Season 7, Episode 15: Redemption Day

"Redemption Day"
Episode 15
Air Date: May 22nd, 1999

Awww, this episode always pulls at my heartstrings!!! The Magna Defender has been one of, if not, the brightest spot of this season so far.  From his morally dividing motives to his unapologetic need for vengeance in the face of innocent people to his tragic backstory, it all concludes her in his last stand to do what's right for once. As the Scorpion Sting loses fuel, they attack the tunnel to the mountain dome on Terra Venture where Maya and Leo are, who barely escape the blast.  With the Scorpius draining power from Terra Venture through the Scorpion Stinger, it's a race for the rangers to stop him before Terr Venture is completely dead.  Meanwhile, the Magna Defender plans to use the opportunity to destroy the Scorpius by charging up a nearby pit in the mountain dome that will ultimately destroy the Scorpion Stinger and Terra Venture.  When Alpha alerts the rangers about Magna Defender's plan, they immediately try to stop him with the Galaxy Megazord as he charges up the pit with the Defender Torozord.  When Scorpius finds out about the Magna Defender's plan, he sends his latest monster...uhhh.....Freaky Tiki....yes, you should be use to this show's pun names by now! -_- Anyway, he sends him down to stop him.

But as the Magna Defender continues to battle the rangers and charge up the pit, the Torozord expels him from it as he lands hard to the ground.  When the rangers arrive, they are shocked that the Torozord would do that as it retreats; ignoring the Magna Defender's calls.  Suddenly, Freaky Tiki attacks the Magna Defender; leaving Leo to try and save him.  After striking the Tiki, the other 4 rangers protected them as Damon tells Leo to get the Magna Defender to safety while they battle Freaky Tiki.  As Leo and the Magna Defender retreat, a squad of Sting Wingers ambush them! As Leo fights, he defends the Magna Defender as well, taking painful hits and blows.  I love how this begins to make the Magna Defender realize his mistakes and how honorable Leo is. Anyway, after defeating the Sting Wingers, Magna Defender soon reveals he knows Mike and actually used his life force to break himself out of the crevice he was trapped in for 3,000 years.  Apparently, the only way to free Mike is for Leo to kill the Magna Defender, which he even says he'll fight him to make it seem like self defense.  This is some really intense writing here! O_o But love how Leo refuses to do it as his brother won't as he knows the Magna Defender isn't evil. As Leo runs off to help his friends, the Magna Defender once again is conflicted and begins to see the error of his ways.

As the rangers continue to fight Freaky.......oh boy, that came out wrong! O_O Leo arrives so they can activate the Lights of Orion.  They finish him off with the power up mode and seemingly defeat him but he isn't done yet as he grows in size.  They call on their zords and form the Galaxy Megazord with its awesome power up mode. :)  After a decent battle, they finally defeat Freaky....ok, I'm just gonna stop! But Alpha warns them that the pit is about to reached critical levels of intense heat which would destroy the whole colony if they don't reach it in time.  I don't know why they didn't just stay in their megazord to do this but what follows in an incredible last stand by the rangers to sacrifice themselves to save the colony.  As the Magna Defender watches the rangers struggle to reach the pit, he remembers the death of his son one last time and how much he has let vengeance consume him.  He gets a powerful vision of Zika visiting him as they share a heartfelt moment before giving his father some flowers.  As the rangers demorph and struggle to keep going, the Magna Defender arrives stop them with his sword as he will sacrifice him to save the colony after all he has done.

As the rangers are trapped by the sword's barrier, they watch as the Magna Defender takes on a wave of blasts as he slowly walks toward the pit.  I love the sequence of when the scene shifts from the Magna Defender struggle to walk through the flames to walking peacefully with his son by his side.  I'm glad they kept that moment from the Sentai! :) As the Magna Defender reaches the pit, he sacrifices himself and saves the colony.  As Alpha congratulates the rangers, Kendrix mentions it was the Magna Defender who saved them.  Even Leo has a moment saying the Magna Defender will live on.  Soon the episode concludes with Mike's sudden arrival as the rangers run up to him and he and Leo share a very homoerotic embrace!  Oh my!!! :) I mean, a touching embrace between two brothers.  It's a great cap off for such a riveting episode as well as character. I' gonna miss Magna Defender...or at least this version of him! lol Still one of my favorite episodes from this season as the show is starting to slowly but surely pick itself back up in a superb way! :)

Final Morph: A+