So I’m on the side of the debate that at the end of Wakaba Flourishing, she has NOT made things better with Utena.
For one thing this is not the face of someone whose seen a new light and has had her problems fixed after her friend saved her.
Secondly pay attention to that wording: Utena saved her. We get a lot of theming in RGU that playing the role of prince and saving people isn’t what they need and can lead you down the wrong path.
Wakabas black rose form wasn’t healthy but she was getting her grievances out into the air. She was telling Utena her insecurities, but Utena throughout the battle wasn’t really listening. She was scared for her friend, and proclaimed she’d save her- and did so in a huge gesture worthy of the main character. Even though Wakabas problems were that she felt like she was a nobody. A side character in Utenas story. Forgotten and replaced with Anthy.
There’s a REALLY good post- about how Wakaba, who constantly talks about her dreams of marrying Utena, and cooks lunch for her, and jumps on her back and calls her her boyfriend- she wants a life with Utena. But Utena doesn’t reciprocate. They’re taken as jokes. And Wakaba, assumes in the ultra patriarchal and heteronormative structure of Ohtori that her and Utena is just a fantasy. But Anthy comes along claiming to be Utenas bride. Utena is romantically interested in Anthy. Wakaba realizes the problem was never heterosexuality. Utena just never liked her.
When Utena slashes the rose, with Wakabas own sword, her eyes are turned up to the castle. The illusory castle that isn’t real. But she sees her life with Utena is just a fantasy, and she can never have it. The prince saving her is a fantasy. So she cries. It’s a heartbreaking beginning of the end.
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