It is time to rocket into space as the Retro Ranger Wrap-Up continues its voyage through Power Rangers In Space.

We join Elle Tea, Daniel Jerome, and Josh Goldman this week with episode 14, “The Barillian Sting”, new evil space alien Darkonda meets up with Ecliptor who is planning to ambush the rangers on the planet. We see the back and forth between them and there is no love lost between them.

The ambush is sprung and releases a bug from a cocoon, the bug flies and stings Carlos, The Black Space Ranger. For a bug bite, that is a pretty big reaction and Carlos falls to the ground in pain from it.

The rangers return to the ship as Andros, the red ranger questions about symptoms that Carlos is feeling at the time and has TJ, the blue ranger take him back to the planet to find the dead bug. It seems this bug is familiar to Andros as a Barillian bug and remembering that it turns its victims to mutants and runs into Darkonda for the first time.

The two return to the ship and find Carlos fully mutated to a monster and chase him around the Megaship.

They confront him, but he escapes and sting Cassie in the process, she is strapped down and the ship flies to Andros’ home planet KO-35. With TJ and Andros on the planet, Ashley, the yellow ranger is left alone to defend the ship as both Carlos and Cassie, now mutated, tries to take over the Megaship. The antidote is found, and TJ returns to administer the cure as Andros fights Darkonda.

The cure is given and all four return back to take on a new Barillian monster who Darkonda grows to mega size, a Megazord battle happens and by the end we find Darkonda making his play for power as he works on getting close to Astronoma.

The episode takes quite the turn to a true Sci-Fi, Horror aspect with the monsters roaming around the ship, skulking about ready to strike and takes the watcher through all the twists and turns. And next up on the Retro Ranger write-up…

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Retro Ranger Identity Crisis

The b-story of Darkonda and Ecliptor continues into the next episode “TJ’s Identity Crisis”, and we learn that Darkonda has some secrets that Ecliptor does not want spilled to Astronoma.

Darkonda lures the rangers to the planet and uses Ecliptor to perform a fusion of himself and Ecliptor to make Darkliptor, the fused being (Unlike Gotenks and Gogeta from Dragon Ball, time is not an issue) is powerful enough to freeze both Cassie and Ashley and eggs on Andros to running headfirst into battle.

This decision causes TJ to jump in and get the blow meant for Andros. We see some of the footage from the sentai Denji Sentai Megaranger where the blue ranger’s helmet is very damaged by this strike. Carlos then gets frozen giving the remaining rangers time to escape. TJ wakes up confused and states he does not remember who he is.

Darkliptor brings Astronoma down to show the trophies he has collected and Darkonda uses this to frame Ecliptor about his actions. Andros continues to try and reason with TJ to remember who he is and that he is a power ranger like him. Unsuccessful, Andros goes back to take on Darkliptor alone as TJ teleports himself to the battlefield and enters the morph sequence and is thrown into the fight. With another blow to the head, by a rock!

TJ’s memory returns and uses basketball to stop Darkliptor as the two unfused and Cassie, Carlos and Ashley are back to normal. The Satelasers are fire as Darkliptor is fused for a giant battle with the Astro Delta Megazord. the battle goes the ranger’s way and the two enemies head off. Darkonda and Ecliptor fight again as Astronoma announces that Darkonda is now Ecliptor’s equal. Looks like an internal battle is set to happen.

This is a good episode on both stories and helps tighten the co-leaders of the team. It is also fun to see Darkonda play around with everyone from the rangers to Astronoma. Now we get ready to have another Retro Ranger Wrap-Up as the story of Darkonda continues with “Flashes of Darkonda”.