King for a Day

King for a Day is the 42th & 43th aka the two-part episode of Power Rangers Zeo.

Synopsis
After Tommy's disappearance, Prince Gasket brainwashes Tommy into believing that he is the ruler of the Machine Empire. When Bulk and Skull claim to have seen Tommy, the Power Rangers must find a way to rescue their leader.

Part 1
The Rangers are alarmed when Bulk and Skull recount their run-in with Zeo Ranger 5, especially since they have yet to find him. They try to find Tommy, especially Jason who recounts his own failure one time in letting him down once.

Tommy is being held hostage as Altor, another monster of Prince Gasket's enter the brain scrambler. The transfer is a success and Altor prepares for battle in the arena. Inside the palace, Queen Machina highly praises Gasket's new attempt to defeat the Rangers. Prince Sprocket, is harboring jealousy and tries to remind her that he thought she was her favorite son. Machina reminds him that he's just the baby of their family and Gasket came to them in their ire of need. At the arena, Altor takes out the cogs easily as Tommy wakes up. Prince Gasket gets to work in brainwashing Tommy into believing he is the king of the Machine Empire and that the Power Rangers are evil.

Using the hologram of Tommy, Jason is sucked into the vortex, but Zordon is able to warn Katherine in time to return to the power chamber. Bulk and Skull head back to the lake where they're unknowingly sucked in. When Princess Archerina learns of it and warns Gasket, he quickly tells her to close off the portal and imprison the intruders. He then broadcasts live for the fight against Jason and Altor. His broadcast reaches an alarmed Goldar and Rito Revolto who call for Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa. During Altor's fight, Tommy slowly starts to regain some memory and is confused, to which Gasket presses harder to make him believe the memories of him being friends with the Rangers are a lie. After defeating Altor, Jason must face Tommy who is more than willing to destroy him.

Inside the Power Chamber, Billy and the Rangers watches helplessly as the fight continues.

Part 2
Bulk and Skull are imprisoned and meet an unlikely ally in Tritor. He reveals what happened to his home planet, which causes both men to realize what's in store for Earth. Tritor has a plan in assisting them to escape, but he needs Bulk and Skull's help in keeping the Cogs distracted. Tritor reveals his awareness in both the Brain Drain device and Gasket's force field. Seeing no other options, Bulk and Skull agree to help him.

Two Rangers have disappeared and none at the Command Center know how to find them. They can only watch in horror as Tommy tries to destroy his best friend. Gasket and Archerina watch, amused by the turn of events.

Not too far from them on the Moon, Rita and Lord Zedd had been informed by Goldar and Rito in what they saw. While amused by the prospects of the fight, Lord Zedd comes to the horrifying conclusion that if the Machine Empire is successful in destroying the Rangers, they will take over Earth and keep him and Rita in exile. Much to his disgust, Lord Zedd realizes that they must help the Rangers for once, causing Rita to faint. They quickly come up with a plan to teleport the Rangers to the arena which could help distract Gasket. Finster suggests his Teleporter device will help get the Rangers to the arena. He warns them it will only have enough power to get them there. Zedd doesn't care and tells him to activate it at once.

The other Rangers are unknowingly teleported to the arena much to Gasket's joy. However, Katherine demorphs and helps Tommy remember who he really is. With the other Rangers demorphing, this helps Tommy to regain control over himself. They still have to face a problem with Gasket's force field, which is preventing them from leaving. Gasket reveals they made a terrible mistake in demorphing in front of him and brings some monsters in the arena as Tritor successfully destroys the force field. The Rangers make a quick getaway.

Bulk and Skull are telling people of their encounter. Nobody believes their later tale, except for Tommy, Katherine, and Jason (who overhear them boasting about it). However, thinking they're just being further mocked, Bulk and Skull storm off.

Cast

 * Jason David Frank as Tommy Oliver (Zeo Ranger V Red)/(Mighty Morphin White Ranger)
 * Johnny Yong Bosch as Adam Park (Zeo Ranger IV Green)
 * Steve Cardenas as Rocky DeSantos (Zeo Ranger III Blue)
 * Nakia Burrise as Tanya Sloan (Zeo Ranger II Yellow)
 * Catherine Sutherland as Katherine "Kat" Hillard (Zeo Ranger I Pink)
 * Austin St. John as Jason Lee Scott (Gold Zeo Ranger)
 * David Yost as Billy Cranston
 * Paul Schrier as Farkas "Bulk" Bulkmeier
 * Jason Narvy as Eugene "Skull" Skullovitch
 * David Fielding as Zordon (face)
 * Bob Manahan as Zordon (voice)
 * Donene Kistler as Alpha 5
 * Richard Steven Horvitz as Alpha 5 (voice)
 * Douglas Sloan as Prince Gasket (voice)
 * Melora Harte as Archerina (voice)
 * Carla Perez as Rita Repulsa
 * Barbara Goodson as Rita Repulsa (voice)
 * Ed Neil as Lord Zedd
 * Robert Axelrod as Lord Zedd, Finster (voices)
 * Danny Wayne Stallcup as Goldar
 * Kerrigan Mahan as Goldar (voice)
 * Bob Papenbrook as Rito Revolto (voice)
 * Koichi Sakamoto as Tritor
 * Paul St. Peter as Tritor (voice)
 * Kirk Thornton as Altor (voice)