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Preface
LAST TIME ON POWER RANGERS PRIME!
With Lauren’s new gear, she fights off the guards until they’re blue in the face while everyone else makes a run for it. But, when the Troopers get into the action, they all turn back and help, making sure that this time their chaperone Rita gets them something from the museum’s gift shop.
Some mighty-morphin’ ones…
Now, let’s get back to the show!
The Cover
So, here’s our full team reveal, flying out into space for a good look at each one of them. Like I said before, I do like the redesign, keeps all of the core MMPR aesthetics while matching it more to modern superhero armor. Think there could be some improvements here and there, like Orion needing a more distinct helmet to distinguish him from Lauren, but otherwise, they all look good to me.
The Story
Four years ago, in Flashback Land, Orion and Mark are waiters at a classy Eltarian party as part of a work-study program for refugees. Two random jerks start to mock them, especially when they learn Orion is from the dead planet, Andresia. Valentina, attending the party due to her connections with Angel Grove’s mayor, ‘accidentally’ spills a glass of water on one of them, stopping the fight before it could start. The two waiters walk away, introducing themselves to each other, with Orion insisting that they’re friends now.
In the present, everyone’s reacting to their new powers. Ryan is attempting to negotiate with Lauren, but Orion, not having understanding his new powers, accidentally swings a mace into his stomach. Things escalate from there, and a full-on fight breaks out between the new Rangers and the Troopers.
And so…
However, even though the Rangers have numbers on their side, the VR Troopers have actual experience fighting as a team so they are losing badly. So, Rita’s T-Rex skeleton creates a big distraction, attacking everyone except Lauren. Rita and Lauren then have a little girl talk as Rita points out that every Ranger is not prepared for this, including Lauren herself. So, Lauren realizes the only thing to do is a tactical retreat, destroying the T-Rex skeleton with a large explosion and having everyone leave to fight another day.
Down in the sewers, Valentina attacks Rita, the Yellow Ranger emotionally distraught after losing her boyfriend and any semblance of her old life. However, she’s no match for the sorceress, who then takes the power back from her. Jun runs to her side before she convinces him that they need to leave now, threatening to tell his mother on him. As the two of them leave the others, Orion then reveals that they’re not the only Rangers who are not there with them…
Ending Thoughts
For 90s kids, I’m sure you debated in your head who would win in your fight: VR Troopers or Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers.
Well, here, the VR Troopers win, in a fight that displays a lot of their cool abilities from the show, but it’s expected, honestly.
Even though the Power Rangers have been formed, with all of their weapons and gear, we still don’t have a complete team. Rita outlined in the story itself why this isn’t the case.
Both Orion and Mark aren’t real fighters. Orion still has the courage of a real hero, like his show counterpart, but he doesn’t have the skills to fight. Which, yeah, even in the show itself, it took Orion time to train on his own to become a good Ranger. Mark not only hasn’t fought before, but he really hasn’t shown any sign of actually fighting back, which makes sense given the prejudice against refugees we saw in previous issues. Jun is supposed to be the logical and tactical one, but he has doubts of being a Ranger because, due to his culture, he’s always been taught to follow the rules. Valentina doesn’t have that, but given what we learn in this issue, how she’s the Mayor’s daughter, we see more conflict with her. Even though she ultimately wants to leave the team and go back to how things were before, we saw in the beginning how she was willing to help. Let’s see what it takes for her to become a real champion.
Power Rangers Prime #5 brings dinosaur power against virtual reality in an epic showdown where there are no winners by the end of it.
Random Thoughts from the Morphin’ Grid
- If this was their TV versions, who do I think would have won? MMPR hands down. You know how many times I saw VR Troopers repeat the same footage over and over again?
