Season 7, Episode 2: Quasar Quest, Part 2

"Quasar Quest, Part 2"
Episode 2
Air Date: February 13th, 1999

You know, this episode left me with some puzzling questions but I'll just continue where I left off as this was still a superbly done premiere. With Kai left behind and clearly the smart one as he knows going through that portal was suicide, I like how we see the beginning of the episode through his perspective.  Kai is clearly a "rules and regulations" type of guy but isn't afraid to bend them when his friends are in trouble.  He immediately remembers the words of Commander Stanton as he boards the transport back to Terra Venture and it's those exact words that inspire him to steal the Astro Megaship, which has apparently been turned into a museum since we last saw it.  There we are reintroduced to Alpha (YAY!!!) and D.E.C.A. (more YAYYY!!!) as well as new character, Damon Henderson, the mechanic of the ship.  I gotta say Damon gets a bad rap for being such a jerk here....as well as the rest of the season but then again, he clearly cares and has a good heart as we'll come to find it.  I mean he ultimately helps Kai fly the Megaship to Mirinoi, even though Alpha for some reason can't anymore? Huh??? O_o Also there's another portal Mirinoi apparently that Kai knew about the size of a black hole....when did he learn this??? This episode has some minor plot holes in it like that throughout but it doesn't take away from the intense action and great character bits like when Damon gets pissed about Kai questioning if the ship could make it through the portal. I LOVE Damon ok, he just doesn't care but he clearly does under his arrogant exterior and that's a refreshing characteristic to me! :)

Meanwhile, the old sage forgot how to act when Furio asks him how to release the Quasar Saber while Leo gets his ass owned by some Sting Winger when he once again gets a little too overconfident, poor guy, he really does mean well! :( Anyway, he rejoins the others to Mike's frustration as they confront Furio and the Sting Wingers.  Kai and Damon also show up just in time but one wonders why Damon would even join??? I wish we had a scene of Damon making a decision to go with Kai to have his back as it doesn't make sense.  Anyway, Furio orders the Sting Wingers to attack once again, these almost new Power Rangers can't fight for shit. O_o  As Mike is corner by Furio against the stone holding the sabers, Mike reaches for one and pulls it out to knock Furio back.  As everyone is shocked by this, other teens expect for Leo grabs a saber as well and pulls it out to the continued amazement by everyone.  Poor Leo, he's all left out! But since Furio can't have the saber, he's just turn the whole planet into stone. As the 6 teens run, everyone of the inhabitants are turned to stone to Maya's horror as Jarra, the horrible actor is turned to stone as well.

As the teens run away, Furio and the Sting Wingers teleport in front of them to stop them. He creates a large crevice in the ground as Mike pushes everyone away until he falls into it.  As Leo runs over to save his brother, Mike tells him to take the saber intend.....WTF??? Dude, f^&* the saber, your life is more important than some random powerful object you just pulled out of a stone! The heck?? Anyway, Leo reaches for it and grabs it as Mike delivers some heartbreaking final words before he lets go and the crevice closes.  I'm just gonna ignore Damon's "Mike" outcry....-_-  As Leo is pissed and Furio taunts him for the lost of his brother, the other 4 teens join him as their Quasar Saber begin to glow.  They raise them up to the sky as lightning strikes them to begin an epic morphing sequence! I like the Lost Galaxy morph, once again, simple but so cool.  After the teens morph into the Galaxy Rangers for the first time, Leo dedicates the fight to Mike as they charge in to fight the Sting Wingers. God, I love this fight!!! Not only do we finally get some well choreographed action again but I love seeing 4 of the rangers kick ass and being amazed by their new powers while Leo is getting his ass whipped by Furio.  Ultimately, Leo gets the final strike as Furio falls back do to the saber's immense power when Leo energizes it.

But soon that horrible stone swarm effect returns and the rangers have to retreat.  I love how pissed Leo is, wanting to continue the fight with Furio despite the planet about to be covered in stone. Also, the orchestral music throughout this episode is just epic and very appropriate from the Galaxy Rangers theme to the sequence of the Galaxy Rangers running back to the Megaship. AKA Shut up Linkara!!! -_- Also, I can't help but grin ear to ear every time Alpha is ecstatic to see a new team of Power Rangers . Such an awesome moment and I LOVE Alpha! As the Megaship leaves Mirinoi's orbit as it turns to stone completely, Maya's speech about to the rangers and their new mission is just beautifully written and really sets the tone for what's to come this season. As the megaship arrives onto Terra Venture, Commander Stanton prepares the space colony as it takes off to explore the galaxy, not the universe apparently for a new world. Meanwhile, the Scorpion Stinger, the villain's spaceship heads after the rangers through the portal. No need to talk about Scorpius yet until he does something....ANYTHING this season besides give orders and look disgusting. lol All and All, this was a stellar two part premiere. While I liked Part 1 more than Part 2, together this is probably the best premiere for the franchise, easily beating out In Space's "From Out of Nowhere, Part 1 and 2" surprisingly. It's a new era of the show with a whole new cast and story yet we already got a good feel of these new rangers: Leo's too cocky, Kendrix is a sweetheart, Kai plays by the rules, Damon is a jerk until people's lives are at risk and Maya....knows stuff about the Quasar Sabers. That's quite a lot of character development and world building in such a short amount of time which is pretty impressive! :)

Final Morph: A