Season 8, Episode 31: The Last Ranger

"The Last Ranger"
Episode 31
Air Date: November 8th, 2000

Isn't sad that Lightspeed Rescue going back to it's regular episodic structure is beyond refreshing compared to the redundant and ridiculously bad past two episodes??? *Shaking my damn head*  But that just shows you how bad "Trakeena's Revenge" was!  Besides, outside being mostly an excuse to save money by being a clip show, "The Last Ranger" ain't half bad! :)  Actually, it's good even!!! What I enjoyed was that there were some stakes and a sense of urgency as 4 rangers lose their memories of being Power Rangers after Diabolico's latest monster, Memorase, erases them.  After Dana stops to help a young boy injured by the attack, she is shocked to find her teammates and friends not knowing who she is or who they've been since becoming rangers.  As Ms. Fairweather examines them back at the Aqua Base, she is even shocked to find Joel doesn't even remember her (Honestly, Joel, you don't want those memories back dude! O_O)  After telling Dana and Captain Mitchell whats up, Ms. Fairweather and her team hold the rangers against their will to get their memories back.  How will they do this you ask??? Well, apparently, Ms. Fairweather has an archive of all the rangers' memories since they've been rangers...wait....how is that exactly??? O_o  Where there like cameras hidden all around the city during these moments or something.  I could understand memories or moments inside the Aqua Base but moments like Kelsey chasing after that thief (and getting horribly embarrassed I might add) or Carter visiting that young boy in the hospital just don't make sense!!! O_o

Also, did we really have to relive bad episodes like "The Fifth Crystal" and "The Great Egg Caper" again??? -_-  Oh Ms. Fairweather has an archive of all the times Joel was rejected by her huh??? A tease, a b!tch, an incestuous relationship with her brother and now sociopath???  Just keeping making me question this character writers!!!  Ahhh yes, footage of Chad owning Brian but surprising none of Marina even though she saved him right outside the Lightspeed Aqua Base??? Are mermaids like invisible and can't be seen in this universe until they want to be shown or something.  Anyway the demons congratulate Diabolico on his plan even though Olympius thinks he failed.  Hey, at least he's trying and got ride of 4 rangers! Why not give Vipra and Loki a harder time for doing FAR less!  Anyway, Captain Mitchell is worried about the safety of the city with 4 rangers out of commission but Ms. Fairweather says she can't stop the download or the rangers might be in danger of losing ALL their memories! Jesus, lady! O_O  Anyway, as Memorase attacks the city again, Captain Mitchell orders Dana not to go since if she loses her memory, then the whole team will be lost.  Awww, you mean we're not gonna get any flashbacks of Dana fighting off that thug on the bus or her getting pissed off at her father for being a horrible mentor???  Nope, instead when all of the rangers' memories are restored and Carter's brain is overloaded, it takes Dana being in danger to jog his memory???

Yeah, since when have Carter and Dana been so close??? O_0  The flashbacks of them playing games and going out together feel SOOOO random, like the writers were planning some romance between them that never came to fruition.  I mean what else could the explanation be for that miraculous plot point??? O_o  Anyway, after Dana goes on to stop Memorase by herself after her father told her not to (Seriously, the Mitchell siblings just don't listen! -_-), the rest of the team reunite after Carter makes it as Dana remorphs to take down Memorase.  The episode ends with a nice team battle and megazord fight as the rangers destroy him for good.  The episode ends with Captain Mitchell preparing the rangers for some tough training as Joel tries to act like he doesn't remember anything again.  Of course, this is just an excuse for yet another embarrassing moment of Ms. Fairweather being a teasing b!tch and the other rangers laughing at him.  EWWWWWW!!! -_-  Anyway, overall this was a good episode with a nice plot and compared to last season's pitifully boring clip show, actually uses the plot device decent for once. Not bad at all! :)

Final Morph: B+