Episode 249: Power Rangers Dino Thunder: Back in Black

At Mesogog's Lab, Tommy is strapped to a table.

"How do I break the crystal?" Mesogog asked

"Guess" said Tommy with a smile

"I guess this is going to be messy" said Mesogo as he prepares his tools.

"Remember," Haley says after them. "You have to reach a speed of 536 MPH upon entry, otherwise you'll never make it passed the security wall and probably be ripped to pieces!" The Rangers freeze "Did I forget to mention that?" Haley asks as they slowly turn to face her. She looks at them. "I take that as a 'yes'," she says as she sees their faces. "Never fear, I have something for just such an occasion." She smiles a little as she presses a button on the keyboard.

A door opens, revealing three color-coded bikes, and Ethan exclaims "Sweet!"

"Amazing!" said Kira

"Which one's mine?" Conner asks and Ethan gives him a look. "I'm kidding"

"You so weren't kidding," Ethan says with a laugh.

"These are your new Raptor Cycles," Haley says as she comes over. "They should have you to the portal coordinates in approximately 92.75 seconds."

"And, when we get there?" Kira asks.

"Use your Gems to access the hyper drive," Haley says. "Then head straight through the portal, to Mesogog's island fortress."

Conner pauses a moment. "Wait, did you just say... island fortress?"

"Yes..." Haley says. "Why?"

"Well..." Conner says. "Islands, they're... surrounded by water."

"Usually," Haley says.

Ethan smiles. "No . . . You can't swim?"

"I didn't say that," Conner says defensively.

"But it's true," Ethan says. "You can't." Conner just shoots him a look.

"The invisiportal will take you directly to the island," Haley says. "You'll never have to get wet." Conner nods a little, but he looks pretty nervous. Haley leaves, and Ethan once again has difficulty keeping in the laughter.

"Can't swim . . ." Ethan repeats for his own amusement.

"Whatever, dude," Conner says, embarrassed. "You guys ready?"

They straighten and turn, raising their morphers. "Ready," Ethan and Kira say. "DINO THUNDER, POWER UP!" said Conner "TYRANNO!"

"TRICERA!" said Ethan

"PTERA!" said Kira and they mount their cycles, and the doors open.

"Let's do it!" Conner says. They ride forward and leave the Lab.

At Mesogog's fortress, Tommy is still strapped down, with Mesogog leaning over his shoulder. "This, is your final chance, Dr. Oliver" Mesogog says. "Free the gem from it's resting place, or feel the wrath of my disappointment."

"Do I have to pick one?" Tommy asks flatly.

Mesogog looks at him. "Your attempt at levity, is as feeble as your attempt, at self-sacrifice." He shoves the small table holding the gem at Tommy, and it stops at his feet, glowing dangerously. "If you won't do it for yourself, perhaps you will for your precious students." Tommy struggles to free himself as Mesogog continues. "Elsa"

She stalks over and stands beside him. "Yes, milord."

"The three teenagers. Bring them to me." said Mesogog

She turns back, but an alarm starts blaring and the rangers appear on the screen. "Master," she says. "It's them, on some kind of vehicles."

"Like obedient dogs," Mesogog muses. "I speak. And they come."

"I could save you some trouble," Tommy says. "Good guys always win."

"I suppose that all depends," Mesogog says, coming to his side. "On who you believe the good guys, to be." He pauses. "Zeltrax, Elsa, go and bring help. I want no mistakes this time."

"Yes, milord," Zeltrax says. He and Elsa leave the fortress together.

The Rangers come to a stop somewhere abandoned, and look down at their cycles. "Whoa," Ethan says. "It just stopped." They all get off. "What's up with that?"

"This must be where Haley programmed the coordinates," Kira says, looking around. "Look!" An invisiportal appears in the sky. "There's the invisiportal. I sure hope Dr. O's on the other side."

Conner and Ethan come over and stare at it. "Only one way to find out," Conner says. "You guys ready?"

"You know it," Ethan says.

"Ready," Kira affirms.

They go back and mount their cycles again, but in a flash Elsa and Zeltrax appears with a swarm of Tyrannodrones.

"Hey," Conner says. "No one invited you to the party."

"I'm crashing," Elsa says. "And I brought a few friends. Is that rude?"

"Extremely," Kira states.

Zeltrax steps forward. "You're not getting to that portal unless you're in chains."

"I might be able to pull that look off," Kira says. "But these guys? No way."

"I vote we go for it!" Conner says. They rev up and start forward.

"Attack!" Elsa shouts. Her followers charge forward and meet the Rangers in battle.

They take down most of them rather easily, using their new cycles expertly, and soon only Zeltrax and Elsa are left. The rangers meet together and Ethan shouts, "Guys, hurry! The portal's still open!"

They turn to see a very small portal in the sky.

"We can do it," Conner says. "Open net. Follow me."

"Let's go!" Kira shouts.

They ride forward to the portal and Elsa fires blast after blast at them as she realizes what they're doing. But they narrowly make it and disappear within the vortex. The Rangers appear inside Mesogog's lair in a small hallway, still on their bikes.

"Haley," Conner reports. "We're in."

"Good," Haley says from the lab. "I'll recalibrate the bikes for your exit. You have about five minutes."

Inside Mesogog's throne room, Tommy is still strapped to the chair as alarm's blare and Mesogog paces.

"It seems we have visitors," Mesgog says.

"I'm gonna take a guess that it's for you," Tommy says.

"There's that wit again," Mesogog says. "If a had a sense of humor, I might actually enjoy it. Well, I'll handle the intruders myself." He turns and leaves the room.

The Rangers run around a corner breathlessly as Kira says, "The lab should be just around this corner, I think. At least we still have the element of—"

"Welcome," says Mesogog, stepping forward. They freeze. "We've been expecting you."

They back up slowly, unaware of the doors closing behind them. "Surprise," Kira finishes.

"You remember me, I trust," Mesogog says.

"Like I could forget that face," Kira says.

"Uh, what part's his face?" Ethan asks. They reach the door and realize it is now shut and they are locked in.

"Obviously you are in need of some discipline," Mesogog says. He fires a beam from his head and Zeltrax, Elsa and another monster appear.

"This way, hurry!" Kira shouts as they're temporarily distracted and the Rangers run by.

"Stop them!" Mesogog shouts. "Now."

The Rangers continue down the hallway breathlessly and arrive in the throne room, finding Tommy. "Hey, perfect timing," he says as they come over and begin to untie him. "Hit the red button on the panel."

"Okay," Ethan says, going over and pressing it. The door shuts right in front of Zeltrax and the others.

"I should have known you'd try to rescue me," Tommy says, coming over to Ethan with the others and working at the computer.

"Is that your way of saying thanks?" Ethan asks. "Cause if it is it needs some work."

"I'll thank you for real when we get out of here," Tommy says. He takes a breath. "We can use the main invisiportal network." He turns and a small green vortex appears. "Haley gave you the new Raptor Cycles, right?" Ethan nods. "This way," he says, starting forward.

"Wait," Ethan stops him. "We need to talk."

"Go, I'll explain later," Tommy says breathlessly.

"We already know everything," Conner says.

"We found the video diary," Kira says.

"We know you're a Power Rangers," Ethan concludes.

The doors slide open and Zeltrax barges through with a shout, followed by Mesogog, Elsa, and two others. Mesogog steps forward, hissing angrily. "You're mine now."

"I hate when he gets like this," Tommy says.

Conner steps in front of him. "We can take it from here, Dr. O" Tommy stands back as the three step forward. Their weapons appear as they face Mesogog.

"Attack," Mesogog says quietly. The others run past him and begin to battle the rangers fiercely, but Mesogog heads straight for Tommy, and the Ranger doesn't do as well as his students. The Rangers hold off their opponents fairly easily, and Conner looks over to where Tommy lies on the floor, Mesogog standing over him.

"Dr. O!" Conner shouts.

Tommy looks up. "Head for the portal! I gotta get something." They start to object but he insists. "Hurry!"

"We'd better do what he says," Conner says decisively.

"Right," Kira agrees. Mesogog turns to face them and they jump into the portal, disappearing. Tommy takes the opportunity and stands quickly, running into Mesogog and flipping over a table, grabbing something as he does so. He fights off Mesogog and the remaining Tyrannodrones, holding a large round object, and jumps through the portal himself.

"Do not let him escape with that stone," Mesogog says. He turns to Elsa. "Go!"

The Rangers are just getting on their cycles in the hallways when Tommy appears from the portal. "Hey," Ethan says.

"You made it!" Kira exclaims as Tommy goes to Conner.

"Do we really need a souvenir?" Conner asks, looking at the stone.

"This one we do," Tommy answers.

They turn as Elsa and a group of Tyrannodrones come running down the hall. "There they are!" she shouts.

"Go," Tommy says to Conner, his eyes still on Elsa. "I'm right behind you." Conner doesn't argue, and as one the three rangers rev up and drive through the portal. Tommy grips the stone tightly, then jumps through.

The Rangers arrive safely on the other side of the portal, the plaza they drive into completely quiet as they come to a stop and look back at the portal. "Where is he?" Conner asks. A moment passes, and then Tommy appears from the portal, landing on his knees breathlessly with the stone clutched by his side. Almost immediately, Elsa and her army appear a ways behind him. Tommy stands and faces them, and raises the stone to absorb the blast as Zeltrax fires a beam from his sword at him.

"Dr. O!" Conner calls as they dismount their bikes and step forward. Zeltrax continues and Tommy shakes slightly under the growing pressure, then is thrown back as a blinding light flashes and electricity sparks. The rangers cover their eyes as it hits them, and when they open them again, Tommy is nowhere to be seen, only the shattered remains of the stone on the ground.

"Dr. Oliver!" Ethan shouts.

"No!" Kira cries, falling to her knees. "This can't be happening."

"Such negativity," Elsa comments. "Haven't you learned that in our world, anything's possible?"

Zeltrax speaks. "Even the destruction of the great Dr. Tommy Oliver."

A shimmer appears in the air between the groups, and Tommy steps out of it, something held in his hand. "I heard my name," he says, amused. "You missed me, didn't you Zeltrax?"

Zeltrax only stares in confusion, and the rangers run up to Tommy in relief. "Awesome!" Ethan exclaims.

"Right on," Kira agrees.

"You made it!" Ethan continues.

Conner notices Tommy's hand begin to glow, and grabs his wrist. "Hey... Dr. O, what's this?"

Tommy opens his hand to reveal a small black stone, glowing now with energy, and the rangers all gasp in surprise. "A black Dino Gem," Ethan says. "Let me guess, the Power of invisibility."

Tommy smiles a little. "Looks like it."

Elsa breaks in finally. "That Gem belongs to my master," she says angrily.

Tommy looks at her. "There's two things you guys need to learn about Dino Gems. One, you can't choose them, they choose you."

"What's the other?" Elsa asks.

Tommy raises his fist quickly, revealing a dark morpher on his wrist. "They go real well with Dino morphers," he says, slamming the stone into it. Immediately the morpher starts to glow.

Elsa looks slightly amused, but not quite confident. "Aren't you a little bit old for this, Tommy?" she asks.

"I may be old," Tommy says. "But I can still pull it off." He grabs a key in his other hand and connects it with his morpher, shouting "DINO THUNDER, POWER UP!" said Conner "BRACHIO! Dino Thunder, Black Ranger"

"Awesome!" Kira exclaims as they run up to stand behind him.

"Just like riding a bike," Tommy says.

"One more makes no difference," Zeltrax says, though his tone betrays that he's lying. He raises his sword. "Attack!"

They all rush at each other and begin to fight. Tommy begins with a large group of Tyrannodrones, apparently just testing his powers, and it takes very little time for them all to end up lying on the ground. Then Zeltrax runs up behind him, and he takes out his new weapon, the Brachio Staff.

"Let's see what you're made of," Zeltrax says.

"We're going to finish you" said the Brachio Staff

"Your sword can talk?" Zeltrax asked as they begin to fight.

"I had Haley connect Saba's mind to the Staff, as while the Tigerzord Power Coin was destroyed, the White Power Ranger is still intact in the Morphing Grid, I just have no connection to access the Powers. But Saba was easy to access" said Tommy

"It's good to see you again White… I mean Black Ranger" said Brachio Staff

"You too Saba" said Tommy

Ethan and Kira fight another monster less than successfully, and it disappears on them. Conner takes on Elsa with some difficulty, though he does surprisingly well. Elsa stares at him as their swords lock. "We're not intimidated by your teacher," she says.

Conner pauses as he struggles against her sword. "Then you've obviously never taken one of his pop quizzes," he says dryly.

"Give it up, Zeltrax," Tommy says, sword ready.

"Never!" said Zeltrax. They meet swords and engage in a fast-paced duel, both holding their own, but then Zeltrax gets an opening and kicks Tommy back far, watching him as he stands again. "Is that all you've got?" he asks.

"Give me a break," Tommy quips. "It's been a while."

Ethan and Kira wander looking for the monster, their weapons ready. "Where is that petal-pusher?" Kira asks.

He appears suddenly in a flash of red behind them, and they turn quickly. "Looking for me?" he asks. He runs at them, completely oblivious as Ethan fires at him over and over, each one connecting.

Conner continues with Elsa, gaining the lead and landing a kick to her stomach that sends her staggering back. She stares at him breathlessly, then straightens. "We will meet again, Red Ranger." She raises her sword, and is gone.

Conner runs to help Ethan and Kira, who are continuing their attacks with some more success. "Hey guys," he says.

"You okay?" Kira asks.

"Better than he is," he answers, watching the monster sway precariously.

"Let's put 'em together!" Ethan suggests.

"Yeah, good call," Conner says. They summon their weapons and combine them quickly. "Z-REX BLASTER!"

"Don't be a pollinator . . ." the monster begins.

"Ready?" Kira asks.

"FIRE!" Conner affirms. They send a blast at him and he is engulfed in the explosion.

Tommy and Zeltrax continue their battle, and Zeltrax is thrown against a large stone wall, landing on the ground. He gets to his knees as Tommy watches him, his sword before him. "Go ahead," Zeltrax says. "I dare you."

"No," Tommy says, lowering his weapon. "I got a message for your boss. Tell him Tommy's back. And no matter what color I am, he'll never defeat me." Zeltrax stands and stares at him for a moment, then jumps up, disappearing into a portal.

In his lair, Mesogog watches the scene on his computer. "Don't be so sure," he says quietly. He presses a button on the keyboard and a cloud of black appears in the sky, rain pouring down from it and regenerating the monster. The sky clears as he finishes his transformation.

The Rangers all stare up at it, and Tommy's morpher beeps. "Haley?" he asks.

"Welcome back," she says, smiling from her computer. "I've got a little homecoming present for you. I found it on the north side of the forest." She types something into her keyboard and a huge dinozord comes walking down the street. "Meet the Brachiozord," she says. "Retrieving the Black Dino Gem must have awakened him."

"Wow..." Kira says.

"Wait till you see what he has inside," Haley says. "I think you can handle it from here" The Brachio Morpher's face turns into the Tyrannozord, Tricerazord, and Pterazord plates. In between each change Tommy turns the key and the Brachiozord opens and the Zords run out.

"TYRANNOZORD!" said Conner

"TRICERAZORD!" said Ethan

"PTERAZORD!" said Kira

"THUNDERSAURUS MEGAZORD!" said Conner

The monster almost makes quick work of them, first shooting a barrage of blasts at them, then wrapping them in it's tentacles and shooting through.

"We're getting rocked," Conner says.

Ethan agrees. "We could use some reinforcements."

"Haley," Kira says. "You got anymore surprises?"

"Sure do," Haley says with a smile. "Try the Cephalazord."

"All right," Tommy says, watching from the ground. He looks at his Morpher, and the Brachio head on it changes to the Cephala's. "CEPHALAZORD!" inserting the Key. Brachio opens again and a Zord hops out, boxing gloves on his hands as he mock-fights down the street.

"What's that?" Kira asks.

Cephalazord beats back the monster easily.

"THUNDERSAURUS MEGAZORD: CEPHALA!" said Conner and the Zord combines with the Megazord "CEPHALA POWER PUNCH!" and the attack destroys the monster

"Power Down" said Conner and they demorph and go to Cyberspace.

Ethan's voice is excited as he speaks. "What a day… new bikes, new zords…"

"New Ranger," Conner comments, looking over at Tommy across from them. "Well, sorta new." Tommy laughs slightly.

"Dr. O," Kira asks. "Are you gonna tell us how you happened to have that Morpher ready?"

"Right after you guys became rangers," Tommy explains. "I got an energy reading on the tracking system. I knew about another Gem that was lost during the destruction of Project Hexagon, so I had Haley build the Morpher, just in case. Well, I'd better get going."

Haley watches as he begins to leave. "Going? Where're you going?"

Tommy leans on the back of the couch behind the boys. "Shopping," he answers. "I checked my closet this morning, and there's a serious shortage of black in there."

Next time on Power Rangers Dino Thunder:

Zeltrax creates a new monster that even the Megazord can't stop. How will the Rangers destroy it? Find out next time on Power Rangers Dino Thunder!