+++ TRUTH +++

The memory of Utena's prince is romanticized, because it is merely a memory...this is the truth, the real story of Utena's past, and what caused her to want to become a prince (as told in episode 34 of the anime series). Appearances are not always what they seem...

When she a young girl, Utena met a prince, but not under the same circumstances that are shown in the introduction of the series. Little Utena was lying in a coffin, suffering in her own pain with the loss of both her parents. A prince, Dios, came to her. She asked if he was death, but he said he was not death. Instead, he said that those who could die were lucky that they were able to do so. Why? Utena saw a lovely girl, who was never to die, but must suffer in pain from her past actions. This was her punishment. Eternity, but eternal pain. Who was she? She was a witch, the prince said. The Rose Bride.

In the past, there was a prince who would save all the girls. The girls he saved would then become his princess. His sister, the Rose Bride, or Anthy, was slightly jealous because she could never be her brother's princess. Then the noble prince fell ill and was no longer able to save them. He would rise out of bed and try to go out to save all the girls, but his sister pressed him to stay in bed and rest. He could not save anyone if he was ill. The people would beg for the prince to go save their daughters and wanted to see the prince fight and save the day, despite his condition.

One day, the people wanted to go ask the prince to save their daughter, but Anthy interferred and said that he could no longer save anyone's daughter anymore because he wasn't there. She had sealed him away from everyone to protect him because she loved him so much. She was then accused of being a witch, because she had sealed away their saviour, and now no one could be saved.

The prince she had loved had become the Ends of the World (or Akio, who is the embodiment of the Ends of the World). So that is why Anthy was doomed to suffer for all eternity. Utena did not like this story, and told the prince to save Anthy, believing her fate was too cruel. The prince replied and said that she could not be saved though. It was too late, she could not be saved by him because he was her brother, he could not be her prince, and he was too corrupted now since he had become the Ends of the World, he was no longer the prince Anthy believed him to be. However, she could be saved by the prince she believed in.

That is when Utena decided she would become a prince. She declared to Dios that she would become a prince and save the Rose Bride from all her misery. Dios told her that if she retained all her nobility, she might be able to grow up to become a prince. He then gave her the rose signet ring, and he told her it would lead her to her destiny.