Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #117 & #118 intensifies the status quo as the infection spreads further around iconic teams. The issues from Boom! Studios leading to the finale of the Darkest Hour showcase the struggle as the survivors look for an edge.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers will soon conclude as it reaches the finale of Darkest Hour. As part of the 30th anniversary celebration, Melissa Flores has brought an epic instalment that is on par with the 25th anniversary event, Shattered Grid. As Dark Spector continues to spread an infection throughout the Grid, Rangers across time and space are warped by his evil. Boom! Studios revealed that the Darkest Hour finale would also mark the end of the Mighty Morphin story, with an announcement expected at San Diego Comic Con 2024.
The battle continues as the Rangers find themselves up against worse odds, with more Rangers turned by Dark Spector. As the team finally mounts a defence, Rita begins to see the lack of value her master holds for her. From gathering forces to a twist in fate, the balance shifts when Tommy rejoins his friends.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #117 features a greater spread around the Morphin Grid, with various Rangers added into the fray. As Dark Spector encounters unexpected resistance as he amounts more power. As the Rangers also find a way to hold off the dark forces, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #118 marks the start of greater resistance. However, the scales begin to tip as Rita discovers she must turn to Tommy just as a safe haven begins to form.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #117 Pulls in Greater Nostalgia from Iconic Locations
The issue provides a great build for Dark Spector and the Rangers as more Rangers from other series are merged into the story. Along with action featured in the struggle to save lives, drama unfolds as Dark Spector spreads his weight among his forces. This instalment adds a great amount of progress, including Rita realising she is bound to a heartless master.
Spreading More Chaos in the Timeline
Dark Spector has now been able to extend his grasp even further, including the attack on various planets. The issue has produced a captivating addition to the story as the Rangers also battle and work towards an advantage. The power eggs are a big part of this, as the plot hole from the original series was finally given use. It was great to see the mix of Billy, Kendall and the Phantom Ranger meshing together to bring out a way to resist Dark Spector.
Some of the best highlights include seeing the Rangers of Aquitar instantly falling under the power of the infection, since it set a strong tone to the beginning of the instalment. The story fundamentally set a dramatic twist between Dark Spector and Rita, as the struggles eventually show the bad side of her master. It was great to see the dynamic change and with the destruction of Alpha XI, it created a nice exchange between Rita and Tommy she acknowledges the irony of his incorruptibility considering their past.
So Many References!
The issue features a greater reach from Dark Spector that allows fans to see even more incredible Rangers. This includes Aquitar, home of the Alien Rangers, but has also expanded to Mirinoi from Power Rangers Lost Galaxy, the RPM dimension, and more Rangers from other periods. The best use of the Hyperforce Rangers is highlighted since they can obtain all these nostalgic characters, such as the Gold Zeo Ranger and Blue Senturion.
This was wonderous to see unfold as each page had a dedication to providing fantastic moments, with the Hyperforce members leading the charge. This wasn’t isolated to the side of good too as the Psycho Rangers were also obtained by Dark Spector. Melissa Flores clearly used Hyperforce to her advantage as it allowed her to easily induct many characters that fans have known over the years. It was a brilliant way to also increase the overall build to a bigger fight.
A Great Mix of Combat and Calm
There are some fantastic fights that occur within the issue, allowing a great mix of Rangers to feature. The Hyperforce Rangers often drop into the action and host some humourous additions to the story, but the fight in Corinth and in Reefside instantly captured the eye. There were also great opportunities for exchanges between Wild Force’s Taylor and the original team. However, seeing so much representation in the Command Centre truly showed how iconic the location still is after so many years.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #118 Reunites Rangers with Dramatic Clashes
With a great abundance of characters, a barrier has been placed just as scales begin to tip in favour of the Rangers. Featuring the fruits of the Morphin Masters one-shot, Ranger Slayer has returned just as Rita and Tommy flee from Dark Spector. The instalment also features reuniting couples as Zedd confronts Rita in an unexpected fashion. Although a win, the issue also offers extensions to past events seen as the comics have developed.
Changing Allegiances to Reunited Groups
The beauty of this issue is the dramatic reunion of chemistries between characters, including power couples. The reunion between Tommy and Kimberly was a touching expectation but Lord Zedd’s relationship with Rita greatly overshadowed it. The intense and twisted bond they both share is finally captured, as fans know both characters are to marry in the series. It was amazing to see this possession from Zedd and the outlook on Rita’s betrayal is a trait he holds to be worthy from a villain.
Dramatic Tension Escalated By Perception
The instalment also featured a lore clash of perception between Ranger Slayer and the Phantom Ranger. This impressionable scene was only a short duration but it highlighted the weight the Morphin Masters carry in the universe. With Ranger Slayer featuring her unexpected encounter with Morphin Masters, it was great to see such potent resistance from Phantom Ranger. This was a well established aspect as it heighted the vast difference in experience between fundamentally different characters.
Pivotal Clash Between Forces
The battle around the Moon Palace was an excellent stage to showcase the odd mix featured in the story. Along with the meshing of heroes and villains, the fight between the escapees and Dark Spector’s forces created a memorable event. Ranger Slayer’s untaintable reveal greatly change the status quo visually, with Lord Zedd stealing Rita from Spector’s attack acting like fine icing. The Morphin Grid’s negative effect on Dark Spector gave the audience hope as even with his corruption, the power was still a double edged sword.
Early Conclusion Creates Sudden Drop
The escalating challenge against Dark Spector was also shortlived since the comic focused on the reunion of characters. It was a shame that such a pivotal switch in the balance wasn’t the sole focus of the issue but it granted some great chemistry between characters. It was also nice to see the original trio reunited at the end, however, the story felt like a sudden departure from the heights of a keystone victory.
For meshing more nostalgic integration and shifting the weight, we give Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #117 a total score of 8 out of 10.
For a memorable clash with tense twisted love featured, we give Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #118 a total score of 7 out of 10.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #119 to #121 are currently available in your local comic book stores and as digital copies. The Darkest Hour will conclude this July, with Issue 122 on July 24 and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Darkest Hour #1 on July 31.
For more Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, keep an eye out for the next comic review. For more Power Rangers, keep an eye on social media and keep following The Toku Source for more news and announcements.
