The Light of Hope: Final Battle for the Galaxy

"The Light of Hope: The Final Battle for the Galaxy" is the thirty-third episode of the Sailor Stars season and the 199th episode overall. It first aired in Japan on February 1, 1997.

Summary
With only Eternal Sailor Moon, Sailor Chibi Chibi Moon, and the Starlights left, the Starlights use the last of their strength and energy to attempt to defeat Sailor Galaxia, but suffer terrible wounds in the process.

Eternal Sailor Moon believes it is possible to turn Sailor Galaxia good again, and while her vastly powerful Eternal healing abilities with her Silver Moon Crystal Power attack attempt to work, Galaxia retaliates at the last minute and breaks her Eternal Tier, nearly killing Eternal Sailor Moon, by shattering her Star Seed. Eternal Sailor Chibi Chibi sheds a tear, which illuminates waves of bright pink light, revealing that she possesses the Light of Hope.

Plot
In a voice-over, Princess Kakyu recalls how the Sailor Wars had waged on since the cosmos came into existence; Sailor Guardians, the reincarnations of planets and stars, had battled evil beings who disrupted the peace and harmony. Until then, when Chaos-the most evil cosmic being in existence-was finally defeated and sealed away by the legendary and strongest Sailor Guardian of: Sailor Galaxia herself. A massive explosion occurs, and a young woman with waist-length hair is seen. Galaxia explains to Eternal Sailor Moon, Sailor Chibi Chibi, and the Sailor Starlights how she had sealed Chaos within her own body, thus restoring peace and balance across the galaxy. However, she had realized there was no one she could rely on anymore. So she had decided to create an entirely new future as the mightiest Guardian in the galaxy by collecting the star seeds of stars and planets and expanding her influence. The Starlights are shocked by the realization that their greatest enemy is the long-lost Light of Hope they have been seeking all along. Eternal Sailor Moon wonders if that was her only option, that they could have been another, better way without any unnecessary sacrifices; had everyone worked together. She believes there is still good within Galaxia and that, as Sailor Guardians, they can come to an understanding. Galaxia scorns at her words of passion and attacks, but Sailor Star Fighter saves her.

Galaxia rants on how Sailor Guardians, when faced with certain doom, turn on their comrades and even chose death. She says how the Sailor Starlights are no exception; to which Fighter angrily says how mistaken she is. But Galaxia attacks and separates the quintet. Fortunately, Eternal Sailor Moon managed to grab Chibi Chibi. Galaxia wonders where they will run to next, but the Starlights' remain defiant on how they will never run: On behalf of their home world she had destroyed, on behalf of their princess who had protected them, and behalf on the important people who had perished; leaving nothing but their hopes. The Sailor Starlights then combine their incredibly strong Sailor abilities to take Galaxia down. She erects a shield to defend herself against their barrage of attacks, but the Starlights manage to further strengthen their mystical energies and injure Galaxia's left arm. Enraged that they actually succeeded in hurting her, Galaxia retaliates and knocks them all unconscious.

Badly hurt, Sailor Star Fighter tries to use Star Serious Laser, but Galaxia steps on her hand and smashes her star bracelet. Unable to bear it any longer, Eternal Sailor Moon comes between them, wanting Galaxia to stop all of this, as she does not want to lose any more important friends. The Starlights know that, as she has no star seed, Galaxia is not the kind who would listen to her, but Eternal Sailor Moon thinks otherwise; certain that they can still come to an understanding. A wound spreads down Galaxia's arm, and Eternal Sailor Moon says that since she, too, sheds blood, she can indeed feel pain and regret in her heart. Galaxia pushes Eternal Sailor Moon away and scorns that she still believes that they are the same; saying that she will recreate the whole galaxy as a goddess. Eternal Sailor Moon summons her Eternal Tiare and attempts to use its mystical, healing abilities to restore Galaxia to her one true self as a Sailor Guardian of light and goodness. The Starlights recognize this yellow light of positive energy as the Princess. But before Eternal Sailor Moon can utilize Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss to heal her fully, Galaxia manages to break the tiare. Galaxia says that no one can ever defeat her and that she will shatter Eternal Sailor Moon's star seed, so it will never shine brightly again. Sailor Star Fighter defends her, saying that she will protect Sailor Moon even if means her own life. Shocked, Eternal Sailor Moon tries to persuade them to stop, but Star Fighter says how she had loved her own light of hope until the very end. Showing their readiness to expire, the Starlights are prepared to confront Galaxia one last time. Unfortunately, they pushed back yet again, leaving a horrified and saddened Eternal Sailor Moon at the fall of her companions. A female voice says how Sailor Moon must defend the galaxy and the Light of Hope at any cost. Galaxia is about to strike the finishing blow, but Eternal Sailor Moon reveals the legendary Silver Crystal and tries to unleash its intense energy, but it remains feeble. Galaxia recognizes it as the star seed of the Princess of the Moon, but knows that it is of no comparison to others in the universe, and shatters it. This causes Eternal Sailor Moon to become fatally weak and forcibly reverts back to her normal self; with pink ribbons are hanging loose around her nude body.

The Starlights are horrified, wondering why they still cannot win, despite combining their full powers as one. The voice of Princess Kakyu speaks, reminding them why they were born and why they had met the nine Sailor Guardians of the Silver Millennium. In her subconscious mind, the real Sailor Galaxia has looked back on her actions and what she really fought for. She sensed that Chaos was gradually strengthening its evil energy while sealed, and her body would not be able to hold up for long. A massive, golden flowerbed appears all around Sailor Galaxia, revealing millions of star seeds. Knowing that she had to do something, she separated her own star seed-the Light of Hope-from herself to the farthest corners of the galaxy; where Chaos could not find it. She knew that another would gently embrace its power and be safe in the hands of the newly born planets and stars of love and justice.

Sailor Galaxia is about to strike the final blow, which causes Eternal Sailor Chibi-Chibi to shed a tear; a tear that creates gentle waves of bright pink light all around. The Starlights welcome this warm energy, and returns Usagi's star seed to her as she stirs weakly. Galaxia realizes that the Light of Hope has finally begun to awaken. The pink light illuminates half of Earth.

Changes From the Manga

 * At that moment of terror and despair, Sailor Chibi Chibi revealed her true form: an unnamed Sailor Guardian, far beyond the solar system, whose cosmic powers were even greater than those Sailor Galaxia's.
 * Chaos resided in the Galaxy Cauldron at the center of the Galaxy
 * The Eternal Tier was broken in the fight against her evil Sailor Soldier friends, although she managed to recreate it later using the Silver Crystal in the form of a long staff.
 * Galaxia never had sealed Chaos away. She felt lonely on her home world and, when her Sailor powers awakened in full, she desired to become the strongest and most powerful one. Then she met Wiseman (Chaos in disguise or its incarnation) who told her about a place where she could gain more and more Sailor power and its exact location.

Dub Changes

 * Silver Moon Crystal Power! received the same name as Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss in the Mexican dub.

First Appearances
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 * Silver Moon Crystal Power

Trivia

 * This episode featured the first and only appearance of Silver Moon Crystal Power, and was the last time Usagi appeared as Sailor Moon. It also included the last appearances of Star Serious Laser, Star Gentle Uterus, and Star Sensitive Inferno, as well as the Sailor Star Yell.
 * During the flashback in which Sailor Galaxia released her Star Seed into the galaxy, the music in the background was an instrumental version of her image song, "Golden Queen Galaxia".
 * There were many times during the episode where Sailor Galaxia's necklace only had the borders colored in, as opposed to the entire necklace.
 * "Kaze mo Sora mo Kitto..." was used as the ending song for the final time in this episode.
 * When this and the subsequent episode was streamed on Hulu, they were given a TV-MA rating compared with the TV-PG rating of the other episodes.