[Androzani84]

Sorry for the delay, I?ve had a hectic week. So here we are, continuing the week with?

Time Force Episode 11: Uniquely Trip

Our episode opens with Trip explaining his latest invention, the Electro Booster, to a clearly bored Wes and Circuit.



But the talk is unfortunately (or fortunately, if you side with the people watching the demo), the Rangers are called away to deal with a mutant kidnapping children.



The Rangers show up to save the child with the aid of their US-original guns (I?d snark ?Buy the toys?, but I don?t even know what these things are called, so I wouldn?t even know what to buy if I was a parent of a kid watching this show when it premiered).



They then move on to fight the mutant, named by the credits as ?Redeye? (adapted from Jewel Thief Rouge from episode 6 of Timeranger), who apparently has some history with Jen, as she notes the latter was the one who sent her to jail in the future.



In spite of Trip erm, tripping his way throughout the fight compared to the impractical moves everyone else shows off, the Rangers eventually overcome the Cyclobots and summon the Vector Weapons (and since this is all US footage, I?m surprised that my theory as to why the US-original guns were introduced is debunked) and blow Redeye up (which recalls my joke from episode 6 of this series - ?Kidnap children and die? - and seems to be confirming what was meant as a joke as actual operating procedure).



But despite his victory, Trip is upset at his lack of proficiency, and gets extra depressed when he sees the kids in the park (one of who is future Tomorrowland star Britt Robinson) dressing up as the Power Rangers.



[IMG]://pbs.twimg.com/media/HFUZ6vVWgAA-60F?format=jpg&name=small[/IMG]

Why, you ask? Because none of the four kids wanted to be Green.



Meanwhile, Ransik decides to comeback from Redeye?s failure with another Mutant named Electropede (who I bought was named Voltipede, before I realised I was thinking of the Ninja Steel monster with a similar motif and gimmick), and we get our first look at the freezing system?s controls, which are remarkably idiot proof for what you?d think they?d want to keep as secure as possible.



Electropede is released and instantly lives up to his name by sucking the lighting into his mouth.



But Ransik stops him, convincing him to take the power he needs to eat to live (honestly, this guy, I can see his life sucking enough to turn to crime) from the POWER Rangers, causing everyone to laugh evilly? except Nadira, who?s pissed that the power cut out while she was drying her wig.



Trip meanwhile, in an attempt to seem cool, embarks on the stereotypical macho training montage, even down to drinking a concoction of raw eggs (it goes something like this and lifting weights beyond his limits. The others don?t find out about it until Katie and Jen come in to complain that the boys aren?t helping them with a painting job.



Lucas thus decides to take the Xybrian under his wing and show him how to be cool, even grabbing some wildflowers to seduce a pretty girl.



Trip?s attempt? it doesn?t end well. I?ll let you watch the episode to see why, since words or pictures cannot do it justice.



While he?s doing that, the others face Electropede at a power plant, wherein he sucks so much energy from their US-original guns that they explode.



Trip shows up, but only succeeds in making things worse by throwing the gun at Electropede. When the Rangers regroup, Circuit confirms that the US-original guns have been damaged pretty badly, and are unable to be recharged with the available technology (if they reappear in a later episode, I call bull).



Trip then gets benched, with everyone telling him to stay and rest, which cripples his self esteem further.



Soon enough, Electropede finds and starts draining another power plant, wih the discharge bringing the Rangers in quickly.



Trip meanwhile realises that if Electropede eats power, then there?s a limit to how much power he can absorb, causing him to run off to work on the Electro Booster.



As the V Weapons prove just as fruitless against Electropede, those same kids from earlier reappear, still in costume.



And they?re near enough to the power plant that one of its pylons falls over and causes a fire that traps them. (Don?t these kids have parents?)



And to make a bad situation worse, a helpfully labelled can of gasoline falls over, tipping out a puddle that grows ever closer to the flames.



Electropede then begins directly draining Power from the Rangers (and presumably, by extension, the Universal Morphin Grid).



Trip soon flies in, shooting Electropede down and showing off the newly completed Electro Booster.



Wes soon combines it with his Chrono Saber to create a BFG, capable of taking out an army of Cyclobots and reducing them to nothing, before turning the tide against Electropede.



Wes drains Electropede of all his energy, but Frax intervenes by destroying the emblem on the Mutant, exposing his DNA to make him grow.



After the standard Megazord battle (in which the Shadow Force Megazord Mode Blue is incorrectly named ?Mode Red?. I assume Wes is colourblind this week) after which Electropede is recaptured, Trio senses the children are in danger (which is likely the only reason Electropede is alive. They had no idea he?d endangered children).



Trip then uses the Time Jet to fly in and save them, just before the gasoline meets the flame and ignites (hopefully, they?re insured enough the Rangers won?t be sued by the owner).



Afterward, Katie tells Trip that they don?t approve of his decision tot Ry and be like them? but as thanks for saving the day, all of them are wearing wigs in his honour (isn?t that cultural appropriation?).





And we end by showing that those recurring kids are now all dressed as Green (why did whatever mother made those costumes make 4 Green Ranger costumes ahead of time? Or was this after he saved their lives?)



Next time: Wes?s dad and heretofore unmentioned old friend form a police force for dealing with minor mutant malfeasance.

Final thoughts: While as I pointed out last time, Trip?s sudden klutziness seems exaggerated or outright made up for this episode, it?s still a good episode. The Mutant is appropriately threatening enough to justify the upgrade, he kids stick around long enough not to be annoying and the ending is rather sweet.