Legends of Power, WEEK # 34: I Wouldn't Want To Be A Power Ranger Anyway ...Sike!

LEGENDS OF POWER, WEEK # 34
Protect the Quasar Saber
Power Rangers Lost Galaxy


     This episode broke so many things we knew about Power Rangers while connecting it to Power Rangers Lost Galaxy. First off, this is the episode after the first death of a Power Ranger, Kendrix. And while death was no longer something new to Power Rangers (we'll get to that eventually), this was big. The Power Rangers had faced off against the Psycho Rangers ... and won ... but not without a casualty.

 Kendrix Morgan has died and her Quasar Saber went off into space. Maya has a vision from Kendrix about her Quasar Saber and tells her where it is. Meanwhile, Trakeena and her court are searching for it as Villamax tells her he knows where it will end up.

  We head to the planet Onyx ... yup. Onyx. The alien, wild west planet. At an auction, someone has presented the Quasar Saber for sale. And after a few bids, a familar woman clad in leather turns around to give her bid ... but takes it back and threatens their lives. It is Astronema ... with black wig and original outfit. The auctioneer, as well as most of the beings there, are scared out of their mind as Astromena is merely handed the sword. Before she can walk out, Astronema is revealed as Karone by Trakeena and a battle starts between Astromena & some Sting Wingers. Karone runs after losing her wig .... and changing her clothes.

    Karone ends up fighting Trakeena as the other Galaxy Rangers arrive. Trakeena actually pushes Karone to the edge as Karone fights with the Saber. Trakeena ends up sending Karone over a cliff. As it seems that the Rangers will lose and Karone is gonna die ... Kendrix's ghost ... in ranger uniform appears ... catches her ... and flies Karone. Karone is told to be the new Pink Galaxy Ranger and gets a transmorpher from Kendrix. Kendrix flies to heaven then Karone returns to battle. She kicks away Trakeena then raises the Saber. And thus a new Pink Galaxy Ranger is born.

   Karone is embraced on the team.

    This episode was definitely one of the best in the franchise's history. We got some great characterization from Maya, Trakeena and Karone. Melody Perkins really shined as a remorseful Karone in this episode as well as showed her acting chops as Astronema. It was great seeing Karone having come so far and having her fight Trakeena, who seems to be a dark mirror to her. While Karone turned back from the darkness, Trakeena has been embracing it more and more.And also, this episode also presented Trakeena with might have been her second greatest victory. She almost succeed in killing Karone, taking the Quasar Saber and having her army defeat the rangers.

     Maya continues to have visions and deals with her mourning of Kendrix. Maya is the one who is visibly most shaken by losing Kendrix and this episode displays that. The battle had high stakes. The Rangers were nearly  defeated. And a good consistent nod, Karone had to raise her sword first.

    Why is this 34? Well ... we see very little of  Leo, Kai & Damon. No sign of Mike. We didn't even get to see Mike mourn. And Mike doesn't show up with the others as they battle Trakeena's monsters.

Legends of Power, WEEK # 45 - T n A Sells This Freaky Friday

Legends of Power - WEEK #45
Invasion of the Body Switcher
Power Rangers In Space


    If there is one things that Power Rangers seems to do well is to give you something nice to look at. To a shirtless Jason in season 1 to a curvacious Kat during Power Rangers Zeo. Even this year's cast of Mega Force as quoted by Fighter's High Creator Chris Ryons as being "Super Models." Yet, Power Rangers in Space really seemed to be the series that let looks and  sex help sell the show. And why not? Many of the audience had become Teenagers or Pre-teens and it was a factor the show's ratings to go up. You don't believe me?
    Let's go over the series, shall we? We've got a villainess clad in skin tight black leather for 2/3rds of the series. We've got the Rangers in tight uniforms showing off their physiques: especially apparent with TJ, Cassie & Ashley. TJ's muscles were very apparent in the Space Uniform; without the jacket, you can see the blue shirt show off his six pack for frell's sake. An there were plenty of shots that showed off the Rangers as well. They were overly apparent but if you look, you'll definitely know what I mean.

   Which comes to this week's entry in #45. Power Rangers is not known for its fan service but boy, did they push it in this episode. The episode has Ashley celebrating her birthday with the rest of the team on Earth. As they are building up the Andros/Ashley relationship, Space once again nukes any notions of a Carlos/Ashley relationship they tried for in Turbo by having Carlos give Ashley a fire extinguisher for her birthday present.

 Hold on a second. Warning, RANT: WHAT THE HELL CARLOS? A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AS A BDAY GIFT?! SHE"S A CHICK THAT YOU ONCE HAD A MAJOR CRUSH ON & YOU GIVE HER A FIRE EXTINGUISHER?! MEN WERE & STILL ARE ASHAMED OF YOU THAT MOMENT! GRRRR ....

  RANT OVER


   Anyway, as Ashley gets a jewel from Andros which becomes a plot point later. Meanwhile in the Dark Fortress, Astromena gets introduced to the Monster of the Day, The Body Switcher. After a frightening cheese fest that was "Disco Kitty", the monster ends up changing Astromena into Ashley.  While Ashley & Cassie talk, Astromena takes her chance to switch with Ashley.  Before Ashley back to the Dark Fortress, we get a shot of what's up her skirt ... wow. She's wearing a holter top with a hoodie but now we get up her skirt for a split second. WOW.

   After a hilarious battle with the Quantrons which one of them hits Astromena pretty hard to fool Cassie, Astromena returns with Cassie to the Megaship. One by one she takes down the Rangers ... in a TIGHTER version of the Space Uniform. (In the Words of Spaceman Hardy & our own Durga: DAT ASS!)  At one point, Astromena runs into Alpha (who believes it's Ashley of course) and gives her a present. For a moment, Astromena actual reflects on someone being nice to her then throws the gift away. When Andros is the only ranger left that Astromena hadn't captured, she makes a fake attack in order to distract him.

  Meanwhile, Ashley easily tricks the Body Switcher to turn her into Astromena, surreal I know, and then gets free by Tricking Elgar. On Earth, Astromena has morphed into the Yellow Ranger, about to shoot Andros from behind when Ashley arrives. Ashley says that the Yellow Ranger is Astromena but Astromena is smart enough to trick Andros into fighting Ashley. At one point, Ashley makes Andros awary that the Yellow Ranger is not her and Andros quickly shoots her in the shoulder. As the morpher drops, Astromena's disguise also disappears.

   Astromena and Ashley duke it out as the other Rangers arrive, wondering which is which. And in a brilliant move by the writers, Andros holds out the morpher saying "Let's Rocket!" Astromena on the Left does the movement correctly while the Astromena on the Right looks like she's having an epileptic seizure. Then the rest of the episode is usual stuff but before she leaves Astromena says, "I wouldn't want to be a Power Ranger anyway." - OH IRONY!

   This episode is the most fan service (in terms of showing off bodies) in Power Rangers History. You can see most of the Rangers butts in this episode fairly well. Tracey Lynn Cruz is clearly wearing a tighter costume ... with possibly no bra at one point. And Selwyn Ward ... his muscles .... Let me stop. You've got shots in the episode showing off the actors assets more than usual. Yet, you've got a strong character piece that advances Ashley's relationship with Andros while giving more depth into Astromena's character and the argument of nature vs nurture. Both Tracy Lynn Cruz & Melody Perkins do exceptional jobs as playing each other's characters in this episode, which makes the show even better. This episode is pure fun  . . . & a big ole tease.

   It also has one of the top funniest moments in PR history with Astromena, as the Yellow Ranger, not doing the now legendary signature flip onto screen.


  Why is this # 45. Two Reasons: 1 - DISCO KITTY ... & # 2 - FIRE EXTINGUISHER!

 Still, watch the episode. It's a funny, entertaining tease that actually advances story well.



NEXT WEEK:  In the Light of the Moon . . .