Season 8, Episode 24: As Time Runs Out

"As Time Runs Out"
Episode 24
Air Date: October 7th, 2000

Ahhhhh, I always LOVED this episode as it gives the season a random one off episode that brings the most stakes in while!!! I just love it when a team of rangers is put in an intense situation that can't easily fixed by morphing, their weapons, zords, etc.  This time, they are required to figure out other options in a very limited amount of time when Olympius' latest monster, Vilevine, attaches deadly spores to the rangers that seemingly can't be destroyed.  Ms. Fairweather tries a powerful laser but the spores just go back to normal after being destroyed.  Kelsey comes up with an idea to isolate the rangers so the spores can be contained but apparently, the spores are too small to be contained.  Captain Mitchell finds a group of scientists that the rangers can meet in the middle of the city to get an antidote for the spores but once they arrive there, Vilevine destroys the antidote with only 4 minutes to spare.  DAMMMMNNN!!! Turns out, Carter comes up with a last minute idea to call on the Max Solarzord so the rangers can head out into space to release the spores there.  It's a huge risk but with time running out, the rangers have no other options.  Once they board the Solarzord and head into space, Carter orders Ms. Fairweather to open the megazord's hatch as the spores are released.  It begins to work until Kelsey is almost sucked into space but luckily the other rangers manage to hold on to her until the hatch closes and the spores are destroyed.

What I also LOVE about this episode is that Olympius continues to be shown to be the most competent villain in this season so far!!!  When Queen Bansheera orders Jinxer to retrieve Loki and Vipra to make them in charge of destroying the rangers since Olympius failed so much.....SIGH!!! -_-  Olympius overhears and uses this as an opportunity to fool those two into a trap and destroy them.  Shame Vipra didn't stay dead....God, her death sequence was just too long even though it felt like hours thanks to Jennifer Yen not knowing how to even die convincingly!!! JESUS!!! O_O  Anyway, after telling his mom they were destroyed by the rangers, she insists he avenge them since they were such good warriors....since when LADY!!!? Your son is the ONLY one who's come close to killing the rangers and you think thee two losers are more competent?! O_o  Give me a break!!!  Anyway, after the rangers run to Mariner Bay after getting rid of the spores, the horrible ADR and beyond cheesy dialogue from Dana nearly ruined this episode for me before they morph and destroy him.  Once again, Jinxer brings him back to life and makes him grow on Olympius' orders as the rangers call on the Omega Megazord.  Olympius darkens the sky as multiple lightning strikes cause a massive inferno between Vilevine and the rangers.  But with the combined finisher of the Omega missile and double slash, Vilevine is quickly defeated! :)

Meanwhile, turns out, Loki and Vipra didn't die and rise from the sands of the desert....great!! -_-  Vipra immediately comes up with a plan to get revenge on Olympius with Loki's dense af head as she leads them to the tomb that previously had them captured.  Ryan happens to be there, watching and observing them by keeping out of sight as they enter it.  After Loki throw a long rope into the sarcophagus, Vipra recites an incantation that resurrects someone from the tomb.....Diabolico!!? Oh crap!!! As they teleport out of the tomb, Ryan hides and watches as Vipra and Loki tell Diabolico what has happened since his death as he vows to take down Olympius with them.  As they teleport away, Ryan looks up as the episodes concludes! Overall, another wonderful, tense episode with a suspenseful plot, great action and a nice cliffhanger with the return of an old villain! Great! :)

Final Morph: A