• Writer: Nicole Andelfinger

• Artist: Simone Ragazzoni

Picking up from last issue, the teens are still fighting Dark Specter’s forces. They learn that they have not only gained new power and suits, but have powerful attacks, such as when Ori performs the Zeo Spinning Power Punch. The others figure out how to call out their weapons as well, but when Rhian starts attacking with the Power Sword, she gets really disoriented, and she switches to the Red Mystic Force Ranger. As she is about to attacked, Phiro, still as Dino Thunder Yellow, uses the sonic scream to destroy the creature. While the rest of the team recovers from the scream as well, Morphinaut tells them to go while he holds back the creatures. But the teens consider him part of the team too, and and convince him to come along.

Later, at a safe place in town, Rhian is still trying to recover, while Xev just wants to stay and fight. Ori reminds everyone that the mission is to get to the Proto-Arch before the creatures do. When asked if the Proto-Arch will even work, she reminds them that Morphinaut is the expert, and that if anyone can get it running it is him. However, despite not being shown as a problem on panel, their powers apparently barely lasted for the entire fight, so Ori heads off to try to stabilize the energy, while Morphinaut explains a theory he has about the Morphin Grid. While there is already a popular theory that the Morphin Grid is the source of all life in the universe, he believes that it may be the source of power of ALL universes, and is a fixed point in space and time. Therefore, if Dark Specter gains control of it, all realities are threatened. Now knowing that their mission may be even more important than they had realized, they decide that it is time for Rhian to teach the others how to fight.

Meanwhile, Dark Specter is communicating to his 2nd-in-Command…somehow. While the soldier has to report their failure to capture the last Master-Arch before it could be destroyed, he is aware of a prototype that could still be used.

Back to the good guys, Ori has fallen asleep trying to figure out how to stabilize the energy output from their morphin hearts. Aleia, who accidentally woke her up while checking on her, uses a past experience to suggest creating a casing to absorb the shock. Ori soon delivers the casings to everyone, and I’m not sure if it is putting the encased hearts on their chests that causes them to morph, or if they are pressing on the casings like a button. Either way, the casings glow and everyone morphs, but into different powers. Xev is RPM Black, Telosi is SPD Green, Aleia is Mighty Morphin Pink, Phiro is the Yellow Wind Ranger, Ori is Dino Charge Blue, and Rhian is Lightspeed Red. Referring to themselves as the Morphin Master Squadron, they head into battle with oncoming dark creatures. While they are doing pretty well, at one point, Ori trips over a tree root, landing on her side. That side changes to In Space Blue, but the change only covers half her body, leaving her in a combination of both forms, with energy emanating from where the 2 forms meet. Later Xev becomes a bit overwhelmed, leaving himself open to an attack. Seeing his brother in danger, Telosi somehow channels more power, allowing him to switch between multiple Green Ranger forms, including Mighty Morphin Green, which allows him to call upon the Sword of Power, which he uses to destroy most of the creatures, before slicing the final creature in half. While this gives our heroes a chance to breathe, it also leaves Xev feeling weak, while in a form combining Mystic Force Green, Mighty Morphin Green, and Green Samurai Storm Rangers.

However, the team does managed to make it to the Hangout. But, as they enter, Morphinaut’s suit turns black, and he hears Dark Specter’s voice say, “You did this to them…you’ve doomed them all…” He quickly returns to normal, but stays outside of the Hangout, asking himself, “What have I done?”

Story – 4 out of 5: The issue isn’t bad, but I’m still confused. Why were they talking about their forms failing after the first battle, when we never saw them demorph? Why is Ori worried about stabilizing the energy at first, then creating a casing to absorb a shock? They didn’t experience a shock. Why are they suddenly referring to themselves as the Morphin Master Squadron? How could Telosi call on the Sword of Power, when it was an evil object that belonged to Rita, and not really connected to the Green Ranger powers? How is And what happened to the pod mentioned in the solicits?

Art – 3 out of 5: The art continues to look fairly good, but is still confusing. The Ranger forms continue to look terrible. Did they activate their powers by pressing on the casing, or was it because they put them on their chests. Why did Telosi go through so many forms, but then only have 1 of those forms on display once he was somewhat stabilized?

Overall – 3 out of 5: This series continues to cause me to ask more questions than we get any answers to. And, I’m not sure these questions are intended by the creators. On the plus side, I’m getting the main story beats, I think.