Why I HATE Stars Ending SO MUCH

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Slowpokeking

Aurorae Lunares
Apr 1, 2020
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#1
As a big fan of SM and the old anime, I think it dragged down the entire series' quality.

Galaxia was depicted as a very evil, super ruthless villain, who was extremely cruel against her own sailors and brutally murdered all other senshi. Then it suddenly said: She was possessed! Also Chaos had little screentime/buildup as well. So it just felt so odd. Compare to S, we saw Hotaru's character very well. Mistress 9 is evil but she didn't kill many ppl, and almost got killed by her own boss. I don't see a problem with Usagi trusting Hotaru. The only problem is just one part of the plot: Usagi giving her the Grail and summoned out Pharaoh 90, this part of the plot could have been handled better.

Also the final fight was purely about redemption without a beatdown of Galaxia first to let the audience feel relived for her wrong doing, nor did she make sacrifice to atone her crime. So it left the audience pissed off. Good redemption have the villain to suffer a breakdown for their wrong doing, and sacrifice themselves to help atone the crime. Nephrite, Demande and the black moon sisters being the good example.

It also ruined Usagi's character as well. In the DK arc she was able to stand up and hurt the brainwashed Mamoru because of the Inner Four's sacrifice. Their death(and Mamoru's) made progress and help develop Usagi's character to the heroine who bravely stood against Super Beryl, but in Stars meh, they all died in vain. So it lacks of the impact and development even though there were more deaths.

It would have been much better if it was a Sailor team stand together to beat down Galaxia, THEN redeem her or let Usagi stop the killing blow because Chaos was the true villain. I like Stars overall, but the ending has always been my biggest complain of the entire series.
 

Masquerade

Solaris Luna
Nov 22, 2016
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#5
Ikuhara progressively turned Usagi into the epitome of purity when he assumed the series in the second half of R, and Igarashi continued with this trend in Stars. I agree Galaxia's defeat could have been a result of teamwork, and the main heroines since the beginning of the show dying in the beginning of the finale in a sacrifice for SUPPORTING CHARACTERS is unforgivable.
But honestly, other than the ending of the Dark Kingdom arc and the S movie, final battles were never a strong point in the classic anime.
 
Jun 6, 2006
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#6
Ikuhara progressively turned Usagi into the epitome of purity when he assumed the series in the second half of R, and Igarashi continued with this trend in Stars. I agree Galaxia's defeat could have been a result of teamwork, and the main heroines since the beginning of the show dying in the beginning of the finale in a sacrifice for SUPPORTING CHARACTERS is unforgivable.
But honestly, other than the ending of the Dark Kingdom arc and the S movie, final battles were never a strong point in the classic anime.
I disagree. Usagi purposely did not attempt to save any of the Witches 5. She probably thinks she killed Eudial, watched as Tellu battled to her last breath, and didn't attempt to save Viluy as she slowly dissolved. She also attempted to kill the Amazoness Quartet in episode 162.

Stars was a mess. I was always angry at the fact it was literally the Starlights show. Having the Inners sacrifice their selves for them was such a smack in the face. And they kept them alive for what? To watch hopelessly as Usagi confronted Galaxia? Not even Chibi Chibi was around for that. They should've had Usagi be the only one left to fight off against Chaos.

The manga did it better. Galaxia was a much more interesting character, and her fate was much more poetic. In the anime she was a two dimensional, rehashed character with a somewhat interesting backstory.
 
Dec 7, 2009
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#8
I disagree. Usagi purposely did not attempt to save any of the Witches 5. She probably thinks she killed Eudial, watched as Tellu battled to her last breath, and didn't attempt to save Viluy as she slowly dissolved. She also attempted to kill the Amazoness Quartet in episode 162.
This. Also she totally didn't care about Rubeus blowing up in his UFO. No dialogue of "too bad we couldn't get him out too" or glancing up at the sky, torn between relief that his attacks were over but at the same time empathy for his horrid end.

No, the episode just had a weird "teehee everything worked out :D" ending that felt very inappropriate after what we'd just seen XD
 

ChibiBoi

Aurorae Lunares
Jan 2, 2010
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#10
I liked the stars ending as a kid. I thought it showed Usagi’s character development a lot, from the crybaby she was in the beginning to becoming the gentle nurturing soul who saves even those who don’t deserve redemption. She refused to hack away at Galaxia and she saved the world her own way without losing herself like Galaxia or the Starlights did. And I honestly felt really sympathetic towards Galaxia. She lost everything trying to save the universe and she sacrificed her own sanity in order to preserve the universe. I thought she deserved to be saved. And honestly I cried at the end of Sailor Stars when I first saw it.
 

Slowpokeking

Aurorae Lunares
Apr 1, 2020
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#12
Ikuhara progressively turned Usagi into the epitome of purity when he assumed the series in the second half of R, and Igarashi continued with this trend in Stars. I agree Galaxia's defeat could have been a result of teamwork, and the main heroines since the beginning of the show dying in the beginning of the finale in a sacrifice for SUPPORTING CHARACTERS is unforgivable.
But honestly, other than the ending of the Dark Kingdom arc and the S movie, final battles were never a strong point in the classic anime.
We don't see Usagi redeem Wiseman. There is still a fight, ppl like Demande get redeemed in a much more convincing way.

It's not about Galaxia should be redeemed or not, it's about how it should be handled. It would have much less complain if Usagi defeats her first.
 
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Slowpokeking

Aurorae Lunares
Apr 1, 2020
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#13
This. Also she totally didn't care about Rubeus blowing up in his UFO. No dialogue of "too bad we couldn't get him out too" or glancing up at the sky, torn between relief that his attacks were over but at the same time empathy for his horrid end.

No, the episode just had a weird "teehee everything worked out :D" ending that felt very inappropriate after what we'd just seen XD


I disagree. Usagi purposely did not attempt to save any of the Witches 5. She probably thinks she killed Eudial, watched as Tellu battled to her last breath, and didn't attempt to save Viluy as she slowly dissolved. She also attempted to kill the Amazoness Quartet in episode 162.

Stars was a mess. I was always angry at the fact it was literally the Starlights show. Having the Inners sacrifice their selves for them was such a smack in the face. And they kept them alive for what? To watch hopelessly as Usagi confronted Galaxia? Not even Chibi Chibi was around for that. They should've had Usagi be the only one left to fight off against Chaos.

The manga did it better. Galaxia was a much more interesting character, and her fate was much more poetic. In the anime she was a two dimensional, rehashed character with a somewhat interesting backstory.
All of this would be ok, since Rubeus and the Witches Five were defeated and suffered for their wrong doing, it would be even better if they atone for their crime.

But none of it happened in Galaxia's fight.

I'm ok with redeeming Galaxia, but all the important steps are missing.
 
Likes: MsImagination

Memento

Stella Nova
Mar 8, 2012
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underwatersphinx.blogspot.com
#14
The manga did it better. Galaxia was a much more interesting character, and her fate was much more poetic. In the anime she was a two dimensional, rehashed character with a somewhat interesting backstory.
I've only watched Stars through twice because I hate it (Aluminum Siren and Lead Crow notwithstanding), but was there even any foreshadowing that Galaxia was really a ~good~ Sailor Soldier who just got corrupted by Chaos? Because I feel like that came out of nowhere?

Re: The Witches 5 - There was just no reason for Usagi to want to or try to save any of them because (apart from Mimete), none of them ever showed signs of being redeemable. (And even then Mimete was just trapped in that big screen TV or whatever, so possibly she could still be saved if someone would just plug it back in?)

And I agree with everyone that the Starlights' making it all the way to the end when the Inners and Outers died was an insult to good taste and basic decency.
 

ChibiBoi

Aurorae Lunares
Jan 2, 2010
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#16
It's not about Galaxia should be redeemed or not, it's about how it should be handled. It would have much less complain if Usagi defeats her first.
Having Usagi defeat Galaxia by sheer force alone would've undermined the main message of the show which was about love and friendship. We know Usagi is strong. But she's truly strong because of her resilience and her ability to be compassionate. That's why she never picked up that sword to fight Galaxia. And that's ultimately what saved Galaxia from Chaos.
 

Slowpokeking

Aurorae Lunares
Apr 1, 2020
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#17
Having Usagi defeat Galaxia by sheer force alone would've undermined the main message of the show which was about love and friendship. We know Usagi is strong. But she's truly strong because of her resilience and her ability to be compassionate. That's why she never picked up that sword to fight Galaxia. And that's ultimately what saved Galaxia from Chaos.
Not at all, Usagi defeating Super Beryl showed love and friendship perfectly.

She picked her strength to fight brainwashed Mamoru, breaking his bones and it didn't undermine her as a character, only made the message STRONGER.

The Phantom Sisters were defeated then redeemed. Their love was shown well.

Usagi was strong because she knew how to use her power, not just sit there when love and good ppl get killed one by one and do nothing. Love and friendship is needed, but could not be relied solely, this has been shown all along.
 

Slowpokeking

Aurorae Lunares
Apr 1, 2020
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#18
Having Usagi defeat Galaxia by sheer force alone would've undermined the main message of the show which was about love and friendship. We know Usagi is strong. But she's truly strong because of her resilience and her ability to be compassionate. That's why she never picked up that sword to fight Galaxia. And that's ultimately what saved Galaxia from Chaos.
I remember the writer said about the R movie was where he got the idea, but he entirely missed the point.

Fiore was shown as a ok person with some flaws and bitterness, and it was made 100% clear that he was controlled by the flower, expanding his darkness. He even showed some conflict during the process. The redeeming process was done perfectly with good setup.

While the fight was brutal, he never truly killed other senshi or Mamoru.

After being redeemed, he used his own life force to save Usagi, trying to atone his crime.

NONE of it was done well in the Galaxia fight.
 
Jul 31, 2012
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Outer Space
#19
Not at all, Usagi defeating Super Beryl showed love and friendship perfectly.

She picked her strength to fight brainwashed Mamoru, breaking his bones and it didn't undermine her as a character, only made the message STRONGER.

The Phantom Sisters were defeated then redeemed. Their love was shown well.

Usagi was strong because she knew how to use her power, not just sit there when love and good ppl get killed one by one and do nothing. Love and friendship is needed, but could not be relied solely, this has been shown all along.
This is a pretty good explanation. I felt the ending of Stars should have been handled differently. Not just with Usagi but with Pluto and Saturn's outcomes as well.
 

Slowpokeking

Aurorae Lunares
Apr 1, 2020
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#20
This is a pretty good explanation. I felt the ending of Stars should have been handled differently. Not just with Usagi but with Pluto and Saturn's outcomes as well.
I am not against redemption at all, most of the redemption in the anime has been done well.

Let's say another character in Saint Seiya who was also voiced by Mitsuko Horie: Hilda. Her noble self was shown first, the entire brainwash process was shown, then through others' flashback, her good past was told very well. So even though her evil image was ruthless, it went very convincing. She even blamed herself in the end and help the saints.

Also Winter Soldier is a good example: His good self was shown to us in the first movie, his struggle was shown after he regained memory, the ppl who were using him was also the main villains of the 2nd movie. In the 3rd movie we also saw him felt so painful about his past.

Yet still many ppl side with Iron Man in the end because he didn't show enough remorse in that scene, and he didn't get beaten badly.

Imagine if we never saw any of these, but a cold a ruthless killer who killed lovely MCU characters plus some short flashbacks, I doubt anyone would stand with Captain America.