Clow Card Arc: 36-46

Timeline: mid April (first day of the spring trimester)

Characters Emphasized: Sakura

Key plot points and revelations:

• Sakura dreams again of Final Judgment, now certain that the shadowed figure is Kaho.
• Although the series timeline skips several months, Kero catches the viewers up by mentioning that Sakura caught four more Cards between Christmas break and April.
• Sakura begins fifth grade, though the composition of the class remains the same. Kaho is no longer their math teacher; she instead takes the job as their homeroom teacher.
• Yukito gives Sakura a late birthday present--a watch. After this episode, it is never seen again. When she loses it in the middle of the fight, Syaoran offers to look with her until they find it.
• Despite the broad attack on the Card's part, neither Syaoran nor Sakura nor Kero sensed anything until the snow really started falling thickly.

Timeline: mid April

Characters Emphasized: Tomoyo

Key plot points and revelations:

• Kero mentions his alternate form again, only saying that it is really cool and indescribable. He promises Sakura can see it when she gathers all the Cards (a mistake in wording, since Sakura apparently only needed Firey and Earthy), then adds under his breath that she will see "him" as well.
• Syaoran goes out of his way to follow Sakura and ask if she is alright, covering it up with the excuse that he wants the Clow Card. He listens to her in the park, comforts her, and offers to help her think of a way to find Tomoyo's voice.
• Syaoran enters the Daidouji mansion for the first time and meets Sonomi.
• Tomoyo spots Syaoran staring at Sakura and writes in her notebook a message for him to read. Seeing the 'observation' written on paper, for the whole world to see, flusters Syaoran no end, and he turns bright red on the spot.
• At the end of the episode, Tomoyo instructs Sakura to listen to the lyrics because this is a song that applies to her. The lyrics talk about the singer's admiration for "a certain someone," and how the singer wants to be like that person who gives other courage.

Timeline: late April

Characters Emphasized: Sakura, Kaho

Key plot points and revelations:

• When the students learn that they will get to make desserts with their picked strawberries, they decide they will make them for each of their special guys. Rika plans to make something for Terada, Chiharu promises to make something for Yamazaki (who jokes he will have to pray), and Sakura wants to make something for Yukito.
• Meiling prepares a table full of food for Syaoran and tries to feed him by hand, but when Sakura compliments her, she shares it and is quite friendly, a change since their bonding in Episode 35.
• Yukito mentions Kaho in front of Toya and guesses that there is something going on there, and Toya promises to tell him later.
• Kaho feels the presence of the Card when it attacks and gives the clue to Sakura that it is her own key necklace that can get them out. Because she gives the clue through the window instead of just walking in, unaffected by the Card, Lock must be a sun-influenced Card.
• It appears that Toya wants to panic when he realizes his sister is trapped inside the building, but when Kaho tells him that it will be fine, he believes her and calms down.

Timeline: late April

Characters Emphasized: Sakura, Toya, Nadeshiko

Key plot points and revelations:

• When everyone is trying to persuade Sakura to go home, it is Meiling that works the hardest to see to her welfare and enters into a brief alliance with Tomoyo to do it. Syaoran also shows worry.
• Toya and Kaho meet alone for the first time since she arrived. It is implied that Toya can hear Kaho through otherwordly means, though it is only because it is about Sakura. She had asked him to come and get his sister to take him home. He also tries to ask why she had returned, and she answers that she has something to do.
• Yukito visits the Kinomoto household and guesses that Toya ran out of their class because of Kaho. He guesses that Toya could hear her voice.
• When Toya comes upstairs to give Sakura her medicine, he holds a tense staring contest with Cerberus.
• Toya and The Mirror meet again for the first time since Episode 25. He knows who she is and tells her so, also saying that he has a vague idea of what Sakura is doing. She agrees not to tell Sakura that Toya knows.
• Syaoran saves Sakura when she falls off her staff. After he defeats the Card, he gives it to her out of respect for her illness. And afterwards, when Meiling and Cerberus are bickering about his spending the night with them, Syaoran watches her bedroom window for a long time.
• Nadeshiko appears to soothe her feverish daughter, and she and Toya speak briefly.

Timeline: late April

Characters Emphasized: Sakura

Key plot points and revelations:

• The quartet and Cerberus go shopping in Tokyo. This is the first time the four of them have done something together strictly for fun.
• Meiling aids Sakura in defeating the Whack-a-Mole video game, demonstrating both friendliness and teamwork.
• Tomoyo's fantasy is shown to be a hundred Sakuras, all wearing different costumes made by her.
• Syaoran's hallucination shows himself giving his Clow Cards to Sakura and hugging her on a romantic beach. The sight both bewilders and terrifies him.
• Sakura tells Syaoran about her dream of Tokyo Tower and that she has seen both him and Kaho in this dream. He gets nervous when she says he was in her dream.
• In Sakura's dream, Syaoran not only calls her "level-headed", an unusually kind compliment from him, but also calls her "Kinomoto." This is the first time he has called her by name, although it is not real. Sakura, however, notices this.
• In Sakura's dream, Yukito tells her that he must be at her side. Cerberus pops out and the two greet each other like old friends. These are all clues to Yue's presence.
• Toya lectures Kero on letting Sakura do reckless things, a clue that he is catching on too.
• Thanks to The Dream, Sakura walks into her familiar Judgment dream from another angle. She can see herself and Cerberus and Kaho, hear the bell, and talk to her other self. Her other self assures her that she will definitely be alright, giving Sakura her invincible spell.
• When Sakura passes out, Syaoran is the first one by her side to catch her, and he holds her with one arm while freezing time with The Time. He earns The Dream in the end, making it his fifth Clow Card.

Timeline: early May

Characters Emphasized: Sakura, Syaoran

Key plot points and revelations:

• Kaho speaks to Syaoran, telling him not to be so alarmed and that "it" will happen soon. This surprises him and makes him wary.
• Kero voices a desire to meet this mysterious teacher.
• Toya voluntarily wakes up much earlier than he planned in order to make pancakes for Sakura. He attempts to talk to her about the Clow Cards but decides against it at the last second, instead just warning her not to do reckless things. Sakura worries that Toya knows what she is doing, but quickly brushes it off.
• The Sand actually makes its appearance at the Shrine, like so many other Cards, and follows Sakura to the school.
• Syaoran is tense and panicky about practicing the kiss with Sakura, although she does not seem affected.
• After defeating The Sand, both Sakura and Syaoran reach for it, but she allows him to keep it. This Card is his sixth.
• Sakura mentions that no one is ever around anymore when a Card attacks, and Syaoran does not think it is a coincidence.

Timeline: early May

Characters Emphasized: Sakura

Key plot points and revelations:

• Sakura leans over to kiss Syaoran in the play, driving Toya into a raging fury. His "alarm system" for Syaoran is getting stronger and stronger.
• Trapped alone in the darkness, Sakura utters her mantra for the first time. Saying the words prompts another Clow Card to appear from out of her body. The Light explains that she has been in Sakura's heart ever since she first opened the Clow Book.
• Light and Dark request to be sealed together. They are the first Cards other than Mirror to speak in a human language. This is the first time Sakura seals two Cards at the same time.
• Light and Dark warn Sakura about Yue and tell her that he is close to her.
• Cerberus also senses that Yue's time is near.

Timeline: early May

Characters Emphasized: Meiling, Syaoran

Key plot points and revelations:

• Meiling's mother (it is not clear if she has a father) calls and orders her home to Hong Kong. The reason is never explained.
• Syaoran displays no emotion about her leaving, which makes Meiling miserable and angry at him.
• For the first time, Sakura invites Meiling to her house, alone, without Tomoyo or Cerberus.
• Meiling reveals the history of her relationship with Syaoran.
• After Syaoran and Meiling subdue The Twin, the Card goes to him. This is his seventh card. He tells Meiling that he never thought she was in his way, which obviously means a lot to her.
• Before she boards her plane, Meiling thanks Sakura for saving her and Syaoran during the battle with Twin. She has never said thank you to Sakura before.

Timeline: early May

Characters Emphasized: Kaho, Yukito, Cerberus

Key plot points and revelations:

• Sakura dreams of the Final Judgment again and for the first time sees Yue and his wings.
• Cerberus comments on the doll that sits on Sakura's shelf. Tomoyo gave it to her on her birthday, a week before Sakura opened the Clow Book. Sakura notices that the doll wears a pink cap and a yellow sash around her neck, similar to her outfit in the dreams. She describes the latest dream to Cerberus and then leaves the room. Kero looks at the Clow Book again, this time at the conspicuously blank cover, and says Yue's name.
• This episode features Cerberus's first chance to study Kaho during the archery competition, and when he stares at her she can feel the intensity of his gaze. It distracts her and she loses the contest.
• Kaho and Cerberus meet face-to-face, and he announces that he can feel her powerful moon magic. Then he points out that Clow made another guardian named Yue. The implication is that he suspects Kaho is Yue, clearly something the writers want the viewers to think as well. She tells Cerberus that she has "certain duties" to perform during the Judgment, but she will not say what.
• When Sakura bumps into a person in a giant teddy bear costume and he leans over to rub her head, Syaoran is the one that jumps between them to defend her.
• Again Kaho tries to tell Yukito something, but she is interrupted by the arrival of Earthy.

Timeline: early May

Characters Introduced:

• Yue

Characters Emphasized: Sakura, Cerberus, Yue

Key plot points and revelations:

• Before Sakura flies off to capture Earthy, Syaoran tells her to be careful. Kaho calls her "Sakura-chan" for the first time.
• For the first time Kero is seen getting involved in a fight, and he use his flame as a weapon.
• When Sakura captures Earthy, Kero is transformed into his true self; his winged lion form is seen for the first time.
• Sakura asks Syaoran if he knows about Yue, and he explains that he is the other guardian of the Cards. He is called the Judge and represents the moon. Syaoran does not know however what Yue is supposed to judge. When Syaoran says that Yue should be on the back cover, Sakura says that the back cover is empty. Syaoran is surprised and realizes that Yue must have taken a material form in this world.
• Tomoyo wonders aloud who is really in charge of the Cards, since there are two Cardcaptors. Syaoran has about seven or eight Cards at this point: Time, Storm, Return, Freeze, Dream, Sand, and Twin. Kero answers that they will find out when "he" shows up.
• When Sakura signs her name on Earthy, a pair of wings sprout from Yukito's back, concealing him, and then they part to reveal an entirely new person. Kero addresses him as Yue.
• Sakura learns that Yukito has been simply the disguise for Yue all this time.
• Yue challenges Syaoran to a fight, and it is discovered that Clow Cards under jurisdiction of the moon have no power over Yue. Yue's main weapon seems to be an ability to form and fling sharp crystals at his opponent. Yue defeats Syaoran and takes all his Clow Cards.
• Yue then challenges Sakura and brings her to a rooftop to begin the Judgment. The setting is finally exactly like her dream that she has had so many times.
• This is the first time Syaoran call Kero-chan, Cerberus which he stop calling him "plush toy."

Timeline: early May

Characters Introduced:

• Clow Reed

Characters Emphasized: Sakura, Yue

Key plot points and revelations:

• Cerberus and Kaho explain to Tomoyo that Yukito knows nothing about the Clow Cards and that Yue severed all ties between his consciousness and his disguise so that no one would sense him. Syaoran points out that Yukito was in Tomoeda before Sakura opened the book and Kaho hinted that "someone" made that happen. It seems most likely she is talking about Eriol.
• Yue displays some kind of hypnotic ability, able to force Sakura to move against her will for at least a short amount of time.
• Syaoran attempts to help Sakura, but Cerberus prevents him. Syaoran's frustration and worry for Sakura is obvious.
• When Yue defeats Sakura, he explains the catastrophe that will result from her loss. Everyone connected in some way to the Cards will forget all the feelings of love they have for others.
• In this alternate world, signs of love are seen to be erased from daily life. Fujitaka no longer keeps Nadeshiko's photo on the table, and Toya no longer calls Sakura a kaijuu. Tomoyo speaks only formally to Sakura. Yamazaki calls Chiharu Mihara-san, and Rika does not bat an eye when Terada walks into the room. Sakura runs to the Tsukishiro house, but there is no one there and she does not even remember Yukito. She tries very hard to remember the way things should be, and a chime from Kaho's bell brings back the memory of Yukito.
• Kaho explains to Sakura that Clow left the bell behind to give her one last chance, and the bell disintegrates.
• Sakura utters her mantra, and when she does her staff transforms into a star set into a circle. With the new staff, Sakura is able to use a moon-influenced Card on Yue and defeat him.
• Yue formally announces Sakura is the new Master of the Clow Cards.
• When Yue announces this, she is mentally transported up into the night sky and meets Clow Reed. Clow explains that Sakura created her new wand with her own power instead of his, magic that was neither Sun nor Moon but of her own Star.
• Toya saw the entire thing from behind a pillar, and Kaho confronts him. He tells Kaho he knew all along that Yukito was not human.
• Kero and Yue decide to stay close by Sakura to help her, in their disguised forms.