Season 11, Episode 7: Thunder Strangers, Part 3

"Thunder Strangers, Part 3"
Episode 7
Air Date: March 22nd, 2003

Concluding this first of many multiparters this season, "Thunder Strangers, Part 3" not only is the best chapter of the three part battle between the Wind Rangers and the Thunder Rangers but the season has already seemed to find it's stride with tone.  Finally, the outlandish light-hearted feel of the show so far feels right mixed with the serious undertone that this episode exudes.  I mean come on, a bunch of badass thunder powered ninjas just stole a guinea pig and now are planning to kill him because they think he killed his parents.  Only on Power Rangers, I tell ya! LOL All jokes aside, I really like...even love this motive behind the Thunder Rangers's vendetta against the main trio.  Sure, it doesn't make much sense since it was their sensei who supposedly killed their parents but I'm guessing trying to destroying his precious rangers was a means to an end.  My only problem with this interesting development is....it's wrapped up so abruptly and easily by the end of the episode.  Like...huh??? So before Blake and Hunter can finish off the rangers' sensei, their dead parents suddenly show up to quickly tell them, "Yeah....it wasn't the sensei but Lothor who killed us! Bye guys!"  Wait....WHAT?! o_o  It's almost laughable, not to be outdone by Lothor's pathetic confrontation against the 5 rangers with Hunter managing to defeat him so easily with the Gem of Souls.  Like seriously, the writers are NOT helping me to like Lothor.....or take him seriously as a villain for that matter....at all!!! O_o So that's it!? All is forgiven??? And Blake and Hunter just walk into the sunset, never to be seen again??? What a waste of what could have made the next few episodes more interesting and morally complex with such a rushed resolution to something we just learn THIS. EPISODE! -_-

Anyway,  I did really enjoy the rest of the episode....outside Lothor once again acting like a baffoon and forcing Zurgane to make himself look like a fool with the rest of these laughable villains. Ehhh!!! At least the main plot with the Wind Rangers tracking down the Thunder Rangers as they head to the Cavern of Lost Souls was pretty awesome; especially seeing all 5 rangers having to make a temporary truce to fight off a gang of dead ninjas.......actually, that's REALLY AWESOME BY THE WAY!!! Also, I got to mention how awesome the fight scenes are getting; especially when all 5 rangers fight each other as they ninja streak to a nearby beach to take each team down.  The fight choreography is really seamless and some if you ask me and it just makes the show look more legit as well as entertaining. Nice!

Also, I really enjoyed how the main trio were forced to split up when Zurgane arrives to stop the rangers from stopping Blake and Hunter.  It's just very cool seeing Dustin and Shane handle to Thunder Rangers while Tori uses the Storm Megazord to battle Zurgane's megazord solo.  It made for what I thought was the most intense and interesting scenario for the rangers thus far and really kept me at the edge of my seat.  It's nice to see the Wind Rangers being able to handle themselves in a fight when the odds seem against them and that split screen moment where they find the strength to turn the tide of each fight (while VERY corny!) was nice to see overall.  So now the most exciting aspect of the show is gone for a while...sigh.....:(  Either way, "Thunder Strangers, Part 3" ends the three part arc with the duo of baddies well enough to be the best episode of the season thus far despite some glaring issues with how the story resolved with the Thunder Strangers....so far. ;)

Final Morph: A-