Season 7, Episode 18: The Rescue Mission

"The Rescue Mission"
Episode 18
Air Date: October 9th, 1999

WOW!!! This episode always comes straight out of no where and is so uncharacteristically inventive for the show, that its a shame we haven't gotten more episodes from this show that take risks like this.  "The Rescue Mission" is Judd Lynn and his writing crew's take on the sci-fi horror genre in the same vein of Ridley Scott's 1979 classic "Alien". After receiving a disturbing distress signal, Commander Stanton alongside Mike meet with the board members of the GSA.  They are afraid of detouring from their mission of finding a new world as the origins of the signal could mean trouble for them.  I love how Mike comes in and gives an amazing short speech about coming to those in needs despite what regulation says as one day they might need help themselves.  The writers are really doing such a great job with Mike as he is so heroic and selfless; willing to put his life on the line for mysterious crew on a ship where God knows what could have happened.  It's also great when Commander Stanton orders him to form his best team for a rescue mission, he immediately chooses Leo as one of his recruits which speaks volumes considering how protective of his brother he was at the beginning of the season.  It continues their developing trust and relationship as brothers very nicely.

As Terra Venture approaches the spaceship hovers in space, the rescue mission crew take off in a helliship to the spacecraft, they dock next to it and open a passage way inside.  I love the lightning of the ship; dark, cramped, ominous looking like something terrible is about to happen.  I mean seriously, the production team went all out for such an occasion by making the ship look like something straight out of space creature feature!!! Yikes! As the team searches for any signs of life, they discover things like an old corpse dripping green slime (yuke!) and more corpses in the bridge of the ship.  Damn! Apparently, the distress signal has been playing in loop for God knows how long as Leo discovers an old book in the dead captain's hands. Back in Terra Venture, Kai detects something heading towards the team at a quick and alarming rate but before the Commander can reach them, the signal from the team's end is cut off.  As the team attacks, Leo and Mike rejoin them to which they mention one of their team members, Jasper, has been taken by some....thing??? As Mike tries to calm down Hargan, he eventually yells at him and tells him to head back to the helliship while the other track down Jasper.

As the team continues to search for Jasper, Kendrix calls Kai over to help while he quickly gets a replacement for him.  In the spacecraft, the tea runs into the terrifying creature that took Jasper and it's an intense battle with Mike and Leo being the only ones to escape the creature's capture.  Also, Leo loses the book during the attack and the creature takes it.  As Hargan fears for his life being next, we get a hilariously good jump scare with a monstrous arm that falls him.  Soon the one of the ship's doors blasts open as the 4 other Galaxy Rangers arrive to help the team.  While Damon and Maya take him to safety, Kai and Kendrix go after the others.  Meanwhile, Leo and Mike stumble upon the captured teammates in cocoons.  As they free them, Leo notices the Galaxy book and takes it.  As they lead the team to safety, the creature appears as Leo and Mike try to led it away from the others.  Meanwhile, Kai and Kendrix run into the other teammates and they tell them Mike and Leo were behind them. As Kai goes after them solo, Mike and Leo blast the monster and accidentally start a devastating explosion that will destroy the whole ship in a matter of minutes.

As Mike and Leo are racing away from the monster, a part of me wonders why they didn't just morph since the others were gone but I guess they couldn't reveal their identities even in the face of imminent death??? What!?? O_O Anyway, as they reach a hanger door, they blast it open and begin to get sucked into the vacuum of space.  As the monstrous creature quickly approaches, the helliship flies to the door with their teammates and rangers yelling at them to jump.  Leo is the first to do so, while Mike is the last.  But the creature grabs at his leg as Leo grabs his arm.  I love how when Mike tells him to let go, Leo says not this time!!! Awwwww!!! :) As the ship explodes, Kai comes in on his Jet Jammer to save Mike from the monster as he orders the helliship to take off! Ummmmm freakin' awesome dude!!! O_O As the ship explodes, the helliship is in golfed in flames.....but survives the blast to Terra Venture's excitement.  The episode ends with Mike and Leo wondering the mysteries of the Galaxy Book as the shot freezes on it! WOW, WHAT AN EXCEPTIONAL EPISODE!!! One of the best of not only the season but of the franchise as a whole.  Terrific and intense action mixed with suspenseful sci-fi storytelling even if it was borrowed fro another franchise. Why can't kids' television can't get this type of mature treatment again!? O_o

Final Morph: A+