Episode 86- Zedd Waves

Oh man I love this episode. The monster, thematically, makes no sense. But he's just so great that I don't care!

So we start off with a LOVELY shot. It's the Stone Canyon Triathlon happening in what looks like Angel Grove Park. So either they share the park on their borders or Stone Canyon doesn't have a park of it's own. Or it's a plot device. I'm leaning towards fishy plot device. Anyway, back to the awesome scene. So it's the Stone Canyon Triathlon. And of course our SCT (Stone Canyon Trio) are taking place in the SCT (Stone Canyon Triathlon). And first up is the swimming portion. So our lovely lads and lady peel off their shirts and we ogle appreciatively.

It took us awhile to notice the storyline here. Ahem. Apparently at some point they talked about the peace conference and how only really smart kids get to go. They think Billy is a shoe in but don't know what they'll do with one ranger down.

So Bulk and Skull are sitting in a boat on the middle of the lake and using some energy reader thing to detect the energy readings of the athletes. Bulk's hypothesis is Power Rangers will emit more energy than regular humans, so his device should pick them up. Not sound logic, there, Bulk, but you're adorably excited about it so I'll let it slide. Skull, meanwhile, is fishing. He's caught something big, he thinks, and Bulk ends up distracted from his energy readings by the potential of a whale. They both fail at bringing in anything and end up in the water. Meanwhile, Zedd steals Bulk's energy reading device and Skull's fishing pole. Upon resurfacing, Bulk comments on the missing pole and notes that Skull's dad is going to kill him... again. Skull apparently would rather drown himself than face his father so he slips below the surface. And now I just want to bring him to my home and give him cookies and take care of him forever. Poor Skull.

So Zedd turns the energy device into a kind of radio mind control monster. It has nothing to do with reading energy waves nor does it use a fishing pole in any way. A radio would have made more sense, but whatever. He's an awesome monster that speaks as if he's a dj at a radio station, so I'm all for him in this (or any) episode.

He mind controls everybody at the park. Zordon calls for Jason, Trini, and Zack who have just come out of the ocean after scuba diving in footage that is clearly old (and from the Billy is afraid of fish episode, I should point out). Meanwhile, the ranger trio are being attacked by some putties. Rocky, Adam, and Aisha see their distress and immediately abandon the Triathlon (they're on the cycling portion at this point) in order to offer assistance. It puts them way behind, but it's worth it. While the Ranger Trio are fighting alongside the Stone Canyon Trio, the Not On The Payroll Anymore Trio fight the Beamcaster. They are quickly put under his spell and Goldar, on the moon, is giddy with delight at the thought of Jason calling him Master.

The Stone Canyon Trio, after the awesomely synchronized putty fight (synched on the part of the putties, that is), rejoin the race. The Ranger Trio head to the Command Center where Zordon fills them in on the already brainwashed Unemployed Rangers Trio. Tommy is all worried about Jason and Zack but Billy jumps in and pretty forcefully yells "TRINI!" And my little heart goes all aflutter at pretty much the last hint at my OTP.

In the park Bulk and Skull come across a large group of mindless people. They are stumbling around chanting "Lord Zedd" but not really being very productive in... anything. Bulk is then turned by the mind control waves, but Skull is unaffected. He takes a second hit and succumbs but he's all failbot at it and chants "Lord Fred" (Kelman? The Gold Ranger? Nah). So our Ranger Trio find some device of Billy's they can use to block the mind control. They morph (out of order, oddly) and then end up surrounded by the citizens. Billy drops his device and people start stepping on it. Instead of pushing them out of the way, because they aren't DOING anything really, he just lets them destroy it. Then Beamcaster turns his waves on THEM. Billy and Kim succumb to the mind control and suddenly we are faced with an entire team of Zombie Rangers. Tommy is the lone holdout.

He fights Beamcaster and the fakest looking apple that turns out to be a bomb, but even he gets brainwashed. And seriously, I would have pegged him as first to go! After all, when voting for Most Likely to Be Placed Under a Spell, Tommy gets my vote hands down. So our Stone Canyon Trio finally come upon this scene and discover the device. Which Rocky picks up. This draws the attention of the citizens who are now intent on... slowly walking towards them with outstretched arms. The Stone Canyon Trio look on in horror and fear. And then they are promptly teleported out in the first real Zordon win of the season.

Aisha say she can fix the device because she worked at a radio station over the summer. She never mentions this again nor does she ever show her techie talent in any other episode. That job eventually falls to Adam. She fixes it and she and Rocky stand in front of the viewing globe and direct a beam of energy at it. It somehow goes through the viewing globe and breaks the mind control of everybody in the park. I don't know how. It really doesn't work like that. Anyway. The Rangers teleport to the Command Center and thank the SCT. Rocky puts on his HILARIOUS Serious Face and hands the device to Billy. I don't know entirely what happened next because I was too busy laughing at the Serious Face.

Anyway, the Rangers pull out random power weapons and beat Beamcaster.

Bulk and Skull are free and adorable and determined to find out who the Power Rangers are.

The Stone Canyon Trio comes in last in the triathlon. The Ranger Trio, sans the Unemployed Trio, apologize for making them lose and Aisha, while groping Rocky's arm, says it's okay... FINISHING is what's important. Heeee. Meanwhile Adam just stands around being adorable.

List time:
3.5 fish, mostly for thematically inappropriate (yet still awesome!) monster.

Billy speak: none

Covered in food: none, but Bulk and Skull fell in the lake