said. "You can't listen to this guy! Your party wasn't any illusion! It was real! You've gotta believe me, Rini!" At this point, Wicked Lady was very confused and vulnerable.

"I don't know." Wicked Lady said delicately. "I just don't know who to believe!" Wicked Lady looked into her hands, completely unaware of the fact that she was nude. The others chose to disregard it, including the Wiseman, who said,

"She never loved you! Nobody has ever loved you! Don't be fooled by her lies!" With that, Wiseman's eyes glowed bright blue, and he searched Wicked Lady's memories. Wicked Lady was inside the black energy bubble, and began to scream in pain. In her memory, the cake that said happy birthday disappeared, and her friends were all of a sudden very angry with her.

"Wake up and smell the truth, Wicked Lady!" Said Wiseman. "You're loved by nobody! Nobody! Nobody!" The repetition of being loveless consumed Wicked Lady's being. With that, every part of her that was Small Lady was vanquished. The pain from the black energy bubble was intense.

"That's right!" She said, clutching her hands to her temples. "Nobody celebrated my birthday! Nobody loved me enough to remember it!" She looked up at the Sailor Scouts in anger. "Wiseman's right!" She exclaimed. "I've never been loved, and I never will be!" Wicked Lady returned in full. Her dress reappeared, along with her transparent pink scarf, her earrings, and her Negamoon crescent. She rose into the air above the Sailor Scouts, and joined Wiseman and Luna-P, whose Moon crescent had also changed. The Sailor Scouts called for Rini to come back.

"Who's Rini?" Said Wicked Lady, smiling evilly. "The Wiseman gave me a new name, Wicked Lady. Suits me, don't you think? I'm no longer Rini!" The Sailor Scouts all gasped in shock.

"It's not true!" Sailor Mercury said. "You are Rini!"

"We love you, Rini!" Shouted Jupiter and Venus.

"And," added Artemis, "you're also known as Small Lady!"

"Of Crystal Tokyo!" Said Luna. Tuxedo Mask pleaded,

"Don't be seduced by his lies! He's filling you with hate!" Wicked Lady chuckled, smiling wryly.

Meanwhile, Prince Diamond watched while the dark crystal grew and grew.

"None of you, or anyone can stop what's coming!" Said Wicked Lady. "Soon, the awesome power of the Dark Crystal will explode from the Moon called Nemesis, and Earth will be no more! Finally, the Negamoon will be avenged, and the heartless people of Earth will be destroyed." While Wicked Lady was talking, the cloud that was over the growing Dark Crystal was also increasing in size. To the Sailor Scouts' dismay, Wicked Lady disappeared, leaving with Luna-P and the Wiseman.

Just as Wicked Lady had gone, the sun was coming up over Tokyo. Sailor Moon clenched her fists in sorrow.

"Oh, Rini." She said. She looked up at the new sun. "Somehow, I'll overcome this evil, and bring you back to us."

Tuxedo Mask stood by her side, as she and the Sailor Scouts watched the new sunrise.