 This article is about an episode in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
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Happy Birthday, Zack is the tenth episode of the first season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
Synopsis[]
While the Rangers work on a surprise party for Zack, he thinks the others have forgotten about his birthday. Rita Repulsa proves she hasn't though. She sends him a present in the form of the Knasty Knight who is sent to destroy the Black Ranger, and make sure he never has another birthday!
Plot[]
The Rangers minus Zack are decorating the Youth Center one evening after hours for Zack's birthday the next day.
At the Moon Palace, Rita Repulsa wants to give Zack a gift of her own so Finster makes plans to create a monster.
To throw Ernie off their trail when discussing the Power Rangers, Jason and Billy tell him that the Rangers are aliens, not people. Bulk and Skull arrive to make some trouble but get their immediate comeuppance.
Finster and Rita decide on using the Knasty Knight for their plan as Finster refers to the monster on page 12 of his monster book. It was recapped by Rita that they once used Knasty Knight on Tarmac III where it made "space dust" out of their finest warrior. Baboo and Squatt help Finster forge the Knasty Knight's special sword that same night. The sword in question is said to cut through any known material in the universe and holds great magical powers. Once completed, Rita casts a spell to raise the Knasty Knight by quoting:
- Moon of ivory, stars of old,
- Candlelight that's spun of gold,
- Sky of fire, wind of fright,
- Bring to me a Knasty Knight.
Later, Ernie spots Zack coming in to the Youth Center so the others hide until he leaves.
The next day, Zack runs into Kimberly at school and tries to hint about his birthday. Kimberly plays it off and says that it's her dog's birthday. Bummed out, Zack walks away. Kimberly tells her friends that Zack thinks that they all forgot his birthday. They have to keep his surprise party a secret, though.
Zack is ambushed by Rita and the Knight when he goes for a walk. He morphs but his Power Axe isn't working very well against the Knasty Knight's sword. Zordon alerts the other Rangers and they go to rescue Zack. None of them do any better against the Knight and their weapons begin to corrode. The combined Blade Blasters don't help either.
Rita makes Knasty Knight a giant and the Megazord is summoned. Black Ranger realizes that Knasty Knight is winning because he's reflecting their energy. The solution: reflect Knasty Knight's energy along with sending forward some of their own. The Megazord's eyes shoot some energy that freezes Knasty Knight's sword in place. When Rita orders Knasty Knight to break free, he states that he's trying. Knasty Knight's blade is cut in half and the Megazord finishes the monster off. Rita retreats back to the Moon where she angrily blames her lackeys for the failure.
Back at the Youth Center, the gang brings Zack to his surprise party and they happily celebrate.
Cast[]
- Austin St. John as Jason Lee Scott (Mighty Morphin Red Ranger)
- Thuy Trang as Trini Kwan (Mighty Morphin Yellow Ranger)
- Walter Jones as Zack Taylor (Mighty Morphin Black Ranger)
- Amy Jo Johnson as Kimberly Ann Hart (Mighty Morphin Pink Ranger)
- David Yost as Billy Cranston (Mighty Morphin Blue Ranger)
- Paul Schrier as Farkas "Bulk" Bulkmeier
- Jason Narvy as Eugene "Skull" Skullovitch
- Richard Genelle as Ernie
- David Fielding as Zordon
- Romy J. Sharf as Alpha 5
- Richard Steven Horvitz as Alpha 5 (voice) (as Richard Wood)
- Machiko Soga as Rita Repulsa
- Barbara Goodson as Rita Repulsa (voice)
- Takashi Sakamoto as Goldar
- Kerrigan Mahan as Goldar (voice) (as Ryan O'Flannigan)
- Takako Iiboshi as Finster
- Robert Axelrod as Finster (voice)
- Minoru Watanabe as Squatt
- Michael J. Sorich as Squatt (voice)
- Hideaki Kusaka as Baboo
- Dave Mallow as Baboo (voice) (as Colin Phillips)
- Tom Wyner as Knasty Knight (voice)
- Aohisa Takayasu as Zordon's Soldier
Songs[]
- Happy Happy Birthday, Baby
Errors[]
- When Kimberly opens her locker, a hand can briefly be seen holding it open from below.
- When Knasty Knight is blasting at the Black Ranger, on top of the hill to the right there appears to be two people tied up to poles even though Rita was not holding anybody hostage.
- After Zack morphs, the Power Axe is smoking and corroded before having made contact with Knasty Knight's sword.
- The as-yet-unintroduced Genie and part of a page that has Mr. Ticklesneezer were seen in Finster's monster book even though Genie wasn't created by Finster in it's debut episode and Mr. Ticklesneezer was only created in Trini's dream.
- Zordon's voice sounds different than in other episodes.
- When Rita heads to Finster's lab, Goldar is seen sleeping on the observatory stairs, but when Squatt is talking about the monster that Finster is preparing, Goldar is seen awake and standing, this being an error through the usage of Sentai and American footage together.
Notes[]
- This episode is a favorite of Walter Jones (Zack).
- In the flashback footage about the Knasty Knight, it is fighting the Black Ranger (MammothRanger) from the original Super Sentai show Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger, Goushi.
- This is the first episode where the Megazord completes its transformation without using its computerized catchphrase.
- The flashback footage of Zack fighting the Knasty Knight was used in "Crystal of Nightmares", which in turn was used for the Sega CD release of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
- The episode contains a reference to the DC Comics hero Batman by Ernie, likening how the Rangers protect Angel Grove to Batman protecting Gotham City.
- It may also be a reference to Batman: The Animated Series, which aired on Fox Kids along with Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
- According to the MMPR Interactive CD-ROM, the events of this episode took place on May 3, 1993, the date given as Zack's birthday.
- Zack is the first Ranger to have a solo morph.
- The following monsters are seen in Finster's monster bookL Snizzard, Bones, Chunky Chicken, King Sphinx, the as-yet-unintroduced Genie, and Knasty Knight as well as brief glimpses of the pages containing Mighty Minotaur and Mr. Ticklesneezer. All of these pictures are the monster's original concept art depictions from Japan.
See Also[]
- Ep. 15: Destroy! The Dark Super Sword - Super Sentai counterpart in Zyuranger. See comparison page. (fight footage)