Season 12, Episode 8: Golden Boy

"Golden Boy"
Episode 8
Air Date: March 27th, 2004

Well, there seems with this episode the writers were definitely going for a theme of fathers and sons as both the main monster plot and sub plot this week have to do with them.  The main plot has to do with Zeltrax and Elsa trying to appease Mesagog is his absence by going after the rangers himself by going into the Geno re-animator or whatever it's called to bring new monsters to life and making himself more powerful.  But instead of doing that, Zeltrax inadvertently creates a monster named Goldenrod...who starts calling him father and apparently is his son.  Of course, this is weird and bizarre for Elsa and especially Zeltrax to take BUT with Goldenrod being so obedient to Zeltrax, he uses him to go after Tommy.  As hilariously odd as it is, it is kind of awww worthy seeing Zeltrax have a son and them working together to destroy the rangers.  Of course, I don't mind the moment Goldenrod blasts Cassidy and Devin out of the way, so I don't mind this random family plot with the villains.  Also, when Goldenrod is destroyed by Tommy....who apparently is so badass he can destroy a 30 foot monster with his Brachio Sword yet the other rangers can't in their megazord.....OK o_O...., Zeltrax shows actually care and concern as he was the only family he has; swearing vengeance on Tommy in particular.  Yeah, what's going on with this rivalry between them is getting head-scratching as he keeps telling Tommy he will pay and Tommy is like "bro, What the F^&8??!" O_o Oh well....

As for the sub-plot, Trent and his father are having issues, especially when Anton Mercer decides to buy Hayley's Cyberspace and make Trent the boss....  Yeah, Trent of course, is like "What the hell dude? I already busy with school and drawing! I can't be a manager of restaurant!!!"  Of course, this also makes Trent even more suspicious of his father's past with Dr. Oliver but his father keeps very creepily bushing it off.  Seriously, Latham Gaines is owning the whole cold and distant performance he is giving Anton and it really brings chills sometimes to his scenes.  Like you know he's up to know good...hmmmm...foreshadowing??? O_o  Luckily, Trent gets in touch with Tommy and they go to city hall to meet the Councilwoman to try to stop Anton's acquisition of Hayler's place from going through.  Once Trent saving her life from Zeltrax and Goldenrod, the councilwoman is indebted to him; leaving Trent to use it as the opportunity to make things right.  While Anton and his men head into Hayley's Cyberspace, the councilwoman confidently and legally denies his plans for buying the place as they celebrate their victory.

Meanwhile, Trent goes home to confront his father about what he did and realizes he's not home...a invisi-portal appears in front of Trent as he touches it and gets sucked inside.  The portal leads him to in front of Hayley's place where Ethan tells him to join them inside to celebrate but Trent can't help but look at his father leave, wondering what just happened to him.  Either way, "Golden Boy" was entertaining when it came to the Anton Mercer/Trent dilemma as father and son try to do the right thing for each other but the main plot with Zeltrax and Goldenrod was passable at best if not random af! O_O

Final Morph: C+