T.J.'s Identity Crisis

Power Rangers in Space, Episode 15

Original Airdate: 5-9-1998

Last Time: Ah....let me check my notes....something about some new villain showing up.

On Earth, the Rangers are playing some basketball. Apparently, the score is tied between Ashley/Carlos and T.J./Andros, and the next point wins. T.J. has a plan! It involves Andros boosting T.J. through the air for a dunk while the other team stands there slack-jawed. The Harlem Globetrotters would be proud. The games ends and we learn that the Rangers were on the simudeck. They beam down to another suspiciously California-like planet, and set up a tracking station. Darkonda looks on menacingly...also mincingly. Credits!

Back on the Megaship, Andros is explaining that their new tracking station will let them find and save Zordon. The activate the new scanner, and are amazed at the speed, which is represented by a series of stock photographs of objects in space. At the Dark Fortress, Darkonda sneaks into Astronema while she's sleeping, and Astronema is less-than-thrilled. Darkonda uses the opportunity to trash Ecliptor. Ecliptor shows up and is also less-than thrilled to see Darkonda. Darkonda explains that Ecliptor failed to notice the Rangers setting up the tracking station, and Astronema sends them both to investigate.

Meanwhile, the Rangers are closing in on the ship where Zordon is being held. On the planet, Darkonda threatens to reveal the truth about Astronema, and orders Elciptor to destroy the tracing station. He does, and the Rangers lose their ability to track Zordon. They decide to head down and figure out what's going on. Ecliptor decides to work with Darkonda as best he can, "Let's get them, traitor!" It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, however, as Darkonda stabs Ecliptor in the back about three seconds into the fight. Why? Because he wants to absorb Ecliptor into himself, in order to become Darkliptor.

Darkliptor swiftly freezes Ashley and Cassie just because he can. Andros, forgetting the many times that Ecliptor alone has beaten his sorry ass, wants to charge in, but T.J. holds him back. Andros gets free and charges, and gets his sorry ass beaten, also, he gets T.J. hit in the helmet with some swords. T.J.'s helmet is broken and smoking. Andros realizes his plan may have had a small flaw. Carlos, realizing that he hasn't been frozen yet, charges Darkliptor and gets frozen. Andros decides to grab T.J. and get out of there.

On the ship, T.J. wakes up, but has a sudden case of amnesia. That's really not that much of problem, to be honest. T.J. is concerned about being on a talking spaceship as a soldier engaged in a life-or-death Manichaean struggle and runs off. In a cave on the planet, Darkliptor is pleased by his progress in defeating the Rangers. Astronema shows up and is confused that her top two generals have apparently been fused into one being, but since he's managed to capture three Rangers, she decides to let it go. Darkliptor plans to use the Rangers as bait.

On the Megaship, T.J. still has amnesia, and Andros wants him to remember so that they can beat Darkliptor. T.J. is even more confused than usual. Darkliptor calls into the megaship to get the plot moving, and Andros cajoles T.J. some more. He then demonstrates how to morph. T.J. still doesn't get it. Andros decides to go it alone.

The fight between Darkliptor and Andros begins with Darkliptor easily evading a power punch. The monster proceeds to beat up Andros again. On the ship, T.J. finds the basketball from the beginning of the episode and begins to remember. Time elapsed from onset of amnesia to the recovery of memories: three minutes, a new record. He opens his locker and remembers some more, and decides to teleport down and help Andros. T.J. sees Andros getting his ass kicked, and morphs. Darkliptor notices him and starts attacking him, much to T.J.'s dismay. T.J. and Andros get hurt some more, but T.J. finally remembers. And since T.J. is once more himself, he has another stupid plan! This plan involves using the basketball move from the beginning of the episode to propel Andros at Darkliptor. It somehow works. Darkliptor splits into Darkonda and Ecliptor, and the other Rangers become unfrozen. Darkonda is pissed and drags the badly wounded Ecliptor off of the ground. They rejoin just as the satellilasers hit. The Rangers decide to save some time by calling for the Astro Delta Megazord in the first place. The Rangers swiftly move onto the flying fists finisher, and so Darkliptor re-splits and Darkonda uses Ecliptor as a human shield. Both monsters shrink back down and Ecliptor collapses to the ground in agony as Darkonda swears revenge.

On the Dark Fortress, Darkonda blackmails Ecliptor into not bringing up Darkonda's repeated betrayals by obliquely mentioning some terrible secrets in Ecliptor's past. Astronema comes in a promotes Darkonda to be Eclpitor's equal. It's been a pretty awful day for the big guy. Up on the ol' Megaship, the Rangers decide to play more basketball after T.J. lulls Carlos and Ashley into a false sense of security with some feigned amnesia. Wait, shouldn't Carlos and Ashley be a bit concerned that their friend has some sizeable gaps in his memory rather than plan to use it against him? Show Over!

Next Time: Andros does his damnedest to be an edgy space anti-hero...it doesn't take.