While Dino Super Charge has ended on an emotional note it still left the echoing song of “Confusion Confusion Confusion” playing in my head. That’s right, I was left scratching my head at the end of the episode for more than one reason. While it seems that certain things were tied up into nice little packages, the packages were either rushed or left completely confused in continuity with the episode. This episode seemed to be all over the place from having moments of epic-ness to moments of just plain confusing silliness that made no real sense.
Did this Finale live up to the entire season? Did it live up to other seasons? Let’s take a look back at some of the moments that I loved and some that left me singing “Crash and the Creeps”
Sledge’s Plan: Sledge’s plan was an interesting one. Not only were the Greenzilla eggs left to hatch the monsters from them, but they were also left to grow and attach tethers to the Earth! Sledge’s plan is to pull the Earth out of orbit and sell it off for scraps to Kamen 5. Interesting name eh? Sledge begins his plan and attaches the ship to the tethers and begins to pull the planet out of orbit hoping to freeze the Rangers out!
The Plan to Destroy the Dark Energem: Riley mentions to Keeper that it must be a large amount of light that is needed to destroy the Dark Energem. The Rangers formulate a plan to launch a satellite into orbit around the Earth and enlist the help of everyone around the Earth for help with millions of mirrors. As time ticks down the people of Earth shine their mirrors (we even get a glimpse of some former guest stars such as Ivan’s Descendant Zach, Shelby’s Father, Riley’s brother Matt & Kaylee!). Thousands of rays of light shoot out from the planet and onto the Dark Energem and a large blast of purple light emits and successfully destroys the Dark Energem!
I found this plot point to be rather clever and quite the site to see especially with all the guest stars returning!
Consequences of the Destruction of the Dark Energem: Unfortunately for the Rangers and for the story-line, this is where it goes a bit south. There are consequences for destroying the Dark Energem in deep space as it creates a black hole that not only swallows up Sledge and his ship but it also swallows up the entire Planet Earth, that Heckyl laments is just like Sentai 6.
The Ultimate Power of the Energems: Keeper reveals that now that the Dark Energem has been destroyed they can now use the Ultimate power of the Energems. The Rangers throw their Energems into space which creates a new portal that will allow them to go back in time. Luckily for them as they pass through the time portal in their Zords it takes them back to the exact time period where Keeper lands with the Energems! (Remember? From the first episode?)
Shelby and the others arrive and are amazed to find all of the Dinosaurs roaming free!
This is where it gets massively confusing, Timeline wise. The Rangers, Keeper, Sledge and his minions from our time pass through the wormhole and portal into the past, right? Yet, the only Keeper that is around during the entire final scenes of this episode is the Keeper from millions of years ago. There’s no mention of the Sledge, Keeper or others from our time; we are just to assume that all of the characters, besides the Rangers, are all the people from the past and not from our current timeline. Which to me makes ZERO sense. If we are to believe this is the past, or even an alternate dimension there should be two versions of each character, besides the Rangers because they were not born yet. See? CONFUSING!
*Editors Note: Upon closer examination, I can also say that it is possible that the wormhole did not take the villains or Keeper into the past as the Rangers had. Then when the Rangers changed the past, the Earth was saved completely and was never sent into the wormhole to begin with. So that indeed makes a whole lot more sense. However, that is still massively confusing for the viewer, at least in my view.
The End of Sledge and the Villains: Sledge and Fury, who are on the ship with the other villains (as their past selves; aka Sledge is not married to Poisandra) notice that the Rangers are on Earth and go to investigate. Of course they all end up in a battle against Ivan, Shelby, Koda, Riley & Chase. Fury, after fighting Ivan who knows all of his moves, thinks he’s found the case with the remaining Energems inside. But it’s not, IT’S A BOMB! Sledge dodges it, but Fury is no more! I did enjoy that little throwback!
Meanwhile Kendall, Zenowing, James, Phillip and Heckyl storm the villain’s ship as Sledge calls for the Magna Beam! Tyler joins the others down on the ground just before Sledge grows! Heckyl fiddles with the controls and snares Sledge in a tether that ties him to the ship. Heckyl and Kendall set the ship on a collision course with the sun and evacuate!
Sledge vows revenge but the ship sinks into the sun’s rays and completely explodes!
Goodbye to the Rangers: One moment that was perfect was the goodbye from the past and into the portal. Keeper revealed that Ivan and Koda could return to their original times. Ivan seemed excited to return to the Knights of Zandar and Koda couldn’t wait to see his brother Taku. Shelby started a group hug and declared that they were a Ranger family forever. That was a perfect goodbye to me and I loved this cute little scene as the Rangers hugged each other in a circle. Truly a tearful moment, especially as Tyler and Shelby held each other’s hands and walked through the portal. I just wished that a moment like this lasted just a little bit longer or that a celebration of their defeat of Sledge was there at all.
Heckyl as a Keeper: I still think it was a rather wasted opportunity not to have Heckyl become the Talon Ranger and I do believe that this was because of too much filler. However, making him a Keeper at the end of the episode was an interesting way to end his character. Heckyl became the Keeper of the Dark Energem and went on to save Sentai 6. So, he achieved his purpose as well. But was that really what the fans wanted? Highly doubtful.
Dinosaurs and the Present?: I have never had a more WTF moment during a Power Rangers Finale, in Ever. I understand why it happened, they defeated Sledge before his asteroids escaped and therefore the Dinosaurs were never wiped out. So, that means they still exist?
But, doesn’t that mean that the Dino Thunder Rangers never received their Dino Gems? Kinda ballsy to erase an entire season of Power Rangers isn’t it writers?
I have to say that I really didn’t like this ending at all. I could see how it is cute for the kiddos, cause it’s Dinosaurs, but for me it was just bland and lame.
I can say this, I was unhappy with the strange unlikely resurrection of the Dinosaurs at the pinnacle of the episode. The time travelling aspect of the episode was really confusing timeline wise. Sledge as well seemed to be beaten a little too easily just as his predecessors had been. Even Snide seemed to die a little more heavily plot wise and action wises than Sledge. Poor Poisandra was just locked in a cell, no real ending there. Curio just ceased to exist.
However, I was very happy with the friendly, emotional farewell the Ranger team got for each other.
With that said, how can we can compare this to other seasons or even take it as a finale? If we compare it to Dino Charge’s Finale, it doesn’t stack up. Dino Charge’s Finale was really well wrapped up in action and story with little to no confusion or complaint.
If we compare it to, let’s say, Super Samurai or Super Megaforce’s Finales (even though they were lackluster seasons with pretty decent finales) Dino Super Charge again falters. I hate to say that because Dino Charge had been one of my favorites in a long time, Dino Super Charge began to slow the progress the previous year had created. The ending felt rushed with the villain’s defeat and as the Rangers said their goodbyes and hello to a new beginning it was just as rushed as well.
Sadly, even with the few efforts of an emotional goodbye from the Rangers this finale was simply; well lackluster.
I do want to say in a closing note that I absolutely love these characters, actors and the story-line in this series/season, I sincerely wish the Season Finale had been given a little more love and thought. The elements were there they just fell flat in some parts. However, I will miss Dino Charge very much.