silverscreen6
04-07-2005, 11:30 PM
I'm sure someone already has tackled this story--about what happened to
Tommy right before he became the White Ranger--but I thought, why not? Sorry if it's been retold to death.
My writing includes some script elements (including shortcuts ;) ), hopefully they won't be too distracting. Enjoy!
-----------------------------------------
The greatness that we once were must sometimes fade, yielding to the call of our greater destinies.
-Zordon [to Jason]
DVD Cover description:
Crude, dark sketch. An all but melted away candle takes up foreground. In the back, on the left side of the flame, Jason has his head down, his face hidden in the darkness. On the opposite side of the flame, a young full-bodied, long haired Zordon stands, appearing to carry equal despair.
LAST TIME ON MIGHTY MORPHIN’ POWER RANGERS!:
The evil Lord Zedd unleashed his most powerful monster yet on the City of Angel Grove. With the evil Scarlet Sentinel overpowering the Rangers, Zordon revealed the new White Ranger. With Tommy back on the team as the new leader, the Rangers were able to overthrow Zedd’s goon.
FADE IN:
Inside the command center, a wasted and drained power team stand in silence after just defeating Turban Shell.
"I'm gonna miss you guys while we're on spring break.”
Silence again as Tommy visibly struggles to find the right words, his head down and lips quivering.
"...but I'll hold you real close to my heart."
He looks directly into Kim's eyes--she immediately looks down, not able to hold the painful stare.
"One more time guys..."
...And certainly final. The rangers stretch out their arms and cup their hands over Tommy's. Memories race all through his mind, all the many times he'd done this with his fellow heroes. Now there would be no more chances to bail his friends out of trouble. No longer a chance to feel the hush satisfaction of knowing you made it there just in time, made even more heroic by expecting nothing in return. But just like this moment, that feeling of being wanted and needed only lasted until he de-morphed and headed home.
He never thought anything of his heroics up until now, when it was all said and done. He hadn’t realized how much the Green Ranger influenced the team until just hours ago, when Goldar provided him a front-row seat to a panoramic view of the impact he’d made, a mind rape that hurt more than his broken ribs. Observing that, and knowing it was over was more crushing than any blow he'd ever experienced in a hundred battles against Rita and Zedd's goons. They seemed to have had the last laugh, and he knew it.
He would have to walk away, never to fight again. What was once his gift is now the thing he will regret most having, because with its departure, his purpose trails behind.
"Power rangers!!!", the team yells as they toss their hands up.
That high feeling departs once their feet and hearts hit the floor again.
"I can't, I can't leave you guys.", Tommy mumbles.
Kim covers her mouth, hides her eyes as he tightens his jaw, fighting back tears. He wants to depart just as stoically as he’d joined the squad, not the venerable shell of a man he stood now.
Zordon's face slowly fades from the back, leaving the team to this unfamiliar show of human emotion, the effect of their first true defeat.
Jason tries his best to conceal his grief as he approaches and almost violently latches onto Tommy, his grip strong and unflinching. An embrace a man would only give a brother.
"You'll always be one of us, Tommy."
FREEZE FRAME
FADE OUT
RUN POWER RANGER INTRO:
...go go power rangers, you mighty morphin power rangers!
FADE IN:
SOUND: Faint Power Ranger intro jingle.
Angel Grove H.S. Gymnasium.
The blow from Jason's fist seem powerful enough to shatter stone, but the red punching bag takes it. There’s a soft anger in his eyes, a resentment well concealed beneath his boyish face and squinted brown eyes.
SUBTITLE:
WHITE LIGHT PART 3: BURNING RED
He's alone now in the gym. Good. Because if he's not careful, someone may realize he's blowing off polluted steam, trying his hardest to let out the demons teasing him inside. He'd just lost the leadership of the Rangers, and is trying desperately to hold on to his cool.
He’s fighting the punching bag as if it's the depths of his own mind that he did not want to stray to, but not even great heroes have complete control over their thoughts. Again and again, the scene is played out:
The power team stand before Zordon. A bright white light beats down on the weary heroes from behind. They turn to see the shadow of their new member, an old friend.
Jason's punches grow quicker, harder.
The new White Ranger removes his mask, "Guess who's back."
Tommy's smile was glamorous, and was met by even brighter grins from his friends. But one was fake, or at least curious....
Jason's throws a slew of furies, grunting loudly with the blows.
...and insecure.
Sweat pours off Jason's bending body as he does a quick stint of dodging maneuvers.
And when, while on the brim of their happiness, Zordon slipped in what Jason saw coming:
"Are you all happy with new leader of the power team?"
"This is great.", said Jason. He’d just discovered that proving convincing was another one of his strong suits. But it would not last. His heart had sunk inside of him, into a nagging bitterness he didn’t wish to hold. But outside of his costume, the Red Ranger was only human.
Jason lands a earth shattering blow on the punching bad.
"Jason!", screams Trini, a bit confused and angry.
Jason, shocked, looks her direction, a long way off near the entrance of the gym.
Her mildy agitated voice echoes through the empty gymnasium, "What's wrong with you, I’ve been standing here yelling your name for the longest?"
Jason wipes the sweat off his brow and monitors the damage to the punching bag, carefully observing the white stuffing seeping through the torn red carvas as Trini approaches.
“Guess I didn’t here you.”
"The guys and I were thinking about taking Tommy out. We'd like to chip in for another cake. Bulk and Skull....those idiots."
"It was that new kid, Richie...if he'd looked where he was kickin’, we'd be eating cake right now."
“Well Richie admitted it was deliberate. Or he tried convincing us.”
“Yeah, I guess that took some skill.”, Jason says with bothered sarcasm.
He punches the bag.
"Well we're going out. The guys are-"
"-I'm not hungry."
Jason does a mild roundhouse to the bag, not noticing Trini’s leaning against it. She's rattled and more upset.
Suddenly stern, "Are you mad about something?"
Laughing, "No why."
Jason stops and leans against the bag, looking into Trini's eyes with a confident smile. Trini leans unto the bag and stares deep into Jason. She’s trying to pinpoint what he’s hiding by finding it in his eyes and what she found there, he could never deny. He remembers this stare from when she was able to drive out his true feelings after Tommy first joined the squad as the Green Ranger. He understandably had his secret qualms with
the whole idea of one of Rita’s former goons joining the squad, just as he has reasonable incentive to question Zordon’s decision to now making him leader. In both cases, Trini is the first and only to know of Jason’s insecurities, and capable to help him see things clearly when he wasn’t able.
The moment Jason snuck out of Ernie's, when the laughter subsided over Tommy's "Welcome Back" cake landing on Bulk and Skull, Trini knew something was wrong, they all did. She'd wondered if leaving him alone would be the best thing. But she knew that each time Jason was down about something, his road to recovery started with a trip to the gym, then finally her warm stare that could melt away the strongest of defenses. Before it
all heals, it burns, like the constant stretching of his muscles with the motion of his arms as his fist pound for release, and with Trini’s silent probing.
Jason sniffs and looks away.
"What?", He says before guzzling down a shot of water.
There was a smile slowly unfolding in the corner of her lips as she carefully chose her words.
"Talk to Zordon, I'm sure he had good reason."
He takes another swig of his water bottle and wipes the slight spill off his chin.
“Reason: yes--good reason: I’m not so sure.”, Jason retorts.
The Gymnasium door squeaks open, Tommy stands idly still, watching the two. Jason's eyes reach over Trini to spot him, there in all white, like a saint, totally rejuvenated from the mess he was after loosing his Green Ranger powers. He walks their ways.
Jason, silently: "Yeah. I'm sure he had reason."
Tommy’s glamorous smile turns into a confused frown as he see’s Jason dripping with sweat, seemingly not in the cleanly state to go out anywhere.
"Hey what's up? You headin’ out with us?”
Trini turns to Jason, relieved that his face is hiding what's in his heart. With a big smile he says: "You know what man, I was tellin’ Trini, you guys go ahead. I'm just gonna let off some steam, man.” Jason smirks, “I got tons of it."
Jason hits the punching bag.
"Oh...", whispers Tommy with bewilderment and a touch of sadness. "You sure? Won’t be a party without you, Jais."
"Sure it'll be. Come on, we all know Billy’s the life of the party."
Trini and Tommy laugh.
"Seriously though, I really want you to go."
Jason tries to avoid eye contact with Tommy. He knows that with one look, he'll remember all that his friend has done to protect him. And he’ll remember how much he truely loved him. Then that anger will dissolve into confusion. At this moment, Jason just wanted to resent Tommy, hoping that with time, it would pass.
Trini and Tommy watch him as he continues pounding the punching bag, suddenly ignoring their presence. Tommy senses the slight hostility and for a moment bears the same shadow of despair he kept when he first left the team.
"Well...alright Jais. I'll catch up with you later then."
He watches Jason for any kind of acknowledgment but finally bites his lip and walks away. Trini gently rubs Jason's arms and follows.
So once again he's alone, the scar in the red punching bag growing larger with each blow thrown.
FADE OUT
FADE IN:
JASON’S HOUSE
He walks in and shuts the door. His mother rounds the hall, looking frightened.
"Where were you Jason?"
"Ma...", he whines, tired and miserable as he rushes past her.
"And don't tell me you were off saving the world again."
"I was sparring. Okay! Sparring, Okay!"
"You can't call?"
"Phone was dead."
He shuts his room door on his mom and throws himself on the bed--head down deep into the pillow.
He lazily flings his hand and skillfully strikes a tiny red button on his answering machine.
“Yo, leave a message. BEEP.”
"Jason, hi...um."
Jason sighs at the sound of Trini's voice.
"Look. Tommy was really bummed out that you didn't come with us. It's like he couldn't even enjoy himself.....and he just wasn't himself.” Trini, suddenly nervous, speeds up her speech. “Look, I'm just going to tell you straight, I told him what was bothering you.”
Jason raises his head, what the....
“I had to make him understand why you weren’t there. But don't worry, he totally took it well. It was totally in private and....”, she pauses to catch her breath. “Anyway, he really wants to talk to you. Give him a call. Bye. Don’t be mad at me. Bye."
"Damnit..."
Jason rushes through the house, toward the front door.
"Where are you going now."
"I'll be back, ma."
He enters the front lawn and takes a look around. He lifts his arm and activates his transporter. With a flash of red he descends.
BLACK OUT
FADE IN:
Jason teleports into the command center. It's dark, only the wall stars shining.
"Zordon?", his voice echoing in the distance.
Behind him, lights glow.
"Jason, what are you doing here."
"Alpha, I need to speak with Zordon."
"You can't right now, he's in hyper sleep."
"No, this can't wait, Alpha. You have to wake him."
Alpha heads to the command shelf.
"Aye-aye-aye, he's not going to be pleased about this."
"Just do it."
CUT TO:
ZORDON’S DREAM:
Huge cathedral. An enormous empty space, closely resembling Zordon’s heart. It’s lonely here, the air covered with a dark, cold gray hue, the gritty white walls pushed back an eternity.
High profile funeral, everyone in long, slick sky-blue robes.
The funeral director’s voice ranges for miles as he describes the lives of the fallen Zero Rangers. The first Rangers, and the only to have known true defeat.
The small crowds standing, a young Zordon in front with a clear view of the five open caskets. His beauty borders on the line of masculine and femininity. He has a sleek muscular tone, his long white hair reaching past his neck. His face is a silvery white pale--smooth yet stern,
fiery, unpredictable.
ZOOM IN: on Zordon’s blue eyes as he sheds a single tear.
I never asked to be team leader...
CUT TO:
Still in the dream, young Zordon stands before his master, the beautiful, purple-haired Livira and a jury of his peers in a great courthall.
“Because of your inadeqacies as leader, which ultimately led to the deaths of your comrades, I thereby relinquish your rank as protector of this province and pass them to Sparov.”
Zordon looks to face Sparov, in his long red cloak. He oddly bares Jason’s face.
Sparov says, voice echoing in the great hall, “You were never strong enough to lead this
team.”
CUT TO:
AGAINST BLACK BACKGROUND: Zordon is cornered by his fellow Zero Rangers,
Blue ranger, Green, Black, Pink, Purple. The first team of heroes, his long dead friends from many moons ago.
They attack him.
“How could you let us die?!!!”
Their ranting turns into errie high-pitched shrills that penetrate the core of his heart. This is the only time there’s been a show of emotion on Zordon’s face. It is that of pure horror.
Alpha’s call penetrates his sleep.
“Zordon, Zordon....”
CUT TO:
The command center suddenly becomes alive. Zordon is projected in the overhead cylinder.
"Jason?"
"I'm sorry Zordon, he said it was important.", Alpha insists.
"That's alright. I knew he would be coming.”
Jason keeps an hard, unflinching eye on Zordon.
“Yo Alpha, give us a moment.”
Alpha wobbles off.
"Jason, you undoubtedly came to question my decision to make Tommy leader."
"It’s not so much about your decision, Zordon. You just did it behind my back. I'd expect a little more honesty than that from you."
"You are probably right Jason.”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“You must forgive my lack of emotion. You see, the truth is I am unable to fully grasp the realm of human emotion. I come from a race of people with limited emotional values. We only see right and wrong, there are no in-betweens."
"I just need to know why you did it Zordon."
"Of course..."
SCREEN BLURS, FADING INTO FLASHBACK SEQUENCE:
ANGEL GROVE HIGH SCHOOL:
An obviously depressed young lad sits in the nurses office dressed in black joggers, his shirt off. The nurse carefully presses at the side of his stomach.
The patient bites his lips and whimpers.
“It’s as I feared, you’ve got a broken rib. What is it you said you were doing yesterday?”
“Fightin’ an overgrown crab and a giant, gold-plated monkey with an irritating voice.”, the boy says, still suffering the effects of Goldar’s blows and mind-raping.
“This is serious. Well, whatever you were doing cost you your health. You need to see a doctor.”
“It’ll heal.”
“You don’t know that, it can be a nasty break.”
“It don’t feel so bad unless you’re pokin’ at it.”
“Tommy, you don’t understand, if you suffer another impact on this rib it could seriously, seriously injure you.”
He puts on his worn green flannel.
“Then I’ll be careful.”
“And you look like hell.”, the nurse says, citing the black rings that have formed under his eyes.
He hops off the bed and looks at the clock: It’s slowly reaching 2:30pm.
“Have a nice week off.”, he says to the nurse as he walks out the door.
CUT TO:
Bulk and Skull sit inside a classroom. Absolute silence. They and all the students in the class eye the clock. They follow the second hand as it slowly approaches 2:30. It starts to drift from the 2.29 mark......then stops. It jumps back a full minute.
Bulk’n Skull sigh. “Com’n you stupid clock!”, yells Bulk.
The hand again slowly reaches for the 30.
Bulk’n Skull: “Yeah?.......yeah?.......”
It hits it and the bell rings.
Bulk yells, "Spring Break!!!", before giving Skull a high five to the skull who
appropriately looks around to find where it came from.
CUT TO:
Students spill into the hallways, laughing, shouting with joy. Tommy is the only one taking it slow. He exits the classroom door and immediately leans against a wall, still bummed out about losing his Green Ranger powers just yesterday, and still sore after the fight with Goldar.
His eyes wander for any familiar faces.
Jason sneaks up behind him and playfully slugs him in the ribs.
“Sh**”, Tommy whispers before grabbing his sore spot.
“Dude, did I hurt you?”
“I’m just still sore from Goldar.”
“Sorry bro. Didn’t know you could get bruised.”
Tommy looks Jason in the eye for moments before getting his sarcasm.
They both laugh.
"Par-TY TYme!”, Jason says as he starts rummaging through his locker. “Oh man, my spring break's gonna be a blast. Hey, you never said where you were goin'...", Jason asks.
"Uh-"
"Hey guys."
Relieved, Tommy looks to see Kimberly and Trini making their ways.
Tommy and Kim's eyes lock until she finally reaches him.
"You okay?", Kim says concerned.
Tommy tries to play off his depression, "Yeah, sure. Why?"
SOUND: Bulk’n Skull’s theme.
"Well, well, well."
Bulk’n Skull approach.
Bulk teases, "Well, looka here Skull. If it isn't the David Cassidy fan club.”
Skull’s hesterical laugh.
“What are you losers doing for spring break?", asks Bulk.
Jason opens his mouth to answer-
"-Let me guess.", Bulk interrupts.
Bulk points to Jason: "You’ll be knitting a new red sweater.
Points to Kim: "Staring at yourself in the mirror."
Points to Tommy: "Staring at yourself in the mirror."
Points to Trini: "And I bet you’ll be following that new kid Richie, ev--verywhere--he--goes.”
“Everywhere he goes! Ha-ha!”, mimics Skull.
“Bulk!”, screams Trini.
“Everyone knows you have the hots for im’.”, smirks Skull.
Bulk: “Yeah.”
Skull: “Yeah!”
Bulk: “Yeah!”
Skull looks at Bulk, confused: “Yeah?”
Trini shoots a glance at Richie, standing down the hall, then back at Bulk.
With intense offense: “That’s not true, liar. You don’t even know who I like.”
"And for your information," Jason replies, "I'm going back to Mochia beach."
Kim responds, "I'm visiting my grandmother."
Bulk and Skull laugh.
"In the Bahamas. All expenses paid.” She playfully punches Tommy in his ribs who silently cringes in pain.
“She loves the ocean.", Kimberly adds.
Trini says, still bitter that everyone now knows of her secret crush: "And my friends and I are going to see Frish live in concert at Chicago...."
Silence. Everyone stares at Tommy.
"M-my dad and I are goin’ f-fishin’ up at C-Ce-Cedar lake......river....Cedar River."
Bulk and Skull look at each other for a silent moment before busting into laughter.
Jason can’t hold back a guilty turnaway grin, he buries his face into his locker.
"Yeah don't forget your walking stick and life preservers.", mocks Bulk.
Skull impersonates a drowning victim, Bulk smacks him in the back of the head.
Tommy walks away.
Jason: "Tommy?”
“You idiots.", Trini says to Bulk and skull.
“Losers...”, adds Kim before chasing after Tommy. She gets outside, but he's disappeared in the crowd.
ZEDD’S MOON LAIR
SOUND: Zedd’s theme.
Goldar rounds the corner into Zedd’s throne room.
“Grrrrr, you called master?”
Zedd’s throne slowly turns to face Goldar.
“After years of searching, we’ve finally found it Goldar...”
“Zordon’s light brand?”, Goldar asks.
Lord Zedd slowly approaches his steel balcony and looks down upon earth. He uses his periscopic vision to penetrate Angel Grove Museum and see into a clear glass display holding the great sword.
“And the fool thought it would never be recovered.”
“Grrrrrrr, but masturrrrrr, are you sure that once we possess it, you will be able to control it’s powerrrrrrr?”
Zedd quickly turns to Goldar.
.
“I suppose you remember it well, Goldar. After all this time.”
Goldar looks down in deep reflection.
“Grrrrrrrr, Zordon wielded his sword well. Even when his fellow rangers fell...”
FADE INTO
An ancient day, many eons ago. Planet Aramendes; it’s raining, the dirt slowly turning into mud. The three moons are in partial eclipse and the sky is a dark burnt Orange, casting it’s dreary, vapory, tinted red light through the high crimson leaves.
A large shadow overcast a fallen, critically injured Black Zero Ranger.
In the background, a Red Ranger fights gallantly against an army of Gorans, Goldar’s race of people.
A younger looking Goldar, plated in light black armor, stands over the ailing Black Zero Ranger.
Back then, Goldar was less of a Tyrant, just a warrior in a race of oppressed people. He and his Gorans were granted their right to inhabit Aramendes after years of dutiful service and hard labor for the humans. But a couple of their rogues rose trouble, and their entire race became feared. They were given the sentence of exile, but with limited resources and nowhere to go, they had no choice but to stay. After countless battles with the local
authorities, the Rangers hesistantly took the call to see their exits.
Zordon, the red ranger, did not take pride in this endeavor. He saw the good inside the Gorans. But the people were growing afraid and unrest steadily grew until nation-wide panic and disorder seriously threatened the system. Zordon knew this was a matter of misunderstanding, and tried valiantly to relegate peace talks with human and Goran higher-ups. But it’d all fatefully come to this, and he had no choice but to take up his charge.
This was only Goldar’s third fight with the Rangers. It was during the first battle in which Zordon used his sword of light to finish his close brother. And now, with revenge seeped deep into his bones, what mercy and understanding Goldar had left was only a shadow of his stillborn rage.
He stares over the Black Ranger.
“Errrrrrr, take pride in knowing you were one of the last to fall, Black Ranger.”
A crack of thunder flashes from the errie sky before Goldar lunges his sword straight into the heart of Bechouk. His death is sudden and silent.
Zordon, the Red Ranger, has meanwhile finished off a swarm of Gorans, just in time to watch another comrade die. He touches the side of his helmet and his black shaded visor lifts, revealing his beautiful blue eyes. There is no emotion, he’s completely unattached.
His eyes scan the battlefield, to the fallen Yellow Ranger, the slain purple, the silent blue, the still green, the now past black.
Goldar yells from afar, “You are the last Zordon! Why don’t you give up.”
“Bechouk.....”, he whispers, his cavernous deep voice quivering.
“Attack him!”
The Gorans run toward Zordon--loud, like a stampede of wild buffalo, kicking up massive pools of mud along the way. Zordon calmly replaces his black visor before running to meet them. The line that separates our hero and the massive field of Gorans quickly narrows until they clash.
Messy, nightmarish, it’s too quick to process as a frenzic seizure of barbaric bloodshed ensues as Zordon plows through the field, his sword of light releasing instant painless death to any in his path.
A Goran plants a lucky strike, his blade landing down Zordon’s chest. He falls hard. Instant daze, the dark dreary world around him distant and new. Mud and rain sprays across the scene, obscuring his vision. He regains proper state of mind and retracts his muddy visor just in time to catch the glint of light shining on Goldar’s black armor in the far background.
Zordon, with inhuman rage: “Goldaraisamun!!”
A Goran aims his sickle at Zordon, still on the ground. The Red Ranger rolls and cuts down’s its legs--cuts off it’s head before the body can reach the ground.
Zordon backflips up. His sky blue eyes move rapidly across the immense field of Gorans, trying to spot Goldar’s location.
A Goran charges. He lands one blocked blow against Zordon before the Red Ranger’s blade catches him, cutting him clean in half.
Zordon’s charging toward Goldar, several Gorans blocking his way, engaging him in quick combative spurts before he goes on to the next.
“Goldaraisamun!!!!”
SOUND: Dolcea’s wind sticks, beating with a enchanting melody. It distracts the Gorans who look for the source.
The score booms as light breaks through the dark clouds, shining on Zordon as he runs through the carnage, past the burning remnants of the his fallen ship. Graceful, angelic, triumphant, a god of war. The vision is enough to
turn the tide. He bulldozes through the Gorans, striking them soundly, lopping off their heads, the Gorans speedily giving up their ghosts.
Another wave closes in. Zordon raises his sword of light.
He yells: “Ignite!!”
His power suit dissolves, revealing his long black cloak underneath it, and penetrates the sword, lighting it in fantastic luminance that, for a moment, turns everything else black and white. Zordon swings his sword in one great circular motion.
From far away, Goldar spots a wave of Gorans fly up from the middle of the field. He sees the Red Zero Ranger charging towards him, his venerable blue eyes bouncing with his run. He mentally counts the seconds until Zordon reaches him: 9....8.....7......6, as if they were his last. But there is no fear in Goldar, a proud general of his people.
3....2.....1: Zordon jumps, swooping down from the air. Goldar’s blade meets his while he’s in mid-flight. Their blades lock in the air. Young Goldar swings his blade behind him, sending Zordon up and over him. The Red Ranger flies, landing hard on his back.
Goldar raises his blade to finish the fallen Zordon, but lands to meets a blocking double bladed staff.
Dolcea, out of nowhere: “Over my dead body...”
Zordon raises. Adrenaline rush as Dolcea and Zordon strike Goldar hard, often blocking each other’s shots, both desperate to end this, both realizing this is their only chance. Goldar delivers a stifling punch to Dolcea’s chest. She’s down. Zordon surprises him with a quick flurry of kicks that young Goldar effectively blocks with expert precision.
Zordon takes a break, slowly pacing to his left as the Gorans stand in a wide circle around them, anxiously watching the fight. Each and everyone of them respected Zordon. It was he who petitioned peace between their race and the Aramendites. But now it has come to an ill fate. Now one will stand and-
“One shall fall.”, Zordon states.
Goldar speaks in unfamiliar dialect to his people who react in screaming woe’s, he hypes them up like it’s an Angel Grove High pep rally.
Goldar yells. “Hrrrrrrrr, doesn’t it bother you Zordon, that after you’re gone, Livira will just find another to take your place? She will find another to lead a new team.”
Zordon again looks toward his fallen comrades.
Goldar teases, “All of you are expendable.”
The Red Ranger strikes again--berserk, frustrated. Goldar blocks every move. He blast Zordon with his shoulder, pushing away with tremendous force. The Red Ranger flies, screaming down a steep hill. He lie on the ground stunned.
His blue eyes go up as Goldar sweeps down from the air, his sword raised high. His blade lands deep into the earth where Zordon’s head laid just a second ago. A cloud of burning white ash flies with the impact. It looks as if Zordon just lost his head but as the burning ash settles we see Zordon standing.
The ash Goldar rose burns Zordon. He feverishly shakes it off. He wearily raises his guard, still dazed by the close call.
Goldar strikes again, Zordon deflects his blows, aiming his sword of light so that the Goran’s blade slides cleanly down it.
Admist the sword play, Goldar throws a heavy punch. Zordon rolls with it but the monster’s rugged knuckles slice his helmet, birthing streaks of torn circuitry down the lad’s helmet.
Zordon races toward Goldar, leaping into the air. He lands on his shoulder’s, his legs on both sides of his face. With one swift move, he back-flips, sending Goldar up and over with his motion. Goldar’s down hard and Zordon’s sword of light is at his neck before he can figure how.
FREEZE FRAME
FADE INTO:
ZEDD’S LAIR
Goldar stands in a silent trance.
“He wielded his sword well...”
“And you were defeated?”, Zedd asks.
“Grrrrrrr, Yessssss.”
FADE INTO:
The crowd of Gorans sadly walk away. Goldar lies on the ground, Zordon’s shadow
looming over him, his blade still to his neck.
“Do it.”, Goldar says.
“I had no choice but to kill your brother. Unlike him, you are wise, my friend, and know when you have been defeated. Leave here Goldaraisamun.”, Zordon demands.
Then his looming shadow disappears...
FADE INTO:
ZEDD'S LAIR
“I don’t understand, he could’ve easily crushed you with his sword of light.”
“Hrrrrrrr, he was foolish to let me live....I’ve repaid the debt he laid for me, we left the planet. Hrrrrr, now all bets are off.”
“And it has now come full circle. We will now possess the power of light in our fingertips and we will not be afraid to use it against him.”
Goldar stands still in a daze, old wounds seemed to have been re-opened by the retelling of his story.
Zedd approaches and snaps him out of it.
“We must steal that sword, Goldar. Before Zordon realizes what we’ve found.”
“Yes, masterrrrrr.”
CUT TO:
Tommy enters his house. It’s a humble, gray abode--small but neat besides the dirty walls and ceiling. He enters the kitchen to see fire burning under an empty pan.
"Dad, you left the fire on again!"
He clicks it off and heads into the living room. His dad is asleep. Empty beer bottles lay about.
“Dad! get up!”
Tommy’s dad, George, opens his eyes and stares at Tommy, the rest of his body limp and lifeless.
“Get up dad.”
George doesn’t move, he’s beyond drunk.
Tommy wrestles to force him up. George lightly struggles, speaking slurred nonsense.
Tommy puts his dad’s arm across his shoulders and walks him down the hall. When they finally reach George’s bedroom, Tommy flops him on the bed. The boy collapses down beside him, wasted and drained. His father immediately falls asleep as Tommy stares at
the ceiling, worrying.
CAMERA SPINS AROUND TOMMY’S FACE AS HE STARES OFF.
FADE OUT
FADE IN:
It seems a million kids are out at Angel Grove Park, enjoying the warm spring sun.
Jason calls hut and backs off the pocket as Zack, Billy and three other lads break into a run toward the endzone. Their defenders are quick and smothering. Zack suddenly slows and fakes out his defender. He slants right and breaks open.
“Yo Jais!”
Jason sights him and throws a bullet. Zack catches it, does a quick showboat break-dance, then hustles toward the two gaping trees that mark the endzone. He sees his defender approach his run pattern, setting up a quick road block. Billy runs up behind Zach.
“Hey, Zach!”
Zach back passes the ball to Billy who grows afright at the three men closing in on him. He tries thinking of a plan.
“Now based on the number of feet I am away from my competitors and the total width of the field and also considering my total run speed, my chances of actually avoiding all three defenders and reaching the endzone-”
“-Billy, just pass it!”
He tosses it back to Richie who takes the wide outside line, barely stepping out of bounds. He cruises into the end-zone.
“That’s what I’m talking about!”, Jason yells.
He and Rich slap high fives.
“He was way out of bounds dude...”, complains Curtis, Zack’s cousin.
“No way man, you dudes just got burned.”, calls Richie.
“Just give me the ball.”, Curtis demands.
“I tell you what, why don’t you take it.”, Richie playfully taunts, hiding the ball behind his back.
Zach and Jason: “Wuuuuuuuu....!”
Curtis says, “Alright, I think I will.”
Richie, with his superior height, raises the ball high in the air as Curtis jumps to retrieve it.
“Not even close, Curt.”
The alarm signal on Jason’s wrist goes off. Billy and Zack stare him down.
“Yo, time out, time out.”, Jason calls.
Zack, Jais, and Billy run under the shade of an endzone tree.
From afar, Richie quietly monitors the three, listening to their wrist watches.
Jason looks up and catches Ritchie staring. Rich quickly looks away and walks off.
CUT TO:
Tommy opens his fridge, the light from inside it casting a soft yellow glow on his dreary face.
CUT TO:
Tommy on the sofa watching TV. He drops his second empty beer bottle onto the ground and pops open another.
He hears the sound of his power alarm going off.
His eyes are suddenly bright, the joy that had fled comes rushing back in spades. He gets up and stares at his command watch as the alarm tone repeats itself over and over.
Should I?
CUT TO:
The colors of the rainbow liven the Command Center as the fab 5 teleport inside.
“What it is Alpha?”, asks jason.
Zordon appears.
“Rangers. Behold, Zedd’s latest creation. The Mega Clobber.”
The power team watch the monitor as Zedd’s latest monstrous creation terrorizes Angel Grove.
Trini says, in classic ranger fashion, “That’s one ugly monster.”
“This doesn’t look good.”, warns Billy.
“And he won’t look good when we’re done with him.”, says Zack, as he pounds his fist into his palm.
“Eww, you guys, we’d better do something quick.”, Kim says.
The Mega Clobber smashes another building.
“...Before it’s too late.”, remarks Jason as he nervously looks into the eyes of his fellow rangers. “All right guys, lets do it!”
“Right!”
“It’s morphin’ time!”
[Morphin’ Sequence]
The three are transformed, but are surprised to see Tommy suddenly standing there. He looks a hot mess, his hair fuzzy and eyes hazy.
“Hey guys.”
“Tommy...”, Jason says.
“I was wondering if there was any way I could help.”
An odd silence as everyone reacts to his poorly groomed appearance. Embarrassed, he looks down.
“Yeah, well. I’d------better just--go then.”
Kim breaks the ice that’s built up in the power chamber: “No, here Tommy.” She politely grabs his arm and points him to the command shelf.
“You can help Alpha monitor the situation from here. That’d be a big help.” And then she slowly backs away, taking in the sight (and smell) of Tommy and how down he’s become.
“Help out Alpha, let us know what’s going on.”, Jason adds.
Tommy gathers the courage to look the team over.
With a limp smile, “Good luck guys.”
“Thanks Tommy.”, Jason says.
And the power team transport out.
“Alright Alpha, tell me what I have to do.”
CUT TO:
The fully formed Mega-Zord falls from the sky. The rangers stand prepared inside.
“Let’s power up!”
CUT TO:
Command center. Tommy anxiously watches the battle.
Suddenly, a red light flashes on the control panel. Tommy notices first.
“Yo, Alpha.”
“Oh no, something’s wrong.”
Alpha presses the switch directly under the pulsating light. The monitor brings up Angel Grove Museum, crowds of people coming in and out.
“Funny, there seems to be nothing wrong.”, says Alpha.
Tommy squints his eyes, carefully studying the monitor.
“No, I got a bad feeling something’s not right.”
A faint shimmer of gold light sparks in the far left background of the screen. Goldar’s armor. A sudden flood of painful memories come back to Tommy, side-effects of Goldar’s mind-game that came along with the Green Ranger’s last fight with the goon.
“Goldar....”
Goldar’s carefully infiltrating the back of the museum following by an entire army of puddies.
CUT TO:
ZEDD’S LAIR
Zedd watches the battle between the mega-zord and his creation.
“Goldar, you must hurry. This diversion won’t last long. GET Zordon’s SWORD!”
Goldar’s voice is overheard: “Arrrrrrrrr, I’m trying master, but getting around all these people is a problem.”
Zedd glows an angry bright red before pounding his fist onto the balcony railing, releasing red electric sparks.
“GOLdar, you IMbecile, don’t mind those IMpotent mortals! I want that artifact! Destroy anything that gets in your way!”
CUT TO:
ANGEL GROVE MUSEUM
Goldar and his minions step through the box cargo area of the museum.
“Arrrrrrrrrr, we will kill anything that gets in our way! Arrrrrrrrrrrr!”
CUT TO:
COMMAND CENTER
Alpha panics, “What are we going to do, Zordon. The Rangers are still fighting the Mega Clobber!”
Tommy watches as happy citizens and their families enjoy the museum. Bulk’n Skull are seen passing through.
Still and heroic, Tommy explains, “Someone has to do something. It has to be me.”
“No Tommy, there is another.”, Zordon states.
“Another?”
Zordon takes a long minute to decide--
“Alpha-----we must summon the White Ranger.”
“The White Ranger?”, asks a bewildered Tommy.
“But Zordon, are you sure that he’s ready?”, Alpha asks.
“We have no choice, Alpha. People are in danger.”
“There’s another Ranger?”
“I was keeping it a secret until his power was completely charged.”
“Zordon, I don’t understand...”, Tommy says.
CUT TO:
ANGEL GROVE MUSEUM
SOUND: Bulk’n Skull’s theme.
Skull steps in front of a display holding a Raptor model.
Skull, in his bratty sneer, “Ugh, this ain’t so big.”
He turns to see a huge life-sized model of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, with its threatening long teeth and claws. He stops breathing.
Bulk walks past and Skull leaps into his arms.
Bulk drops him with accompanying comic sound effect.
“Give off me you dweeb.”
Skull gets up affright and nervously points, “That, that....” He suddenly regains composure and looks at Bulk. “What is that?”
Bulk: “That, my mentally challenged friend, is none other than a Tyrannosaurus Rex...” He suddenly carries a professor-like demeanor. “...Member of a family, Tyrannosauridae, of bipedal carnivorous saurischian characterized by having strong hind limbs, a muscular
tail, and short forelimbs.”
Skull’s mouth drops, complete with comic sound effect.
“Tyrannosaurids are theropods, having three toes on the hind feet. The oldest known tyrannosaurids lived approximately 120 million years ago. Fossilized bones have been found in Asia and North America. The family includes Albertosaurus, Tarbosaurus, and Tyrannosaurus.”
Skull stands frozen in utter amazement. “Wow, Bulk, you been readin’?”
“That I have, Skull, that I have. Says it right there on the display case”.
Skull looks to see the dinosaur description Bulk just recited.
“Oh.”
Bulk grabs him by the collar and yanks his face off-screen.
“Let’s go you idiot.”
CUT TO:
A bright flash of white light erupts in the command center, it fades and there stands the White Ranger in a trial prototype suit. His helmet is plain and basic and his costume is similar to that of the other five, no shield. A great white tiger symbol is molded onto his chest.
Tommy can’t believe his eyes.
“Who are you?”, Tommy asks silently, confused.
The White Ranger ignores him. “What’s the situation?”, the mysterious Ranger speaks calmly but quickly, speedily approaching and monitoring command control.
“Goldar is attacking the Angel Grove Museum while the other Rangers are busy fighting-”
“-I know, I see them, Zordon. Power fluctuations?”
“They are stable White Ranger, but be careful not to exceed your limit, your suits not completely ready.”, Zordon explains.
“I’ll try not to throw anything out of whack, Zordon. What’s priority, helping the Rangers or going after Goldar?”, he asks, watching the Rangers get pummeled on-screen.
“Your Zords are still in developmental stage and people are in danger at the museum.”
“’Nuff said, Zordon. Alpha, set the coordinates.”
“Yes, white Ranger.”
“Beware White Ranger, your powers haven’t completely manifested itself.”
“The test proved it was sturdy enough. I should be fine.”
“Very well.”
And with a flash, the White Ranger’s gone.
Tommy to Zordon, suddenly agitated: “Who the hell was that?!”
FREEZE FRAME ON TOMMY:
SUBTITLE:
To be continued...
RUN CREDITS
[Jonathan H.]
Tommy right before he became the White Ranger--but I thought, why not? Sorry if it's been retold to death.
My writing includes some script elements (including shortcuts ;) ), hopefully they won't be too distracting. Enjoy!
-----------------------------------------
The greatness that we once were must sometimes fade, yielding to the call of our greater destinies.
-Zordon [to Jason]
DVD Cover description:
Crude, dark sketch. An all but melted away candle takes up foreground. In the back, on the left side of the flame, Jason has his head down, his face hidden in the darkness. On the opposite side of the flame, a young full-bodied, long haired Zordon stands, appearing to carry equal despair.
LAST TIME ON MIGHTY MORPHIN’ POWER RANGERS!:
The evil Lord Zedd unleashed his most powerful monster yet on the City of Angel Grove. With the evil Scarlet Sentinel overpowering the Rangers, Zordon revealed the new White Ranger. With Tommy back on the team as the new leader, the Rangers were able to overthrow Zedd’s goon.
FADE IN:
Inside the command center, a wasted and drained power team stand in silence after just defeating Turban Shell.
"I'm gonna miss you guys while we're on spring break.”
Silence again as Tommy visibly struggles to find the right words, his head down and lips quivering.
"...but I'll hold you real close to my heart."
He looks directly into Kim's eyes--she immediately looks down, not able to hold the painful stare.
"One more time guys..."
...And certainly final. The rangers stretch out their arms and cup their hands over Tommy's. Memories race all through his mind, all the many times he'd done this with his fellow heroes. Now there would be no more chances to bail his friends out of trouble. No longer a chance to feel the hush satisfaction of knowing you made it there just in time, made even more heroic by expecting nothing in return. But just like this moment, that feeling of being wanted and needed only lasted until he de-morphed and headed home.
He never thought anything of his heroics up until now, when it was all said and done. He hadn’t realized how much the Green Ranger influenced the team until just hours ago, when Goldar provided him a front-row seat to a panoramic view of the impact he’d made, a mind rape that hurt more than his broken ribs. Observing that, and knowing it was over was more crushing than any blow he'd ever experienced in a hundred battles against Rita and Zedd's goons. They seemed to have had the last laugh, and he knew it.
He would have to walk away, never to fight again. What was once his gift is now the thing he will regret most having, because with its departure, his purpose trails behind.
"Power rangers!!!", the team yells as they toss their hands up.
That high feeling departs once their feet and hearts hit the floor again.
"I can't, I can't leave you guys.", Tommy mumbles.
Kim covers her mouth, hides her eyes as he tightens his jaw, fighting back tears. He wants to depart just as stoically as he’d joined the squad, not the venerable shell of a man he stood now.
Zordon's face slowly fades from the back, leaving the team to this unfamiliar show of human emotion, the effect of their first true defeat.
Jason tries his best to conceal his grief as he approaches and almost violently latches onto Tommy, his grip strong and unflinching. An embrace a man would only give a brother.
"You'll always be one of us, Tommy."
FREEZE FRAME
FADE OUT
RUN POWER RANGER INTRO:
...go go power rangers, you mighty morphin power rangers!
FADE IN:
SOUND: Faint Power Ranger intro jingle.
Angel Grove H.S. Gymnasium.
The blow from Jason's fist seem powerful enough to shatter stone, but the red punching bag takes it. There’s a soft anger in his eyes, a resentment well concealed beneath his boyish face and squinted brown eyes.
SUBTITLE:
WHITE LIGHT PART 3: BURNING RED
He's alone now in the gym. Good. Because if he's not careful, someone may realize he's blowing off polluted steam, trying his hardest to let out the demons teasing him inside. He'd just lost the leadership of the Rangers, and is trying desperately to hold on to his cool.
He’s fighting the punching bag as if it's the depths of his own mind that he did not want to stray to, but not even great heroes have complete control over their thoughts. Again and again, the scene is played out:
The power team stand before Zordon. A bright white light beats down on the weary heroes from behind. They turn to see the shadow of their new member, an old friend.
Jason's punches grow quicker, harder.
The new White Ranger removes his mask, "Guess who's back."
Tommy's smile was glamorous, and was met by even brighter grins from his friends. But one was fake, or at least curious....
Jason's throws a slew of furies, grunting loudly with the blows.
...and insecure.
Sweat pours off Jason's bending body as he does a quick stint of dodging maneuvers.
And when, while on the brim of their happiness, Zordon slipped in what Jason saw coming:
"Are you all happy with new leader of the power team?"
"This is great.", said Jason. He’d just discovered that proving convincing was another one of his strong suits. But it would not last. His heart had sunk inside of him, into a nagging bitterness he didn’t wish to hold. But outside of his costume, the Red Ranger was only human.
Jason lands a earth shattering blow on the punching bad.
"Jason!", screams Trini, a bit confused and angry.
Jason, shocked, looks her direction, a long way off near the entrance of the gym.
Her mildy agitated voice echoes through the empty gymnasium, "What's wrong with you, I’ve been standing here yelling your name for the longest?"
Jason wipes the sweat off his brow and monitors the damage to the punching bag, carefully observing the white stuffing seeping through the torn red carvas as Trini approaches.
“Guess I didn’t here you.”
"The guys and I were thinking about taking Tommy out. We'd like to chip in for another cake. Bulk and Skull....those idiots."
"It was that new kid, Richie...if he'd looked where he was kickin’, we'd be eating cake right now."
“Well Richie admitted it was deliberate. Or he tried convincing us.”
“Yeah, I guess that took some skill.”, Jason says with bothered sarcasm.
He punches the bag.
"Well we're going out. The guys are-"
"-I'm not hungry."
Jason does a mild roundhouse to the bag, not noticing Trini’s leaning against it. She's rattled and more upset.
Suddenly stern, "Are you mad about something?"
Laughing, "No why."
Jason stops and leans against the bag, looking into Trini's eyes with a confident smile. Trini leans unto the bag and stares deep into Jason. She’s trying to pinpoint what he’s hiding by finding it in his eyes and what she found there, he could never deny. He remembers this stare from when she was able to drive out his true feelings after Tommy first joined the squad as the Green Ranger. He understandably had his secret qualms with
the whole idea of one of Rita’s former goons joining the squad, just as he has reasonable incentive to question Zordon’s decision to now making him leader. In both cases, Trini is the first and only to know of Jason’s insecurities, and capable to help him see things clearly when he wasn’t able.
The moment Jason snuck out of Ernie's, when the laughter subsided over Tommy's "Welcome Back" cake landing on Bulk and Skull, Trini knew something was wrong, they all did. She'd wondered if leaving him alone would be the best thing. But she knew that each time Jason was down about something, his road to recovery started with a trip to the gym, then finally her warm stare that could melt away the strongest of defenses. Before it
all heals, it burns, like the constant stretching of his muscles with the motion of his arms as his fist pound for release, and with Trini’s silent probing.
Jason sniffs and looks away.
"What?", He says before guzzling down a shot of water.
There was a smile slowly unfolding in the corner of her lips as she carefully chose her words.
"Talk to Zordon, I'm sure he had good reason."
He takes another swig of his water bottle and wipes the slight spill off his chin.
“Reason: yes--good reason: I’m not so sure.”, Jason retorts.
The Gymnasium door squeaks open, Tommy stands idly still, watching the two. Jason's eyes reach over Trini to spot him, there in all white, like a saint, totally rejuvenated from the mess he was after loosing his Green Ranger powers. He walks their ways.
Jason, silently: "Yeah. I'm sure he had reason."
Tommy’s glamorous smile turns into a confused frown as he see’s Jason dripping with sweat, seemingly not in the cleanly state to go out anywhere.
"Hey what's up? You headin’ out with us?”
Trini turns to Jason, relieved that his face is hiding what's in his heart. With a big smile he says: "You know what man, I was tellin’ Trini, you guys go ahead. I'm just gonna let off some steam, man.” Jason smirks, “I got tons of it."
Jason hits the punching bag.
"Oh...", whispers Tommy with bewilderment and a touch of sadness. "You sure? Won’t be a party without you, Jais."
"Sure it'll be. Come on, we all know Billy’s the life of the party."
Trini and Tommy laugh.
"Seriously though, I really want you to go."
Jason tries to avoid eye contact with Tommy. He knows that with one look, he'll remember all that his friend has done to protect him. And he’ll remember how much he truely loved him. Then that anger will dissolve into confusion. At this moment, Jason just wanted to resent Tommy, hoping that with time, it would pass.
Trini and Tommy watch him as he continues pounding the punching bag, suddenly ignoring their presence. Tommy senses the slight hostility and for a moment bears the same shadow of despair he kept when he first left the team.
"Well...alright Jais. I'll catch up with you later then."
He watches Jason for any kind of acknowledgment but finally bites his lip and walks away. Trini gently rubs Jason's arms and follows.
So once again he's alone, the scar in the red punching bag growing larger with each blow thrown.
FADE OUT
FADE IN:
JASON’S HOUSE
He walks in and shuts the door. His mother rounds the hall, looking frightened.
"Where were you Jason?"
"Ma...", he whines, tired and miserable as he rushes past her.
"And don't tell me you were off saving the world again."
"I was sparring. Okay! Sparring, Okay!"
"You can't call?"
"Phone was dead."
He shuts his room door on his mom and throws himself on the bed--head down deep into the pillow.
He lazily flings his hand and skillfully strikes a tiny red button on his answering machine.
“Yo, leave a message. BEEP.”
"Jason, hi...um."
Jason sighs at the sound of Trini's voice.
"Look. Tommy was really bummed out that you didn't come with us. It's like he couldn't even enjoy himself.....and he just wasn't himself.” Trini, suddenly nervous, speeds up her speech. “Look, I'm just going to tell you straight, I told him what was bothering you.”
Jason raises his head, what the....
“I had to make him understand why you weren’t there. But don't worry, he totally took it well. It was totally in private and....”, she pauses to catch her breath. “Anyway, he really wants to talk to you. Give him a call. Bye. Don’t be mad at me. Bye."
"Damnit..."
Jason rushes through the house, toward the front door.
"Where are you going now."
"I'll be back, ma."
He enters the front lawn and takes a look around. He lifts his arm and activates his transporter. With a flash of red he descends.
BLACK OUT
FADE IN:
Jason teleports into the command center. It's dark, only the wall stars shining.
"Zordon?", his voice echoing in the distance.
Behind him, lights glow.
"Jason, what are you doing here."
"Alpha, I need to speak with Zordon."
"You can't right now, he's in hyper sleep."
"No, this can't wait, Alpha. You have to wake him."
Alpha heads to the command shelf.
"Aye-aye-aye, he's not going to be pleased about this."
"Just do it."
CUT TO:
ZORDON’S DREAM:
Huge cathedral. An enormous empty space, closely resembling Zordon’s heart. It’s lonely here, the air covered with a dark, cold gray hue, the gritty white walls pushed back an eternity.
High profile funeral, everyone in long, slick sky-blue robes.
The funeral director’s voice ranges for miles as he describes the lives of the fallen Zero Rangers. The first Rangers, and the only to have known true defeat.
The small crowds standing, a young Zordon in front with a clear view of the five open caskets. His beauty borders on the line of masculine and femininity. He has a sleek muscular tone, his long white hair reaching past his neck. His face is a silvery white pale--smooth yet stern,
fiery, unpredictable.
ZOOM IN: on Zordon’s blue eyes as he sheds a single tear.
I never asked to be team leader...
CUT TO:
Still in the dream, young Zordon stands before his master, the beautiful, purple-haired Livira and a jury of his peers in a great courthall.
“Because of your inadeqacies as leader, which ultimately led to the deaths of your comrades, I thereby relinquish your rank as protector of this province and pass them to Sparov.”
Zordon looks to face Sparov, in his long red cloak. He oddly bares Jason’s face.
Sparov says, voice echoing in the great hall, “You were never strong enough to lead this
team.”
CUT TO:
AGAINST BLACK BACKGROUND: Zordon is cornered by his fellow Zero Rangers,
Blue ranger, Green, Black, Pink, Purple. The first team of heroes, his long dead friends from many moons ago.
They attack him.
“How could you let us die?!!!”
Their ranting turns into errie high-pitched shrills that penetrate the core of his heart. This is the only time there’s been a show of emotion on Zordon’s face. It is that of pure horror.
Alpha’s call penetrates his sleep.
“Zordon, Zordon....”
CUT TO:
The command center suddenly becomes alive. Zordon is projected in the overhead cylinder.
"Jason?"
"I'm sorry Zordon, he said it was important.", Alpha insists.
"That's alright. I knew he would be coming.”
Jason keeps an hard, unflinching eye on Zordon.
“Yo Alpha, give us a moment.”
Alpha wobbles off.
"Jason, you undoubtedly came to question my decision to make Tommy leader."
"It’s not so much about your decision, Zordon. You just did it behind my back. I'd expect a little more honesty than that from you."
"You are probably right Jason.”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“You must forgive my lack of emotion. You see, the truth is I am unable to fully grasp the realm of human emotion. I come from a race of people with limited emotional values. We only see right and wrong, there are no in-betweens."
"I just need to know why you did it Zordon."
"Of course..."
SCREEN BLURS, FADING INTO FLASHBACK SEQUENCE:
ANGEL GROVE HIGH SCHOOL:
An obviously depressed young lad sits in the nurses office dressed in black joggers, his shirt off. The nurse carefully presses at the side of his stomach.
The patient bites his lips and whimpers.
“It’s as I feared, you’ve got a broken rib. What is it you said you were doing yesterday?”
“Fightin’ an overgrown crab and a giant, gold-plated monkey with an irritating voice.”, the boy says, still suffering the effects of Goldar’s blows and mind-raping.
“This is serious. Well, whatever you were doing cost you your health. You need to see a doctor.”
“It’ll heal.”
“You don’t know that, it can be a nasty break.”
“It don’t feel so bad unless you’re pokin’ at it.”
“Tommy, you don’t understand, if you suffer another impact on this rib it could seriously, seriously injure you.”
He puts on his worn green flannel.
“Then I’ll be careful.”
“And you look like hell.”, the nurse says, citing the black rings that have formed under his eyes.
He hops off the bed and looks at the clock: It’s slowly reaching 2:30pm.
“Have a nice week off.”, he says to the nurse as he walks out the door.
CUT TO:
Bulk and Skull sit inside a classroom. Absolute silence. They and all the students in the class eye the clock. They follow the second hand as it slowly approaches 2:30. It starts to drift from the 2.29 mark......then stops. It jumps back a full minute.
Bulk’n Skull sigh. “Com’n you stupid clock!”, yells Bulk.
The hand again slowly reaches for the 30.
Bulk’n Skull: “Yeah?.......yeah?.......”
It hits it and the bell rings.
Bulk yells, "Spring Break!!!", before giving Skull a high five to the skull who
appropriately looks around to find where it came from.
CUT TO:
Students spill into the hallways, laughing, shouting with joy. Tommy is the only one taking it slow. He exits the classroom door and immediately leans against a wall, still bummed out about losing his Green Ranger powers just yesterday, and still sore after the fight with Goldar.
His eyes wander for any familiar faces.
Jason sneaks up behind him and playfully slugs him in the ribs.
“Sh**”, Tommy whispers before grabbing his sore spot.
“Dude, did I hurt you?”
“I’m just still sore from Goldar.”
“Sorry bro. Didn’t know you could get bruised.”
Tommy looks Jason in the eye for moments before getting his sarcasm.
They both laugh.
"Par-TY TYme!”, Jason says as he starts rummaging through his locker. “Oh man, my spring break's gonna be a blast. Hey, you never said where you were goin'...", Jason asks.
"Uh-"
"Hey guys."
Relieved, Tommy looks to see Kimberly and Trini making their ways.
Tommy and Kim's eyes lock until she finally reaches him.
"You okay?", Kim says concerned.
Tommy tries to play off his depression, "Yeah, sure. Why?"
SOUND: Bulk’n Skull’s theme.
"Well, well, well."
Bulk’n Skull approach.
Bulk teases, "Well, looka here Skull. If it isn't the David Cassidy fan club.”
Skull’s hesterical laugh.
“What are you losers doing for spring break?", asks Bulk.
Jason opens his mouth to answer-
"-Let me guess.", Bulk interrupts.
Bulk points to Jason: "You’ll be knitting a new red sweater.
Points to Kim: "Staring at yourself in the mirror."
Points to Tommy: "Staring at yourself in the mirror."
Points to Trini: "And I bet you’ll be following that new kid Richie, ev--verywhere--he--goes.”
“Everywhere he goes! Ha-ha!”, mimics Skull.
“Bulk!”, screams Trini.
“Everyone knows you have the hots for im’.”, smirks Skull.
Bulk: “Yeah.”
Skull: “Yeah!”
Bulk: “Yeah!”
Skull looks at Bulk, confused: “Yeah?”
Trini shoots a glance at Richie, standing down the hall, then back at Bulk.
With intense offense: “That’s not true, liar. You don’t even know who I like.”
"And for your information," Jason replies, "I'm going back to Mochia beach."
Kim responds, "I'm visiting my grandmother."
Bulk and Skull laugh.
"In the Bahamas. All expenses paid.” She playfully punches Tommy in his ribs who silently cringes in pain.
“She loves the ocean.", Kimberly adds.
Trini says, still bitter that everyone now knows of her secret crush: "And my friends and I are going to see Frish live in concert at Chicago...."
Silence. Everyone stares at Tommy.
"M-my dad and I are goin’ f-fishin’ up at C-Ce-Cedar lake......river....Cedar River."
Bulk and Skull look at each other for a silent moment before busting into laughter.
Jason can’t hold back a guilty turnaway grin, he buries his face into his locker.
"Yeah don't forget your walking stick and life preservers.", mocks Bulk.
Skull impersonates a drowning victim, Bulk smacks him in the back of the head.
Tommy walks away.
Jason: "Tommy?”
“You idiots.", Trini says to Bulk and skull.
“Losers...”, adds Kim before chasing after Tommy. She gets outside, but he's disappeared in the crowd.
ZEDD’S MOON LAIR
SOUND: Zedd’s theme.
Goldar rounds the corner into Zedd’s throne room.
“Grrrrr, you called master?”
Zedd’s throne slowly turns to face Goldar.
“After years of searching, we’ve finally found it Goldar...”
“Zordon’s light brand?”, Goldar asks.
Lord Zedd slowly approaches his steel balcony and looks down upon earth. He uses his periscopic vision to penetrate Angel Grove Museum and see into a clear glass display holding the great sword.
“And the fool thought it would never be recovered.”
“Grrrrrrr, but masturrrrrr, are you sure that once we possess it, you will be able to control it’s powerrrrrrr?”
Zedd quickly turns to Goldar.
.
“I suppose you remember it well, Goldar. After all this time.”
Goldar looks down in deep reflection.
“Grrrrrrrr, Zordon wielded his sword well. Even when his fellow rangers fell...”
FADE INTO
An ancient day, many eons ago. Planet Aramendes; it’s raining, the dirt slowly turning into mud. The three moons are in partial eclipse and the sky is a dark burnt Orange, casting it’s dreary, vapory, tinted red light through the high crimson leaves.
A large shadow overcast a fallen, critically injured Black Zero Ranger.
In the background, a Red Ranger fights gallantly against an army of Gorans, Goldar’s race of people.
A younger looking Goldar, plated in light black armor, stands over the ailing Black Zero Ranger.
Back then, Goldar was less of a Tyrant, just a warrior in a race of oppressed people. He and his Gorans were granted their right to inhabit Aramendes after years of dutiful service and hard labor for the humans. But a couple of their rogues rose trouble, and their entire race became feared. They were given the sentence of exile, but with limited resources and nowhere to go, they had no choice but to stay. After countless battles with the local
authorities, the Rangers hesistantly took the call to see their exits.
Zordon, the red ranger, did not take pride in this endeavor. He saw the good inside the Gorans. But the people were growing afraid and unrest steadily grew until nation-wide panic and disorder seriously threatened the system. Zordon knew this was a matter of misunderstanding, and tried valiantly to relegate peace talks with human and Goran higher-ups. But it’d all fatefully come to this, and he had no choice but to take up his charge.
This was only Goldar’s third fight with the Rangers. It was during the first battle in which Zordon used his sword of light to finish his close brother. And now, with revenge seeped deep into his bones, what mercy and understanding Goldar had left was only a shadow of his stillborn rage.
He stares over the Black Ranger.
“Errrrrrr, take pride in knowing you were one of the last to fall, Black Ranger.”
A crack of thunder flashes from the errie sky before Goldar lunges his sword straight into the heart of Bechouk. His death is sudden and silent.
Zordon, the Red Ranger, has meanwhile finished off a swarm of Gorans, just in time to watch another comrade die. He touches the side of his helmet and his black shaded visor lifts, revealing his beautiful blue eyes. There is no emotion, he’s completely unattached.
His eyes scan the battlefield, to the fallen Yellow Ranger, the slain purple, the silent blue, the still green, the now past black.
Goldar yells from afar, “You are the last Zordon! Why don’t you give up.”
“Bechouk.....”, he whispers, his cavernous deep voice quivering.
“Attack him!”
The Gorans run toward Zordon--loud, like a stampede of wild buffalo, kicking up massive pools of mud along the way. Zordon calmly replaces his black visor before running to meet them. The line that separates our hero and the massive field of Gorans quickly narrows until they clash.
Messy, nightmarish, it’s too quick to process as a frenzic seizure of barbaric bloodshed ensues as Zordon plows through the field, his sword of light releasing instant painless death to any in his path.
A Goran plants a lucky strike, his blade landing down Zordon’s chest. He falls hard. Instant daze, the dark dreary world around him distant and new. Mud and rain sprays across the scene, obscuring his vision. He regains proper state of mind and retracts his muddy visor just in time to catch the glint of light shining on Goldar’s black armor in the far background.
Zordon, with inhuman rage: “Goldaraisamun!!”
A Goran aims his sickle at Zordon, still on the ground. The Red Ranger rolls and cuts down’s its legs--cuts off it’s head before the body can reach the ground.
Zordon backflips up. His sky blue eyes move rapidly across the immense field of Gorans, trying to spot Goldar’s location.
A Goran charges. He lands one blocked blow against Zordon before the Red Ranger’s blade catches him, cutting him clean in half.
Zordon’s charging toward Goldar, several Gorans blocking his way, engaging him in quick combative spurts before he goes on to the next.
“Goldaraisamun!!!!”
SOUND: Dolcea’s wind sticks, beating with a enchanting melody. It distracts the Gorans who look for the source.
The score booms as light breaks through the dark clouds, shining on Zordon as he runs through the carnage, past the burning remnants of the his fallen ship. Graceful, angelic, triumphant, a god of war. The vision is enough to
turn the tide. He bulldozes through the Gorans, striking them soundly, lopping off their heads, the Gorans speedily giving up their ghosts.
Another wave closes in. Zordon raises his sword of light.
He yells: “Ignite!!”
His power suit dissolves, revealing his long black cloak underneath it, and penetrates the sword, lighting it in fantastic luminance that, for a moment, turns everything else black and white. Zordon swings his sword in one great circular motion.
From far away, Goldar spots a wave of Gorans fly up from the middle of the field. He sees the Red Zero Ranger charging towards him, his venerable blue eyes bouncing with his run. He mentally counts the seconds until Zordon reaches him: 9....8.....7......6, as if they were his last. But there is no fear in Goldar, a proud general of his people.
3....2.....1: Zordon jumps, swooping down from the air. Goldar’s blade meets his while he’s in mid-flight. Their blades lock in the air. Young Goldar swings his blade behind him, sending Zordon up and over him. The Red Ranger flies, landing hard on his back.
Goldar raises his blade to finish the fallen Zordon, but lands to meets a blocking double bladed staff.
Dolcea, out of nowhere: “Over my dead body...”
Zordon raises. Adrenaline rush as Dolcea and Zordon strike Goldar hard, often blocking each other’s shots, both desperate to end this, both realizing this is their only chance. Goldar delivers a stifling punch to Dolcea’s chest. She’s down. Zordon surprises him with a quick flurry of kicks that young Goldar effectively blocks with expert precision.
Zordon takes a break, slowly pacing to his left as the Gorans stand in a wide circle around them, anxiously watching the fight. Each and everyone of them respected Zordon. It was he who petitioned peace between their race and the Aramendites. But now it has come to an ill fate. Now one will stand and-
“One shall fall.”, Zordon states.
Goldar speaks in unfamiliar dialect to his people who react in screaming woe’s, he hypes them up like it’s an Angel Grove High pep rally.
Goldar yells. “Hrrrrrrrr, doesn’t it bother you Zordon, that after you’re gone, Livira will just find another to take your place? She will find another to lead a new team.”
Zordon again looks toward his fallen comrades.
Goldar teases, “All of you are expendable.”
The Red Ranger strikes again--berserk, frustrated. Goldar blocks every move. He blast Zordon with his shoulder, pushing away with tremendous force. The Red Ranger flies, screaming down a steep hill. He lie on the ground stunned.
His blue eyes go up as Goldar sweeps down from the air, his sword raised high. His blade lands deep into the earth where Zordon’s head laid just a second ago. A cloud of burning white ash flies with the impact. It looks as if Zordon just lost his head but as the burning ash settles we see Zordon standing.
The ash Goldar rose burns Zordon. He feverishly shakes it off. He wearily raises his guard, still dazed by the close call.
Goldar strikes again, Zordon deflects his blows, aiming his sword of light so that the Goran’s blade slides cleanly down it.
Admist the sword play, Goldar throws a heavy punch. Zordon rolls with it but the monster’s rugged knuckles slice his helmet, birthing streaks of torn circuitry down the lad’s helmet.
Zordon races toward Goldar, leaping into the air. He lands on his shoulder’s, his legs on both sides of his face. With one swift move, he back-flips, sending Goldar up and over with his motion. Goldar’s down hard and Zordon’s sword of light is at his neck before he can figure how.
FREEZE FRAME
FADE INTO:
ZEDD’S LAIR
Goldar stands in a silent trance.
“He wielded his sword well...”
“And you were defeated?”, Zedd asks.
“Grrrrrrr, Yessssss.”
FADE INTO:
The crowd of Gorans sadly walk away. Goldar lies on the ground, Zordon’s shadow
looming over him, his blade still to his neck.
“Do it.”, Goldar says.
“I had no choice but to kill your brother. Unlike him, you are wise, my friend, and know when you have been defeated. Leave here Goldaraisamun.”, Zordon demands.
Then his looming shadow disappears...
FADE INTO:
ZEDD'S LAIR
“I don’t understand, he could’ve easily crushed you with his sword of light.”
“Hrrrrrrr, he was foolish to let me live....I’ve repaid the debt he laid for me, we left the planet. Hrrrrr, now all bets are off.”
“And it has now come full circle. We will now possess the power of light in our fingertips and we will not be afraid to use it against him.”
Goldar stands still in a daze, old wounds seemed to have been re-opened by the retelling of his story.
Zedd approaches and snaps him out of it.
“We must steal that sword, Goldar. Before Zordon realizes what we’ve found.”
“Yes, masterrrrrr.”
CUT TO:
Tommy enters his house. It’s a humble, gray abode--small but neat besides the dirty walls and ceiling. He enters the kitchen to see fire burning under an empty pan.
"Dad, you left the fire on again!"
He clicks it off and heads into the living room. His dad is asleep. Empty beer bottles lay about.
“Dad! get up!”
Tommy’s dad, George, opens his eyes and stares at Tommy, the rest of his body limp and lifeless.
“Get up dad.”
George doesn’t move, he’s beyond drunk.
Tommy wrestles to force him up. George lightly struggles, speaking slurred nonsense.
Tommy puts his dad’s arm across his shoulders and walks him down the hall. When they finally reach George’s bedroom, Tommy flops him on the bed. The boy collapses down beside him, wasted and drained. His father immediately falls asleep as Tommy stares at
the ceiling, worrying.
CAMERA SPINS AROUND TOMMY’S FACE AS HE STARES OFF.
FADE OUT
FADE IN:
It seems a million kids are out at Angel Grove Park, enjoying the warm spring sun.
Jason calls hut and backs off the pocket as Zack, Billy and three other lads break into a run toward the endzone. Their defenders are quick and smothering. Zack suddenly slows and fakes out his defender. He slants right and breaks open.
“Yo Jais!”
Jason sights him and throws a bullet. Zack catches it, does a quick showboat break-dance, then hustles toward the two gaping trees that mark the endzone. He sees his defender approach his run pattern, setting up a quick road block. Billy runs up behind Zach.
“Hey, Zach!”
Zach back passes the ball to Billy who grows afright at the three men closing in on him. He tries thinking of a plan.
“Now based on the number of feet I am away from my competitors and the total width of the field and also considering my total run speed, my chances of actually avoiding all three defenders and reaching the endzone-”
“-Billy, just pass it!”
He tosses it back to Richie who takes the wide outside line, barely stepping out of bounds. He cruises into the end-zone.
“That’s what I’m talking about!”, Jason yells.
He and Rich slap high fives.
“He was way out of bounds dude...”, complains Curtis, Zack’s cousin.
“No way man, you dudes just got burned.”, calls Richie.
“Just give me the ball.”, Curtis demands.
“I tell you what, why don’t you take it.”, Richie playfully taunts, hiding the ball behind his back.
Zach and Jason: “Wuuuuuuuu....!”
Curtis says, “Alright, I think I will.”
Richie, with his superior height, raises the ball high in the air as Curtis jumps to retrieve it.
“Not even close, Curt.”
The alarm signal on Jason’s wrist goes off. Billy and Zack stare him down.
“Yo, time out, time out.”, Jason calls.
Zack, Jais, and Billy run under the shade of an endzone tree.
From afar, Richie quietly monitors the three, listening to their wrist watches.
Jason looks up and catches Ritchie staring. Rich quickly looks away and walks off.
CUT TO:
Tommy opens his fridge, the light from inside it casting a soft yellow glow on his dreary face.
CUT TO:
Tommy on the sofa watching TV. He drops his second empty beer bottle onto the ground and pops open another.
He hears the sound of his power alarm going off.
His eyes are suddenly bright, the joy that had fled comes rushing back in spades. He gets up and stares at his command watch as the alarm tone repeats itself over and over.
Should I?
CUT TO:
The colors of the rainbow liven the Command Center as the fab 5 teleport inside.
“What it is Alpha?”, asks jason.
Zordon appears.
“Rangers. Behold, Zedd’s latest creation. The Mega Clobber.”
The power team watch the monitor as Zedd’s latest monstrous creation terrorizes Angel Grove.
Trini says, in classic ranger fashion, “That’s one ugly monster.”
“This doesn’t look good.”, warns Billy.
“And he won’t look good when we’re done with him.”, says Zack, as he pounds his fist into his palm.
“Eww, you guys, we’d better do something quick.”, Kim says.
The Mega Clobber smashes another building.
“...Before it’s too late.”, remarks Jason as he nervously looks into the eyes of his fellow rangers. “All right guys, lets do it!”
“Right!”
“It’s morphin’ time!”
[Morphin’ Sequence]
The three are transformed, but are surprised to see Tommy suddenly standing there. He looks a hot mess, his hair fuzzy and eyes hazy.
“Hey guys.”
“Tommy...”, Jason says.
“I was wondering if there was any way I could help.”
An odd silence as everyone reacts to his poorly groomed appearance. Embarrassed, he looks down.
“Yeah, well. I’d------better just--go then.”
Kim breaks the ice that’s built up in the power chamber: “No, here Tommy.” She politely grabs his arm and points him to the command shelf.
“You can help Alpha monitor the situation from here. That’d be a big help.” And then she slowly backs away, taking in the sight (and smell) of Tommy and how down he’s become.
“Help out Alpha, let us know what’s going on.”, Jason adds.
Tommy gathers the courage to look the team over.
With a limp smile, “Good luck guys.”
“Thanks Tommy.”, Jason says.
And the power team transport out.
“Alright Alpha, tell me what I have to do.”
CUT TO:
The fully formed Mega-Zord falls from the sky. The rangers stand prepared inside.
“Let’s power up!”
CUT TO:
Command center. Tommy anxiously watches the battle.
Suddenly, a red light flashes on the control panel. Tommy notices first.
“Yo, Alpha.”
“Oh no, something’s wrong.”
Alpha presses the switch directly under the pulsating light. The monitor brings up Angel Grove Museum, crowds of people coming in and out.
“Funny, there seems to be nothing wrong.”, says Alpha.
Tommy squints his eyes, carefully studying the monitor.
“No, I got a bad feeling something’s not right.”
A faint shimmer of gold light sparks in the far left background of the screen. Goldar’s armor. A sudden flood of painful memories come back to Tommy, side-effects of Goldar’s mind-game that came along with the Green Ranger’s last fight with the goon.
“Goldar....”
Goldar’s carefully infiltrating the back of the museum following by an entire army of puddies.
CUT TO:
ZEDD’S LAIR
Zedd watches the battle between the mega-zord and his creation.
“Goldar, you must hurry. This diversion won’t last long. GET Zordon’s SWORD!”
Goldar’s voice is overheard: “Arrrrrrrrr, I’m trying master, but getting around all these people is a problem.”
Zedd glows an angry bright red before pounding his fist onto the balcony railing, releasing red electric sparks.
“GOLdar, you IMbecile, don’t mind those IMpotent mortals! I want that artifact! Destroy anything that gets in your way!”
CUT TO:
ANGEL GROVE MUSEUM
Goldar and his minions step through the box cargo area of the museum.
“Arrrrrrrrrr, we will kill anything that gets in our way! Arrrrrrrrrrrr!”
CUT TO:
COMMAND CENTER
Alpha panics, “What are we going to do, Zordon. The Rangers are still fighting the Mega Clobber!”
Tommy watches as happy citizens and their families enjoy the museum. Bulk’n Skull are seen passing through.
Still and heroic, Tommy explains, “Someone has to do something. It has to be me.”
“No Tommy, there is another.”, Zordon states.
“Another?”
Zordon takes a long minute to decide--
“Alpha-----we must summon the White Ranger.”
“The White Ranger?”, asks a bewildered Tommy.
“But Zordon, are you sure that he’s ready?”, Alpha asks.
“We have no choice, Alpha. People are in danger.”
“There’s another Ranger?”
“I was keeping it a secret until his power was completely charged.”
“Zordon, I don’t understand...”, Tommy says.
CUT TO:
ANGEL GROVE MUSEUM
SOUND: Bulk’n Skull’s theme.
Skull steps in front of a display holding a Raptor model.
Skull, in his bratty sneer, “Ugh, this ain’t so big.”
He turns to see a huge life-sized model of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, with its threatening long teeth and claws. He stops breathing.
Bulk walks past and Skull leaps into his arms.
Bulk drops him with accompanying comic sound effect.
“Give off me you dweeb.”
Skull gets up affright and nervously points, “That, that....” He suddenly regains composure and looks at Bulk. “What is that?”
Bulk: “That, my mentally challenged friend, is none other than a Tyrannosaurus Rex...” He suddenly carries a professor-like demeanor. “...Member of a family, Tyrannosauridae, of bipedal carnivorous saurischian characterized by having strong hind limbs, a muscular
tail, and short forelimbs.”
Skull’s mouth drops, complete with comic sound effect.
“Tyrannosaurids are theropods, having three toes on the hind feet. The oldest known tyrannosaurids lived approximately 120 million years ago. Fossilized bones have been found in Asia and North America. The family includes Albertosaurus, Tarbosaurus, and Tyrannosaurus.”
Skull stands frozen in utter amazement. “Wow, Bulk, you been readin’?”
“That I have, Skull, that I have. Says it right there on the display case”.
Skull looks to see the dinosaur description Bulk just recited.
“Oh.”
Bulk grabs him by the collar and yanks his face off-screen.
“Let’s go you idiot.”
CUT TO:
A bright flash of white light erupts in the command center, it fades and there stands the White Ranger in a trial prototype suit. His helmet is plain and basic and his costume is similar to that of the other five, no shield. A great white tiger symbol is molded onto his chest.
Tommy can’t believe his eyes.
“Who are you?”, Tommy asks silently, confused.
The White Ranger ignores him. “What’s the situation?”, the mysterious Ranger speaks calmly but quickly, speedily approaching and monitoring command control.
“Goldar is attacking the Angel Grove Museum while the other Rangers are busy fighting-”
“-I know, I see them, Zordon. Power fluctuations?”
“They are stable White Ranger, but be careful not to exceed your limit, your suits not completely ready.”, Zordon explains.
“I’ll try not to throw anything out of whack, Zordon. What’s priority, helping the Rangers or going after Goldar?”, he asks, watching the Rangers get pummeled on-screen.
“Your Zords are still in developmental stage and people are in danger at the museum.”
“’Nuff said, Zordon. Alpha, set the coordinates.”
“Yes, white Ranger.”
“Beware White Ranger, your powers haven’t completely manifested itself.”
“The test proved it was sturdy enough. I should be fine.”
“Very well.”
And with a flash, the White Ranger’s gone.
Tommy to Zordon, suddenly agitated: “Who the hell was that?!”
FREEZE FRAME ON TOMMY:
SUBTITLE:
To be continued...
RUN CREDITS
[Jonathan H.]