Season 17, Episode 18: True Friends, True Spirits

"True Friends, True Spirits"
Episode 18
Air Date: June 25th, 2008 (Jetix)/June 30th, 2008 (TV)

Meh!!! I knew it was bound to happen but I'm still not fond of an episode devoted to probably my least favorite aspect of this show aka Flint. O_O  Let's just say the previous 12-15 episodes has had his unneeded and honestly annoying commentary during the megazord battles and this episode, while trying to make him a sympathetic, unforeseen temporary ally of the rangers....it just highlights why Flint is more of an inconvenience than a character worth exploring.  The plot also doesn't help as Grizzaka sends an evil spirit to possess RJ during a megazord battle against the rangers and his latest monster, Barakouzza (Not bad all things considered in the name department! :) which leads to RJ turning on his team and using the Wolf Pride Megazord to attack the Jungle Master Megazord until they are all forced out of their zords.  For some reason, Flint gets knocked back by the final attack and explosion that he lands right near RJ in the rumble.  The annoying little fly yapper suddenly is thanking RJ for pulling him out of the rumble and saving him to the point where he wants them to be friends.  Ewwwwww!!! -_-  Of course, RJ's not buying it since the rangers know he works with Camille and Dai Shi (Tho they haven't really seen him in person til now right??? O_o) but it doesn't stop Flint from following him back to the loft where Casey catches him and asks why he's spying on them.  While RJ is still resistant of being friends with him, Flint tries to plead with the rangers that's he's not a bad guy and working for Camille but that thousands of years ago, he was warrior who fought Camille and was turned into a fly by her.  If that wasn't bad enough, she decided to eat him and keep her in stomach for eternity.....wow!!! That's gotta suck tho!!! Turned into a fly (an annoying one at that! -_-) and forced to stay inside a chameleon monster forever?!! Damn, maybe that why Flint is so talkative and won't shut up, probably was driven insane from the ordeal. :P

If that wasn't bad enough, RJ once again loses control and turns into his werewolf form; leading to the trio of rangers to try to detain and not hurt him.  Unfortunately, he defeats them and escapes; leading the three to go after him as well as Flint.  Meanwhile, back at Dai Shi's palace, the Overloads are gloating about Grizzaka making progress and eventually ridding the world of humans....aka Dai Shi as well since you know....he's in Jarrod and all. He storms off all pissed off hearing and just pushing Camille to the side....seriously, this is some domestic abuse here...or the vibe I'm always getting from these two.  O_o  Anyway, while RJ goes on a rampage in the city, Barakouzza is also in the middle of destroying the city; which forces Casey to split up the team while he goes after RJ and the other two take on Barakouzza.  While Theo and Lily do their best against him, Casey is having trouble stopping RJ, which leads to Flint somehow being able to communicate with him inside his mind??? O_o  Uhh huh...where'd this ability come from??? Anyway, RJ is busy battling his animal spirit inside his mind and it losing badly.  Flint, of course, tells him if he loses in his mind, he'll lose control forever and be stuck in his wolf form permanently.  Fortunately, Flint is able to get through to him and make him realize the wolf isn't his enemy but the evil spirit within.  So RJ combines with his animal spirit again and exorcises the evil spirit. Back in the real world, Flint is exhausted from helping him but RJ manages to pick him up and thank him; becoming friends officially......YAY??? O_O

Anyway, Theo and Lily are being defeated by Barakouzza to the point where even their Jungle Master mode isn't strong enough as he sends the Rin Shi to finish them off.  Suddenly, RJ arrives morphed and ready to fight again as well as Casey on his Strike Rider to help them defeat all the foot soldiers.  Soon RJ takes on Barakouzza and defeats him but Grizzaka just makes him grow; leading to another team up megazord fight against the monster....with Flint giving more irritating commentary ehhhh!!! Enough! -_-  After destroying the monster, the four rangers come to Flint's side as he is apparently getting weak from not being in Camille's stomach, since he can't be out of her for too long.......{Insert dirt joke here} :P  Eventually, Camille arrives to take him back from the rangers but clearly RJ has grown quickly fond of him since he technically saved his life and all.  He even can't kill a fly when Fran and the others are slapsticking all over the place trying to kill it at the pizza shop...har har!!! -_-  But the end of episode ends promising as Dai Shi has found the map to the Rhino Nexus (Suddenly that's a thing again! O_o) and plans on heading there himself even tho Camille asks to go with him.  Sigh....that poor girl's gonna have self esteem issues if Dai Shi doesn't stop neglecting her like that. lol Overall, NOT a fan of this one.  It's clearly filler with only the Rhino Nexus plot point moving a bit forward.  Didn't care for Flint, his backstory or his forced friendship with RJ.  Also, the wolf spirit out of control story being brought back so soon after it end was kind of redundant and Grizzaka isn't much of a badass villain as his fellow Overloads are making him out to be.  Like I said....extremely meh!

Final Morph: C-