Power Rangers Samurai Episode Commentary #9

Episode 9: I've Got a Spell on Blue

Written by: David Schneider and Jill Donnellan

Directed by: Peter Salmon

There’s a lot going on this week. The pesky Nighloks are up to all sorts of mischief. They’ve possessed Kevin and have taken control of the long lost Tiger Zord! Can the Rangers save Kevin? Can they retrieve the Tiger Zord? Will there be any acting so bad that I can bring back the Kevin’s Dad scale? Will Bulk get squirted in the face? Will I ever give up starting each review by questioning whether Bulk will get squirted in the face? Does it actually matter if Bulk gets squirted in the face? For the answers to these questions and more read on!

We kick off with a duel between the Rangers Red and Blue. Yes Jayden and Kevin are suited up and clanging swords in the garden. Mike’s impressed and rightfully so, it’s quite a battle. These two warriors are evenly matched and the people of Earth are lucky that they’re on the same side. Mike’s impressed with one of the warriors “mad skills” and Ji instantly assumes he means Jayden. But he doesn’t; he’s talking about the one and only Kevin. Everyone’s impressed with Kevin’s skills, with Emily noting his gracefulness with a sword (snigger) and even Mia’s impressed with his technique. Everyone loves Kevin. Except Ji, who is totally obsessed with Jayden. I think he’s a little jealous of people preferring Kevin to his own protégé. He does concede that both the boys are excellent swordsmen. The Rangers wonder what would happen if the two ever had to battle for real. But that could never happen could it? *SPOILER WARNING* That’s exactly what does happen this episode!

Deker’s hanging out with Master Xandred. The two don’t get out apparently. Deker’s out to get Jayden and he’s just checking Xandred has no issues with him doing that. Apparently he couldn’t care less as he has nothing planned for the Red Ranger. This surprises Deker, and me quite frankly. Xandred is a really half arsed villain. It’s like he doesn’t even care about succeeding in his plans to flood the Sanzu River. He has no plans to deal with the Red Ranger? He’s the gosh darn leader of your sworn enemies why wouldn’t you be planning to kick his arse? Seriously Xandred get with the programme! You’re embarrassing yourself and the rest of the Nighloks. Following Deker’s departure we get to meet the monster of the week and this time it’s the rather irritating Madimot. Madimot has a surprise for Xandred. It’s only a bloomin’ Tiger Zord! The Red Ranger’s long lost Tiger Zord in fact and I imagine he’s gonna want it back.

What are Bulk and Spike up to this week? Well they’re out hiking in the woods with Spike worried about bears, while Bulk is more worried about mosquitoes. He sprays some bug spray into the air, only for it to be blown straight back in his face. Now I’m a bit conflicted can I add another to the Bulk getting squirted in the face tally? Does it really count? I’m not sure it does so I won’t be whipping out the Bulk tally. Unfortunately Bulk and Spike are about to run into the monster of the week and he isn’t fooled by their attempts to play dead. Luckily the Rangers are there to take on the increasingly camp villain. He’s not taking the Rangers on alone though, he’s summoned the Tiger Zord to help him. Turns out the camp bastard saved the Tiger Zord when Master Xandred was sealed away all those years ago. Madimot then uses his powers of possession against the Rangers. Kevin rather selflessly saves Mike by pushing him out of the way of one of these attacks. Unfortunately he takes the full brunt of the force of it. Kevin is now under Nighlok control! He’s ordered to take on the rest of the Rangers and that’s what he does. The others are reluctant to fight against their friend. Jayden’s dealing with Madimot and his symbol power is too much for Madimot’s mind control powers. Kevin has made light work of the rest of the Rangers and this forces them into a retreat for now.

Back at HQ Ji tells the Rangers it won’t be easy to break the monster’s spell on Kevin and the Tiger Zord, but it can’t be that hard as there’s less than fifteen minutes left. He warns Jayden that there may be tough choices ahead. Back on Xandred’s ship, Octoroo is worrying about the mysterious Deker. Deker does seem to be a little bit obsessed with his sword, typical man eh? Apparently Deker isn’t a normal Nighlok he’s got a very human side! Even more shocking than that is that he’s played by Wild Force’s own jolly Red Ranger Cole Evans a.k.a. actor Ricardo Medina Jnr. (credited here as Rick Medina because he’s grownup and has a beard now).

Rick back in his Wild Force days

Rick and his beard presumably also called Rick

Kevin and the monster of the week are off causing trouble in the human world and Jayden has gone to face them, much to the anger of Mike. Ji tells him to have faith in his leader. Jayden is trying to break the spell on Kevin with no success so far. The other Rangers arrive and offer to help but he refuses to endanger anyone else. Looks like the Red and Blue Rangers are gonna have to duel. It’s hard to believe just how impossible that seemed to us at the beginning of the episode. As the duel rages on Deker turns up- Guy really needs to get a hobby if you ask me. But he’s there to tell the Rangers that Jayden is winning the fight because Kevin is too honourable a warrior and is fighting like they’re in a martial arts competition. Kevin’s out to score points but Jayden is out to win. Luckily Jayden’s winning blow is enough to finally break the Nighlok’s spell. Deker feels Jayden is the right opponent for his sword (snigger) although quite who he’s saying this to I have no idea.

Now the Rangers are reunited it’s time to suit up and take down this camp Nighlok and retrieve the Tiger Zord. Jayden’s whipped out his folding zord and the rest of the Rangers are dealing with Madimot. The duel of the zords isn’t that exciting and the Tiger Zord looks a bit silly with its legs outstretched as it rolls along. Jayden succeeds in breaking the Nighlok’s spell so all is well. The rest of the Ranger team up to take down the monster of the week and make light work of him and we all know what that means…

The Tiger Zord does make me laugh. It looks so silly, but in a good way. Jayden’s quick to use his recently reacquired zord to take on the Nighlok. The rest of the Rangers decide to join in the fun, so out comes the Megazord and we all know what a new zord means. That’s right, it’s time for a new jaunty new hat for the giant robot. How well does it wear the Tiger Zord hat? Pretty well to be fair. There’s only one way this battle can end, especially when it comes down to a battle between the Nighlok’s shield and the Megazord’s tiger drill. One last cry of “I’m the baddest of the bad,” by the irritating Madimot before he’s defeated once and for all. Back at Ranger HQ Kevin’s feeling guilty about falling victim to the Nighlok’s evil spell. He can’t believe he raised his sword against a fellow Samurai, but Jayden being the great leader he is makes him feel better about the whole thing. We leave our brave heroes playing a zord based board game. As they say the Power Rangers that play together stay together. Until next time dear readers au revoir!

Next time: Forest for the Trees

Photos as ever taken from the Samurai Power Rangers Gateway