Naru's Tears: Nephrite Dies for Love

Template:Infobox anime“Naru's Cry! Nephrite Dies for Love” is the 24th episode of season one of the Sailor Moon anime, and the 24th overall. The episode first aired in Japan on August 29, 1992. The English dub title for this episode is "A Friend in Wolf's Clothing", and the episode first aired in North America on October 6, 1995.

Summary

Zoisite decides to use Nephrite's recently discovered romantic feelings for Naru to manipulate him into handing over the Black Crystal to him.

Plot

After school Naru is with Usagi in a park. Naru is feeling sad. Usagi tells Naru to forget about Sanjouin. But Naru sats, "I can't. No matter how bad he is. Usagi, is there someone you like?" Usagi replies "Well.. Yeah." Naru then states "Then you must know how I feel."

Meanwhile, Nephrite is wondering why the Black Crystal is responding to Naru. He is thinking if it is "the energy of love". Then Nephrite recalls that Sailor Moon knew Naru. So Nephrite thinks that Naru must know the identity of Sailor Moon. Zoisite is sneaking around and saw the Black Crystal.

At night when Naru is sleeping, Nephrite goes into her room. The Black Crystal responds to her. Nephrite thinks that the Silver Crystal might be inside one's body. Nephrite uses the Black Crystal and his power to look through Naru's body.

Nephrite discovers that the Silver Crystal is not there. Then Naru wakes up. She sees Sanjouin's shadow. Nephrite tells her the truth about his identity. Nephrite says, "I learned about love from you." He continues a little bit about his evil group. Then Nephrite says, "Your love made me wake up. I want to fight against the evil forces with Sailor Moon. If you know who Sailor Moon is can you tell me?" But since Naru doesn't know, she answers, "I'm sorry I don't know." Nephrite says, "You don't believe me." Naru replies "I do believe you. I really don't know." Naru has tears going down her face. Then Nephrite disappears. He is thinking that Naru might contact Sailor Moon if she knows who she is.

Meanwhile, Zoisite is plotting against Nephrite. Zoisite's three youma want to attack Nephrite, but Zoisite tells them that Nephrite is too strong. Zoisite wants to take Naru as a hostage. Usagi gets a phone call in the middle of the night. Naru wants to talk with Usagi. She says that Usagi is the only one she can talk to. Naru says, "Sanjouin wanted to know where Sailor Moon is." Usagi tries to find out more, but Naru starts crying. Naru says that she feels better and hangs up.

Luna and Usagi run toward Naru's house because they know that Nephrite is up to something. Usagi is running too slow, so Luna goes ahead by herself. Then the world starts to distort around Usagi. Usagi thinks it's a youma and turns into Sailor Moon. Then Nephrite appears and says that he has found out Sailor Moon's identity. Sailor Moon asks Nephrite not to tell anyone. Nephrite says it doesn't matter because he will kill her now, and starts blasting Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon just tries to get away. Then Tuxedo Mask comes and says that he will fight Nephrite.

Then Nephrite feels that Naru is in trouble. He hears Naru calling him, "Please help, Nephrite-sama." Nephrite says, "Sailor Moon, I know who you are. I can attack you any time. You better be waiting." Then Nephrite disappears. Sailor Moon is worried because her identity has been discovered. But Tuxedo Mask says, "Don't worry if he found out about your identity." Tuxedo Mask also leaves.

When Luna arrives at Naru apartment, she sees Naru being taken away by some youma. Nephrite arrives in Naru's room. There is a message from Zoisite saying that he will exchange Naru for the Black Crystal. Nephrite says that he doesn't care about Naru, and burns the message.

Nephrite goes to where the three youma are keeping Naru. Naru is tied up against the wall. The youma attack Nephrite, but he easily defeats them. Nephrite doesn't finish them off and says, "I won't give you the Black Crystal! Tell that to Zoisite." Then Nephrite carrys Naru outside.

While she is in Nephrite's arms, Naru thanks him. Nephrite replies, "I didn't know why I saved you myself. I've been tricking you until now." But Naru says that she doesn't mind, as long as he is near.

Then Naru notices that Nephrite's arm is injured. She leads him to a park. Nephrite sits down against a tree and Naru rips her pajama shirt to tie Nephrite's arm. Naru says that she wants to go eat chocolate parfait with Nephrite. She says that it is her little dream. Nephrite says, "Okay. Let's go." Naru asks if Sunday is a holiday for evil people too. Nephrite laughs. Naru is very happy to see Nephrite laugh.

Then the youma appear. One of them stabs Nephrite in his shoulder with a large thorn. The youma states, "That thorn will suck your energy until you die." Nephrite tells Naru to escape, but she doesn't want to. Naru starts trying to pull out the thorns from Nephrite's shoulder. The youma says that a human can't pull it out. Nephrite tells Naru to escape again. But Naru keeps trying to pull it out. Naru is crying and says, "Don't die." Then the thorns start coming out a little.

The Youma are surprised and blast them again. Nephrite grabs Naru and covers her from the explosion. Naru is all right, but Nephrite is badly injured. Then Zoisite appears and grabs the Black Crystal. Zoisite tells Nephrite that he should be happy to die with the one that he loved and leaves.

The youma are going to finish Nephrite off. Nephrite tells Naru to escape, but Naru refuses to let him die. Then the Sailor Senshi appear. Sailor Mercury uses the "Sabao Spray" and the youma can't move. Then Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars use their "Moon Tiara Action" and "Fire Soul" to kill the youma.

Nephrite tells Sailor Moon, "Your identity won't leak out." Then Nephrite says to Naru, "I'm sorry. I can't go eat chocolate parfait. I lied to you 'till the end. Please forgive me. I'm glad I met you." Then Nephrite dies, and disappears. Only the piece of cloth from Naru's pajamas remains. Naru cries for the death of Nephrite. The Sailor Senshi are also in tears while witnessing.

Changes

Changes From the Manga

In the manga, Nephrite meets his end at the newly awakened Sailor Jupiter.
- Additionally, Zoisite is greatly distraught when Nephrite dies.
Nephrite falling for Naru and reforming his ways before his murder are plot lines that exist in the anime only, and not in the original manga.

Dub Changes

In the DiC English dub the scene in Naru's bedroom when Nephrite is searching for the Silver Crystal in Naru's body is edited to remove Naru's nudity. This scene is retained in the Viz dub.
DiC edited out references of Naru want to have chocolate parfait with Nephrite.