Power Rangers Dino Fury Episode 7 “Stego Search” Review

Alright today is Friday, and like I promised I would be publishing my newest review on Power Rangers Dino Fury. Today, I will be looking at last Saturday’s episode, “Stego Search,” which features the debut of another new Zord. This time the Zord in question is Javi’s Stego Spike Zord, and its formation was well received in Ryusoulger. So, let’s see how Power Rangers will do in adapting the mecha for western audiences!

 

Our episode begins with Dino-Mama Solon finally getting the Zord Finder working. However, the Stego Spike Zord is dormant, so they cannot locate it or bring it online. Whereas, Javi has used his first payment from BuzzBlast to buy the keytar he desperately wanted. While Javi is performing in the park, his father Warden Garcia appears to spoil his fun. The Warden confiscates the instrument, and continues to disapprove in Javi’s interest in music. However, this time the warden is shown to be concerned on Javi’s spending, as he bounces around instruments.

 

So, does Warden Garcia hate Javi for not being athletic, or does he hate Javi being undecisive on an instrument? Honestly, I do not know from this interaction, but their dynamic is too much like Commander Shaw and Ravi. Yet, Commander Shaw did mellow out by the finale of Power Rangers Beast Morphers. That means for the time being Warden Garcia will be Warden Buzzkill until some later point in the series. At least Blair Strang’s acting conveys the narrative production wants, but it makes the Warden an unbearable father. Hopefully, the phone recording of the Warden confiscating Javi’s keytar will lead to something more!

Feeling discouraged Javi teleports to the base, but since he is in a bad mood his patience is low. Then when the Rangers assume that Javi might be sick, he leaves before explaining the issue. Thankfully, Izzy chases after Javi to find out what is wrong with him though. Meanwhile, at Area 62, Boomtower is annoyed that Void Knight refuses to power him up. So, Boomtower decides to power-up by stealing some of their Sporix Eggs, and he goes off to attack the city. With Boomtower taking the initiative I can only expect that his demise is coming shortly. Now, I am not saying that he will be destroyed in the episode, but I assume it could be soon.

 

Feeling discouraged Javi teleports to the base, but since he is in a bad mood his patience is low. Then when the Rangers assume that Javi might be sick, he leaves before explaining the issue. Thankfully, Izzy chases after Javi to find out what is wrong with him though. Meanwhile, at Area 62, Boomtower is annoyed that Void Knight refuses to power him up. So, Boomtower decides to power-up by stealing some of their Sporix Eggs, and he goes off to attack the city. With Boomtower taking the initiative I can only expect that his demise is coming shortly. Now, I am not saying that he will be destroyed in the episode, but I assume it could be soon.

 

Izzy attempts to help Javi get over his bad mood, but Boomtower appears right in their vicinity. They morph to combat Boomtower and the Hengemen, as the others arrive to help them. However, even with the entire team on the scene Boomtower manages to blow them all away. The Rangers are forced into de-morphing, and knocked out of the action as Izzy gets injured. Javi goes to move Izzy to safety and they run into their father. Warden Garcia is worried for Izzy’s health, but he believes Javi did not try hard enough to protect his sister. They immediate get in his SUV to get Izzy to the hospital, while the others return to the base.

Now, after seeing this scene I really do not like Warden Garcia, as a character. The guy has a lot of unclarified expectations towards his son Javi. Honestly, I do not know what Warden Garcia wants from Javi either as his son, or as a man. If Warden Garcia would just listen to Javi when discuss their issues then maybe they could obtain a compromise. Also, if they actually discussed their problems then viewers could maybe understand the warden’s gripes. However, my current speculation is Warden Garcia is meant to fulfill some type of media troupe or parental stereotype. Yet, why do we have to repeat this storyline immediately after Beast Morphers’ Commander Shaw?

 

Anyway, returning to the series, the remaining Ranger and Solon work to find the Stego Spike Zord. While they are searching for the Zord, Amelia uses ‘hip’ lingo like ‘salty’ when regarding Javi’s current condition. I am assuming that the production team is trying their best to make Power Rangers more modern. However, I am not sure if the execution for these terms and jokes are actually trendy or just cringeworthy. Then Solon mentions how recently saw that Javi’s performance in the park got onto BuzzBlast’s video section. So, the group takes a break from searching to watch the video, and they discover why Javi has been annoyed.

 

Once Javi teleports into the base to give an update on Izzy, the Rangers express their condolences. Yet, Solon and Ollie make an interesting discovery that Izzy’s and Javi’s Zords respond to their passion or hobbies. So, Javi must play music for the Zord to respond and be detected by the tracker. Javi is confused and questions Solon, but she basically has to order him to just play some music. Thankfully, Javi has on him a small recorder-like flute, and begins to play. Javi’s Zord responds to the music and Solon sends him to its location to complete its reactivation. Whereas, the other Rangers receive a call on the Ranger Hotline exclaiming that Boomtower has returned to attack the city.  

The Rangers arrive in the city but they are unable to find Boomtower, at least not until he enlarges himself. This leads to some funny dialog where Amelia asks, “is he looking right at us?” and Boomtower replies, “Sure am!” Then Boomtower attacks them with laser vision, which to me is the perfect follow-up action. So, the team forms the Dino Fury Megazord to combat him, but they get their butts kicked. Meanwhile, Javi has managed to find his Zord, and Solon informs him to return to the city pronto. The scene though is pretty adorable with Javi jokingly calling out the Zord like a pet. Now, it makes me want to say “Here Zordy, Zordy!” whenever I am hunting down Power Rangers toys.

 

Anyway, Javi comes to the others’ rescue and they quickly combine to form the Dino Fury Megazord Spike Formation. Now, for people who have not seen Ryusoulger, this formation is not a boxer but it is a sumo wrestler. Some viewers may easily notice this detail, but I thought it would be kind to mention that fact. So, with this formation, the Rangers manage to overpower and defeat Boomtower. However, Boomtower is not destroyed, and manages to retreat with Mucus’ help. Yet, as I mentioned before, Boomtower’s demise may come soon, especially when knowing Ryusoulger’s Tankjoh was not around too long.

Then the final scene concludes at BuzzBlast where the Rangers have a surprise for Javi. The surprise ends up being that the team has all pitched in to buy back his keytar. However, I am not sure how this will stop Warden Buzzkill from confiscating this one too? Yet, Javi is pleased with his new instrument and decides to play it in the lounge. Whereas, Amelia gets the entire room to start dancing including Jane and J-Borg. Unfortunately, J-Borg literally goes into ‘overdrive’ and drills herself into the ground.

 

So, that was episode 7 “Stego Search,” and it was not too much of a search. Most of the episode was spent on Javi’s bad day, and his dad Warden Buzzkill being a jerk. I am not sure if there was a message to this story, or what exactly the message could have been. I am assuming this is more or less an extended plot thread for Javi’s character. Currently, everything between him and his dad is all left to speculation and interpretation. I think the warden simply wants Javi to be more responsible with his talents, and spending. However, there are several other ways this situation could be explored than the warden just cutting off Javi. Also, I want to know why Warden Buzzkill favors Izzy, when I assume Javi is his biological son. Hopefully, this is all explained in the next episode, or shortly after the upcoming hiatus.

 

I hope when things are eventually resolved between these characters that the payoff is epic. Maybe when things come to ahead it will draw queues from the family issues in Time Force or Ninja Storm. Nevertheless, this episode was almost a 4 in my book, but the warden dragged it down for me. Thankfully, this weekend’s episode is the long-awaited return of my favorite Neo-Saban era mentor, Mick played by Kelson Henderson! So, fans can maybe expect me to have the next review out very soon…

 

Final Grade: 3.5 out of 5 Power Keys

 

Recent posts

Leave a Reply