Season 13, Episode 18: Samurai

"Samurai"
Episode 18
Air Episode: June 11th, 2005

I guess this episode has a very valuable lesson at it's core, even if I saw the outcome of the conflict at hand a mile away.  While predictable, it does show Jack to be worthy hero as well as showing Kruger to be quite the unhanded mentor once again.  So during a sword training session between Jack and Commander Kruger, we see Kruger is able to greatly outmatch Jack when it comes to his sword training skills.  Of course, Jack believes it's because Kruger's shadow sword is soooooo much superior, but Kruger just says "It has nothing to do with the sword.  It's not the sword....it's the swordsman!"  Ohhhhh I see where this is going already.  Meanwhile, Emperor Grumm comes up with a plan to finally defeat the rangers (Ha! Don't they ALL! :) by opening a time portal and bringing back an ancient alien Samurai named Katana who crash landed in Japan thousands of years ago and became a legendary warrior trained by a master Samurai in the city of Kyoto.

As the time portal opens and Katana arrives to Broodwing orders Katana to go after the rangers who he tells are endangering city of Kyoto.  Feeling the temporal activity disturbing the Earth's stability, Kruger sends the B-Squad over to Ja[an to track down the source of the disturbance.  They run into Katana, who is added by a squad of Krybots.  What's interesting is even thou Katana is easily able to handle the rangers in battle, he gives Jack back his weapon when he could have destroyed right there.  Apparently,. Katana lives by a respectful warrior's code as Jack tells the others after the fight about Katana sparring him and that he isn't necessarily his enemy.  Unfortunately, the rangers must also deal with Broodwing's newest giant robot that begins stealing buildings throughout Kyoto.  As Kruger and Kat become aware of this, they realize they must leave New Tech City temporarily defenseless to stop it; despite Kruger initial hesitation to leave.  They quickly arrive in Kyoto with the Delta Command Megazord but Jack is willing to take on Katana and stop him in a fair fight...as long as he has Commander Kruger's shadow sword.  Of course, Kruger reminds Jack of the lesson he was trying to show him but given the current stakes, he gives Jack the sword while the others contend with the robot.  Soon Jack meets up with Katana and they both fight each other in hopes of proving who's the best swordsman.  Jack of course, wins thanks to Kruger's shadow sword...only we find out by episode's end it was just an ordinary sword disguised as his shadow sword....to Jack's shock and disbelief.  Yeah, I get Kruger doing that to reinforce his lesson onto Jack in a much unforeseen way, but it just comes off as just sneaky and underhanded to be honest.  I get it and understand why he did it that way (Even tho I wonder how he knew Jack would want his sword again and made the switch but...???) I guess it just kind of reminds me of Captain Mitchell's bizarre mentoring back in Lightspeed Rescue! O_o

Anyway, although the other rangers are managed to win the day and destroy Broodwing's robot; Grumm actually managed to gain a victory over the rangers as his plan was all a distraction for the rangers while he stole extremely powerful crystals in New Tech City to further his master plan.  Wow!!! Can't say that about much main villains at this point in a season! o_o  I mean Mesagog was terrifying visually and in presence but didn't score many victories at all against the Dino Thunder Rangers and Lothor.....well......anyway!!! -_- Also, a strange ball of light exits the time portal as Katana returns back to his own time and follows the rangers all the way back to S.P.D. Headquarters....hmmmmm.... Anyway, "Samurai" is predictable but passably entertaining enough in terms of pushing the story forward with Grumm while giving Jack a lesson on believing in his skills instead of the weapon he wields....even though Kruger lied to him for him to get it! lol

Final Morph: C+