Season 13, Episode 13: Abandoned

"Abandoned"
Episode 13
Air Episode: April 30th, 2005

You know, Cruger's actions and attitude this episode could borderline on grating sometimes, especially coming off a two parter, while awesome, didn't show him in the best light to begin with.  Being so rude and aggressive toward the rangers was off putting despite learning more about his past but eventually you got to see through his rigid exterior to see the very fragile man (or dog man rather! :P) behind the mentor-ship! In "Abandoned", an episode that immediately following it; showing him to be once again mean and stand offish to the rangers just didn't sit well with me at times.  Until of course, you realize the justification for Cruger's out of nowhere behavior as he teaches the B-Squad a tough lesson about taking it easy and their sudden over reliance on their newest team member.  Earlier in the episode, after a very boss training sequence between the Shadow Ranger and B-Squad, Cruger soon overhears the rangers talking about how easy fighting Grumm will be with their new teammate and how they have to do relatively nothing aka do all the work for them because he's so powerful.  Wow!  There is a surprising selfishness explored with a ranger team we've never seen before and I really actually like it.  I mean it's something we've never really seen on this show, at in an entire team could care less fashion as appose to only one individual ranger.  It honestly makes sense, especially when you realize these are teenagers and while they dedicated to their duties are protectors of Earth!....they still have other desires, wants and activities they'd rather be doing besides training and fighting all the time. Spot on in terms of characterization! :)

Of course, where the episode falls flat for me despite this awesome plotting/conflict within the team is the whole plot with "THE EVIL!" o_O Yes, there is some evils stone that's been awoken after 100 years that the rangers must stop Grumm from obtaining.....I just.....-_-  You know, usually when some big threat is introduced on this show, it's done with so much dread and ominous foreshadowing but HERE?! o_O It's just so vague and stupid to the point that everytime the villains, rangers or other characters talked about "The evil", I couldn't help but check out during the episode. Ehh! -_-  Not to mention, the monster of the week, Drakel is quite laughable as the main antagonist here. -_-  It's also doesn't help that his  fight with the Keeper of the Stone is just....mind-numbingly campy and borderlines on over the top slapstick that just didn't work for me.  I mean....I have no words for that entire sequence....just re-watch Linkara's opening of HOPR S.P.D. and you'll know what I'm talking about.

At this point, the villains this season are becoming too generic with Broodwing always being involved because of profit and Grumm having his schizophrenic episodes during these random scenes with him talking to himself.  Seriously dude, WTF!? o_o  It's not that they are boring me, it's just that initial entertaining aspects of their interactions with each other is being lost with the same type of wash, rinse, repeat of how they do things each episode: Grumm going crazy on his throne while Broodwing blackmails and threatens to get his money....sigh!  Anyway, at the moral of the story isn't totally lost among the saccharine writing as the final battle between the rangers and Drakel finds them getting some more tough love by Cruger by encouraging them to finish off the monster on their won despite him.  And it's a pretty awesome moment made even better by the final scene as Cruger knows the rangers are perfectly capable of continuing to fight on their own and shouldn't take him for granted.  I really like this quota on this episode and it continues to develop the characters as a team especially.  Besides the generically head scratching "The Evil" plot, "Abandoned" is definitely another standout this season with the main focus being on showing the rangers' in a disingenuous light to push them more as heroes and show them their strength as a team when they have no choice but to think for themselves...and I'm ALL for it. :)

Final Morph: A-