Force from the Future

This article is about a two-part episode in Power Rangers Time Force.

Force from the Future

Power Rangers Time Force, Episode 9x01, 9x02

Air Date(s)

February 3, 2001 (Part 1)
February 10, 2001 (Part 2)

Production Information

Written by

Judd Lynn
Jackie Marchand

Directed by

Koichi Sakamoto

Episode Guide

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The Fate of Lightspeed	Something to Fight For

Force from the Future is the two-part season premiere of the first & second episodes of Power Rangers Time Force of the Power Rangers series.

Synopsis[]

"A thousand years in the future, peace and justice reign... Thanks to the brave legion of the Time Force Police, the streets have been cleared of every criminal; every criminal, except one that is.....Ransik."

―Narrator

Part 1[]

In the year 3000, the last remaining criminal, a mutant mastermind called Ransik, is finally captured by the hard work of the Time Force police, particularly thanks to their own Red Ranger, named Alex. His fellow TF Officers, Jen, Trip, Lucas, and Katie are given the task of transporting Ransik to prison, but are ambushed by the mutant's daughter, Nadira, and robotic servant, Frax. Taking command of the prison, filled with cryogenically stored mutants, Ransik plots to escape through time. But first, he'll have a fatal final showdown with the Red Time Force Ranger...

Part 2[]

Having tracked Ransik and his mob to the city of Silver Hills in the year 2001, Jen and the three Time Force officers find themselves stranded when their Time Ship explodes. Nadira and the Cyclobots take advantage of their new time period by looting and terrorizing, but when the TF officers attempt to use their Chrono-Morphers to stop them, they discover that without the Red one to activate them, they're useless. Yet, the only person who can use the Red Chrono-Morpher is Alex, who's not with them! Can a familiar, yet decidedly different, face be the salvation the team needs?

Plot[]

Part One[]

In the year 3000, 1000 years into the future, the Time Force police have cleared the streets of every known criminal, allowing peace and justice to rein. However, there is but one criminal still to be apprehended--Ransik. Captain Logan and the rest of Time Force have the villain surrounded in an abandoned building. Lucas, Katie and Trip are seen outside to reinforce the attack squad. Inside the building, Ransik begins to complete a type of time-travel device, determined that he'll just rule the past if he couldn't rule the present. Before he can complete his plan, Alex, the Red Time Force Ranger, engages him in combat. Outside, Jen joins the others as they wait for Ransik to come out, but an explosion occurs. Fearing the worst, the Time Force is relieved to see Alex walk out with a captured Ransik, taking the villain into custody immediately.

Alex explains to Captain Logan the machine Ransik had was the heart to a time-warping device, and the captain states that had he succeeded the results would have been catastrophic. Reunited with Jen, Alex finally proposes to her while everyone else awaits the verdict of Ransik's trial. Katie is assured that he'll be put away, but Lucas retorts that nothing is certain. Circuit is seen complaining to Trip that he cannot see anything, and Nadira watches the trial disguised as a human.

The Panel reaches their verdict, deciding that Ransik is guilty of all charges and must be sentenced to cryogenic containment for life. Unfortunately, upon transport, Nadira and Frax ambush the escort, and spring Ransik loose. Ransik tells Jen the future is full of surprises before she falls unconscious and Ransik and his gang escape. When she and the others awake, they inform Captain Logan about the ambush, and he relieves them of their duties due to their failure. Lucas grabs Trip and blames him for not telling them Ransik was planning to escape, but Katie defends him.

Ransik, Nadira and Frax arrive at the Time Force Prison, releasing Gluto before the containment process for him had begun. Time Force is alerted of the situation, and Alex rushes to the scene. The mutants create another time-warping device, but before they leave, Ransik notices Alex on the monitor and halts the warp so as to clear up some "unfinished business." The two begin battle again atop the prison tower, with Ransik gaining the upper hand. Holding the Red Ranger back, Alex states that he may defeat him, but he'll never defeat Time Force.

Ransik states that where he's going there won't be a Time Force and lands a mortal blow on Alex just as Jen, Trip, Lucas and Katie reach them. Ransik teleports away, and Jen approaches a dying Alex who makes Jen promise that she'll never stop chasing Ransik, informing her where there are four more Morphers. She agrees and takes the Red Chrono Morpher, determined to stop Ransik, as Alex dies just as paramedics arrive. The others follow her to the Time Ship, with Lucas and Circuit acting as pilots. With all Chrono Morphers in hand, Jen orders the launch to proceed, and the group blasts off to the year 2001.

Part Two[]

Ransik, Gluto, Nadira and Frax appear outside an alley and a nearby police officer attempts to stop them. After Ransik easily destroys his gun, they learn through interrogation that its the year 2001, which means no Time Force. Meanwhile, the Time Ship has crashed off a beach side. Trip wakes up thanks to Circuit, frantically warning them that there is a fuel leak that will cause the Time Ship to explode. Trip wakes everyone else up, and Jen quickly takes the Chrono Morphers with her as the group escapes the doomed vehicle.

After the explosion, Circuit explains that they are just northwest of a city called Silver Hills in the year 2001. Though the others are initially reluctant to stay, Jen convinces the team they can beat Ransik by use of the Chrono Morphers. After each Ranger locks their DNA into their Morpher, they travel to Silver Hills, and begin the search for Ransik using their Scan Modes.

Jen accidentally bumps into a man wearing a motorcycle helmet while he gets onto his motorcycle, and silently realizes his voice sounds familiar before he drives off. Meanwhile at a nearby jewelry store, Nadira unleashes a horde of Cyclobots upon the city. The Team confronts her, along with Gluto and Frax to capture them, but unfortunately, the Morphers fail to work. Jen attempts to take on Nadira while the others fight the Cyclobots, but none of them can match the strength of the mutants. Nadira and the other mutants depart leaving a few Cyclobots to finish off Jen. Luckily the man on the motorcycle saves her in the nick of time, and leaves the Rangers - especially Jen - stunned at how much he resembles Alex.

Later on, Circuit explains that the Chrono Morphers will not activate unless the Red Morpher is activated as well, and they will need someone with a genetic code similar to Alex. Katie suggests asking the man on the motorcycle to help, but Jen is reluctant.

Nonetheless, Jen finds the man - known as Wes Collins - at his mansion. After hearing Jen's explanation as to what a Morpher is and why they need his help, he believes she's crazy, resulting in her angrily breaking down, asserting that he is nothing close to Alex.

Fighting Ransik and his henchmen without power, the group is left at his mercy until Wes arrives, now believing her story. Jen gives Wes the Red Morpher, and the Morpher confirms Wes' DNA is a match, allowing the five Morphers to be unlocked. Ransik and Nadira notice this, and Ransik warns Wes who mistaken him for Alex that he destroyed him once and would destroy him again. Wes doesn't understand what Ransik is talking about, but Jen asserts it doesn't concern him as the team morphs into the Time Force Rangers for the very first time.

Jen explains more about the power suits to Wes as they fight the Cyclobots, eventually defeating them thanks to his help. Unfortunately, Ransik escapes, and Jen winds up overpowered before she could reach him. Jen attacks Gluto, Frax and Nadira with her Time Strike, forcing them to retreat, but not before Nadira claims that her father will beat them.

Wes is overjoyed about being a Power Ranger, but Jen harshly upbraids him about their cause and subsequently takes back the Red Morpher, citing that they only needed him to activate it. Wes disappointedly walks away, and afterward the others discuss Jen's decision; Katie and Trip are disappointed that Wes will not join the team, while Lucas states that he's a good fighter. However, Jen is resolute that they can handle things on their own.

Cast[]

Jason Faunt as Alex (Red Time Force Ranger 1) (Part 1 only) & Wesley "Wes" Collins (Red Time Force Ranger 2) (credit only in Part 1) & (Part 2 only)
Michael Copon as Lucas Kendall (Blue Time Force Ranger)
Kevin Kleinberg as Trip (Green Time Force Ranger)
Deborah Estelle Phillips as Katie Walker (Yellow Time Force Ranger)
Erin Cahill as Jen Scotts (Pink Time Force Ranger)
Brianne Siddall as Circuit (voice)
Edward Albert as Mr. Collins (credit only in Part 1) & (Part 2 only)
Vernon Wells as Ransik
Kate Sheldon as Nadira
Neil Kaplan as Gluto (voice)
Eddie Frierson as Frax (voice)
Roy Werner as Captain Logan
Douglas Fisher as Philips (Part 2 only)
Ric Mancini as Judge
Michael Ballewas as Driver #1
Reuben Langdon as Driver #2
Tadashi Kondo as Policeman

VHS/DVD releases[]

Force from the Future was released on the VHS Power Rangers Time Force: Force from the Future.

Errors[]

Despite taking place in the future, there is technology and vehicles of the past that are still in use in the future despite their logical obsolescence.
- A late 20th century fire alarm with a xenon strobe light can be seen on the walls of the abandoned building during the battle between Ransik and Alex in Part 1.
  - Incidentally, if one listens carefully, a late 20th century fire alarm horn can be faintly heard sounding in the background when Circuit is warning everyone to wake up and escape from the doomed Time Ship in Part 2.
- The patrol vehicles seen throughout are modified Chevrolet Corvettes, running on an internal combustion engine, when it is argued that the future would have an alternative source of fuel and/or energy for vehicles.
Ransik is shown standing on the other side of the archway when Alex enters to arrest him, and there is also what appears to be a Chrono Saber sticking out of the control console.
- This was the result of a scene being deleted in post-production, involving Ransik attempting to activate his time device, only for the still-unseen Alex to throw his Chrono Saber into the control console, causing an explosion; the result was Ransik standing on the other side of the room, the archway not having activated. Portions of this cut scene were used in Fox Kids promos prior to the show's premiere.^[1]

Notes[]

Part I is the first Power Rangers episode to air in the 21st century.
Although he is credited as Wes in Part I, Jason Faunt only appears as Alex in that episode.
Several references are made to the title of the episode in future seasons:
- Wild Force's "Reinforcements from the Future".
- S.P.D.'s Omega Ranger declares himself the "Force From The Future!" when he poses.
During Ransik's trial, while Alex and Jen are entering the courtroom, an Aquitian can be seen sitting next to Katie.