Season 9, Episode 38: The End of Time, Part 1

"The End of Time, Part 1"
Episode 38
Air Date: November 3rd, 2001

Well, it's time (no pun intented!) for this epic season to come to a close and I can't find a better way to close it than this breathtaking final three parter that once again drives home the emotional resonance, powerful plotting, strong acting and sensational themes of this 9th entry in this 25 year long franchise at this point.  We learn immediately that Alex warning of the 4 Time Force officers to return home is to be taken very seriously as tomorrow morning, he will send a Time Ship to them to bring the team back home.  Of course, everyone is worried about Wes staying back in the year 2001 but Alex is adamant about Wes staying there since it's his time there and not the year 3000.  Though it makes me wonder why Alex is so determined to protect the others but not Wes...since...you know....Wes is his ancestor and all!!! Wouldn't him being killed off...you know...drastically change the timeline where Alex wouldn't exist??? O_o  Anyway, that night after a terrible nightmare of losing his friends, Wes wakes up to overhearing the other rangers and they tell him they will not return home but will stay with him.  Wes, of course, wants to protect them by telling them to go home but they all say they can chose their own destinies like he did.....awwwwww!!!  Such a fantastic moment and wonderfully acted by the cast....well...maybe except Lucas...but whatever! :P

Anyway, it's finale time and we have to get our annual "main villain making a huge speech to his army" moment as Ransik rallies his troops in finally finding Frax.  The next morning, the Time Ship arrives as Alex said while Glutto and Nadira lead Ransik's forces in finding Frax's lab.  Nadira, as usual, gets sidetrack by her own self involved, materialistic personality and holds a clothing store hostage while she tries some clothes on.  Luckily, Trip is there and the two get into a fight...before they have to stop because one of the hostages is a pregnant woman going into labor.  Gotta love Trip forcing Nadira to deliver the baby and the momentary hijinks that comes with it.  Turns out after delivering the baby girl, Nadira begins to realize her hatred against humans has been misguided as the other captured women applaud her before she leaves.  I have to say, my only problem with the finale is Nadira's sudden turn around when it comes to her feelings about mutants.  Seems like this type of development should have been foreshadowed instead of forced into the finale but I do LOVE the questions she begins asking herself and especially her father about why mutants hate humans so much.  Too Glutto manages to find Frax and his lab for some reason (it's like the ONLY competent thing he's done ALL season but whatever! -_-)  So Nadira is unable to have that talk with Ransik...for the moment....

Meanwhile, Ransik and his forces find and capture Frax while Nadira has a sweet moment with a child at the park.  After that, Nadira goes to Frax's prison and asks him why humans and mutants hate each other so much.  Frax talks about another theme this season about the cycle of hatred because of how humans treated Ransik and how Ransik treated him when he was mutant.  It's a powerful moment capped off by Nadira apologizing to Frax as the Cyclobots take him away.  Just the voice acting alone is painful to hear as Frax is dragged off and tells Nadira not to give up hope.  So devastating and tragic as soon after Ransik has his Cyclobots finishing to operate on Frax, Nadira soon discovers he is just a mindless robot now, with no trace of Dr. Varicks in him anymore.  Soon Ransik orders the new Frax to attack and destroy the city to Nadira's continued shock and horror.

As a frantic Alex contacts Jen and asks her why they have yet to return home, Jen makes it abundantly clear they will stay behind and fight.  I even love how Jen just turns the transmission off abruptly on Alex before the rest of the team comforts her to make sure THEY are doing the right thing. Awesome!  While the rangers bring all the captured mutants back to the Time Ship to be returned to the year 3000, Wes stops by his father's place to have yet another stand out moment from this episode.  From the sheer joy on Wes' father's face to Wes telling him how proud he is to be his son, it once again shows the immense journey they have gone throw and how much they can openly love each other now.  Soon Wes rejoins the rangers and secretly discovers the autopilot of the ship.  When Lucas notices, Wes tries to hide it from him as Doomtron is unleashed onto the city and the time holes begin to open like Alex said.  While Wes says behind to secretly and quickly study up on the ship's auto pilot, the Silver Guardians arrive to evacuate the city.  Eric soon morphs and calls on the Q-Rex to attack Doomtron.  As the rangers arrive, Circuit arrives too to tell the reason behind the time holes as both Doomtron and the Q-Rex are powered by Trizyrium Crystals that are opening them.  As Wes arrives and tries to stop Eric, the rangers are shot down by Doomtron being controlled by Frax.  Eric arrogantly brushes off the rangers' warning as the city still needs the Q-Rex to defend it as he jumps onto it.  Wes, remembering Alex's warning of the other rangers' safety, gets the idea to lure the rangers back to the Time Ship and send them back home immediately.  It's truly a saddening and brutal scene to watch as Wes locks them inside and the rangers frantically tell him to open the door.  God, this finale is already tugging at my heartstrings as we have two more amazing half hours to go! :_(

Final Morph: A+