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Preface
LAST TIME ON POWER RANGERS PRIME!
If you haven’t been to Flashback Land, you should go! It’s such a fun place! Mark was there, and he learned how to swim without needing floaties! That will help him survive jail. Everyone knows that!
Now, let’s get back to the show!
The Cover
Hi, Rexy.
Pretty adorable looking introduction to our new mini Zord. Especially love Orion and Mark’s expressions as well. Definitely entices readers to be interested in what this is.
The Story
Flashback Land took us back six months ago where while working at the museum, Mark and Orion accidentally run into a living mini-zord, the same one shown on the cover.
Back to the present, Valentina and Jun are forced to attend a social event with their overbearing parents. When she steps out for some fresh air, Ryan finds her and plays the supportive boyfriend, telling her that he forgives her and understands why she did what she did. As they reconcile, smooching out on the terrace, Jun butts in and starts to argue with Ryan. But, as Ryan still insists that he’s helping the two of them out, he offers them a deal…
Meanwhile, Orion, Lauren, Rita, and Bulk are exploring the underground, trying to get to safety, when they run into a few mutants. Turns out, everyone who isn’t a registered citizen ends up living in the sewers like they’re ninja turtles. Upon seeing some of the mutant children as well, Orion takes off his helmet and tries to resolve things peacefully. Realizing that he’s a Ranger and not affiliated with the Eltarians, the mutants then take the group to the underground city known as “The Belly”. It’s there that Lauren discovers that the red Zord Orion discovered, calling him Teezee, has been secretly bringing down items from the surface for the mutants. Including Lauren’s dad’s Samuraizer.
It’s then that Orion gets a call from Jun, saying that he knows where Mark is and that they need to meet up again, especially Lauren. Unbeknownst to Orion, this is the deal that Ryan and the other Troopers are giving them.
Mark in exchange for Lauren.
However, before the group heads off to this trap, Rita realizes that using the tunnels the mutants made could lead her to a familiar-looking tube…
Ending Thoughts
It’s important to remember that some time has passed between this issue and Issue #5 where we last saw everybody. Because, yeah, out of the gate, this issue just throws us into some new territory.
We suddenly have mutants now! And, yeah… it’s ok, I guess.
It makes sense that, of course, even in colonies like Earth, there would be people from across the galaxy who slip through the cracks and don’t want to be found. And, the potential idea of the town the Rangers protect in this series, being this underground civilization, is actually quite intriguing when you think about it. The designs of these mutants are cool, showing their personalities in a fun and creative way. But, as I mentioned, with how the story is written, it immediately throws us into this with very little introduction as to what these people are or even if we should care about them. I can already see The Belly as an excellent piece of world-building, giving our heroes more of a reason to want to fight the Eltarian Empire. But, as it is now, this revelation/subplot feels more underwhelming than anything. Especially when the ending is already teasing that we’re going to be leaving this place for the more important Command Center.
Now, everything else? I absolutely enjoyed it.
Teezee is absolutely adorable. I love it being the cutesy mascot of the team in a way. And, I’m anxious to see how it fits into this whole narrative. I absolutely love seeing more and more why Orion was chosen to be the Pink Ranger because he’s being portrayed as someone who wears his heart on his sleeve to try and be peaceful, while at the same time, is not afraid to back down from someone like Rita. And, though Ryan’s proving himself to be a jerk right now, making it especially hard for when we gotta cover VR Troopers later, I very much enjoyed the layered conflict between him and his friends. After interacting with their parents, Valentina and Jun are reminded that they are on their own. That no matter how friendly they can be towards others, they essentially can’t trust one another. So, when the conflict at the end happens between them and Ryan, it’s essentially both of them trying to look out for their own self-interests. Valentina is trying to trust her boyfriend no matter what, for someone she wants to be more vulnerable towards, while Jun wants to lash out and protect what he thinks is important: Mark.
Those aren’t qualities you would want from a Power Ranger, now, isn’t it?
Power Rangers Prime #7 delivers a brand new Zord to us in a cute package, moving the plot and the world forward, while it sets up more drama in the background.
Random Thoughts from the Morphin’ Grid
- I didn’t get a chance to read it because I was busy that day, but as it turns out, the FCBD issue this year actually featured Teezee first. In the story, 18 months before the events of Prime, Orion and Mark were sneaking around the museum one day when they encountered the Zord for the first time. No other big details from that story, but just so you know, that is what’s plot-relevant from that issue.
- Also, Valentina is hinting that the reason why Jun is so interested in Mark is that he has a crush on him. Which I mean… I’m not opposed to. Stranger things have happened. I just wish they had more scenes together, setting up their chemistry.
