Season 16, Episode 8: Way of the Master

 
"Way of the Master"
Episode 8
Air Episode: March 31st, 2008

Well, I like episodes that have the rangers advancing as rangers, especially when it comes to their fighting skills and weaponry usage.  Yeah, unlike the days of MMPR, the rangers aren't just given a new weapon which just automatically helps them save the day with no sweat, here one of the rangers must learn how to use their newest weapon against their battle against Dai Shi and it's no easy task getting there.  After being thoroughly defeated by Camille's latest monster, Pangolin, during both a ground fight and a megazord fight, the three rangers go to RJ as nothing in their arsenal has the power to get through the monster's impenetrable armor.  RJ then tells them off a legendary Pai Zhuq Master named Master Phant who went off the grid years ago into the forest but has a weapon that would be without a doubt powerful enough to defeat the monster. Meanwhile, after Camille tells Dai Shi of her impending plan with her monster, Pangolin has found the right plates under the Earth to cause a massive earthquake that will destroy Ocean Bluff (of course as well as the world.)  The rangers are off traveling deeper into the woods when they are being watched then suddenly attacked by a hooded figure who quickly outfights the three without much effort.  After telling them to leave and taking off, they wonder what just happened before making their way through the forest again and arriving at a small cottage.  They enter the cottage and her rudely welcomed by Master Phant himself. He;s immediately ready to through them out, even despite them telling them Dai Shi is free and the world is at stake. After throwing the rangers out and wondering how Master Phant could possibly have been the legendary kung fu master of the Pai Zhuq, Lily decides to stay behind to try to convince her to teach her how to use the secret weapon while the guys handle Camille and Pangolin in the city.

When Casey and Theo arrive morphed, Camille handles the two with some Rin Shi while Pangolin plows through the ground and heads for the Earth's core to start the earthquake.  Meanwhile, Dai Shi is on a journey to resurrect one of the Overlords with one of their bracelets and one of the talons Camille got from Naja.  In the forest lily tries to connect with Master Phant by planting some flowers in his garden but he just brushes her off when she tries to convince him to teach her how to use the weapon.  Suddenly, the Rin Shi attack her and she fights them off while Master Phant watches from inside.  As Lily is getting her behind kicked hard, Master Phant comes out with a very silly looking mace and of course, beats the crap out of all the Rin Shi like a badass cause Power Rangers! O_O  After defeating all the enemies, Master Phant tells her they don't have much time as he will teach her to use the mace.  Back in the city, Camille has pretty much defeated the two rangers as even Casey Strike Rider can't even defeat her.  But Lily shows up with the elephant mace and uses it to fight Camille.  Honestly, all I'm getting from this sequence is "Skip it! Skip it!"  Just looks like a goofy toy commercial...then again it IS Power Rangers.  Anyway, with the new weapon, Lily manages to stop Pangolin and drag him back to the surface to defeat him with the mace while Theo and Lily quickly defeat Camille.  Unfortunately, he isn't destroy and quickly grows after, forcing the rangers to call on their animal spirit to make the Jungle Pride Megazord.  

While the rangers try their best and Flint won't shut up for like the 100th time during a megazord fight, the Jungle Pride isn't strong enough to withstand Pangolin's invincible armor....at least until Master Phant communicates with Lily and tells them the rangers must now summon the spirit of the Elephant to aid them.  They do and the Elephant zord is able to not only hold it's own against the monster but allow a new formation for the megzord aka the Jungle Pride Megazord with Elephant pride formation....jeeze, why not to call it the Jungle Mace Megazord?!! O_o  Anyway, with the powerful mace the rangers are able to finally get through Pangolin's armer and destroy him for good.  The episode concludes with the rangers renovating Master Phant's hut (it's a hut apparently, NOT a cottage! O_0) and make is a much more beautiful, lack of forest dirt place for him to stay, especially since the rangers know they might need him again someday.  Overall, a very strong episode overall with some great character moments from Lily, once again showing her stubbornness and determination being a tremendous asset as well as helping the old master returns to his roots.  Now this Overload business with Dai Shi better not let me down, but I remember it not being so, so...we'll see.

Final Morph: A-