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Preface
PREVIOUSLY ON POWER RANGERS!
Lord Drakkon has been collecting power from all Ranger teams so he can enter the Morphin‘ Grid and take control of reality. Now, the only thing that’s standing in his way are five teenagers with attitude, a time-traveling cop from the future, a trained-from-birth samurai, a daredevil firefighter, a teenage Black Canary, a pizza parlor owner / Pai Zhuq master, a science nerd and the girl smarter than him, a 100,000 year-old caveman and his scientist adoptive guardian, a reformed princess of darkness, superpowered cadets of an intergalactic police force and their canine mentor, and survivors of a robotic apocalypse.
And, there’s still more to be added to the mix. God, I love this so much.
The Cover
Pretty simple cover with a bunch of Rangers running to battle. Represents exactly what this issue is all about.
The Story
After a quick scene of TJ (Blue Space Ranger) and Kelsey (Yellow Lightspeed Ranger) interacting in Drakon’s prison, we see the assembled Rangers in the Command Center’s Pocket Dimension (AKA Star Wars reference I didn’t get originally). Ninjor explains how exactly Drakkon is connecting himself to the Morphin’ Grid and how they need to destroy the tower that’s transmitting Morphin’ Grid power to his soldiers. Jason explains his situation, with the help of Dr. K and Grace Sterling, they’ll augment everyone’s morphers. And with the barriers of reality weakening, any Ranger who’s not already here can come to the Command Center on their own. Suddenly, a ship crashes into the Command Center. Inside it is a weakened Andros revealing that he knows the location of the imprisoned Rangers.
At Lord Drakkon’s palace, after killing a beaten Skull, Drakkon manages to contact the Ranger Slayer who’s been trapped in the past, having her own little adventure (See GGPR #11 for the exact same conversation) Soon, Drakkon begins to feel the strain of using so many powers, but disregards it altogether, just saying they need to act fast.
At the Command Center, Karone reconnects with Andros, Cruger and Zordon reflect on being mentors, and Jason, in his own way, thanks Grace for helping them out. Soon, we’re thrown back into the thick of things. In addition to the plan to take out Drakkon’s tower, Grace plans on taking a select group of people into her own ship (which is literally just the Promethea base) and rescue the captured Rangers. Then, outside the Command Center, every other remaining Ranger throughout space and time arrives.
To list all the Rangers in this panel: all 5 Aquitar Rangers, Zeo Rangers I, II, III, and Gold, the Phantom Ranger, the Magna Defender, the Quantum Ranger, all 6 Wild Force Rangers, all 6 Ninja Storm Rangers, the main 5 Mystic Force Rangers including the White Mystic Ranger, the Blue Overdrive Ranger, all 6 Ninja Steel Rangers, all 6 Hyperforce Rangers, the main 3 Beast Morphers Rangers, and the Talon Ranger AKA the Dark Ranger.
To interrupt this moment of epicness, Kim points out that they have a plan to take out Drakkon’s army and a plan to free the captured Rangers, but not a plan to actually take out Drakkon himself. Zordon says that he does have a solution to that and the issue ends with Zordon and Cruger going to meet reality’s only hope…
Ending Thoughts
Someone help me. I can’t stop smiling.
Honestly, this issue is one of those issues that shows the amount of heart and effort is put into this event. For example, the Go Go Power Rangers tie-in. It could’ve been so easy to just cut the scene short and to have a caption saying “Want to know what happened? Read ‘Go Go Power Rangers #11’!” Instead, they had the scene in here so it doesn’t force readers to get both books and gives them the option of wanting to learn more about the context of what happened. And then there’s the inclusion of Rita. Again, it would’ve been so easy to just keep her on the sidelines for this and just focus on her after this story is done. Instead, she is actually helping with this, showing how dire the situation is, and serves as a reminder that with every story about the Power Rangers, the villains are just as important as the Rangers for the story.
And then, we have everything else in this comic. The best parts about any team-up are not just the combination of powers and action, but it’s the combination of characters. And the combination of these characters’ personalities in this issue create some sentimental and heartfelt moments. These moments are one of the many memorable points for this event.
Then, there’s the entrance of the Power Rangers. Not only do they arrive in a breathtaking two-page sequence, coming down from the stars in colorful shooting stars, but then the next page of all of those Rangers who answered the call, again like the last issue, is just so surreal. In this group of new Rangers, we have fan favorite auxiliary Rangers like the Phantom Ranger and multiple Ranger teams, including the debut of the Hyperforce Rangers in comics and the debut of the Beast Morphers Rangers before their actual television debut. In terms of Hyperforce’s debut, it allows more mainstream readers to know about this team and possibly get started to watch their show. In terms of Beast Morphers’ debut, it’s the first time we’ve had Rangers officially debut before their actual show starts. It’s something that its Japanese source material has been doing for years, so this is a historic first for the franchise, but more importantly, it’s just fun to establish a form of continuity for this.
Hope you enjoyed this issue of “serenity” because there’s not going to be a lot of time for that in the next two issues of this event. Reality’s at risk and right now, we need action. Lots and lots of action.
Random Thoughts from the Morphin’ Grid
- I am really grateful Drakkon had that line of thinking of not wanting to take the risk of the Ranger Slayer actually being able to do something. It makes him a more competent enemy, not being too arrogant to not acknowledge a potential source of his downfall. Plus, it makes the encounter a little hilarious when you realize Drakkon was talking that big talk of leaving her alive and couldn’t actually back it up.
- Also, Dragon Ball reference I didn’t get originally.
- R.I.P. Alternate Skull. You will be missed, and it’s probably going to be awhile before we see any version of you in this series.
- R.I.P. In Space Carlos, Ashley, Cassie, and Zhane. Who would’ve thought that being in a metal tin can floating through space for long periods of time would be so dangerous?
- I’m still wondering how in the world that of all the Overdrive Rangers to survive, Dax would be that one.
- It probably won’t be stated outright, but assume for now that the Zeo Gold Ranger is Trey of Triforia and not Jason. It’s the whole point of showing him leaving in the Zeo story.
- Also, to fan the flames a bit more, this issue basically states that the Magna Defender is at least connected to the Morphin‘ Grid, otherwise, he wouldn’t have gotten that message.
- Out of all the Rangers on that page, the Talon Ranger looks the most inserted in there. (Also, by the way, I know his official name is the Dark Ranger, but I’m going to just keep calling him the Talon Ranger for two reasons. One, it’s a much better name than the “Dark Ranger”. Two, Talon Ranger is who he will always be in our hearts)
- For just a quick second, I just want you to imagine what could happen in the next two issues. All of the action, all of the excitement. Now, imagine what’s happening with Zeo Adam right now, stuck at the Command Center. Probably just taking the time to play Legacy Wars.