Sailor Moon Saturday #15!

So, I completely forgot that it was Saturday.

This philosophy midterm paper is driving me ABSOLUTELY BATTY. I, apparently, had philosophy. Go figure. (Sorry dad.) Or maybe I just hate Socrates/Plato. Who knows. Either way, I'm inwardly screaming while I write this stupid paper. I'm going nuts.

On the plus side, this is thankfully a Sailor Moon Saturday entry, so hopefully this won't take too long!

Warning: This post is spoiler-heavy for those who have never seen the 90s show or read the manga.

Today, we'll be talking about Jadeite.

Okay, let's start with the character and his background before we delve into anything else.

So, you guys know he works for Queen Beryl in the Dark Kingdom, right? Well, he was originally actually one of Prince Endymion's generals/bodyguards. (They actually cut this whole aspect from the 90s show, so I'm curious to see if they'll bring it back into this one.) Also (and I have mentioned this before although I think mixed them up; my bad, but I'm too stressed at the moment to go back and check/edit), there have been suspicions about these bodyguards being in romantic relationships with some of the Sailor Scouts.

Supposedly, Jadeite was in a romantic relationship with Rei/Sailor Mars. This is based around an illustration that the mangaka, Naoko Takeuchi, drew at the conclusion of the series. Though there is a lot of debate about whether or not these relationships are canon or not, there is supposed evidence (again, too lazy to skim read the manga at the moment) that Jadeite's relationship with Rei is canon. (If anyone else that isn't, you know, buried in schoolwork can send some evidence this way, that'd be awesome.)

He actually dies in the manga (along with the other guards, who I will discuss more in detail in the future) and his body, along with the others, is turned into a precious stone. He does redeem himself and become "good" again, and helps Mamoru throughout the manga in spirit.

Now, I'm sure many of you have noticed this or looked it up, but his name is actually a mineral! (And I'm taking a geology class at the moment purely because I'm a Sailor Moon nerd. Well, that and I needed a lab. But anyway.)

Let's talk about this mineral, shall we? (You're about to get a geology lesson, kids!)

So, in geology there's this thing called the Mohs scale of mineral hardness. To put it simply, it shows you how "hard" the mineral is. Softer ones, like talc, can be scratched into simply with your fingernail. Others, however, can make deep scratches in glass. They're "tougher", in a sense.

With that quickie science lesson in mind, jadeite ranges between 6.5-7.0. Now, if I remember correctly (because my textbook is alllllll the way downstairs!), you'd basically need to cut into that with a damn knife. You couldn't make an indent with your fingernail, or a penny. This is NOT a weak mineral. Too bad the same can't be said about the Sailor Moon character. (I mean, he's all about weakness and falling to temptation.)

Oh, and HEY. The Latin name for jadeite (lapis nephriticus) gives us nephrite! (Did Takeuchi actually do this much research? Or was she lucky and just pulled some names out of a hat, or?)

Jadeite is also a metamorphic rock. Metamorphic rocks are rocks that have "changed"; the original rock (which could be igneous, sedimentary, or a different metamorphic rock) is exposed to heat or pressure and "changes"! Like magic! POOF. So, under pressure, jadeite can change. (Heh, like how Jadeite can change from being "good" to "evil" with some pressure.)

Anyway, enough with the science lesson!

I hope you guys have a fun Saturday (don't forget, tonight's a new episode of Doctor Who!), and feel free to leave comments below or send me an email!

xo, Kate