Season 3, Episode 4: Ninja Quest, Part 1

"Ninja Quest, Part 1"
Episode 4
Air Date: September 11th,  1995

Unlike the pitiful 3 part premiere, "Ninja Quest" is the waaayyy more appropriate season premiere as it continues the story of the show by showing the nest evolution of the rangers' powers. As we begin the episode, the teens are playing volleyball at the Angel Grove vs Stone Canyon Volleyball Tournament. Meanwhile, Lord Zedd surprises Rita with a late wedding gift in a new telescope for her to spy on the rangers when suddenly something crash lands on the Moon. Turns out, it's a gruesome looking creature made of a camouflage, bones and skeleton, who starts laying some eggs near buy as a surprise for Rita and Zedd. As the creature gleefully does so, he then arrives at the Moon Palace to Lord Zedd's dismay. Turns out, once again, that this new creature is Rito Revolto, Rita's brother, who has come to this side of the galaxy to help his sister with the destruction of the Power Rangers. While Lord Zedd is skeptical and plain irritated by Rito's presence, Rito guarantees that they will be happy with their surprise.

Back in Angel Grove, after overhearing two girls talk about loving a man in uniform, Bulk and Skull decide to join the Angel Grove Junior Police Patrol....to everyone's over dramatic shocked expression.  At the Command Center, Zordon and Alpha are checking on the recent disturbance on the moon. Meanwhile, Rita get the idea to have Rito be a decoy and ambush the rangers with a squad of monsters to finally defeat them. Lord Zedd is getting more irritated by Rito's presence as he plays with his staff and keeps calling him "Ed". Lol I like Rito! He's a comedic character who clearly has enough power to be a match for the rangers and just has the best interaction with the main villains. As Finster makes some of his best old monsters (Ehhhh again?? -_-) He shows them to Lord Zedd and Rita as they prepare for the attack.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, Rito and the other monsters hide in the park to plan their attack on the rangers as Alpha and Zordon receive the disturbance there as the alarms go off in the Command Center. They contact the rangers at the Youth Center as well as Tommy and meet up at the park. As the teens slowly inspect the place, Rito quickly reveals himself. The rangers morph in this awesome synchronized sequence and prepare to attack. Zedd and  Rita then make Rito grow with the new growing method of using the combined power of both their staffs. Rito grows as the rangers call their zords....for the last time it seems. As the rangers battle Rito in their megazords, I got to say it's incredible knowing that there are 3 different Sentai being edited together here and it doesn't irritate or annoy. I guess the editors learned their lesson from last season?? Also, the rangers are in Zyuranger suits in their Dairanger zord fighting a Kakuranger monster!!! Wow!!! O_o

As the rangers continue to fight Rito, Goldar mentions that Rito is in place for the surprise attack. Zedd and Rita then make the other monsters grow as the rangers realize it was a trap. Back at the Command Center, Alpha is trying to give the zords more power but Zordon is worried that by over accelerating the power that the zords might be destroyed......WOW!!! As the monster grow and beat the crap out the rangers, Rita goes for the final blow as the zords can't take anymore. Back at the Command Center, Zordon warns the rangers that they might lose the powers if Alpha gives them more power but Tommy just says that's a chance their willing to take! Jesus Tommy, are you mad???! As Rito continues to fire at the zords, the rangers finally fall out of their zords and land on the ground unmorphed. What follows is one of the most traumatic moments in kid's show history as the now powerless rangers witness their Thunderzord literally fall apart and reduced to utter trash. I love the moment when Kimberly tries to run over to save them as Amy Jo's performance sums up the shock and horror of the moment! What an incredible end to Part 1 that proved to be a very promising start to this 4 parter! A new villain that comes in and just annihilates the rangers' powers and zords is just the perfect set up for the new season.

Final Morph: B