Season 8, Episode 34: Neptune's Daughter

"Neptune's Daughter
Episode 34
Air Date: November 11th, 2000

Great! More adventures between Chad and Marina, the mermaid!!! -_-  Well, the last episode wasn't bad considering how adorable their romance and this episode continues that but this time, makes the demons' involvement in the story not seem so forced and convoluted.  After Kelsey tries to cheer Chad up at the beach when he's seen missing his underwater boo, we actually catch up with Marina as we find out, like the episode is titled, is King Neptune's daughter.  Since he's growing too old, he wants his daughter to carry on the throne next and forget about her silly affections toward Chad on the surface world.  Meanwhile, as King Neptune prepares to rest, Diabolico, Loki and Vipra watch him from a portal as Diabolico plans to steal his trident as his net plan to destroy Mariner Bay.  Since demons are severely weakened by water, Diabolico prepares to summon the only demon that can survive in it aka Aquafiend.  As Diabolico and the other demons put their plan into motion, Jinxer overhears them and goes to a still weakened Prince Olympius in a cave to give him a potion that will begin to restore his strength.

Meanwhile, Diabolico and the other demon generals go to the lake to summon Aquafiend.  After he arrives, Diabolico tells him his plan; sending him to Neptune's throne to steal the trident.  You have to wonder why a King doesn have guards or anything watching over him while he sleeps but whatever.  After Aquafiend makes his way with the trident, Neptune soon awakes and contacts Marina to tell her what happened.  Marina plans to make her way to the surface world to ask Chad for help but before she goes, her father warns her about the dangers of being there too long.  Willing to take that risk to save both worlds, Marina soon arrives on the beach to a shocked and overjoyed Chad.  But she quickly tells them they don't have time as Aquafiend has stole her father's trident and plans to drain all the water of Mariner Bay with it.  As they both rush over to the lake where Aquafiend is using the trident's power, water begins to stop running all over the city and large pools of water begin to fade.  As Marina weakens from being on the surface for too long, Chad fights off some Batlings that try to stop them.  With both the surface world and sea world at stake, Marina tells Chad to go on without her.  While heading to the lake, Chad morphs and arrives just as the other rangers due.  Not having time to tell them what's going on, Chad jumps into the water and swims deep until he reaches the bottom where he finds the trident sticking out.  Soon a battle ensues between Aquafiend and Chad.  Meanwhile, Vipra approaches a weakened Marina just as the other rangers fight off a group of Batlings that try to stop them.

Once Chad bests Aquafiend in battle and get the trident, he returns to the surface and throws the trident at Carter to protect while he helps his friends finish off he Batlings.  Aquafiend soon follows and fight all 5 rangers but they manage to defeat him with the combined fire of their thermal blasters.  Once Chad gets his hands on the trident, Vipra soon approaches and reveals she has captured Marina.  Demanding he hand over the trident in exchange for her life, Chad is conflicted as Carter and Marina tell him not to do it. Soon, Aquafiend is made to grow by Vipra...as well as the trident for some reason...huh??? O_o  Chad decides to summon his Mega Battle to help free Marina as Vipra and the Batlings disappear from being weakened by the water blast.  Chad soon demorphs to help get Marina to some salt water while the other rangers deal with Aquafiend.  After summoning the Omega Megazord, the rangers use its two finishing moves to destroy Aquafiend for good.  After dramatically running to get Marina to safety, the rangers reunite with the trident at the Aqua Base after the water is restored.  Ms. Fairweather is unable to help a mermaid...cause...you know...she's not human just as King Neptune appears to thank everyone for saving the day and especially Chad for saving his daughter.  As Carter gives him the trident, we get a sad goodbye between Chad and Marina as she goes with her father, never to be seen again.  As Chad mopes about his girlfriend being gone forever again, Marina appears to Chad one last time to thank him.  The episode ends with them running into the water to have some fun just for a few moments before she leaves him forever! Awwww that was a cute ending.  Overall, it was a cool episode! Diabolico's plan was decent and I like how Marina being there had a point and not just for some more forced romanticism between her and Chad. :)

Final Morph: B+