BSSM 44

I have to say, this episode cheered me up. And it's not a happy episode. That really speaks to how freaking depressing Touch was getting.

I feel like talking about it a little, so if you haven't seen the episode, and you're planning on it, and you hate spoilers, then for God's sake what are you still reading for?!?!?

Mars is awesome. She's not letting Venus get away with her cowardice. Because, of course, that's what it is. She uses the "past life" as an excuse to hide from the operation that could save her life. She'd rather die on her own terms...but in doing so, she's not living. Mars has been trying to show her that, but Venus is probably the master of stubborn. It had to come to this, and I'm glad it did. I'm interested to see where things will go from here.

Usagi's not doing very well at the whole "smile like a fool" thing, but that's understandable. At least she's not pissed...

The day Nephrite begins stalking Ami draws ever closer.

Kunzite either decided that his "out" was dying--like how Nephrite died and was then reborn--or he didn't want to be "brainwashed" by Zoisite's powerful death melody, so he figured the only logical solution was to impale himself. Hmm.

Either way, I liked how Zoisite changed in this episode. He finally got past wishing his own will on Endymion, and to the proper place for an attendant: wishing for Endymion's will to be done. I think that's probably why his final bit of music was so powerful...he became much closer to what he used to be before he died.

Now I'm just waiting to see if he and Kunzite will pop up in the city as "humans". I'm not sure what was signified by his stone breaking and crumbling to dust. It could mean he's completely gone, but I don't think so. I think the stones were simply the way Beryl trapped their souls; this is evidenced by the fact that when Jadeite was reborn from his stone, he was still in Dark Kingdom form and brainwashed to love Beryl. Maybe the stone being gone means that when Zoisite is reborn, he'll be free of the spell just like Nephrite. Only time will tell in Kunzite's case, because we didn't see if his stone disintegrated or not...