Season 13, Episode 38: Endings, Part 2

"Endings, Part 2"
Episode 38
Air Date: November 14th, 2005

You know, despite the horrendous title for both episodes, "Endings" is capped off in one of the main reasons why I love season finales.  It's not about just the highest stakes, the action and sudden surprises along the way, it's about the show coming full circle by seeing not just the main storyline wrapping up but individual character arcs as well.  Even at the very beginning of the episode, we see as Jack is trying to phase through their prison, Cruger can already see Jack's heart belong somewhere else and not with S.P.D.  It's a great continuation of their fight during "Resurrection" and it was nice to see that Jack is about to end up where his journey began. :)  Meanwhile, Piggy is feeling guilty to the point he asks for a sign if he did the right thing...which leads to his cafe pretty much getting destroyed by a bolt of lightning.  Yeah, I think that means "DO SOMETHING SELFLESS FOR A CHANGE!" -_- Anyway, Kat briefs the rest of the academy that Cruger and the rangers have been captured by Grumm and they are the Earth's last hope.  After Kat tells them the odds are slim of the winning, everyone prepares to go...leading to another amazing highlight of the episode, with Boom making a rousing speech about staying to fight for their Commander and rangers because they would for them, no matter how hopeless their final battle will be.  It really shows that despite Boom being just a failure at academy who just became apart of the science department, that he has grown immensely alongside the rangers by embracing his own courage and heroism; not needing to be a Power Ranger to achieve that goal. Awesome! :)  While Grumm prepares for Omni's arrival, his troops head to where Cruger and the rangers off to destroy them by his request.  Luckily, Piggy had that change of heart and disguised himself as a Krybot to destroy the guards so the rangers can escape.  Well, look at Piggy finally making the right decisions now; even the comic relief got character development this season....WHOA! :)

After Cruger and the rangers take down more of Grumm's army, they send a signal to Kat that they are safe and heading back to Earth.  But Cruger decides to stay behind as he has a score to settle with Grumm aka getting his wife back! O_O  Meanwhile, Kat sends the S.W.A.T. Flyers to the rangers while her and the rest of the academy prepare for Grumm's final assault on Earth.  As Kat, Boom and the Omega Ranger lead the charge against Grumm's forces, Cruger runs into Mora, who begins literally throwing monsters at him to stop.  Cruger...just proceeds to morph and badass his way hard through each monster Mora creates...seriously, Shadow Ranger may be one of my favorite rangers of all time based on this sequence alone.  After capturing Mora, Cruger makes his way to Grumm's thrown room...once wonders why he demorph when he's just going to morph again and fight Grumm but whatever, padding out the episode with yet another morph sequence isn't much of a problem.  Back on Earth, Kat, Boom and the Omega Ranger struggle against Grumm's voices...until the arrival of yet another ranger through a time portal.  Yes, this would technically the 9th ranger introduced this season aka the Nova Ranger and I honestly don't mind the writers bringing her in at the very last minute since too many rangers in one season could lead to extremely messy character development or non at all for some (Dino Charge's unfortunate second season from my memory! -_-)

Anyway, as Grumm's ship transforms into Omni and heads down to Earth, the rangers quickly make their way back to Earth to intercept him.  Jesus, you guys aren't there yet??? O_O Sheesh!!! Meanwhile, Grumm and Cruger begin their excellent last fight until Grumm plays extremely dirty and hangs Insinia over the edge of the ship and threatens to drop her if Cruger doesn't stand down.  Gotta say, wish we saw more this vicious, ultimatum Grumm see here.  I mean Jesus, Cruger lost his wife once and he might lose her again her...for good? Wow! O_o  Anyway, our TRUE big bad this season finally arrives in New Tech City and he's an enormous CGI creature thing with a staff.  Yeah, Omni isn't really giving me what the rest of this finale is and his defeat from the rangers was actually pretty easy considering he's a being so powerful that our main villain this season has been serving him in shadows the whole time this season.  Cruger just opens up a part of Omni that becomes his weak spot and one shot from the S.W.A.T. Megazord is all it took to destroy him for good.  Meh! Anyway, the episode is still filled with awesome moments like Cruger managing to save his wife and throw Grumm over the railing in a matter of seconds like it was nothing.  Seriously, Shadow. F%^&ing. Ranger!!! It was great during the final battle seeing the rest of S.P.D. Headquarters coming to help out with the return of Commander Birdie and Sergeant Silverback again, once again bring characters back from previous episodes this season to bring the show full circle.

So with Omni seemingly destroyed and Cruger alongside his wife serving it's destruction, S.P.D. has one the day....until Emperor Grumm comes out of the ruble to reveal he's still alive.  Like this episode wasn't good enough, we have yet another final fight between the rivals that ends with Cruger slice his other horn and saying the most bad-ass line I've heard from this franchise, "Now they match!"  Seriously, epic cheese!!! :)  So with S.P.D. saving the day and the world safe, Cruger congratulates his team for a job well done.  I also LOVE how when Cruger tries to upgrade the team to A Squad, the rangers rather stay B Squad.  More on why I LOVE that so much in my overview.  ;) But unfortunately Jack has resigned as Red Ranger, leaving B Squad without a leader. Once again, Cruger asks Sky if he appointed Syd Red Ranger, would he have a problem with it?? To which Sky says "He'd follow anyone into battle if he saw fit to be their leader".  Sky is finally made the new Red Ranger as Cruger tells him his father would be proud. WOW!  O_O :)  S.P.D. then bids Omega Ranger and Nova Ranger goodbye as we get a small moment between Z and Sam...awwwwwww!!! Seriously, full circle and wrapping out character arc seamlessly.  The episode concludes with the 4 rangers visiting Jack and Ally as they give out clothes to the poor.  Z and Jack once again have a moment about finding their place and doing something "bigger"....before the rangers are called into action and they morph ending the episode, finale and season.  Oh and Piggy's helping out Jack and Ally...good for him! :)  Honestly, this has got to be my favorite and the best finale by far since Time Force's "The End of Time".  Everything was nearly flawless outside a few questionable decisions but int terms of plot wrap up, character arcs concluding and seeing the whole season build up to a heartfelt finish it what makes it above and beyond the previous seasons' ultimately disappointing finales. :)  Finally, I'm done with S.P.D., on to my overview!!! :)

Final Morph: A+