The Power Rangers are heading off to new adventures as their secondary comic line Go Go Power Rangers takes its final bow with issue #32. We have enjoyed watching the personal lives of the Rangers as they have grown from their first adventure dealing with Rita Repulsa to the rise of the Omega rangers. With that on the horizon, it is time to say farewell.
This review will contain spoilers, so you’ve been warned. All right, IT’S MORPHIN TIME!
RELATED: POWER RANGERS BOARD GAME REVEALS 3 EXCITING NEW PACKS
The issue starts using an episode from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, “The Power Transfer”, as the rangers attempt to get the sword of power before Lord Zedd and his zord Serpentera destroy the planet. It is interesting to read the voices, as many will remember the stand ins used for Austin St. John, Thuy Trang, and Walter Jones who had left the series and didn’t do the dialogue recording after.
But the rangers succeed and the transfer is set to happen the next day. It is good to see the transfer was not as immediate as it was on the TV show.
Go Go Power Rangers Finishes Strong
We see how the three spend their time with the others before departing for Switzerland. Billy returns to Promethea and reveals a secret plan he has for Grace in agreement for not informing Zordon of the dagger she is holding for Zedd. We see the new rangers, Adam, Aisha and Rocky getting ready to step in as power rangers.
We get more details about their feelings about becoming new superheroes, and it is a compelling time to continue to build the backgrounds of these three. The last issue of Go Go Power Rangers does a nice job of showing each character’s characteristics, such as Rocky’s goofiness and Adam’s shyness and Aisha’s boldness.
The next set of panels are especially great to read because we see a level of emotion between Tommy and Jason we were not able to explore in the show. Tommy asks Jason not to leave and reveals that he is not convinced that Jason is doing the right thing. He also reveals the hurt he has that his best friend did not tell him in person about departing.
This scene also gives us more insight in Jason’s feelings, as he has to lie to those he cares about and is unable to tell why he is really leaving. Jason also says something interesting: “we’ve all got responsibilities beyond being a ranger.” This line not only explains why Jason is sure about leaving, but also illustrates how much being a ranger has helped him grow as a adult.
Go Go Power Rangers is a flashback series, as opposed to Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, and this scene does help explain the animosity that Tommy feels against Jason when he returns to earth. We continue to hear Tommy’s anger and disappointment in Jason’s actions. We see how Tommy felt that when he was ready to live a life after being a ranger he had been begged to return and yet now the feeling is not reciprocated when it comes to the three leaving and that he never expected the three to just go when the getting is tough.
The transfer is successful and the day of departure comes around as all the rangers gather to say good bye. We see the emotions of Kim and Trini hugging out their farewells and also that Kimberly knew that the three were leaving before the news of the conference was made. A nice moment is shown between Zach and Billy as they discuss the opportunity and the excitement.
Here is where things get a bit more interesting, with Jason giving advice to the new rangers. Of course, due to the walkout we never saw Jason, Zach, Trini interact with Rocky, Adam, and Aisha – but now we see Jason telling them the bond they will have with the others and all that he has learned. Hearing Rocky mention the big shoes he has to fill is nice to read because it tells how he felt becoming the 2nd red ranger.
The three departing rangers now in their ship sees the earth and talk about when they will return again and wondering how the team will go now. The rangers are practicing and afterwards we see the emotions of Kimberly come up as she scolds the others about making light of the responsibility they have now. It is a good scene that gives us more depth into the sadness, anger that Kimberly is feeling with the others leaving and that she lost her best friend. This also shows the tension beginning between Aisha and Kimberly and it is a good thing to see that they did not become buddy-buddy as so as they met and that Kim had easily moved on from Trini’s departure.
The rangers, having arrived at the safe haven, meet with the morphin master and Kiya in order to receive their Omega powers and zords. Tommy and the new three discuss the challenge of entering a world that already has begun and the pressures felt by them trying to adapt and fit in. This scene is a great example of the leadership capabilities of Tommy and show how he is able to find a way to keep everyone together and focused.
The new rangers are called to battle a monster in Sydney, Australia and morph over to fight. We transition over as Jason, Zack, Trini talk about the new role they have as omega rangers and we see how much this new situation has made them.
Jason’s feeling of being exactly where they are supposed to be is something spectacular as well. In the season Power Rangers Zeo, when Jason returns as the Gold Ranger, he has a one on one moment with Tommy and mentions how he felt things would be with Tommy as leader. This helps show that despite the lie he had to tell, he knew Tommy would handle the rangers fine without him.
The transfer of power was not only new rangers but at least thanks to this issue the true handoff of leadership from Jason to Tommy. The Omegas are summoned for their first mission and Kiya express her excitement to head into battle. This scene gives us a perfect look into what will go down between Kiya and the rangers in the “Necessary Evil” storyline and the beginning of Kiya’s interest in power. The final page shows us both teams heading into battle, and that is the end of Go Go Power Rangers.
As mentioned before, Go Go Power Rangers has primarily used flashback scenes, so having a scene like this to wrap up fits well. The story of the three omegas leaving in this issue was very much like watching friends graduate from high school and seeing as they prepare to enter college. It is sad but satisfying to watch these characters grow and develop.
The art in this issue is on point as always the details shown in some the faces is wonderful such as expressing sorrow, anger, happinesses. Hopefully as the “Necessary Evil” storyline comes to a close, we will see the details that Go Go Power Rangers provided manifest themselves in the lives of the Rangers after the battles and fights in future issues of Mighty Morphin.
What did you think of this farewell issue? Comment below and make sure you stay subscribed to The Illuminerdi for more Power Rangers news and features.
