Season 10, Episode 34: Forever Red

"Forever Red"
Episode 34
Air Date: October 5th, 2002

Well, after a run of some of the most terrible episodes of the franchise in the season's most confounding arc, we finally have arrived at the 10th anniversary episode of the show.  Now, there have been anniversary episodes since then that have been either satisfactory (the recent "Dimensions In Danger") or plain terrible (the infamous "Legendary Battle") but "Forever Red" was the first anniversary that not did it right but certainly had a lot of fun with the legacy of the show than any of the others.  It's not perfect by any means, as nothing in life (and especially this show!) is.  But what makes "Forever Red" so enormously entertaining and relentlessly enjoyable to watch is how much it shows it cares for fans of the show as well as continuous story of the franchise season to season well after the Zordon Era.  The episode begins with the Cogs (Yes!!!) digging something on the moon.  They are being led by....yes, the Big Bad Beetleborgs (luckily, they fit the robot general motif despite the WTF of them being there!) as they prepare to unleash...Serpentara???!! YASSS, I'd already sold! Watching them is...ANDROS, YESSSS!!! But seriously dude hasn't change with the whole forced cloak and hood disguise.  It seems he's been following the remnants of the Machine Empire for a while as he is discover and gets chase down by two of the robotic generals....on horses......ummmm...yeah....so the Machine Empire ran out of machines apparently and decided horses...on the moon....were more cost effective!? O_o  Ummmm, yeah, anyway!  As Andros morphs and escapes on his Galaxy Glider, we head to back to Earth where we see...BULK AND SKULL!!? Ok, I'm gonna stop getting all excited but it honestly shows you have annoying this season has been when I miss those two! Awwww and they're still as bumbling as ever! :_(

So they get a mysterious call as Bulk's bar (I see no mention of how Bulk got back from Mirinoi but who cares! :) as they give the phone to someone important, even calling the guy "sir". It's clearly Tommy and one wonders why they have come to respect him so much but obviously, it's because they must have found out he was one of the original Power Rangers which is VERY cool.  Next, we see Carter freakin' Grayson approach Cole and the other Wild Force Rangers as he recruits him for a top secret mission.  They head to NASADA (More subtle references of the show's history, I love it! :) and arrive in hanger where Cole is reunited with Wes and Eric.  Gotta love (and kinda hate) how Carter being so professional by reintroducing Cole to rangers he knows but then that's just Carter! LOL  We soon are reintroduced to T.J. ("First black leader of the Power Rangers!" *Black Nerd voice*) as well as Andros who tells them they've all been recruited by a veteran ranger for a very important mission.  Enter Tommy, who has clearly left the 90s behind and embraced a more early 2000s look.  lol  Apparently, the Machine Empire wasn't completely destroyed by the Zeo Rangers (Even though Lord Zedd and eventually Zordon's death is what killed them for good but whatever!) as they are digging on the moon; preparing for yet another massive invasion on Earth! AWESOME!!! Megaship Mark II???!!! MORE AWESOME!!! :)  Jason coming last minute to remind everyone that can't do this without the O.G. Red Ranger!!! AWESOME OVERLOAD!!! @_@

As all 8 red rangers head into space on the Megaship, General Venix, the lead general begins to prepare their army to invade Earth with Serpentara.  Suddenly, we quickly transition to Mirinoi (EEEEEEEHHHH!!!) where we see the 5 Quasar Sabers stuck in a large stone before Leo pulls his out again and epic poses like Linkara once said!  On the Megaship, after Andros tells the other rangers that Leo and Auric will be joining them, Tommy gives them a quick briefing on the situation.  He tells them the history of the Machine Empire and the Zeo Rangers defeating them in the end but the last remnants of the Empire surviving in their plans to resurrect their fallen kingdom. Like I said, Andros has been tracking them down (for years apparently) and when Eric asked what they are digging, Jason reveals it's Serpentara. The Machine Empire refugees plan to use the massive zord to once again lead the empire in a conquest of Earth but all the rangers agree, especially Cole, they must stop them on the moon.

On the moon, as the general prepare to head for Serpentrara in the name of King Mondo, the 8 red rangers arrive to delivery straight badassery as Jason can't help but spit one lines before General Venjix orders the Cogs to attack.  This has got to be the best unmorphed fight we have seen in a good while.  Yes, Time Force had some great ones as well as the season before with Lightspeed, but honestly, since the Zordon Era officially ended, there have been less lengthy and well choreographed unmorphed fights that it is just such a delight to see an entire sequence of it here.  Also, it's just awesome to see how each generation of red rangers fights from Tommy and Jason doing their thing while Carter just straights up blasts as many Cogs as possible.  EPIC!!! While Cole does his best to hide his stunt double, the generals begin walking toward Sepentara.  As Cole literally tries to stop them by overacting as usual (Jesus Medina! O_O), Leo and Auric arrive to help on the Jet Jammer.  Seriously, so many subtle continuity references in this episode, it's unreal.  Even some like the sound of the Jet Jammer's blasters or the sound of when Leo unmorphs are exactly from that era of the show. Nice! :)  So as all 10 red rangers reunite, they each morph and it's honestly one of the highlights of not only the show but the entire franchise!  From Jason's original MMPR morph to Cole's Wild Force morph, each morphing is breathtaking; reminding you of how long we've been watching the show up to that point and the chills when that massive red explosion happens behind them just leaves me speechless!

I just LOVE how truly expensive this episode looks and feels at the individual battles between each pair of red rangers against a general are out of this world.  From the Hollywood style acrobatics of Cole/Jason's team up to freeze frame camera work of Tommy/Wes' team up to the mind blowing stopping and speeding up effect of Carter/Andros' team-up, the production team must really be commended for such a wonderful cinematic feel they give this episode which you can't say a lot about a Power Rangers episode...at least that much!  The only flaw in the episode has been discussed many times and it still doesn't sit well with me either as Cole uses that damn Wild Forced Rider to destroy. Serpentara!!! -_-  Yes, some stupid random toy they need to sell and introduced at the end of one of the dumbest arcs of the show was a major plot point here (hell more like a Deus Ex Machina) when it would have been WAAAAYY more awesome to have seen previous megazords making appearances to destroy the thing but whatever!  Everything leading up to that moment and following it, as the red rangers depart to each say why they are more impressive than Tommy is EVERYTHING a long term fan could want.  From the smaller details like Alpha returning for a "blink and you'll miss it" cameo to the significance of the show's legacy being on full display, this is one of the most unforgettable episodes of the show, bar none! Truly as Cole said, "Morphenominal"! :)

Final Morph: A