When Push Comes to Shove

Power Rangers in Space, Episode 8

Original Airdate: 3-27-1998

Last Time: We learned crime doesn't pay, unless you apologize for your crimes, in which case it does.

At the Surf Stop, Adelle comes upon Cassie working on her secret diary in a very public place. Adelle tells Cassie the story of her diary, which she loved until the day that it was found by her brother, who used it against her. But eventually, Adelle grew bigger than her brother and deat him severely. In the middle of a street, Phenomenus is holding an impromptu press conference where he reveals he "has invented the most powerful plutonium fuel ever made." Oh God, that insane old man will finally accomplish what no villain was able to, the complete destruction of Angel Grove. He explains that he has created this incredibly dangerous fuel so that he can send Bulk and Skull into space to meet aliens. A reporter points out that a single crack in the fuel's container will destroy the entire city. Phenomenus is unconcerned, as he will be keeping it in his office on top of skyscraper...in Angel Grove...the city where monsters topple skyscrapers every other day. This plan cannot fail! Phenomenus gesture emphatically to that end and almost immolates the entire city by knocking over the canister. Fortunately, Bulk saves Angel Grove from certain doom. Astronema is at the press conference wearing a black trench coat as a disguise. She fantasizes about knocking over the skyscraper and vaporising the entire town. Credits!

At Angel Grove High, Ashley and Cassie are talking when Cassie realizes that she lost her diary. She realizes that she lost it five seconds after the conversation where Adelle told her about how bad it was when someone else found her diary. Ashley encourages her to calm down, but Cassie explains that there is a picture of her as the Pink Ranger in the diary. They immediately run into two guys. The shorter of the pair, named George has found Cassie's diary and uses it to blackmail Cassie into going on a date with the taller one, whose name in Lenny. Cassie has no choice but to accepts.

On the Megaship, Carlos and T.J. have apparently taken the day off from school and are hanging out with Andros looking at pictures of something called the "Megatank." T.J. asks why they need a new vehicle. Andros explains that their search for Zordon will never be a success if they don't sell enough merchandise, and that's why they need the tank.

At the park, Cassie has met with Lenny and George for the mandatory date. The short guy is talking up Lenny...a lot. Cassie asks why Lenny can't talk for himself, and George explains that Lenny always says something stupid, like asking people to tell him "about the rabbits." Cassie manages to distract George and takes Lenny and runs. Cassie manipulates the man-child into giving the diary back once the date's over. Lenny and Cassie get a balloon, and then Lenny suggests that they head to a restaurant on top of a nearby skyscraper. As you might guess, it's the skyscraper containing the deadly, deadly plutonium fuel who's very existence is likely a war crime. They head up into the tower and look out a window. Suddenly, an elephant monster attacks and starts pushing the tower off of its base. Cassie tries to get Lenny to leave so she can morph and fight, but Lenny won't go. Fortunately, he gets hit in the head with some falling debris and is knocked unconscious.

At the Surf Stop, the rest of the Rangers get called in. They arrive at the skyscraper and start heading towards the elephant monster. Astronema sees them from atop a nearby building and shoots a laser out of her scepter to slow the Rangers down. And yes, Astronema is watching the progress of her plan in person, despite the fact that her plan ends with a huge explosion that will wipe out the entire city. She realizes that she needs to leave the blast area, and teleports out.

At the top of the tower, Cassie is still dealing with the now semi-conscious Lenny. She tries to morph but he wakes up halfway through. She decides to drag him out of the building unmorphed. Outside, the Rangers advance on the elephant monster again, but Ecliptor shows up in the sky and taunts them about the plutonium. Ashley uses this factoid to track down the fuel as well as Cassie and Lenny. The elephant monster attacks the building again and it is listing and seemingly about to collapse. Inside, Cassie and Lenny are trying to escape before the skyscraper falls apart. I'm going to guess that this episode involving nuclear fuel and a building being systematically destroyed would not have been made today. Cassie and Lenny seek shelter in a room labeled "Plutonium Room." Cassie finds a plutonium reactor and is quite alarmed. Then Lenny notices that the reactor is overheating, and he is quite alarmed. Then they notice that the door is locked and they can't get out and....well, it's a plutonium reactor, it's not like you can really outrun a nuclear explosion.

Outside, Andros realizes that only the newly on sale Megatank could possibly allow them access to the higher stories of a skyscraper. Wait...that doesn't sound right. There are many situations where tanks are useful, but climbing up a tower isn't really one of them. Andros and Ashley deploy on the Megatank while T.J. and Carlos stay behind to deal with the monster. Now, you're probably wondering, "How the fuck does a tank get to the top of a skyscraper?" Well, first, despite there being a concern about breaking the very delicate vial of plutonium fuel, the Megatank crashes through a wall. In the plutonium room, Cassie is still unwiling to morph in front of Lenny, and then the reactor starts sparking and leaking gas. You know, that gas is probably lethal on its own. T.J. and Carlos fight the monster unsuccessfully, and Phenomenus shows up, for he has sown the wind, and now must reap the whirlwind. On the lower levels, the Megatank shows off its ability to drive up flights of stairs, which, given the scale of the Megatank, must be huge. Lenny is freaking out about the about-to-explode plutonium reactor when Cassie finally decides that revealing her secret identity is slightly less important than not condemning a man to die in nuclear hellfire. Andros shows up in the Megatank in time to get Cassie out of her dilemma, though, even though driving a tank right next to a dangerously unstable nuclear reactor seems slightly unwise.

However, they still need to stop the reactor from exploding. Fortunately, Megatank is there to save the day. With the giant claw mounted on the front of Megatank, Andros begins to disarm the reactor. Now, you might be thinking, "Wait, using a tank to fix a nuclear reactor? That's just insane." Well, you have a disturbing lack of faith in Megatank! Andros manages to grab the fuel and neutralize it, saving the day, and destroying everyone's preconceived notions of how nuclear physics actually work. Astronema decides to fire the satellilasers regardless. Andros manages to get Megatank clear just before the tower falls. The Astro Megazord happens, and the Rangers destroy the monster. It occurs to me that this entire episode featured an evil mastermind directing the destruction of a skyscraper in an American metropolis. This episode probably doesn't get played a lot in syndication.

At the Surf Spot, the Rangers are playing a game of pool when Lenny and George stop by. Lenny can now speak for himself, and gives back Cassie's diary. They talk for a bit, and I can't help but think that this will end with Lenny running from the locals after he accidentally kills a girl, and then George puts him out of his misery with a shot to the head. Lenny asks Cassie out, and Cassie somehow manages to force Ashley into a double-date scenario involving George. The moral of today's episode is that blackmail, though some view it as underhanded, is a highly effective dating tool and is the foundation of many successful relationships. Show Over!

Next Time: The holodeck malfunctions. I assume this means that the Rangers must face a suddenly corporeal version of Moriarity.