Season 7, Episode 6: The Lights of Orion

"The Lights of Orion"
Episode 6
Air Date: March 13th, 1999

Oh great!!! Well, I asked and waited for a story arc to begin but I always forget how painfully drawn out and kinda convoluted the Lights of Orion arc was.  Even here, it doesn't make any sense and the mythology around them is even made clear. They're suppose to be one of the most powerful energy sources in the universe (Like a certain forgotten Zeo Crystal! -_-) and for some reason, Furio believes they are on Terra Venture, a newly made space colony.  Sure the colony has forests, oceans, etc. but I don't that the people who created it would random put chucks of Earth into it where the Lights might of been held.  I'm sure in Gingaman, the Senati being adapted here, it made MUCH more sense since they were on Earth but on a space colony, it does not.  Anyway, we are officially introduced to Trakeena in this episode as she helps Furio with his plans to get the lights.

After a false energy reading gets Kendrix and Maya captured by Trakeena and Furio, the guys soon arrive with their own new assault vehicles aka the Astro Cycles....though one wonders why Alpha and D.E.C.A. didn't you know...make one of the girls as well!!?!  -_- Anyway, after blasting the Sting Wingers, Furio acting like a magician has Trakeena open a large box that appears to have Mike inside of it.  Leo is of course pissed and is eager to get his brother back....even though this is clearly a trap. But it plays into Leo's character as the villains are using his personality traits as well as his relationship with his brother to manipulate him.  As Leo chases after them and finds where they are holding Mike, the rest of the rangers arrive to help. Maya hilariously volunteers Damon to be the decoy as he leads them to other rangers. The 4 teens morph and fight off Furio and the Sting Wingers while Leo frees Mike.  But the brotherly reunion is cut short when Mike and Leo must get away from the rest of the Sting Wingers.  As they hide, Mike tells them about the Lights of Orion and how they must get it before Furio gets it.

They fight off more Sting Wingers before heading to the cave. Apparently I guess one of the wielders of the Quasar Saber can open the door to the cave....once again, it's not clear but Leo was apparently chosen and can do this.  After getting the lights that are apparently in a box inside of a cage, Leo is struck down by Mike, who is clearly not his brother and takes the box.  As the other rangers continue to fight, fake Mike interrupts to reveal he has the lights, to the other rangers disbelief. Fake Mike even kicks Kendrix for good measure to make her realize that dude is not Mike.  He's actually a monster named Mutantrum. Basically the rangers and the villains spend the next few minutes play hot potato with the box until Furio runs away with it and Mutantrum grows.  While Leo goes after Furio, the other rangers call on the Galactazords to form the Galaxy Megazord. As the rangers fight Mutantrum with the Galaxy Megazord, Leo and Furio have an intense fight for possession of the box.  But it turns out, after destroying Mutantrum, the box was empty and Trakeena is pissed and plans to tell her father of Furio's failure. As the other rangers arrive, the villains treat

As Scorpius plans to kill Furio, Trakeena gleefully asks her father to give him another chance to which is painfully does.  I like how Trakeena is playing both of them here; it's kind of funny.  Anyway, the episode ends with Leo lamenting and missing his brother as Kendrix comes by to comfort him. All and All, "The Lights of Orion" was a pretty decent episode that focused on Leo's personal struggle to live on without his brother but the main arc with the lights is already leaving more questions than answers. Oh well....

Final Morph: C+