Sing Song

Power Rangers: Wild Force, Episode 22

Original Airdate: 7-13-2002

Last Time: Filler and filler and filler.

Jindrax and Toxica are digging up some graves, more specifically, the grave of Dr. Viktor Adler. Who's that? Why it's the secret identity of Master Org and it's time for a flashback, because there haven't been nearly enough of those the last few days. Anyway, Adler was a man who worked with Cole's parents. Jindrax and Toxica bring him his own tombstone, and Master Org chuckles at the misunderstanding. He then turns his own tombstone into the Tombstone Org by jamming it full of the spirits of dead Orgs.

But wait, there's something much more terrifying on the horizon and Shayla walks around the Animarium humming. It begins.....

The Tombstone Org attacks and the Rangers fight him, Merrick included. Cole blows him up and Toxica makes him grow. For some reason, the Rangers just can't handle him until the Deer Zord shows up. Fuck, you know this season has too many zords when they have to reach down and come up with something like the Deer Zord. Anyway, as a deer, the Deer Zord is skittish and runs off. Merrick blames himself for reasons that will become clear later, albeit that will not be good reasons. Anyway, the Tombstone Org is about half-dead, and the Rangers' zords are too damaged to finish him off. Master Org relates that the Org will get ever more powerful as he loses and comes back to life.

Later, Merrick refuses to explain the deal with the Deer Zord, because that would require spending more time with the Rangers. Fair enough. The Rangers then ask Shayla what's going on. Shayla didn't even know that the Deer Zord was still around, and decides to tell a story. Oh, for Christ's sake! Apparently Shayla used to sing for it, and I choose to immortalize the worst lyrics on Earth:

From your skies the snow gently falls to the earth
From your trees the birds nest and play
From your oceans the fish spool(?) and travel the world
Oh, nature, please don't ever go away!

Apparently the Deer Zord really dug that song, accompanied by Merrick on the flute. The Deer Zord is mad at Merrick for not playing for him for 3000 years, and that's why he ran away. Merrick decides to try and make peace with the Deer Zord by means of flute playing, but the zord just doesn't go for instrumentals. Merrick tries to explain the dire circumstances that led to him putting the princess to sleep and using the cursed mask.

Back on the Animarium, Shayla appears to be in some sort of drug-induced haze when Cole suggests singing for the Deer Zord with Merrick. But that couldn't work because the episode's only half over. Also, the Tombstone Org comes back to life. Animus pops into the magic pool to tell Shayla to just go and play with Merrick so that the episode can get a move on.

Merrick finds the Deer Zord, which is good because the Rangers are having a hell of a time beating the Tombstone Org. Merrick argues his case to the Deer Zord, but it's all for nothing until Shayla shows up so that they can get the band back together. Incidentally, the whole Merrick/Shayla pairing is kind of creepy if only because the actress playing Shayla looks a decade or more older than the guy who plays Merrick. But no time for such ramblings now, there's another verse to the crappy folk song from before:

Each day when the sun rises I hurry from my sleep
I can't wait to greet you with my song
You are every kind of flower, every animal I need
You are nature full of grace and majesty
(reprise of the first verse)

Also, there's a cheap green screen effect throughout Shayla's singing that looks like the world's cheapest music video. Anyway, that...song, inspires the Deer Zord to help the Rangers. Back in the fight, the Rangers have an oddly extended conversation about zord management that ends with Cole thanking the Rangers for their support of his decisions regarding megazord configuration. They knock the Org spirits out of the Tombstone Org, which allows them to use the new Deer Zord as a weapon to kill the Tombstone Org for good.

Later, Animus shows up in the sky to look down at the Rangers, and Merrick reveals that he and Animus used to be buds back in the day. Shayla declares that Merrick now has to come with her and make music for the Deer Zord every morning, and Merrick reluctantly agrees. The other problem with the Merrick/Shayla relationship is that Merrick never really seems to be in love with Shaya so much as he's trying to protect her from getting killed by a world that her brain just doesn't have the wherewithal to comprehend. Show Over!

Next Time: Holy fuck, there are even more fucking zords, and I don't even know how that's possible at this point.