[DreamSword]

Episode 15: Saving the Green Earth

Episode 16: Power Stones' Counterattack

Look at how good that color scheme is!

The climax of the two-parter involved a farmland that's poisoned and on fire, and the filter they use to signify that results in Bima-X Earth looking even better.

Speaking of which, I was impressed at how the writers immediately addressed something some audience members might be thinking after Earth Mode's' debut: With how powerful the form is, why use the other two at all?

Both episodes almost go out of their way to show the inherent advantages and disadvantages of each form, and having Ray switch between all three when appropriate made for a very fun final fight. And I really hope this sort of thing is kept in mind as we get more Stones going forward.

And speaking of that, sad to say that the ending of this kinda annoyed me. Ricca gives Bima-X the White Power Stone, and yet, for whatever reason, he can't transform with it, and he gives it back after the fight with Rexor is over. I get that we don't want too many forms too fast, but given that half the objective of the adventure is to gather all the Stones, it made me groan.

But the episodes are more than just a showcase of the Stones. The emotional core of the episode is about Ray helping out a local farmland, and through both them and who I'm assuming is Bima Legend from the first show, learning how to adapt and the reasons why people might hold certain places precious. I wonder if the line about "Let those who you save help you" will come into play later, since it didn't seem like it directly connected to the farm lady.

Oh, also, it was no surprise at all that the Minister was Rexor, given that the voice filter does very little in actually disguising his voice. The villains in general were cool during these episodes though. Not just in terms of the Komodo Monster from The Beginning coming back, or even Draconer and Iron Mask's' continued fight, but I really dug how Draconer doesn't trust Black Lord worth anything, given how the Lord already betrayed Iron Mask. It made for a very quick but very cool character moment.

So yeah, flubbed ending aside, I liked these ones. And the orchestral mix of "Let Tomorrow Be" was nice to listen to too.