From: sunniechan@comcast.net   
      
   Phoenix wrote:   
   > Act 28 - Welcome Back, Ami!   
      
      
      
   Wow...Didn't like this episode did you, Phoenix? ^_-   
      
   I actually enjoyed the idea that they were trapped in this space.  They   
   did not reach it the way they were supposed to, and therefore it became   
   a trap they were unable to escape (although why they werne't able to   
   find the entrace earlier kind of bugged me, except perhaps they had to   
   be thinking "entrance" rather than "exit" to get past the trick).   
   Whatever caused them to end up in the wrong place (Sailor Moon's power)   
   caused the other end of the portal to start screwing up, which explains   
   what was happening to the planetarium.  Like Rick, I really loved the   
   part where Rei and Makoto are running up the stairs and end up lower   
   than they were before, as well as the expression on their faces.   
      
   As for Ami, I think this was a very good way of her getting through her   
   problems with what happened.  While I disliked that she "forgot"   
   everything she'd done, I do like that she didn't just take Usagi's "Oh I   
   forgive you, you didn't mean to, let's go!" attitude sitting down.  No,   
   instead she stepped forward and made Usagi understand.  She *couldn't*   
   just trust them, not when they'd split apart and felt like they weren't   
   even friends anyway.  It wasn't just what she had done to them holding   
   her back, it was also the thought of going back to that "betrayal"   
   (using the word loosely here) that was keeping her away.  How could she   
   trust them to *truly* forgive her when they'd already essentially   
   deserted her?  They could say they would, but would they ever treat her   
   like a friend again?  The voice in the back of Ami's head that expressed   
   all her doubt about them coming back together really was right--if it   
   hadn't been for her disappearing, who knows when/if they would have   
   regrouped.   
      
   Maybe it was just the wording though, but I was almost heartbroken by   
   Usagi's response.  They understood what they'd done (splitting up was   
   bad), and they did forgive Ami, they really did...but they might not be   
   able to be the friends she wants.  That really struck me.  Ami truly is   
   looking for a few shining companions that will never ever hurt her.   
   She's looking for a true best friend that she's never had.  And even   
   Usagi isn't that idealistic--she knows she might not be able to be Ami's   
   everything, and Rei and Mako might not be able to be that either.  She   
   makes Ami understand that friendship isn't all lollipops and daisies.   
   Ami doesn't already know this, she's never had friends before.  This   
   really was the final lesson she needed to learn about friendship.   
   First, she had to learn to accept that people might actually like her   
   for her, not just for her mother's influence, her brains, or because she   
   happened to be a Sailor Senshi.  Then, she had to learn to be herself in   
   front of those people, as it shows her trust in them.  Third, she had to   
   learn that she can't own her friends exclusively (the Naru-lesson).  And   
   now she's learned that there will be tough times, but only if you try   
   will you be able to go forward.  Things won't be perfect, but that   
   doesn't mean it's not friendship.   
      
   ...wow, I don't know where *that* came from!   
      
   Anyway, I guess I'm just saying I really liked this episode, and the way   
   they didn't just let things go from bad to peachy keen immediately.  Ami   
   had good reason to continue being upset throughout the episode.  She   
   finally wakes up and is back with Usagi, and still she isn't connected   
   with her.  Usagi kept brushing her off when Ami really needed to get   
   this out.  Good for her for finally just blurting it out on her own.   
      
   ...and again, I keep going.  Sorry!   
      
   Let's see...   
   Oh yes, I was really struck by the image at the end of the episode   
   (before the list of sponsors that had Sailor Luna being a pest ^_-)   
   Mercury, Moon, Jupiter, and Mars all hugging each other tight.  Venus   
   standing alone, her arms a bit limp.  While she was smiling earlier when   
   they first started the group hug, I felt her body language at the end   
   completely showed her own isolation and desire to join in with that   
   comraderie which she is missing out on.  If she were to have   
   disappeared, they'd likely have gotten her back, but they wouldn't have   
   been nearly so jubilant at success (with the exception of maybe Rei   
   ^_-).  What a lonely girl. I'm doing a better job liking her this time   
   around.   
      
   I also liked the ending portion of Moonlight Attractive Attack. It was   
   just cool.  Too bad they couldn't take out Kunzite, but I think he just   
   managed to move in time.  Unfortunately, I recall getting really annoyed   
   with the tambourines after awhile. :p   
      
   Next episode brings back Mio.  Ugh, I hate that character.   
      
   Sunnie   
   ~Geez, I'm long-winded!~   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)