Power Rangers

[Trekker4747]

I assume they were designed to unify by design as, well, that'd make more sense than them falling and happening to assemble into the Megazord, but at the same time it's not clear how/why/when they learned to form the Megazord. During the battle as things became more and more overwhelming I was wondering when someone (Zordon, Alpha, whatever) was going to tell them to "press the little red button" to form the Megazord.

I cannot greatly speak for the original show, but my recollection from it, aided by what I remember of the toys, but it seemed the Zords assembled in a way as to be "clear" on what vehicle was which part of the Megazord. With this Megazord it seemed like a lot changed and came out of nowhere in order to form the body of the Megazord, sort of the same problem the Transformers have with huge pieces of mass going/coming from nowhere.

Along those same lines, how did they know how to operate the Zords? It didn't ever seem to part of their training and it couldn't be they only learned once they were in them while in their armor because they had to learn a couple times how to do things, so when did they figure out how to drive them? And Alpha shows them off to encourage them and what's-his-face is able to just hop in one and drive off in it? Huh?! No locks on the door? No need to have the keys for it or a passcode to start it? No remote ignition lock-out from the main ship? He can just get right in and take off?

 

[Christopher]

Along those same lines, how did they know how to operate the Zords? It didn't ever seem to part of their training and it couldn't be they only learned once they were in them while in their armor because they had to learn a couple times how to do things, so when did they figure out how to drive them?

That's actually pretty typical in the shows -- people who become Rangers seem to instantly know how to do martial arts, use their weapons, pilot their Zords, etc. There are times when they're shown having to train to learn a new technique, and many Ranger teams have been shown as training for years, but there are other series where they just magically know what to do.

 

[Trekker4747]

That's actually pretty typical in the shows -- people who become Rangers seem to instantly know how to do martial arts, use their weapons, pilot their Zords, etc. There are times when they're shown having to train to learn a new technique, and many Ranger teams have been shown as training for years, but there are other series where they just magically know what to do.

Fair enough, but given the level of "realism" the movie went for and the care it went into making these teenage characters, well, characters, it seems like we should've been given some reason for them to be able to so easily pilot the Zords, whether it be a neural interface when they're in their suits and in the pilot's seat or some-kind-of training and the vehicle's navigation system and controls being easy to use and figure out.

But instead they hop in them and can drive them without much trouble at all accept for the occasional problem here and there with launching a weapon and navigating the Megazord (which seems to require a complex level of cooperation amongst all of them as each one of them seems to control one limb, meaning to walk the two controlling the legs have to work in solid sync.

Yeah, I'm think wayyyy too much about it but, again, the movie sort-of sets this expectation up on its own with it's more serious tone.

 

[JD]

Wild Force star Ricardo Medina has been sentenced to 6 years in prison for the killing of his roomate.

 

[Kor]

Wild Force star Ricardo Medina has been sentenced to 6 years in prison for the killing of his roomate.

Kor

 

[Xerxes82]

Along those same lines, how did they know how to operate the Zords? It didn't ever seem to part of their training and it couldn't be they only learned once they were in them while in their armor because they had to learn a couple times how to do things, so when did they figure out how to drive them? And Alpha shows them off to encourage them and what's-his-face is able to just hop in one and drive off in it? Huh?! No locks on the door? No need to have the keys for it or a passcode to start it? No remote ignition lock-out from the main ship? He can just get right in and take off?

While handwave-y, this one is actually in the movie. When he first introduces the Zords, Alpha tells them that when they are in their armored forms, they will be linked to the Zords directly. When they get in them at the end, you'll noticed the cable that attaches to their spine. It was at least partially a neural link, in addition to the hand controls. Possibly the Zord uploaded instructions or something, in addition to just doing whatever they think.

And when Zack takes his out for a joyride, it's out of control. Recall that he calls out several times for manual controls. He's basically just pushing buttons.

As for locks, probably much like the ship, their coins are all the key they need. Rangers aren't supposed to be incompetent teens with no training, if Zordon's reaction to the teens is any indication.

I assume they were designed to unify by design as, well, that'd make more sense than them falling and happening to assemble into the Megazord, but at the same time it's not clear how/why/when they learned to form the Megazord. During the battle as things became more and more overwhelming I was wondering when someone (Zordon, Alpha, whatever) was going to tell them to "press the little red button" to form the Megazord.

I cannot greatly speak for the original show, but my recollection from it, aided by what I remember of the toys, but it seemed the Zords assembled in a way as to be "clear" on what vehicle was which part of the Megazord. With this Megazord it seemed like a lot changed and came out of nowhere in order to form the body of the Megazord, sort of the same problem the Transformers have with huge pieces of mass going/coming from nowhere.

Given Rita's reaction, I was left to assume that the Megazord is something that has never happened before. There are no instructions for combining the Zords because nobody had ever done it. It's the miraculous power boost they've gained from their bond of friendship and sacrifice for each other or somesuch. Your typical chosen ones narrative trope.

Also, it's less combining in this film than a merger. The Zords abandoned their previous designs, merged their collective mass, and reconfigured into a new shape. Which isn't out of the question, given how we're told they chose their ancient forms. Alpha said the Zords model themselves after the most powerful life form on a planet. When they arrived that was dinosaurs, mammoths and etc. (Tangential question for those who know more than I, but most of these species never coexisted, right? I seem to recall that they were all actually from radically different eras.) When they reconfigure into the Megazord, they do the same thing. But now the most powerful life form on the planet is Goldar, hence why the Megazord looks like Goldar, right down to the head shape. Ok, sure, it was probably meant to be modeled on humans, as the most powerful life form on Earth, but Goldar makes way more sense considering the similarities in the two designs and the fact that Goldar was unquestionably the most powerful thing on Earth at that moment.

 

[Christopher]

When they arrived that was dinosaurs, mammoths and etc. (Tangential question for those who know more than I, but most of these species never coexisted, right? I seem to recall that they were all actually from radically different eras.)

That's right. Only two of the "Dinozord" species are actual dinosaurs, Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops, both of which were from the Cretaceous period and did coexist. Pterosaurs were not dinosaurs themselves, just a related order, and pterodactyls date from the Jurassic period, so they wouldn't have lived at the same time. And mastodons and sabertooth cats are, of course, mammals that lived tens of millions of years later. Mastodons first branched off from elephants about 27 million years ago, while sabertooth cats emerged around 42 million years ago. Both survived until about 10-11,000 years ago, making them contemporaries of humans.

I wonder how that "most powerful species" line is going to fit if they move on to later models of Zord in the sequels. The Thunderzords were based on creatures from mythology (specifically Chinese mythology in the original, but a couple were renamed for the American version, e.g. the Kirin became the Griffin and the Tenma became the Unicorn -- even though the Kirin was the one that had a horn). And the Ninjazords included a Crane and a Frog, not exactly known for their enormous strength. Then you've got the Shogunzords, based on humanoid warriors; the Zeozords, based on geometric shapes; the Turbozords, essentially giant cars; etc.

 

[Anwar]

I assumed it was the Zeo Crystals' energies that created the Megazord, they fell into the pit with the crystal after all.

I'm guessing from Rita saying that the Crystal would attract others, she was referring to Lord Zedd and/or the Machine Empire.

 

[Xerxes82]

That's right. Only two of the "Dinozord" species are actual dinosaurs, Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops, both of which were from the Cretaceous period and did coexist. Pterosaurs were not dinosaurs themselves, just a related order, and pterodactyls date from the Jurassic period, so they wouldn't have lived at the same time. And mastodons and sabertooth cats are, of course, mammals that lived tens of millions of years later. Mastodons first branched off from elephants about 27 million years ago, while sabertooth cats emerged around 42 million years ago. Both survived until about 10-11,000 years ago, making them contemporaries of humans.

Cool. Thanks!

I assumed it was the Zeo Crystals' energies that created the Megazord, they fell into the pit with the crystal after all.

I'd not considered that, but it does make a great deal of sense.

 

[JRoss]

I didn't think it was going to be good but I actually really enjoyed the movie. It was immensely better than any of the Transformers films because of how much focus it put on the characters and developing them. I was so surprised because I went in not knowing that Bob Orci was no longer on the project. I just assumed that this was something that the clique (Orci, Kurtzman, Akiva Goldsman, JJ Abrams, etc.) had put together. I like JJ's work on Trek, SW, Mission Impossible and Fringe, but not so much anything else. Anyway, good for Hollywood this time. I don't care what the critics say. One of the better popcorn films I've seen in a long time.

 

[Christopher]

I just assumed that this was something that the clique (Orci, Kurtzman, Akiva Goldsman, JJ Abrams, etc.) had put together.

I wouldn't call them a "clique." Orci and Kurtzman don't even work together anymore, except as producing partners on various TV series, and the first two Kelvin Trek movies (and Orci's abortive work on the third) have been their only collaborations with Abrams since Fringe. The only thing all four of them have ever worked on was Fringe, and Goldsman didn't join that show until just after Orci & Kurtzman left it. So those four people have never worked on the same project simultaneously.

 

[Trekker4747]

Okay, the Zords not being designed to form the Megazord and it just happening by whatever means, their unity, the Zeo Crystal, whatever when they fell in the pit, to me, makes even less sense than them just happening to find the way to form the Megazord when they fell in the pit. But, whatever, this wasn't a movie/franchise really made for me and I sort of find much of the concept of it silly just as I did with the show itself back in the day. All said, I still mostly enjoyed the movie.

You know, it seems like a lot of things in this movie happen to happen at relatively the same time. The kids all happen to be in virtually the same location at the same time when the power coins are found, this happens at around the same time when Jason's fisherman father is out the boat collecting a catch that, somehow, includes the remains of Rita that've apparently been floating around the ocean for 65 fucking million years (rather than being buried under epic tons of rock or something.)

There's contrivances and then there's what happened here. That's probably one of my other flaws/problems I have with this movie it's how Rita was brought back into the mix, it just seems very, very happenstance. I mean, she's been under there since the ELE that took out the dinosaurs and she somehow is in a collection of fish caught by one of the new Power Rangers's father? And what caused her to start to come back to life? And how was she able to come back to life with so little effort when Zordon needed to use the matrix, whatever only when all of the Power Rangers worked as a team and activated it?

Buy Krispy Kreme.

 

[Samurai8472]

Kyuranger had a nice Dairanger nod

Culminating in the debut of Ryu Violet. The full title is RyuCommander once he gets the trenchcoat and mecha.

Later in April the 11th Kyuranger shows up

*Next is the Big Star, Koguma SkyBlue! The 11th KyuRanger draws powers from the Ursa Major & Ursa Minor KyuTamas, and attacks enemies with powerful claws hidden beneath his gloved hands. Koguma SkyBlue will control two new Voyagers- Koguma and Ohguma

All eleven Kyurangers

 

[Christopher]

It's always weird when an alien or robot Ranger has an oversized head that somehow fits into a smaller Ranger helmet. I mean, what the hell is going on there? Does part of their anatomy actually disintegrate? Is it shunted into another dimension? Do they shapeshift?

I remember a line in Go-Busters where one of the Buddyroids commented on Beet's transformation from Buddyroid into Ranger, saying that it was more like taking a layer off than putting one on.

 

[Samurai8472]

I LOVE the Chinese inspired jingle of the changer/morphing pimp cane.

At the 9:20 mark of the review.

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-The Commander has a Chinese inspired name- Xiao Longpao

-He get's a dragon mecha (who holds the kyutama in his hands like ancient chinese dragons with the pearl

-The mentioned Chinese inspired morphing jingle.

 

[Xerxes82]

You know, it seems like a lot of things in this movie happen to happen at relatively the same time. The kids all happen to be in virtually the same location at the same time when the power coins are found, this happens at around the same time when Jason's fisherman father is out the boat collecting a catch that, somehow, includes the remains of Rita that've apparently been floating around the ocean for 65 fucking million years (rather than being buried under epic tons of rock or something.)

There's contrivances and then there's what happened here.

Destiny, man. The coins got found, One Ring style, because they wanted to be. The kids were there because the coins called them there. The coins came calling because Rita was being found. That it was Jason's dad is just narrative convenience so they didn't have to pay another speaking part.

Is it silly, contrived, and implausible as all get out? You bet. But when you're the chosen ones, that's how life rolls sometimes.

 

[JRoss]

Re: Forming Megazord. ISTR that Rita said something like "No way!" or "How is this possible?" She might not have been referring to the fact that forming Megazord was possible, but that the kids somehow pulled it off. Like maybe it just wasn't something they got around to telling the kids about since they spent so much time just trying to morph. Possibly a stretch, but nobody ever says that his is the first time they've formed Megazord.

 

[Xerxes82]

Possibly a stretch, but nobody ever says that his is the first time they've formed Megazord.

Explicitly says? No. Heavily implies? Yes. Between Rita's reaction, which is less "Grrr, they're farther along in their training than I'd thought" and much more "WTF?! What is that thing!", and the fact that Billy names the it the Megazord, and nobody has the slightest idea how to pilot it (compare to the Zords individually, where they all have almost instant ability to control them after they tranform).

If they wanted us to believe it was just an advanced Ranger move, I think they'd have used Rita to work the Megazord name in. "Oh no, not the Megazord!" or something of the sort. But they didn't. Also, it's not all uncommon for stories of this type to posit that the current iteration of the heroes is somehow special, or extra capable somehow, to justify their victory when previous generations have failed. The Megazord in the film is, to use another film as analogy, Neo becoming The One at the end of the Matrix

 

[Samurai8472]

A theory I liked. The zords in the past took on the forms of the most dominant species at the time.

This could explain the discrepancy of dinosaurs and mammals as the zords. Maybe the T-Rex was the oldest zord to arrive first? then the next was the mastadon etc etc( Hey I'm no expert)

The megazord was formed because man was the dominant species

 

[Christopher]

If they wanted us to believe it was just an advanced Ranger move, I think they'd have used Rita to work the Megazord name in. "Oh no, not the Megazord!" or something of the sort. But they didn't.

Maybe she was too distracted by her headache...

This could explain the discrepancy of dinosaurs and mammals as the zords. Maybe the T-Rex was the oldest zord to arrive first? then the next was the mastadon etc etc( Hey I'm no expert)

The oldest of the five species, by a hefty margin, would be the pterodactyl. Then the tyrannosaur and triceratops from around the same time, then the sabertooth from much later, then finally the mastodon.