A Samurai Surprise, that’s pretty much what this episode offered us. I was very weary about putting so much hope in an Alex Heartman cameo because I didn’t want to be disappointed when he didn’t appear! Luckily for all of us, Jayden made an appearance!
Sadly, what took the attention of the viewers in our fandom was the random appearances of two also random Super Sentai suits!
Let’s take a look at some of my favorite moments, some not so much and the parts that made this episode great!
Prince Vekar, I’ve said this many times before but this episode shows off how much more sassy Prince Vekar can become!
This was one of the aspects of Walz Gil I loved so much and from the Power Rangers counterpart has done is very good!
The scenes in this episode where Vekar gets hurt and makes a huge fuss has made me love him even more!
I am glad to see that kind of comedy in this show!
Meeting Mentor Ji, I was definitely not expecting a cameo from Mentor Ji in this episode at all!
Like I said, I was very weary of whether or not Jayden would show up. So, when Mentor popped up with a scene similar to Samurai, I was very happy! It was fantastic seeing Mentor again and to see how Noah fanboys over the mentor of the Samurai Rangers; I loved how Jake had no idea who this person was but was obsessed with the bike HAHA.
The Mighty Morphin’ Powers, along with the rest of the fandom I was sooooo happy to finally see the Mighty Morphin’ suits to make an appearance and maybe even an impression on the younger viewers. Sadly, this was not the case. While the footage is fabulous and beautifully choreographed; I am aghast at the idea that the producers chose a fight where the Mighty Morphin’ powers get totally owned and saved by the Samurai powers. It just made them look a little weak in my eyes. I guess the bootleg version isn’t cutting it.
What a punch in the face to Nostalgic viewers eh? But, let’s give them props for having the Rangers use the names of the weapons. Well, except Troy.
The Lost Galaxy Powers, everything with this mode went well except they too were beaten.
The Rangers utilized their Quasar Sabers, Trans-Daggers, Yellow gets a skirt and the Morphin Call was used!
“Go Galactic!” Love it!
Jayden’s Return, the scene in the Brain Freeze when the Rangers first meet Jayden is one of the best scenes in this season.
It was great to finally see two teams of Rangers ACTUALLY interact for real.
I hope I wasn’t the only one a little creeped out by Jayden’s break of the fourth wall, those were some insane eyes!
Either way, I was so very happy to see Alex Heartman return! This is what tribute seasons should be.
Rainbow Changes, THIS was the best EVER! Probably one of the things I most look forward to is the multiple Ranger Changes!
My favorites were Jake as Zeo Green, Emma as Time Force Pink (which is the most epic Christina Masterson has ever sounded) and Gia as In Space Yellow!
Regarding Emma as Time Force Pink, the scene was epic and the voice acting was perfect from Christina Masterson. We need to see more of this kind of passion from her during her ADR sessions!
I was sooo happy to finally see Zeo & In Space represented here for the first time!
I want to see more of these multiple changes as the season goes on, it really kept the action going!
The Sentai Suits, I can’t decide where to go with telling you my opinion. So, I am going to tell you why I am a little mad and why I am a little happy about these suits.
Why I’m Mad: How can they introduce two brand new suits we have never seen before and then expect us to just take it? Why can’t there be even the tiniest bit of explanation? Even when the Dairanger suits didn’t get explanation at least Gosei attempted to explain. Now we just get two female suits from two unknown teams that we may or may never see again…
I mean, if it is left up til later in the season where we finally get an explanation for these suits such as the planets they come from, or SOMETHING. However, in a Tribute season that only has 20 episodes to pay homage to 21 seasons of Power Rangers, why do we need Non-PR suits taking time away from the used suits?
Why I’m Happy; It is rather interesting as a Sentai viewer to see suits previously unused in Power Rangers. It could be interesting in expanding our universe. I wish that these would be explained so that we can welcome them into the Universe and not the way they are being treated now.
Either this was a fantastic idea by the editors or the Editors are too damn lazy to edit the footage….
You Decide.
Legendary Samurai Mode, was a new morph we hadn’t seen because it was more of a Shinkenger motif.
I am shocked and appalled that the “Rangers Together, Samurai Forever” theme was not included in this change.
IT WAS LAST SEASON!
I can’t really review this without making you roll your eyes.
Noah uses the Double Disk, after Jayden gives the Rangers the Disk it was used by both Troy in Legendary Samurai Mode with the Fire Smasher and Noah with the Hydro Bow. But, this was what I am confused about: Although the battle footage was epic, I was still a little confused why it was necessary for Noah to use the disc! Oh well.
Monster of the Day, Matacore: I was very impressed by Matacore’s entrance not only on the Armada but on Earth as well. He made mince meat of the Mighty Morphin’ Powers and Lost Galaxy Powers! Out of all the Generals that have faced the Rangers so far, Matacore proved to give the Rangers a run for their money. EVEN in their new powers!
Legendary Samurai Megazord, I couldn’t wait for this combination to appear on the show! I love that this Megazord combines the powers of the Super Megaforce, the Samurai and the Wild Force Rangers!
Jayden and Ji, this was an awesome scene at the end of the show!
Seeing Jayden, Alex Heartman, return made me realize just how much I’ve missed him in the short time he’s been gone!
I loved their joking about Mia’s cooking for those Samurai watchers out there!
Final Thoughts
I loved this episode and it proves that the best of these episodes are going to be the episodes where former Rangers are featured. I am beginning to understand the order in which Rangers have appeared. Jayden and Casey are from fairly recent Power Rangers Series and several of the watchers would remember who they were. The fandom watchers who remember the older seasons will get their cameos at the very end! It tends to make a little more sense now.
I wish I could make sense out of the Sentai suits being used…Most of the time I attempt to turn my brain off so I don’t notice such things but it is really bothering me when these suits are used and not explained! It’s rather frustrating!
Seeing Jayden and Ji in this episode FINALLY made this season feel as if it was celebrating Power Rangers, but on a last note, let me leave you with this:
Even Power Rangers Samurai’s tribute did not have Power Rangers Samurai’s theme.
Think about that.
Scores:
Story: 9/10
Action: 10/10
Monsters: 10/10
All Together: 9/10
