Post-Credits Scene:

The Big One

Benito Santori stood at his bar, reading through the newspaper reporting on the deaths of Daniel Kuchar and Ivan Callahan. He let out a quiet, ragged breath, wiping his eyes and folding up the paper so that he didn't have to look at the picture of his old friend on the front page anymore.

"You alright, sir?" the cabana boy asked.

Santori put on the best smile he could. "Of course, mi amor," he said. "Never better." He set the paper down on the bar, next to a stack of pamphlets some religious guy had asked them to include in their display. Something about "The United Church of Egos: A New Religion for a New Era."

Santori stood, looking over the cabana. He and his crew had just about finished rebuilding after Ivan's path of destruction, returning the resort to its former glory. All the lovely men, women, and otherwise who worked for him were all bustling about happily, getting ready for the grand reopening. Santori adjusted his hat and ascot, opening his mouth to address them all, when gunfire ripped across the beach.

"Everyone, get down!" Santori shouted as his workers screamed and ran for cover. He looked up to see five of those robot things from the news land on the sand, bringing with them five people in rubber masks, all carrying guns.

"Benito Santori," the leader said, stepping forward and leveling his gun at Santori's face. "I've been sent to take you prisoner, by order of the CRIME Big Four. Surrender to us now, and no one else has to get hurt."

Santori glared at the man, looking sideways at his cabana. The people all seemed unharmed, but several chairs and the bar now had bullet holes across them. He clenched his fist and stepped forward. "I want no part in this war," he said. "I have said that over and over and over again."

The leaders scoffed. "Yeah, well, the Big Four don't really care what you want. They care more about what they can get out of you. We can take you alive or dead. It doesn't really matter either way."

Santori stood his ground. "Get out of my resort."

The leader rolled his eyes. "Shoot a couple civilians. Maybe he'll get the message."

Two Crimers raised their guns and opened fire at Santori's employees. Santori reached out with his magnetism powers and stopped the bullets dead in their tracks, leaving them floating in midair. The leader stared at the bullets for a second before shooting directly at Santori himself. Santori focused on the atoms of his own body, setting them slightly out of phase so that the bullets passed right through them. Then, he seemed to disappear, moving so fast he dropped four of the five Crimers in less than a second, crumpling their guns into tiny hunks of metal and returning their bullets to them, reappearing back where he started.

The leader stared in disbelief, looking around at his fellows then back at Santori. Santori's skin was slightly redder and his face looked full of rage. "D—Devil Machines, destroy him."

The Devil Machines moved forward, only to find themselves lifted off the ground, their bodies contorting themselves until they resembled crushed pretzels more than the armored warriors they were before. Their bodies dropped to the ground, leaving the leader standing alone.

He swallowed and tried to run, only to find himself floating in midair as well. He was turned around and brought up close to Santori's face, his legs and arms unable to move.

"Let me guess," Santori said. "Now that Ivan's gone, your bosses wanted themselves a new cyborg. And either because I chose a life of pacifism, or simply because I was the first model, you figured I'd be the easiest target. The weak one. The small one. You assumed it would be a walk in the park."

His face grew redder, heat slightly rising from his skin. "But I want you to realize something. They had to rework mine into theirs because it was too powerful. And I've had years more than they've had to practice and learn what I am capable of. I can do things they haven't even thought to dream of yet."

He pulled the Crimer closer, the Crimer trembling slightly with fear. "So," Santori said. "I want you to go back to your superiors, this Big Four of yours, and make sure they clearly understand: I am not the weak one. I am not the easy one. I am not the small one. I'm the big one."

The story will conclude in

THE POWER RANGERS: JOKER'S WILD

Coming March 29, 2025

Dramatis Personae:

Gordon Cherry – based on Sakurai Goro/Space Ace

Rio Higgs – based on Higashi Ryu/Dia Jack

Karen Miller – based on Karen Mizuki/Heart Queen

Benton Davies – based on Daichi Bunta/Clover King, all four loosely sharing the roles of Peter Quill, Gamora, Drax, and Rocket Raccoon.

Dr. Daniel Kuchar – based on Commander Kujirai Daisuke, playing the role of Groot.

Yoselin Jimenez – based on Iijima Yoshiko/Agent 9, not playing anyone in particular.

Princess Tomas Higueras – based on Tamasaburou Hime, not playing anyone in particular.

Agent Ten – based on Agent 10, not playing anyone in particular.

Algernon – based on Hamster-kun, not playing anyone in particular.

Benito Santori – based on Banba Soukichi/Big One, playing aspects of both the Collector and Yondu Udonta.

Ivan Callahan – based on Iron Claw, playing the role of Ronan the Accuser.

Leon Sumpter – based on Baseball Mask from Goranger, playing aspects of both Nebula and Korath the Pursuer.

The Shine – based on Shine, playing the role of the Power Stone.

The Old Team – based on the Goranger team, playing the Nova Corps in the final battle.

General Kenpachi, Commander Roberts, and Councilwoman Cahill – based on Edogawa Gonpachi, Commander Robert, and an original character, playing the roles of Rhomann Dey, Garthan Saal, and Irani Rael of the Nova Corps.