Episode 318 - Blue to the Test

So. We took a bit of a long break there. Neither of us were in a terribly good place and something had to fall, so this community was it. But we're doing (mostly) better now and so we're back! We thank those of you who stuck with us through this and we hope to maintain a more regular schedule again. So we're back on the space colony. Kai is working diligently, plotting courses and making plans and just being a badass. The commander is trying to get Kai to think for himself, to teach him and help him grow as a person, so he gets Kai to admit that changing course now would be more beneficial than waiting. He'd adorably overcautious and I applaud his forethought. Kai is so smart. Meanwhile, Trakeena can't understand her own science nerd, but she listens to him anyway. She's going to plot to get the Rangers to burn up in a star. She's cool like that. We get to see the Commander's daughter again (yay continuity! Although the actress looks like my sister-in-law so it's a little weird at the same time) and she's drawing a picture of her father. It's cute and sweet and he is appropriately impressed. And then there's a monster attack! Because Tiny Children must be put in sort-of danger in this show. The Commander hides his daughter and rushes out to start getting people out of the way. He gets shot with an arrow and won't wake up while his Tiny Child cries for him and awwww my heart just cracked a little there. The rangers rush in to help and Tiny Child still cries for her Daddy and completely ignores them. Because she's a good little girl. Her father wakes up but is clearly not himself. Instead of suggesting he go to the med bay to get checked out, they just walk away. He throws his little girl off and then steps on the picture she drew. She is very sad. Poor Tiny Child. Back at the Command Center, Kai is ordered to shut down engines "to conserve power" and he starts to argue, but the Commander tells him not to think and to just follow orders. Kai shuts down the engines but he clearly knows something is wrong, to the point that he burns dinner later (and tries really hard not to say "shit" and says "shoot" instead). Leo asks if something is bothering him, he admits there is, and Damon is all "Well worry about it later. I need to eat, bro." Mostly we just want an entire show of Cooking with the Rangers. Back at the Command Center, Kai is told to plot in a course that will send them straight into the star. The Commander plays it off as gravity giving them speed and Kai stands up to him. He knows his science and actually refuses a direct order, because it will save the ship and everybody aboard. He is then suspended from duty. And some random guy changes the course that Kai wouldn't change. Why does nobody else stop and say "Hey wait, let's just check his math, mkay?" Seriously people, trust your Blue Rangers. They are (usually) the smartest. Kai FINALLY figures out that the Commander is probably possessed and decides to follow him around. TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH, GUYS. Seriously. Kai sees him talking to a monster and just confronts them without calling for backup or anything. Kai is a terrible spy. But we get an unmorphed fight and it's great! Mind, Leo and the others have to step in to save his ass, but that's okay. Kai runs off to stop the Commander and the others stall the monster for him. Kai stands up to him and it's GREAT, though he really ought to explain plans to his team first. I suppose he didn't really have time this time? Still, would be a good lesson to learn. Kai has an awesome unmorphed fight with the Commander and I would approve of nearly an entire episode like this. Kai is such a badass. Mind, the Commander is kicking his ass, so we have to wonder if he got enhanced skills due to the spell? Or maybe he's just that good with his military training. The rangers all get together to fight the monster and they call out all the toys and it's kind of boring. But there is archery, which is cool. Even if it's plastic and fake. They win. Of course. We'd expect nothing less. Big fight over, Kai and Mike rush to check on the Commander. Spell broken, he's himself again and can't remember a darn thing he just did. Kai gets him back to Command and they're able to stop the ship from plummeting into the red giant star. Kai takes his position back and they change course at the last minute, just breaking free of the gravitational pull. Kai is playing with Tiny Commander Spawn and she rushes to her father when he pulls up. He's sad he ruined her picture so asks her to draw him another one. Then he gives Kai a present! Because Kai saved the day and was willing to disobey orders to do it. So he gets a new uniform and put in charge while the Commander takes the day off. Hahaha, not so sure how that's a present, but he seems proud and happy, so it's all good. Everybody waits for his command and then applauds him and he still gets to be in command, because he is AMAZING. 3.5 fish. Not too bad, but really it shouldn't have taken them THAT long to figure out something was wrong. And somebody, somewhere, should have changed course before the ship got that close to the star, especially after the Commander left.