Sailor Moon Exposed Part 5 Analysis of Chibiusa's and Helio's Relationship

NOTE: On 3/28/24 , this article was updated by myself to have more up to date information due to me re-reading the manga. 

In this article I will be making a comparisson between Usagi x Mamoru and Chibiusa x Helios. Throughout the first and 4th arc there are similarities between the two love interests and I will analyise the dynamic between the later as is seen in the Dreams Arc/ Sailor Moon Eternal Movies.

Probably the Earth Kingdom 

There are many contrasts between the areas of the various kingdoms.

 The Moon & Earth Kingdom from the 20th century. The Moon and Earth Kingdom were enemies and were forbidden to meet but the Prince and Princess did so in secret. There is a feeling of conflict and strife during the flashback sequences depicting Princess Serenity and Prince Endimyions time together and the kingdom fell to a tragic end.

30th century Crystal Tokyo as of the Stars Arc

Map of 30th century Crystal Tokyo in the Black Moon Arc

Interior of Crystal Palace in Sailor Moon Crystal

Explaination of the kingdoms destruction 

When the heroes travel to the 30th century for the 1st time in the Black Moon Arc

Elysion in the Sailor Moon Eternal Movies Cursed and Purifed state

 The 30th century and Elysion. The latter is inside of the Earth and always has been a space where the Priest of Elysion (Helios) prays for the Earth's protection and thus due to the connection between Earth and Helios and Mamoru/ Endymion, when the Dead MoonCircus attacks in the modern day both of them were affected by the curse placed on Elysion & the darkness infecting Earth.

To contrast the 30th century is a union of the Moon & Earth kingdom and is a crystalised utopia and the people live longer lives due to being blessed by the power of the Silver Crystal.

Contrasting the chaos prevelent in the older kingdoms, the 30th century is depicted as a utopia and even in the Stars Arc when peace has returned, the feeling of positivity has been restored like it's former glory. 

The two kingdoms were once prosperous but were affected by a curse (Elysion= Dead Moon Circus represented by the black roses, and for the 30th century the dark crystal ) prior to being restored by  the Silver Crystal (or in Elysions case the Golden Crystal and Silver Crystal) 

The couples is a paring of two species from two relems. In the past Princess Serenity was from the Moon and Prince Endimyion from the Earth and in the 30th century Princess Small Lady Usagi is from a conjoined of the Moon and Earth represented in Crystal Tokyo and Helios is from an aspect of the Earth Kingdom. 

In the Present! Selves there is an age gap between them. (Usagi in arc 1 was 14 and Mamoru was 16, Chibiusa as of the Dreams arc was 10 physically, Helios is a 12 years old physically 

The males both have a connection to find a woman to help them on their quest. (For Mamoru was to retreive his memory, for Helios was to restore Elysion) 

Eternal Chibi Moon getting the Pink Moon Cryst 

When Chibiusa first awakens as Sailor Chibi Moon 

Both Usagi and Chibiusa awaken their Silver Crystals through trauma (Princess Serenity remembering her past life and Black Lady mourning over Sailor Pluto's death but their crystals fully activate due to being fuelled by love, The Silver Crystal when Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon joined powers and when Eternal Sailor Chibi Moon kissed an unconcious Helios after his curse was broken) 

Helios is decades older than Chibiusa being present by the time of the Silver Milineum and has lots of experience, he has seen a lot throught his life.

He was  unsucessful in protecting his relem after the attack of the Dead Moon Circus  so he had to search for 'a maiden protected by moonlight’ by asking for help from Chibiusa and Usagi by the end of the Infinity arc.

Yes that is a horse kissing a little girl 

 The audience and even Usagi herself thinks this request  is refering to herself  due to Chibiusa's doubts and comparing herself to Sailor Moon but it turns out that she helped to save Elysion by leading Helios to Sailor Moon.

My question is how long was he waiting for

Chibiusa to help him? (I cannot imagine the amount of things he has seen).

After he reverts from his cursed form as a horse after the purification of Elysion, he is unconcious and Eternal Sailor Moon kisses him

This is  a non consentual kiss) but is revealed to be a 12- 13 year old boy physically.  In comparrison  Chibiusas physical form is 8-9 but she gets a growth spurt by the Stars Arc.

Once again we have a pairing of an older boy  and a younger girl, an age gap of three years, contrasted with Present! Usagi & Mamoru'stwo year age gap of two years. 

This dynamic is framing age gap relationships as an ideal standard to have when looking for a partner and is  subconciously saying that older guys are better, more mature and experienced.

After she runs off after her outburst trying to convince Helios that she is NOT the young maiden, he kisses her, turns into a boy and reassures her that she is loved by her friends and future parents. 

By the end of the manga/ Second Eternal Movie after this happens, the Coronation cermony of Neo Queen Serenity  and King Endimyion  is complete. He reassures Chibiusa that they will meet again and he flies off on a pegasus Chibiusa watches him fly off and wishes to see him again hoping that one day he can become her prince.

Why??

The problem is that for the 90s anime they saw this dynamic  in the manga and took a really weird direction with their dynamic where it feels strange especially with the sexualization of Helios (where he was tied up), the posessive nature of Nehelenia over Helios  and the one infamous scene where Chibiusa changes her clothes in front of him (pegasus form) and he starts to blush instead of looking away and she asks him why he was acting so strangely (it was uncomfortable to watch also with the revelation he is a human boy in reality, makes it more weird watching it it in context). This was a peculiur choice they made and I am really glad that Eternal Movies DID NOT go this route when protraying their relationship.

Overall the relationship protrayed in the manga  is set up to be healthy. They support each other, Helios helps her in the best way he can even in his cursed pegasus form and she learns to trust in someone other than Present! Usagi because in the 30th century she did not have  many people except for her parents, inner sailor shenshi and Sailor Pluto. (By Stars, there is also the Aesteroid Shenshi)