Joker infiltrates the human world and discovers an ancient, cursed storybook called “The Ultimate Sadness.” When read aloud, the book doesn’t attack the body—it attacks the soul. It forces the listener to relive their most traumatic, heartbreaking memory on an infinite loop. While the girls are discussing their final strategy at the nanadero (the sweets shop), Joker reads the incantation.

: Unlike the Cures, who fight for the happiness of others, the Bad End Cures believe that true happiness comes from the suffering of others and individual gain.

By the time Joker finishes, four of the five Precures are on their knees, tears streaming down their faces, their transformation devices (PreCards) turning a sickly gray. They have lost the will to smile—and thus, the power to fight.

The doppelgänger claims that beauty is the only thing that matters, and anything "ugly" or weak should be eradicated.

When Episode 46 begins, the viewer is greeted with a terrifying sight: a world that has already ended. The sky is a chaotic swirl of purple and black; the city is in ruins. This is not a "monster of the week" scenario. This is the apocalypse. The show effectively shifts genres from a "Magical Girl" adventure to a post-apocalyptic survival story, centering on Candy, the fairy mascot who is now the sole survivor and the only witness to the Precures' defeat.

Western fans who watched Glitter Force on Netflix experienced a heavily censored version of this episode. Due to the darker themes of psychological torture and a villain’s death (implied), the English dub:

This episode marks a severe tonal shift. It is the Empire Strikes Back of the Smile Precure narrative—a brutal deconstruction of the show’s central theme: happiness.

If you only watched Glitter Force , you missed the best episode of the season. Seek out the original Smile Precure version (Episode 46) for the full emotional impact.

For a fan reaction and commentary on the high-stakes battles of this episode: Smile Precure! Episode 46 [Reaction+Commentary] YouTube• Jul 4, 2024