 This article is about a/an comic book issue in the Power Rangers comic sub-franchise by Boom! Studios.
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Issue 8 is the eighth issue of the comic Go Go Power Rangers. Its final page sets up the prelude to the Go Go Power Rangers portion of the Shattered Grid crossover story and introduces the next antagonist for the new arc: The Ranger Slayer.
Synopsis
With Rita's plan throwing chaos into the life of the Power Rangers, Billy faces a harrowing choice...
Plot
In a flashback over 10,000 years ago on Gentrax IV, Rita and her forces have defeated the armies of the planet, a race of purple and silver cybernetic lizard humanoids. Rita congratulates Goldar on a job well done, noting that he is as merciless as Montaur but hopes he doen't meet a similar fate. Goldar is pleased with her compliments and says that he lives to serve her. Rita wonders if that is true, as she has figured out that Goldar is a spy for Lord Zedd. Goldar tries to deny this, but Rita can see right through him. She thinks the reason she is being watched is because Zedd has no faith in her and believes she surrounds herself with fools and simpletons.
But while Lord Zedd's warriors are powerful, they are devious and cutthroat, they lack the loyalty she desires in an army. Rita even mentions that she killed Montaur because she could read his intentions, he wanted to usurp her command at the first chance he could get by killing her first. She offers Goldar a choice, serve her loyally or be struck down like Montaur. Rita tells Goldar of how Zedd is growing more inept and paranoid, letting his forces do the conquering for him and sending spies and deceivers to ensure his rule is absolute. She on the other hand rewards the faithful with authority and offers Goldar a chance at claiming the head of Lord Zedd for murdering his sibling simply for questioning the evil emperor's authority. Goldar thinks for only a second, and then makes a blood oath on his sword to serve Rita Repulsa as her loyal warrior until he dies.
Back in the present, the students of Angel Grove High are running out of the school building in a panic from the latest attack. Mr. Caplan tries to keep things orderly by directing the students to safety. Marleau, in a bit of karma, is upset and throwing a fit. The biggest moment in her young life, being coronated as the Homecoming Queen, has been ruined by a monster attack. Her fashion zombie flunkies try to motivate her to move out of the building so they don't get killed. Matt is looking for Kimberly and Zack, with Violet correctly assuming that they went after his fake copy.
The Rangers are engaging the Infiltrator Putty, but have a difficult time as it is smarter than a normal putty and can reconfigure its body shape into various forms such as tentacles and crab claw limbs. Zack tries to decapitate it, but the putty simply reforms and says it is pointless to resist as it knows all about the Rangers as it shapeshifts into an evil clone of the Black Ranger. It fights the real one and tries to use mind games, mentioning how Zack's boasting and bragging is a cover for his fear and insecurities about his strength. The Putty then does an elastic headbutt to knock Zack aside. Jason and Trini try to double team the Putty, but it uses their insecurities about their relationship and complicated feelings for each other to throw them off and push them aside. Billy gets knocked over by Trini falling on him. The Putty claims they are clueless, as it doesn't want to hurt them, but feels forced to. Kimberly doesn't believe it is a friend and tries to attack, but gets covered in clay and pinned down. The Infiltrator Putty offers them a chance to surrender to Rita so they can be spared from destruction. Kimberly thinks destroying is what it was made to do anyway.
Rita grows impatient and commands the Putty to finish the job and kill the Rangers. The Putty, having too much of the original Matthew Cook's mind and memories implanted in it, tries to rebel against Rita's orders by refusing to kill. Outraged, Rita demands Finster make her future Putties mindless and obedient so this doesn't happen again. She then orders Baboo to use his puppeteer potion to crush the mind of the Infiltrator Putty and assume direct control of it. Before its mind completely breaks, the Infiltrator Putty says it is sorry and it cannot hold her back. Rita assumes full control and grows the Putty to giant size. Realizing that Rita is in control and the city is in danger, the Rangers quickly form the Megazord to fight the Putty. Rita gets and idea after seeing their "toy" and shapeshifts her Putty into a copy of the Megazord. She tells them they now face an enemy who doesn't hold back in a fight and blocks the Power Sword, noting to the young heroes it isn't wise to call out your attacks before they hit.
Zordon contacts the Rangers, reminding them of their training to harness the power of their Zords. As the Rangers get smacked around, Rita gloats that she will kill all of them and replace them with Putty clones and then nobody will ever know of their demise as they do her bidding. Billy soon realizes that Rita has observed the Megazord's every move, thus the only way to beat her Putty is to separate back into the Dinozords and use their individual abilities. The Rangers need to trust their Zords in order to tap into them. The Megazord separates just before Rita can run her copy armed with its own Power Sword through the real one.
The Putty Megazord copy chases after the Mastodon Dinozord, but Billy uses his Triceratops Dinozord's chain horns to trip the Putty up. Trini uses her Sabertoth Tiger Zord to keep the Putty pinned down with its teeth, Zack figures out how to work the weapon systems of his Zord and uses the Mastodon Dinozord's freeze cannon for the first time to further pin the Putty Megazord down. Jason uses his Tyrannosaurus Dinozord's sonic roar to open up the street they are on and traps the Putty Megazord in a crevice. Jason gives Kimberly the signal and she swoops down in her Pterodactyl Dinozord. She is unsure she can do it, but with a bit of encouragement from her teammates, she manages to activate her Zord's laser guns to blast the fake Megazord. Rita arrogantly believes she can still win, but Kimberly warns her that if the evil witch ever comes near anyone she loves again she will split her in two. Kimberly does an energy charged dive and rips the Putty Megazord apart with her Zord. Rita simply stands near her crystal ball in silent anger at her defeat as Kimberly makes her threat.
Back at the Command Center, Zordon congratulates the Rangers on their victory and sacrifices, knowing how hard it is to give up dreams to protect those they love. They all have exceeded his expectations this time and managed to surprise him. Jason gives the credit to Billy for his excellent strategy. Billy admits for the first time as a Ranger, he was sure of what to do and was confident in himself. Jason admits he was a bit hard on everyone earlier and he is sorry, especially to Billy. The others congratulate him and praise him, but wonder about his decision to leave the team. Billy thinks about it.
Back at Angel Grove High, Bulk is trying to explain to Hailey that he was trying to protect her from Marleau "pulling a Carrie" at Homecoming and he really cared about her. Hailey is offended that Bulk thinks she is a damsel in distress and succumbed to "the royal B" Marelau's demands. She says that she is able to handle a little humiliation and take care of herself and for being a pushover to the meanest girl in school, Hailey breaks up with Bulk. Bulk is sad that he got dumped until Skull comes along and cheers him up, saying Hailey's friend Tasha is terrible at poetry. Skull says that if it wasn't for Marleau, he totally would have won and become Homecoming King. Bulk's mood improves and he brags that of course he would have.
Jason and Trini have an awkward moment in the hall and go somewhere private to talk as they try to discuss about any possible unresolved feelings. Trini reassures Jason that she is not into him and it was all part of the Infiltrator Putty's mind games (though it is unclear if she is being truly honest based on her awkward eye movements and expressions). She tells Jason they are just friends, to which Jason is awkwardly relieved about.
At the Cranston residence, Mr. Cranston comes into Billy's room and asks why the care package VR headset from Promethea is in the trash. Billy goes downstairs and explains to his father that he doesn't want to work for Promethea. He tries to explain to his father that it is a decision he didn't make lightly and while it would be a "safe choice" he isn't sure. Billy is surprised to hear his father say that if it doesn't feel right, he shouldn't be forced into it. Mr. Cranston realizes that his son is old enough to make his own decisions and he will support him no matter what. Billy promises that he will still try to make his father proud by living a "modestly exceptional life". Mr. Cranston admits though it was stupid to throw out the VR set, they could have sold it to get something cooler...like a samurai sword. Mr. Cranston and Billy then play a game on their Playstation 4.
Covers
Dan Mora
Miguel Mercado
Michelle Wong
Natacha Bustos
Audrey Mok
Joanna Lafuente
Errors
- to be added
Notes
- Movie Variant Cover Reference: Ferris Bueller's Day Off
- A special variant version of the issue was given away at WonderCon 2018 with the Hyper Force Rangers and the Silver Time Force Ranger on the cover.
- The Batman and Robin poster in Billy's room has been altered due to DC Comics and Boom! Studios no longer working together after JL/MMPR, thus any direct reference to Batman in the form of drawings would be seen as copyright infringement. The heroes on the poster are now called "Night and Vengeance", a loose reference to Batman from words used in a popular quote spoken by Kevin Conroy's portrayal of the Dark Knight in Batman: The Animated Series: "I am Vengeance! I am the Night! I am Batman!"
- Mr. Cranston's comment about a samurai sword is clever foreshadowing to the next issue of the main book series, which will feature the Samurai Rangers fighting Lord Drakkon.
References
Footnotes