Sailor Saturn - Special Powers and Items

Special Powers and Items

While several Sailor Senshi have unusual powers as civilians, Hotaru's are numerous and varied. Some of these are portrayed only in the third story arc, when she is possessed by Mistress 9; these include forcefields and energy beams that arise when she is in danger, often involuntary. As shown in that arc, she also has the ability to heal minor flesh wounds. In both the manga and anime she is reborn as an infant immediately upon fulfilling her task as Sailor Saturn, and later, when she is needed in that role again, grows to her former age in a matter of days. Eventually she is visited by an image of herself in Senshi form, who bestows power on her again.

In the manga, Sailors Uranus, Neptune and Pluto gain their second transformation when Hotaru gives them their Sailor Crystals after she has regained her older body. In the anime, Hotaru is still a baby when her power floods Sailors Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, upgrading them and herself to their Super forms. In both versions, Hotaru has visions of coming events, especially of danger, and can project these visions to other people. When she is a young girl, she creates a small projection of the galaxy which hovers in the air in her room, simulating astronomical history at high speed. However, it is only in the manga that Haruka stays with her while she reproduces these events to help keep her power in check.

Her transformation into Sailor Saturn is rare. The transformation sequence into her Senshi form is never shown in the main series, although one of the video games included a shortened transformation sequence, which she initiated by raising her hand in the air (like the Guardian Senshi) and shouting "Saturn Planet Power, Make up!". In the manga she eventually gains her Saturn Crystal and does transform in front of the other Senshi, evoking Saturn Crystal Power! Make Up!. In the anime, although she upgrades to Super Sailor Saturn, the Crystal is never mentioned and her transformation is again not shown on-screen.

Sailor Saturn's powers are mostly based on Roman mythology, in which Saturn is the god of the harvest. As such, her primary role is that of the destroyer, and her coming is greatly feared by the Outer Senshi. Her first act upon arrival is to assault Master Pharaoh 90 with the attack "Death Reborn Revolution." The kanji used with this maneuver translate to "death world revolution" (死世界変革?), with the intended pronunciation given in furigana.

The item most associated with Sailor Saturn is her Silence Glaive, which, apart from its capacity as a bladed weapon, figures in many of her named attacks. It is referred to once as the "scythe of the Goddess of Death," and the act of lowering its point to the ground is all that is required for her to "bring ruin to the world." No incantation is spoken, and this action is separated from "Death Reborn Revolution" by the dialogue given in between the two maneuvers. In the anime, Sailor Saturn will die if she uses this ability, and Super Sailor Moon risks her life to prevent Saturn from doing so, after Saturn defeats Master Pharaoh 90. In the manga, Sailor Saturn deliberately allows herself to be sucked into Master Pharaoh 90's dimension while he is escaping.

When Sailor Saturn returns near the end of the fourth story arc (which overflows into the beginning of the fifth anime series), several more attacks are introduced. She defends herself and her allies with Silence Wall (不動城壁?, "motionless rampart"), a dome of dark energy that deflects attacks, and attacks with Silence Glaive Surprise (沈黙鎌奇襲?, "silence sickle surprise attack"). In the anime this attack is used against Nehellenia; seeing no other way to defeat her, Saturn intends to bring down her Glaive and destroy everything, but before she manages to strike the ground Sailor Chibi Moon throws herself at Saturn to stop her from completing the action and sacrificing her life, nevertheless, the Glaive releases massive power that destroys most of Nehellenia's palace.

In the manga series, the Death Busters use a power source called the Tioron Crystal, which was once worn by Hotaru's mother, Keiko Tomoe. After her death, Professor Tomoe gives it to Hotaru in order to ease the pain she must frequently endure. The Saturn Crystal is her Sailor Crystal and the source of all her power, which becomes especially important in the fifth story arc.