Ep. 28: Wings are Eternal

Wings are Eternal is the twenty-eighth episode of Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger. It is a tribute episode to Choujin Sentai Jetman.

Synopsis
An Action Commander by the name of Kiaido shows up to try and collect the bounty on the Gokaigers as they begin their search for the Jetman. Marvelous gets beaten by Kiaido and in his retreat runs across a strange man called Gai, otherwise known as a former member of the Jetman.

Plot
After taking out a bunch of Zugormin with Hurricane Gokaioh and Goujyujin, the Gokai Galleon crew were about to have a meal when they are confronted by the legendary bounty hunter Kiaido whom Captain Marvelous had a near-death encounter in the past. Though he changed since then, Gokai Red is unable to overcome Kiaido even when he and his crew assume the forms of the Biomen and the Maskmen. Disgusted with fighting weaker opponents, Kiaido allows the Gokai Galleon crew to leave to Captain Marvelous's dismay. While pondering, Navi reveals in a treasure navigation that Kiaido can be defeated with a phoenix, with Gai realizing it must refer to the Jetmen. However, while telling Luka and Doc of their captain's strange behavior as of late, Joe's search takes a strange turn when a man on a motorcycle steals his Mobirate while hitting on Luka. The same man appears before Captain Marvelous, questioning his abilities as a leader before taking his Mobirate as well. Telling the pirates not to look for the Jetmen, the man introduces himself as Gai Yuki.

After Gai informs them that he is the missing Black Condor, Marvelous later runs into Yuki as he tells the pirate that his lack of courage and stubborn pride are what will keep himself from getting the Jetmen's greater power. Following the man, Marvelous finds the tombstone of Gai Yuki as the crew are stunned and Gai realizes that Yuki does not want the other Jetmen involved with Kiaido. Confronting Kiaido, Gai overpowers the Gormin before finishing them off as Black Condor. Seeing that Black Condor is intent to fight despite being dead, Captain Marvelous regains his courage as he and his crew take over. Regaining his Mobirate, Gokai Red fights Kiaido before he and his crewmates assume the forms of the Jetmen to finish off the bounty hunter with a Jet Phoenix-style attack. Later, with Gai still unable to see him, Yuki gives the Gokaigers his blessings before departing back to Heaven's Golden Gate bar to resume playing cards with God, and after winning again, he accepts God's request to play a song on his saxophone.

Cast

 * Ryota Ozawa as Captain Marvelous (Gokai Red)
 * Yuuki Yamada as Joe Gibken (Gokai Blue)
 * Mao Ichimichi as Luka Millfy (Gokai Yellow)
 * Kazuki Shimizu as Don Dogoier (Gokai Green)
 * Yui Koike as Ahim de Famille (Gokai Pink)
 * Jun Ikeda as Gai Ikari (Gokai Silver)
 * Toshihide Wakamatsu as Gai Yuuki (Black Condor†)
 * Yukari Tamura as Navi (voice)
 * Hirofumi Nojima as Warz Gill (voice)
 * Gaku Shindo as Barizorg (voice)
 * Koji Ishii as Damaras (voice)
 * Kikuko Inoue as Insarn (voice)

Gokai Changes

 * Gokai Changes in Wings are Eternal:
 * Gokai Red - Red One, Red Mask, Red Hawk
 * Gokai Blue - Blue Three, Blue Mask, Blue Swallow
 * Gokai Yellow - Yellow Four, Yellow Mask, Yellow Owl
 * Gokai Green - Green Two, Black Mask, Black Condor
 * Gokai Pink - Pink Five, Pink Mask, White Swan
 * Gokai Silver - N/A
 * With this episode, Luka has transformed into all 14 of her female Yellow Ranger counterparts at least once.
 * All of the Gokai Changes in this episode are tied to teams who fought "wild card" villains who were massive threats to the team but show no loyalty to the main enemy:
 * Bioman: Bio Hunter Silva
 * Maskman: Thief Knight Kiros
 * Jetman: The entire Dimensional War Party Vyram is a loose alliance of enemies who work alongside one another but show no loyalty or interest in any of the others in their team.

Elements/Homages to Jetman

 * The title of this episode infers Jetman due to the bird motif of "wings". Likewise, it seems to hint at the title of the final episode of Jetman: "Flap Your Wings! Birdmen".
 * The tributes left at Gai's gravestone each have a representation of something connected to each of the other Jetman heroes; among them, a cup of Ako-chan ramen, which was the focus of an episode of that series.
 * An interesting point to note is that Kiaido has a weak spot on his body (which is left by a sword) and is left with a scar which ultimately leads him to his death. In Jetman before she herself is killed, Rie/Maria stabbed the villain Radiguet in the back with Red Hawk's sword which leaves a scar/weak point, ultimately leading to his demise.
 * Like the villains of Jetman, Kiaido is only loosely connected to the Zangyack and shows no real loyalty to them (to the point of appearing to be defeated initially in order to have the bounty on the Gokaigers rise).

Trivia

 * This is the first episode since Episode 13, Tell Me the Way, to use one of the three standard Gokaiger ending sequences. As after that episode, the endings featured clips from Gokaiger Goseiger Super Sentai 199 Hero Great Battle and starting with Episode 20, The Lost Forest, the endings featured clips from Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger The Movie: The Flying Ghost Ship.
 * The dead Warriors do not require the use of the Keys to transform, as shown by Don having the Black Condor Key in his hand while Gai was fighting transformed.
 * This is the first time since Episode 17 where an Action Commander is destroyed and subsequently does not grow.
 * This is the first tribute episode to center around a Sentai team that has no Power Rangers counterpart.
 * It is ironic Jetman is the first Sentai without a Power Rangers counterpart to get a tribute as it was the last Sentai to not get adapted into Power Rangers.
 * Unlike other past Senshi's Legend Shifts, Gai's human form shadows over his Ranger form instead of the other way around.