Legends of Power, WEEK # 36: And All Bad Guys Wear WHITE

LEGENDS OF POWER, WEEK # 36
White Thunder/Truth and Consequences
Power Rangers Dino Thunder

            Welcome to another segment of Evil Ranger Theater. This time, We get the tragic tale of White Dino Thunder Ranger, Trent. Trent is the adopted son that we were introduced to earlier in Dino Thunder. As time went on, we saw that Trent was a good guy who’s dad, Anton Mercer, was kind of a jerk. Yet, things began to change after Trent stumbled into an invisa-portal where after Elsa finds a slap bracelet with a white gem on it … Trent finds it attached to his hands and gives him all this great power.

            Trent, unknowingly at first, has become the White Ranger. As things go along, the White Ranger is friend to NO ONE at first. He attacks Mesogog’s forces. He attacks the Rangers and wipes the floor with them. Yet, Trent is exhausted every so often … not sure how he came to be where he was.

            Meantime, Mesogog wants him. The Rangers want to take him down. Kira wants to jump his bones. Trent and the White Ranger start out as two distinct different people at first. But as time goes on, and he says this to Kira at the end of Truth and Consequences, that he can’t seem to control it and its taking him over.

            Yet, the Rangers aren’t the only ones who find out about Trent during Truth and Consequences. Mesogog also finds out that Trent is the White Ranger … which leads to some later storylines. At the end of this 4 parter … the White Ranger has won. He’s corrupting Trent and all that he knows and loves to the point where Trent leaves it behind. He’s beaten back the Rangers. He’s encased Tommy in amber. And he’s taken 2 of the Rangers zords.

            This was a different and exciting way for an evil ranger to come in. Instead of a spell instantly turning someone evil … this slowly happened over time. Trust became an issue amongst the Rangers. Tommy getting taken out  … at least for a short time, allowed Conner to really start calling the shots. Trent’s struggle with the White Ranger powers and persona was gripping.

            What pulled this down was the antics of Cassidy and Devin. Their looking for the identity of the White Rangers was reminiscent of Bulk and Skulls journey but rather boring. Also, Truth and Consequences, in my mind, is White Thunder Part 4 and should have been named as such. Those are what pushing this story down to the # 36 spot. 

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.

--

  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!"

Legends of Power, Week # 40: Guess Who's Back

LEGENDS OF POWER, WEEK # 40:
Return of an Old Friend
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers



     I liked to point out that this 2 parter was a major step for Mighty Morphin and in PR history. Why is that? Well, besides the obvious, allow me to break it down to you.

    In a stroke of genius by Rita, she actually kidnaps the parents of all the rangers and then makes them "willingly" give up their power coins ... after Goldar puts Billy under a spell to do Rita's doing ... which in this case, was collect the Dragon Dagger. Billy did that. Jason, Zack, Trini, Kimberly & Billy ended up trading in their power coins. Goldar unleashed the Dragon Zord on the populace. And Rita was celebrating. It was a near complete victory.

Near Complete. 

   Rita forgot one detail that made this story all the more interesting. Jason and the gang turned in THEIR power coins ... yet, Rita did not ask for the Green Power Coin. She asked for the Dragon Dagger. She got the Dragon Zord running amok. She knows there are some powers left int he coin cause of seeing Jason using the Dragon Shield. Yet, She DID NOT ask for the Green Power Coin.

    *shakes my head*

   Honestly, if Rita had asked for the Green Power Coin as well, Mighty Morphin would have possibly ended with Rita winning it all. But she didn't. And in Jason's and Zordon's clever foresight, they used the coin, got Tommy and infused it with some of Zordon's power for a temporary fix.

     And Tommy came back hard. He got the others power coins, he got back control of the Dragon Zord. He took down the Puddies. And the Rangers saved their parents. It was pretty damn epic 2 parter for back in the day.

    This also marked the return of the Green Ranger ... till the first 3rd of season 2. We got lots of Zyu2 footage going on. And was the beginning of the last part of the first season. For the first time, Rita got really personal. Her plan was near flawless. This plan was better than the one in Doomsday. It attacked the Rangers personally. Billy was turned evil. The Rangers lost their powers and had to relay on Tommy, whose powers were definitely in flux to get the Power Coins back.

    It was a great jump on point as well. As this part of the series really meshes Tommy with the team, while his first run as Green Ranger ... he was definitely very much a sixth ranger. 


    Return of an Old Friend was exciting, somewhat smartly written and a rollercoaster of a 2 parter. Tommy's return has fans losing their damn minds in excitement. And it was the debut of the now classic Go Green Ranger Go song that many fans still listen to this day.

  So, why is this # 40 and not much higher? A few reasons. First, Rita's fail at full victory for not asking for the Green Dragon Coin. Second, Rita had the Rangers parents. She should have hurt one of them in order to get a complete surrender. Third, the beginning of the bad cloth shield for American Footage.

  Otherwise, this was a solid story that really pushed the Rangers and brought back Tommy in grand fashion, much like how he came in.  And that is it for this week. Till next time, May the Power Protect You.


NEXT: The Episode With the Most Imfamous Ranger Line In History

Legends of Power, WEEK 49

       

     Welcome to another edition of Legends of Power! This week, we have one of those so bad it’s good type of episodes. So, we hop back in time to Power Rangers Zeo. Ah yes. Power Rangers Zeo. Stronger than before, we had one of, if not, the strongest line up of Rangers EVER. Why do I say that? Their power source just keeps getting stronger and stronger over time. Everyone in the cast we trained warriors (with the exception of Tanya but Adam & Tommy got her up to speed). 

            Tommy was now in the role of Red Ranger while Jason had returned to the sixth Ranger slot as the Gold Ranger. The Machine Empire was …honestly lackluster but still somewhat entertaining. Particularly Prince Gasket and Archerina.

            Prince Gasket and Archerina were devious. They caught Tommy and almost made him evil again … I say Almost cause Tommy was not full on fighting the Rangers in the King For A Day 2 parter. No.
            This week, The #49 spot goes to a little episode called “Another Song and Dance.”  In this episode we get Tommy lipsyncing and dancing for his life. We get a monster who sings and makes people keep singing. We get both Tommy & Tanya, who are rarely ever paired together, stuck with them singing badly after they are hit by a spell from the monster.
            “Another Song and Dance” was terrible. Bad singing. The plot was screwy. And did I mention Bad Singing? Tanya was singing badly on purpose cause of the spell but Tommy …just can’t sing.
            What is entertaining about it is that we get our first real invasion of the Machine Empire. Gasket attacks with force. Tanya & Tommy’s singing was comical for the most part.  And we get to see a pair of Rangers rarely every paired up to star in something together. Plus, JDF dancing around like any of us would was hilarious and resonates.
            This is what makes it interest. That is why it takes the spot of #49 on this list.


Next Week: Evil Rangers … Part 2.

Podcasts: Morphin Bracers Episode 24

Morphin Bracers returns to BI. We come back as the Morphin Bracers give you Toku News and with the Cell fighting against the legendary Power Ranger, Tommy  Oliver.

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