[Androzani84]

And we?re back. I should hopefully have time to catch up over the next week. But if not, then at least I?m doing so this week. Here?s?

Time Force episode 13: Quantum Quest

Our opening for the episode opens on one Dr. Hammond and his crew at an archeological dog (clearly he needs the revenue after Jurassic Park went bust).



One of his assistants calls him to observe a part of the cave where a drawing of a strange dinosaur adorns the wall.



The assistant has found a strange gauntlet, made of an unknown metal.



Meanwhile, Nadira is watching and crying her eyes out at a soap opera on a stolen tv.



But it gets pre-empted for a very descriptive news report about the uncovered item, which Ransik recognises as Time Force technology, despite it being at least 150 million years old (which? makes sense. Time travel and all that).



To recover it, Ransik has Frax enlarge he bizarrely named Brickneck, identifying the prize as ?the powers of the Quantum Ranger?. (How Ransik knows about this? not really explained in this episode. Make up your theories)



Cue the titles, which have been updated with a second Red, the mysterious dinosaur in action and Eric has been added to the main cast. (Yay?)



Brickneck attacks as the archeologists lock the gauntlet in a briefcase, sending in the Cyclobots to assault everyone (clearly none of them are from Sakamoto?s stunt group).



As if on cue, the Silver Guardians appear (which to me casts a lot of doubt on that reporter from last time, since there?s no way these archeologists who, judging by Hammond?s distinctly non-American accent, aren?t native to Silver Hills, have the money to pay a private security team for protection, no matter how big a research grant they have).



The Rangers also appear, with a free-for-all breaking out over the briefcase. Eric gets saved from death by Wes, but acts predictably ungrateful, with not so much as a thank you. (Bold move to introduce a new character so thoroughly detestable)



Eric then overhears that the Gauntlet is the Quantum Controller, which contains the power of the Quantasaurus (and to be nicer to my spell checker, I?m following the lead of later episodes and shortening this to Q-Rex) and the Quantum Ranger. So of course, he decides to steal it (I?m pretty sure that could get him fired if anyone finds out, but the Scavenger?s code probably applies here).



As an injured Wes is escorted back to the Clocktower and Eric?s squaddies notice he?s gone, he hides the gauntlet at a random warehouse near the docks, in a random spot (because I guess they need to match the footage).



Back at Silver Guardians HQ, Mr. Collins now refuses to involve his son in his business when someone suggests using it to improve their firepower to match the Rangers (at least he learned his lesson from last time), and dismisses Eric?s request to be promoted to the new squad leader after the last one was injured (they didn?t have a replacement ready? What kind of shoddy private security firm are they running?), since he doesn?t trust him.



Back at the Clocktower, Circuit explains how the gauntlet ended up in prehistoric times (surely he should?ve shared this information before they left for the dig site? I?m guessing the writers wanted more focus on Eric since he?s the new guy, but surely having a scene of the Rangers responding to the news rather than having them show up would?ve made for a better way to insert this explanation into the plot): Time Force sent the Q-Rex and its control unit back in time as a test, and lost track of them (what kind of slipshod operation are they running out there?). Both also got separated.



Meanwhile, Brickneck and his troops find the gauntlet at the storage depot, with the Rangers rushing over there sans Wes, who wakes up late and heads out against Circuit?s advice. As the Rangers battle the monster, Eric comes back to fend off the Cyclobots, by turning their own firepower against them.



But he?s soon overwhelmed as he picks up the gauntlet, and Wes appears in time to save him.



Knocked inside the warehouse, Eric (who is suddenly a much taller, Asian man through the magic of repurposed footage) puts the Gauntlet on, triggering a reaction.



It then transforms into a DX wristwatch changer.



Despite Circuit trying to warn him to stop, Eric becomes the Quantum Ranger with a cry of "Quantum Power!" (How he knew how to do so is a riddle for the ages). And Circuit for some reason has no data on what the Quantum Ranger can do, despite having confirmed the power?s existence.



Meanwhile, Brickneck gets the upper hand in combat and cool lines.

Lucas: No-one?s too tough for the Power Rangers.
Brickneck: Then let me introduce myself. I?m No-one. And I?m too tough for the Power Rangers.

No-one is interrupted by a shot from afar, before everyone turns to the sound of a newcomer on the gantry slapping his gun against his arm. (And for some reason, it sounds like a metal boot walking on an iron grated floor)



With the aid of an onboard AI he also somehow knows about, Eric is able to use his new weapon, the Quantum Defender to slash and shoot his way through the Cyclobots, before defeating Brickneck with his Freeze Strike Mode. (And somehow, he knows the "Your time?s up? catchphrase)



And for once, we don?t have a Megazord battle for the second episode in a row, as Brickneck is actually captured by this.



The epusode ends with Wes showing up to identify the new Quantum Ranger to his teammates, as we get this dramatic mirrored shot.



Next time: Eric and Wes?s Excellent Adventure to the Land of the Lost.

Final thoughts: I?ll keep this brief, since I plan to discuss this epusode at length in the near future with some friends. But for now, it?s definitely a choice for the new 6th to be both an antagonist, and on the side of good. Whether it will pay off, that remains to be seen. And also, the onboard AI was a weird thing to have.