Episode 18- Green With Evil Part 2- Jason's Battle

I'll be the first to admit, this is the only storyline involving Tommy I actually like. But this episode? It has some glaring issues.

We start out in the Command Center with Jason ranting about the Green Ranger and wanting to get his hands on him. He says that a lot, actually. Euphemism? The world may never know.

Billy is using something large, silver, and flashy in an attempt to fix Alpha. Poor Alpha's back is open and all his wires are exposed. Trini is concerned but Billy assures her Alpha feels no pain. They switch tactics and suddenly Alpha is fixed. Billy used a subatomic manipulator. Why that fixed fried circuits we don't know. Kim looks concerned from the sidelines and Zack either hugs her, cops a feel, or does both. It's too dark to tell.

We then see Tommy in an alley looking evil. Bulk and Skull stumble upon him and decide he needs to be taught a lesson. They ran away terrified at school, but somehow going after him in an alley is less scary? Bulk says nobody insults him, but we figure that can't be right as the Rangers insult him all the time without retaliation. Tommy scares them once again and they get tossed in a dumpster. Tommy, glowing green eyes and shooting lasers is really not the way to keep your secret identity, y'know, secret. Now, we're not sure why he even needs to keep his identity a secret, but Rita commanded it and so he does. It doesn't make much sense, and he kind of fails at doing it anyway, but there you have it.

Jason and Zack spend some time with a punching bag in the Youth Center and I am momentarily distracted by Jason's arms. He has really really nice arms. Soooo pretty. Anyway, moving on, I tune back in and realize they are talking about Zordon in the middle of the Youth Center. Really guys? There are other people around and they can hear you. It is decided that the Green Ranger MAY BE working for Rita... maybe. I want to slam my head against a brick wall. These are supposed to be intelligent people. I don't get how they only now came to this conclusion. Must be the appalling lack of quality education in Angel Grove again. Once again Jason wants to get his hands on the Green Ranger. Get a new euphemism, Jason. This one is already getting old.

At school, Kim approaches Tommy to find out why he stood her up. She's all sweet about it and he's really cruel to her. Poor girl runs off nearly in tears, but I have to give her a lot of credit for getting a dig in at him before she left. Good girl.

We then learn Tommy must pass a test. Rita has a weapon for him, the Sword of Darkness. She pinched it off Zordon ages ago and has been waiting for the right person to wield it. It will also keep Tommy under her spell because apparently she can't do that herself. Tommy, in a ridiculous shirt made of green netting, goes to take his test on the beach. His test is... he must beat some putties. That's it. Just a small handful, four or five, of putties. Not that he hasn't already handled four putties on his own or anything. Obviously he passes the test with flying colours and is welcomed to the club of evil. Literally, welcomed, with the line "Welcome to the club, Bucko". Mmmkay.

Tommy ends up back in school where Jason has been wandering the halls searching for him. Finally finding him on the steps, he regretfully informs Tommy he cannot work out with him that afternoon as promised, that something important had come up. Tommy says it's fine, he understands, in a very wispy not-at-all serious voice. Jason apparently can't read body language, however, and turns to walk away. Tommy's eyes glow green again and he shoots a really big beam of green light down the hallway, capturing Jason in a dark dimension. Nobody else seems to notice. Again, not really the best way to uphold that secret identity.

Jason can't make the communicator work. First of all, Billy hasn't fixed them yet, but beyond that, they just don't work in Rita's dark dimension. That's kind of a duh. I mean, what good would it do her if all her captives could contact their friends? He reaches for his morpher when he discovers Goldar in the cell with him, but his morpher is gone. Goldar has taken it. Where in those tight tight pants Jason was hiding his morpher, I'm not entirely sure. I'm assuming some kind of pocket dimension is involved.

Meanwhile, Zack and Kim are waiting at Billy's garage for Jason. He was supposed to meet them but hasn't shown up. Kim is very concerned and sitting on the Radbug waiting. Zack is relaxed and not at all worried. Instead of showing his concern for his missing friend when there is an evil Green Ranger running around trying to destroy you, Zack is confident that Jason is just fine and they should go to the Command Center without him. Kim finally caves and they leave in the Radbug.

Billy and Trini, still in the same clothes from the previous day, have almost finished putting the Command Center back together. It seems they worked all night and all through the school day. Poor guys, they must be exhausted! Nobody seems concerned for their well-being, however, and instead push Billy to fix more faster.

Back in the dark dimension, Goldar brings Jason to his knees. Literally. They battle some and we discover that Goldar is there because Rita gave Jason to him. Rita GAVE Jason to Goldar. I thought this was supposed to be a kids show (but now we both really want Jason/Goldar fic... we're so bad, we know).

Kim, Zack, and an exhausted Billy and Trini must morph and go fight once Billy gets the viewing globe functioning again and they discover the Green Ranger waiting for them. They kind of fail against him and so call their Zords. For some reason, the Tyrannosaurus shows up and they form the MegaZord. I don't know how or why. I was under the impression the Zords needed to be driven and, lacking the fifth member of the team, they would lack the fifth Zord. But whatever. Tommy at least attempts to fight the MegaZord on his own, without a Zord or growing or anything. He's got chutzpah, I'll give him that.

We end the episode in the dark dimension with Jason insulting Goldar, Goldar retorting with a painfully longer than necessary reply, and then Goldar knocking Jason down. Jason doesn't even try to get up while Goldar monologues and we get the To Be Continued. Ooooo ominous.

List!

This gets 4 fish because a lot of it didn't make sense. Billy and Trini single handedly fix the Command Center without sleeping, presumably eating, and while skipping school. Yet they appear to be perfectly happy and content to keep plugging away. Robots, or it doesn't make sense. There is also Zord formation without all team members, Jason's really bad euphemisms, Jason/Goldar non-con, and the disturbing lack of logic applied (or rather not, in this case) by all parties.

Billy speak: None of note

Covered in food: Bulk ends up with a banana peal on him in the dumpster, if that can really count.