Season 13, Episode 17: Recognition

"Recognition"
Episode 17
Air Date: June 4th, 2005

Now you see, unlike last episode's overall noble but failed attempt at making Boom looking redeemable and sympathetic, "Recognition" actually takes an intense plot and uses it to progresses Sky's personal arc of being a more humble and relatable hero.  After an opening that is really only necessary for a plot point toward of the episode, the rangers are immediately called into action when a extremely dangerous alien warrior named Wootox (Not a ba name at all! :) is attacking the city with one of his giant robots of course.  The rangers, of course, arrive in their zords and form the Delta Squad Megazord but Wootox just escapes as he plans to decimate the entire city.  Soon Commander Kruger morphs into the Shadow Ranger and summons the Delta Command Megazord to stop Wootox by firing all weapons that send him flying out of his zord.  After a pretty difficult fight against the rangers, they manage capture Wootox and plan to bring him to Kruger for questioning.  Too bad Wootox has yet another plan up his sleeve since when Sky is bringing him to his cell at S.P.D. headquarters, he tricks Sky into switching bodies with him.

I have to say the whole body switch plot has never been done this way on the show and the writers do a wonderful job of using this twist of events to its suspenseful potential.  I gotta say, Wootox proves to be one of the most impressive one off villains in a long while for this show.  Not only does he manage to switch bodies with a ranger but he makes sure Sky can't communicate with anyone at S.P.D. by breaking his alien translator as he morphs into the Blue Ranger and locks Sky away.  You can tell Chris Violette was having ablast during this episode playing a deadly monster inside Sky's body, even if his performance can be over the top goofy at times.  He does a well enough job where I can actually believe Wootox is in Sky's body. Also, Wootox's back-up plan is pretty brilliant and one wonders how Grumm never thought to use him to infiltrate the academy to gain control of the Delta Command Megazord to literally destroy the world.  I mean, a megazord the size of a skyscraper could seriously do some damage to the not only the city but the world if it got into the hands of evil.  Not to mention, Wootox manages to continue to outsmart and manipulate everyone as Sky really well like making Kruger side with him to destroy Wootox and the other rangers to destroy Wootox on sight.  But it's nice to know even when Wootox is off being a mastermind behind their backs, we see Jack have a moment of serious suspension but can't help but remain focused on the dire situation at hand.

I also adore how well the writers explore Sky's willingness to save the day this episode by taking point blank fire from the rangers and even telling Wootox he'd rather die saving the world from him destroying it than get his body back.  It's sensational character development for Sky as he is truly showing more shades of a true hero than the stuck, insecure B Squad cadet trying to fill his father's shoes out of entitlement.  Of course where Wootox makes his mistake is attacking Kat and R.I.C. in her lab; where Kruger is able to intercept and find out the truth of what's really going on.  But it's awesome even as the Shadow Ranger that Kruger isn't even able to fight off Wootox in Sky's Blue Ranger form.  it once again shows just how more powerful than normal this monster of the week is in terms of villains that come and go from this show.  Of course, when Sky finds Wootox and stops him from using the academy's megazord mode, we get the moment where the other rangers learn they switched bodies; even as Wootox continues to masterfully make them believe he is the REAL Sky.  Seriously, usually villains suck at make people believing their the actual hero in these types of scenarios but Wootox really manages to play off Sky's holler than thou arrogance to his benefit where you can believe it really is him. lol But Jack uses that random plot point earlier in the episode where R.I.C. brings the ball back to the real Sky as Kruger and Jack hold him down so Sky can switch their bodies back.  After all 6 rangers regroup, they manage to defeat Wootox and capture him for real this time.  After a quick and tiresome attempt at comedy before the episode ends, I can't help but grin ear to ear over this episode.  It was action packed, intense and just had the right kind of goofiness to make the plot thoroughly enjoyable.  Unlike "Invasion of the Ranger Snatcher", the body switch plot is used more inventive here by really making the villain look smart and calculating.  Not to mention, his plan almost worked if Sky didn't figure out what Wootox was planning next. "Recognition" is an awesome episode and could be my favorite thus far from this season.  No question! :)

Final Morph: A