Their darkest hour has come. Now, the Rangers’ collective fate lies in the hands of a man who nearly killed them. Your Major Spoilers review of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #116 from BOOM! Studios awaits!

MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS #116

Writer: Melissa Flores
Artist: Adam Gorham/Marco Renna
Colorist: Joana LaFuente
Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
Editor: Allyson Gronowitz
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: January 24, 2024

Previously in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: In the race to reach the Master Arch, the last Ranger anyone expected is the only one to arrive. But the battle is far from over, with a deadly villain not far behind. An epic confrontation years in the making is finally here, but in the twisted arena of the Grid, the lines between hero and villain blur even further.

This battle might just prove to be the end of one character’s long journey…

INSIDE THE GRID

Last issue, a desperate play by the Power Rangers should have allowed them to get a team into the Morphin Grid itself. Instead, only Lord Drakkon was successful in getting to the arch, followed closely by The Ranger Slayer, his former right-hand assassin, under the control of Dark Specter. That’s bad news for somebody, but maybe not who we originally thought, as Drakkon’s Blue Ranger, Kiya, blows up the arch. Specter takes his rage out on the former Rita Repulsa, while Drakkon and the Ranger Slayer (better known as alternate versions of Power Rangers Tommy and Kimberly) face off inside the grid. Toxic relationships are the name of the game all around, with Rita reconsidering her allegiance, and Slayer Kim accusing Drakkon of manipulating her to make her love him. Their argument becomes a battle when Drakkon proves that his White Ranger coin is still immune to corruption, finally ending with a dramatic moment where the couple simultaneously takes a kill shot at one another.

An arrow flies one way, a dagger the other, and one Ranger gone bad dies.

A SHOT AT REDEMPTION

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #116 ends with a meaningful moment, as [REDACTED] considers the power of the White Ranger, wondering if it’s the secret to victory over Mistress Vile. Given that the Rangers have systematically had everything taken from them, from their mentor to their headquarters to the Omega Rangers robot pal, Xi, it’s a rare bright moment in the pages of Darkest Hour, visually and narratively. The fact that a corrupt Ranger who almost destroyed the team in a previous story is now the last hope is truly fitting, and the art team provides really good “acting” from Kimberly and Tommy throughout their confrontation. The unarticulated theme of this arc has been about escaping abusive relationships, making me wonder if Mistress Vile is finally going to break her own cycle of abuse.

BOTTOM LINE: FEELS LIKE A GOOD PENULTIMATE CHAPTER

If I didn’t know that there were four more issues in this 12-part crossover, I’d think Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #116 was the penultimate issue, setting up an ending next time, but it’s a really good issue even with that swerve, with great art and a moving climactic moment, earning 4.5 out of 5 stars overall. If this ends with me feeling empathy for Rita Repulsa, I’ll be mad, but unsurprised.

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