[DreamSword]

There is so much to unpack with this finale that I'm separating the post a bit, just as I did with "Reflection." Even though I'm like 70% sure that the finale originally aired as a combined episode like how "Beginnings" did. Hope that's not an issue!

Episodes 37+38: Endings

The short of both of these episodes is that they're practically nonstop insanity!

Almost right out the gate we've got fighting, fighting, and even more fighting! Lazers, explosions, intense character drama, giant robots! Absolute madness!

And the timing on this part of the rewatch couldn't have come at a better time, because not only is A-Squad a huge part in all of this, but Greg Aronowitz recently made a post on his socials about another very important aspect of SPD: SWAT.

Namely how, when the show first started production, the US crew had no ideas that SWAT Mode was going to even be a thing, let alone what it'd look like. All they knew at the time was that the super mode for the Power Rangers this time around was going to be called "Super Space Mode."

Some viewers might then immediately que in on something, and that is how Greg got incredibly lucky when designing A-Squad, because their design mirrors SWAT Mode perfectly, lending to some incredible visual symbolism alongside the fated duel between the two Squads. And man is it a firefight to be had! B-Squad proves once and for all that nothing they've done up to now has been a waste.

It's a really great fight too. Of course there's plenty of lazer fire given both sides wield giant blasters, but I have to give a huge shout out to both Syd and Jack here. Not only are their contributions very well choreographed, but both of their duels feature the two pulling out their Deltamax Striker and Delta Blasters, respectively, showing that SWAT Mode does not infact lock off the Ranger's' old weaponry. It makes me like SWAT Mode a little more, honestly.

But the final note about A-Squad is that SPD actually had some tie-in comics, and in those it was stated that A-Squad was actually brainwashed by Gruumm. And while some fans liked this angle, I personally never did. Because it flies completely in the face of the entire bit of foreshadowing that's been surrounding the team since the very first episode, and is also far less emotionally impactful than the team deciding to walk down the wrong path in contrast to our heroes. It's a moot point anyway though, because remember, it was established earlier in the show that Morphing with the SPD Morphers undoes mind control. Regardless, as far as I know, those comics aren't ever really considered anymore.

Oh but Part 1 isn't quite done there. Because Broodwing is here to show that Gruumm isn't the only one who can use diversion tactics. While most of the Rangers are busy, he launches a direct take over of SPD Command. Sure, the base getting sieged is somewhat of a tradition for Power Rangers, but tell me, has any previous team had their very own base turned against them!? And then said Rangers have to then perform a siege on their own base in return?? It's such a great scenario all around!

I appreciate that literally everyone is getting in on it too other than Cruger, who's been captured. Kat shows off her flips again! RIC gets to take out two monsters and blast a door open in a callback to the first episode! A monster gives Boom a wedgie! No one is safe here! And especially not when the bigger bad, The Omni, is looming on the horizon.

Oh yeah, The Omni. The giant brain with a tentacle eye. Not much is revealed about it here, but Aronowitz has said that Gruumm's' brain being exposed is an intentional design choice made to subtlely hint at how this creature came to control Gruumm in the first place...

When I said everyone got in on this, I meant everyone.

A bunch of the extras gets to be part of the big explosive final battle too! Cruger's' wife, Isinia, gets to join in! Piggy gets to join in! Silverback and Birdy show up out of nowhere to join in! It's all hands on deck!

It's also here that we fully see what the end goal Gruumm has been building to was: He was putting together parts to turn The Terror into its own Megazord known as The Magnificence, which serves as a new, all powerful body for The Omni. And I always liked its golem-esque design.

It's not like the whole episode is one giant Megazord fight though, because again, so much happens here. Piggy has a change of heart, Boom gets to give a rousing speech, and another Power Ranger from the future arrives: The Nova Ranger! She's the Silver Ranger of the team, and is friends with Sam. Makes one wonder if Sam has any other Rangers he knows in the wings...

Speaking of Sam, while the action is all well and good in these two episodes, the emotional climaxes of a ton of the character involved are where this really shines.

Keeping note of Sam specifically, having his goodbye scene being punctuated with a brief talk with Z is an incredibly great touch, given their history together. And we even get to see Sam and Nova unmorph before leaving! For a long time, it was unknown who these two actors were, but within the past few years we actually got the answer. Sam is portrayed by Kevin Dufty, who was a makeup artist on the show. Meanwhile Nova is portrayed by Naomi Alice Marsh, though voiced by Antonia Prebble, who'd later play Clare in Power Rangers Mystic Force.

Having the actual final fight of the show be a standoff between Cruger and Gruumm is also a great move, given how the two's' rivalry was established very early on. Heck, Cruger himself has a ton of great moments throughout the episode. Like his cold cutting down of Mora's' monsters(and great one-liner when he confines her), and the sheer lengths he goes to in order to not only save his wife, but the world at large.

But of course, the big thing most people remember about how the episode, and the show itself, ends is that Jack steps down from being a Power Ranger, and Sky gets promoted to take his place. It's a great scene that calls back to the test of character that Cruger gave Sky during the very first episode, and everyone getting to meet up again at the very end is very heartwarming after all that's happened. Jack might not officially be in SPD anymore, but he's still very much a part of B-Squad's' found family. But duty calls, and the adventure never ends. I honestly couldn't think of any better way to cap this all off!

Apparently Disney, Aronowitz, and Bruce Kalish had some ideas though, because now I get to talk about what might be the final bit of production trivia I have for this thread: Did you know that SPD was almost the first Power Rangers season since Mighty Morphin' to have a second season? From what I understand, given what Greg himself has said on socials as well as at cons, Disney really didn't like how SPD was being produced at the same time that Dekaranger was, and thus was thinking of calling for SPD to get a second season that would use what little stock footage of Dekaranger they had(including the Dekranger movie), as a means of stalling for time to let Magiranger get further in production.

The plot would've involved Jack temporarily rejoining the team in order to help fight whatever new threat the Earth faced at the time, though it's unclear if he'd've returned to being the Red Ranger, or if he'd end up being Blue or Green, given the promotions of both Sky and Bridge. In either case, the idea was later reduced down to a movie that'd air the following year instead, until eventually Disney just went "screw it" and went ahead with production of Mystic Force anyway. That didn't stop Greg Aronowitza from trying though, as he proposed the idea to Disney to let him and the other writers begin writing Young Adult Tie-In Novels to SPD as a mean of telling a bunch of story ideas that the crew had. Disney, however, said no to the idea.

That's not to say that the story of Space Patrol Delta was over forever though, because it did infact get one big follow-up many years later. But we'll be talking about that next time.