It’s a good thing that BOOM!’s version of the Power Rangers wasn’t based off of the television show because I would’ve been afraid of this story when I was a kid.
As Rita Repulsa continues her Freddy Kreuger-esk assault against Tommy’s psyche she impersonates his mother only to rip her face off to reveal her true identity and then shred her body for the full reveal. Even though it’s yet another hallucination, it is kind of a freaky scene. Really think about it. Imagine what someone could do if they were actually able to mess with your thoughts like that.
We get to learn a little more about Trini and Tommy’s personal lives including that Trini wants to be a doctor when she grows up. That’s the kind of detail that was never divulged in the TV show outside of that Kimberly was maybe good enough to be a professional gymnast. Knowing Trini’s dreams and that Tommy has moved around a lot gives the characters a new depth that was missing from the show. In three issues I know more about Trini than I learned in the 88 episodes she was in.
Dissension continues to plague the team in probably the realest part of the whole story. Zack continues to not trust Tommy and after Tommy reveals that he’s been hearing Rita’s voice even classic goody guy Jason starts to turn on him. This is exactly what the TV show was missing: relatable realism.
Although it turns out to be yet another hallucination, we do get a fun little spat between the Dragonzord and the Sabertooth Tiger Zord. It’s quick but it shows just how dominant the Dragonzord is. It shrugs off Trini’s zord’s attack and crushes it with a single blow. Everyone knows that as far as zords go, only the Mega Zord can match the Dragonzord in power but this is an important reminder of that fact.
Why? Because that’s what Rita was after the whole time. She’s manage to create a faux Dragon Dagger with the energy she was draining from Tommy and apparently it was good enough to let Scorpina summon the Dragonzord. She doesn’t do much with it yet but we get a clear homage to Godzilla which the Dragonzord was based off of in the final scene. They can only tease so much so this had better lead to a zord battle.