Tag: sailor mars

~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

Okay I was a lot nicer towards Crystal in my first post but tumblr eating that instead of posting it has given my all the gumpy Crystal!Rei lacks, so whoops.

This moment is meaningless for Crystal!Rei. It’s not an unusual statement, and Usagi being different from Serentiy (or even the ideal of Serenity) hasn’t really come through.

SO I PROPOSE WE TAKE THIS MOMENT AND PUT IT IN ANOTHER CANON. ANY CANON. Even the manga, as much as Crystal is supposed to be faithful to it, would make this moment 1000x more meaningful.

Rei always has moments like this, where she admits that she loves Usagi the way she is (“We always fought, but it was fun,” anyone?). But for those to work, Rei and Usagi need their antagonism. We have senshi who Usagi clicks with right away (the rest of the inners, really, but most especially Mako. Mako and Usagi is the least complicated relationship, and that works). Usagi and Rei take time. Rei wants Usagi to be better and Usagi wants Rei to just love her already, and that causes friction. But when push comes to shove, Usagi, for all her crying and almost losing fights and reading manga instead of studying, is more than good enough for Rei, and for all of Rei’s gruffness and critical comments, Usagi knows Rei loves her. 

So let’s pretend this is Rei, manga!Rei or 90’s!Rei or myu!Rei or PGSM!Rei, who’s kept trying to push Usagi to be stronger, to be a better student and and better fighter and a better everything, saying no, you’re not the ideal princess. You’re you and you’re better than any princess. You don’t need to change at all. 

~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

Okay but (sort of) on the subject of senshi body type interpretations.

Chubby Rei

Chubby Rei fighting with Chubbier Usagi. Chubby Rei being quite nearly a literal ball of frustration.

Chubby Rei strong-arming boxy, compact Ami early in their relationship into doing shit like go on the cruise with her. And then later becoming little Ami’s ultimate cuddle friend (Usagi does not know how to be quiet, and Ami likes to read while cuddling. Though eventually Rei will have to share this distinction with Mako).

Chubby Rei getting in an argument with Buff Mako one day and Mako just picking her up to prove a point. “You’re not supposed to be able to do that!” “But I did.” “I am big and strong and right!” “I’m bigger and stronger and righter.”

Chubby Rei getting tackled by curvy-but-athletic Minako. Chubby Rei letting her latch onto her back for all of about ten seconds before falling backwards. “Rei-chan you’re squishing me!” “Don’t jump on me in public.” “You only want me to jump you at home? Okay.” “Damn it, Minako.”

Chubby Rei using her size as a strength. She is unmovable dammit (shut up Mako.) Chubby Rei is a wall protecting her princess.

Chubby Rei being the crush of every girl at T.A. Academy. Chubby Rei the cool, mysterious shrine beauty. 

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ CHUBBY REI *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

This wording is going to haunt me.

This is what awakens Mars. I’m inclined to think it’s an echo of words she said before.

So the anymore kills me. 

This calls to a Mars who saw Serenity (and maybe the other guardians) hurt.

The moments before she transforms, Rei’s face is rage. She goes past determination and past simple anger. She feels the rage Mars felt at seeing her princess hurt. 

Rei doesn’t consciously remember the Silver Millenium yet, but the emotion is there. 

~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

Probably my favorite thing about Crystal so far is how it’s making the girls so ready for Usagi and the princess, and how it balances those two.

First there’s the flashback, and how perfect is it that even though Ami has to touch Usagi for it, Rei just has to look? 

But interestingly enough, that’s where I see the princess-senshi connection ending for Rei this episode. The rest of what happens isn’t about Mars and Serenity, it’s entirely Rei and Usagi (whereas last episode I do think Mercury’s princess protection instincts played a role).

Usagi’s second encounter with Rei means the world. Usagi knows about Rei’s powers; she had them used against her on their first meeting. But she believes Rei is good. She doesn’t care about Rei’s powers, either to condemn her or demand she uses them. She just barges in and cares about Rei. That touches Rei, she’s able to open up for a second, but the thing is Rei is not entirely convinced her powers are good. She never asked for her abilities; she does her best to use them for good, but part of her believes that she might be the monster people accuse her of being. So she sends Usagi away. 

But she does care about this strange girl who for some reason care about her, so when she senses she’s in trouble, she runs after her. Maybe her powers can be good, maybe they’re finally giving her what she needs.

And then she recognizes Usagi is Sailor Moon. In the manga she seems to recognize Usagi’s voice, but Crystal takes it further. Usagi has superpowers. Usagi is already established as good in Rei’s mind. She’s sweet, she stood up for Rei, she tried to help. If this girl, this amazing, earnest, good person can have powers, maybe powers aren’t bad.  Maybe Rei isn’t bad. Maybe her powers can help this girl like this girl tried to help Rei.

And that’s what makes Mars awaken. Usagi helps Rei accept that part of herself. Last episode, Ami’s desire to protect Usagi calls to Mercury’s desire to protect Serenity and her powers awaken. It’s different for Rei. She attacks Jaedite physically and then consciously calls for the power she knows she has, but she has more than she knows. 

(Her wording when her powers surface I think *does* bring up Mars and Serenity, but that’s a different post.)