Legends of Power WEEK # 38, TEAM UP FEVER

LEGENDS OF POWER, WEEK # 38
Thunder Storm
Power Rangers Dino Thunder

    This week, we go into a gem of the team ups, Power Rangers Dino Thunder teaming with Ninja Storm. In the 2 part Thunder Storm, we see that Luthor is revived from the Abyss of Evil while Tori, Shane and Dustin are now beating the hell out of their students in training. In a great character scene, Shane quotes Sensei's words to him, Dustin & Tori during the first episode of Ninja Storm to their own students. Shortly after, we go over to Reefside where Kira keeps looking at Blake like she knows him from somewhere but doesn't remember. She goes to talk to him and he gives her tickets to Motor cross.

   As the Kira, Conner & Ethan go to the race, Lothor has other plans hatching. He kidnaps Sensei, disguises as him and gives Shane, Tori & Dustin new Wind Morphers that .... that's right ... makes them evil. (Note: This is the second team up that features evil Rangers but for the first time, it is the previous season's team) The evil Wind Rangers are joined by Kalzacs as they attack their own school, much to the surprise of recent students Marah & Kapri.

   Lothor is there too as they take most of the students in the school and trap them in a bottle. Marah & Kapri go back to their old outfits. Then the run fun begins. The Wind Rangers start attack people in Reefside, calling Ethan, Conner & Kira away after a very "familar" conversation & exit from Blake. The Dino Thunder main 3 take on the Wind Rangers ... and the Wind Rangers kick their asses.

  Seriously, they fall back. When Conner suggests using their zords to flatten the Ninja Storm Rangers, Tommy reminds them that they are just under the influence of evil and not really in control. After Mesagog sees this, he sends Elsa to Lothor in order to create an alliance. After Elsa legitimately scares the Wind Rangers, Lothor meets with Mesagog, agreeing to help each other defeat the Dino Thunder Rangers.  Cam, Blake and Hunter watched the first battle between the Dino Thunder Rangers and the Wind Rangers. Cam decides that they need to battle back and that the only way to do that is to get their powers back. Yet, that means going into the Abyss of Evil.

  Cam, Blake & Hunter go into the Abyss of Evil, battle some Kelzacs, monsters and Zurgaine. Zurgaine leaves theAbyss as it starts to shake. Cam, Blake and Hunter though retrieve the powers and pick up a guest along the way.

   Kira, Ethan & Conner are looking over stuff at Haley's about the Wind Rangers as Tori, Shane & Dustin walk in. Shane uses his powers to scare everyone else out of Haley's. The Wind Rangers want to fight right then and there but Conner offers a duel at under a bridge. The Wind Rangers take it and the two groups battle again ... this time UNMORPHED.

 The battle seems even till the Wind Rangers are about to morph. Cam, Blake & Hunter arrive on the scene, stating they have powers from Lothor to give them. Cam hands Tori, Shane & Dustin new power discs and they take them. Once they put them on and try to morph, the Wind Rangers are free from Lothor's evil.

  Elsa, Zurgaine and forces from both evil factions end up gathering at ... a rock quarry. *Sigh*  Both Teams gather in full force against the evil alliance, defeating them in spectacular multi-colored fashion.

   Meanwhile, after their defeat, Mesagog and Lothor duke it out for who will be the top villain but Mesagog beats out the evil Ninja Master. The team up ends with the Ninja Storm Powers "seemingly" gone for good and then they go watch Blake's race.

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  I LOVE this team up. It's my favorite PR Team up. Yet, just cause it is my favorite does not mean I don't see the flaws in it. And yes, there will be other team ups on this list.

   Here's the down side of the team up.

1 - Very little Tommy and Trent. Given the situation, I would have figured that Trent would at least help them out more. Sure, they comment it away saying that the two of them were gonna keep an eye on Mesagog but REALLY, Trent should have stepped in to help his friends sooner .... in my opinion.

  2 - As Linkara pointed out in his History of Power Rangers, Power Rangers Dino Thunder segment, this actually made the main characters of the show look weak. I get why they did it but still ... the Wind Rangers OWNED the Dino Thunder Trio with virtually no help from the Kelzacs. The Unmorphed Fight gave it a better balance but it barely looked like the Wind Rangers were having a problem fighting the Dino Thunder Team.

  3 - Dear God, the Monsters with Lothor were USELESS. They were only there to show the Battlizer and you could have EASILY replaced that with another enemy. Sure, they wanted to focus on the evil Wind Rangers ... but damn! Neither monster talked. Neither monster really did anything.  They were just Battlizer fodder.


 Here's the up side of the Team up:

 1 - One of the best unmorphed fights in PR history. While iti s not full on martial arts like classic episodes, but the Tori, Shane & Dustin vs. Kira, Conner & Ethan at the bridge was freakin' amazing" using both martial arts and "civilian" powers to duke it out.

 2 - It provided great development for Conner, Kira, Dustin, Tori, Shane & Cam. Each of these character grew because of this story. Cam taking charge a bit more. The Wind Rangers nice and settled into their roles as teachers. Kira becoming a bit more overt in social settings. And Conner proving himself a capable leader.

3 - Holy Frell the battles were damn awesome and impressive.

4 - Elsa scaring the hell out of the Wind Rangers when they first meet. That was priceless.

5 - Mesagog vs. Lothor. Short but damn if it wasn't good.

 And with all that in mind, that is why it has made # 38 on the Greatest Power Rangers Stories of All Time.  Well, that is all for this week. Come back for another great legend of power as I keep counting them down, all year long.

  And with that, I am Seraph, signing off with "May the Power ... Protect You!"