Season 18, Episode 11: Test of a Leader

 

"Test of a Leader"

Episode 11

Air Episode: April 10th, 2011

So I suppose this would be considered a plot moving episode since it's about our lead Red Ranger getting focus and things about his role as said leader being revealed. Dun, Dun, DUUNNNNNN!!! O_o  But like Samurai, has been so far in terms of character development, this sudden reveal is more shallow and non-eventual as you'd expect.  Even as the episode concludes with Jayden seemingly going off on his own to parts unknown because of not wanting to put his team in danger just falls so flat on its face that this maybe the first season where drama comes literally from no where.  So that secret that Jayden apparently has been keeping since we heard about it in "Sticks & Stones" is that he is the only one with the power to defeat Master Xandred aka master the Sealing Symbol power to trap Master Xandred back in the Netherworld.  Unfortunately, mastering such a skill is damn near impossible....even tho Jayden's father was able to do it??? O_O  So what is it exactly is the problem here??? So it's gonna be hard to Jayden to master this sealing symbol power to defeat Jayden, making him so apparently more precious than the other rangers now.  Yeah thanks, writers! -_- Even the flashbacks with the last Nighlok fight between Master Xandred and last team of Samurai Rangers feels more like unneeded visual exposition than actually building on Jayden's backstory as a character and how his Samurai calling made him into the person he is now.  I mean the writers are gonna finally build on this and actually make us understand, not to mention know who this funny looking teen with the Bieber do's personality is besides the stereotypical stoic leader!!! .....Ewwwwwww....

So with the knowledge of the Red Ranger being the one to truly defeat Xandred for good, Octoroo sends Robtish after Jayden to destroy the ranger for good.  Of course, during their last fight, the other 4 Samurai rangers learned of Jayden's exceptional importance in their battle against the Nighlok so now they're all self sacrificing to protect him.  Uhhh huh....yes, cause throwing yourselves into a monster's attack is the bright thing to do defend your valiant leader.  I mean I get the rangers talking all this extremely serious and wanting to protect Jayden from harm, but what is possibly almost destroying yourself gonna help matters??? O_o  I really didn't under Kevin and Emily doing that, especially as they almost got killed because of it.  Then Mia and Mike try to save Jayden from Robtish while he's desperately trying to protect Kevin and Emily....but it only gets them seriously harmed as well.  All of this is what leads to Jayden making such an abrupt and drastic decision to suddenly leave, but what is leaving and wanting to not endanger his team going to do?? Is this playing into Jayden wanting to working alone like in the premiere??? I just...I just....don't get these characters and their personal motivations at all when sooooo many other seasons at this point had their rangers MUCH more defined by even at this point in their run.  Hell, even if Mya did come off as a transparent b!tch during much of Lost Galaxy, at least it was character trait because of her fish out of water role on Terra Venture after losing her homeworld. But here....NOTHING!!! WOW!!! O_o

Also, Deker seems like he will be our Koragg of the season, already jumping in to fight Jayden during Robtish's attack just to see how great he is as a fighter but becoming immediately disappointed because he's not up to it yet.  I just....your EVIL, just finish him off and stop playing fair!!! -_-  I guess this is playing into Deker's story on why he's being this way but ehhhhh, he's been more of a nuisance than an actual anti-hero foil for the rangers, especially Jayden so.....  I don't know..... Samurai is so...empty of character and charisma!  The writing blatant a straight forward transcript of Japanese dialogue and characters who seem more like stand in faces for the action figures the kids would go on to buy more than any other season so far.  But here I go....let's continue shall we??? Ewwwwwww!!! :(

Final Morph: C-