Fire in Your Tank

Power Rangers Turbo, Episode 33

Original Airdate: 10-30-1997

Last Time: There was some wishing and stuff and I'd prefer not to talk about it again.

T.J. is tooling around in Lightning Cruiser. In fairness, if I had a flying car, I would also be tooling around. The Rangers have apparently developed a new fuel for the car. Meanwhile, Divatox is holding a tryout for new monsters. She is unimpressed. Lightning Cruiser flies overhead, and Divatox decides to try and steal it again. Credits!

T.J, is still flying Lightning Cruiser and Divatox still wants it. Porto points out that it's not going to happen. Divatox is insistent. A monster overhears and sees his opportunity to make a mark in Power Rangers Monster History. The monster claims he can breate fire....he can't. He doesn't get the job. But the monster is determined to make a go of it anyway. I like his spunk.

At the forest, Bulk and Skull have new jobs as fire spotters, protecting against forest fires. Well, fuck, that's just insane. Angel Grove is going to burn to the ground. The fire-based monster runs right by them into the forest. T.J. lands Lightning Cruiser and is enthused about the new booster fuel. They're about to start the next test when they hear a voice from the woods. It's the monster, he threatens to burn them all, but still can't get his fire breath to work. The Rangers are unimpressed, so the monster steal their booster fuel and runs away. The Rangers morph and give chase. Elgar and Rygog move in now that the Rangers have been distracted....but the magic cars are alive, so they're able to alert the Rangers, who head back. Some Piranhatrons show up but well...you know.

Bulk and Skull are nearby in a lookout tower, but they're too busy reading comic books and listening to music to notice. Then again, if they did notice, it's not like they'd be able to do anything anyway. Elgar tries to steal Lightning Cruiser with a net, it does not go well. The Piranhatrons finally go down, and T.J. calls in Justin and Carlos. That's about enough for Elgar and Rygog, who call it day and teleport out. The Rangers do notice that the booster fuel has been stolen.

Divatox's goon have stopped off because they can't go back to the Space Base without a flying car. Porto decides that since they have the booster fuel, they'll build their own flying car, damn it! I really kind of like these guys, if only because they're so completely harmless. I mean, they once came up with a plan to cook the Rangers into a pizza. Back at the training ground from earlier, the goons show off their hand-built flying car. It looks awful and Divatox isn't exactly thrilled. The car does manage to work, though. Good on the goons.

Elsewhere, the monster of the week puts some booster fuel in his bike, and makes it go fast...very briefly. The monster then logic determines if it the fuel works on his bike, it'll work on him, and it does. The moral of today's episode is that drinking engine fuel can give you extra power, but always make sure to use 89 octane or above. He also manages to set the forest on fire. Bulk and Skull continue not to notice, despite the large amount of billowing smoke wafting into their lookout tower. Then again, if you lived in a city that was mostly destroyed by monsters every few days, you'd probably disregard the smell of smoke too.

At the Power Chamber, T.J. ponders what Divatox will do with the booster fuel. He can't come up with anything. The Rangers notice the raging forest fire on the view screen. The head out to the scene and call the Rescue Zords. T.J. pulls out a giant fire exitinguisher! Carlos and Ashley throw two giant stones together to create dust! Wait, that doesn't sound right. The fire is defeated. T.J. still has to rescue Bulk and Skull, which he does with Lightning Cruiser. On the way, he sees Divatox's flying car. T.J. finally solves the case of the missing booster fuel. Divatox aims straight at T.J.. T.J. is alarmed...I think, with Selwyn Ward's performance, it's kind of hard to tell. Divatox's car runs out of booster fuel and crashes. She wants more fuel. The monster of the week took it all, but now he can breathe fire, or, more accurately, he can stand between something blowing fire and the camera. Divatox sends him to his certain doom.

Bulk mistakes smoke for clouds. Skull corrects him. They both realize they are about to die painful, burning deaths. They don't take it well. T.J. shows up with the Lightning Cruiser, but it's a two seater. Bulk jumps in first, and then the show cuts away to the Power Chamber before we realize the producers didn't think it through. The monster shows up, and the Rangers go fight him. He try to shoot him with their blasters, but apparently he can deflect lasers...with fire! Also, he uses his fire breath on the Rangers. Cassie speculates that he'll eventually run out of fuel. T.J. has a plan! T.J. decides to immediately charge directly into the monster's field of fire, in hopes that he is out of fuel. It turns out that he isn't, and blasts the Rangers again. The monster prematurely gloats. The Rangers respond by hitting him with Storm Blaster and blasting him with Lightning Cruiser. Divatox rather glumly signals to fire the torpedoes. Monster=Big, Rescue Megazord=Summoned! The monster, whose name I could never remember is sent to the land of wind and ghosts.

Porto announces that he has analyzed the booster fuel and created his own "evil" version. I immediately wonder what it is that makes a booster fuel righteous in this world. Compassion? A sense of justice? Lower emissions? She learns Elgar was involved with the production of this fuel of immorality, and send him to test it. The car ends up exploding. Down at the juice bar, Bulk and Skull are recounting their adventure. Inevitably, they end up smearing themselves with wet paint. All present laugh at their misfortune. Show Over!

Next Time: Cars! The Defiance of Gender Stereotypes! More Cars!