The Chosen Path

Power Rangers: Lightspeed Rescue, Episode 22

Original Airdate: 9-23-2000

Last Time: Kelsey's grandmother proved more competent than all of the Rangers and the support staff on the aquabase combined. I guess it's not that surprising.

The demons introduce these week's monster, Cyclopter, who promptly beats up a bunch of Batlings who are dressed as waiters from some reason.

Elsewhere, the Rangers do some training. An old guy with truly unbelievably facial hair shows up to shame Chad for abandoning his martial arts training or something. That's right, in 2000, you could still have the show's only Asian character have an inscrutable sensei and no one had a problem with it. The sensei is disdainful that Chad chose to be a Power Ranger instead of a karate master. Credits!

Later, Chad is still bummed about the sensei situation. Fortunately, he gets a chance for closure as Cyclopter attacks the local dojo. The Rangers show up and Cyclopter challenges them to a fight. Carter shoots him with his blaster and Cyclopter goes down like a ton of bricks. Cyclopter gets up and clarifies that he meant a fight without weapons. I believe that when you challenge someone else to a duel, the other party gets to choose weapons. The Rangers, showing good sportsmanship, agree to this proviso and get beaten. Cyclopter declares himself "the bomb." I think that that slang was ten years old a decade ago. The sensei shows up and puts Cyclopter in a world of hurt. Christ, between this and last episode's debacle, I'm starting the think that the Rangers should start recruiting the elderly to do all of their fighting.

Unsurprisingly, the sensei is cold to Chad in the aftermath, as he's just decisively proved his teachings superior to the Rangers. Kelsey decides to chase after the sensei and tries to convince him that Chad doesn't completely suck. She fails and makes a face at him behind his back. You know, Kelsey, that's how people lose eyes.

Later, the sensei contemplates a picture of Chad when Cyclopter shows up. Cyclopter wants to be the sensei's student. The sensei proves that Chad's general idiocy was taught to him when he agrees to do it. Loki shows up to try to get Cyclopter to focus on the task at hand, and has brought some Batlings dressed in gis with him. Apparently it's dress-up day at the ziggurat o' casual friday. Now, I bet you're wondering, "Hey, what it would be like if a mildly offensive stereotype of a Japanese martial arts expert trained a guy in a rubber suit through a montage?" The answer: weird.

Chad is running through the forest and becomes concerned when he notices that his erstwhile master is training a monster. Sensei explains that the monster has promised not to use the training for evil. Chad points out that monsters have poor track records when it comes to honor, but is beaten up by Cyclopter before he can do anything.

Later, Chad is explaining the problem to Kelsey who accuses both Chad and the sensei of being too stubborn. Um...I think the continued presence of the evil monster is a slightly larger concern, but sure, go on. Elsewhere, the training of Cyclopter concludes with the sensei having imparted all of his knowledge to the monster. Cyclopter immediately turns on the sensei and returns to his plan of killing the Rangers and blowing up the city.

Cyclopter starts his rampage by throwing around a few cars in the neighborhood of Mariner Bay where only Japanese people are allowed. The Rangers sans Chad show up and exchange some meaningless banter before getting creamed by the monster. In the forest, Chad come upon his stupid, stupid sensei who feels pretty bad about the whole 'training an evil monster' thing. The sensei gets over his sudden self-awareness and challenges Chad to a fight to prove that Chad still knows the proper amount of karate or something. Chad, having had enough, flattens the old man in about ten seconds.

Chad shows up to fight Cyclopter, and defeats him without morphing. Cyclopter decides to pull out a weapon, and the Rangers follow suit. Chad waves the other Rangers off, though, because he has to defeat Cyclopter by himself....again. And he does. The sensei look on from a distance and is pleased.

Oh, and then there's a megazord battle. The Omega Megazord to be precise. You know, the problem with most megazord fights is that, well, the monster's already been killed once, and making a best-out-of-three situation doesn't really add much in the way of suspense.

Later, Chad is still brooding about his past when his sensei comes by for a tour of the aquabase, because only now does he accept Chad's life choices. "The teacher has learned from the student." Awesome, I think banal, faux-philosophical saying was the last trope that hadn't been hit this episode. Captain Mitchell and Ms. Fairweather show up to earn their paychecks, and the sensei informs them that Chad is the Blue Ranger and they both react as if the sensei were completely senile. They might be right about that. Show Over!

Next Time: The Rangers get killed!