Power Rangers Wild Force: Through Jindrax's Eyes, Part Two
30. Team Carnival, part one, part two
(In the Nexus, Toxica serves Mandilok fresh computer parts marinated in motor oil, delicately served on a white china plate. Mandilok declares them delicious, but doesn't tell us if he plans to eat the plate, too. Jindrax tries to please their new Master's gourmet palate by offering up a rusty muffler-- which Mandilok waves off with disgust, noting that he only eats fresh food. Jindrax sniffs the muffler and has to agree that it is pretty ripe, but his apology is met with being called worthless, and shooed out of the main chamber of the Nexus.
In some quiet, dry-ice filled hallway, Jindrax sulks, throwing his apron aside. He feels like he can't do anything right, especially compared to Toxica, who can cook and make Orgs grow-- what can he do? He slumps, depressed, then decides that at times like this, you need your family around. He sets out at a run to find his brother and start a new team.
Jindrax finds Juggelo by a waterfront somewhere, happily juggling, um. People. (Five of them. And he gets some really good air.) He's overjoyed to see Jindrax, dropping his assistants to run up to him-- but he apologizes because he doesn't have any money to give his brother. Jindrax isn't there for money (this time), but to team up again and take over-- the world, he says, could be theirs for the taking. Juggelo is thrilled, and says that Jindrax can be the clown, and he'll be the juggler, and together they can be Team Title Drop Carnival! Jindrax is offended that Juggelo thinks he looks like a clown. (He looks like Clopin from Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame and the Goblin King from Labyrinth had a highly improbable bony-faced lovechild, but he doesn't look like a clown.)
The pair spot the Yellow Ranger in her civvies heading into an amusement park (after the Blue Ranger and Kite, who she's supposed to be keeping an eye on). Jindrax informs Juggelo that she's his long-time rival-- she does use a sword-- and starts for the gate after her. Juggelo stops him. They can't just walk in there looking... like themselves, because everyone will recognize Team Carnival, despite the fact that it formed up about five minutes ago. Jindrax declares it good thinking, anyway, and they mug a couple of costumed mascots for their clothes-- giving us Jindrax in a bunny suit and Juggelo dressed as a panda.
Jindrax's first chance to do in the Yellow Ranger comes when she gets off a roller coaster the boys dragged her onto-- but his knife sails harmlessly over her head as she bends over a planter to hurl. (She's not good at roller coasters.) He gets another chance when she bogarts a whack-a-mole style game featuring alligators-- but she moves and ducks and bobs and weaves so much (playing whack-a-mole, seriously) that every single knife misses. And nobody notices the knife-wielding costumed "employee," either. Jindrax announces he needs a break, so the brothers head off to get the two boys first-- since the Blue Ranger and Kite wandered off when the Yellow Ranger took over their game. All three of them leave heading different directions but looking for the same two goof-offs-- and the Yellow Ranger walks right past an ad for a spinning teacup ride with nineteen of Jindrax's knives stuck in it.
Kite spots a roller coaster with no line and runs right for it, despite the Blue Ranger saying that there's no one there. There's a cart stopped at the entrance, though, and Kite climbs right in-- only to be trapped by the safety bar and surrounded by a herd of suddenly-appearing Putrids. The Blue Ranger runs for him, but a guy in a panda costume cartwheels in front of him, blocking his path, and kicking him around when he tries to rush him and get to Kite. Suddenly there's a bunny, too, and the Blue Ranger has no idea what the heck is going on here. Jindrax and Juggelo strip out of their disguises ... eventually, after a bit of slapsticky nonsense (slapsticky nonsense is a free action). Jindrax introduces Juggelo as his younger brother, and they declare themselves Team Carnival just as the Yellow Ranger catches up to everyone.
So there's a fight scene, with Jindrax and Juggelo performing a lot of acrobatic nonsense and juggling Jindrax's knives around the two Rangers, kicking up sparks but not drawing blood. The Rangers turn the tables, naturally, and seem to have the brothers on the ropes until Jindrax reveals Team Carnival's secret weapon-- "Run away!"
It's actually a strategic retreat, since Jindrax and Juggelo head straight for the roller coaster where Kite is still trapped, surrounded by Putrids. Jindrax grabs Kite's wrist and makes the Rangers an offer they can't refuse-- drop their weapons or Kite leaves with the Orgs. The two Rangers drop their weapons, and Juggelo attacks them by juggling clubs in their general direction, then pulling out a sword of his own when they finally collapse. As he advances, the other three Rangers turn up and blast Juggelo, each with a brand new weapon. Jindrax sets the Putrids on the Rangers, and soon everybody's fighting everybody and Kite is freed and herded in the general direction of safety. The Rangers combine their new weapons into one big mega-weapon (they do it a lot with their usual weapons, too), the Jungle Blaster, and fire on Juggelo-- who falls and explodes into the usual smear of green foamy goo.
Jindrax is distraught, and although he hates to do it to his brother, he whips out Toxica's staff (no word on where he was hiding that thing) and casts the usual spell, the staff spitting out the beans for him just as reliably as it does for Toxica. Blah blah giant robot stock footage form the head, and Juggelo throws a hula hoop at the Wild Force Megazord-- which the Rangers promptly slice to pieces, prompting the now-giant Juggelo to sulk, "That wasn't very nice!" Juggelo doesn't do very well toe-to-toe with the Wild Force Megazord, even huge, and bellows apologies to Jindrax. Toxica spots him with her staff, and stomps up to him snarling that she's been looking everywhere for it. Jindrax just tosses it back, assuring her (in a softer voice than usual) that he's got what he needs.
What he needs is a handful of beans, and Toxica is shocked at his plan-- he's going to eat them himself, grow, and help his brother defeat the Rangers. Toxica grabs his hand trying desperately to stop him-- the beans are dangerous! If he grows, she says, he can never return-- it will be his end. Jindrax throws her aside, claiming he has to do it, he has to prove that he's worth something. He swallows the beans despite Toxica shrieking her protests, and sounds a lot like Super Jindrax once he's twenty stories tall. When you're Team Carnival, you're Team Carnival for life.
He and Juggelo repeat their juggle-knives-around-the-volunteer trick, only more aiming to cut the hell out of the Wild Force Megazord instead of wow the audience. The Rangers worry that the Megazord can't take much more of this, but just as Juggelo comes at them with his foil again, a Crescent Boomerang comes out of nowhere. Yes, we have six Rangers, and Merrick has arrived in the Predazord to save everyone's bacon. (He does that a lot.) The Megazord backhands Jindrax as he rushes to help or protect Juggelo, and Merrick hits Juggelo with another one of his special attacks, softening him up so that the Megazord can take him out with the Soul Cannon, for good.
Jindrax is distraught enough to drop his knives, wailing "How could this happen?" The Megazord and the Predazord round on him, but Jindrax draws his sword and rushes them, meaning to avenge his brother-- but as he raises his sword to strike, he lets out a hell of a belch and starts losing his strength. And shrinking, dropping off the Rangers' radar. I swear the Wild Force Megazord shrugs.
Toxica finds Jindrax sitting in a warehouse somewhere, picking at his gloves, mourning. Mandilok, he says, was right. Jindrax is worthless. Toxica assures him he isn't, and that he was very brave to eat those beans to help Juggelo-- and she's proud of him. It's enough to make Jindrax decide to carry on Team Carnival, because that's what Juggelo would've wanted-- and hopefully says that he has his best friend to help him. Toxica agrees, and the two link arms and head off. They're a team, after all.
Of note: We see Jindrax's jaw move for the first time as he casts the spell to make Juggelo grow, and again when he moves to swallow the beans. It moves a few more times during the fight with the Megazords.)
31. Taming of the Wild Zords, part one, part two
(In an alley somewhere in Turtle Cove, the Lion Tamer Org tries to tame a calico cat, who is having none of this. Jindrax and Toxica walk up, with Jindrax complaining that this Org can't help him get his revenge on the Rangers, since he can't even tame a kitten! The Lion Tamer Org says that he couldn't tame the cat because it was too small-- he can only tame big animals. He's in luck, because Toxica knows where to find five big animals he can tame, calling into question Toxica's ability to count. (Six Power Rangers. Six. With, at last count, seventeen Wild Zords between them.)
Granted, only five Rangers show up first, and the Lion Tamer Org really can get them to jump through hoops, although the effect is fleeting and seems linked to the crack of his whip. Jindrax and Toxica are ecstatc-- they can, Jindrax decides, use a talent like his on Team Carnival. Toxica suggests that if the Lion Tamer Org were bigger, he could even tame the Rangers' Wild Zords, and offers him a handful of beans to that end. The Lion Tamer Org is understandably a little wary about accepting magical food from strangers, and you don't get much stranger than Jindrax and Toxica. Although Jindrax tries to reassure him that he ate the beans and he's back to his beautiful self, in the end they just stuff the beans down the poor mook's gullet.
Toxica sweetly suggests that the Rangers call the Wild Force Megazord, and for some insane reason (despite having at least two more powerful basic combinations), the Rangers take her advice. Now, usually, stock footage is a free action, but this time, before the five default Wild Zords (Eagle, Tiger, Shark, Bison, and Lion-- yeah, you see where this is going) can combine, the Lion Tamer Org cracks his whip and sends the Red Lion jumping through a giant flaming hoop in the middle of the street to the cheers of his fellow Orgs and the astonishment of the Rangers. The Red Ranger briefly snaps the Lion out of it, but on the Lion Tamer Org's orders, the Wild Zords combine into the Wild Force Megazord. Toxica suggests she and Jindrax go get some good seats (and Jindrax, in keeping with the theme, wants cotton candy, too).
Predictably, the Lion Tamer Org orders the Megazord to destroy the Rangers. The Red Ranger again tries to reach out to the Lion, which works for a second, until the Yellow Ranger congratulates him on it, distracting the Red Ranger (who, remember, can talk to animals and read the truth in people's hearts, so he might not just be talking to the Lion) and letting the Org's spell take full effect again-- but the Megazord's sword is blocked by the Predazord's sword... staff... alligator-toothed thingy, because Merrick has arrived in the Predazord to save the other Rangers' bacon. Again. (Six, Toxica. You have to count to six to make sure you're getting all the Rangers.)
Jindrax and Toxica's idea of 'good seats' is a high-rise rooftop, where they've set themselves up as sports commentators, glibly narrating the fight between the Wild Force Megazord and the Predazord. The Lion Tamer Org tries to control the Predazord and fails-- Toxica informs us that it's probably because the Predazord still has a pilot.
To make a long story short, giant robots fight each other for a good long while, Toxica gets smacked with a giant banana, the Lion Tamer Org is a viable threat, all six Rangers are knocked from their cockpits, and just when it looks like Wild Force episode 32 will be the first episode of Team Carnival's Action Comedy Half-Hour, the Duke Orgs spot Kite running toward the unmanned and bespelled Zords. Kite urges the giant robots to remember that they're friends who shouldn't be fighting. He repeats "Remember!" over and over again, with a dramatic wind blowing through his hair. The Megazords come to their senses, and refuse to obey the Lion Tamer Org anymore-- and Kite passes out. The Rangers rejoin their Zords and destroy the Lion Tamer Org, because that's kind of their job. Jindrax and Toxica run for their lives, but not before Jindrax grabs his microphone and knocks on the fourth wall to inform us, "This concludes our broadcast.")
32. Monitoring Earth, part one, part two
(You know that amnesiac kid, Kite, who turned up out of nowhere and keeps running toward the monsters and breaking spells on Megazords? Well, he's really angry about the state of the environment, and when he got so mad he ran away from the Rangers, he ran into Mandilok, Jindrax, and Toxica while taking a stroll through the never-before-seen polluted side of Turtle Cove. Mandilok leads the kid to the mother of all landfills under a roiling red sky, calling it the 'human wasteland,' miles and miles of trash that humans created. Mandilok claims it is the only thing humans have accomplished in three thousand years. (To be entirely fair, Mandilok is being pretty generous-- humans didn't start seriously polluting the earth or making tons of non-biodegradeable garbage until the Industrial Revolution. But Mandilok was sealed up in a statue locked up in a tomb, so maybe he doesn't really know.) He promises Kite that Orgs are not to blame for this terrible mess, and that they never would have arisen if mankind had taken better care of the planet. Orgs, Mandilok swears, kneeling next to Kite, are not Kite's enemies.
Jindrax and Toxica hold a whispered conversation about all that-- Jindrax can't fathom why Mandilok is being so nice to the boy. He's human, and Orgs aren't nice to humans. Toxica explains that Mandilok thinks Kite may be the most powerful human of all, and wants him on their side. That's a brand of genius Jindrax can appreciate.
The four witness a new Org arise from the junk, apparently spawning around e-waste, with several screens (and something that could be a really big speaker or a window-mount air conditioner) featuring prominently. Mandilok informs Kite, possibly truthfully, that humans created Orgs, and humans are the reason Orgs are here.
Turtle Cove apparently takes its pee-wee soccer seriously, because there's a jumbotron in the stadium where a team of elementary school students were playing a championship game. When the Rangers arrive at the stadium, they see that both teams and all the spectators have been sucked into the jumbotron's monitor by the Monitor Org, who claims he's going to do the same to all humans. Mandilok stands with Monitor Org and greets the Rangers cordially, pointing out that the Orgs ran into an old friend of theirs that morning. Kite stands impassively between Jindrax and Toxica, refusing to move when the Rangers urge him to run. Kite is still angry that the Rangers don't do anything to stop humanity from polluting, and when Merrick calls it nonsense, Jindrax says that Mandilok just showed Kite the truth. Certain they have to save Kite for his own good (er, okay), the Yellow Ranger launches herself at the Monitor Org, and the two fly up into the air and crash-land at a construction site near the stadium. The rest of the Rangers, Kite, and the Orgs show up before very long, the Rangers still refusing to believe Kite isn't the Orgs' hostage.
As the Monitor Org fights with the Rangers, an an explosion throws an SUV at Kite, Mandilok, Jindrax, and Toxica. Although the Orgs duck and cover, Kite just starts to glow, stopping the skidding car with one outstretched hand. While the Rangers are busy hoping Kite is okay (instead of running to see if he is or not), Kite smacks the SUV with the flat of his hand, sending it flying toward the Rangers, scattering them. Mandilok is impressed.
The Rangers take out the Monitor Org for being an annoying distraction from the plot, releasing all the very confused people he'd trapped in various screens. Mandilok orders Toxica to revive the Monitor Org to 'prove' to Kite that the Rangers use their Wild Zords to do their dirty work. Oh, pity the poor Zords, forced to slave away for humans just like the humans who are polluting the Earth. Merrick protests, informing Kite that the Orgs are not his friends, so Jindrax and Toxica attack him, although they don't slow him down for long. Kite won't listen to Merrick, either, and throws him yards away by just shrugging Merrick's hand off his shoulder.
When the Rangers defeat the Monitor Org, Mandilok deploys a remote control bug that will take control of the Megazord away from the Rangers. (Hey, it worked when Jindrax did it.) Jindrax and Toxica are fending off Merrick again when Mandilok kneels (the same way all Orgs kneel) next to Kite and tells tells him that the Wild Force Megazord is on their side now, so it's time for Kite to show them all who he really is. Kite nods and takes a few silent steps forward-- and a few more steps out into thin air, floating and then flying, breaking apart into five animal crystals, which transform into five Wild Zords, which combine into Animus.
Mandilok is thrilled-- Animus is working for the Orgs!-- but Animus cuts that line of thinking short in a hurry. He won't fight for Orgs or humanity, because as far as he's concerned nobody on the planet deserves his help. Mandilok sees this as good reason to destroy Mandilok, using his remote control to force the Wild Force Megazord to attack Animus. Naturally, Animus destroys the bug controlling the Megazord, and the Orgs beat a hasty retreat.)
33. The Soul of Humanity, part one, part two
(Jindrax doesn't witness the entire length of this episode, thankfully. However, he and Toxica are both thrilled, practically dancing around each other in the Nexus-- look how much Mandilok has done for Orgs! Animus is gone, the Rangers have no Zords... Jindrax is clearly a genius for thinking up the plan to find Mandilok, even though that was totally Toxica's idea. Mandilok stops the game of 'was too!' versus 'was not!' but is just as thrilled that their next fight with the Rangers will be the Rangers' last fight.
This week's fledgling Org spawns around a tin-toy robot who keeps repeating a B-picture classic DESTROY ALL HUMANS while attacking a construction site full of innocent bystanders. When the Rangers turn up to fight him, Mandilok, Jindrax, and Toxica are watching-- and Mandilok laughs in their faces.
Robot Org has the Rangers on the ropes in part due to being willing to blast a building down around their heads. Wisely, the innocent bystanders in hardhats flee, although one woman and a girl and her puppy are still trapped. Mandilok monologues about that, flanked by Jindrax and Toxica. Humans, Mandilok insists, only care about themselves. Though there are sirens in the background, the people who fled a moment ago come running back into the burning warehouse to help the trapped construction worker, young girl, and puppy while the Rangers lay exhausted on the ground. Surprisingly, Mandilok does not blast the lot of them. As the Rangers get to their feet, the humans flee again, but this time they only leave the Rangers behind to fight the Orgs.
Before the Toy Robot Org can destroy the Rangers, Merrick recovers from a crisis of conscience to save them-- and his Zords defy Animus to save him, giving him enough strength to destroy the Toy Robot Org single-handedly, and the Predazord to fight the revived Toy Robot Org, dramatically lit by the setting sun. Animus returns to join Merrick in defeating the Toy Robot Org, and while we don't hear anything more from Orgs in this episode, it's worth mentioning that apparently taking the Wild Zords from the Rangers was all a big test or something.)
34. Forever Red, part one, part two
(Ten years worth of Red Rangers go to the moon. There are no Orgs in this episode, and it creates a continuity snarl.)
35. The Master's Herald, Part 1, part one, part two
(In the Nexus, Mandilok throws a temper tantrum-- the Rangers were powerless, he had them right where they wanted, and clearly Jindrax and Toxica have personally failed him! When Toxica protests that Animus came back and rescued the Rangers, Mandilok belts both Duke Orgs in the gut. Real Duke Orgs, he says, would never have allowed that to happen, and he wants the pair of them out of his sight. Toxica continues trying to protest, but is smacked again for her trouble. Toxica takes off at a run, stricken, and Jindrax bolts after her.
Jindrax and Toxica have hied themselves off to the woods, with Jindrax pacing and ranting about Animus while Toxica sits on a fallen log, despondent. Onikage, a ninja Org with one horn, appears, greeting them mildly as "Fellow Duke Orgs." They're wary (but then, the last time they dealt with a black-clad Duke Org in the forest, it was Zen-Aku), but he reasonably outlines a plan for the pair to win back favor with Mandilok-- bring him Princess Shayla. Jindrax points out that they can't go to the Animarium, because the Wild Zords would slice and dice them, but Onikage assures them that he can get all three of them in and out undetected. "Since you put it that way, let's go!"
Toxica expresses her doubts, and Onikage shrugs them off-- he could do the whole thing himself, but thought he'd do them a favor. He turns to leave. Somehow, despite the fact that he has no mouth and only one eye, his expression comes off as incredibly smug when Toxica asks him to wait-- to count them in.
It's night on the Animarium, and Onikage quietly instructs Jindrax and Toxica to split up. Before long, Toxica's screaming gathers everyone-- the Rangers and Jindrax, at first-- as she's touched the water in the sacred pond (don't ask) and discovered that it really really hurts. She seemed less incapacitated when Master Org was torturing her with lightning. Jindrax rushes to her side, asking if she's all right, and before the Rangers can ask what the hell the Duke Orgs are wearing (since Jindrax is in a ninja costume and Toxica is in stompy boots, fence-net tights, a black leather miniskirt, a belly shirt, and a rambo-style headband), Onikage appears between the two groups... and 'compliments' the Rangers' pajamas. When the Rangers recover from that, Jindrax points out that the Black Ranger has a teddy bear.
The Princess appears, flowing out of the pond in a whirl of blue pixie dust, is grabbed by Onikage, rescued by the Red Ranger, and handed the Black Ranger's teddy bear so that the Rangers can morph. Onikage opts to leave in a flash of smoke rather than risk a fight-- his ninja outfits can apparently get them in and out any time they want, so he can afford to wait.
In the Nexus, Mandilok is furious at Toxica again, this time for ruining Onikage's plan. Ignorance that the sacred water would hurt her is no excuse, and Mandilok calls her worthless and sends her away again, and again Jindrax goes after her, though this time at more of a sidle than a run.
When Toxica finally settles somewhere, Jindrax crouches beside her to promise that anybody could've made that mistake-- but Toxica knows Mandilok won't see it that way, and she's sure he hates her and will never trust her again. Onikage interrupts-- it isn't true, Mandilok still believes in her and is willing to give her another chance. Toxica leaps at the opportunity, leaving with Onikage.
Onikage lures the Rangers away from the Animarium so Toxica can have a chance at the princess again, but the Rangers figure out the trick and run back-- only to be stopped at a river by Jindrax (in his ninja costume) and a bunch of Putrids. 'Stopped' may be too strong a word-- more like 'slowed down.' When Onikage believes the Rangers have been slowed enough, he puts a stop to the fight with something like a steampunk bazooka-- causing an explosion that only Jindrax gets up from easily. He can't believe Onikage would attack Orgs-- well, Org and Putrids-- and when Onikage calmly explains that a ninja will do anything to complete his mission, Jindrax... well, he leaves, and leaves hard.
He doesn't appear to have any hard feelings, though, because in the next scene, he's waiting for Toxica with Mandilok... and Onikage. Only Jindrax appears at all antsy, assuring Mandilok that she'll be there. And she does come, if a little slowly, hauling a tied-up Princess Shayla with her. Jindrax is overjoyed to see her-- at least until her vision blurs and she falls to her hands and knees, at which point he notices that her horn has been cut off. She's exhausted and panting, but tells Jindrax not to worry-- 'they' said it will grow back. Jindrax has apparently never heard about that before, and asks Mandilok for confirmation... and fails to get it. Onikage lies and says he has no idea what Toxica is talking about, even though he's the one who told her that her horn would grow back after he cut it off so that the sacred pond water wouldn't hurt her. Toxica crawls toward Mandilok and Onikage, then faints. Jindrax desperately tries to wake her, shaking her shoulder and pleading with her, all the gravel gone out of his voice.
Princess Shayla, who has just been standing there and watching this whole scene, despite the fact that nobody's been holding her ropes, is appalled and can't believe Mandilok would use his own friends like that-- but Mandilok scoffs. Toxica is no friend of his. Jindrax stands, bewildered and bordering on aghast-- they're all Orgs, right? They're all on the same team... Mandilok orders him to be silent and stalks toward the princess, but Toxica isn't quite done for and grabbs at Mandilok's ankle as he passes. (It doesn't bite her. It could.) She hauls herself to her knees and begs him to say he didn't mean that-- and Mandilok is surprised she's still alive, but not particularly affected by it. He nudges her away and Jindrax darts for her as she falls-- but is distracted by the Rangers approaching at a dead run. Mandilok refuses to release the princess, so the Rangers combine their weapons into the Jungle Blaster and fire on Mandilok-- who grabs Toxica from the ground and uses her as an inhuman shield.
The Jungle Blaster destroys her utterly, not even a film of green foam left behind, just the severed horn she dropped. Jindrax drops to his knees and cradles it, mourning. Even the Rangers are baffled, but Mandilok orders Onikage to take care of the Rangers and Jindrax to take the princess away. Now. Jindrax can only stare for a moment, but Mandilok said now and he meant now, so Jindrax scrambles to collect Toxica's staff and Princess Shayla's 'leash' (not that she needs one, she just stood there the whole time) and disappears with her in a flash of purple.
Of note, Onikage kneels before Mandilok just like all the other Orgs (and Merrick) kneel. Also, though Jindrax wasn't there for it so doesn't know, Mandilok greets him as "Ah, Onikage, the famous ninja!" If you're a famous ninja, aren't you doing it wrong? Then again, Mandilok recognizes Onikage while Jindrax and Toxica don't, despite all four of them having been around for the war with Animaria...)
36. The Master's Herald, Part 2, part one, part two
(At night, Jindrax sits alone on the shore of the lake, downcast. He mourns Toxica-- she was with him for centuries, and when she was betrayed by her own people there was nothing he could to do help her. He pulls out Nayzor's mirror, holding it in one hand and Toxica's horn in the other. He's lost, not knowing who he can trust anymore.
The next day, Onikage leads Mandilok and Jindrax-- who has the dubious honor of towing Shayla, although for some reason she's walking ahead of him-- to a rock quarry near the river. The Rangers will meet them there. They've set the perfect trap, with the perfect bait. Onikage kneels, and offers to hold Mandilok's weapon so that he can relax and enjoy his victory with free hands. Mandilok accepts this easily-- and then the Rangers arrive, right on time. Onikage enchants the Rangers' shadows so that they're forced to fight themselves-- they can't destroy their shadows without destroying themselves.
Jindrax watches, and it's with far less than his usual bounce that he tells Shayla she can't help them. Mandilok congratulates Onikage-- the Rangers walked right into his trap! Onikage modestly says that he is but a humble ninja, serving his one true master. Of course, then he stands and turns away from Mandilok, looking expectantly at some point behind Jindrax.
Master Org reappears.
Mandilok is offended-- this human with the fake horn is still mocking Orgs? But when he blasts it, Master Org's horn absorbs and redistributes the energy, and Jindrax realizes this horn is real-- at which point he ducks behind Shayla. Mandilok demands Onikage give him his weapon, but Onikage only smacks his hand away and instead gives Master Org Mandilok's weapon... just as Master Org ordered. Onikage admits he's already gotten rid of Toxica, but thought it best to save the main course-- Mandilok-- for Master Org. Mandilok refuses to bow to anyone, and Master Org destroys him in one blast.
Master Org congratulates Onikage, his loyal ninja, who has done so much to eliminate the traitors-- but Onikage demurrs. He isn't done yet. There's one traitor left... He draws his sword and advances on Jindrax.
Despite the fact that he's still hiding behind her, Shayla tells Jindrax to run. Jindrax tries to talk Onikage out of it, but can't think of anything more convincing than 'you don't have to do this.' He gives up, grumbles "Why me?" grabs Princess Shayla, and disappears with her.
Wherever Jindrax runs, though, he can still hear Master Org calling after him-- he has nowhere to run. Return to the Nexus, bring the Princess back now, and Jindrax will be forgiven. Nevertheless, Jindrax has to think the offer over, sitting on a log, staring at Nayzor's mirror and Toxica's horn. Shayla, who will never be an Olympic Running Away medalist, tries to get him to talk-- suggesting he misses Toxica, and thanking him for saving her from Master Org. Jindrax rounds on her for that, because he didn't save her for her, he saved her for him. She's his bargaining chip. But Toxica was his only friend, and Shayla-- whose entire culture is gone, except for Merrick-- says she knows what he's going through, and that she's sorry.
The pair trudge through the woods, Jindrax towing the Princess behind him, rambling about how for years, he and Toxica were the only Orgs around, how they kept the dream of Org rule alive, but now... look at him, he doesn't even know who he is. Even if Shayla thinks his confusion is because Jindrax has finally realized Orgs can't be trusted, Jindrax is still an Org-- still one of them. He's got no choice but to go back to Master Org. The princess worries what Master Org will do to Jindrax, but Jindrax is willing to trust Master Org's offer of forgiveness-- he can't run forever. They'll find him eventually...
Which is the perfect opening, since Onikage already has. Jindrax tries to reassure him that they were already on their way back to Master Org, but Onikage is unmoved-- Master Org only wants one of them back-- and attacks Jindrax to make perfectly clear which one that is. Jindrax takes a couple of good hits and gets a couple of good hits in before protesting that Master Org said he was forgiven... which Onikage can't believe Jindrax believed. For a while they seem evenly matched with swords, but Onikage snatches Jindrax's blade away and throws him to the ground-- but before Onikage can run Jindrax through, Shayla (who is so bad at running for her life) tackles Onikage, knocking him aside.
Onikage still knocks an explosion at Jindrax anyway, sending him crashing-- and flashing, exploding-- to the ground, hurt but not dead. However, the Princess is clearly the greater prize, and he tells her Jindrax isn't worth saving before hauling her back to Master Org.
Jindrax follows, and lets Master Org have it-- verbally. He's fed up with being an Org, this is ridiculous, he can't trust anyone-- especially Master Org. For three thousand years, they waited for his return, only to have him destroy and betray everyone around him, even the Duke Orgs who would do anything for him. Master Org is beyond evil-- he has no heart, and has destroyed Jindrax's faith in Orgs. Jindrax falls to his knees, exhausted, and Master Org tells Onikage to put him out of his misery.
Despite the fact that that suicide-by-ninja was pretty much the only way his tirade could end, Jindrax scrambles away, but stumbles and falls. Onikage announces that he can now destroy Jindrax with his own shadow... but when he goes to work the spell, Jindrax holds up Nayzor's mirror as a shield (apparently it's also Chekov's mirror), bouncing the spell back at Onikage and turning Onikage's shadow against him, instead. (And Jindrax can't quite believe he did it.)
The Red Ranger siezes the moment, attacking Onikage's shadow and destroying it-- destroying him, and breaking the spell on their own shadows. However, Master Org doesn't need Toxica to make Orgs grow, reviving Onikage and ordering him to do his ultimate ninja trick-- removing the Rangers from this world. Master Org disappears with the screaming princess, and Onikage's katana splits the sky as a massive hand reaches through to grab the Rangers and pull them into the Spirit World-- the Org afterlife.
Apparently revenge against Jindrax isn't important enough for Master Org to bother with.)
37. Fishing for a Friend, part one, part two
(Unable to return to the Nexus, Jindrax is holed up in a warehouse, wishing Toxica were there-- because if Master Org ever finds him, he's history. He hears a thud from behind a stack of crates and panics-- but it's just a cat, and he can breathe again. He pulls out Nayzor's mirror again, musing that if Toxica were there, he wouldn't be so afraid. Faintly, he seems to hear her voice calling his name. After looking everywhere but down, he finally realizes she's speaking to him through the mirror Nayzor had so often used to spy on Zen-Aku. Toxica says that she's in the Spirit World, but that Jindrax can help her-- the power that sent her there is the power that can bring her back. She tells him she's counting on him, then disappears, leaving only Jindrax's reflection in the mirror. Jindrax shakes the mirror like an Etch-a-Sketch, trying to get her to reappear, but calms down and resolves to get her out of there-- that he won't let her down. He stashes Nayzor's mirror under a blanket in a corner and heads into town at a run.
He strolls through a mini-mall in broad daylight in his usual form, musing on the power that destroyed Toxica-- as we saw two episodes ago, Toxica was destroyed by the Rangers' Jungle Blaster, and Jindrax figures that if he can get them to fire that at Toxica's severed horn (which, like his own knives, Nayzor's mirror, and sometimes Toxica's staff, Jindrax seems to carry with him and only pull out when it's plot-relevant), it will absorb the energy and he can use the powered-up horn to bring Toxica back. He happily declares himself a genius, to the confusion of a passing shopper. Lucky for Jindrax, he has stopped right outside a sporting goods store, and ducks inside. He chooses a fishing pole and some extra strong lines and declares himself set, except for tricking the Rangers into blasting Toxica's horn-- which is a big worry, because Jindrax doesn't want to have to fight them all by himself.
He's about to stroll on out of the store when the cashier (or possibly owner), whose nametag reads Mike, stops him-- isn't he going to pay for that? Jindrax, Duke of Orgs, Master of Blades, sets his purchases on the counter and fishes out his wallet. His shiny silver pleather wallet with hot pink stars. He is unfortunately fresh out of cash, but Mike takes credit. Jindrax whips out an Org Express card with his name on it. His name and photo. (Apparently, it expires in 2022.)
Jindrax spots the Rangers fighting Locomotive Org, another newbie, at the railroad yards, and is quietly delighted-- Locomotive Org can do all the fighting for him! Jindrax just has to sit back and wait for the Rangers to combine their weapons into the Jungle Blaster. However, the Rangers aren't exactly on the ball here, and the very physically powerful Locomotive Org beats the crap out of them as Jindrax watches. (It doesn't help that he can shrug off the Rangers' individual attacks.) Jindrax can't believe the day he's having...
So he leaps out in front of the Locomotive Org, who is duly impressed to see a Duke Org, while the Rangers are flat on their faces on the ground. Merrick concludes they don't stand a chance against Jindrax and the Locomotive Org. The Locomotive Org volunteers to destroy the Rangers for Jindrax, but Jindrax draws his sword and insists that the Rangers are his-- and then rounds on the Locomotive Org, slashing at him with his sword and then holds the Locomotive Org, urging the Rangers to shoot him... with their Jungle Blaster. And hurry, because he can't hold the Locomotive Org forever.
The Rangers open fire (they're very susceptible to taking advice) and Jindrax sticks Toxica's horn in the beam just long enough to power it up, although he gets caught in the Locomotive Org's blast as he's destroyed. Jindrax isn't hurt, though, and Toxica's horn is glowing-- Jindrax has everything he needs to bring her back! However, when the Rangers thank him for helping them, Jindrax insists he was only helping himself, then whips out Toxica's staff to make the fallen Locomotive Org grow. This is not Jindrax's brightest move ever, considering he just got that Org blown up into a smear of goop, and the Locomotive Org tries to stomp on him. Jindrax runs for his life, informing the Locomotive Org that he's lucky Jindrax has something more important to do right now.
Jindrax returns to the warehouse and sets Nayzor's mirror, glass up, on the floor. He ties fishing line around Toxica's horn, and uses the pole to lower the horn into the mirror. The tip passes into it like water, to Jindrax's amazement-- it's going in (that's what she said)! He slowly lowers the horn into the Spirit World, hoping this experiment works.
Eventually, when Jindrax appears to be running low on fishing line, there's a tug on the line. Immediately he starts reeling the line in, and it doesn't take long at all for Toxica to pop out of the mirror, right as rain. She and Jindrax run towards each other, and though they stop short of a hug, they clasp hands-- she knew he could do it, and he's so glad she's back. Jindrax tenderly touches Toxica's cheek, then scoops her up into his arms and spins around, overjoyed.
That night, they're back on the swingset again, Toxica just sitting, but Jindrax swinging back and forth-- she's back. Now what? Jindrax couldn't think of anything while Toxica was gone, but admits she was always the brains of the operation anyway. Toxica points out that he figured out how to revive her. They need, Toxica declares, to start looking out for themselves. It's time for a change. She stands and strides off, and Jindrax chases after her-- don't change without him!)
38. Sealing the Nexus, part one, part two
(Jindrax and Toxica walk along a dirt road in the badlands somewhere, with Jindrax asking where they'll hide from Master Org now. She doesn't offer an option besides that they can't go back to the Nexus-- that's too dangerous. The bright side, Jindrax says, is that they don't have to worry about the Rangers bothering them, since they're so busy trying to rescue Princess Shayla from Master Org. Toxica, having been dead at the time, is shocked to hear that Master Org still has the princess captive-- which means he still has the princess's necklace. Jindrax has no idea why they'd care, so Toxica explains with that much power, Master Org will be able to do whatever he wants, including finding the two wayward Duke Orgs wherever they are. So much for hiding. Luckily, Toxica already has a plan.
This plan involves Jindrax approaching the Rangers as they search for Princess Shayla to tell them that he knows what they're looking for, but they won't find it here-- and then taking off running. So really, it's a fairly ballsy plan. Jindrax leads them into a shallow valley, and tells the Rangers that he's not there to fight, but they're wasting their time looking for the Nexus-- it's protected by a forcefield, and on top of that, they'll never find it... unless the Rangers listen to what they have to say. Toxica's reappearance catches the Rangers off-guard, and they start to suspect a trick, but the Orgs won't be distracted-- Master Org has done something that concerns all of them.
The Rangers de-morph, and Merrick asks exactly what it is the Duke Orgs want. Toxica assures him they want the same thing the Rangers want-- to rescue the Princess. Naturally, the Rangers don't trust them. At all. Jindrax shrugs and reminds them that the longer they wait, the worse it will get for their princess. The Red Ranger looks at them for a moment, then closes his eyes and appears to listen to... the silence, or maybe the soundtrack. It's crazy, but he thinks Jindrax and Toxica really do want to help. (Even crazier because the last two times he tried to listen to Orgs' hearts, he discovered that Orgs don't have hearts-- or at least Master Org and the Wire Org don't.) The other Rangers stare at the Red Ranger, but Merrick only asks that the Duke Orgs tell them what they need to do.
Toxica explains that the Nexus is a maze that only Orgs can navigate, first of all, and second, when Master Org returned most recently, he set up a force field to prevent anyone from reaching the princess (so apparently Jindrax and Toxica already tried to sneak in on their own to discover that). Jindrax jumps in, explaining that the force field Master Org is using is powered by three statues. If the Rangers can find and destroy the statues, the force field will fail, and Jindrax and Toxica can get inside to rescue the Princess. Toxica tells the Rangers to look for the pillars of light in the sky to find the statues, and warns them the statues may be guarded. The Yellow Ranger isn't happy about having to trust them, and warns them that if this is a trick... Jindrax tells her to save her threats, and the eight of them split up-- two Rangers to search for each statue, and the Orgs to go camp outside the Nexus, waiting for the force field to fall.
The Orgs get the sweeter end of this deal, although Jindrax does try to rush the Nexus prematurely, getting a nasty shock and ending up flat on his back for his trouble.
In due time, however, the Rangers destroy the statues, and the force field shimmers down, and Jindrax and Toxica rush into the Nexus. Jindrax asks if Toxica really is planning to save the princess, but Toxica doesn't give a definite answer. Inside, the Nexus shakes like it's caught in an earthquake. Toxica leads Jindrax to the prison, despite the sand and rocks shaking loose and falling around them. Shayla isn't exactly thrilled to see them-- more like confused, quickly edging into afraid as Toxica orders her to stand back, leveling her staff at the princess's cell. However, she only blasts the lock, and Jindrax opens the cell door with a courtly bow. Princess Shayla is so happy to be rescued that she kisses Jindrax on the cheek, getting him all sheepish and Toxica all possessive... but the way the Nexus keeps shaking gets them all three running for the door.
Toxica takes point and Jindrax brings up the rear, the Princess between them-- pillars are falling now, and the rocks slipping from the ceiling are boulders instead of pebbles. Either the way out is different than the way in or Toxica took a wrong turn, but she leads the trio into the chamber of the Nexus we're most familiar with-- and Master Org is there, eyes closed, floating, seemingly meditating. They can't help staring, Jindrax half-panicked and Shayla pointing out that if Master Org stays there, he'll be destroyed-- but Jindrax notices that Master Org is crumbling to sand. The three beat feet back into the corridors of the Nexus, away from Master Org-- even if there were anything to be gained by saving him, it's hard to save a heap of sand.
They aren't exactly racing ahead of the destruction, but racing through it-- pillars and stones fall around them and between them. They leap for the exit just as everything collapses and explodes behind them, rocks falling and sealing the Nexus for good while Jindrax, Toxica, and Princess Shayla fall face-first into the sand. The Rangers catch up to them and de-morph just as the three get back to their feet.
The Red Ranger muses that the battle with the Orgs is finally over-- but Jindrax disagrees. They're the most powerful Orgs in the world now, and they didn't say it was over. Toxica confirms it-- it's only over when they say it's over.
Luckily, they say it's over.
They tell the Rangers that they're going to hit the road and 'find themselves,' and Jindrax apologizes to the Yellow Ranger-- their famous rivalry is finally at an end. Although this is apparently the first the Yellow Ranger has heard of any kind of rivalry, she agrees that, uh, yeah, Jindrax was a worthy opponent. The Black Ranger is cut off in the middle of offering the two Orgs an open invitation to the Animarium, and Merrick can't believe a war that's lasted three thousand years is ending like this. He'll have to hibernate another three thousand years, Jindrax informs him, if he wants to see them again. The Princess thanks them one last time for saving her, everyone nods, and the Orgs stroll off into the sunset.
Jindrax confesses it felt kinda good helping somebody for a change, but when Toxica warns him not to get used to it, he tells her not to worry; he's got a short memory span and will totally forget it by tomorrow.)
39. The End of the Power Rangers, Part 1, part one, part two
(The only Org in this episode and the next is Master Org. It's a big final battle with a cliffhanger in the middle.)
40. The End of the Power Rangers, Part 2, part one, part two
(The rest of the final battle and its denoument. Originally, Jindrax and Toxica were slated to have a scene at the end hanging out in a zoo, but it was cut. And it's a damn shame too, as Jindrax apparently decides he wants to feed the elephants and figures the beans from Toxica's staff are close enough to peanuts to do the job.)
(In the Nexus, Toxica serves Mandilok fresh computer parts marinated in motor oil, delicately served on a white china plate. Mandilok declares them delicious, but doesn't tell us if he plans to eat the plate, too. Jindrax tries to please their new Master's gourmet palate by offering up a rusty muffler-- which Mandilok waves off with disgust, noting that he only eats fresh food. Jindrax sniffs the muffler and has to agree that it is pretty ripe, but his apology is met with being called worthless, and shooed out of the main chamber of the Nexus.
In some quiet, dry-ice filled hallway, Jindrax sulks, throwing his apron aside. He feels like he can't do anything right, especially compared to Toxica, who can cook and make Orgs grow-- what can he do? He slumps, depressed, then decides that at times like this, you need your family around. He sets out at a run to find his brother and start a new team.
Jindrax finds Juggelo by a waterfront somewhere, happily juggling, um. People. (Five of them. And he gets some really good air.) He's overjoyed to see Jindrax, dropping his assistants to run up to him-- but he apologizes because he doesn't have any money to give his brother. Jindrax isn't there for money (this time), but to team up again and take over-- the world, he says, could be theirs for the taking. Juggelo is thrilled, and says that Jindrax can be the clown, and he'll be the juggler, and together they can be Team Title Drop Carnival! Jindrax is offended that Juggelo thinks he looks like a clown. (He looks like Clopin from Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame and the Goblin King from Labyrinth had a highly improbable bony-faced lovechild, but he doesn't look like a clown.)
The pair spot the Yellow Ranger in her civvies heading into an amusement park (after the Blue Ranger and Kite, who she's supposed to be keeping an eye on). Jindrax informs Juggelo that she's his long-time rival-- she does use a sword-- and starts for the gate after her. Juggelo stops him. They can't just walk in there looking... like themselves, because everyone will recognize Team Carnival, despite the fact that it formed up about five minutes ago. Jindrax declares it good thinking, anyway, and they mug a couple of costumed mascots for their clothes-- giving us Jindrax in a bunny suit and Juggelo dressed as a panda.
Jindrax's first chance to do in the Yellow Ranger comes when she gets off a roller coaster the boys dragged her onto-- but his knife sails harmlessly over her head as she bends over a planter to hurl. (She's not good at roller coasters.) He gets another chance when she bogarts a whack-a-mole style game featuring alligators-- but she moves and ducks and bobs and weaves so much (playing whack-a-mole, seriously) that every single knife misses. And nobody notices the knife-wielding costumed "employee," either. Jindrax announces he needs a break, so the brothers head off to get the two boys first-- since the Blue Ranger and Kite wandered off when the Yellow Ranger took over their game. All three of them leave heading different directions but looking for the same two goof-offs-- and the Yellow Ranger walks right past an ad for a spinning teacup ride with nineteen of Jindrax's knives stuck in it.
Kite spots a roller coaster with no line and runs right for it, despite the Blue Ranger saying that there's no one there. There's a cart stopped at the entrance, though, and Kite climbs right in-- only to be trapped by the safety bar and surrounded by a herd of suddenly-appearing Putrids. The Blue Ranger runs for him, but a guy in a panda costume cartwheels in front of him, blocking his path, and kicking him around when he tries to rush him and get to Kite. Suddenly there's a bunny, too, and the Blue Ranger has no idea what the heck is going on here. Jindrax and Juggelo strip out of their disguises ... eventually, after a bit of slapsticky nonsense (slapsticky nonsense is a free action). Jindrax introduces Juggelo as his younger brother, and they declare themselves Team Carnival just as the Yellow Ranger catches up to everyone.
So there's a fight scene, with Jindrax and Juggelo performing a lot of acrobatic nonsense and juggling Jindrax's knives around the two Rangers, kicking up sparks but not drawing blood. The Rangers turn the tables, naturally, and seem to have the brothers on the ropes until Jindrax reveals Team Carnival's secret weapon-- "Run away!"
It's actually a strategic retreat, since Jindrax and Juggelo head straight for the roller coaster where Kite is still trapped, surrounded by Putrids. Jindrax grabs Kite's wrist and makes the Rangers an offer they can't refuse-- drop their weapons or Kite leaves with the Orgs. The two Rangers drop their weapons, and Juggelo attacks them by juggling clubs in their general direction, then pulling out a sword of his own when they finally collapse. As he advances, the other three Rangers turn up and blast Juggelo, each with a brand new weapon. Jindrax sets the Putrids on the Rangers, and soon everybody's fighting everybody and Kite is freed and herded in the general direction of safety. The Rangers combine their new weapons into one big mega-weapon (they do it a lot with their usual weapons, too), the Jungle Blaster, and fire on Juggelo-- who falls and explodes into the usual smear of green foamy goo.
Jindrax is distraught, and although he hates to do it to his brother, he whips out Toxica's staff (no word on where he was hiding that thing) and casts the usual spell, the staff spitting out the beans for him just as reliably as it does for Toxica. Blah blah giant robot stock footage form the head, and Juggelo throws a hula hoop at the Wild Force Megazord-- which the Rangers promptly slice to pieces, prompting the now-giant Juggelo to sulk, "That wasn't very nice!" Juggelo doesn't do very well toe-to-toe with the Wild Force Megazord, even huge, and bellows apologies to Jindrax. Toxica spots him with her staff, and stomps up to him snarling that she's been looking everywhere for it. Jindrax just tosses it back, assuring her (in a softer voice than usual) that he's got what he needs.
What he needs is a handful of beans, and Toxica is shocked at his plan-- he's going to eat them himself, grow, and help his brother defeat the Rangers. Toxica grabs his hand trying desperately to stop him-- the beans are dangerous! If he grows, she says, he can never return-- it will be his end. Jindrax throws her aside, claiming he has to do it, he has to prove that he's worth something. He swallows the beans despite Toxica shrieking her protests, and sounds a lot like Super Jindrax once he's twenty stories tall. When you're Team Carnival, you're Team Carnival for life.
He and Juggelo repeat their juggle-knives-around-the-volunteer trick, only more aiming to cut the hell out of the Wild Force Megazord instead of wow the audience. The Rangers worry that the Megazord can't take much more of this, but just as Juggelo comes at them with his foil again, a Crescent Boomerang comes out of nowhere. Yes, we have six Rangers, and Merrick has arrived in the Predazord to save everyone's bacon. (He does that a lot.) The Megazord backhands Jindrax as he rushes to help or protect Juggelo, and Merrick hits Juggelo with another one of his special attacks, softening him up so that the Megazord can take him out with the Soul Cannon, for good.
Jindrax is distraught enough to drop his knives, wailing "How could this happen?" The Megazord and the Predazord round on him, but Jindrax draws his sword and rushes them, meaning to avenge his brother-- but as he raises his sword to strike, he lets out a hell of a belch and starts losing his strength. And shrinking, dropping off the Rangers' radar. I swear the Wild Force Megazord shrugs.
Toxica finds Jindrax sitting in a warehouse somewhere, picking at his gloves, mourning. Mandilok, he says, was right. Jindrax is worthless. Toxica assures him he isn't, and that he was very brave to eat those beans to help Juggelo-- and she's proud of him. It's enough to make Jindrax decide to carry on Team Carnival, because that's what Juggelo would've wanted-- and hopefully says that he has his best friend to help him. Toxica agrees, and the two link arms and head off. They're a team, after all.
Of note: We see Jindrax's jaw move for the first time as he casts the spell to make Juggelo grow, and again when he moves to swallow the beans. It moves a few more times during the fight with the Megazords.)
31. Taming of the Wild Zords, part one, part two
(In an alley somewhere in Turtle Cove, the Lion Tamer Org tries to tame a calico cat, who is having none of this. Jindrax and Toxica walk up, with Jindrax complaining that this Org can't help him get his revenge on the Rangers, since he can't even tame a kitten! The Lion Tamer Org says that he couldn't tame the cat because it was too small-- he can only tame big animals. He's in luck, because Toxica knows where to find five big animals he can tame, calling into question Toxica's ability to count. (Six Power Rangers. Six. With, at last count, seventeen Wild Zords between them.)
Granted, only five Rangers show up first, and the Lion Tamer Org really can get them to jump through hoops, although the effect is fleeting and seems linked to the crack of his whip. Jindrax and Toxica are ecstatc-- they can, Jindrax decides, use a talent like his on Team Carnival. Toxica suggests that if the Lion Tamer Org were bigger, he could even tame the Rangers' Wild Zords, and offers him a handful of beans to that end. The Lion Tamer Org is understandably a little wary about accepting magical food from strangers, and you don't get much stranger than Jindrax and Toxica. Although Jindrax tries to reassure him that he ate the beans and he's back to his beautiful self, in the end they just stuff the beans down the poor mook's gullet.
Toxica sweetly suggests that the Rangers call the Wild Force Megazord, and for some insane reason (despite having at least two more powerful basic combinations), the Rangers take her advice. Now, usually, stock footage is a free action, but this time, before the five default Wild Zords (Eagle, Tiger, Shark, Bison, and Lion-- yeah, you see where this is going) can combine, the Lion Tamer Org cracks his whip and sends the Red Lion jumping through a giant flaming hoop in the middle of the street to the cheers of his fellow Orgs and the astonishment of the Rangers. The Red Ranger briefly snaps the Lion out of it, but on the Lion Tamer Org's orders, the Wild Zords combine into the Wild Force Megazord. Toxica suggests she and Jindrax go get some good seats (and Jindrax, in keeping with the theme, wants cotton candy, too).
Predictably, the Lion Tamer Org orders the Megazord to destroy the Rangers. The Red Ranger again tries to reach out to the Lion, which works for a second, until the Yellow Ranger congratulates him on it, distracting the Red Ranger (who, remember, can talk to animals and read the truth in people's hearts, so he might not just be talking to the Lion) and letting the Org's spell take full effect again-- but the Megazord's sword is blocked by the Predazord's sword... staff... alligator-toothed thingy, because Merrick has arrived in the Predazord to save the other Rangers' bacon. Again. (Six, Toxica. You have to count to six to make sure you're getting all the Rangers.)
Jindrax and Toxica's idea of 'good seats' is a high-rise rooftop, where they've set themselves up as sports commentators, glibly narrating the fight between the Wild Force Megazord and the Predazord. The Lion Tamer Org tries to control the Predazord and fails-- Toxica informs us that it's probably because the Predazord still has a pilot.
To make a long story short, giant robots fight each other for a good long while, Toxica gets smacked with a giant banana, the Lion Tamer Org is a viable threat, all six Rangers are knocked from their cockpits, and just when it looks like Wild Force episode 32 will be the first episode of Team Carnival's Action Comedy Half-Hour, the Duke Orgs spot Kite running toward the unmanned and bespelled Zords. Kite urges the giant robots to remember that they're friends who shouldn't be fighting. He repeats "Remember!" over and over again, with a dramatic wind blowing through his hair. The Megazords come to their senses, and refuse to obey the Lion Tamer Org anymore-- and Kite passes out. The Rangers rejoin their Zords and destroy the Lion Tamer Org, because that's kind of their job. Jindrax and Toxica run for their lives, but not before Jindrax grabs his microphone and knocks on the fourth wall to inform us, "This concludes our broadcast.")
32. Monitoring Earth, part one, part two
(You know that amnesiac kid, Kite, who turned up out of nowhere and keeps running toward the monsters and breaking spells on Megazords? Well, he's really angry about the state of the environment, and when he got so mad he ran away from the Rangers, he ran into Mandilok, Jindrax, and Toxica while taking a stroll through the never-before-seen polluted side of Turtle Cove. Mandilok leads the kid to the mother of all landfills under a roiling red sky, calling it the 'human wasteland,' miles and miles of trash that humans created. Mandilok claims it is the only thing humans have accomplished in three thousand years. (To be entirely fair, Mandilok is being pretty generous-- humans didn't start seriously polluting the earth or making tons of non-biodegradeable garbage until the Industrial Revolution. But Mandilok was sealed up in a statue locked up in a tomb, so maybe he doesn't really know.) He promises Kite that Orgs are not to blame for this terrible mess, and that they never would have arisen if mankind had taken better care of the planet. Orgs, Mandilok swears, kneeling next to Kite, are not Kite's enemies.
Jindrax and Toxica hold a whispered conversation about all that-- Jindrax can't fathom why Mandilok is being so nice to the boy. He's human, and Orgs aren't nice to humans. Toxica explains that Mandilok thinks Kite may be the most powerful human of all, and wants him on their side. That's a brand of genius Jindrax can appreciate.
The four witness a new Org arise from the junk, apparently spawning around e-waste, with several screens (and something that could be a really big speaker or a window-mount air conditioner) featuring prominently. Mandilok informs Kite, possibly truthfully, that humans created Orgs, and humans are the reason Orgs are here.
Turtle Cove apparently takes its pee-wee soccer seriously, because there's a jumbotron in the stadium where a team of elementary school students were playing a championship game. When the Rangers arrive at the stadium, they see that both teams and all the spectators have been sucked into the jumbotron's monitor by the Monitor Org, who claims he's going to do the same to all humans. Mandilok stands with Monitor Org and greets the Rangers cordially, pointing out that the Orgs ran into an old friend of theirs that morning. Kite stands impassively between Jindrax and Toxica, refusing to move when the Rangers urge him to run. Kite is still angry that the Rangers don't do anything to stop humanity from polluting, and when Merrick calls it nonsense, Jindrax says that Mandilok just showed Kite the truth. Certain they have to save Kite for his own good (er, okay), the Yellow Ranger launches herself at the Monitor Org, and the two fly up into the air and crash-land at a construction site near the stadium. The rest of the Rangers, Kite, and the Orgs show up before very long, the Rangers still refusing to believe Kite isn't the Orgs' hostage.
As the Monitor Org fights with the Rangers, an an explosion throws an SUV at Kite, Mandilok, Jindrax, and Toxica. Although the Orgs duck and cover, Kite just starts to glow, stopping the skidding car with one outstretched hand. While the Rangers are busy hoping Kite is okay (instead of running to see if he is or not), Kite smacks the SUV with the flat of his hand, sending it flying toward the Rangers, scattering them. Mandilok is impressed.
The Rangers take out the Monitor Org for being an annoying distraction from the plot, releasing all the very confused people he'd trapped in various screens. Mandilok orders Toxica to revive the Monitor Org to 'prove' to Kite that the Rangers use their Wild Zords to do their dirty work. Oh, pity the poor Zords, forced to slave away for humans just like the humans who are polluting the Earth. Merrick protests, informing Kite that the Orgs are not his friends, so Jindrax and Toxica attack him, although they don't slow him down for long. Kite won't listen to Merrick, either, and throws him yards away by just shrugging Merrick's hand off his shoulder.
When the Rangers defeat the Monitor Org, Mandilok deploys a remote control bug that will take control of the Megazord away from the Rangers. (Hey, it worked when Jindrax did it.) Jindrax and Toxica are fending off Merrick again when Mandilok kneels (the same way all Orgs kneel) next to Kite and tells tells him that the Wild Force Megazord is on their side now, so it's time for Kite to show them all who he really is. Kite nods and takes a few silent steps forward-- and a few more steps out into thin air, floating and then flying, breaking apart into five animal crystals, which transform into five Wild Zords, which combine into Animus.
Mandilok is thrilled-- Animus is working for the Orgs!-- but Animus cuts that line of thinking short in a hurry. He won't fight for Orgs or humanity, because as far as he's concerned nobody on the planet deserves his help. Mandilok sees this as good reason to destroy Mandilok, using his remote control to force the Wild Force Megazord to attack Animus. Naturally, Animus destroys the bug controlling the Megazord, and the Orgs beat a hasty retreat.)
33. The Soul of Humanity, part one, part two
(Jindrax doesn't witness the entire length of this episode, thankfully. However, he and Toxica are both thrilled, practically dancing around each other in the Nexus-- look how much Mandilok has done for Orgs! Animus is gone, the Rangers have no Zords... Jindrax is clearly a genius for thinking up the plan to find Mandilok, even though that was totally Toxica's idea. Mandilok stops the game of 'was too!' versus 'was not!' but is just as thrilled that their next fight with the Rangers will be the Rangers' last fight.
This week's fledgling Org spawns around a tin-toy robot who keeps repeating a B-picture classic DESTROY ALL HUMANS while attacking a construction site full of innocent bystanders. When the Rangers turn up to fight him, Mandilok, Jindrax, and Toxica are watching-- and Mandilok laughs in their faces.
Robot Org has the Rangers on the ropes in part due to being willing to blast a building down around their heads. Wisely, the innocent bystanders in hardhats flee, although one woman and a girl and her puppy are still trapped. Mandilok monologues about that, flanked by Jindrax and Toxica. Humans, Mandilok insists, only care about themselves. Though there are sirens in the background, the people who fled a moment ago come running back into the burning warehouse to help the trapped construction worker, young girl, and puppy while the Rangers lay exhausted on the ground. Surprisingly, Mandilok does not blast the lot of them. As the Rangers get to their feet, the humans flee again, but this time they only leave the Rangers behind to fight the Orgs.
Before the Toy Robot Org can destroy the Rangers, Merrick recovers from a crisis of conscience to save them-- and his Zords defy Animus to save him, giving him enough strength to destroy the Toy Robot Org single-handedly, and the Predazord to fight the revived Toy Robot Org, dramatically lit by the setting sun. Animus returns to join Merrick in defeating the Toy Robot Org, and while we don't hear anything more from Orgs in this episode, it's worth mentioning that apparently taking the Wild Zords from the Rangers was all a big test or something.)
34. Forever Red, part one, part two
(Ten years worth of Red Rangers go to the moon. There are no Orgs in this episode, and it creates a continuity snarl.)
35. The Master's Herald, Part 1, part one, part two
(In the Nexus, Mandilok throws a temper tantrum-- the Rangers were powerless, he had them right where they wanted, and clearly Jindrax and Toxica have personally failed him! When Toxica protests that Animus came back and rescued the Rangers, Mandilok belts both Duke Orgs in the gut. Real Duke Orgs, he says, would never have allowed that to happen, and he wants the pair of them out of his sight. Toxica continues trying to protest, but is smacked again for her trouble. Toxica takes off at a run, stricken, and Jindrax bolts after her.
Jindrax and Toxica have hied themselves off to the woods, with Jindrax pacing and ranting about Animus while Toxica sits on a fallen log, despondent. Onikage, a ninja Org with one horn, appears, greeting them mildly as "Fellow Duke Orgs." They're wary (but then, the last time they dealt with a black-clad Duke Org in the forest, it was Zen-Aku), but he reasonably outlines a plan for the pair to win back favor with Mandilok-- bring him Princess Shayla. Jindrax points out that they can't go to the Animarium, because the Wild Zords would slice and dice them, but Onikage assures them that he can get all three of them in and out undetected. "Since you put it that way, let's go!"
Toxica expresses her doubts, and Onikage shrugs them off-- he could do the whole thing himself, but thought he'd do them a favor. He turns to leave. Somehow, despite the fact that he has no mouth and only one eye, his expression comes off as incredibly smug when Toxica asks him to wait-- to count them in.
It's night on the Animarium, and Onikage quietly instructs Jindrax and Toxica to split up. Before long, Toxica's screaming gathers everyone-- the Rangers and Jindrax, at first-- as she's touched the water in the sacred pond (don't ask) and discovered that it really really hurts. She seemed less incapacitated when Master Org was torturing her with lightning. Jindrax rushes to her side, asking if she's all right, and before the Rangers can ask what the hell the Duke Orgs are wearing (since Jindrax is in a ninja costume and Toxica is in stompy boots, fence-net tights, a black leather miniskirt, a belly shirt, and a rambo-style headband), Onikage appears between the two groups... and 'compliments' the Rangers' pajamas. When the Rangers recover from that, Jindrax points out that the Black Ranger has a teddy bear.
The Princess appears, flowing out of the pond in a whirl of blue pixie dust, is grabbed by Onikage, rescued by the Red Ranger, and handed the Black Ranger's teddy bear so that the Rangers can morph. Onikage opts to leave in a flash of smoke rather than risk a fight-- his ninja outfits can apparently get them in and out any time they want, so he can afford to wait.
In the Nexus, Mandilok is furious at Toxica again, this time for ruining Onikage's plan. Ignorance that the sacred water would hurt her is no excuse, and Mandilok calls her worthless and sends her away again, and again Jindrax goes after her, though this time at more of a sidle than a run.
When Toxica finally settles somewhere, Jindrax crouches beside her to promise that anybody could've made that mistake-- but Toxica knows Mandilok won't see it that way, and she's sure he hates her and will never trust her again. Onikage interrupts-- it isn't true, Mandilok still believes in her and is willing to give her another chance. Toxica leaps at the opportunity, leaving with Onikage.
Onikage lures the Rangers away from the Animarium so Toxica can have a chance at the princess again, but the Rangers figure out the trick and run back-- only to be stopped at a river by Jindrax (in his ninja costume) and a bunch of Putrids. 'Stopped' may be too strong a word-- more like 'slowed down.' When Onikage believes the Rangers have been slowed enough, he puts a stop to the fight with something like a steampunk bazooka-- causing an explosion that only Jindrax gets up from easily. He can't believe Onikage would attack Orgs-- well, Org and Putrids-- and when Onikage calmly explains that a ninja will do anything to complete his mission, Jindrax... well, he leaves, and leaves hard.
He doesn't appear to have any hard feelings, though, because in the next scene, he's waiting for Toxica with Mandilok... and Onikage. Only Jindrax appears at all antsy, assuring Mandilok that she'll be there. And she does come, if a little slowly, hauling a tied-up Princess Shayla with her. Jindrax is overjoyed to see her-- at least until her vision blurs and she falls to her hands and knees, at which point he notices that her horn has been cut off. She's exhausted and panting, but tells Jindrax not to worry-- 'they' said it will grow back. Jindrax has apparently never heard about that before, and asks Mandilok for confirmation... and fails to get it. Onikage lies and says he has no idea what Toxica is talking about, even though he's the one who told her that her horn would grow back after he cut it off so that the sacred pond water wouldn't hurt her. Toxica crawls toward Mandilok and Onikage, then faints. Jindrax desperately tries to wake her, shaking her shoulder and pleading with her, all the gravel gone out of his voice.
Princess Shayla, who has just been standing there and watching this whole scene, despite the fact that nobody's been holding her ropes, is appalled and can't believe Mandilok would use his own friends like that-- but Mandilok scoffs. Toxica is no friend of his. Jindrax stands, bewildered and bordering on aghast-- they're all Orgs, right? They're all on the same team... Mandilok orders him to be silent and stalks toward the princess, but Toxica isn't quite done for and grabbs at Mandilok's ankle as he passes. (It doesn't bite her. It could.) She hauls herself to her knees and begs him to say he didn't mean that-- and Mandilok is surprised she's still alive, but not particularly affected by it. He nudges her away and Jindrax darts for her as she falls-- but is distracted by the Rangers approaching at a dead run. Mandilok refuses to release the princess, so the Rangers combine their weapons into the Jungle Blaster and fire on Mandilok-- who grabs Toxica from the ground and uses her as an inhuman shield.
The Jungle Blaster destroys her utterly, not even a film of green foam left behind, just the severed horn she dropped. Jindrax drops to his knees and cradles it, mourning. Even the Rangers are baffled, but Mandilok orders Onikage to take care of the Rangers and Jindrax to take the princess away. Now. Jindrax can only stare for a moment, but Mandilok said now and he meant now, so Jindrax scrambles to collect Toxica's staff and Princess Shayla's 'leash' (not that she needs one, she just stood there the whole time) and disappears with her in a flash of purple.
Of note, Onikage kneels before Mandilok just like all the other Orgs (and Merrick) kneel. Also, though Jindrax wasn't there for it so doesn't know, Mandilok greets him as "Ah, Onikage, the famous ninja!" If you're a famous ninja, aren't you doing it wrong? Then again, Mandilok recognizes Onikage while Jindrax and Toxica don't, despite all four of them having been around for the war with Animaria...)
36. The Master's Herald, Part 2, part one, part two
(At night, Jindrax sits alone on the shore of the lake, downcast. He mourns Toxica-- she was with him for centuries, and when she was betrayed by her own people there was nothing he could to do help her. He pulls out Nayzor's mirror, holding it in one hand and Toxica's horn in the other. He's lost, not knowing who he can trust anymore.
The next day, Onikage leads Mandilok and Jindrax-- who has the dubious honor of towing Shayla, although for some reason she's walking ahead of him-- to a rock quarry near the river. The Rangers will meet them there. They've set the perfect trap, with the perfect bait. Onikage kneels, and offers to hold Mandilok's weapon so that he can relax and enjoy his victory with free hands. Mandilok accepts this easily-- and then the Rangers arrive, right on time. Onikage enchants the Rangers' shadows so that they're forced to fight themselves-- they can't destroy their shadows without destroying themselves.
Jindrax watches, and it's with far less than his usual bounce that he tells Shayla she can't help them. Mandilok congratulates Onikage-- the Rangers walked right into his trap! Onikage modestly says that he is but a humble ninja, serving his one true master. Of course, then he stands and turns away from Mandilok, looking expectantly at some point behind Jindrax.
Master Org reappears.
Mandilok is offended-- this human with the fake horn is still mocking Orgs? But when he blasts it, Master Org's horn absorbs and redistributes the energy, and Jindrax realizes this horn is real-- at which point he ducks behind Shayla. Mandilok demands Onikage give him his weapon, but Onikage only smacks his hand away and instead gives Master Org Mandilok's weapon... just as Master Org ordered. Onikage admits he's already gotten rid of Toxica, but thought it best to save the main course-- Mandilok-- for Master Org. Mandilok refuses to bow to anyone, and Master Org destroys him in one blast.
Master Org congratulates Onikage, his loyal ninja, who has done so much to eliminate the traitors-- but Onikage demurrs. He isn't done yet. There's one traitor left... He draws his sword and advances on Jindrax.
Despite the fact that he's still hiding behind her, Shayla tells Jindrax to run. Jindrax tries to talk Onikage out of it, but can't think of anything more convincing than 'you don't have to do this.' He gives up, grumbles "Why me?" grabs Princess Shayla, and disappears with her.
Wherever Jindrax runs, though, he can still hear Master Org calling after him-- he has nowhere to run. Return to the Nexus, bring the Princess back now, and Jindrax will be forgiven. Nevertheless, Jindrax has to think the offer over, sitting on a log, staring at Nayzor's mirror and Toxica's horn. Shayla, who will never be an Olympic Running Away medalist, tries to get him to talk-- suggesting he misses Toxica, and thanking him for saving her from Master Org. Jindrax rounds on her for that, because he didn't save her for her, he saved her for him. She's his bargaining chip. But Toxica was his only friend, and Shayla-- whose entire culture is gone, except for Merrick-- says she knows what he's going through, and that she's sorry.
The pair trudge through the woods, Jindrax towing the Princess behind him, rambling about how for years, he and Toxica were the only Orgs around, how they kept the dream of Org rule alive, but now... look at him, he doesn't even know who he is. Even if Shayla thinks his confusion is because Jindrax has finally realized Orgs can't be trusted, Jindrax is still an Org-- still one of them. He's got no choice but to go back to Master Org. The princess worries what Master Org will do to Jindrax, but Jindrax is willing to trust Master Org's offer of forgiveness-- he can't run forever. They'll find him eventually...
Which is the perfect opening, since Onikage already has. Jindrax tries to reassure him that they were already on their way back to Master Org, but Onikage is unmoved-- Master Org only wants one of them back-- and attacks Jindrax to make perfectly clear which one that is. Jindrax takes a couple of good hits and gets a couple of good hits in before protesting that Master Org said he was forgiven... which Onikage can't believe Jindrax believed. For a while they seem evenly matched with swords, but Onikage snatches Jindrax's blade away and throws him to the ground-- but before Onikage can run Jindrax through, Shayla (who is so bad at running for her life) tackles Onikage, knocking him aside.
Onikage still knocks an explosion at Jindrax anyway, sending him crashing-- and flashing, exploding-- to the ground, hurt but not dead. However, the Princess is clearly the greater prize, and he tells her Jindrax isn't worth saving before hauling her back to Master Org.
Jindrax follows, and lets Master Org have it-- verbally. He's fed up with being an Org, this is ridiculous, he can't trust anyone-- especially Master Org. For three thousand years, they waited for his return, only to have him destroy and betray everyone around him, even the Duke Orgs who would do anything for him. Master Org is beyond evil-- he has no heart, and has destroyed Jindrax's faith in Orgs. Jindrax falls to his knees, exhausted, and Master Org tells Onikage to put him out of his misery.
Despite the fact that that suicide-by-ninja was pretty much the only way his tirade could end, Jindrax scrambles away, but stumbles and falls. Onikage announces that he can now destroy Jindrax with his own shadow... but when he goes to work the spell, Jindrax holds up Nayzor's mirror as a shield (apparently it's also Chekov's mirror), bouncing the spell back at Onikage and turning Onikage's shadow against him, instead. (And Jindrax can't quite believe he did it.)
The Red Ranger siezes the moment, attacking Onikage's shadow and destroying it-- destroying him, and breaking the spell on their own shadows. However, Master Org doesn't need Toxica to make Orgs grow, reviving Onikage and ordering him to do his ultimate ninja trick-- removing the Rangers from this world. Master Org disappears with the screaming princess, and Onikage's katana splits the sky as a massive hand reaches through to grab the Rangers and pull them into the Spirit World-- the Org afterlife.
Apparently revenge against Jindrax isn't important enough for Master Org to bother with.)
37. Fishing for a Friend, part one, part two
(Unable to return to the Nexus, Jindrax is holed up in a warehouse, wishing Toxica were there-- because if Master Org ever finds him, he's history. He hears a thud from behind a stack of crates and panics-- but it's just a cat, and he can breathe again. He pulls out Nayzor's mirror again, musing that if Toxica were there, he wouldn't be so afraid. Faintly, he seems to hear her voice calling his name. After looking everywhere but down, he finally realizes she's speaking to him through the mirror Nayzor had so often used to spy on Zen-Aku. Toxica says that she's in the Spirit World, but that Jindrax can help her-- the power that sent her there is the power that can bring her back. She tells him she's counting on him, then disappears, leaving only Jindrax's reflection in the mirror. Jindrax shakes the mirror like an Etch-a-Sketch, trying to get her to reappear, but calms down and resolves to get her out of there-- that he won't let her down. He stashes Nayzor's mirror under a blanket in a corner and heads into town at a run.
He strolls through a mini-mall in broad daylight in his usual form, musing on the power that destroyed Toxica-- as we saw two episodes ago, Toxica was destroyed by the Rangers' Jungle Blaster, and Jindrax figures that if he can get them to fire that at Toxica's severed horn (which, like his own knives, Nayzor's mirror, and sometimes Toxica's staff, Jindrax seems to carry with him and only pull out when it's plot-relevant), it will absorb the energy and he can use the powered-up horn to bring Toxica back. He happily declares himself a genius, to the confusion of a passing shopper. Lucky for Jindrax, he has stopped right outside a sporting goods store, and ducks inside. He chooses a fishing pole and some extra strong lines and declares himself set, except for tricking the Rangers into blasting Toxica's horn-- which is a big worry, because Jindrax doesn't want to have to fight them all by himself.
He's about to stroll on out of the store when the cashier (or possibly owner), whose nametag reads Mike, stops him-- isn't he going to pay for that? Jindrax, Duke of Orgs, Master of Blades, sets his purchases on the counter and fishes out his wallet. His shiny silver pleather wallet with hot pink stars. He is unfortunately fresh out of cash, but Mike takes credit. Jindrax whips out an Org Express card with his name on it. His name and photo. (Apparently, it expires in 2022.)
Jindrax spots the Rangers fighting Locomotive Org, another newbie, at the railroad yards, and is quietly delighted-- Locomotive Org can do all the fighting for him! Jindrax just has to sit back and wait for the Rangers to combine their weapons into the Jungle Blaster. However, the Rangers aren't exactly on the ball here, and the very physically powerful Locomotive Org beats the crap out of them as Jindrax watches. (It doesn't help that he can shrug off the Rangers' individual attacks.) Jindrax can't believe the day he's having...
So he leaps out in front of the Locomotive Org, who is duly impressed to see a Duke Org, while the Rangers are flat on their faces on the ground. Merrick concludes they don't stand a chance against Jindrax and the Locomotive Org. The Locomotive Org volunteers to destroy the Rangers for Jindrax, but Jindrax draws his sword and insists that the Rangers are his-- and then rounds on the Locomotive Org, slashing at him with his sword and then holds the Locomotive Org, urging the Rangers to shoot him... with their Jungle Blaster. And hurry, because he can't hold the Locomotive Org forever.
The Rangers open fire (they're very susceptible to taking advice) and Jindrax sticks Toxica's horn in the beam just long enough to power it up, although he gets caught in the Locomotive Org's blast as he's destroyed. Jindrax isn't hurt, though, and Toxica's horn is glowing-- Jindrax has everything he needs to bring her back! However, when the Rangers thank him for helping them, Jindrax insists he was only helping himself, then whips out Toxica's staff to make the fallen Locomotive Org grow. This is not Jindrax's brightest move ever, considering he just got that Org blown up into a smear of goop, and the Locomotive Org tries to stomp on him. Jindrax runs for his life, informing the Locomotive Org that he's lucky Jindrax has something more important to do right now.
Jindrax returns to the warehouse and sets Nayzor's mirror, glass up, on the floor. He ties fishing line around Toxica's horn, and uses the pole to lower the horn into the mirror. The tip passes into it like water, to Jindrax's amazement-- it's going in (that's what she said)! He slowly lowers the horn into the Spirit World, hoping this experiment works.
Eventually, when Jindrax appears to be running low on fishing line, there's a tug on the line. Immediately he starts reeling the line in, and it doesn't take long at all for Toxica to pop out of the mirror, right as rain. She and Jindrax run towards each other, and though they stop short of a hug, they clasp hands-- she knew he could do it, and he's so glad she's back. Jindrax tenderly touches Toxica's cheek, then scoops her up into his arms and spins around, overjoyed.
That night, they're back on the swingset again, Toxica just sitting, but Jindrax swinging back and forth-- she's back. Now what? Jindrax couldn't think of anything while Toxica was gone, but admits she was always the brains of the operation anyway. Toxica points out that he figured out how to revive her. They need, Toxica declares, to start looking out for themselves. It's time for a change. She stands and strides off, and Jindrax chases after her-- don't change without him!)
38. Sealing the Nexus, part one, part two
(Jindrax and Toxica walk along a dirt road in the badlands somewhere, with Jindrax asking where they'll hide from Master Org now. She doesn't offer an option besides that they can't go back to the Nexus-- that's too dangerous. The bright side, Jindrax says, is that they don't have to worry about the Rangers bothering them, since they're so busy trying to rescue Princess Shayla from Master Org. Toxica, having been dead at the time, is shocked to hear that Master Org still has the princess captive-- which means he still has the princess's necklace. Jindrax has no idea why they'd care, so Toxica explains with that much power, Master Org will be able to do whatever he wants, including finding the two wayward Duke Orgs wherever they are. So much for hiding. Luckily, Toxica already has a plan.
This plan involves Jindrax approaching the Rangers as they search for Princess Shayla to tell them that he knows what they're looking for, but they won't find it here-- and then taking off running. So really, it's a fairly ballsy plan. Jindrax leads them into a shallow valley, and tells the Rangers that he's not there to fight, but they're wasting their time looking for the Nexus-- it's protected by a forcefield, and on top of that, they'll never find it... unless the Rangers listen to what they have to say. Toxica's reappearance catches the Rangers off-guard, and they start to suspect a trick, but the Orgs won't be distracted-- Master Org has done something that concerns all of them.
The Rangers de-morph, and Merrick asks exactly what it is the Duke Orgs want. Toxica assures him they want the same thing the Rangers want-- to rescue the Princess. Naturally, the Rangers don't trust them. At all. Jindrax shrugs and reminds them that the longer they wait, the worse it will get for their princess. The Red Ranger looks at them for a moment, then closes his eyes and appears to listen to... the silence, or maybe the soundtrack. It's crazy, but he thinks Jindrax and Toxica really do want to help. (Even crazier because the last two times he tried to listen to Orgs' hearts, he discovered that Orgs don't have hearts-- or at least Master Org and the Wire Org don't.) The other Rangers stare at the Red Ranger, but Merrick only asks that the Duke Orgs tell them what they need to do.
Toxica explains that the Nexus is a maze that only Orgs can navigate, first of all, and second, when Master Org returned most recently, he set up a force field to prevent anyone from reaching the princess (so apparently Jindrax and Toxica already tried to sneak in on their own to discover that). Jindrax jumps in, explaining that the force field Master Org is using is powered by three statues. If the Rangers can find and destroy the statues, the force field will fail, and Jindrax and Toxica can get inside to rescue the Princess. Toxica tells the Rangers to look for the pillars of light in the sky to find the statues, and warns them the statues may be guarded. The Yellow Ranger isn't happy about having to trust them, and warns them that if this is a trick... Jindrax tells her to save her threats, and the eight of them split up-- two Rangers to search for each statue, and the Orgs to go camp outside the Nexus, waiting for the force field to fall.
The Orgs get the sweeter end of this deal, although Jindrax does try to rush the Nexus prematurely, getting a nasty shock and ending up flat on his back for his trouble.
In due time, however, the Rangers destroy the statues, and the force field shimmers down, and Jindrax and Toxica rush into the Nexus. Jindrax asks if Toxica really is planning to save the princess, but Toxica doesn't give a definite answer. Inside, the Nexus shakes like it's caught in an earthquake. Toxica leads Jindrax to the prison, despite the sand and rocks shaking loose and falling around them. Shayla isn't exactly thrilled to see them-- more like confused, quickly edging into afraid as Toxica orders her to stand back, leveling her staff at the princess's cell. However, she only blasts the lock, and Jindrax opens the cell door with a courtly bow. Princess Shayla is so happy to be rescued that she kisses Jindrax on the cheek, getting him all sheepish and Toxica all possessive... but the way the Nexus keeps shaking gets them all three running for the door.
Toxica takes point and Jindrax brings up the rear, the Princess between them-- pillars are falling now, and the rocks slipping from the ceiling are boulders instead of pebbles. Either the way out is different than the way in or Toxica took a wrong turn, but she leads the trio into the chamber of the Nexus we're most familiar with-- and Master Org is there, eyes closed, floating, seemingly meditating. They can't help staring, Jindrax half-panicked and Shayla pointing out that if Master Org stays there, he'll be destroyed-- but Jindrax notices that Master Org is crumbling to sand. The three beat feet back into the corridors of the Nexus, away from Master Org-- even if there were anything to be gained by saving him, it's hard to save a heap of sand.
They aren't exactly racing ahead of the destruction, but racing through it-- pillars and stones fall around them and between them. They leap for the exit just as everything collapses and explodes behind them, rocks falling and sealing the Nexus for good while Jindrax, Toxica, and Princess Shayla fall face-first into the sand. The Rangers catch up to them and de-morph just as the three get back to their feet.
The Red Ranger muses that the battle with the Orgs is finally over-- but Jindrax disagrees. They're the most powerful Orgs in the world now, and they didn't say it was over. Toxica confirms it-- it's only over when they say it's over.
Luckily, they say it's over.
They tell the Rangers that they're going to hit the road and 'find themselves,' and Jindrax apologizes to the Yellow Ranger-- their famous rivalry is finally at an end. Although this is apparently the first the Yellow Ranger has heard of any kind of rivalry, she agrees that, uh, yeah, Jindrax was a worthy opponent. The Black Ranger is cut off in the middle of offering the two Orgs an open invitation to the Animarium, and Merrick can't believe a war that's lasted three thousand years is ending like this. He'll have to hibernate another three thousand years, Jindrax informs him, if he wants to see them again. The Princess thanks them one last time for saving her, everyone nods, and the Orgs stroll off into the sunset.
Jindrax confesses it felt kinda good helping somebody for a change, but when Toxica warns him not to get used to it, he tells her not to worry; he's got a short memory span and will totally forget it by tomorrow.)
39. The End of the Power Rangers, Part 1, part one, part two
(The only Org in this episode and the next is Master Org. It's a big final battle with a cliffhanger in the middle.)
40. The End of the Power Rangers, Part 2, part one, part two
(The rest of the final battle and its denoument. Originally, Jindrax and Toxica were slated to have a scene at the end hanging out in a zoo, but it was cut. And it's a damn shame too, as Jindrax apparently decides he wants to feed the elephants and figures the beans from Toxica's staff are close enough to peanuts to do the job.)