Power Rangers Mystic Force Overview

Power Rangers Mystic Force: Season 14
Episode Count: 32
Air Date: February 20th, 2006-November 13th, 2006

Awwww, I'm sooooo glad I got my Mystic Force re-watch done as even though this is the quickest season I have probably reviewed since I began this grueling tasks of reviewing the franchise up to this recent incarnation, I found Mystic Force at times to be....insufferable and in-considerably half a$$ed???  Now don't get me wrong, we've seen weak seasons in the past before like Turbo's torturous first half and Wild Force's mind numbing cast of horrid actors as the story arc from hell aka Kit/Animus. -_- But at least those seasons had a consistent run of franchise highs that made some of it thoroughly entertaining, even intense!  But Mystic Force...for give for saying feels like Mystic Farce of itself. O_O  Right down to that hip hop influenced of an opening that feels so jarring compared to the initial otherworldly, fantasy feel the first few notes open the song.  Not that Power Rangers can't have opening themes from other genres, but when it's done this poorly and doesn't match the theme of the season, it really is a waste of time.  Theme songs are usually what get the audience or specifically kids excited about the show yet the Mystic Force theme feels lacking in energy and excitement despite being catchy enough.  Probably the weakest theme song since Time Force, which gave me a WHOLE new appreciation for that song. O_O Never saying it's mediocre EVER again.  Now getting into the actual series, the show began with "Broken Spell", a two parter while pretty good, already show signs of the continuous problems this season would me.  While the magical elements are fine, the characters themselves are introduced but like I said, the characters aren't strong at all, even from the get go.  Especially Nick....ohhhh..Nick....-_- As you know I absolutely HATED Nick in the premiere.  It's not even the brooding bad boy thing either, it's the fact he's so clueless and in denial about such obvious things in front of him.  The entire first half have the rangers being surround by magical occurrences left and right...but Nick...STILL doesn't believe in magic unlike the rest of the teens.  I mean....hahahaha..usually when a character is THIS dumb they are usually a one off character like that brainless secretary from Trakeena's Revenge, not one of the rangers, especially the one who is gonna be leader of the freakin' team.  You know, since I'm on the subject and would rather get through with talking about the rangers as quick as possible this time, I'll with Nick since I already feel a good rant coming on.  Nick...may possibly be the worst red ranger as well as  ranger in general.  If the premiere was one of the most insulting introductions for one of our main heroes, the season just continues with Nick and just doesn't make him likable...at. ALL!!!  "Rock Solid" he's a major idiot and jerk to Madison, assuming a personality trait about her when...didn't you just move into town like days ago??? He doesn't even immediately take responsibility for it after Madison gets in trouble and it takes the rangers having to save her for him to give a damn to apologize.  Sooo....our leader, our red ranger, is a condescending idiot and well as the slowest person to ever NOT have common sense. O_O  His personal arc this season doesn't even have to do with him as a character but more about discovering his lineage and the whole "greatest wizard/The Light" non-sense.  His continuing rivalry between them had no depth or real stakes to it.  After gaining Udonna's Snow Staff he spends most of the season using it to contact him mentally to tell him or the other rangers any information he wanted them to know like meeting up for battles and what not.  Honestly, looking back Koragg could have been an actual interesting, maybe awesome villain if he used the staff to manipulate Nick through his memories, insecurities even doubts as a ranger as well as trying to find his parents but it's just a plot point that matters up to nothing since you could completely take that out of the season and nothing would improve! O_o

Like I said about the whole linage thing, it was dragged on for two long that I'm sure kids put it together themselves waaayyyy before Udonna realizes Nick is her son and Koragg's true identity.  I mean come on, the constantly random flashback of the baby in a red blanket while Nick is seen holding on to a random red blanket he's had since he was an infant...I mean come on writers!!!  I just don't under Nick himself, someone who seemingly tries to be brave but when it really matters, he's more cowardly than even Bulk and Skull at their height of heroism during the end of In Space.  There is literally no depth to his character even when he being developed from "Hard Heads" when Vida and him are fighting for an episode because they're both stubborn.  Yeah, it doesn't do much at all to further his development even after they learn to work together and don't even get me started on "The Light" where he willing to give up himself to Oculos, dooming the real world and the magic world as well because he can't think of a way to save his friends.  It's Phineas, yes, Phineas, one of the MANY the comic relief characters this season that has to inspire Nick to THINK and keep fighting.  What a horrible Red Ranger! One of the worst rangers like I said and the "The Light" arc that forced Nick center stage for the majority of the season, making the rangers supporting characters to HIS story literally amounts to nothing.  All this talk about the Light putting fear in the villains, even the Master yet in the finale, Nick is about the weakest he has ever been this season in terms of power and especially personality.  Why does it take his team begging, not to mention, Maddy antagonizing him to not give up (Shut up you two! O_O)??!!! Are you kidding me??!  It's the season finale where the fate of the world is literally at stake as they are shown how devastating the world with look like if the Master wins and Nick just gives up cause mommy and daddy are gone!!! Nick doesn't unleash any powers that are so great that he solely destroys the Master like it was prophesied him being this omnipotent magical force that will drive the darkness away forever.  It's a combined team effort for all 8 rangers combining all their magic and forcing the Master to eat it all; aka overeat to death...WOW!!! o_o  Then what the hell was the point of "the Light" story??? This is when the writers should have gotten creative as hell and made the 4 rangers be the ones who make Nick the Light as they are prophesied warriors too I might add who give Nick enough power to whip out the darkness forever in the finale instead of the overwhelming shoehorned wrap up I have ever seen!! The last scene between Maddy and Nick made me feel like I was watching the premiere again as they reenact the same scene when Maddy didn't want Nick to leave.  Nick looks and feels like nothing has changed, especially about him which is the most disheartening end to a character arc from this show I have ever seen.  He just rides off with the parents away from the friends who help him be strong enough to save the world and he just abandons them as well as Maddy's clear love and affection for him!!?? O_O.....F%^& Nick! -_-

I guess I'll talk about the rest of them aka the rangers who are there as supporting character for most of the season cause Nick is SOOOOOO important to the story and NOT them. -_-  I guess I'll start with the ranger I hated the least and go to the one I hated the most out of the 4?!! :) Madison, our lovely Blue Ranger, clearly the heart of the team, able to show love and compassion with a genuine need too. She's the one who opens to Nick or rather tries to get Nick to open up in the premiere despite as awkward and shy she seems.  Honestly, Maddy's character arc could have been one of the strongest of this show's entirety so far but once again, the writing is so jarring, confusing and underwhelming it hurts.  It was awesome in the finale that she was the one out of no where who was the most assertive about Nick giving up that she almost demanded him not too.  But like I said, it comes out of no where with no continuous development this season showing Maddy becoming a more outspoken and heroic ranger after starting out so meek and passive.  In "Rock Solid", when Nick mistakes her personality for being quiet and not that kind of girl (Another Nick trait that was the worst), Maddy feels like she needs to confront a guy about asking him out to prove him wrong which seems a bit rash and stupid if you ask me.  Even in the end when she finds enough courage ask old Ben out, he never returns and she never shows any signs of that kind of confidence again until the very end.  Of course, there's that episode "Ranger Down", where she needs to talk to and convince Jenji to come back home because he feels so unloved and unappreciated due to Fire Heart.  Even after all the rangers had been through so far, she still felt so insignificant in "The Light" about her role on the team when she had done so much from helping alongside the team when it came to their biggest challenges like "The Gatekeeper, Part 1 and 2" and  the "Dark Wish" trilogy...yet....she still feels like the weakest link of the team??? O_O  Like I said, even by the end of the season, Maddy doesn't seem all that different even when trying to convince Nick to stay in Briarwood.  It's like Maddy had moments of growth and potential evolution, but was all seemingly forgotten by the end.  I also have some SERIOUS issues with her and her relationship with her own sister, a fellow ranger but I'll save all that when I get to Vida.  Honestly, besides recording her friends having fun being her hobby and her random free of frogs, Madison has the potential to be extremely likable and become as seemingly fierce-less as her sister but nope.  She's just a character type and that's all really.

Going now to Chip, out over enthusiastic and fantasy obsessed Yellow Ranger, Chip as you know kind of bothered me from the beginning with his personality seeming too excitable and borderline autistic??  Obviously, the writers aren't gonna make autism a character trait for someone on his kid's show but I would have liked an indepth look on Chip's past and why he is so fixated on magic, superheroes, not to mention being a Knight.  In "Soul Specter", while Chip's soul is literally being sucked away, it's Daggeron who tells him that he'll train him to be a night that encourage's him to continue fighting and make sure they get in top of the mountain.  Not much happens with that at all and I don't like the moment he randomly opens a black bottle in the first place when it clearly was a trap. -_-  Honestly, Chip's best character moments came with Vida as I found their unlikely best friendship very palpable, even heartwarming during the "Stranger Within, Part 1 and 2".  It was so sweet seeing Chip being so selfless and willing to do anything to save Vida to the point where he even knows when she is STILL a vampire even when she tries to literally poison the team along with Udonna.  One wonders how Chip knows Vida so well to the point where even Madison, her own sister doesn't even know her that well??? Yeah...I didn't like that revelation in that story because it makes her own sister clueless....not to mention the rest of the rangers and maybe Udonna too.  So despite Chip being weird as hell in personality, he was essentially the Bridge of the team since he had a way of doing things that came out right and intelligent despite the irony of his dim-witted glee.  Leading right into Vida, our reluctant Pink Ranger as she can't help talking about how much she hates pink so much. She's also a DJ....yeah...every so often we get reminded that Vida is into DJing but it seems like more of a hobby than an actual career aspiration.  Outside "Stranger Within" and "Hard Heads", is more of a random plot point than something apart of her character.  We know she's extremely stubborn, headstrong and tough which is a direct contrast between her and Madison...which you wouldn't even know were sisters if they didn't call each other "sis" each episode.  One of the worst (many) aspects of the season is how Vida and Madison's relationship isn't explored at all besides being really worried about each other once and all.  You're telling me the writers had time to establish a genuine bond between Vida and Chip but NOT between her and her own sister??? There is literally not one scene of Madison and Vida alone just bonding which is just laughable because why make them sisters at all then??? o_o  It would have been great if Madison and Vida being polar opposites had to learn how to be more like the other with Madison being more confident and outgoing while Vida more patient and passionate.  That sure would have explained her sudden, forced empathy for Matoombo that comes out of no where simply because the Sentai footage needs to make sense when nothing about Vida this season has built up to her making such a rash, dangerous decision to come to the aid of one of their toughest enemies just because he says a small child randomly.  It just doesn't make sense and the season just ends with Matoombo alive and well; partying alongside Vida at her turntables...HOW...HOW....did I mention...HOW!!!? Why was this important that we needed him to come back out of no where so Vida and him could continue their friendship...BAH!!!

Last of the core five and the worst offender outside of Nick, Mr. Plan Xander himself, Xander. :)  Oh Xander,  when the most redeemable things about Xander is his accent and........wow, I guess that just one.  I get it!!! Xander is Mr. conceited. self involved ladies man but even Joel was this obnoxious and selfish; forcing his friends to do all the work at their job while he takes all the credit. WOW! "Petrified Xander" shows him at his absolute vainest and dumbest as he uses a potion of Clare's that is quickly turning into a tree; leaving Vida to talk him into just being himself and not being obsessed with being perfect.  "Inner Strength" is definitely his best episode where Daggeron is so hard on him because he needs to learn some serious humility as well as dedication to his magic training that he sucks at because he keeps not studying of his dates.  I liked that he seemed to have finally learned from his lesson and seemed to be on the track of redeeming his early season abrasive, borderline bullying toward his friends.  A few episodes later in "Koragg's Trial", Xander is completely back to norm by being incredibly lazy and taking credit for the rangers work when they painted the wall outside Tobey's shop.  And not need to mention his last bit of sympathy as the writers try to develop him last minute with that sob story he tells Nick when he wants to give up but NOPE!!! Actions speak louder the words and I only feel like Tobey made him manager in the end because he was a ranger, NOT because he was a good person or learned to be a true leader.  Xander is about as worse as it gets for characterization for a ranger outside of Nick the Quit. O_o

Now onto our supporting characters...Udonna...worst mentor. EVER!!! I'm sorry, what did she really do this season beside continually get kidnapped and obsess over finding her husband.  Udonna never really mentored the rangers, that was Daggeron's job once he arrived.  She's this powerful sorceress but we never get much her displaying that fact.  Sure, when she attempts to save the rangers in "Heir Apparent", it's one of her only awesome moments but ultimately, Udonna is wasted as not only a mentor but as Nick's biological mother once that is revealed.  Now moment of them truly getting to know each other and bonding; like that revelation doesn't really matter in the end.  She was sooo dumb for going off to find Leanbow once she was powerless and put the rangers as well as herself at risk when she did in fact put them in serious danger when she was kidnapped.  We have Daggeron, our official/unofficial sixth ranger, who honestly is the most consistent character all season really.  There's nothing wrong with Daggeron as he is very responsible, awesome fighter, extremely disciplined and actually trained the rangers on various occasions as a team.  Outside of his stupid "kiss the frog" fairy tale intro, he always seemed like a strong character in a season full of weak a$$ ones.  I'm not talking about "The Snow Prince".....-_- What a forced bullsh!t lesson for a character who needed the least development our of everyone!!? O_o  Clare was Udonna's apprentice aka a sorceress in training and I overall really liked Clare.  While she was the comic relief character there to be the punchline when her spells went wrong, I LOVE "The Gatekeeper, Part 1 and 2" as she's a straight badass when she has no choice but be her mom's successor as the legendary powerhouse.  Not only was her bravery and sacrifice amazing to watch, but her mind blowing fight sequence with Koragg....INCREDIBLE for a kid's show, WOW! o_O :) She is the only one to have common sense to protect Udonna when she selfishly went on a journey to find Leanbow and her mini-team up with Phineas and Leelee was entertaining.  While the build up to her becoming a full sorceress wasn't really there for it to officially happen in the finale, she def deserved for being the best thing about the supporting characters who weren't rangers.  Phineas and Jenji were just more comic relief characters if not needed overall but at least Phineas prove to be useful when giving the rangers random insight and advice while Jenji was a selfishly evil genie who stole a baby dragon out of resentment and jealousy.  He just dies in the finale by sacrificing himself only to pop up like nothing happened later....I swear "Mystic Fate"!!! -_-

Let me just get into the villains cause boy did they suck!! O_O At least Lother and his idiot space roommates were made to be comedic villains but outside of Imperious, the villains are anything but memorable. O_O At least, Imperious had ties to the Mystic Force by being a former ally turned evil (Calindor) and his plans were the most successful in giving the bad guys multiple wins all season ("Dark Wish" trilogy and "Heir Apparent")  But seriously, what did all the other villains do again.  Morticon was all "crush, kill, destroy" before getting "crushed, killed, destroyed" but at least he wasn't as bad as Koragg!!! OMG!! Where do I begin with the biggest oxymoron villain ever!? O_o  Nothing about Koragg was deep and interesting; including after he is revealed to be Leanbow all along.  The honor stuff got old real fast because of the nonsensical approach to evil having standing because at least Villimax's honor stemmed from loyalty and chivalry toward Trakeena where Koragg is suppose to be cause of the Master but he literally doesn't want to destroy the rangers multiple times because apparently he was Leanbow still deep inside.  I call bull on that since I don't believe it for a second this all powerful Master wouldn't know when one of his servants are not completely evil.  But then the non-sense gets worse with the Ten Terrors who could have easily defeated the rangers all together but because of some stupid rules of magic scenario where evil follows guidelines they can't and must do it one at a time.  Giving the rangers every opportunity to defeat them.  Some are plain evil yet others are morally gray with no explanation of why such evil, powerful as hell creatures would be so easily swayed to the good side??? O_o  Leanbow didn't make for much of an ally in the end as his Wolf Warrior shtick literally came the episode before the finale....WHAT!!? Just a waste!!! Necroli was consistently evil and no bad until she changed sides at the end because now she chooses to care about her daughter!!! ??  Leelee herself is also another morally gray character gone wrong when she wants to infiltrate the rangers for her mom and then keep them as pets when they're captured in "Heir Apparent"...yet suddenly, she wants to work at the Rock Porium and be their friends??!! Excuse me!!! I'm glad the rangers immediately didn't want to work with her and gave her a hard time but Leelee wanting so bad to be good is never really explained??? Why does she care and want to be good all of a sudden??? How is the daughter of the queen of vampires look human??? Who is Leelee's father??? Seriously nothing! And then they just make her and Phineas a couple...WOW!!! -_-  The Master...generic, boring hellish demon looking creature who besides looking awesome doesn't serve any as a really imposing final villain.  jesus, Nick did more damage as Koragg the 2nd than the Master did in his 3 episodes!!! O_o With such an amazing new angle with dark magic and evil wizards, sorcerers, etc.  The writers seriously dropped the ball HARD as they should have given us a Voldemort type villain or villains that were terrifying magic wielders but the villains here are basic and forgetful as they come.

As for the megazords, weapons, etc.  I LOVE the rangers arsenal this season as them transforming into their megazords was so awesome and new.  Sure we've seen rangers merge with their zords before but not to this level and it make the zord fights so entertaining.  The Legend Warrior Modes was beautiful looking power ups especially and definitely made the "Dark Wish" trilogy worth it in one of so many ways. :)  I just wished the writers really pushed the magic/fantasy theme to its limits for the greatest potential instead of underplaying it like Harry Potter lite.  Mystic Force definitely had some great ideas and stunning step ups but they mostly proved to much ado about nothing! Fire Heart, Mystic Mother, the Snow Prince, etc. all seemed like mythology thrown at us for the sake of it being a magical story but there's no real importance to them until the plot demands it out of no where.  The Tribunal of Magic were key players in advancing in their power source and helping them save the day...yet, when all of this is going down, there's no mention of them at all??! O_O Last season's finale brought every significant arc to a close with so much going because even with all the fighting and explosions, it felt like a real journey coming to an end with characters from previous episodes coming to aid the rangers while facing their greatest battle yet to prove themselves as more than second best.   For the first time, at the end of a season, I felt empty....like there was so much I didn't like this time, the good just couldn't balance things out this time.  This was bad season I'm afraid with very few redeeming qualities.  Definitely my least favorite entry so far and would only re-watch it for maybe 5-6 episodes but no way from beginning to end.  That's all I have to say....:(



Best Episodes:

1. "The Gatekeeper, Part 1 and 2"-Honestly, this is the peak of Mystic Force in terms of quality and arguably two of the best pair of episodes from the franchise.  From the Hollywood style spectacle as Clare nobly takes center stage while the rangers play supporting heroes to a grand in scale story, it's not to be missed despite season's overall misfortune.

2. "Heir Apparent, Part 1 and 2"-Pretty superb in terms of Imperious coming up with his most devious and successful plan yet as he captures the rangers, Udonna is forced to sacrifice her magic temporarily to save her rangers as well as finally getting to unsolved yet annoyingly predictable mystery surrounding Nick and Udonna's supposed dead child.

3. "Dark Wish, Part 1-3"-A season highlight for sure as we get a three parter that builds up sensationally overall by showcasing the rangers at their worst before showing them at their best trying to rectify a devastating mistake they made as well as gaining some visual stunning, even epic new power ups. :)

4. "Stranger Within, Part 1"-Only Part 1 gets love from me because it beautifully centers around some genuine and heartfelt character moments between Chip and Vida, despite Part 2 completely failing in every other aspect as well as that!

5. "Code Busters"-One of the only episodes that truly teaches these new rangers a lesson as Chip and Vida learn what it truly means to be a hero and earn their new spell codes as apposed to the rest of the season pretty much. :(


Worst Episodes:

1. "The Return"-So let's just start completely not making sense in the penultimate episode from Vida acting so out of character it's insulting, the last of the Ten Terrors being wasted as usual and how they are all morally gray with no explanation.

2. "Mystic Fate, Part 1 and 2"-Probably the worst season finale yet with so much exposition and out of nowhere mythology being thrown at us that it's shocking the writers thought this was the best way to end the season.  Nick reaches a new low and characters that should be dead just come back to life with absolutely no explanation. O_O

3. "Ranger Down"-Oh the episode where Jenji takes Fire Heart and abandons him in the woods because he is seriously lacking in attention and affection from the others.  Dumb, selfish, poorly written characterizations all around.

4. "Petrified Xander"-I'm sorry, this is one of the many reasons that I absolutely hate Xander!!! Making dumb decisions for the most vapid reasons and endangering his life as well which could endanger the rangers.

5. "Stranger Within, Part 2"-The most drastic change in a two parter as Part 2 shows Chip to be more knowledgeable and aware of Vida still being a threat despite her other friends, not to mention, her own sister can't see it/  WHAT!!? o_o



Pros:

• Daggeron being a consistently decent ranger/mentor, unlike the main 5 and Udonna!!!
• "The Gatekeeper, Part 1 and 2"
• The epic instrumental music during the rangers' victory
• The Dark Wish trilogy not being perfect but a solid build up and exploration of the rangers' (immense) flaws as heroes. 
• The unique design and visuals of the rangers' zords (Manticore, Titan, even Solar Streak were impressive and epic looking!) :)

Cons:

• The embarrassingly, poor scoring during serious and dramatic scenes.  WHAT THE....!!!
• The worst team of rangers in terms of characterization and character development yet!
• A horrendously awful finale in "Mystic Fate, Part 1 and 2"
• Udonna as a mentor being severely underwritten and constantly kidnapped. -_-
• Koragg and his laughable honor schtick!!! My goodness, I HATE Koragg! O_O
• The villains being overall one of the worst rogue's gallery of main baddies for a team of rangers.
• The whole Nick being the Light/greatest wizard taking complete focus from the other rangers and amounting to absolutely nothing in the end. WOW! -_-
• Nick's lineage to Udonna and Leanbow having almost no emotional weight to it...maybe even none at all.
• The overall weak and wasted exploration of a thematically fantasy/supernatural series that feels jarring and all over the place in execution. 

"As the very first Power Rangers season to focus on a magical theme with characters and plots centered around sorcery, witchcraft and wizardry, Power Rangers Mystic Force unfortunately is the most meandering entry of the franchise thus far.  While there are a few episodes worth merit and megazords are refreshingly gorgeous, the story is as subpar as ever with a team of rangers so lacking in heroism and likability that it's a surprise they lived to save the day in the end at all.  Add in a terrible round of enemies like the pathetic Ten Terrors arc to the hollow victory at the end and you have a season aiming for real magic but it ends up being just a phony trick." :(

Season Verdict: D+