TV-Series
Description
Jadeite is a character and an antagonist from the Sailor Moon series, serving as the first of the four Shitennou, or Heavenly Kings, to appear. He is a general who operates under the command of Queen Beryl in the Dark Kingdom. His primary mission is to gather human life energy to help awaken the great ruler of the Dark Kingdom, Queen Metalia, and to locate the Legendary Silver Crystal.
Physically, Jadeite is depicted as a young man with short, pale blonde hair and blue or grey eyes, often seen wearing the standard grey uniform of the Shitennou. His age is stated to be around eighteen years old in supplemental materials, making him the second youngest of the four generals. In the original anime adaptation, Jadeite is portrayed as confident and prideful, often taking a hands-on approach to his schemes. He is known to be a master of disguise, assuming various human alter-egos such as a radio host, a gym instructor, a temple caretaker, or a cruise ship captain to get close to his victims. A notable trait in this version is his arrogance and a dismissive attitude towards women, stemming from his belief that they cannot match his power. His pride frequently leads him to underestimate the Sailor Guardians, which ultimately contributes to his repeated failures.
In the manga and the Sailor Moon Crystal reboot, Jadeite's character includes a more nuanced history. He is originally one of the four loyal guardians of Prince Endymion, the ruler of Earth, alongside Kunzite, Nephrite, and Zoisite. Before the events of the series, they were placed under a powerful spell by Queen Beryl, which erased their memories and forced them to serve the Dark Kingdom. In these versions, there is also a hinted past connection between Jadeite and Rei Hino, Sailor Mars, suggesting they may have had a relationship during the time of the Moon Kingdom. His feelings for her cause him moments of internal conflict, though he remains bound by Beryl's control for most of the story.
Jadeite occupies a crucial role in the story as the first major antagonist the Sailor Guardians face. He is the most subservient to Queen Beryl, carrying out her orders without question and often acting as her most trusted agent for missions that require discretion. His relationships with the other Shitennou vary; he is sometimes mocked by Nephrite for his failures, but at other times collaborates with them for greater success. His loyalty is ultimately tested only at the very end, when his original memories as a knight of Prince Endymion resurface.
His development across the story’s first arc is defined by a downward spiral of failure. After each of his plots is foiled by Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Mars, he is summoned before Queen Beryl and punished. In the 1990s anime, his final scheme is a desperate, direct attack on the Sailor Guardians at Haneda Airport. He learns their true identities during the battle but is defeated. Upon returning to the Dark Kingdom, he is condemned to Eternal Sleep, a fate worse than death, being sealed into a crystal and cast into darkness before he can reveal what he has learned. In the manga and Sailor Moon Crystal, Jadeite is also defeated in battle, but his spirit endures. After his physical form is destroyed by Queen Metalia, his essence, along with the other Shitennou, resides within four stones that become part of Mamoru's (Tuxedo Mask’s) heart. From these stones, he and the others can appear as spirits to advise and counsel their true master, Prince Endymion, in times of need.
Jadeite possesses several notable abilities common to the generals of the Dark Kingdom. He has the power of teleportation and can create interdimensional portals. He is skilled in telekinesis, which he uses to control objects such as airplanes and even deflect Sailor Moon's tiara attack. In the manga and Crystal, he demonstrates potent matter manipulation, including the ability to transmute substances, create humanoid youma servants from materials like clay, and generate powerful freezing blasts. His skills as a master of disguise and illusion also allow him to blend into human society and create deceptive projections on a large scale.
Physically, Jadeite is depicted as a young man with short, pale blonde hair and blue or grey eyes, often seen wearing the standard grey uniform of the Shitennou. His age is stated to be around eighteen years old in supplemental materials, making him the second youngest of the four generals. In the original anime adaptation, Jadeite is portrayed as confident and prideful, often taking a hands-on approach to his schemes. He is known to be a master of disguise, assuming various human alter-egos such as a radio host, a gym instructor, a temple caretaker, or a cruise ship captain to get close to his victims. A notable trait in this version is his arrogance and a dismissive attitude towards women, stemming from his belief that they cannot match his power. His pride frequently leads him to underestimate the Sailor Guardians, which ultimately contributes to his repeated failures.
In the manga and the Sailor Moon Crystal reboot, Jadeite's character includes a more nuanced history. He is originally one of the four loyal guardians of Prince Endymion, the ruler of Earth, alongside Kunzite, Nephrite, and Zoisite. Before the events of the series, they were placed under a powerful spell by Queen Beryl, which erased their memories and forced them to serve the Dark Kingdom. In these versions, there is also a hinted past connection between Jadeite and Rei Hino, Sailor Mars, suggesting they may have had a relationship during the time of the Moon Kingdom. His feelings for her cause him moments of internal conflict, though he remains bound by Beryl's control for most of the story.
Jadeite occupies a crucial role in the story as the first major antagonist the Sailor Guardians face. He is the most subservient to Queen Beryl, carrying out her orders without question and often acting as her most trusted agent for missions that require discretion. His relationships with the other Shitennou vary; he is sometimes mocked by Nephrite for his failures, but at other times collaborates with them for greater success. His loyalty is ultimately tested only at the very end, when his original memories as a knight of Prince Endymion resurface.
His development across the story’s first arc is defined by a downward spiral of failure. After each of his plots is foiled by Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Mars, he is summoned before Queen Beryl and punished. In the 1990s anime, his final scheme is a desperate, direct attack on the Sailor Guardians at Haneda Airport. He learns their true identities during the battle but is defeated. Upon returning to the Dark Kingdom, he is condemned to Eternal Sleep, a fate worse than death, being sealed into a crystal and cast into darkness before he can reveal what he has learned. In the manga and Sailor Moon Crystal, Jadeite is also defeated in battle, but his spirit endures. After his physical form is destroyed by Queen Metalia, his essence, along with the other Shitennou, resides within four stones that become part of Mamoru's (Tuxedo Mask’s) heart. From these stones, he and the others can appear as spirits to advise and counsel their true master, Prince Endymion, in times of need.
Jadeite possesses several notable abilities common to the generals of the Dark Kingdom. He has the power of teleportation and can create interdimensional portals. He is skilled in telekinesis, which he uses to control objects such as airplanes and even deflect Sailor Moon's tiara attack. In the manga and Crystal, he demonstrates potent matter manipulation, including the ability to transmute substances, create humanoid youma servants from materials like clay, and generate powerful freezing blasts. His skills as a master of disguise and illusion also allow him to blend into human society and create deceptive projections on a large scale.