Episode 68 - The Power Stealer

Today on Power Rangers - we link to a bunch of youtube clips and Kimberly's outfit is so awesome that even queenriley noticed. Plus, Tommy gets tied up a lot. (He and Dick Grayson should be friends. I feel that my Sims are going to need an update.)

Anyway, the actual episode begins with them having to clean up Angel Grove, even though we just did this thirty episodes ago. Man, Angel Grove must get dirty really fast. I guess that people don't bother to clean up unless people are organizing a whole big thing? Captain Planet does not approve!

This time the clean up club (not that they're calling it this, but we like to pretend that there's some continuity in the show) is being interviewed by a new reporter. For some reason, the Rangers in their civilian IDs are the ones that they're talking to. I guess Angel Grove is having a slow news day - maybe there haven't been any monster attacks yet this week? The reporter asks them if they think that there's any truth to the rumor that the Power Rangers will show up. The Rangers prove to be the worst liars ever.

Two questions arise from this - first, how did this rumor get started? The Rangers have clearly not said that they would go, and honestly, why would they bother? Superheroes never help clean things up. I read enough comics to know that. Second, why would they ask a random bunch of kids if they know the Rangers? Clearly, this means that the only people in Angel Grove who don't know their identities are Bulk and Skull, and honestly, I'm not that convinced that Skull doesn't know.

Also, they have a VCR and videotape. We are SO OLD.

Bulk and Skull come up with today's grand plan to unmask the Rangers - they are going to pull the rangers helmets off while they're on tv. Oh, boys, this isn't Scooby Doo. It doesn't work like that. Zedd also has a plan - he's going to unleash the Octophantom to capture the Rangers and drain their powers.

At the park, Tommy (in the most ridiculous pants ever) is being interviewed when Putties show up. Everyone runs away when Jason tells them to. Seriously, why is everyone following Jason's orders? Isn't anyone worried about him?

The camera keeps running while Tommy, Jason and Kim fight and then morph. This is clearly not going to end well. Tommy falls down a lot, and Tommy yells that it's a trap! and both of us fall over laughing. Tommy gets captured (and tied up - seriously, I'd forgotten how often that happens. Between this and Batman: The Animated Series, I apparently watched a lot of borderline inappropriate things as a child - Dic Grayson is the only character in existence who gets tied up more than Tommy does) and Jason and Kim teleport to the Command Center without destroying the tape. Bulk and Skull then take the camera to expose the Rangers identities.

You know, the fact that Zedd knows enough to try and remove Tommy first actually speaks well of him. It's easier to beat 5 Rangers than 6. Not a bad idea, really!

Lord Zedd decides to send his monster back down to vandalize Angel Grove (and ruin the Pacific Heritage monuments) in the hopes that the pollution will draw out the Rangers. No, Zedd, the people who should show up if you do that are Captain Planet and the Planeteers. But since they weren't available, the Rangers show up. Kimberly, Zack and Trini also get captured, and Billy figures out that the monster's weakness is that it is Gaston. In other words, it's weakness is mirrors. Again.

Billy needs to go build another mirror weapon, so Jason has to go fight the Octophantom (which is apparently a cross between an octopus and an elephant, although we feel this is wrong. It is actually Cthulhu.) Jason goes to fight by himself, and he tells the monster that he's not alone - his friends are with him in spirit and fights. Billy eventually shows up with a weird mirror shield (stopping the monster from catching Jason in the process. Because Billy is awesome.) and then rescues the others while Jason fights the monster. (Why the monster brought the captured Rangers with him, we don't know.) Tommy is so weak by this point that his green has faded to gray, and Billy forces Tommy to go to the Command Center. Because Tommy is useless.

Anyway, the monster grows, they summon the thunderzord, you know the drill.

Back at the Youth Center, we are reminded that Tommy's powers are failing. Bulk and Skull show up with their tape, which apparently they haven't bothered to watch themselves yet. Zack and Billy manage to switch the tapes, so when it goes on, they actually show a cartoon. Everyone laughs, and the Rangers mutter that this was a close one.

Fish: Two. Nothing really jumped out at us.

Questions: Why is this monster's weakness vanity? What does that have to do with an octopus?

Fic people should write us: Who would win in a fight? Captain Planet vs Lord Zedd
What would happen if Bulk and Skull had managed to expose the Rangers' identities?