The Rangers' Mega Voyage

Power Rangers in Space, Episode 17

Original Airdate: 9-12-1998

Last Time: Andros tried to get information from Darkonda, and somehow managed to get the Astro-Delta Megazord wrecked in the process.

Man, look at that airdate, they made kids, and I include my younger self among them, wait for four months after last months episode. Why? I'd imagine that introducing a new megazord right before holiday shopping had something to do with it.

The episode opens with a repeat of the last minute and a half of last episode, so....go read my last recap. Anyway, the Delta Megazord has some how been beaten off of the Astro Megazord, which turns back into the Astro-Megazord as it gets back up, it's kind of bad continuity. Anyway, Alpha rings in to tell the Rangers that the keycards from last episode contain the location of a massive new weapon on one of Jupiter's moons. The Rangers decide to go get the weapon in the Delta Megazord and undock that ship. Credits!

On the Dark Fortress, Ecliptor informs Astronema that the Rangers are retreating, and leaving behind the Astro Megazord to take some punches for them. Astronema dispatches the monster accompanied Darkonda to go after. She then decides to torture one of the monsters from last episode's card game for information. He helpfully recaps last episode's bar scenes. Astronema, realizing that Zordon's keycards are probably important, decides to personally pursue the Rangers.

In space, the monster has somehow overtaken an actual spaceship, and attacks. They fire the afterburners and the monster is left tumbling through space. The Rangers approach one of Jupiter's moons, they never say which one, and their ship is taken over by the base's computer and flown into a hangar. On Earth, the Astro Megazord gets damaged some more.

At the hangar, the Rangers are looking for the weapon when Astronema and some Quantrons teleport in. Ecliptor is also there and evilly laughs as the fight begins. The Rangers manage to fight them off and get into an elevator that will take them to the actual zords. Astronema, despite not having done much during the fight herself, yells at the Quantrons to not let them get away. The Rangers race through some darkened corridors, and Ashley almost manages to railing-kill herself in the process. They find the Mega Vehicles, five new zords. Ashley exposits that Zordon must have built them as some sort of back-up plan in case a team of Rangers ever needed new zords and he was too captured or hungover or something to build them at that moment in time. In case you're wondering, the vehicles are a humanoid mech with missile launchers on his shoulders, a shuttle, a giant rocket, and two more shuttles.

The Mega Vehicles launch from their moon base...and it's apparently Earth's moon as the Earth is looming rather largely in the background. Andros shows off his Mega Vehicle's ability to leap between the other Mega Vehicle's shuttles as skipping stones. The Rangers head for Earth. Out of ideas, Astronema sends that monster from before to attack. Andros tries firing his missiles, but, as we all know, individual zords are really more for show than any actual use. The other Rangers show off their individual zords' abilities, and it swiftly becomes clear that T.J.'s giant rocket zord is only useful as a carrier for Andros' zord. They manage to destroy the secondary monster and decide to head to Earth to finally deal with Darkonda.

On Earth, the Astro Megazord is finally out of power. Fortunately, the Rangers are almost there and decide to spare us some time by just transforming the zord into the Mega Voyager now instead of trying to unsuccessfully attack Darkonda in their individual zords first. On the Astro Megazord, bright, flashing lights announce the total depletion of power, except, or course, for the power depletion warning systems. The Mega Voyager shows up, and T.J. vows to give Darkonda a "mega lesson," which, according to science, is one million lessons. The Rangers call on the Mega Voyager's most powerful attack, which involves launching the giant rocket zord as a missile at the enemy. So, wait, T.J.'s new zord is one whose primary purpose is self-destructing? Finally, a zord suited to his brand of Power Rangering!

Anyway, the Rangers fire the missile and Darkonda blows up. Later, on the Megaship, the Rangers are repairing the heavily damaged ship. DECA sounds like she's had a stroke. On the Dark Fortress, Astronema and Ecliptor discuss how the Rangers are weakened at the moment, and Elgar takes the moment to extol the virtues of Darkonda. This displeases Ecliptor who manhandles him a bit. Astronema decides to attack Earth. Show Over!

Next Time: The Persistence of Turbo!