After Tuxedo Mask is kidnapped by the Dark Kingdom, he returns brainwashed with a mission to uncover the Sailor Guardians' command centre. Meanwhile, the girls are eager to find out more about the mysterious sword they brought back with them from the Moon.
In "Act 11: Reunion," a brainwashed Mamoru weasels his way into working for Crown Arcade and plays with Usagi's emotions in the process. His newly acquired hypnotic powers make him dangerous, especially since his goal is to manipulate Usagi into telling him where their headquarters are. This evil Mamoru is understandably quite creepy, so it's a relief that Usagi doesn't give into him willingly (since previous versions of the character would have).
Aside from the scenes involving Mamoru and Usagi, this episode gives the other Sailor Guardians some much needed attention. We get to see them in a much more active role as friends and as heroes, which helps to flesh out their personalities. Early in the episode Rei expresses her embarrassment over Usagi's loudness, while later the girls surveil Mamoru at the arcade and interrogate Motoki's friend Reika regarding the matter. Another standout scene involves Sailor Venus dominating the battlefield with her clever whip technique, thus proving she's totally badass. By giving these characters an independent focus, it gives us a better glimpse of who they are and establishes them as heroines we can root for. That said, the glaring issues from previous episodes regarding these characters still stands. They're still relegated to being part of the supporting cast and they're way too easily bested in battle.
After the mess that was "Act 10: MOON," this episode is a breath of fresh air. The pacing is on-point, the characters are well-written and the direction is excellent. While the animation is awkward at times, "Act 11: Reunion" is one of the strongest entries thus far in the series.
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