Recap: Power Rangers Dino Fury, Episode 43 (Season 2, Episode 21) – The Truth
Amelia calls to Solon for more medicine as Pop-pop is getting worse. But as she holds his hand, she is suddenly able to see his memories of that day at Area 62. Pop-pop had been running through to get to safety as the facility is about to explode. He stumbled upon the alien couple trapped in a room.
The man reached out to Pop-pop and he and the woman beg him to take their baby girl to safety. And if they are unable to escape this room, they ask Pop-pop to keep her safe.
Pop-pop ran out of the facility and shielded baby Amelia from the explosions, promising to always care for her.
Amelia does not understand what is happening, but suddenly two antennae sprout from her forehead. Pop-pop says she looks exactly like them.
The other Rangers arrive in the base and Amelia tells them she thinks her parents were from Rafkon. She tells them about what she saw through Pop-pop’s memories.
Pop-pop doesn’t remember anything about her parents. But he does remember files kept in a safe so it might have survived the explosion. Before all that, they have to hurry back to battle.
Jane’s livestream advising people to evacuate Pine Ridge gets interrupted by Void Queen who hijacks the stream to show everyone her using Sporix blobs to encase herself in a large cocoon.
The Rangers head inside Buzzblast when Sporix blobs gravitate to the cocoon. Mucus has no idea what it is either, but she believes in the “best mom ever”. When Mucus slaps the cocoon, she gets zapped and turns into a blob that also gets sucked in.
The Rangers head back to the base and Mama Akana quickly joins them from Japan. She says the cocoon is spontaneous matter creation using the Sporix energy which is bound to explode.
Solon says everything will be okay as long as the city is fully evacuated and they strengthen the base’s shields. Then when the cocoon explodes, damage will be limited to property damage, landscaping and forestry within a 30-mile radius.
Mama Akana and Solon will try to find a way to slow or even stop the cocoon’s progression. Izzy calls Papa Garcia to expand the evacuation area while Aiyon informs Orria of the new threat.
While the other Rangers hurry downtown to deal with an embiggened Wreckmate, Amelia decides to go to Area 62 for the last possible chance for her to get answers about her parents. Pop-pop helps her sneak away from the others and lets her know of the location of the safe. Communicating though mind, Pop-pop tells her to be careful and to use his radioactive-protective suit. Amelia thanks him for everything and leaves.
Amelia makes her way inside Area 62 and finds that there is no radiation so she takes the suit off.
Just then, Papa Garcia pops out of nowhere. But it’s actually Slyther in disguise and he shoots Amelia for trespassing onto their base. Slyther shoots Amelia’s morpher.
The other Rangers are able to finish off Wreckmate for good. But Solon informs them that Amelia’s comms has been damaged.
Slyther and Amelia battle and she gets tossed around until the Rangers arrive. Izzy gives Amelia a new Morpher and she morphs.
The Rangers battle Hengemen and are able to drive Slyther away. The Rangers find the main command center of The Voids and Amelia finds the safe, but it is empty.
Just then, Void King arrives and shoots an electrified net at Amelia, forcing her to demorph. Void King also shoots at the others to force them to demorph. Amelia lunges at Void King to stop him and she suddenly is able to see his memories.
The memories are of Tarrick and Santaura crash landing on Earth. Though they were merely here to scavenge for food and resources they could bring to their people, they were instead imprisoned at Area 62.
Amelia sees the moment Tarrick and Santaura entrust her to Pop-pop. As well as the moment a major explosion rocks the facility. Tarrick says their baby could not have possibly survived that explosion. And Santaura blames the humans for all of this. She vows revenge.
Amelia watches Tarrick encase Santaura in a pod, waiting for the chance to revive her. That’s when Tarrick became Void Knight.
Back in the present, Amelia cannot believe it. Tarrick is also in shock as he was able to see her memories as well. Realizing they are father and daughter, Tarrick loses the dark hatred from his body and reverts to his true form. He feels like himself now.
But Solon contacts the Rangers and says while Pop-pop and Mama Akana have gotten to safety, the rest of the city is gridlocked trying to evacuate. And there is no more time for them.
Episode Thoughts
Okay!!! So, like I mentioned last episode, I already saw people tweeting and posting about the big reveal. So it is not a surprise to me who Amelia’s parents are. But again, even knowing all that, I think this episode executed the reveal relatively well. In fact, great even.
Of course it would’ve been better had I watched it without having been spoiled beforehand. If that had happened, I would be even more excited about the revelation and this episode.
But this was still an excellent episode. The many criticisms I have had with the way Power Rangers has executed their stories during this Saban Brands Era were almost nonexistent this episode.
Jokes and one-liners felt more charming than annoying. Unnecessary comedy was kept to a minimum. The Rangers were actually fighting legitimate threats. And the revelation about Amelia and her parents was so wonderfully delivered.
Really a pleasant surprise for a franchise I have long been ready to brush off. A franchise I’ve long been bored by and annoyed by. (And a fandom with a small, but loud section that turns me off to the franchise at every turn and tweet.)
But this was really an amazing and impactful episode. Amelia was absolutely the focus and center of it. From her emotional scenes with Pop-pop to the all-too-short flashbacks to Mama and Papa Tarrick and Santaura Jones (lol); this is the kind of wonderful storytelling I wish was more prevalent in the years since RPM.
Actually, I wish the rest of Dino Fury was like this episode too.
On one hand, I’m annoyed that this episode reminded me of the many shortcomings of Power Rangers in the last decade. But on the other hand, it showed me that maybe there still is some life and potential in the franchise. (Extended hiatus, notwithstanding.)
Looking forward to the final episode, even though I was spoiled to that as well.