TV-Series
Description
Karmesait, also known as Cooan, is a character from the second season of the Sailor Moon anime series. She is the youngest member of the Ayakashi Sisters, also known as the Spectre Sisters, a group of four female warriors who serve the Black Moon clan. Her name is derived from kermesite, a mineral, and she is primarily a villain who undergoes a significant change of heart.
In terms of background, Cooan comes from the future and travels back to the present-day timeline alongside her sisters and their superior, Rubeus, on a mission to find the young girl Chibiusa and gather energy for their cause. Of the four sisters, she is the first to be sent on a mission and the first to confront the Sailor Guardians. Her primary adversary is Sailor Mars, as her powers over fire directly mirror those of the shrine guardian.
Cooan possesses a distinct and somewhat superficial personality. She is intensely vain and obsessed with her own beauty, making it a priority to always appear perfectly made-up and fashionable. She has a passion for cosmetics and is knowledgeable about skincare and makeup, which she uses as a cover to get close to her targets, at one point posing as a saleswoman. This vanity extends to a fierce reaction to any mess or disruption to her appearance; a smudge on her face or a hair out of place is enough to send her into a rage. She can initially come across as condescending and somewhat intolerant of others, particularly when she perceives their relationships as weaker or less genuine than her own idealized views.
Her primary motivation throughout the early part of her story is her deep, unrequited love for her commander, Rubeus. She is desperate for his approval and affection, believing that the success of her missions will secure his love and make her stand out among her sisters. She frequently offers him gifts and seeks his praise, but Rubeus is consistently cold and dismissive of her feelings, viewing her solely as a tool to be discarded upon failure. This desperate desire for love, and the cruel reality of its rejection, is the central conflict that drives her actions.
Cooan's role in the Sailor Moon R story is that of a tragic antagonist. She initially appears as a serious threat, using her powers of Dark Fire to attack the Sailor Guardians and almost succeeds in capturing Chibiusa. During a battle at the Hikawa Shrine, her conflict with Rei Hino, the civilian identity of Sailor Mars, becomes personal. As they fight, Cooan scoffs at the protective relationship between Rei and Yuuichiro, believing it to be foolish. However, when Yuuichiro takes a blow to protect Rei and Rei, in turn, risks her life to shield him, Cooan becomes confused, as their actions contradict her belief that such devotion has no value. This moment plants the seed of doubt in her own understanding of love.
The pivotal moment of her development comes when she fails her mission. Rubeus appears, not to help her, but to cruelly inform her that he never loved her and has no further use for her. He gives her a black hole time bomb, instructing her to destroy herself along with the Sailor Guardians as a final, meaningless act of loyalty. Abandoned and heartbroken, Cooan is prepared to die. However, the Sailor Guardians intervene and destroy the bomb. Enraged and feeling she has nothing left to live for, Cooan attacks them wildly, only for Sailor Mars to step in and protect her from a counterattack. Mars reaches out to Cooan, arguing that love should inspire one to live and fight for a future, not die for a lie. This act of kindness and friendship from a former enemy shatters Cooan's worldview. Sailor Moon then uses the power of the Silver Crystal to purify Cooan, transforming her from a dark warrior into a normal human girl.
After her redemption, Cooan's character is reborn. She abandons her life as a servant of the Black Moon and opens a cosmetics shop, putting her passion for beauty to a positive use. She becomes a close friend to the Sailor Guardians, particularly Rei, and develops a warm, doting relationship with Chibiusa, often being very indulgent and affectionate toward her. Her redemption arc also plays a key role in the story later, as she uses her own experience to convince her sister Berthier, and eventually the others, that they too can leave the Black Moon and find happiness and genuine friendship in the present world.
In terms of notable abilities, Cooan wields a form of pyrokinetic power, her signature attack being Dark Fire, which she can project at her enemies. Her power is established as being a dark mirror of Sailor Mars's own fire-based abilities, making her a direct elemental counterpart. She also carries a compact, which she uses to maintain her makeup and which doubles as a communication device to receive orders from Rubeus. Known for her strategic cunning, she is not above using a disguise or her charm to infiltrate a location and get close to her target before striking.
In terms of background, Cooan comes from the future and travels back to the present-day timeline alongside her sisters and their superior, Rubeus, on a mission to find the young girl Chibiusa and gather energy for their cause. Of the four sisters, she is the first to be sent on a mission and the first to confront the Sailor Guardians. Her primary adversary is Sailor Mars, as her powers over fire directly mirror those of the shrine guardian.
Cooan possesses a distinct and somewhat superficial personality. She is intensely vain and obsessed with her own beauty, making it a priority to always appear perfectly made-up and fashionable. She has a passion for cosmetics and is knowledgeable about skincare and makeup, which she uses as a cover to get close to her targets, at one point posing as a saleswoman. This vanity extends to a fierce reaction to any mess or disruption to her appearance; a smudge on her face or a hair out of place is enough to send her into a rage. She can initially come across as condescending and somewhat intolerant of others, particularly when she perceives their relationships as weaker or less genuine than her own idealized views.
Her primary motivation throughout the early part of her story is her deep, unrequited love for her commander, Rubeus. She is desperate for his approval and affection, believing that the success of her missions will secure his love and make her stand out among her sisters. She frequently offers him gifts and seeks his praise, but Rubeus is consistently cold and dismissive of her feelings, viewing her solely as a tool to be discarded upon failure. This desperate desire for love, and the cruel reality of its rejection, is the central conflict that drives her actions.
Cooan's role in the Sailor Moon R story is that of a tragic antagonist. She initially appears as a serious threat, using her powers of Dark Fire to attack the Sailor Guardians and almost succeeds in capturing Chibiusa. During a battle at the Hikawa Shrine, her conflict with Rei Hino, the civilian identity of Sailor Mars, becomes personal. As they fight, Cooan scoffs at the protective relationship between Rei and Yuuichiro, believing it to be foolish. However, when Yuuichiro takes a blow to protect Rei and Rei, in turn, risks her life to shield him, Cooan becomes confused, as their actions contradict her belief that such devotion has no value. This moment plants the seed of doubt in her own understanding of love.
The pivotal moment of her development comes when she fails her mission. Rubeus appears, not to help her, but to cruelly inform her that he never loved her and has no further use for her. He gives her a black hole time bomb, instructing her to destroy herself along with the Sailor Guardians as a final, meaningless act of loyalty. Abandoned and heartbroken, Cooan is prepared to die. However, the Sailor Guardians intervene and destroy the bomb. Enraged and feeling she has nothing left to live for, Cooan attacks them wildly, only for Sailor Mars to step in and protect her from a counterattack. Mars reaches out to Cooan, arguing that love should inspire one to live and fight for a future, not die for a lie. This act of kindness and friendship from a former enemy shatters Cooan's worldview. Sailor Moon then uses the power of the Silver Crystal to purify Cooan, transforming her from a dark warrior into a normal human girl.
After her redemption, Cooan's character is reborn. She abandons her life as a servant of the Black Moon and opens a cosmetics shop, putting her passion for beauty to a positive use. She becomes a close friend to the Sailor Guardians, particularly Rei, and develops a warm, doting relationship with Chibiusa, often being very indulgent and affectionate toward her. Her redemption arc also plays a key role in the story later, as she uses her own experience to convince her sister Berthier, and eventually the others, that they too can leave the Black Moon and find happiness and genuine friendship in the present world.
In terms of notable abilities, Cooan wields a form of pyrokinetic power, her signature attack being Dark Fire, which she can project at her enemies. Her power is established as being a dark mirror of Sailor Mars's own fire-based abilities, making her a direct elemental counterpart. She also carries a compact, which she uses to maintain her makeup and which doubles as a communication device to receive orders from Rubeus. Known for her strategic cunning, she is not above using a disguise or her charm to infiltrate a location and get close to her target before striking.