The Star That Will Never Return to the Sky

is the 31st episode of the Fairy Tail anime. It first aired on May 24, 2010.

After a few run-ins with Loke, Lucy Heartfilia finally finds out the truth behind Loke, that he is actually a Celestial Spirit, Leo the Lion. She uncovers that his previous owner was a famous Celestial Spirit Mage, Karen Lilica, and after her death he was unable to return to the Celestial Spirit World. Lucy offers to save him, but Loke informs her that she can't because he himself killed Karen and broke the fundamental rule between man and spirit.

Synopsis
Just as Team Natsu finishes another job, they meet Loke in the middle of the road. He greets them normally, but as soon as he sees Lucy Heartfilia, he makes an excuse and runs for the hills. Later, when he picks up a flower, it withers on his hand...

Since Team Natsu finished their job early, they decide to take a short break in Hosenka. After taking a bath, they decide to pillow fight. Needless to say, Lucy is KO'd in the first hit, and while the others continue to fight, Lucy summons Plue and goes for a drink. On the road, she meets Happy, who makes fun of her. Two guys suddenly appear and they invite her to go with them, which she refuses. Soon, she realizes she can’t move, and Loke comes over and saves her from them. He reveals that the two are criminals and he was out to get them. Lucy thanks him for saving her and for finding her keys, and invites him for a drink. When they sit down in the restaurant, Lucy asks Loke what his issue is with Celestial Spirit Mages. Loke doesn’t answer and asks Lucy to forget about him. Lucy then gets up to leave and Loke stops and hugs her, telling her, in a serious tone, that he doesn’t have long to live...

He then laughs it off, saying it was one of his ruses to get girls. Lucy slaps him and leaves with Happy and Plue, saying that she doesn’t like that kind of jokes. Loke then thinks to himself that he shouldn’t be doing what he is doing, as he can’t get Lucy involved just because of his feelings.

The next day, in the guild, Gray Fullbuster and Natsu Dragneel are fighting over who won the pillow fight then turns to Lucy, asking her who won the pillow fight. Lucy watches them with angry eyes and tells them to shut up. They obey, much to Elfman's and Mirajane's surprise. In the shadows, Loke watches, his hands slowly vanishing. Meanwhile, a bunch of girls come to the desk, all claiming to be Loke’s girlfriends. They say he tried to break up with them the last night. The girls all turn to Lucy and think that she is now his girlfriend. She runs away, and goes to a public bath, where she finds Loke. Outside, he gives her a drink and they watch the stars together. One star falls and Lucy asks whatever happens to them. Again in the serious voice, Loke asks if Lucy knows the sorrow of a star who cannot return to the heavens. Lucy understands something and asks if this is another pick-up line. Loke laughs this off and leaves.

Back to her home, Lucy summons the Southern Cross, Crux. Crux is specialized in researching about Celestial Spirits, Mages and everything related to them. She asked him who was the last Celestial Spirit Mage affiliated with Loke. She finds out from Crux that the Mage's name was Karen Lilica but cannot say more than that, since the records are sealed. Karen was a Celestial Spirit Mage, a poster girl like Mirajane, but she died on a job. Gray then breaks in, and informs Lucy that Loke has gone and left Fairy Tail. The entire guild goes to search for him…

Loke has gone to Karen Lilica’s grave. There is where Lucy finds him. She tells him that everyone has been searching for him, and refers to him as Leo, the Lion, one of the Zodiac Celestial Spirits. Relieved, Loke acknowledges the fact that Lucy understood what he was. Lucy explains that in the case of death of his last owner, he should have returned to the Celestial Spirit World to wait for a new owner. Loke then tells her that he is at his limit, after being in the human world for three years. She yells that she might be able to save him and return him to the Celestial Spirit World, but he explains that he can’t be saved, since he broke a fundamental rule of a spirit’s contract. He tells her that because of his crime, he will accept even death, because... he killed Karen.

Fights

 * Team Natsu vs. Devon Thieves

Magic used

 * Summoned the Southern Cross, Crux
 * Summoned the Southern Cross, Crux

Spells used

 * None

Abilities used

 * Hand-to-Hand Combat
 * Force Gate Closure

Items Used

 * Gate of the Southern Cross Key

Manga & Anime Differences

 * In the anime, Erza was shown in the hot spring bath with her armor on and Lucy tells her to that she has to be naked, but in the manga she is shown bathing normally without her armor on.
 * In the anime, Juvia was shown spying on Team Natsu at the rest house, but in the manga, she was never shown spying on them.
 * In the anime, it was Elfman and Mirajane who were surprised when Lucy's anger quiets Gray and Natsu. However, it was Warren and Max who reacted in the manga.
 * Loke was shown spying on Lucy in the guild in the anime.
 * There is a scene where Lucy meets Loke after bathing in the public bath and they drink milk.

Trivia

 * The preview shown in the last episode "Next Generation", at the scene when Happy and Plue did cheers to each other, the drinks were orange. In the actual episode, the drinks were green. Also in the same scene, the preview showed the cushion seats were red and slightly higher. The actual episode had the cushion seats were cream colored and lowered.
 * When Happy pretends to make Plue speak, he says that Plue was sent "as an emissary of the Hero with the Sacred-Stone" most likely referencing that Plue appears in both Fairy Tail and in Hiro Mashima's previous work Rave Master, alongside the main character, Haru.