Power Rangers Prime #16: May The Power Always Protect You

As the Ravager encroaches on Earth, the rangers remain fractured. Lauren and Valentina deal with what has become of the former’s family, Rita and Orion have their hands full with Trey of Triforia, Jun is still having trouble discovering who he is, and Mark has hit a dead on trying to reawaken Tee Zee. As the countdown to destruction reaches its cataclysmic conclusion, the Prime Rangers have one last shot to finally come together as one. 

When its all said and done, Power Rangers Prime may be a series that was hindered by its own ambition. Lots of ideas are baked into its foundation, but sadly most of them are not given enough room to grow and fall flat. Despite some recognizable elements (Rita Repulsa, the Shibas, Eltar, and even the VR Troopers) and an interesting premise, a lot of this mostly becomes window dressing as the story wears on. This affects the setting itself as just how the Eltarians rule Earth is inconsistent throughout the story. One issue they’re oppressive dictators and then the next they are slightly overbearing supervisors. This lack of focus also sadly trickles down to our Rangers as well. 

Over the course of this 16 issue series, our heroes essentially arrive at some of the same places they were at the beginning of the narrative. Rita and Jun grow a bit as characters, but not in any real meaningful way. Lauren, our Red Ranger, remains headstrong and reckless, but is never formally confronted about it by any of her team. This group is much less a team than a pack of individuals who happen to fight against people. They never really fully come together, they never even get a megazord, which is the biggest sin a Power Rangers series can possibly commit. I kid, but even the interpersonal relationships between the rangers are also off. Lauren and Rita’s opposing views never reaches a climax, Lauren and Valentina’s hostilities for one another also kind of just peter out, and Rita and Orion’s as well as Jun and Mark’s romance are rushed. Also Bulk and the VR Troopers are here. 

Melissa Flore’s history with the franchise is much too vast to go into here. Long story short, she knows her way around the Morphin Grid, but here writing falls a bit short of its goal here. When she wrote the final arc of MMPR, she was able to craft an emotionally resonant story that drew on the core of the already established characters and who they had become, when those guidelines are stripped away for Prime the seeds she plants fail to bear fruit. Whether that be by design or because of the oncoming MMPR reboot comic we may never know, but she could have used more time to cook this narrative. 

Federico Soressa’s art is fine. There are times when characters are a bit off model and the paneling can mess with the pacing of the action, but it manages to garner the effects it needs to in the big moments. Joana Lafuente’s colors can also feel at odds with the tone of the art, but otherwise they serve their purpose.