Featured in this episode: bungling jewel thieves, a generic youma, some Ami angst (can't get enough of that!), a ton of mostly unnecessary flashbacks, and a few boring, vaguely "romantic" interludes between Usagi and Mamoru.

In other words, this'll probably be a pretty fun review. Let's see how it goes.





Unsurprisingly, the episode begins at Crown, the karaoke joint and Sailor headquarters. Also unsurprising: the girls are sitting around discussing things there. Today's topic is (again, unsurprisingly!) Tuxedo Mask, and whether or not he's friend or foe. Usagi is typically supportive of him, especially in light of his mildly heroic actions in the previous episode, but the others remain unconvinced. Makoto denounces him as a thief, Rei calls him "ominous", and Ami, always the conciliatory one, waffles about it and refuses to side firmly with either faction. And so the ineffectual debate rages on.

Elsewhere, Minako and Artemis are hiding out in some room somewhere (the accommodations are pretty modest for a pop idol, so I'm going to guess that it's a cheap hotel room), bemoaning the fact that they're being tailed by a shadowy youma that's lurking in the dark street below. They mention that the youma's been hunting them, presumably for the Mystical Silver Crystal; obviously, the youma makes no distinction between Aino Minako and her alter ego, Sailor Venus, which merely confirms my view that the Dark Kingdom is made up of a bunch of half-witted buffoons who simply don't realize the incredible psychological (and probably physical) damage they could do if they were to attack the private lives of their enemies. In their civilian lives, after all, the Sailor Soldiers are just hapless schoolgirls, and not particularly bright ones at that (witness the next scene, in which Usagi grins and laughs like an idiot when she discovers her mother has made cheese omlettes for breakfast). Sigh.

The aforementioned cheese omlette, apparently, proves tasty, but Usagi loses interest in it when she notices a news report on TV regarding Aino Minako: there's been a burglarly at her house, and several of her jewels were stolen. One reporter wonders aloud why Sailor V (who usually shows up to thwart such heists) wasn't there to prevent the robbery. Mamoru catches the same report at his own place and has a flashback; he further wonders if Sailor Venus -- the Princess -- has anything to do with the bad dreams he keeps having. It's not Ami-level angst, but it's right up there.





Cut to the Dork Kingdom. Kunzite, in spite of the setbacks he incurred during the previous episode, is just as arrogant and standoffish today as he ever was. The Queen pretty much just rolls her eyes at his nonsense, but Nephrite is positively fit to be tied: he calls Kunzite a "failed creation" and calls him on his earlier screw-up. Kunzite's riposte is juvenile, but effective; how could he be a failed creation if the omniperfect Queen Beryl created him? Nephrite nearly throws up at this, realizing that he's just obliquely insulted the Queen, but the Queen herself could really care less about their bickering; she just orders them both to go collect some more energy or something.

The next day at school, Naru hooks up with Usagi to chat with her about Minako's stolen jewelry and about the possibility of doing some karaoke with her later. When Ami shows up, however, things turn dark and uncomfortable, because (as a convenient flashback reminds us) Ami was mildly rude to Naru the last time she talked with her. Sin of sins! Haughty Naru drags Usagi away, leaving Ami feeling (what else?) angsty. Fortunately, there are more important things going on in this episode; Ami's subsequent appearances are pretty brief.

Back at Crown, Motoki (still in love, we're shown, with his turtle; this guy is a strange one), has a talk with Mamoru about Usagi. Speak of the devil! Usagi wanders in, along with Naru and two other giggly friends. When her pals learn about how Mamoru carried her to Ami's place when she was sick with youma-infection, they all glow green with envy and excitedly whisper amongst themselves: having a guy carry an unconscious girl around on his back is apparently a decidedly romantic activity in Japan, something desperately sought out by singles. Naru decides to fix Mamoru and Usagi up, and so conspires with Motoki to arrange a meeting.





Usagi is thus roped in to meeting Mamoru at a building where an auction of some kind is going to be held. The two try to sort things out, but before very much can be said Usagi accidentally bumps into a group of sleazy-looking guys coming out of an elevator, causing them to drop a briefcase stuffed full of jewels. Credulity is then stretched to near the breaking point, as it takes Usagi (who was wowed earlier by an omlette, don't forget) about two seconds to realize that the jewels she's seeing must be the stolen ones that belonged to Aino Minako (she recognizes a pair of earrings that she saw Minako wear on TV once, thereby indicating that she possesses Holmesian-level recall abilities). She trys to chase the guys, but Mamoru holds her back, saying it's a matter for the police. They therefore find a cop wandering around outside and inform him of their suspicions, but he waves them away.

Annoyed, Usagi says she'll get the jewels back herself. Mamoru asks how, and Usagi blurts out that she'll just transform into Sailor Moon. The indignant outburst results in a long awkward moment, as Usagi and Mamoru comment inanely on the grass and trees and try to pretend that it didn't happen. It's actually a pretty funny scene; it's too bad the show doesn't have more moments like it.

Both of them get over the awkwardness fairly quickly, however, and ultimately decide to try to catch the thieves in the parking garage where they left their car. "If you space out we'll get caught," Mamoru informs Usagi after a cop nearly spots her. Oh, come on, Mamoru; Usagi would never do that. Anyway, Mamoru tosses a road flare in the thieves' car, forcing them to evacuate it, and while their attention is diverted Usagi enters the car and grabs the briefcase of jewels. Unfortunately, they catch sight of her and give chase.

Mamoru to the rescue! He zooms in on his "Shadow Slasher" motorcycle, picks her up, and drives off. Usagi flashes back to this pivotal moment not a minute later, dreamily remembering how great it was to be rescued (Mamoru's advice about the dangers of spacing out are going unheeded, evidently). Anyway, while the two are reveling in their little "victory", the cop from before reappears and goes youma on them (very generic youma today; no real distinguishing characteristics). Chivalrous Mamoru tries to fight it off, but gets his arm slashed and he ends up falling fakily off a ledge. Usagi -- predictably -- transforms, fights it, retrieves the briefcase (the youma tried to steal it, believing, I suppose, that the Mystical Silver Crystal was contained inside) and goes back to check on Mamoru. The two of them then drive off into the sunset on Mamoru's bike to hand the jewels in to the police, giving Usagi another opportunity to wrap her arms around Mamoru's willowy, stick-like body and get that contented what a dreamboat this is the best day of my life look on her face.





The episode ends with a cliffhanger, however, as the other Sailor Soldiers run afoul of some more youma activity following an investigation into some missing persons (the subplot, which I didn't write about because it consisted mostly of uninteresting exposition). Suffice to say, Makoto is in danger of getting sucked into a Sarlaac Pit-type place as the episode wraps up. (Oh, and we also learn that Minako herself orchestrated the robbery at her place to throw the youma off her trail. Sure).

All told, a little on the dry side, but not too shabby (truthfully, I'm forced to admit that this one wasn't quite as much fun to write about as I thought it might be). Oh well. Can't win 'em all.

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