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Preface
I’m sure you’ve heard of it by now, but Go Go Power Rangers is officially ending. Including this issue, we have five more issues of this comic until its final issue, #32, releases in April. It’s understandable why this is happening since we’re nearing the conclusion of how Jason, Zack, and Trini obtain their Omega Ranger powers and leave the team for the peace conference. From then on, unless the main series was planning on doing another time-jump, there isn’t any more backstory that this series could show without it feeling unnecessary.
Of course, I’ll be missing it when it’s gone and I’ll stick with the series to its hopefully satisfying conclusion. But, for now, since we’re counting down the days to see this ending, let’s focus on the beginning of a long journey for one of the series’ main characters: Rita Repulsa.
The Cover
A picture of Rita Repulsa holding her staff in one hand and covering her tears of sadness in the other. (And, it mirrors the ending of the story) Simple, yet effective.
The Story
So, TEN THOUSAND YEARS AGO! Rita Repulsa and her crew have been captured into Zordon’s dumpster. However, rather than just having our prisoners sit in there and think about what they’ve done, Zordon installed an AI in the dumpster known as Moment. Moment is designed to place all of our villains in simulations where they have to relive moments based on events of their lives.
But, in Rita’s case, it’s a little different. Rita relives the life of a young alien girl named Neyosha. How Neyosha grows up, meets the love of her life, gets married, raises two children, meets their grandchildren until the simulation ends with the death of Neyosha and her family… at the hands of Rita Repulsa.
Once the first simulation is completed, Moment explains Rita’s punishment: to gain empathy for every single victim of Rita’s destruction. Yep, all 4,239,172 of them. This is a process she’ll have to go through for the next 26,234 years.
And then the simulation begins again…
Ending Thoughts
So, a Power Rangers comic without any Power Rangers. How is it? Well…
It’s weird. It’s straight-up weird. Even the writer commented that this story was weird.
For a story about Rita, it’s an interesting idea delving into the lives of Rita’s victims rather than straight-up giving a full backstory on how Rita rose to power. It would be a challenge because, for the audience, it is literally a self-contained story with a character we’re never going to mention again. But, Neyosha’s story is touching enough that you do feel the sting when the simulation is complete. And, though Neyosha’s story is a little predictable, the issue does keep you invested in it by switching to other characters’ simulations. Even briefly, it allows each one of them to shine on their own.
The art for this issue was not done by the series artist, but rather by a different artist, Eduardo Francisco. Since this is an issue about all of our villains’ lives, it’s an opportunity to show off some cool alien worlds and Francisco doesn’t disappoint. Everything on these pages is filled with bright colors, impressive details, and imaginative alien elements.
With a creative sci-fi scenario and creative and colorful artwork, Go Go Power Rangers #28 gives us a whole new meaning to Rita getting a headache.
Random Thoughts from the Morphin’ Grid
- Quick thoughts on everyone else’s flashbacks:
- Goldar: Yeah, that one fits him fine. He’s a fighter through and through. It is interesting that he seems somewhat aware that this isn’t real, but doesn’t care because it’s what he wanted.
- Finster: It’s basically a confirmation that the “Perfect” story from the annual is canon with this series. What’s notable about it is that unlike in that story, where Finster was in a city, here, he’s in a cave where he can allow his creations to be free.
- Baboo: Out of all of the other scenarios, where I can “kinda” see how it would help all of them learn the path of redemption, this one is a straight-up power fantasy. Baboo’s king of his people and he’s smart and daring… I don’t see how this would help him.
- Squatt: This one was the weirdest out of all of them.
- During Neyosha’s childhood, anyone else gets a chuckle out of her mom making pancakes while dressing up like a waffle?
- You gotta think about how much Rita has control of in these scenarios. Like with Neyosha. She’s saying stuff Rita usually says (The whole “I made my monster grow.”) or makes her hair like Rita’s (Though that might be attributed to her mom having a similar style). Or, with the ending, when she’s crying for no reason whatsoever. It might have been mercy from Zordon, but it would be a nightmare to keep constantly fighting for your own identity.