Fixing Power Rangers: Megaforce Part 3

As we enter the second season of Power Rangers: Megaforce, we see if we have what it takes to make the "anniversary" part of "anniversary season" something truly meaningful.

We've come to the point in Power Rangers: Megaforce where the main goal is no longer to homage the original Mighty Morphin' series, just as a general consequence of now adapting Gokaiger. Goseiger proved immensely useful in creating a season that harkened back to the first three seasons of Power Rangers (as well as some amazing crossover footage featuring the Samurai Rangers) but Gokaiger is so much more than that. Being a tribute to all 34 previous Sentai teams, Gokaiger featured virtually every suit from its long history as well as brought back a number of old characters to tie in those seasons' stories with Gokaiger's. Because Power Rangers is so much more serialized (at least, in a season to season sense)  and has a heavier internalized mythology (Morphing Grid, Zords, morphers, and the like), it would only make sense to focus on the story just as much as the action.

First of all, some concerns:

Sentai Suits?

Power Rangers began in 1993 and has featured every Sentai team henceforth. It doesn't need to - nor should it feel obligated to - reference or pay tribute to any teams from before Zyuranger. That being said, the Dairanger suits were brought into the mythology of the show in the first season of Megaforce for plot reasons in the second season - as well as because it provided a convenient connection to the designs of the Goseiger suits (of which they are very similar) and provides lore reasons for why the original White Ranger looks the way he does. Also, I like the idea that the mentor used to lead his own team of Power Rangers; it adds layers to the character. So, yes, there will be cutting around the footage of any previous Sentai teams - and there will be a ton of original footage filmed just for Power Rangers to incorporate PR-only suits like the Spirit Rangers from Jungle Fury and the Titanium Ranger from Lightspeed Rescue.

Money

One may ask, with the upcoming extravagance of the plots listed blow, how exactly Saban plans to pay for all of this. Simple: in the midst of making Power Rangers Samurai, they kindly asked for Nickelodeon to support a move back to the United States for further production of the show. They return to the old studios and sets of Los Angeles, happy to be home - and also makes it much easier to contact older Rangers. At the same time, they will keep their New Zealand production studio active in order to keep contact with the Disney-era Rangers that hail from there. This brings down costs overall and allows Saban greater flexibility of their resources, now having two main filming locations across the world (not counting Japan).

Grandstanding

Power Rangers has always enjoyed dark seasons and they usually only come every so often. In Space, Time Force, SPD, and RPM had years between them. I aim to make Megaforce season two to be similar to those seasons - but not to lose the heart and soul of Power Rangers. Power Rangers is not grim. It can be dark, it can be complex. It can have layers and depth. It is not hopeless. It is not cynical. And it is not "edgy." Power Rangers is silly and fun and optimistic. Those other seasons had tons of silly stuff, too. In Space has the Ninja Turtles show up for an episode. Time Force had an episode about the Blue Ranger going on a date with one of the villains. SPD was halfway a comedy at times. RPM lovingly made fun of Ranger tropes and had an episode where the Green Ranger accidentally ate detonator putty. Power Rangers is fun and full of hope. That's what this season should be.

But why am I talking about darkness? Where did the darkness come from? Because, while in real life Super Megaforce only had the Legend War happening at the end, in Megaforce season two the Legend War will last the whole season. That's right: Megaforce season two is a war story.

Without further ado, here's the pilot episode:

EPISODE ONE - "LEGENDS"

We open to the ARMADA, a huge collection of ships deep in space. An explosion rocks one of the ships, sending it crashing into one of the others - creating a domino effect. We zoom in to the interior, where two figures are rushing down a hallway. It's unknown who, at first, but the fog clears: it's T.J., the BLUE SPACE RANGER, and CASSIE, the PINK SPACE RANGER. They are fighting off the X-BORGS, footsoldiers of the Armada. DAMARAS, a general of the Armada, follows behind the Rangers, chasing after them like Darth Vader. The Space Rangers are carrying some kind of DISK and are firing off blasts behind them blindly. Eventually, they reach a spaceport but not before Cassie incurs a nearly-lethal shot from Damaras. Before they can be finished off, however, LEO and DAMON, the RED and GREEN GALAXY RANGERS, rescue them on their JET JAMMERS. T.J. and Cassie are gravely injured, hoping beyond hope that the information they retrieved was worth the risk. Damaras turns, silent, and walks back into the ship's interiors.

The MEGA RANGERS - still in their NEW MEGA SUITS - are shocked to discover the presence of TOMMY OLIVER, ZEO RANGER FIVE, in the COMMAND CENTER. GOSEI knows of Tommy from information in the POWER RANGERS MUSEUM but has never met him personally. ORION begins acting like a fanboy immediately and is astonished to discover that Tommy has held multiple Ranger personas over the years. The SAMURAI RANGERS (including LAUREN) arrive soon thereafter. Now that the local Power Rangers are all gathered, Tommy begins to explain what the still-active older Rangers have been up to. Put simply: there is a war coming to Earth. The Armada, a massive empire headed by EMPEROR MAVRO, is enraged that the Power Rangers have killed his son. The Space and Galaxy Rangers have already been fighting them for some time but it's clear from information gathered recently that the Armada have been making plans for a full-scale planetary invasion.

The Mega Rangers and the Samurai Rangers are alarmed at this news, asking what they can do to help. Tommy replies that it's best to keep the ZEO CRYSTAL hidden and secure for now and that the Samurai Rangers can help fight battles around the globe with the Mega Rangers. However, Tommy has another trick up his sleeve. He reveals that he's been working with ALPHA, BILLY, HAYLEY, and several others to recreate or unlock the powers of several teams that had lost theirs. In the process, they discovered a way to "copy" powers from the MORPHING GRID (as the Morphing Grid is beyond time and dimensions, it holds versions of every Ranger team ever created). He says that the Mega Rangers should use these powers.

(Throughout all of this, there would be FLASHBACKS to requisite events such as Mavro's throne room, footage of the Space and Galaxy Rangers, Alpha working in the lab, etc.)

"Why?" questions GIA. "Wouldn't access to all the Ranger powers be better in your hands?" No, actually, Tommy replies. They don't want to trip over themselves with brand new powers when the ones they've been using for years work just fine. Tommy says that it would do the Mega Rangers good to learn about their past this way as well, and appreciate the legacy of the Power Rangers. Also, it turns out that it needs an active connection to the Morphing Grid - which Gosei is able to provide the Rangers thanks to his in-between nature. Tommy inputs some things in a console and asks Gosei to provide the Rangers with these new powers. Gosei obliges and the Rangers discover they have the ability to summon forth the powers of past Rangers. TROY morphs into the original MIGHTY MORPHIN' RED RANGER SUIT, astonished. JAKE summons the GREEN SAMURAI RANGER KEY and morphs into it, surprising MIKE. However, because they're both morphed, Jake and Mike suddenly demorph and sparks fly. Tommy explains that only one set of powers can be active at a time, never two - and to avoid doing this if they're in close proximity with another Ranger, and why it's unsafe to morph into LEGENDARY MODE for too long.

Above Earth, the Armada arrives. We meet PRINCE VEKAR who has been put in charge of the advance force, along with ARGUS and LEVIRA. They banter for a while about the unfortunate fate of his younger brother, swearing vengeance upon them. (Note: cut out most of the silly stuff involving Vekar; he's flamboyant but also cunning and dangerous, like his brother.)

Back on Earth, the Mega Rangers thank Tommy for his help. However, the Earth immediately begins to be laid under siege. On screens in the Command Center, we can see various Ranger teams engaging all over the world. STONE CANYON and the SHIBA HOUSE are visible, in trouble. DEKKER and JI are trying to fight off a swath of X-Borgs. The Samurai Rangers can't stand to see their home attacked, saying they need to take off. The Mega Rangers thank them for their help before they go. ANGEL GROVE is similarly attacked. Tommy heads out to engage some Armada forces deeper in the city while the Mega Rangers help the civilians.

The Mega Rangers go to various settings in the city that we've seen them frequent throughout the first season. They assist side characters and others, Orion even fighting while unmorphed. There is an air of great desperation in the air. Earth hasn't faced a planetary invasion like this in years, but Bulk has seen this before. He fights off some X-Borgs with some samurai "techniques" that amount to happening to stumble into them the right way. He doesn't recognize the Mega Rangers at first, but they help him take care of business. He makes mention of the events of Power Rangers In Space and asks whether or not Spike is alright. The Mega Ranger answer in the affirmative, before heading out to engage the general. (Cue Gokaiger ep. 1 fight scene). 

When it comes time, the whole team morphs to MMPR and wrecks house. Then, Samurai. Then, Mystic Force until they defeat the general. We see Tommy beating the tar out of X-Borgs on his way to meet with the Mega Rangers. They thank Tommy for his help, but Tommy says that this is only the beginning - and Angel Grove might not be the only place that needs help these days.

The final scene is a few seconds of Emperor Mavro, watching the Mega Rangers from his throne room - deep in Armada space.

Next time, we round out the second season of Power Rangers Megaforce with a rundown on the characters and an extensive episode plan.