Season 8, Episode 16: The Cobra Strikes

"The Cobra Strikes"
Episode 16
Air Date: May 27th, 2000

I like how this episode feels like a mid-season finale and I'm sure it was during it's original airing as the rangers not only face off against Diabolico once and all but Ryan makes the last effort to free himself from the Cobra tattoo.  But not before Queen Bansheera once again appears to tell Diabolico if he fails, blah, blah, blah.  Seriously lady, put a sock in it!!! Anyway, as the city darkens and red lightning strikes, the rangers head out to stop Diabolico but not before Ms. Fairweather stops Ryan before he joins them.  Anyway, the rangers make their way to the disturbance; getting hit by lightning repeatedly before Diabolico appears.  They begin to fight him but he just brushes off their blaster attacks and knocks them down easily.  He eventually takes out those 3 gems from last episode and forms a new monster from the previous three the rangers destroyed named Troika!  Trioka is no joke, able to fight off the rangers with ease and quickly jump away from a combined blast from their V-Lancers to knock them down.  As the rangers demorph and make their way back to the Aqua Base, they arrive to tell the Captain how much they got their asses handed to him.  Ryan, after watching the battle on screen (guess they're cameras all over the city??? O_o) goes to check on them but Dana tells her brother they are fine and not to worry since he needs to rest.

As the rangers describe the fight to Ms. Fairweather, Captain Mitchell brings up the Battle Boosters.  Apparently new weapons that haven't been tested yet when Dana enters wondering if anyone has seen Ryan.  Of course, Ryan was seen heading off to the desert after overhearing some personal talking about the desert.  When Troika returns, Captain Mitchell orders them to go after him and they will find Ryan later.....why?! -_-  Anyway, as the rangers saved some civilians, they face off against Trokia, who continues to kick their asses.  Meanwhile, Ryan arrives at the same tomb where the demons were released from and enters it.  Seriously, shouldn't this tomb have been destroyed by now considering all the trouble it caused!? Anyway, Ryan gets the idea to confront the Cobra monster inside the tomb to free himself from the curse and a battle ensues once the Cobra monster reveals himself.  Meanwhile, Ms. Fairweather orders the rangers to summon their morphers to activate their Battle Boosters.  They are able to increase the rangers' strength, speed and weapons during a fight. Awesome!!!  Using the Battle Boosters, the rangers are able to fight off Troika with ease with Carter managing to destroy his sword.  This cross cutting battle is probably the best of the season as Ryan morphs and battles the cobra while the rangers own Trioka.  After the rangers destroy Trioka with their combined booster blasts, Diabolico arrives to grow and DESTROY THEM MYSELF!!! O_O

The rangers quickly summon the Super Train Megazord but clearly Diabolico is no joke as he just walks through the megazord's multiple attacks like they are nothing!!! DAMMMNN!!! O_O Meawhile, Ryan demorphs during his fight with the Cobra but manages to use his axe blaster to knock over a pillar; crushing it to death.  As he takes off his shirt to reveal his stunning, chiseled body! <3<3<3 ......Uhhh...the cobr tatto vanishes to Ryan's relief.  Meanwhile, Diabolico has used his star power to force a whole through the Super Train! DAMMMMNNNN!!! With the Super Train too badly damaged, Captain Mitchell sends the Lightspeed zords to the rangers.  They form the Lightspeed Megazord and try to destroy Diabolico with saber finisher but it has no effect.  Once again, blasts the rangers until the Lightspeed Megazord smashes into multiple buildings but help soon arrives with Ryan and the Max Solarzord.  As Ryan tells everyone the cobra tattoo is gone, Ms. Fairweather tells Carter to use his battle booster to initialize the Lightspeed Solarzord.  Of course, this sequence is boss as well as the zord itself, able to absorb Diabolico's star power blast and send it right back at him destroying him in an awesome sequence! As Diabolico falls to his death, he swears Queen Bansheera with avenge his death as his star power flies off and enters Impus.  Vipra's horrible reaction to his death almost ruins the moment though, Jesus!!! -_-

As the rangers and all of Lightspeed celebrate, the alarms go off....Impus begins to morph into a large cocoon as it rises and leaves the Skull Kavern.  As the rangers arrive in the city, Queen Bansheera appears to introduce her son, Impus as his cocoon drops from the sky; ending the episode on a great cliffhanger!!!  Overall, this was a superb end to the Titanium Ranger arc filled with awesome action both in Sentai and American footage as well as a strong lead in to the next run of episodes! :)

Final Morph: A-