The alternate universe of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return #2 flashes back to the inciting incident that shakes the Power Rangers world to its core! The divergence point was in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 30th Anniversary Spcial #1 that instead of turningovr tansferring their powers, Jason, Zack, and Trini stay in Angel Grove! Kimberly and Tommy get married almost paralleling Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd! The villains destroy the Command Center with Zordon and Alpha. The Rangers go to the Moon Palace to take their revenge, the team breaks up, and the shattered moon is seen in the future. Re:cap - “No More Power Rangers”; there is a mysterious villain “from the past and the future” that defeats Red Ranger.
Kimberly, now Emma Phillips, has returned to Angel Grove for the dedication ceremony of the Trini Kwan Memorial Park. At Chet’s diner, she meets with Zack, who has revealed that he was a Power Ranger and now celebrity, and Billy who has his own company. Billy has been tapping the Morphin Grid to experiment on “safe teleportation.” They explain that Jason has gone from firefighter to fighting terrorism. He grew obessssd with permanently becoming Red Ranger. They need Kimberly’s help to find him as Power Rangers. Kimberly refuses and leaves in a taxi. We see a hand of a person watching them turn into a fist. Kimberly texts someone that she will meet the next night and also wants to meet Billy and Zack. Kimberly eyes her wedding ring and then texts back, “One day…”
We see a cabin in Canada, Kimberly by the fireplace, sees a photo of herself with Trini and written on the photobook, “Once a Ranger Always a Ranger!!” She gets a knock at the door and meets Selena who says Trini was her mom’s cousin. Selena knows that she is Kimberly Hart, shows her the photo, and a Power Coin! She wants Kimberly’s help to be the next Power Ragners. This was a shocking ending that almost seems familiar with Minh Kwan (Charlie Kersh) in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always (2023). The main cover of the second issue by Goni Montes has Kimberly in her Pink Ranger uniform with her mask to the side and gloved hand reaching out and the other Rangers behind her. “The Next Power Ranger” is written by Amy Jo Johnson and Matt Hotson and drawn by Nico Leon.
A champagne bottle is popped as Lord Zedd celebrates with Finster, Rita, Goldar, and Scorpina. There is something light about the artwork, the colorist is Dono Sanchez-Almara, more curved lines than blocky shapes of the first issue. It feels more like an episode of the television show. Zedd cheers Rita’s cup to their takeover of the Earth. The blue henchman, Baboo, warns them about the arrival of the Power Rangers. Zedd asks Finster if their monsters are ready for the attack. This is given the time, Twenty-Two Years Ago, and w see the Putties swarm towards the Zords. Yellow Rangers, Trini, gives the battle cry, “Go, Go! Power Rangers!” Blue Ranger, Billy crosses his arms and says, “For Alpha and Zordon!” I think their powers were not meant to take revenge. The battle is engaged on the lunar surface and a host of monsters from the show stand in front of Bandora Palace.
Black Ranger, Zack, asks how they can defeat the army. Red Ranger, Jason, says they only have to buy time for Tommy and Kimberly. Scorpina, Goldar, and Baboo are eager to join the battle. Zedd wants Rita to join them, but she is looking for Squatt, the other henchman. He is in the kitchen stirring a pot of food. We also Fenster at work. Green Ranger, Tommy, is running with a spherical device with several pods. Pink Ranger is right behind him. We also see the sea of Putties before the palace. Blue Ranger explains that his invention, The Benevolator uses “purifying energy” from the Morphin Grid to counter the dark energy. Billy’s communication says that this will incapacitate the evil creatures, theoretically. I wonder if this was field tested? Pink Ranger says that all they have to do is use the remote detonator. Billy says that they can use their communicators to teleport back to Earth.
Tommy has found the right place with dark energy, the bedroom of Rita and Zedd! Rita finds them the and calls for Putties. The Rangers go into battle stances and say that they will finish the war for Zordon and Alpha. The Putties dance around the Rangers as Rita says that she wants to fight the Green Ranger. Outside, we see the Kaiju-sized Goldar bring his sword to the tail of the Tyrannosaurus Red Ranger Zord! Watching the battle on a balcony, Zedd has Finster look for Rita. Pink Ranger slices Putties with her Blade Blaster. Green Ranger blocks Rita’s Magic Wand with his Dragon Dagger. Great action scenes! Tommy tlls Rita that the bomb is going to purify her. He says this as he goes into a flip kick that knocks her back! Forcibly changing someone Clockwork Orange-style even for good is a little extreme.
Pink Ranger is also formidable giving a flying knee to a Puttie! Rita says they are too weak and blasts Green Ranger back. A closeup of Pink Ranger’s helmet. Green Ranger is thrown back into The Benevolator! A closeup of Rita’s face as she says they destroyed the Command Center. She blasts Green Ranger with her Magic Wand and he screams! She is about to strike a final blow to Green Ranger! Pink Ranger has stopped her! This is a stunning scene. Squatt is stunned to see what has happened. Tommy reports that the remote detonato is damaged. Billy says that there is a button for a ten second timer! Tommy and Kimberly have their helmets off and he says he will set the timer. Kimberly offers and then says they will set it together. A closeup of Kimberly emotional, great art!, and holding her hand with the wedding ring.
Tommy says she knows the reason why she can’t stay with the Benevolator. Billy explains that with the dark energy of the new monsters that the Benevolator will blow a part of the moon. Jason doesn’t care since they can’t defeat them with their Zords. Tommy and Kimberly hold each other and he says they don’t know what will happen with the damaged Benevolator. He adds that she made a promise to leave if the mission was dangerous. Jason calls for the retreat and tells Zack that they have to leave their Zords! The battle turrns with Goldar and the others bashing the Zords, but the Rangers transport out in streaks of color. Zedd revels in the victory, but Squatt reports about Rita. There is the detonation of the Benevolator. The Rangers transport to the ruined Command Center. They cheer except Kimberly who is overcome with the cost of the battle.
This is being told to Selena as Kimberly reflects on what happened looking at the shattered moon from her cabin window. It returns to the art style of the first issue which is very stylish and strong in characterization. Kimberly talks to Selena on the couch and it is a very domestic scene. She says she could have saved Tommy if she had been there. Survivor’s guilt. A closeup of Selena asking about the other Rangers. I love character moments, really like the action scenes, but I think the story really works with Leon showing characters and expressions. We see a closeup of the photo and Power Coin as Kimberly says the world didn’t need them. A little cynical since we saw the joy at Zack’s festival. She says to Selena that they were fifteen years old and needed to move on. Kimberly tells her that she needed to leave Kimberly Hart behind. She holds the Power Coin saying that Trini would not want her to be a Power Ranger. There is another shocking cliffhanger! Johnson and Hotson really unfold Power Rangers: The Return #2 with all of the action and a dramatic story!
Five Power Coins out of Five!
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