Sailor Moon Alternate Re-Write

by Sailor Mars Fanatic

This is an alternative retelling of the events of the first season of Sailor Moon with unique changes and plot twists. It is based upon the old English dub that was produced by Dic.

39. Chapter 39

CHAPTER 39

The five Sailor Scouts were all gathered in the presence of Jedite, Titus and the Dream Dolly at the Cherry Hill Temple inside the room they had been hiding out in ever since they had defected from the Negaverse. The two women were in their human forms as they had been now for a very long time. Artemis and Luna were also present and they spoke up first.
"We all came at your request," said Artemis to the refugees.
"You said you could offer us some information or assistance," enquired Luna.
"Yes that is correct," said Jedite.
"As bad as we were before, we want to be just as good or even more," Titus replied. "In short we can help you launch a direct attack on the Negaverse by opening up a portal to our realm."
"You're really prepared to do that?" Sailor Jupiter cried in amazement while the others gasped.
Jedite nodded. "No kidding Sailor Scouts. We want to destroy our evil queen so we can live in peace on earth with you."
"Between both of us and the help of Dream Dolly we are sure we can muster up enough power," Titus answered and Dream Dolly nodded her eager agreement.
"Can you get us into Beryl's palace?" Sailor Venus asked but Titus shook her head.
"We cannot risk opening up directly into her presence. She would find out our hiding place. Even with you girls to protect us it would be too dangerous."
Dream Dolly finally spoke next, "But we can let you into the caverns that encompass her throne room. You will need to explore them."
"We know you can do it," finished Jedite.
"I guess we should not keep wasting time," Sailor Moon admitted.
"Okay. We accept your offer thank you," said Sailor Mars.

So concentrating hard Jedite and the other two summoned a black portal in the middle of the room. "Go quickly now. The three of us will keep it open for you," he grunted with the effort.
"Follow us Scouts," shouted Luna as she and Artemis jumped through. Sailor Moon jumped after with her friends all close by her heels.

Finding themselves in the cavernous labyrinth Artemis said, "There are so many tunnels to explore Luna and I had better go in one direction and you five in another. We'll cover more territory quicker."
Luna was a little unsure. "Are you certain this is a good idea Artemis?"
The girls also asked much the same sort of questions but Artemis was very confident. "I know you Scouts will be capable of looking after yourselves."
"But will you and Luna be okay by yourselves?" Sailor Jupiter asked.
Luna then made her admission. "I am not really afraid to go alone with Artemis. I was only concerned about the five of you."
The Scouts were all so very touched, but assured her that they would be okay then.
"We've all learned so very much since we first became Sailor Scouts Luna. We will protect each other," said Sailor Mercury.
"We won't let you down," the other four all agreed in unison.

"Very well then. Good luck," with that Artemis ran down one tunnel with Luna at his heels while the Scouts chose another one to explore.
As they made their way along the path they ran into a very formidable force indeed.
When Malachite and the others had reported back rather nervously to Queen Beryl after escaping from the Sailor Scouts on their most recent encounter she had decided to forego any process of torture to their enormous relief. She figured her forces were rather dwindled down by now and she'd need them in as good condition as possible. It was hindrance enough that Pollux was recovering from a broken arm and Yasha from broken ribs.
So at this moment in their explorations the Sailor Scouts chanced to cross the path of General Malachite and he wasn't on his own. But he wasn't in the company of the Plant Trio. He wasn't in the company of the Gemini Twins. He wasn't even with his loyal servant Yasha. He was currently talking to the Seven great and mighty Shadow Warriors about plans he was having to destroy the Sailor Scouts and obtain the Silver Imperium Crystal once and for all.

As soon as he saw them he jumped with momentary disbelief. Then composing himself he said, "What a big surprise. So you have all come to personally give yourselves up, have you?"
Sailor Jupiter was all fired up with resentment at these words. "In your dreams creep. JUPITER THUNDER CRASH!"
But as she sent the biggest charge ever of her electrical energy zooming towards Malachite, one of the Shadow Warriors intercepted safely absorbing it to the Scouts' mutual dismay.
Malachite stared at the wand in Sailor Moon's hand. The prized Silver Crystal was screwed firmly into place on it. He remembered how the Shadow Warriors had been imprisoned over a thousand years ago inside that very crystal by Sailor Moon's mother, Queen Serenity. And then it had been divided up into the Seven Rainbow Crystals. Sailor Moon probably was unaware of what her mother had done to capture the Shadows, but it would be best to get it off her as quickly as possible. He couldn't risk losing even one Shadow Warrior. He had managed to avoid the various punishments of the dreaded Doom and Gloom Girls so far but this would be the final straw that pushed Beryl beyond all patience and reason with him.
"Hey Sailor Moon. How about a little deal? You hand over that Silver Crystal and your friends will be spared."
"Oh yeah. Right," Sailor Moon assumed a fighting stance. "Like you would even keep your promise in any case? No deals you slimy Nega-worm."
"We will triumph over you and those dark shadowy monsters beside you," Sailor Mars vowed. "MARS FIRE IGNITE!"
But just like Jupiter's thunder crash, Mars' attack was swallowed up in the body of another Shadow Warrior.
The Scouts all gasped and Malachite prepared to make his move.
"We destroyed Queen Serenity and King Lune-Eclipsus and we'll destroy all of you too."
"How do you know about those people?" Sailor Moon wanted to know and Malachite gave her an answer.
"Because I was there on that glorious day when we obliterated the Moon Kingdom. Now I'm going to take that crystal."
"NO! You'll never get my crystal!" Sailor Moon was choking back tears of rage as her friends all moved in front of her to try to combine all their power in a desperate attempt to protect her and the crystal.
However Malachite got his move in first and sent a huge wave of energy that had the effect upon the Sailor Scouts as if they were ninepins hit by a bowling ball in a perfect strike. They all went tumbling head over heels in the air and the Crescent Moon Wand flew in the opposite direction towards Malachite's outstretched hand.
"Destroy the Sailor Scouts while they're helpless," he commanded the Shadow Warriors, "And I'll grab the Imperium Crystal.
The Seven Shadows all lunged at the Scouts intending to seize them and reduce them to nothing in their menacing clutches as Malachite reached out for the wand. But suddenly the wand came to life and zipped away from Malachite's grasp. Next thing he knew there was an enormous burst of light and the Shadows all cringed and crouched to the ground as the illumination weakened them.
As for the Scouts they all felt like they were whizzed away from the scene in the cavern to another dimension. They spun round and round shrieking in fear and the Crescent Wand spun with them taking them to a very different looking place.

Sailor Moon was the first one to get to her feet and look around her. They had fallen gently face down on a strange surface surrounded by tall columns of ancient ruins. There were stone pillars and archways only half standing. Some were even lopsided and all had chunks broken out of them. Rubble was strewn all along the ground. There was no trace at all of Malachite or any of the Shadow Warriors.
As her friends were also climbing to their feet and staring in amazement at everything Serena said, "Where are we? This place feels familiar."
A couple of voices spoke up suddenly. "That's because this is your old home Serena," said a female voice.
"It's wonderful to see you again our darling daughter," said a male voice afterwards.
Sailor Moon looked up and gasped as two small ghostly figures descended in a ball of light. An elegant woman with silvery-white hair in the same style as Serena's golden-yellow hair and a handsome man with a short brown beard and moustache.
She was almost speechless but she managed to speak, "Are you really my parents from my past life as the Moon Princess?"
"Yes. I am Queen Serenity and this is my husband King Lune-Eclipsus," Serenity shone with radiant joy.
"You have done so very well in your battles on Earth Serena. It is time you and your friends knew the full truth," Lune-Eclipsus said while the Scouts all gathered round in awe and wonderment.
"No doubt Luna has told you as much as she can remember," began Serenity.
"But listen while we fill in all the gaps," finished Lune-Eclipsus.
And so they began to reveal the past.

Serenity and Lune-Eclipsus spoke alternately to Sailor Moon and her four friends.
"We all lived in peace with the inner planets during the time known as the Silver Millenium."
"Even the outer planets who were independent of our union were gracious enough towards us. They mostly kept to themselves but they were interested in a happy, peaceful universe."
"We were raising you to rule the Moon Kingdom when we were gone but most of the time you spent staring at the Earth."
"For you had fallen in love with a handsome young warrior from there by the name of Darien."
Sailor Moon drew in a sharp intake of breath upon hearing this.
Serenity took up the exchange once more, "Then one day Darien came to the moon to help us against a terrible threat."
"A race of extra-terrestrials known collectively as the Youma were bent on conquest of the universe. The four outer planets managed to get warning through to us while they were holding them back as long as they could."
"And Darien told us the Youma were led by an extremely vicious queen by the name of Beryl."
"When you saw that your best friends, the warriors of the four inner planets were going to be defending our kingdom as well you practically begged us to let you fight alongside them. You wanted to be a Sailor Scout yourself."
"The moon had no personal warrior like the planets but your father and I decided to appoint you to be Sailor Moon as well as the Princess of the Moon Kingdom."
"And I myself created the magic spells in your locket for your transformation and in your tiara for an offensive weapon Serena. I trained you with the help of your friends who agreed to submit to you as their official leader."
The five of them were all gobsmacked as they heard about these revelations but there was more to come.
Serenity spoke as she and Lune-Eclipsus raised their hands, "We have spoken enough. Now it is time we showed you what happened in the end."
Serenity and Lune-Eclipsus turned to face each other and touched their palms together on their outstretched arms above their heads.
Energy emanated from their fingertips and swirled around the Scouts making them see clear images in their minds.

They all clearly saw Queen Beryl leading the full frontal attack upon the Moon Kingdom. She stood atop a nearby elevated mound holding her scepter with her magic crystal built into it. "Attack my troops and bring Queen Serenity and King Lune-Eclipsus to their knees!"
Her four main generals led the force with drawn swords that glinted evilly when light flashed upon the blades. Zoicite and Malachite fought together side by side. Nephlite and Jedite fought separately on their own territories but all the rest of the Youma were behind them.
There was Titus in her monster form. She had been gazing at Jedite's back with adoration in her eyes before the command to charge was given. This was before she had confessed her feelings to Jedite but when the fight began she concentrated on using her water powers to knock down and pulverize the Moon Kingdom's knights in armour. The Dream Dolly sat by the sidelines. She wasn't trained for battle but she was a medic, ready to help if anyone was wounded. She waved to her dear friend Titus and wished her good luck in the combat.
Other Youma soldiers were also wielding swords and shields. Among them were Morga, Fro, Garoben, Yasha, Castor and Pollux. Some of the others may have been using a combination of swordsmanship and other unique powers to fight, but others were exclusively powerful enough to just rely on their own abilities. Black Widow ensnared the knights in her sticky webs and her cohorts could easily put them to death with their horrible blades that were sharp enough to pierce through their armour. Jumo impaled several of them through their hearts with her terrible razor projectiles out of her arms. Kyameran even killed her opponents in the non-bloody manner of turning them into lifeless photo shoots. The battle ground was littered with pictures of warriors in armour wielding spear and sword in what had been their final living postures.
Then they saw King Lune-Eclipsus leading Darien and the Sailor Scouts into battle including his daughter, the princess Serena.
Serena was awestruck to see herself taking command of her friends while Darien and her father fought side by side. With Mercury using her icy bubbles, Mars her fireballs, Jupiter her electrical thunder and Venus her crescent beam attack they worked as a team to help Sailor Moon. At this moment Queen Beryl commanded all the female members of her army to hold back.
"Let the boys handle these pathetic little girls," she yelled out so Titus and the others all allowed the male Youma to advance upon the Sailor Scouts with a united shout of praise for the great Queen Beryl. Darien and the King were engaged in swordplay against the four generals on the opposite end of the battle ground.

But these girls were not so pathetic as Queen Beryl thought they were. Between all their powers including Sailor Moon's spinning magic tiara they actually destroyed all the male members of her army in two minutes flat. The only survivor was Yasha and he ran as fast as he could back in retreat past where his queen stood in disbelief. Titus and the rest of the women Youma were horrified to see the mass destruction of their menfolk. But for Yasha's successful retreat and the three males among the four humanoid Youma generals, their race may have been instantly set on the road to inevitable extinction.

But Queen Beryl only snarled and said, "It's time to call in our secret weapons. Our unbeatable soldiers. You! Titus! You know what to do!"
Titus did indeed. She was in charge of these invincible warriors and she had spent long hours each day training them. She took a small box out of her pocket and opening it seven huge black shapes darted out into the air forming the Seven Shadow Warriors. Queen Beryl saw that the Sailor Scouts had been preparing to aid Darien and Lune-Eclipsus when they saw these hideous creatures appear. They attacked but all their powers were absorbed by the Shadows and even Sailor Moon's tiara bounced harmlessly off them.
Queen Beryl commanded the Shadows to kill Lune-Eclipsus first, but not Darien. Even her four generals were trying hard not to kill Darien while aiming to destroy the king. All the members of her army had been sternly warned to take Darien alive at any cost. She was secretly in love with him and wanted to make him her own king. By force if she had to.
So the Seven Shadows swarmed over Lune-Eclipsus absorbing him. He disappeared forever inside the darkness of their combined mass and there was nothing any of them could do about it. Sailor Moon screamed in bitter anguish at the demise of her father. Both the Sailor Moon then and there and the future one watching this in her mind. Both sets of the other four also responded similarly.

Queen Beryl cackled triumphantly, "Lune-Eclipsus is no more! And soon I'll have his queen Serenity begging me to kill her as quickly and speedily as I did him. But maybe I'll torture her for amusement instead. HA HA HA!"
Then she addressed Darien where he stood with drawn sword, "Prince Darien. You are a mighty and courageous warrior indeed. But I think you are very handsome as well. Why not join forces with me? We will rule the universe together as King and Queen."
Darien raised his sword in defiance and shouted with distaste in his voice, "NEVER! You are an evil and ugly snake of a woman Beryl. I will never be your king."
Beryl was furious, "You dare speak to me like that? Let me show you just how hard and deadly this "snake" can bite. Behold my great powers of destruction."
With that she held her scepter high in the air and the crystal in it glowed sending out pulses of destructive energy. Everywhere buildings were collapsing and the people of the Moon Kingdom were crushed to pulp by falling masonry. Those who survived were killed by the Shadow Warriors or the four generals while Darien launched himself at Queen Beryl to attack her.
Raising her scepter Beryl blasted him into unconsciousness and he floated upwards limp in magic levitation. "I shall brainwash him and make him my king for all time!" she laughed uproariously.
Sailor Moon bellowed in anguish, "I won't allow this!"
She prepared to throw her tiara at Beryl but the tyrant queen directed some more of her evil power at her and she too was knocked out and floating in the air. Her friends tried desperately to come to her rescue but Beryl seemed to have eyes in the back of her head and in no time Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Mars had joined her and Darien in a helpless aerial display.
Beryl called out to her remaining army, "Pick them out of the air and destroy them all. But remember. Darien belongs to me."

But even as Titus and the rest of them prepared to take turns pot-shooting the defenceless girls, somebody screamed loudly, "No! I won't let you have the last laugh Beryl!"
It was Queen Serenity. Amid all the chaos and the carnage she had managed to survive and with tears streaming down her cheeks at the death of all her innocent subjects and her husband plus the capture of her daughter and her friends she raised the very same Crescent Moon Wand that the present Sailor Moon owned. The Silver Imperium Crystal was even screwed into it just like the future one and as she raised it high she poured out the last of her life energy into what she wanted it to do.
Queen Beryl screamed in rage and frustration as she was sealed up inside a mystical prison barrier. It stretched out to also entrap Jedite, Nephlite, Malachite and Zoicite, dragging them into the circular shaped sphere Beryl was furiously fighting against in vain. "You can't do this to the great Queen Beryl!" she was pushing against the forces holding her trapped and so were her generals. But it didn't stop there. All her soldiers tried to run and dodge the vacuum pull but one by one they too were sucked into it.
The Dream Dolly actually ran toward Titus to grab her by the hand and try to help her. "Come on Titus! Come with me!" she earnestly dragged Titus after her but it was no use. They were the last two to be overtaken and drawn backwards inescapably squeezed into the crowded space with their monarch and all the other Youma army members.

Queen Beryl was getting extremely angry and she shouted out to her seven faithful Shadows, "Surround Queen Serenity and force her to let me and my army out of here!"
The Shadows prepared to obey and encircled Serenity to threaten her. "Release our queen and allies or we will absorb you into oblivion," the biggest of them snarled this threat. However Serenity had more tricks up her sleeves. Raising the wand with the Silver Crystal above her head as high as she could, she shouted,
"MOON CRYSTAL POWER!" Then the Seven Shadows were quickly sucked up into rays of bright light that burst forth from the crystal. Just as they vanished Luna and Artemis came running up to her.
"Your majesty. Everybody is either dead or hopelessly dying," Luna was crying bitterly while Artemis gasped out in dismay.
"It was a massacre. Luna and I only survived because none of the enemy thought we were anything more than mere ordinary cats. We were also lucky to avoid being crushed by the debris."
Luna sniffed, "What has happened to you Queen Serenity?"

Just then the visual flashback ended and the Sailor Scouts once more found themselves facing the spectral forms of Serenity and Lune-Eclipsus.
"Now you just about know the full story," her father said.
"What finally happened?" Sailor Moon asked with tears in her eyes and the other four were also weeping in the background.
Her mother supplied the answer, "I sent Queen Beryl and her army flying off into the deepest reaches of outer space trapped inside their prison. Then I sent you, your friends and Prince Darien off into a future dimension so that you would be reborn on the planet earth one thousand years later with no memory whatsoever of your past lives."
"Hey! Wait a minute! There are two things I don't understand. Why didn't you just execute the rest of the enemy when you had them helplessly trapped? And why did you send all of us, including me, your only daughter, far away from you into another time and place?"
"I will explain dear Serena. First of all think about it. Our kingdom was destroyed and everybody you knew had been brutally killed. Including your father. If I had let you and the others wake up to behold the heartbreaking devastation, could any of you have been able to bear it? I wanted you to be happy. That's why I sent you to a brand new life on the earth."
The Sailor Scouts all bowed their heads in reverence upon hearing this while Sailor Moon herself covered her mouth to stifle her gasping sobs.
Queen Serenity continued, "And I did not put all those invaders to death because I was almost dead myself. I had used up most of my energy to capture them and their Shadow Warriors. Plus I was pining away of my own broken heart. I only had enough energy left to send them hurtling out into the cosmos and out of sight before encasing you in cocoons that sent you out of existence ready to be reborn at the appointed time. I was also able to magically arrange for Artemis and Luna to be reborn but unlike you they would have their memories return to them as they grew older. At least in part so they knew why they were capable of speech and remembered my last command to them to search out and watch over you. In case Queen Beryl and her army ever escaped and found their way back to the universe they could reawaken your old Sailor Scout powers and identities and train you to fight to prevent what happened before occurring again on earth."
Sailor Moon began to weep bitterly as the truth of her mother's loving actions sank in to her mind and heart.
Sailor Jupiter and the others all bowed reverentially before her. "You saved us all your majesty," Sailor Jupiter said.
"And we are forever grateful," added Sailor Mercury. Mars and Venus expressed similar sentiments.
Serenity smiled at them. "I only did what I had to for the good of the entire universe as well as for your sakes. Serena one more thing."
Sailor Moon raised her head wiping the tears from her eyes and listened attentively to her mother. "As I finished sending you all on your way with the last of my energy the Silver Imperium Crystal was shot from the Crescent Moon Wand into the air where it shattered into seven individual crystals and disappeared into space. Your father and I know all about what you've been through regarding the Seven Shadows and the threat they currently pose for you. You now have possession of the wand and the crystal. Remember how I trapped the Shadows by raising the wand high and shouting "Moon Crystal Power" really loud? You can do the same to seal them away in your Silver Crystal forever."
Lune-Eclipsus finally spoke for one last time, "Now the moment has come for you all to return to where you were when we called you forth to meet us. Goodbye our precious daughter Serena and remember what you must do."
Before any of them could say another word things began to shimmer and fade in a hazy mist around them.

They found themselves back where they had been before facing Malachite and the Shadow Warriors. Malachite didn't acknowledge them as having previously disappeared at all. Apparently Queen Serenity and King Lune-Eclipsus had revealed their visions to their daughter and her friends inside their minds and in the brief few seconds when the bright light from the wand had blinded Malachite and momentarily incapacitated the Shadows.
Now that the light was gone he had removed his arm from his face and blinking very rapidly to clear his vision he saw the wand inside Sailor Moon's hand. "I'll get that wand if it's the last thing I ever do!"
With that he prepared to attack once again while the Shadow Warriors slowly rose to their full height. But Sailor Moon gritted her teeth, thrust her wand high above her head and shouted at the top of her voice, "MOON CRYSTAL POWER!"
Malachite screamed in horrified fury, "NO! NO! NO!" but he was helpless to do anything as the Shadow Warriors were all gathered together and disappeared in a swirling mist back inside the Silver Imperium Crystal.
Malachite knew he was definitely in for it now. Queen Beryl would have him subjected to the worst torture imaginable for the loss of the Seven Mighty Shadow Warriors. He needed to kill the Sailor Scouts and get the Silver Imperium Crystal. He couldn't hope for complete mercy but maybe the pain would be a little less severely traumatic. That was the best he could possibly try to attain.
"Take this Sailor Brats!" he began to produce curved blades of electrical energy out of thin air and threw it at them. As Sailor Moon began to be hit and cut on her arms and legs her friends rallied to protect her and the crystal. Raising their power sticks above their heads and over Sailor Moon they formed a circle around her.
"VENUS POWER!"
"MERCURY POWER!"
"MARS POWER!"
"JUPITER POWER!"
Their combined energies formed a protective barrier on which the projectiles harmlessly bounced off and Malachite was enraged. "Those bolts were really only mild in any case. But now I'll use my most powerful deadly variety."
So saying he clasped his hands together, shut his eyes and breathing slowly and deeply tapped into the deepest darkest recesses of his magical reserves.
Then he bombarded them with multiple missiles that slashed and tore at the barrier they'd erected around them. If they hadn't set it up they would have certainly been torn to ribbons. But as it was the barrier took the brunt of it, though they were cut and bleeding in places where the blades had broken through and they gasped and grunted in pain falling to the ground exposing Sailor Moon.
Seeing her friends beaten up she strode defiantly towards Malachite. "I am Sailor Moon. Champion of Justice and Princess of the Moon Kingdom. I will triumph over all evil including the worst kind like you."
Malachite summoned up his hugest blade of all and threw it at her. Sailor Moon instinctively raised the Crescent Moon Wand and as she swung it like a bat the Silver Imperium Crystal seemed to glow with even more power since capturing the Shadow Warriors all over again. With a resounding clang the wand struck Malachite's projectile and Sailor Moon instinctively shut her eyes and turned her head as it flew straight back at Malachite severing him into two pieces through the middle.
It was all over for Malachite. Queen Beryl and her Doom and Gloom Girls could no longer do anything to make him suffer and now he was re-united with his lover Zoicite in the realm of the grave.

Suddenly Luna and Artemis appeared. They were horrified to see the Scouts all bleeding in small places. "Sailor Moon! What has been happening?" Luna cried.
Sailor Moon explained while the others were pulling themselves up onto their feet. "We've had encounter with Malachite and the Shadow Warriors. But don't worry Luna and Artemis. The Shadows are now trapped inside my Silver Imperium Crystal this time forever. And as for Malachite. Well I don't suggest you look over there where he's lying. It isn't a pretty sight."
Luna and Artemis were amazed to hear this. "You defeated the Shadows and destroyed Malachite. Well done Sailor Moon," Luna was ecstatic.
"Your mother and father would be so proud of you," said Artemis.
"Somehow I think they are," Sailor Moon smiled.
But then Artemis got down to business. "Okay now. Listen Scouts. Luna and I discovered that you can indeed find your way to Beryl's throne room through these caves. We were very careful to creep around through the shadowy recesses without being seen. Now that we no longer need to worry about the Shadow Warriors Queen Beryl's forces are severely weakened. But we still need to train you hard to be ready for a full-frontal attack. And we will need a good battle strategy."
Luna continued, "So we suggest we all make our way back and discuss with our friends Jedite, Titus and Dream Dolly about what strengths or weaknesses Beryl may yet have and how they may be able to help us with any other information about the Negaverse Headquarters."
"Yeah. This makes sense," said Sailor Mars, "Besides we all need to get these cuts and scratches cleaned and patched up before they get too dirty and infected."
"The Dream Dolly will be able to do that for us with her medical training," replied Sailor Mercury.
"Very well then. Let's go back," said Sailor Moon, "But when we return Beryl is definitely going down."
"Down and out!" the other four all echoed in mutual agreement and so they began to retrace their steps carefully watching out for any other enemy around the corners. But they didn't meet any more of the Youma and they arrived safely back.
As soon as the portal was closed Jedite and the others began to talk things over while the Dream Dolly got band-aids and disinfectant ready. It was going to be a huge final battle and they needed to be all ready for it.