Season 11. Episode 26: Shane's Karma, Part 1

"Shane's Karma, Part 1"
Episode 26
Air Date: August 9th, 2003

I think the most frustrating thing about this two parter is while there is a good chunk of plot movement, it really doesn't amount to anything, once again, because it was all just set up yet another Red Ranger Battlizer!!! -_-  At this point, it's like just accept the absurdity of it and utter ridiculous nature of such an over the top ranger upgrade since you know...."THOSE TOYS WON'T SELL THEMSELVES YOU KNOW!?' But the thing about Shane's Karma, at least part 1 so far, is there are some very intriguing elements set up here.  The introduction of Skyla and yet another badass new general in the form of Vexacus add some needed excitement back into the show since the Samurai's Journey three part arc.  And of course, at the center of it all is Shane, who's been having strange dreams about some weird power source and a dark presence coming after him as a child. Hmmmmmm???  But it couldn't come at a worse time as the rangers' Sensei has taken the day off to go on some kind of spiritual Ninja retreat and gives the rangers subsequently their own day off! Awesome right?  Oh and it's Tori's birthday too! Yay!  Though you got to feel for her as not only the Sensei is missing her big day but Shane decides to go to the forest alone and investigate after yet another frightening dream he has there as a child.  Once again, all this set up is very vague, mysterious and exciting, especially after Shane gets there and discovers the two energy sources from his dream are real after all!

Meanwhile, Lothor has been tracking the whereabouts of a strange ship that has been chasing after the bright energy source throughout space.  Of course, this would be interesting....but it's Lothor and his group of buffoons so there has too be some forced and dumb subplot about Marah and Kapri having their high school reunion on his spaceship...yeaaahhhhh....-_-... Anyway! Vexacus makes his appearance known and I gotta say I absolutely LOVE his design as well as his voice actor.  And OMG, his voice actor is Michael Hurst from Hercules: the Legendary Journeys! Awesome! Anyway, I just love how he just owns Shane both morphed and unmorphed so easily; really showing how this new threat should not be taken likely...at all....DAMN! :) Suddenly, that bright power source in the form of a very gorgeous woman saves Shane from Vexacus and from there....their relationship builds apparently since Skyla was on Earth previously and those dreams are memories of when a little Shane saved her.....uhh huh?  I mean I get they are trying to build a connection between Shane and Skyla but it's just kind of forced really...at least to me.  Not that the actors don't have chemistry but this unlikely connection between them happens fast and doesn't feel natural. Oh well...

Anyway, Chooboo and Zurgane discover Vexacus' cloaked spaceship and tell Lothor about it.  But not before Cyber Cam returns and discovers what they are up too.  After Cyber Cam alerts the other rangers, Cam heads out to the woods to check it out while the other four run into Kapri, Marah and a group of Kelzacks on the beach...planning for their high school reunion...again! -_- Meanwhile, Zurgane apparently has been working on a new megazord of his own and decides to unleash it onto the city....jesus! O_o  While Tori and Dustin head out and form the Storm Megazord, Hunter and Blake handle the rest of the Kelzacks.  Gotta say, Zurgane's zord is pretty badass; especially having it's own lighting mode like the Storm Megazord.  Even Cam, when he arrives in his Samurai Storm Megazord is easily beaten by it! Again...DAMN!!! o_O After Zurgane brutally knocks Tori and Dustin out their megazord, Cam knocks Zurgane back and orders them to head back to Ninja Ops since their zords have been seriously damaged. While the rangers regroup back at Ninja Ops, A worried Tori wonders if Shane is in trouble...jusst as Vexacus catches up to them and takes Skyla away as the episode concludes "to be continued." So far, a decent first part despite some glaring annoyances! :)

Final Morph: B