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Preface
If you haven’t seen it yet, Power Rangers Dino Charge, and subsequently its second season Power Rangers Dino Super Charge, is honestly a pretty decent iteration for the Power Rangers franchise. An overall great cast, characters with their own unique personalities and backstories, and plenty of fun moments in between. However, the show wasn’t without its’ problems, one of those being how it handled one of their antagonists, Heckyl.
Heckyl was introduced as being one of the most dangerous creatures ever. Originally, he was sharing his body with a monster known as Snide (a reference to Jekyll and Hyde). In the toyline for the show, the toy for the Dino Charge Morpher had a sound in it that referenced a “Talon Ranger”. So, when Heckyl was introduced, many fans assumed that Heckyl was the logical choice to become the Talon Ranger. However, the Talon Ranger’s counterpart from the Sentai “Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger”, known as Deathryuger, was actually an exclusive suit from a movie. Due to rights issues, there had to be a separate deal made in order to use Deathryuger’s suit in-show. However, the producers for Power Rangers were unable to get the rights in time for filming so the concept of the Talon Ranger was scrapped and we never did see Heckyl became a Ranger.
Until now…
The Cover
This cover? This cover right here? As Tyler would say, it’s awesome.
It’s just a plain simple design of Heckyl and the Dark Ranger back-to-back, similar to a pretty standard superhero picture (something I’m surprised that we actually haven’t seen in this series yet). But, the framing of it with the Dark Energem makes it stand out even more than it already was. And, in addition to it just being an amazing picture in general, the cover fits the dual nature of the Dark Energem. With the Dark Energem being an object of creating a physical manifestation of someone’s dark side, you could possibly make the argument that this cover depicts the Dark Ranger as the good side and Heckyl as the evil side.
Just something to think about…
The Story
So, I’m sure you’ve heard the story already, but I’ll say it again anyway:
“Long ago, the universe’s worst keeper sacrificed an entire planet of innocent dinosaurs to keep the universe safe from the bounty hunter, Sledge. As for Sledge, – ‘IT’S A BOMB!’ – he was blasted deep into space. 65 million years later, Sledge returned to Earth and a group of Rangers known as the Dino Charge Rangers fought many battles to keep the legendary Energems from him. Sledge was defeated… eventually. But, Sledge’s employer, the ruthless Lord Arcanon, is still determined to take the Dark Energem for himself. Only one suave, cinnamon loving, goggle-wearing alien can stop him. IT’S MORPHIN’ TIME!”
After the events of last issue, while hanging out with Anti-Kim and Cam, Heckyl tells his story on how he became a Ranger. Set right after the events of “End of Extinction”, Heckyl and Zenowing, the Dino Charge Silver Ranger, travel through time to Heckyl’s home planet, Sentai 6, before it was destroyed. Now the official keeper for the Dark Energem, Heckyl is reconnecting with his people while preparing for the arrival of the monster who will destroy Sentai 6, Lord Arcanon.
Zenowing thinks it’s better to just rely on his magic to shield and protect the planet and hide Sentai 6 from Arcanon. But, Heckyl, too worried about losing Sentai 6 and his identity again, secretly steals Zenowing’s morpher to fashion himself his own morpher. However, for some reason, Heckyl’s creation of his morpher causes Arcanon to know of Heckyl’s location and arrives at Sentai 6 in his fancy disco ball.
Heckyl races to the Dark Energem’s location where he’s confronted by Zenowing on him stealing his morpher. Heckyl then locks him in a closet and takes the Dark Energem and morphs into the Dark Ranger. Confronting Arcanon in space, Heckyl defeats him easily but then tries to fight off the Dark Energem’s power to turn him into Snide again. In a fiery blaze of glory, Zenowing arrives at Heckyl’s side and sacrifices himself so that Heckyl can live.
Literally the saddest I have ever felt from this series. Zenowing was wasted in Dino Super Charge and deserved so much better than what he got.
Every time I see this moment I’m now just going to think “It should have been Keeper, man… IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN KEEPER!”
Heckyl then hears Zordon’s booty call from MMPR #27 and leaves Sentai 6, ending Heckyl’s story. Cam and Anti-Kim reassure Heckyl in the present that he is a better person because he has them as his friends.
… You better enjoy that tea, dude. Zenowing literally died for your sins!
Ending Thoughts
…Gee, what do I say about the comic that killed off one of my favorite characters from the PR franchise?
Ignoring the death for one second, I do legitimately think this issue is a good one. It’s the first issue in the ‘Beyond the Grid’ arc that has actually focused on one of the main Rangers’ backstories. With its last four issues, ‘Beyond the Grid’ has been focusing on the overall story. Sure, it had some character moments at times, but they only focused on their personality and nothing else. There hasn’t been a proper introduction with a majority of these Rangers yet, so this felt refreshing.
It’s a good Ranger origin for Heckyl, even though it hits some predictable points (Add Zenowing to the list of dying mentors clichés). It delves a lot into the character and his willingness to do the right thing despite his troubled past. The conflict of him “betraying” Zenowing’s wishes with Snide’s shadow constantly following him adds to the complex uncertainty whether or not Heckyl’s actions are his own or the lingering influence of the Dark Energem. Not to mention, that the final scene with Heckyl, Cam, and Kim was really touching and established these heroes as actual friends.
There are two artists for this issue: one for the present-day scenes, Francesco Mortarino, and one for the past scenes, French Carlomagno. Even though you can clearly tell they’re different art styles based on the characters’ expressions, it honestly blends together pretty well with the coloring and panel layout, especially with the outer space battle. Altogether, it makes for one cohesive product.
However, there are questions for this story and not just for the people who haven’t seen Dino Charge yet. From just this story, there are questions that aren’t fully answered like “How did Heckyl fly into space?” and “What exactly did Zenowing do to purify Heckyl or whatever?” which you aren’t going to get the answers for.
If you have seen the show, …ignore it. Ignore all of your information about the show because honestly, there are a lot more questions in here. It does a decent job of ignoring a lot of the plot holes from the end of the series that caused this whole story in the first place. However, just based on the show’s lore, you’re going to have some questions like “How does building a morpher bring Lord Arcanon along since the Energem is the source that powers the Morpher and it hasn’t been used yet?”, “Since all of the Energems are with Keeper, shouldn’t Zenowing’s morpher have disappeared already?”, “Why is Heckyl’s Ranger form based off a Spinosaur if it didn’t have a dinosaur spirit to bond with?”, “If Zenowing or Keeper could use magic like this, why didn’t they use it in the show?”, and “Where was Singe? Was Singe still in the ship when it was destroyed? Was he where Fury was during Super Ninja Steel?” All of these questions piled up together do bring down this comic down a little, at least for me.
In a world full of strife, MMPR #35 comes out swinging like a boomerang and doesn’t ever stop, rising up to the top.
Random Thoughts from the Morphin’ Grid
- When the preview for this issue came out, I knew instantly that Zenowing would somehow get killed and that Heckyl would use his morpher with the Dark Energem to morph into the Dark Ranger. I knew it was coming days in advance and still hurts deeply.
- Just saying, but I kinda wished this comic addressed why the Dark Ranger’s weapon is a boomerang. I know the Sentai reason for it, but there’s not a reason here. It’s on the cover for it and used in the game Legacy Wars, but it’s never used in the comics themselves. It’s just odd.
- So, gotta admit, this isn’t what I think Sentai 6 would be like. Based on Heckyl’s appearance in the show and the brief parts of Sentai 6 that we did see, I thought Sentai 6 would be less fantasy and more steampunk. Which my headcanon is now saying that Heckyl’s was one of Sentai 6’s hipsters and he was beating the trend.
- I gotta admit though, I would honestly love to see another story about Sentai 6. From what Zenowing says, they have never been part of an actual war. Think there’s a story there about coming to grips with the harshness of war.
- No offense Heckyl, but I have seen a Dino Charge Morpher made out of Legos that looks a lot better than your piece of garbage.
- I am wondering whether or not Heckyl would be strong enough to push the giant bird man into the closet.
- Also, I don’t know what exactly that spell was that was holding the Dark Energem, but if it was supposed to protect it, Heckyl just grabbing in midair probably means the spell wasn’t that good anyway.
- Heckyl’s first Ranger form, that corrupted version. Dude was the Extra Dark Ranger. Mocha Dark Ranger.
- I will say good attention to detail that Arcanon has both of his shoulder spikes or whatever they’re called.
- Oh yeah, there was this metaphor about Heckyl’s cocoa representing himself and his kindness, but I do wish it was conveyed a little more clearly, especially since there’s no actual scene of Heckyl drinking it.
- Also, is it just me or does Arcanon die super easily in both timelines?
- I hate to say it but when Zenowing died with those flames surrounding him, I imagined him falling down to Sentai 6 and – You know those cartoons where the birds get struck by lightning and turned into turkeys? I imagined that with Zenowing, but as a giant blue turkey and one person on the ground thinking he was the luckiest man alive… *chuckles* I’m sad. I need help.