Season 9, Episode 6: A Parting of Ways

"A Parting of Ways"
Episode 6
Air Date: March 10th, 2001

You know I LOVE how the writers are naturally painting the seeds of character development for Wes this season.  This episode is the first after "Something To Fight For" that propels his personal arc forward by also exploring the season's overall theme of destiny vs. free will.  While Wes is having his future already being planned out for him by his father with taking over Bio-Lab and going to an ivy league college, he begins to see shades of the man he could be when he witnesses his father taking a baseball from a group of kids at the park.  We see small glimpses of Wes not only showing his compassionate side, but taking his own path by giving kids back the ball.  This whole episode really is an excellent progression of Wes as when Nadira comes up with her latest plan of kidnapping someone important by freeing a mutant named Tentaclaw, Wes has to make probably the most definitive choice of his life.  After Tentaclaw kidnaps a bus full of children and defeats the rangers after they try to save them, he leaves note for the rangers to give them 10 million dollars in exchange for their freedom.  While the other rangers search for the children, Wes obviously goes to his father for the money.  What follows is Mr. Collins showing how selfish and hypocritical he is as he denies Wes the money but gives it to his business investors during his "important" meeting.

Wes is of course, discouraged but thanks to a few inspiring words from his butler, Phillips, he starts to think over his destiny and takes it into his own hands when he hilariously tricks one of his father's business partners into giving him the check for 10 million dollars. LOL  Anyway, as the rangers continue to search for the kids, Jen stumbles onto their location and orders the rest of the team to meet her at her location.  Meanwhile, Wes meets up with Nadira, Gluto and the Cyclobots to exchange the money for the children's lives.  But it's a double cross but before Tantaclaw can destroy the children, Jen and the other rangers arrive to battle the Cyclobots to free them.  As Nadira makes her way with the cash, Wes fights off some Cyclobots and manages to steal it back the money to make it to the kidnapped children's location to save everyone.  As the bus driver and children make it to safety, we get another cheesy but nice moment of Wes inspiring the same kid before the rangers fight off the rest of the Cyclobots and Tantaclaw.  Of course, Tantaclaw eventually grows (without his head after Wes destroys it I might add! O_O), leading the rangers to order Circuit to summon the Time Flyers.  In a nice difference in a finisher, the rangers use Mode Blue of the Time Force Megazord to defeat Tantaclaw.

The episode ends with one of many great moments of Wes as when reporters flood his home and his father fakes being responsible for helping with freeing the children, Wes makes a personal announcement that he is leaving to forge his own path, to Phillips' appreciation.  Wes soon nervously asks to join the rangers in the Clock tower to which they welcome him.  Man, such a strong episode based on character development alone! :)  Fun action, great writing and exploration of the season's overall theme! Time Force is blowing me away already!!! WOW! :)

Final Morph: A-