Afterthoughts - Power Rangers Hyperforce: Episode 01

From Saban Brands and Hyper RPG

Afterthoughts:

Power Rangers Hyperforce - Episode 01

Premiering on October 24, 2017 on the Hyper RPG Twitch Channel, Power Rangers Hyperforce is a 25 episode, weekly, live, tabletop roleplaying game, and a joint venture between Saban Brands and Hyper RPG. Before we get to the point, here is some more information about the game.

Not sure what a tabletop roleplaying game is?

The short explanation, a game in which a group of people play the roles of characters in a world mostly controlled by another player (often called the Game Master), and together they weave a story.

A more complete detailed description can be found from Roll20.net;

"...a Tabletop RPG allows a gaming group much more creative freedom in where they go, who they meet and what they want to do. The barebones essence of a Tabletop RPG is collaborative storytelling. It’s a story co-authored by everyone sitting at the table while playing the game. You and your friends fit themselves into the shoes of a character in the story. The decisions made and the plot twists that occur reflect the characters everyone is pretending to be.There’s no invisible walls to block exploration, no limits to what your character looks like and there’s no programmed restrictions on your character's behavior.

The setting of the game can be familiar, like a favorite TV show, or something entirely alien and new. The only limitations are the rules of the game and the collective creativity of the people playing it."

And what is Hyperforce itself all about?

Set in the year 3016, 16 years after the events of Power Rangers Time Force, a new team of Time Force Cadets will be called upon to be Power Rangers to defeat an ancient evil threatening all of creation.

- The Cast -

 Peter Sudarso as Marv, the Red Ranger

 Andre Meadows as Eddie, the Blue Ranger

 Meghan Camarena as Chloe, the Pink Ranger

 Christina Vee as Vesper, the Black Ranger

Paul Shrier as Jack, the Yellow Ranger

In addition to Peter and Paul, who are both Power Rangers alumni (the Blue Ninja Steel Ranger and Bulk, from multiple seasons, respectively), there will be special guest stars from the show's history showing up as well.

As we move on, it should't have to be said, but I'll say it anyway.

Spoilers!

So, my initial thoughts?

In a word? Amazing.

From the opening scene in a Time Force Academy class room with Erin Cahill reprising her role of Time Force Pink Ranger Jen Scotts, it was obvious this would be great. Each of the cast members absolutely killed it, creating a team of very unique and varied personalities. Outside of Erin, Paul Schrier stole the show. From not only the actions he had his character perform, but also the way he worded everything both in and out of character. When he was talking, the viewers got a real treat.

The story itself is off to a solid start as well. The threat, currently known only as "The Alliance," appears to be a danger rising from within the ranks of the Time Force agency itself. They claim infinite numbers, because time is infinite. And they are quick to tell you their goal is evil, and evil is their goal. Is this the rebirth of the United Alliance of Evil? They appear to be lead by a terribly mysterious cloaked figure who is first seen by the future Ranger team hurling energy blasts as the Pink Time Force Ranger.

In the end, the team saves Jen, the mysterious baddie flees into the time stream, Jen gives the Rangers a time ship and their morphers, and the ship's android follows the mysterious baddie back through to time... the year 1994.

A dark conspiracy from within a government agency?
A mystery figure shrouded in darkness?
1994?

That can only mean one thing for episode 02...

The Rangers want to believe.

- Highlights -

* DOUBLE HAMMER FIST!

* Marv putting his hand to his ear, yelling, "PROFESSOR SCOTTS," despite not having a comm-unit.

* Everything involving Erin Cahill. It was great seeing Jen Scotts back in action.

* Vesper rising to the situation despite her slacker beginning.

* Eddie's impersonation of the dean.

* "There is also a very robust construction industry."

* "Ay yi yi yi yi."

- The Suspects -

We don't have much of anything to go on for who the Alliance leader could be, though if we assume the original press release was truthful, and the ultimate threat is an ancient evil, here are some possible suspects (regardless of how unlikely) if the villain is a pre-existing character. I am looking at possibilities outside of totally possible choices of it being a fan-favorite like Lord Zedd or Rita returned.

Thrax

The time of Thrax's birth is somewhat of a potential plothole in the Power Rangers universe, but the son of Rita and Lord Zedd would have to be ancient to have been trapped by the Sentinel Knight when SK still had a physical body. After his only appearance in the series, Thrax was believed destroyed, but hey, this is Power Rangers. Evil can always return. And Thrax is a villain so under developed that Hyperforce could use him pretty much however they wanted with risking contradictions to established lore or personality.

Ivan Ooze

With absolutely no continuity ties to the Power Rangers TV franchise, this ancient foe of Zordon would be a great choice as the leader of the Alliance. What better way to bring a fan-favorite PR villain crashing into continuity with the TV series?

Another of these guys

Nothing says the cloaked baddies is THE big bad. Perhaps they are just a lackey, and another member of the Dark Spectre and Maligore's race is awake, trying to assert domination of existence as the big bad.

Queen Bansheera

Sure, sure, Queen Bansheera appeared to be taken care of, but ultimately she was dragged back to the demon world. Maybe she was destroyed, or maybe the demon queen simply gave the other demons a reminder of why she was, in fact, called Queen. And in a thousand years, maybe she found her way back out.

If we play a little loose with the definition of ancient, and just go with old (over a thousand years old, say), one other threat comes to mind.

Venjix

Venjix was never defeated by the RPM Rangers, and we know crossover between the primary Ranger dimension and the RPM dimension is possible, as both RPM Red and the Super Megaforce Rangers have crossover before. In fact, RPM Red crossing over would have been the perfect time for Venjix to hop worlds, since he was last seen hiding in a morpher. It would be nothing for him to stay hidden, plotting and planning, until technology reached a level in which his ultimate plans could be enacted.

Now, if the hooded figure is a lackey, and not the big bad, and is directly relevant to the Time Force story, I'd say Alex going rogue seems like a real possibility. Or much less likely, but would be highly entertaining, maybe Circuit, tired of being unappreciated, especially after Time Force moved on to a different style of android, got a killer upgrade.

- Wishful Thinking -

* Jason Narvy guest starring as Skull, and we either have Jack captured and Paul plays Bulk to Narvy's Skull for a episode, or we learn Jack in a descendent of Bulk's, and the Rangers keep having to save Skull who keeps getting himself in trouble trying to prove Jack is really a brainwashed Bulk.

* Yoshi Sudarso guest starring as Koda, if only to see Peter and Yoshi together as Rangers.

* Not only the inclusion of Thrax in some part of the story, but an explanation for how he is the child of Zedd and Rita and be as old as he would be to be trapped by the Sentinel Knight as he had been.

* The entire Time Force Ranger cast returning for a major crossover with the new Hyperforce Rangers.

* Ransik joining the Rangers for an adventure, showing them the power of redemption in action to turn a dangerous villain into a big damn hero.


If you're a Power Ranger fan, and haven't checked out Hyperforce yet, and you aren't subscribed to Hyper RPG's channel, episodes will be uploaded to their Youtube channel a week after airing. I highly suggest if you give Power Rangers Hyperforce a watch, great things are happening on it.