Season 8, Episode 40: The Fate of Lightspeed, Part 2

"The Fate of Lightspeed, Part 2"
Episode 40
Air Date: November 18th, 2000

As the season concludes with this final part of this two part finale, I can't help but LOVE the little character moments at the beginning of the episode.  Chad and Kelsey get a chance to bond, reminding viewers of their unique friendship that has developed all season and surprisingly, Ms. Fairweather ACTUALLY confronts Joel about going on a date with him?! WOW!!! o_O Although, this could have been her way of manipulating him so SHE could survive!!? Hmmmmm....anyway, as everyone sees on one of the monitors that the Omega Megazord is attacking the city, Joel makes a daring statement about them "having work to do" as everyone begins finding another way out of the Aqua Base.  Joel soon notices a maintenance shaft that leads to the Submarine Bay as Chad decides to swim through it to make sure it is safe for everyone.  He manages to make it safely back to the surface and tells everyone they can make it.  Everyone jumps in and swim through the shaft as the Lifeforce Megazord and Batlings continue their attack.  Once everyone makes it to the holding bay, they quickly enter the submarine and prepare to descend into the water but the Batlings soon make their way their as well as attack them.  They stop the submarine from descending as the rangers and others are once again stuck.  Before the Batlings can continue their fire, Joel decides to fire some missiles at the gate to the holding bay.  As the holding bay fills up, all the Batlings are drowned by it as the submarine is submerged.  Suddenly, when the Lifeforce Megazord makes its way to the holding bay, Captain Mitchell gives the signal to fire again as two more missiles are fired at the megazord itself.  As the submarine stirs full speed ahead, the damage from the missile cause the megazord to explode...taking the Aqua Base with it....to Captain Mitchell's disappointment.

Meanwhile, Queen Bansheera's Skull Cavern has arrived in the middle of the city.  As Jinxer and the Batlings still cause major damage to the city as they set down the large stones in a circle to get ready for the Queen's ceremony when suddenly, Carter and Ryan come out of no where on the Mobile Armor Vehicle firing their weapons.  As the megazord takes more until Queen Bansheera orders him to do something.  As the Omega Megazord fires, Ryan and Carter are finally hit as the rangers, Ms. Fairweather and Captain Mitchell arrive to witness it all.  As the Captain orders the rangers to go, Carter comes up with the idea to use the Armor Vehicle itself to destroy the megazord before they finish setting up the ceremony.  Carter and Ryan jump off as soon as the vehicle hits the Omega Megazord; destroying it.  But they accidentally set up the last stone as the eclipse starts and the ceremony begins.  As all 6 rangers reunite, the rest of them morph as they head into the Skull Cavern to stop Bansheera once and for all.

As Queen Bansheera starts the ceremony, the eclipse summons a beam of light that powers the golden key and opens a large tomb which reveals a huge army of demons waiting to be unleashed upon the world.  Luckily, the rangers arrive in time to stop Queen Bansheera as their final battle against her begins.  I just LOVE these final battles as the stunt team once again go all out with the action and fight choreography.  As Carter witnesses Bansheera opening the tomb, he tries to stop her but gets blasted so hard his helmet comes off.  After she taunts him, Carter goes for a straight badass Mortal Kombat type move as he kicks Bansheera into the tomb.  As Ryan checks on Carter, Carter gives him the thumbs up...only to be grabbed by Bansheera and dragged in as well.  As Ryan goes to help, he sees Carter hanging on as Bansheera tells him "he is going with her". As the other rangers arrive to help bring Carter up, Carter tells them to close the tomb but they refuse to leave without him.  Suddenly, a bright beam of light comes out of the Shadow World to the rangers' confusion but it is revealed to be Diabolico.....OH BOY!!! :)  As Queen Bansheera is overjoyed to see her former general there to help her (HA!), he just straight up tells her he's here to help the rangers destroy her as he cuts her tentacles off of Carter and she falls to her doom as Diabolico just laughs! HAHAHAHAHA!!! Priceless!!! :)  As Carter is pulled up, the rangers soon realize they won as the Skull Cavern begins to turn to dust.  After the rangers, Ms. Fairweather and Captain Mitchell reunite, the rangers official give their morphers back to Captain Mitchell as their mission is over.  But before everyone can go their separate ways....a fire truck passes by as they see a huge cloud of black smoke in the distance.  All the rangers begin running toward the danger, even Joel, who rather help his friends save the day than go on a date with Ms. Fairweather......YAYYYY!!!  Just leave her there man!

Anyway, a superbly satisfying end to this two parter as I can't wait to sort all my thoughts out for the overview of this season! :)

Final Morph: A+