Recap: Power Rangers (Super) Samurai, Episode (17 or 18) 40 or 41 – The Great Duel

(Seriously, what’s up with the episode numbers eh?)

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Antonio finds Jayden by the water. Jayden tells him for the first time in his life, we doesn’t know who he is. Antonio offers to treat him to breakfast and tells him to wait. But Jayden is gone when he gets back.

Antonio calls Mentor/Ji to say he’ll keep looking for Jayden who is now wandering in the forest. He runs into Deker who says they’re very much alike after Jayden’s secret has been revealed. Jayden says the world would be a better place with Deker and Deker welcomes the chance to finally duel. He takes out URAMASA!!!! and Jayden whips out his katana and they duel. Deker transforms into his Nighlok form and Jayden morphs.

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Meanwhile at the manse, Lauren is training with Daigoyou the Light Zord as the others watch. They want to look for Jayden instead of train, but Mentor/Ji tells them focus and he’ll go out and look.

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Mike decides he wants to challenge Lauren, even though Jayden never liked it when he challenged him, Kevin says.

“It’d be an honor,” Lauren says, “I’ve always had to train alone.”

They spar and she totally owns him before asking who’s got next.

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On the Sanzu, Octoroo gives half his life force to Nighlok Gigertox to help create enough misery to recharge Xandred.

In the forest, Mentor/Ji finds Jayden’s things as he and Deker continue fighting.

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The Rangers head to the kitchen where Mia is cooking them a meal. Kevin, Mike and Emily are disgusted by Mia’s cooking of course, but Lauren loves it. She hungrily eats all the food Mia gives her.

Mentor/Ji wants Jayden to stop fighting and stands in Deker’s way from giving the final strike. But Jayden and Deker manage to take a swipe at each other, causing Deker to fall down the hill and Jayden and Mentor/Ji to fall off a cliff.

They’re fine and Mentor/Ji tells Jayden they’ve completed their part of his father’s plan.

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Antonio morphs and tries to fight off Gigertox as it is attacking the city. The alarm sounds at the Shiba manse, Lauren disappointed she has to leave Mia’s food, the others relieved they don’t have to pretend to be nice to their FRIEND!

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Gigertox causes Antonio to demorph when the other Rangers arrive. Lauren leads them into battle.

Jayden and Mentor/Ji are still sitting by the stream. You were a good student, Mentor says, and he overcame a lot difficulties and challenges. Most importantly, he fulfilled his promise to his father.

“You’ve become an excellent leader. You may not have the sealing power, but you were truly the red ranger. I’m so proud of what you’ve become.”

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Jayden thanks him but says it’s time he left so he can go fight Deker. Mentor/Ji begs him not to fight, but Jayden wants to fight as Jayden (Jayden Shiba is Jayden Shiba!) and wants to defeat Deker once and for all.

“THEN DO IT!”

Lauren goes SUPER! and together with the others, defeat Gigertox’s first life. When they hop into the Battlewing Megazord, Antonio goes looking for Jayden again. The Rangers defeat the Gigertox’s 2nd life, but surprisingly he also has a 3rd life!

OO-AH-OO! Octoroo is drained after giving up most of his life force to allow Gigertox to gain a 3rd life.

“I feel like fried calamari!”

The Rangers summon the Gigazord and Lauren asks for everyone to contribute their symbol powers to defeat the Nighlok.

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Antonio stumbles home, injured as the other Rangers aggressively tend to him. But Mentor/Ji also stumbles home, injured. And the Rangers withdraw their care from Antonio and focus on Mentor/Ji instead.

Mentor/Ji tells Lauren he’s found her brother and that he’s fighting Deker.

A horse-riding Deker finds Jayden. He summons his own horse and they proceed to fight.

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Mentor/Ji tells us this will continue.

Episode Thoughts
Why couldn’t the whole season be like this, honestly. This episode, like last week, had none of the usual childish stupidity that most Samurai episodes have had. A more focused, if not serious tone that still kept things lighthearted.

I hate the whole “horrible cook Mia” running gag since it pretty much makes the other Rangers out to be huge jerks to their friend. But Lauren devouring the food was still amusing. And that last scene of the Rangers withdrawing their caregiving from Antonio to give to Mentor was one of the few times a sight gag and slapstick comedy actually worked on the show.

The Lauren-Mike sparring scene was fun and the scenes with Mentor/Ji and Jayden were very effective. Jayden and Deker’s fight was also well done.

Again, by Samurai standards, a solid episode, if not great.

How Much Better Was Sentai Than Power Rangers?
Corresponding Shinkenger Episodes: Act 45 – The Impersonator and Act 46 – The Showdown Clash

As good as this Samurai episode was, Shinkenger did it all better of course. But it was also a very different episode(s). Everything was much more dramatic. Everything was much heavier. And again, that’s because of the different relationships between Takeru and the Shinkengers and between Jayden and the Rangers.

First, and excellent example of how different these two shows are. Just look at the Sanzu scenes. Shinkenger‘s Sanzu scenes were so dramatic and serious. Samurai‘s Sanzu scenes are like parodies.

Antonio’s looking for Jayden was kinda awkward. Genta looking for Takeru was pretty lighthearted (keeping in line with his character), but of course took a heavy turn at the end.

I also feel like the relationship between Jii and Takeru is deeper and stronger than Mentor/Ji and Jayden’s, though theirs is great too. Plus. Juzo more of a psychopath than Deker. So Jii risking his life for Takeru was much more dramatic than Mentor/Ji doing the same for Jayden.

And finally, the Shinkenger episode definitely ended on a more emotional note. Kaoru was less of a factor in the episode than Lauren was in this because in Shinkenger it was all about how much of a relationship beyond lord-retainer Takeru and the others had formed. The final act of that episode was incredibly and surprisingly emotional. Samurai definitely took it a different direction, but I applaud Shinkenger for where they originally went with the episode.

Again though, different stories, different directions.


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0 thoughts on “Recap: Power Rangers (Super) Samurai, Episode (17 or 18) 40 or 41 – The Great Duel

  1. Pretty Solid Review though i felt that Mentor standing in the middle of the fight was a very stupid idea, whats stopping Decker from just Slashing through him and continuing the fight?, Decker doesn’t care about mentor and mentor’s standing between him and his ultimate dual, and if Jayden hadn’t forced him out of the way at the last possible second and Mentor was hit Jayden would either a) get really pissed off at Decker and fight even more aggressively (what mentor was trying to avoid), or b) get emotional and distracted giving Decker an advantage and placing Jayden in even more danger, either way there’s no positive outcome, i found that stupid in both the Sentai and the PR series.

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