Recap: Power Rangers Dino Fury, Episode 36 (Season 2, Episode 14) – “Say hello to my knee, jerk!”

Recap: Power Rangers Dino Fury, Episode 36 (Season 2, Episode 14) – Rafkon Revealed

Aiyon is eager for them all to go to Rafkon right this instant. He is confident he can defeat Zedd on his own since the Green Morphin Master said so. Zayto can’t believe they will actually be going home now.

Thanks to Solon, the Rangers are able to hop into their zords and use the Cosmic Gateway Key to travel to Rafkon’s new location. Before teleporting down to the ground, Zayto does a scan of the planet. Initially, no lifeforms are detected. But a higher resolution scan reveals just one: Zedd.

The Rangers teleport down and find Zedd with his robot minions. Zedd tells them they are looking for the generator that brought the Sporix species to life which he will use to build his own army.

Aiyon jumps out of the bushes to confront Zedd and Co. The others have no choice but to join in. Only Boomblaster and Nulleye are left to fight the Rangers, alongside Hengemen. But once the Hengemen are defeated, both Boomblaster and Nulleye retreat.

Zayto reminds them they had a plan they didn’t follow thanks to Aiyon’s recklessness. But Aiyon holds on to his confidence and maintains he can defeat Zedd all by himself.

Zayto says they must find the generator before Zedd. He and Aiyon recall the generator being installed in the planet’s core. Since the planet is still stable and even thriving, the generator is still in service. The Rangers head to higher ground to scope out the landscape.

Once up top, Zayto recognizes this area as their home city Emoh-ruo. He can even see the thriving city on the hills where it once stood. Aiyon is anxious to get to the mission, but Zayto has to take a moment to let this all sink in.

Aiyon says once they get the generator and defeat Lord Zedd, they can continue reminiscing about old times.

Unbeknownst to the Rangers, Zedd and Co. retreating was just a ploy in order for them to be able to spy and have the Rangers lead them straight to the generator.

The Rangers quickly find the generator location. But they have to fight off Zedd’s goons. Meanwhile, Zedd and Scrozzle are able to bring the generator up from out of the ground.

Aiyon charges at Zedd, but is forced to demorph. The others hurry over just as Zayto is also forced to demorph. Aiyon apologizes for believing the Morphin Master’s prophecy. The Rangers are ready to face off against Zedd. But they are suddenly shielded and teleported back to the Command Chamber.

Solon scans Zayto, but says there’s nothing she can do to help. They ask Solon how she teleported them back. But it wasn’t her. It was the Green Morphin Master who pops out and says everything will be alright.

Episode Thoughts

This would have been as perfect an episode as modern Power Rangers can get if it weren’t for that nonsense at Buzzblast. WTF was that, seriously? They really couldn’t fill the 20 minutes with just the important stuff? Let’s just ignore that stuff. And when I say “this episode” from now on, I’m referring to the episode minus that irrelevant stuff.

Anyway, though I wish they had gradually and consistently escalated the tension regarding the search for Rakfon better, I think this episode was a relatively exciting outing. Because it had legitimate danger and high stakes, you could really feel it had a purpose.

More often than not, modern Power Rangers don’t feel like they have a purpose other than selling toys. It is rare when there’s actually good story to go along with it.

But this episode showed that it is definitely possible to craft a good story alongside the toy commercial.

Aiyon is a great character without them having to shoehorn his cockiness as a plot device. Character growth, anyone? It’s a disservice to his character that he has to be reduced to simply being Zayto’s counterpoint.

The scene on the hilltop is a great example. It’s hard to sympathize with Aiyon when he acts like a jerk without anything to back it up. And even more so when he ruins what could be really great moments illustrating the tragedy that has befallen Rakfon and their peoples.

In spite of that, Zayto was able to carry the load well enough to still convey the gravity of the situation and the emotions that come with his return home.

Zedd’s plan is sound. But it still brings about the “Why?” feelings of having to dig him (or a version of him) out of the Ranger vault.

Again, regardless of the missteps, the episode’s story overall uses the raised stakes well and draws upon Zayto’s established character to make it feel warranted and supported.

That is quite refreshing for modern Power Rangers.