Everyone's first day at Juuban High School turns out to be a bizarre one as many students and other civilians end up entranced with their own reflections. Usagi notices that Mamoru has also fallen into the same spell as the victims and realizes who is responsible. And soon enough, the perpetrator of the curse makes her appearance along with her proposition.
Tropes in this episode include:
- Act of True Love: Usagi joyfully thinks to herself that Mamoru giving her his spare apartment key was a testament of his love for her.
- All Your Powers Combined: Venus calls the Sailor Guardians to focus their power onto Sailor Moon so she can achieve her Eternal form so she can reclaim Mamoru.
- And Then What?: After Ami suggests that they take Mamoru to a hospital for his illness, Usagi points out that no one has actually found a cure for the illness meaning that it would be a fruitless endeavor.
- Big "NO!": Sailor Moon screams this after Nehelenia leaves with a fully cursed Mamoru.
- Big "SHUT UP!": Nehelenia orders the princess to be silent after she defends herself saying she never made fun of her.
- The Cameo: Ittou Asanuma
, a friend of Mamoru's from the manga, appears in a vain attempt to reach him in his apartment. - Casual Danger Dialogue: While fighting an army of Mirror Padredri, Neptune brings up how she wishes that her mirror was wrong about her visions while Uranus states that she doesn't mind since it gives her something to do.Sailor Neptune: Are you trying to tell me that you're getting bored of being with me? (to mirror dolls) Submarine Reflection!
- Chekhov's Skill: Played for Laughs. Venus comments that running so many stairs while late to school is going to pay off when she and her team have to run up Mamoru's apartment stairs.
- Cliffhanger: Nehelenia succeeds in kidnapping a comatose Mamoru and gloats that he, and the whole world, will be under her command by the next morning.
- Collector of the Strange: Under the influence of the curse, Mamoru ends up buying tons of mirrors that fill his entire living space.
- Continuity Nod:
- Usagi notices a schoolgirl having a golden glow in her eye which causes her to remember Mamoru having the same thing.
- Rei brings up her sacred mirror and how the mirror monsters they defeated when discussing the new illness with her friends.
- "Could Have Avoided This!" Plot: Makoto chastises her friends for running to school late by reminding them that they could always make an effort to wake up early. Ami also brings up that Minako could get to school earlier if she didn't watch T.V. in the morning.
- Dude in Distress: Mamoru falls deeper into the curse which makes him focus on nothing but his mirrors. And in the end, Nehelenia kidnaps him and holds him hostage in her Nightmare World.
- Fairy Tale Motifs: The episode takes several elements from The Snow Queen in regards to Mamoru, the male lead, getting cursed glass stuck in his eye which turns him cold-hearted and antisocial. He even ends up spirited away by a malevolent queen who is related to the curse.
- Foreshadowing: Mamoru weakly comments to Usagi that he should feel better by morning.
- Gendercide: Averted. Japan's scientists have noticed that the new disease has stricken primarily young women leaving them unmoving or unwilling to do anything. Though of course, there are male victims such as the boy that Usagi and Minako pass by and Mamoru.
- Godzilla Threshold: Because Nehelenia's curse proved to be so dangerous that it'll bring about horrific destruction to the royal family and the world, Sailor Saturn was forced to reawaken so she can use her powers to help stop her.
- Let's Split Up, Gang!: After meeting up with Uranus and Neptune, Pluto instructs the Inners to go inside to protect Mamoru while the Outers handle the Mirror Padredri outside.
- Mass "Oh, Crap!": The Inner Team and Chibi Moon are mouth agape when Sailor Moon figures out the one responsible for the curse.
- My Significance Sense Is Tingling: Makoto felt a strange, dark energy coming from a compact mirror Usagi was holding which prompts her to knock it away. Unlike most examples, we actually see the dark energy try to attack her friend.
- Mystical Plague: Nehelenia's curse is treated as a new psychosomatic disease which is said to be created from stress.
- Not So Similar: Usagi and Minako have always been considered to be identical in terms of personality and habits. Especially as their first scene is of them running late to school. But a key difference is when they pass a possessed student where Usagi takes a moment to yell at him to get moving so he won't be late whereas Minako ignores him and pushes Usagi to think about her own situation.
- Oh, Crap!: Sailor Moon gets this reaction when she figures out where she saw the ominous shadow while also figuring out who is responsible for the new illness.
- Race Against the Clock: Queen Nehelenia declares that by the coming dawn, Mamoru will be fully engulfed by her curse and unable to recover.
- Revenge Myopia: During their reunion, Queen Nehelenia snidely remarks how Usagi and her friends basked in the warm light and laughed at her while she was imprisoned in the New Moon. She uses as the basis of not only taking everything precious from her but also to plunge her world into a new era of sorrow, hatred and despair.
- Seers: Through her Deep Aqua Mirror, Michiru sees a vision of Mamoru with a dark shadow (Nehelenia) behind him.
- Speak in Unison: Usagi and Minako do this after hearing from their friends about the sudden faculty meeting.Usagi and Minako: Could it be about punishing students who are habitually late to school?
- Took a Level in Jerkass: Mamoru becomes crueler and yells at Usagi for checking in on him. Thankfully, it's not of his free will as the curse makes him dependent on the mirrors while cutting himself from the outside world.
- Villain Opening Scene: The episode begins with Nehelenia checking in on her latest victims who've become enamored by their reflections.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Chibi Moon is horrified to see a (brainwashed) Mamoru physically abuse Sailor Moon.
- Yank the Dog's Chain: Sailor Moon unlocks her Eternal form and uses her power to eliminate the Mirror Padredri. But instantly, she reverts to her Super form, leaving her unable to rescue Mamoru from Nehelenia's clutches.
