Episode 333 - Hexuba's Graveyard

Good morning, recapees! I am not entirely awake during this recap (I may have spent the previous one repeatedly saying Scorpina instead of Trakeena, but then again, Scorpina is my favorite.) ANYWAY. I am back from Morphicon, and at some point I will actually get my act together and post a con report here. (And maybe we'll do a DVD review at some point, since I purchased the shiny box set. Along with the VR Troopers box set. And a lot of toys. Morphicon was really expensive, okay?)

Speaking of things being posted, there won't be any recaps next week, because it's DragonCon weekend! There's a Power Rangers panel this year, so if you're going to DragonCon, hopefully I'll see you Saturday at 7!

So, we open up on Mutiny going to see Hexuba, who is in a graveyard somewhere, planning a spell to cast on the Rangers. I wonder if she's hung out with Rita before? Is this where Rita got the spell to turn Tommy evil? Did they go to evil Hogwarts?

Hexuba tells Mutiny she has a plan (that somehow involves gopher's guts, IDEK) that releases a bunch of old villains and send s them to Terra Venture. They immediately come upon jogging!Leo, who is very pretty and has really nice arms. Leo is like "wtf, I beat you already" and the monster attacks him.

Leo fights the monster (unmorphed) when the other Rangers show up. Kai helps Leo up, and everyone is like "wait, didn't we beat him already?" and then Leo breaks the fourth wall about it being his last appearance. Leo is also able to beat the monster on his own.

Leo explains that the monster appeared right after a colored streak of light went by, and Karone is like "you mean like that one?" So they follow the light and see ANOTHER monster that they've already defeated. Oh god, this episode is going to be all fighting, all the time, isn't it? DOOOM.

Mike lets them know there's another attack, so the Rangers summon some more weapons and blow up the monster. (We're trying to figure out if they've used those particular toys before. We don't think so, but then again, our recaps tend to include the phrase "and then they pull out some new toys and fight with them.") They go and fight the monster in the city dome, and then Mike shows up and is like "two more monsters."

Kai points out that they can't do this forever, and he has a plan. Leo is like "too dangerous!" but Kai is all "going to the source to stop them, k, bye!" There's some more fighting.

Kai makes his way to the space castle surrounded by space lightning, while back on Terra Venture the ghost of Treacheron threatens Mike, who chases after him. The Rangers are starting to get tired, and they have to split up to fight all the monsters. (And I'm sorry, Mutiny's mooks are so horrible looking. The putties are so much better.)

Kai sees Hexuba cast another spell, and he starts fighting her. We switch back to the Mike vs Treacheron fight, which ends really quickly. I guess Hexuba couldn't bring them back at full power. Leo and Mike fight another monster, while Damon and Karone take on another.

Have I mentioned how little I care about fighting unless there's some character development in it?

Kai tries to stop Hexuba from releasing another monster, but she binds him in magical rope. He manages to escape her and then destroys her crystal ball, which causes her magic castle to blow up.

Back on Terra Venture, the Rangers keep destroying monsters, and they're all exhausted. Just as they're losing, Kai shows up to save the day, because he is great! He blows up the monster, and then Hexuba shows up. Kai chases after her, and everyone else is like "wtf is going on?" But they follow him anyway!

Hexuba uses the combines powers of all the monsters, but the Rangers use the fish of Orion. That has no effect. So Leo summons his fugly battlizer. And I guess transformation is a free action, because while he's powering up, Hexuba just stands there. He shoots her, and then she grows, so they summon the zords.

The Zords don't seem to be doing very well, so they summon even MORE toys. And look, if you want to have this battle mean something, you need to introduce this villain WAY EARLIER IN THE SEASON.

They finally blow her up or whatever.

Back on the ship, the Commander goes to find Mike and Kai and takes them to see the woman in charge of the station. It turns out that the fuel reserves have been tainted, and the systems will start to shut down in 2 more days.

WORST CREW EVER. HOW DID THEY NOT FIGURE THIS OUT BEFORE NOW?

Dramatic reveals, you are DOING IT WRONG.

Fish: 4. Too much fighting, not enough characterization, and massively failing on dramatic reveals.

Episode 328 - Enter the Lost Galaxy

Oh hey! The show FINALLY remembered it's title! We start off with some guys wearing glasses, clearly meant to be scientist/geeks, analyzing a bit of the book. They translate some text and start chanting, but it sparks some blue energy that wipes out ALL power in the entire colony. ALL OF IT. You'd think once they realized they were causing the pretty blue sparks with the chanting, they'd STOP SAYING IT. But no, they had to cut off power instead. Mike says they're replacing transformers as fast as they possibly can and OH SHOW! OH SHOW! Space travel does NOT work like that. At one of the sites of the transformer, an ancient dude wakes up from a cave. He morphs into one of the power workers and manages to pull a yellow hard hat out of his ass (not literally, but it came out of NOWHERE and he just nonchalantly puts it on his head). The Head Honchos are discussing Plans. Ancient Shapeshifter Guy is wandering around and nobody questions why he's poking in the science area and not out fixing transformers (oh show... transformers... really?). He goes to take the book, but Kai and the Space Colony Police stop him. Worst. Security. EVER. Seriously. They take him to the Head Honchos instead of straight to a holding cell and I have NO IDEA why. Because they are clearly vying for that golden Worst Security award, I guess. They eventually take him to a holding cell and he tells Kai that he needs help to recover the book, because it doesn't belong. Kai is all "Uh, dude? Really?" and the guys is all "Cause you're the blue ranger, duh". Apparently the guards standing RIGHT THERE didn't hear. Whatever. Clearly they had their training in Angel Grove. Kai learns it is his destiny to help return the Galaxy Book to where it belongs and he takes that information to the other rangers. They think it's a Trakeena plot. Kai believes him. Especially when he takes him breakfast and finds him sweating thick blue... something. Question. Why is NOBODY wondering where this guy came from? How did this ancient guy get awoken from a long hibernation ON A NEWLY BUILT SPACE COLONY????? Clearly I am throwing too much logic into this. Kai leaves with the guy in R.A.L.F.. The guy gives him some protection trinket things and runs away. Kai STEALS THE FREAKING BOOK AND NOBODY NOTICES. This really is the worst security ever. Geez. And of course, Kai gets attacked. Because Deviot knows everything? Or something. But it's okay! Because Ancient Guy gives Deviot an intense smack down. Except he really can't live long outside of his galaxy/book/wherever the heck he came from, and dies in Kai's arms. The job of guarding the book has now passed to Kai. And he fails in his first two seconds, because Deviot has the book and starts calling forth all manner of dark things. His plan is to lose the galaxy? Except there is already a lost galaxy so... is this a second galaxy he wants to lose? Can you really lose two galaxies? Or is he trying to make sure the first lost galaxy stays lost? And how does one even go about losing a galaxy in the first place? It's not like your car keys or spare change or that darned coupon that you know is about to expire and you want to use but can't remember where you put it. It's a freaking GALAXY. And can it really be lost if there is both a book giving directions to said galaxy (and people know where this book is) AND there are people living in this galaxy? I mean, clearly it's not lost to THEM. They know right where they are. Anyway Deviot is now really powerful and strong and looks kind of creepy and Predator like. There is a boring fight where the rangers basically get their asses handed to them, even with all the shiny toys. And I really don't care about the fight, okay? They do manage to take him out in the end, but the book is going all kinds of crazy with the wind and the blue lightning and it's kind of weird. When it all dies down, the book is intact, but there are black scorch marks all over the ground. Kai picks it up and starts to read it but had to be pulled away by Leo. He hears voices. They start to take the book back, when they are suddenly surrounded by space and galaxies they don't know and nobody knows what's going on. So Kai recites a poem. Because he knows where they are, now that he has all that super book knowledge. They're in the lost galaxy. Oh hey look! The lost galaxy! Guess it isn't lost anymore! Or is it? Can they still call it lost if they are there? Existential questions of life, brought to you by Power Rangers. 5 fish. OMG SO MANY FISH. How did the guy get on Terra Venture? How did the guards not hear that Kai is the blue ranger? How did nobody see Kai steal the book? Why continue chanting when it's clearly blowing out your power? WHY DOES A SPACESHIP RUN ON TRANSFORMERS? THE FISH, YOU GUYS, I COULD NOT SEE MOST OF THIS EPISODE BECAUSE THE FISH JUST KEPT GETTING IN THE WAY.

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.

Episode 312- The Lost Galactabeasts Part 1

Uh... lost galactabeasts? Just the name of this episode sets me on edge for the quality of episode I'm about to see.

So we start out with a tugboat tugging a ship while both hover just above the ground. Okay? I can't tell anything about it. Then there is some bad guy stuff that is boring. Something about fearsome zords and promotions and I don't particularly care.

Then this show remembers that it's supposed to be a scientific mission! The scientists are examining the book Leo brought back from the derelict ship from the best episode ever. Kendrix sees what she thinks are Galactabeasts and then Maya is talking to the actual beasts. Damon is trying to fix Kai's borken car and Kai is frustrated because he has dinner on. Luckily Damon is SUPER AWESOME and fixed the car. He tries to be all "SEE HOW AWESOME I AM?" but Kai is in too much of a hurry to listen. Poor Damon. I would listen to your techno-mechanical babble!

Then there is a fight with wants-to-be-promoted-villain. It is boring and interrupted their bickering, so I am less than pleased. But then there are injuries! And kidnapping! This suddenly got WAY better. The boys wake up with collars and wrist shackles on some desolate planet. The collars are electronic and cause lots of pain and force them to fight each other. It's GREAT. Of course, the fighting is only to power Deviot's evil zords, but whatever. They are forced to attempt to kill each other and neither wants to. I really like this plot.

Kendrix is totally working late trying to figure this thing out with the torn page and the Galactabeasts (and she has NO IDEA how to handle old books). She is definitely a scientist because she won't stop until she figures it out. I really appreciate that this show made a FEMALE scientist! She is so awesome. She does find a piece of the page and has probably solved the puzzle, but she hides it from Maya when Maya comes in all "Do you KNOW what time it is?" because Maya luffs her.

Maya knows about the other three beasts. Because she is conveniently psychic. Leo then comes home to what he says smells great, except then he realizes dinner is burnt. Shouldn't that mean it smells bad? I've never had burnt, ruined food smell GOOD before. It takes them awhile to realize Kai has gone missing, and Damon as well.

Back on the planet, that looks suspiciously like Saturn when they show the orbit shot but is covered in rocks on the ground shots (NO NO NO NOT HOW IT WORKS), Damon and Kai are trying really hard to NOT hurt each other. Damon almost has the upper hand but he manages to throw his sword into the device controlling the collars. They tear them off dramatically and run away. Luckily Leo and the others figured things out in time, because Damon and Kai are exhausted from all the trying-not-to-kill-each-other they were forced to do.

The show then remembers Mike exists and we get really bad footage of him as the Magna Defender (not nearly dramatic enough for my liking) joining the fight. Then they get Shiny Toys of Orion and go after Wants a Promotion guy. The fight gives him the energy he needs and he calls forth his evil zords. They look halfway decent! Then the fug zords are called out and fight. Mike suffers Tommy Syndrome and grows three sizes that day. He joins with Torozord and then everything shuts down and the Megazord won't fight the evil zords. There are lots of men wearing plastic suits hitting each other and falling down a lot. Deviot laughs deviously and says the rangers are helpless as kittens in a tree which... dude doesn't know cats. Kittens in a tree? Not helpless. Terrified and likely to claw the shit out of you when you try to get them down? Yes. That is not helpless, though.

The zords leave and Deviot goes back and says "There was my super special resume. See, I'm a badass. I get to be second in command now, right?"

Back in the labs, Kendrix and Kai are being all sciency. Kai is failing at translating, but Kendrix is determined. Then we get a To Be Continued.

2.5 fish. Surprisingly low for a Lost Galaxy episode!

Episode 301- The Blue Crush

It's a Kai episode! I really like Kai.

And he gets a special assignment! Because he's awesome! Basically he gets handed the Commander's daughter and told to take her skating. Because the Commander is a jerk who can't be bothered to spend quality time with his own daughter. Crap dad.

But it means we get Kai with Tiny Child! First Damon with Tiny Child and now Kai? The only thing that would make this better would be if The Doctor showed up and held a baby. Kai is not very steady on skates. Tiny Child is pretty good. He even gets video of her being pretty good. DAWWWWWW.

Trakena wants a social life. I can't blame her. I wouldn't want to be stuck inside a big flying bug ship for eternity either. How boring. They are still looking for the Fish of Orion. Somehow it is buried in the soil of the ship. I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO THIS NOW.

So back to Tiny Child and Kai. Kai spies a pretty lady with the camera. He focuses more on her than Tiny Child and is adorably awkward on skates. He kind of fails at this babysitting thing. Plus I'm totally not buying the crush-on-a-girl thing. But he's cute, so I'll forgive it. He gets distracted by his communicator and goes over a wall. It's also cute! He has to ask Pretty Lady to watch Jody, since he has super secret ranger things to do.

There is bug/ranger fighting and it's boring. I really just want to get back to Awkward Kai and Tiny Child at the skating rink. Bug Monster Thing put stuff in the soil and then ran away. Kai rushes back to the skating rink, not paying attention to the soil. He then LIES to Jody and ignores her while watching the girl and enters ballet dream sequence. Really? BALLET DREAM SEQUENCE, KAI?. Kai, you FAIL.

Later, Jody hangs out with the other rangers to watch her video. Everyone is excited and complimentary until Kai starts filming the pretty girl and ignoring Jody. Poor Jody. He then makes really bad pancakes. Everybody knows it's because of the girl. Kai is totally letting down his Inappropriately Young Friend. Bad Kai, no cookie. The Commander comes to pick up Jody and again, worst father ever.

Kendrix tells Kai all about Hannah, the girl, and then dashes all hope by telling him it's a big colony and he'll never see her again. Really? It's not that big. And then he totally sees her and makes a jackass of himself with mustard and a water fountain. She thinks it's cute though. She doesn't know he's got a boyfriend already, poor thing.

Meanwhile, Big Bad calls forth the things that got put in the soil earlier. It causes earthquakes. EARTHQUAKES. ON A SPACE STATION. *sigh* Rangers attack. Stingwingers attack. It's boring. Kai is totally dragging Hannah away when she sees a guy in a car and starts screaming for him, then explains something about the wedding and a dress, and Kai goes to rescue the guy. And he manages to save the dress. Because he's Kai and he's a badass, even in the face of exploding cars and impending heartache. OH HIS LITTLE FACE WHEN HE HANDS HER THE DRESS. DEAR G-D IN HEAVEN ARCHIE KAO JUST BROKE MY HEART WITH THAT EXPRESSION. I just want to bake him cookies, pet his hair, and tell him everything will be okay.

Then he goes and does Badass things to the bad guy. Because Kai is super awesome. They totally win because of him. Because he's Kai. Big Bad Bug Guy isn't happy and his henchman escapes, because Big Bad Bug Guy was totally about to blow him up. Henchman finds the Fish of Orion.

On the ship, Kai has a sad and won't eat. Damon is upset because Kai is the only one who can cook. Damon is full of hilarious quips and DAMON I LOVE YOU MORE AND MORE WITH EACH PASSING EPISODE. Inappropriately Young Friend Jody knows Kai has a sad and brings him a present from Hannah. Because she is Tiny and Adorable. Kai discovers Hannah was a beautiful bridesmaid at her sister's wedding and Kai is no longer sad, because he has cake! DAW.

4.5 fish. Kai having a sad is the only thing keeping it from being 5 fish, and that's only because Archie Kao is great at the facial expressions.

Episode 297 - Rookie in Red

So, I ship Leo/Kai a lot, have I mentioned that? Because while I stand by my "this series is pretty much an OT5 where Maya teaches them about polyamory" comments, I really ship Leo/Kai. They have an amazing dynamic.

So I am very pleased about recapping this episode, in case you couldn't tell.

So Leo is narrating the events of earlier episodes (um, this is only episode four. Really? Flashbacks ALREADY?) and i would like this sequence a lot better if he was unmorphed. But Leo has a ton of angst about his dead brother, which I approve of, and then he tosses his saber. I just. This is the sort of angst I love. Andros = not my type. Leo = TOTALLY IS.

So Furio shows up and attacks Leo and is all taunting him, and Leo AGAIN drops his sword. He is really bad at this. Of course, they then get interrupted when there's some random noise in the background, and Leo has more angst about not letting Mike down.

Trakeena is being her badass self and mocking Furio for being a failure, when her father demands to know what's up with him. She covers for Furio who goes off to have another plan, and says he knows her. Furio meets up with some other monster guy who has something called the transdaggers, that are apparently powerful.

Back on Terra Venture, the Commander introduces Leo as a new recruit, and um, how are they explaining Leo being there? How are we explaining Mike being dead? But anyway, Leo apparently scored really highly on the test, but he is an adorable failbot while Kai is all "rules and regulations" and "this is how you do it by the book" and basically being super adorable while Leo is constantly getting Kai in trouble by eating in command and then forgetting to lock the doors and basically being a failbot.

Kai is all flipping out about how Leo has no disciplined, but Kendrix is like "dude, you like him, and also you're jealous of how awesome he is" but Kai denies it.

It starts to pour and it turns out that Leo had just decided that it would be fun to make it rain. They find out about the security breach because of Leo being a failbot, and Kai is totally pissed, because all the weapons have been stolen. Kai is correct in that this is all Leo's fault, although Kai, if you are training him, you should also check up on him. (I am firmly on Team Kai in this fight, although I feel they should solve their issues by making out.)

Leo runs out to try and solve the problem himself, while Kai gets the others for backup. Kai is all "no no, I will handle it" and the Rangers all pose dramatically before running in to fight. The five of them pull their sabers and the monster manages to steal four of them. Only Leo has his, and since the monster can't pull the saber out of his hands, it just takes Leo as well.

In the quarters that the five of them apparently share, Kai is being the EMOEST EMO and I love him so much. Seriously, it is so over the top and AMAZING. He heads off to try and find Leo and the others follow him.

Somewhere on the ship, Furio is trying to destroy the sabers now while Leo is all tied up. I approve of THAT. The saber apparently lets Leo go somehow because some fish guided it perfectly and Leo escapes with all the sabers. He runs into the monster and manages to lose the sabers AGAIN (seriously, how is he so bad at this?) and Furio dumps them into the lava, apparently destroying them, along with the transdaggers.

Except. Apparently Leo switched the sabers with some fakes. Also, they apparently knew all about the transdaggers and that was a plot to find out about those too? But anyway, now they have the sabers and the daggers and the daggers can turn into other cool weapons or whatever.

They show off the new weapons and the sabers some more and then combine the daggers into a formation to make them shoot stars at the monster. The monster grows and the fugly lion is summoned (and I'm still not really sure how it's hidden on a space ship, and we'll probably point that out at least a few more times) and then the lion destroys it.

Leo finds out that Kai said nice things about him in his review, but Leo quits because a) he thinks Kai is the best and b) because he's bad at keeping a schedule. So many points to Leo for knowing what his strengths are and bowing out before he gets in way too far, although now I'm not really sure what he's contributing to the colony, and seriously, how are they explaining him being there?

Kai apologizes to Leo for being too hard on him, and Leo apologizes for being too hard to train, and the Kai mocks him for being impossible. Leo smirks and is all "bet you I'll never be late for duty again" which Kai eagerly accepts, before finding out that Leo just resigned.

Then they make out.

Fish: Four. We... may have to revise the fish scale, because I remember this season being COMPLETELY INSANE.

Fic we want: Leo/Kai. Just assume that I am requesting that in every recap, okay? Also, if someone wants to write something explaining how they explained Leo being on the ship, or how the fugly zord is buried in the ship, go right ahead.