Season 11, Episode 6: Thunder Strangers, Part 2

"Thunder Strangers, Part 2"
Episode 6
Air Date: March 15th, 2003

You know...I've been trying to hold in my thoughts on Lothor and his goons for like the mid point of the season but I just can't anymore!!! Why is this guy such an idiot??! O_o Once again, bringing up that a ranger can only be defeated in their...wait for it..."ranger form"!!! What the hell?! Or you can run them over with your spaceship you too lame for a Saturday morning cartoon villain!!! -_-  I just noticed that everytime Zurgane comes to him with an adequate plan, Lothor just laughs it off, like in this episode and threatens to destroy him if he fails, even though Zurgane is the only villain actually trying to defeat the rangers instead of getting his nails painted by his two overly annoying nieces who have failed EVERYTIME!!! EHHHHHH!!! -_-  I mean honestly, if there's weak link in this multi-parter so far is you can clearly see that the Thunder Rangers are the only thing remotely threatening toward our heroes this season so far.  And that mostly because the writers are doing a nice job of setting up Blake and Hunter as opposing teens in Shane, Dustin and Tori normal lives as well as their ranger duties.  I like the mystique they build around them, like when Dustin follows them outside his job and they disappear into thin air without any reasonable answer.  Of course, the tension built from the Wind Rangers getting their asses royally handed to them isn't really used to it's full effect ala the Green With Evil Saga when the Green Ranger beat the crap out of the original team but it's the most interesting thing going on so far this season in terms of the main plot.

Meanwhile, after getting their morphers and megazords trashed by the Thunder Rangers, Cam proceeds to be a MAJOR d!ck to them; even having his father being the one to remind him it's not their fault a duo of evil rangers kicked their asses something fierce but thanks for your concern Cam?! O_o The heck!  I noticed the writers are making Cam into a reluctant ally of the team but it's really hard to get into his character at this point when he's constantly looking for an opportunity to put down the rangers that need to be in overall good spirits since...you know...the whole world is at stake!  Anyway, I do like how the rangers were put into a very vulnerable position without their morphers for a while and Tori having to defend herself without her ranger powers when Zurgane sends Amphibitor to drain all of the water in the city.  Luckily Blake comes out of no where and saves her.  One wonders what happened to Tori's ninja powers during this fight tho??? O_o But anyway, when Blake gets hurt by the monster, Tori takes him to outside Ninja Ops where Cam is pissed about it since he can find out their secret but helps her regardless.

After Blake reovers, Cam manages to repair and give the rangers back their morphers just in time to battle the Amphibitor when he returns.  Suddenly, the Thunder Rangers arrive and...proceed to attack the Amphibitor in a hilarious misdirection.  Turns out the Thunder Rangers "owe" them after they destroy the monster but after they leave, Lothor makes the monster grow and the rangers call on their zords to form the Storm Megazord.  With the new sphere that Cam sends them, they use the Ram Hammer to finish off the monster and return to Ninja Ops to find the Thunder Rangers holding Cam hostage.  As the three prepare to fight them, the Thunder Rangers suddenly reveal themselves to be Blake and Hunter......but the main trio's reaction to this is rather.....nonchalant?? O_o What the hell???  It's almost like they weren't surprised the new guys in town were their recently introduced enemies.  Anyway, after releasing Cam, Blake apologizes to Tori about using her to discover their base before disappearing.  When the rangers wondered what they could have wanted from their base, Cam reveals they took his father! GASP!!! O_O  They stole a poorly rendered CGI Guinea Pig....ohhhh the horror!  Jokes aside, this was an overall good episode despite the annoying aspects of Lothor's idiocy and Cam's doucheness. :)

Final Morph: B+