utena- series end

*snaps fingers* That's it!

In order to break everyone out of the stasis she is the lynchpin to, Anthy has to move.

At the end, Anthy has to reach out, has to make a choice and act on it. Has to act on her own behalf, and for her own desires. That is what frees her.

I don't think Utena understands that, quite, any more than Akio does, really. That Anthy has freed herself, and that's why she is free--no one else could do it for her, that was the point. Dios was right that she needed someone she could trust and believe in. But that someone could not, by definition, be a prince. A prince is everywoman's property, that's the nature of Princeness; a prince defends the helpless and innocent in general, not any one particular person. Anthy needed someone who wanted her for herself. Lo and behold: Utena. This, I think, is why the words that open the gate, when Utena finally reaches it, are 'I was happy when I was with you'. It wasn't the prince's heart (the sword) that could be the key; it had to be Utena's heart--the person's heart.

*happy pondering*