Though fans are clamoring to know when they can watch new episodes, there has yet to be an official announcement regarding the release date of Sailor Moon Crystal Season 4.
If you haven’t read acts 39-49 of the manga and wish to remain pure for new episodes of Sailor Moon Crystal, please be advised that this article contains spoilers. While the writers of the anime reboot may diverge slightly from the source material, previous seasons of Crystal suggest they will be very, very similar. If you’re familiar with the broad outlines of the story and want a more detailed refresher, read on.
Sailor Moon Manga 'Dream' Arc Complete Summary
Season 3 of Crystal ended with Usagi, Chibiusa and Mamoru entering a park where a crowd has gathered to observe a solar eclipse. Odds are, the first episode of Season 4 will pick up moments later, with a large ship emerging from the shadowed sun, its occupants declaring the arrival of the Dead Moon Circus. The ship quickly vanishes, and the three relocate to Juban’s shopping district in a daze, only to find that circus tents have mysteriously appeared. That night, Chibiusa dreams of a winged white horse (Pegasus), who pleads for her help finding the Golden Crystal and protecting his home, Elysion. She awakens to find the Crystal Carillon by her side.
Later, Chibiusa attempts to return to the future by using the time key, but is attacked by the Amazoness Quartet. One of them, PallaPalla, creates another group of hench-villains known as the Amazon Trio, and casts a spell on Usagi and Chibiusa, forcing them to swap bodies.
While Usagi and Chibiusa deal with their unusual predicament, Ami is attacked by Fish Eye. In an act of sheer willpower, Ami calls on her own Sailor Crystal, and her own talisman the Mercury Harp, and evolves into her Super Sailor form. During Ami’s battle with Fish-Eye, one of the Amazon Trio, Usagi and Chibiusa switch back to the right bodies.
Things follow a similar formula for the next several acts. The girls attend a Dead Moon Circus performance (what could possibly go wrong?), where Rei is attacked but powers up into Super Sailor Mars. Later, Mako fights off Hawk’s Eye of the Trio and powers up, while Mamoru withdraws from Usagi because he has been coughing up black blood.
Pegasus appears the group in human form as Helios, revealing his origins and Big Bad Queen Nehelenia's masterplan to take over the world. Turns out Mamoru possesses the Golden Crystal, and the Dead Moon’s threats to Elysion are directly impacting his health. Meanwhile, Mina becomes frustrated at being the last to power up, provoking an attack from the Amazoness Quartet.
Act 44 sees the return of the Outer Senshi, with Haruka, Michiru and Setsuna working to raise the rapidly growing baby Hotaru. Minako finally gets her Super form as the Outer Senshi rejoin the fight (with the encouragement of a newly-reawakened Hotaru). Meanwhile, Usagi begins to display similar symptoms as Mamoru, coughing black blood.
The drama picks up at the end of Act 44 and going into Act 45. The Inner Senshi are overwhelmed and trapped by the Amazoness Quartet, until freed by the Outer Senshi. Nehelenia’s right-hand woman, Zirconia, attacks Usagi and Mamoru, who have been taken out of the fight due to their worsening illness. Rescued by Pegasus, Super Sailor Moon later joins Super Sailor Chibi Moon to face off against the Amazoness Quartet; Usagi tries to convince them to abandon the Dead Moon and fight for the cause of good. Then Zirconia swoops in and ruins everything by imprisoning the Quartet, Saturn and Chibi Moon and handing them over to Nehelenia.
Meanwhile, Usagi and Mamoru learn more about Elysion, the world of dreams, from Pegasus/Helios. Helios explains Elysion was once part of the Golden Kingdom linked to Prince Endymion's family in the distant past. Sailor Moon attempts to free Helios from Nehelenia’s control, but Helios sacrifices himself to give Sailor Moon and the other Sailor Senshi a chance to continue fighting against Zirconia. Reunited, the Senshi are waylaid by distorted visions of reality, but eventually triumph to face off against Nehelenia and her evil dream mirror.
It’s worth noting the 90s anime, Sailor Moon SuperS, doesn’t show much beyond this point until the fifth season, Sailor Moon Sailor Stars.
Acts 48 and 49 focus on the final battle against Nehelenia. We learn that Nehelenia has had a serious beef with the Moon Princess for thousand years, and even see her crashing a party during the time of the Silver Millennium. Back in the present, Sailor Moon struggles against Nehelenia’s curse, but just when it appears as though the end is near, the Senshi assume their princess forms and the cats assume their human forms, lending their power to Usagi to allow her to evolve into her most powerful form yet, Eternal Sailor Moon.
Eternal Sailor Moon gives the other nine Senshi their own Eternal forms before she traps Nehelenia in her own dark dream mirror by using a new attack, Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss. Earth returns to normal, Chibi Moon kisses Helios and revives him, and Eternal Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask become Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion. Together, they banish Nehelenia from the world forever.
Saturn then offers Usagi/Eternal Sailor Moon/Neo Queen Serenity the stones containing the Amazoness Quartet, asking her to restore them. When she does, the Amazoness Quartet also become Eternal Sailor Senshi. Helios returns to Elysion, and all is right with the world… until Galaxia shows up, that is!
In the meantime, be sure to check out our list of the three main differences between the ‘Dream’ arc in the 90s anime and the manga!
Lots of good stuff in store for Sailor Moon Crystal Season 4! What are you most looking forward to? More Outers? Human kitties? Seeing all the girls in princess form? Let us know in the comments!
