Heir to the Throne

Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy, Episode 21

Original Airdate: 10-23-1999

Last Time: The Rangers got some new toys, now available from your local Venture!

On the command carrier, Deviot explains that he has been unable to find Trakeena. Scorpius is bummed at the news, and Deviot engages in a soliloquy where he explains that he will purposely ensure that Trakeena is not found and that he will take over Scorpius' empire, for he is determined to prove a villain!

Meanwhile, it turns out that Trakeena has run away to the middle of a desert and is predictably suffering from the heat. Credits!

Hey, remember that stupid villain/western-themed planet from last season? You know, when Andros dressed in a cloak and some other stuff I barely remember happened? Well, the planet's back. Trakeena walks into the saloon and draws the notice of the patrons. It takes her about five seconds to get into a bar brawl. That's...impressive. She crashes into a table where a monster named Vilemax is playing some cards, and he offers to help. Trakeena declines and then tries to break a glass bottle to use as a weapon, and she fails. She is then forcefully ejected from the bar. Vilemax then beats the shit out of the guys who had been harassing Trakeena and offers to train her to be something more than a useless tool of fanservice.

A training montage begins! Vilemax teaches Trakeena how to use a sword! Vilemax makes Trakeena pose in an uncomfortable position. He makes her drag a load of rocks! Okay, not that I don't appreciate what the writers are trying to do here, that is, make Trakeena into a credible villain, but if you have to have a training montage because your villain-to-be is implausibly weak, then something has gone wrong in the creative process.

Anyway, Deviot is still working on his plan to kill Scorpius and has gotten so far as to draw the Rangers' attention. He makes sure that the Rangers know exactly where they should head to in order to thwart his latest plan. Obviously, with Leo in charge, the Rangers are easily duped.

On the command carrier, Deviot explains that he found Trakeena, coincidentally being help prisoner in exactly the same location as to where he fooled the Rangers into going. Deviot's smart enough to realize that if he puts Scorpius in a room with the Rangers, the bug's not coming out alive. Scorpius decides to deal with the Rangers personally.

Back on the desert planet, Vilemax is still training Trakeena, which involves him tooling around on his motorcycle while she drags some more rocks. She hits him with a chain, and that's supposed to indicate progress. We get another montage of her rapid improvement, and she's now prepared to be the main villain for the second half of the season.

Which is good, because the Rangers are about to make the position of head villan vacant. They enter the warehouse, and Deviot traps them in there with Scorpius, and we get the most clumsy fight in Power Rangers history. It starts with some perfunctory Sting Winger beatings, which are as riveting as ever. Soon, however, the Rangers confront Scorpius, and it becomes clear that the monster can't actually move. Oh, he can throw out his tentacles, But well, it doesn't look very good, and I can't help but think that the Rangers could just back up a few feet and wail on him with whatever ranged weaponry they have this season. However, that wouldn't be dramatic, so instead the Rangers use their Lights of Orion attack to teleport two feet in front of Scorpius, where he is able to ensnare them with his tentacles. Even still, however, Scorpius proves to be hopeless, as Leo jumps behind the monster and then strikes his prone form with his Quasar Saber, which mortally wounds him. Deviot, pleased that his plan worked, rushes back to the command carrier to seize the cocoon. The Rangers are also pleased with the conclusion of the fight and celebrate.

On the desert planet, Vilemax is still training Trakeena, and she's able to beat him up, and therefore is ready. Her training completed, she gets revenge on those guys from the bar. Sorry, guys, I just don't buy Trakeena as a physical threat. Anyway, Vilemax's assistant, Kegler, comes up and explains that Scorpius is dying, and they all decide to go back to pay their respects.

On the command carrier, Deviot is comforting the dying Scorpius, and, by virtue of being the only guy around, is named Scorpius' heir. Of course, Trakeena shows up just in time to prevent Deviot from using the cocoon. Scorpius then reverses his position and gives his powers to Trakeena. He dies and leaves a new staff for his daughter. Trakeena swears revenge on Leo.

On Terra Venture, the Rangers are pleased that their work is done. Maya senses that someone even more evil than Scorpius has taken his place. Neat, so I assume we'll be meeting them in the coming episodes. Wait, she means Trakeena? Seriously? No....sorry, but no. Show Over!

Next Time: The producers try everything they possibly can to convince the viewers that Trakeena is a threatening villain. It's still not enough.