I was watching Sailor Moon Crystal again, and I was struck by just how profound Sailor Saturn is. I talked about her in a general way in Part VI of this series, but her speech and actions upon emerging seemed particularly deep, and they seem to explain the Saturn principle quite well.
Sailor Saturn is the last of the regular Senshi of this Solar System to emerge, and the Outer Planet Senshi actively try to prevent her emergence. The reason for this is that she signifies destruction. Traditionally, that is one of the associations with Saturn, and her principle can be found in the Hindu goddess Kali.
When Sailor Saturn emerges, everyone believes that the world will be destroyed. Indeed, it appeared that it was on the brink of destruction before she came on the scene.
Sailor Moon introduces herself as:
破滅の星土星を守護に持つ沈黙の戦士
Hametsu no hoshi dosei wo shugo ni motsu chimoku no senshi
The Warrior of Silence protected by the Star of Destruction, Saturn
One can see with this introduction why her appearance invoked fear.
One of the responses to her emergence was:
私たちに未来はないの?
Watashitachi ni mirai wa nai no?
Is the future gone for us?
One of the things that Sailor Saturn says after she introduces herself is:
いつでもわたしは招かれざる客のようですね
Itsudemo watashi wa manekarezaru kyaku no you desu ne.
I am always like an uninvited guest, aren’t I?
As an astrologer, I can say that for many, Saturn does feel like an uninvited guest.
When Sailor Saturn lowers her weapon, the Silence Glade, everyone looks on helpless to do anything but watch.
As I was watching this, a verse from the Feminine Scriptures came to mind:
Sickness, old age and death must come to all maids; what thing within this life should’st thou pursue? ~Clew of the Horse v. 19
Sickness, old age and death are all in the domain of Saturn, and we are all helpless against them.
Yet, it turns out that Sailor Saturn did not come to destroy the world, but to protect it from an invasion from another solar system, which had destroyed itself and was trying to take over our world.
It was in explaining this that Sailor Saturn said,
絶望を感じることはありません。いつでも終焉と共に希望と再生が始まるのです。
Zetsubou wo kanjiru koto wa arimasen. Itsudemo shuuen to tomo ni kibou to saisei ga hajimaru no desu.
This is not something to feel despair about. Along with death, hope and rebirth always begin.
She also said,
私は再生のために滅びと死を消し去る戦士
Watashi wa saisei no tameni horobi to shi wo keshisaru senshi
I am the Warrior who clears away destruction and death for the sake of rebirth.
and,
あなたたちの味方です
Anatatachi no mikata desu.
I am your ally.
It can be very difficult to see Saturn as our ally. Her lessons are often quite hard and painful. Yet, she is one of the Traditional Planets, and her gifts are often the greatest of all.