History of Power Rangers: Wild Force the finale

Image via Wikipedia

OK, here we go with the final edition of History of Power Rangers: Wild Force. We’ve already seen one team-up episode, a great subplot of jealousy and revenge, and watching it all brought down by an inconvenient storyline (there is an intended pun in there, kids). Part 3 opens with yet another team-up and ends with the final battle between the Orgs and the Power Rangers. We go now to our man on the scene Linkara for the final hours.

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So let’s of course start with Forever Red.

• Did this episode need to exist? No, unless you count the fact that SOMETHING should be done for the 10th anniversary, even if Disney was planning to end the show, if not more so. (I wonder if that makes Power Rangers the first good show that won’t die?) Does that mean it shouldn’t? Again, no. In fact, fans (myself included, if only to see the Blue Rangers in action) were hoping that Disney would continue it as a trend with other colors. Somehow the Red Rangers got all the love.
• Using the Beetleborg suits: I mentioned the Beetleborgs in my tokusatsu primer, as part of the defunct “metal hero” line of Japanese superheroes. They came from a series called Beetle Fighter. The show was pretty prominent on Fox in both forms (Big Battle Beetleborgs and Beetleborgs: Metallix) so seeing them used unaltered in this episode kind of takes you out of the story. At least the leader used the Shadowborg armor, and he was a villain in the original show.
• Even the Power Rangers Wiki doesn’t make this connection: the Machine Empire general played by Shadowborg is named “Venjix”, the same name as the Skynet-type computer program from Power Rangers RPM. There’s some trivia for you.
• I found some video of the deleted scenes, if your curious.

There’s more out there. Overall, with all of the continuity errors Linkara mentioned, I don’t know if I consider it canon or not, but it’s still a great anniversary episode.

The whole plot with Master Org returning as a full-fledged org and Toxica’s destruction, resurrection, and her and Jindrax reforming are great moments, but Linkara already said everything there. The final two-parter is well done (we seldom get to see Rangers contemplating their post-Ranger life) and that scene where the depowered Rangers tell Master Org off is a great moment, and the best for the characters.

OK, that scene with Merrick and Zen-Aku? Exactly what I was talking about last week: revenge versus redemption. THAT should have been the theme of this series. The ecological stuff really brought this show down. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad series. From an unbiased perspective, it was more interesting than Lightspeed Rescue since the Orgs have far more depth to them than the demons ever had. What kills it for me is there was so much potential, but unlike Linkara I feel the eco themes actually did bring it down.

I can honestly say that the only Power Rangers show I wasn’t into at all was Mystic Force because it wasn’t my style of show, not because of any issues I have with mysticism. (It’s Power Rangers, you kind of have to be used to it.) Wild Force has some problems due to dueling themes and the whole transition problem that bring it down for me, but I don’t hate it.

Next time I devote time to reposting The History of Power Rangers we’ll take a look at Power Rangers Ninja Storm. How did Disney do on their run. Linkara has already posted his views, and I’ll get to mine soon enough, maybe after he gets to Dino Thunder. Until then, let the power protect you.