Last time...I can't even talk about last time, I'm still annoyed by it. We got yet more environmental bullcrap shoved down our gullets while having to endure a decent monster idea being ripped apart at the seams. And joy, more filler coming up.
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So we start off at school with the group discussing an upcoming science test. Billy suggests that the group go up to his uncle's cabin in the mountains to study for it, which the group is naturally excited about. Bulk overhears and gets an idea, but before he can divulge it, Douchelan shows up with a present for each of them.
Bulk: Early birthday cards?
Skull: Aww, Mr. Kaplan, you didn't have to do that!
Turns out it's their report cards. And judging from the duo's reactions, it's not good news. Douchelan then tells them that if they get Ds on the science test, they both have detention.
...you know what? I'm not going to bother. It's KAPLAN. I call him Douchelan all the time because that's what he is. This isn't a surprise to me at all. The only surprising part is how he can get away with it!
Of course, Bulk's plan is to follow the group up to the mountains so they can cheat off of them for the test. Yes, Bulk's used this one before, but I'm surprised he's pulling it out now since they're going up some freakin' mountains. It wouldn't exactly be a one-hour drive or anything.
We move briefly to the moon where Goldar proposes used the titular Crystal of Nightmares to destroy the Rangers' self-confidence and ensure their victory. Sure, whatever. That was Rita's reaction, by the way.
We cut to the cabin as the group has just finished studying. They leave to grab lunch, giving Bulk and Skull the opportunity to sneak in. Goldar messes around with the Crystal before we see...oh dear God, they're crossdressing. As maids. Just...why, guys? If you have some hidden issues or whatever, fine, but if it's just a disguise, NO ONE'S THERE. And yes, I realize that this was the time period when crossdressing was considered humourous, but really, why?
They start rummaging around for the study notes, while Skull starts dusting, for some reason. Bulk reveals his dust allergy just before the guys return from their meal. Bulk and Skull disappear as Zack puts on some music and starts dancing, as he usually does. We find out Bulk and Skull are hiding under Zack's bed, and of course, Zack decides to start dancing/jumping on his bed. Then the guys start having a pillow fight, and of course, feathers start flying everywhere, Bulk and Skull try to not get caught, the guys are laughing and...God, this sounds like the premise to a really bad fanfic!
Goldar gloats some more as we move to the girls' cabin, where they turn in for the night, as do the guys...and Jason's shirtless. Yep, just like a really bad fanfic. Also, Bulk and Skull are apparently asleep under Zack's bed. Or Jason's. Whichever. Goldar activates the Crystal and the Rangers start having nightmares about their previous defeats. Billy dreams of getting eaten by the Terror Toad, and really, can you blame him? Trini dreams of them being attacked by Goldar during the Spidertron fight...for some reason. I thought they would go with the fear of heights thing again, but I guess they dragged that out a little too long. But really, the Spidertron fight? Didn't Trini have any other episodes they could use? Like the Pineoctopus fight? Considering it was her cousin that was turned into CARDBOARD WHY WOULD THEY EVEN-
Sorry. I need to get away from that or I'll write another two paragraphs in all caps out of rage.
Zack dreams of his massive beatdown by the Knasty Knight. Which is to be expected. It's the Knasty Knight after all. Chuck Norris has nightmares about the Knasty Knight. Which is why Norris doesn't sleep. We then get what's one of the more famous moments from Bulk and Skull: they dream that they're superheroes like the Power Rangers and can control the MegaZord. It quickly turns into a nightmare once they realize that they don't know how to control the MegaZord. This leads into them freaking out, Skull reusing his joke from the Green Ranger saga, and eventually destroying the MegaZord and crashing in the process. Yikes.
Kimberly dreams about her encounter with the Samurai Fan Man. Which makes sense. I mean, that was a REALLY bad day for the poor girl. Especially getting trapped in his jug and all. Jason dreams of his battle against Goldar during the Green Ranger saga. Again, it makes sense since Jason was getting soundly trounced the whole time. Although, the fact that it focused particularly on Goldar ridiculing Jason makes me wonder if Goldar has more control over these dreams than expected. Which would explain Trini's dream, I guess. Finally, all the Rangers have the same dream, a new one of Zordon confronting them, telling them that they are no longer capable of being Power Rangers, and stripping them of their powers. It's then that the group wakes up, scared out of their minds. Goldar declares victory, as expected of him.
The next day, the group meets up and they are sufficiently freaked out, which no one could blame them for. The real Zordon finds out what happened and gets Alpha to contact the group. The group flinches every time the communicator goes off, and don't even answer it at first, indicating just how badly this got to them. After finally answering, Zordon explains what happened and that if they destroy the Crystal of Nightmares, they'll overcome their fears. I like that it's the Crystal itself causing them to be so scared, because if it was just the nightmares, it would make the Rangers seem a bit out of character, especially considering both Zack and Kim are on the verge of quitting the Rangers altogether. The group teleports to the crystal's location, though they're a bit reluctant to do so at first, as expected.
Once they arrive, they run into some Putties. Still under the effects of the Crystal, they don't want to fight, and Kimberly tries to run off. This doesn't work, and the Rangers proceed to get their asses kicked by the Putties. And I mean, they really get beat down. I think Trini maybe got one or two hits in and that's about it. Yeah, even Jason was helpless. Speaking of which, he breaks off from the group and runs into the cave, only to run into Goldar. He manages to get away from him long enough to hit the Crystal with a roundhouse kick that would make Norris proud. The crystal is destroyed, Goldar teleports away, and the Rangers slowly gain their confidence back.
With their confidence regained, Jason rejoins the others to completely destroy the Putties. And it is glorious. Goldar returns, with Scorpina, so the Rangers morph. Rita makes Goldar and Scorpina grow, so the Rangers summon the DinoZords and forming the MegaZord. They get beat down by Goldar and Scorpina in what looks suspiciously similar to their fight in the Green Ranger saga...but, eventually, the MegaZord summons the Power Sword and kicks their asses, sending them running back to Rita. And speaking of Rita, poor girl gets another headache.
We move back to the cabin just in time for the real maid to arrive and wake up Bulk and Skull. The two panic and head out the door. Back at the school, the Rangers, naturally, get all As. Bulk and Skull don't get Ds, but Fs, meaning they'll be in detention "forever", as Douchelan puts it. He shakes the chalk brush at them, Bulk sneezes so hard he blows Douchelan's toupee off, group laughs, episode ends.
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Surprisingly enough, I liked this episode. Sure, it has its flaws. The bit with Douchelan punishing Bulk and Skull with detention for bad grades doesn't make any sense and would never work in any school today. I also felt the bit with the Rangers being so scared that they couldn't fight was a bit rushed. This whole concept really interested me, and I wish they had further elaborated on each of the Rangers' personal failures and fears and how they would overcome them. You know, what the Island of Illusion fiasco SHOULD'VE been. Still, this was handled much better than that, and I realize that they only had half an hour to use this plot, so we got what we got. A decent episode, but not a great one.
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