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Description
This episode starts off with quite a bang!
We get a previously on segment all about the new Titanium Ranger, which leads in to Captain Mitchell explaining what's going on. He tells the Rangers he couldn't let them "destroy" his son, and right after Dana questions how that's possible when Ryan was killed in the car accident. She actually says "killed", and from what I remember, there was nary a controversy.
Captain Mitchell recounts the ordeal of the accident. He and his children jump from the car, but they're stuck hanging to a ridge side. Ryan begins to slip, and Mitchell calls out for help. A ghostly spectre of Diabolico appears and offers to help in exchange for something. Mitchell denies, but Ryan falls, and he gives in. Diabolico saves Ryan, but spirits him away "...until his twentieth birthday ".
Today is his birthday.
Some have claimed it to be an implausible coincidence Diabolico happened to be there, however I always saw it as possibly intentional. Who was driving the truck that forced Mitchell to crash? Their car exploded on impact with the ground, even at that height, that seems unusual. Could Diabolico have had a hand in the accident? Why did he target them? Maybe he sensed potential in Dana or Ryan. What if Dana fell? Would she have been taken by Diabolico?
The whole situation is similar to another accident in Power Rangers Samurai. In a flashback from Dayu's memory, she and Deker were once human. They barely escape a fire, and Deker is dying. When she calls out for help, Serrator, a villain, agrees to save Deker, but at the cost of their humanity.
I've heard the same opinion on that scene as well, that it's too much of a coincidence that Serrator was there. That scene, though, even moreso than Mitchell's flashback here, implies Serrator had some involvement in the fire.
I just thought those were some intresting comparisons.
We get to see Diabolico, who is reinforcing Ryan's hatred for his father, telling him that his father didn't love him, and only cared about Dana. Ryan is visibly shaken, and questioning everything. Diabolico's hold on him is strong though. There's a close up on Ryan's face, and I thought back to MMPR, and how people put under an evil spell would have glowing eyes. Ryan's eyes don't glow, this isn't a spell. He believes Diabolico.
Ryan launches an attack, but Mitchell has disappeared, and the Rangers don't know what to do. Dana goes on her own to face Ryan, hoping to reach him as a sibling.
They share some dialogue that comes across as a bit awkward, but if I were to imagine this as a Sentai show with subtitles, I wouldn't find them awkward at all. Double standards, I guess.
Ryan runs when the other Rangers show up. They go after him, but Vypra appears with a new monster. It's a snakelike creature with an extending arm with a snake head at the end. Bizarrely, the arm has it's own voice! The monster is taken out easily, but revived slightly altered by Jinxer. It's new face reminds me of Titanosaur with his horns and jawline. Even with a power boost, the Rangers quickly destroy the monster.
Meanwhile, Ryan has found the site of the accident. His father, Captain Mitchell tries to talk to him. Ryan attacks him, and they fall over the edge. Mitchell grabs a protruding root, and Ryan manages to catch on to his leg, climbing up to the root. His memories return, and he remembers what really happened. The root begins to give way, and Captain Mitchell decides to sacrifice himself. He willingly drops, but Ryan morphs and rescues him. As the Rangers approach, he throws the Titanium Morpher on the ground and leaves.
He confronts Diabolico, confused. Ryan leaves, not knowing what to do.

This is a phenomenal episode, melodramatic and intense. Ryan's future is in question, will he join the Rangers? Will he stay with the demons? Will he go off on his own? I always found it fascinating that Ryan was raised by Diabolico, essentially a second father to him. Unfortunately, we learn practically nothing about his experience with them. Maybe the comics can be utilized to delve into Ryan's history.
A fun thing to note in this episode, there's a quick shot of a robot from Gogo V, the Sentai counterpart of this season. It just stands there, barely visible. It was probably sent from Japan with other costumes and props, and since Lightspeed Rescue didn't need a robot, it was used as set dressing. It doesn't look out of place, so good choice I guess.
There's some more really good episodes coming up!

Further thoughts in this video here: youtu.be/RqMlHKRwm4w

Description
This episode starts off with quite a bang!
We get a previously on segment all about the new Titanium Ranger, which leads in to Captain Mitchell explaining what's going on. He tells the Rangers he couldn't let them "destroy" his son, and right after Dana questions how that's possible when Ryan was killed in the car accident. She actually says "killed", and from what I remember, there was nary a controversy.
Captain Mitchell recounts the ordeal of the accident. He and his children jump from the car, but they're stuck hanging to a ridge side. Ryan begins to slip, and Mitchell calls out for help. A ghostly spectre of Diabolico appears and offers to help in exchange for something. Mitchell denies, but Ryan falls, and he gives in. Diabolico saves Ryan, but spirits him away "...until his twentieth birthday ".
Today is his birthday.
Some have claimed it to be an implausible coincidence Diabolico happened to be there, however I always saw it as possibly intentional. Who was driving the truck that forced Mitchell to crash? Their car exploded on impact with the ground, even at that height, that seems unusual. Could Diabolico have had a hand in the accident? Why did he target them? Maybe he sensed potential in Dana or Ryan. What if Dana fell? Would she have been taken by Diabolico?
The whole situation is similar to another accident in Power Rangers Samurai. In a flashback from Dayu's memory, she and Deker were once human. They barely escape a fire, and Deker is dying. When she calls out for help, Serrator, a villain, agrees to save Deker, but at the cost of their humanity.
I've heard the same opinion on that scene as well, that it's too much of a coincidence that Serrator was there. That scene, though, even moreso than Mitchell's flashback here, implies Serrator had some involvement in the fire.
I just thought those were some intresting comparisons.
We get to see Diabolico, who is reinforcing Ryan's hatred for his father, telling him that his father didn't love him, and only cared about Dana. Ryan is visibly shaken, and questioning everything. Diabolico's hold on him is strong though. There's a close up on Ryan's face, and I thought back to MMPR, and how people put under an evil spell would have glowing eyes. Ryan's eyes don't glow, this isn't a spell. He believes Diabolico.
Ryan launches an attack, but Mitchell has disappeared, and the Rangers don't know what to do. Dana goes on her own to face Ryan, hoping to reach him as a sibling.
They share some dialogue that comes across as a bit awkward, but if I were to imagine this as a Sentai show with subtitles, I wouldn't find them awkward at all. Double standards, I guess.
Ryan runs when the other Rangers show up. They go after him, but Vypra appears with a new monster. It's a snakelike creature with an extending arm with a snake head at the end. Bizarrely, the arm has it's own voice! The monster is taken out easily, but revived slightly altered by Jinxer. It's new face reminds me of Titanosaur with his horns and jawline. Even with a power boost, the Rangers quickly destroy the monster.
Meanwhile, Ryan has found the site of the accident. His father, Captain Mitchell tries to talk to him. Ryan attacks him, and they fall over the edge. Mitchell grabs a protruding root, and Ryan manages to catch on to his leg, climbing up to the root. His memories return, and he remembers what really happened. The root begins to give way, and Captain Mitchell decides to sacrifice himself. He willingly drops, but Ryan morphs and rescues him. As the Rangers approach, he throws the Titanium Morpher on the ground and leaves.
He confronts Diabolico, confused. Ryan leaves, not knowing what to do.

This is a phenomenal episode, melodramatic and intense. Ryan's future is in question, will he join the Rangers? Will he stay with the demons? Will he go off on his own? I always found it fascinating that Ryan was raised by Diabolico, essentially a second father to him. Unfortunately, we learn practically nothing about his experience with them. Maybe the comics can be utilized to delve into Ryan's history.
A fun thing to note in this episode, there's a quick shot of a robot from Gogo V, the Sentai counterpart of this season. It just stands there, barely visible. It was probably sent from Japan with other costumes and props, and since Lightspeed Rescue didn't need a robot, it was used as set dressing. It doesn't look out of place, so good choice I guess.
There's some more really good episodes coming up!

Further thoughts in this video here: youtu.be/RqMlHKRwm4w