YOPR: 45. Crystal of Nightmares
On April 19, MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS: ONCE AND ALWAYS premieres on Netflix. I’m writing about all 60 episodes of MMPR’s first season in the lead-up to that premiere.
If you’d like to follow along on this rewatch, entirety of MMPR’s first season is available for free (with ads) on YouTube.
One-sentence synopsis: A crisis of confidence.
Why it matters: While there have been individual instances of our heroes dealing with self-confidence issues, this is the first time Rita’s targeted that aspect of their personalities wholesale. Through another creative use of clip-show material, some of their toughest moments are re-experienced through dreams before a collective nightmare – Zordon telling them they’re no longer good enough to be Power Rangers. It’s quite a jarring scene, even knowing it’s the work of evil magic, and an acknowledgement of the viscerality of dreams – they know what they experienced wasn’t real, and yet feel and carry it with them as if it was. That’s quite a thing to put on screen for kids – borderline irresponsible, maybe – but, man, it’s effective.
Episode MVP: The Putty Fight. I generally don’t like evaluating media on what could have happened; what exists is what exists and it should be taken as it is, not compared unfairly to something it isn’t. However, the perfect ending to this episode’s climax is set up within it, and – if I had to bet – isn’t executed because of a mandate to force a (recycled) Megazord fight into the final minutes. The Rangers’ self doubts are conquered during a terrific Putty fight, which, like most, occurs completely unmorphed. Billy comments directly on the return of their confidence, a brief celebration breaks out and then … the episode plays out like most do. This fight is so well done, and ties up the episode incredibly nicely – it’s a shame that its room to breathe gets wiped out by a tacked on Megazord fight we’ve already watched before.
A good quote: “I know we’re scared, but we have to answer.” – Jason
Rating: 4/5 uneasy teleportations