Sailor Moon May Seem Sweet, But One of Its Deaths Still Hurts to This Day

Some fans, especially casual viewers, have either forgotten or never even knew that all the Sailor Scouts have actually died except for Usagi in the first season of Sailor Moon. Forgetting such a development might seem impossible, but it's important to understand that all the deaths occurred in just one episode, marking it as one of the most brutal episodes in the magical girl genre. However, their deaths didn't last long. Usagi's wish for them to live like normal girls was granted, and even though the resurrected girls had amnesia, they regained their memories by Sailor Moon R episode #2.

Sailor Moon R essentially erased the prospect of them having ever died. That tragic event's only persisting plot line was Mamoru's amnesia. But, even then, Mamoru may have just as well have forgotten who he was for whatever reason. After all, his amnesia was a major storyline in Sailor Moon season 1. The only difference is that he switches his Tuxedo Max persona with the Moonlight Knight in R. Regardless, all the Sailor Scouts did die, and although each of their deaths was tragic, the worst one that still hurts to this day is Sailor Jupiter's death.

Sailor Jupiter's Death Was Due To Her Own Weakness

None of the Other Sailor Scouts Died in a Similar Spectacle

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The reason why it hurts so much is that Sailor Jupiter's death didn't serve any purpose except to underscore her own weakness. By comparison, the rest of the Sailor Scouts' deaths felt honorable or helpful. This realization is especially ironic since Sailor Jupiter was the first of the Sailor Scouts to die, so, by logic, it should be assumed that her death would have been the most impactful, but that wasn't the case. Sailor Jupiter dies because she falls for the DD Girls' ability to create illusions.

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For her, the DD Girls appear as Motoki, causing Sailor Jupiter to hesitate and allowing them to capture her in their vines to kill her. Although Sailor Jupiter manages to kill off two of the DD Girls, this success is mired by their illusion of Motoki. Makoto develops a crush on Motoki, given that he reminds her of a boy who broke her heart, but Motoki is never shown to reciprocate those feelings. In fact, Motoki has always had a girlfriend for as long as Sailor Jupiter knew him, a truth Sailor Jupiter was aware of.

So the fact that just the sight of Motoki being hurt is what compromises Sailor Jupiter is utterly tragic in that it undermines her sacrifice. It's even worse when fans take into account that Usagi had already fallen for the DD Girls' illusions more than once before that, and yet, these Youma were still able to manipulate Sailor Jupiter and kill her.

Sailor Mercury, Venus, and Mars All Die Honorable Deaths

It Doesn't Matter That Sailor Jupiter Was Always Hurt By Love

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Sailor Jupiter's death would have been less tragic if the other Sailor Scouts had all fallen for the same trick and died as a result of it. After all, every single one of them has suffered from heartbreak or has someone they care about. But that's not the case. Sailor Mercury's sacrifice prevents the DD Girls from being able to trick any of the other Sailor Scouts again, saving them from the same embarrassment as Sailor Jupiter. Sailor Venus dies because she saved Usagi, who would have been the next victim if Sailor Venus hadn't pushed her out of the way just in time and taken her place.

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And, of course, Sailor Mars had the most heroic death out of the other Sailor Scouts, fighting off the last remaining DD Girls until her last dying breath. Sailor Mars' death was always going to be the most emotional due to her and Usagi's relationship, which has been fraught with rivalry, annoyance, and hard love. Sailor Mars' death flag is especially brutal when she tells Sailor Moon before her final battle that, "We always fought, but it was fun." It's understandable that such a comment terrifies Usagi, especially when Sailor Mars goes into battle.

The fact that Sailor Jupiter is the only one of the Sailor Scouts who dies because she falls for the illusion of a boy who broke her heart is tragic, but it does make sense. Even though all the Sailor Scouts are traumatized by past failed relationships, Sailor Jupiter always stood out, even before her death. Makoto's backstory was not only the most drawn out in season 1, but it involved her falling for two random guys in the present day just because they reminded her of a boy who broke her heart. As someone so constantly harmed by love, Sailor Jupiter deserved a better death in Sailor Moon than to succumb to such an illusion.