Power Rangers Time Force
"The Last Race"
Original Air Date:07/07/01 [Note: Postponed from an earlier date.]		Footage and a few story elements from: Timeranger #14 - Detsudo Hiito (Dead Heat)
*Season 9, byte 22 *Official Fox Kids Show Number PR-1121 *21st episode of PRTF *399th total Power Rangers episode
Writers: Judd Lynn & Jackie Marchand		Director: Isaac Florentine
Starring Cast: Jason Faunt _AS_ Wes (Red Ranger) Michael Copon _AS_ Lucas (Blue Ranger) Kevin Kleinberg _AS_ Trip (Green Ranger) Deborah Estelle Philips _AS_ Katie (Yellow Ranger) Erin Cahill _AS_ Jen (Pink Ranger) Vernon Wells _AS_ Ransik Kate Sheldon _AS_ Nadira		Additional Cast: Riley Schmidt _AS_ Dash Wade Hunt Williams _AS_ Officer Cruller Minae Noji _AS_ Saleslady Charles Walker _AS_ Mr. Graves Brianne Siddall _AS_ Circuit (voice) Eddie Frierson _AS_ Frax (voice) Neil Kaplan _AS_ Gluto (voice)

SUMMARY:

It's a sunny day in Silver Hills, and traffic is quite light, as well. Lucas smoothly drives a rather comfortable and seemingly new silver car, a vehicle that we've never seen him in before (and is never explained), while wearing what appear to be a black-rimmed version of his TF Sunglasses. In the car with him is Wes (who's riding shotgun), Trip (sitting behind Lucas), Jen (sitting in the middle of the backseat), and Katie (behind Wes). Generic rock background music plays (sounding like they're listening to "Los Luchadores: The Soundtrack"), as the gang casually glances around the empty city roads they pass through. Trip speaks up with a predictable statement, "I'm hungry." He enthusiastically calls up to the front seat, "Let's open up those donuts, Wes!" It seems Wes has a pink box filled with a dozen donuts in his lap. Err, make that 11 donuts in his stomach and the box in his lap. His lips are smudged with traces of jelly, and his chin is slightly covered with white powder. Wes displays a devilish look on his dirty face as he hands the box back over to Jen, without turning his head. He continues chewing what remains in his mouth, and brushes his hands together to dust off the leftover crumbs. Jen eagerly pulls the box into her clutches, exclaiming, "Allll RIGHT!", with Katie also expressing delight. She opens the box and discovers to her dismay that there's only one lone plain donut left in the crumb-filled container! Trip & Katie stare agape, as Jen complains, "HEY! You ate them all!" Wes sharply turns around, and shouts with his mouth still nearly full of food, "Not YET!" He reaches down and snatches up the box, taking it into his possession against the protests of his teammates. Katie slips out of her seatbelt and grabs Wes, just as he's about to devour the last tire-shaped pastry. Between Jen & Trip's shouting and Katie & Wes' horsing around, Lucas struggles to keep a grip on the steering wheel. Katie keeps bumping against Lucas as she pummels Wes, who pleads while attempting to stuff the donut into his jaw, "I'm starving! C'mon!" Lucas swerves the vehicle reluctantly, gently passing across several lanes. There're no other drivers on the road, in fact, there's no signs of life anywhere nearby! The clash for the donut continues, and despite Katie's great strength, Wes stands his greedy ground. Lucas gets the car back in control, though by this time, his reckless driving has gotten the attention of a motorcycle cop sitting at an intersection near a car dealership. He turns on the sirens & lights, and speeds after them. Lucas looks over at his side mirror, and expresses considerable exasperation. Katie & Wes don't even pay the loud sirens any mind, continuing their struggle, both letting out loud grunts. Jen & Trip finally manage to pull Katie back down into her seat, just as the scene dissolves into a minute or so later. The motorcycle cop approaches the car, both pulled over to the side of the road. Windows already down, Lucas holds the final donut in his right hand. The police officer, named in the end credits as Officer Cruller (or some such, it's very tiny type... Hey, wait a minute, is his name a donut joke?!), steps up and asks, "License, please?" Lucas removes his sunglasses, and looks at Wes, who sits with the empty box in his lap, smirking with restrained amusement at the situation his Collins-family selfishness caused. Lucas hands over his license, a normal modern day one. Officer Cruller, chewing gum intimidatingly, checks it out and remarks with a southern accent, "Ya know, you gotta pick... ONE lane. And STAY in it." Lucas nods and waves the donut in his hand in the air, thankfully not attempting to bribe the T-1000 lookalike. Cruller rips off a yellow slip of paper, and as he hands it to Lucas, states, "Well, they'll teach ya all that... in Traffic School." Lucas exclaims, "TRAFFIC school?!" Jen, Katie, and Trip all exchange dreadful looks. Officer Cruller, with cruel glee, reiterates with a hand gesture, "Traffic school!" He heads back to his bike parked in front of the car, leaving Lucas to wallow in self-pity. Wes, during the commotion, somehow reclaimed the final donut, and crams the last bit of it past his teeth when Lucas looks over at him. Notice, Wes seems almost as happy about Lucas getting the ticket as Officer Cruller! Lucas just shakes his head at his slobby teammate, and sets his large yellow ticket & license down nearby.

[Opening Credits, Version 1.2 as usual.]

Later that night, out in the forest surrounding Silver Hills, the former Time Force Prison turned Fugitive Time Ship stays as it's been nearly all season, tipped over on one side. Strangely, the Ship seems more lit-up than ever, with all kinds of little lights adorning the exterior, including some blinking. Did they finally use some of their stolen money to buy new lightbulbs or something? Anyway, it's a foggy and eerily lit night outside, and these new features on the Prison Ship only enhance that. Within the building, inside the central detention hall, Frax holds one of the silver cryogenic capsules in his clawed hand (which appears to contain a mutant colored blue & white, similar to "Grimmly" from earlier in the season). The golden hench-robot explains the shrunk mutant within's rap sheet highlights, "He was convicted of destroying the ENTIRE City Hall... He even kidnapped the Global Governor! And then, my favorite part, he..." Frax's gushing comes to an abrupt halt when he turns and faces Nadira, who's holding her own Chrono-Tube up in the air. The resentful robot grumbles, "Oh, what NOW, Nadira?!" The long pink-haired female mutant snubs him in an equally resentful manner, "Buzz off, Fraxie. THIS one used to be a RACEcar driver! HAH! He can take me shopping." (notice, before that last line, Frax bumps Nadira in the back of the head with his chin accidentally!) Nadira beams with a wide grin as she taps her fingernails against the capsule, enthralled by the prospects of yet another car related villain. Frax taps her on the white-leathered shoulder, and clearing his metallic throat, "Ahehh-hehh-hehh-HEM?!", proves to be the voice of reason by noting, "Excuse me! In case you didn't know know, we have MORE important things to do than SHOP!" Nadira at first rolls her eyes as he speaks, but when he says that last bit, she gasps offendedly, causing Gluto to rush across the room as fast as his chubby legs can move. She states snobbily, "NOTHING is more important than shopping!" Frax merely yelps, "WHAT?!" Ransik sits in his office, with the door wide open for a change. Nadira pouts, "Please, daddy?", attempting to sway his deciding vote her way. Ransik has his boots kicked up on the desk, as he casually sits back and sharpens one of his Bone-Swords against a brick! He gives in to Nadira's begging instantly, saying with a small sigh in the dark room, "Alright. I can't say no to you, my sweet. Heheheh!" Nadira gives her father a joyful giggle and a wiggle of her fingers, before snapping her hand back at Frax and giving him an enraged growl. After she walks away, Frax is left wondering truthfully, "Why do I even BOTHER?!"

Soon, the bright blue neon lights of the darkened city of Silver Hills are peppered with the red & yellow vehicle lights of passing motorists. Everyone seems to be passing everyone else, as the traffic is all flowing on the left side of the road! To the side of the road, a red leather glove taps fingers against a steering wheel, patiently. The unseen figure then pulls his arm down, as we see that he's waiting outside of a fancy jewelry store (open awfully late, ain't it?). In the store, several customers walk about the room admiring the bordering rows of brightly-lit display cases. One of the two Asian salesmen, who happens to be a Saleslady, attends to a strange young woman with ultra-pink hair, in the ugly sky-blue short-skirt dress. Gee, I wonder who that could be? I mean, she's robbed EVERY friggin store in town by now, you'd think there'd be an APB out for ALL pink-haired women! Nadira, oddly, has her hair cut into a short bob for a change. Everyone one of her fingers is covered with numerous golden rings, each with price-tags still on them. The saleslady places another on a finger, prompting Nadira to gratefully coo, "Hmm, THANK you! Oh! I just CAN'T decide! Which one do YOU like?" She checks out her hands, front and back, wriggling the fingers about, admiring all of the expensive jewelry. The saleslady kisses up to the potentially big-spending customer, "They ALL look SO beautiful on you!" Nadira, speaking with her hands quite a bit, agrees, "YOU'RE right! Mmm! They DO. I guess i'll just have to take them ALL! Hehehehe!" The saleslady smiles, but that happy expression switches to surprise when Nadira stands up, and simply heads for the door with the 50+ golden rings still on her fingers! She hurries to the awaiting car, leaps into the passenger seat, and demands excitedly, "Hit it, Dash!" The red-gloved mutant driver shifts gears and takes off, causing Nadira to wail wickedly with laughter. The saleslady & salesman pursue Nadira, only to arrive too late. They witness the tail-end of the escaping getaway car taking off into the distance, though that doesn't stop the saleslady from shouting, "STOP!" The large middle aged salesman, not paid to speak, gets a dubbed in line of, "Come back here, thief!", between scenes.

With the wind blowing through her pink hair, Nadira screams, "Hahaha! OH, I just LOVE shopping! Yahahehehahahah!" The car takes to the freeway in stock footage, zooming past other vehicles, causing that incredibly annoying and overused trailing horn-honking sound effect to be used. I've never heard ANYONE in my life beep their horn like that, and yet, 9 billion TV shows & movies use that same damn effect. Anyway, the speeding getaway car has it easy, with Nadira laughing up a storm, until several police cars make the scene. Are the Silver Guardians closed that late at night, or something? Nadira demands her mutant driver, "Lose 'em!", as she enjoys getting her hair severely wind-blown. She seems to enjoy the adrenaline rush of the cash, thus explaining why she didn't just grab the jewelry and teleport away. In an effort to evade the police, the driver cuts around a vehicle blocking his path by swerving left and scraping up against a large construction crane machine, causing a wave of sparks to spew forth from the grinding metal. Nadira squeals like crazy, which we all know she is. At an intersection, a car nearly slams into them, but the driver takes a smooth curve and avoids getting wrecked, though the other driver isn't as lucky, hitting a bunch of red cones & barrels. The cops, sirens blaring & lights flashing, keep on their tail as best they can. The mutant driver then attempts to pass another large truck, but when he goes into the oncoming lane, a vehicle just ahead swerves into park, blocking their path. Nadira screams to the tops of her lungs, as the red-gloved driver steps on the accelerator, and somehow causes the entire convertible to leap into the air! The whole car hops over the parked vehicle, and lands perfectly on the other side, still speeding toward its destination. Nadira cheers and squeals and screams and just plain enjoys the rush. The duo of police cars to a halt at the blocked two-lane road (seems the truck also decided to stop in the middle of the street for no reason). The cops get out of the cars and watch defeatedly as the escaping vehicle fades into the horizon. They call for backup, but it's too late, the crooks have flown the coop.

Down the empty stretch of road, the giggling Nadira exclaims, "Let's BLOW this popcorn stand!" Warping lights pass her and the driver by, as they seem to hit some sort of teleportation hyper rush speed. Momentarily, the car ends up parking up at the top of one of the Silver Hills, in a lovely spot overlooking the city. I don't know cars, as everyone knows, but I do know that it's no longer the same BMW that it was in the Sentai footage a minute ago. The driver steps out, spins around, leans against the car, and folds his arms, while asking in a gruffy-yet-young voice, "So, how was THAT?!" The mutant driver is named Dash. Just Dash. Mr. Dash, if you would. He's got a stock-car racer style outfit on, colored dark yellow and puke green. Red gloves, red boots, a green insectoid-type helmet-face. He looks like the evil cousin of Visceron from PRT's "Transmission Impossible." (plus a bit of Speed Demon from PRT as well) Nadira, who's standing over on the edge of the hill, scurries over to his side, and praises, "YOU'RE incredible!" She giggles and he laughs deeply. Dash nearly embraces her chin, promising, "You haven't seen ANYthing YET!" Nadira returns the gesture, appearing like she's playing "got-yet-nose" with his face, as she states, "Noooo! YOU haven't seen anything yet!" She guides him away from the getaway car, and with a lifting of her arms, the entire car transforms into the black Mutant Mobile (from "A Blue Streak", "Bodyguard In Blue", and "Chicken Cordon Blue") in a shimmer of pink light! Dash is wowed, gasping, "EXcellent!" Nadira, pricetags still dangling from her fingers, tells him, "YOU'RE going to be MY personal driver.... from now on!" She snuggles up against his shoulder, and joins him in a lengthy session of making out evil laughter. The following morning, at the Clock Tower, the Time Force team gathers around the picnic table. Katie's already dressed and enjoying a well-balanced breakfast. Jen is dressed, though she's not wearing her brown-leather jacket for a change, as she reads the newspaper. Lucas is also dressed, but he's missing his black silk jacket, as he fixes his hair in his vanity mirror. Jen spots a headline worth announcing, "Hey! Nadira robbed a jewelry store." Katie & Lucas turn their attention to her, while Trip & Wes also hurry over to listen. Wes is in his usual golden pajamas, while Trip's pajamas make their debut, dark green flannel. Jen reads off what the paper says, "The driver of Nadira's getaway car evaded police, at one point FLYING right over a car that blocked its path." Wes states in disbelief, "FLEW over another car?!", before turning to Lucas and remarking, "Lucas, someone ELSE drives like you!" Lucas takes this offhanded comment to heart, staring off into space as he ponders who the driver could possibly be.

[commercials]

Yet another unbelievably empty stretch of road! Silver Hills is becoming famous for them! The Mutant Mobile speeds down the incredibly open road, with Dash driving and Nadira sitting in the passenger seat. Her hair is back to its normal length, and as she giggles wildly, we see, thanks to her twirling her fingers around, that she only has about one diamond ring on her finger. I guess she didn't like the Mandarin look all too well. Nadira, wearing dark tinted square-framed sunglasses and a leopard print jacket, informs the driver, "Ohh, DASH. Shopping with you is so much FUN! Haaaa!" Dash keeps his visor-eyes on the road while replying chivalrous, "A pretty girl like you? Can NEVER get enough things!" Suddenly, several sparking bursts strike in front of the Mutant Mobile, causing Dash to skid sideways to a screeching, reluctant halt. Nadira groans at a high-pitch as the MM stops quickly and jerks her whole body around. She annoyedly yanks off her sunglasses and stares piercing daggers at the source of the detour. It's the Time Force Power Rangers, all sitting on their Vector Cycles in a row in the middle of the road, wielding their Chrono-Blasters. Pink Ranger holds up her blinking-lighted TF Badge, and proclaims, "Hold it right there, Nadira!" She gives a scoff in return, boasting to Dash in a stuck-up tone, "Let's go. YOU can outrun THEM!" Dash ominously concurs, "I CAN... But not just yet." He opens up his door and gets out of the Mutant Mobile, leaving Nadira confusedly stunned. She calls out his name, as if calling for a loyal servant, but he ignores her totally. Dash walks a very short distance towards the Rangers before stopping, prompting them to dismount off their Vector Cycles, Blasters still drawn. They cautiously step in front of their bikes, as Dash greets raspily, "Hello, Lucas. Long time, no see." (how did Dash know Lucas was a Ranger?!) The Blue Time Force Ranger lowers his Chrono-Blaster and staggers forth, gasping in recognition, "Oh, my GOSH! I don't BELIEVE it." He holds his Blaster against his Chrono-Morpher wrist, and causes it to reholster in subspace in a flash of blue light. Lucas walks over to Dash, causing his teammates to become quite baffled. Red Ranger wonders, "Hey! What's goin' on?!" Pink also asks, "What's he DOING?!" Yellow, Green, Pink, & Red TF Rangers reholster their Chrono-Blasters the same way Lucas did, by holding them against their left wrist-gauntlet, and zapping them away in their respective colors.

Blue Ranger meets Dash halfway, the two casually standing in front of one another. Lucas remarks to his old pal, "Dash! I had a feelin' it might be you." Dash responds harshly, "Well, for ONCE... you got it right." Blue TF Ranger commands, "Power Down!", before pressing his Chrono-Morpher, and demorphing in a flash of light & green digital data. Lucas stares at Dash, and Dash stares at Lucas, while Nadira stares at them both in visible shock, and the Time Force Rangers do some staring as well. Wes exclaims, "They KNOW each other?!" Dash steps even closer to the fellow futuristic racer, growling with bitterness, "Lucas, ...my OLD 'friend'." Lucas wonders with equal resentment, "Since WHEN did you become Nadira's chauffeur?" Dash comments, "Beats being FROZEN in a canister! But you wouldn't know what that's like. And chauffeur or NOT, I can STILL drive circles around YOU!" He turns and walks slowly away, while Lucas merely stares at him silently. Dash sits in the Mutant Mobile, starts 'er up, and much to Nadira's delight, shouts, "Let's ROLL!" She giggles evilly, as he steps on the accelerator and charges into the street, driving directly at Lucas! He stands unflinchingly in his spot, staring coldly at his former acquaintance. Dash instantly hits the brakes, and stops perfectly at Lucas' legs, narrowly avoiding slamming into him by a hair! The tension is intense between the two, though while Lucas deals with it by glaring, Dash gives an obnoxious laugh on his behalf. He then backs the MM up, and easily pulls around Lucas, who remains in that same spot still. Red Ranger yells in protest, "Lucas! STOP them!" (what, is Wes' weapons & Cycle broken or something?!) Lucas keeps quiet, but finally turns around and watches the vehicle speed off into the distance, appearing quite unhappy to see Dash again for mysterious reasons. Soon, at the Clock Tower, Lucas sits on a crate, staring distantly at a bottle of water in his hands. Over at the picnic table, away from him, Katie sits with her legs up as she looks at some paperwork, and Wes sits near her, seemingly cleaning under his fingernails with a cloth. Jen walks, arms-folded, over to Lucas, questioning him about the mutant, "You used to race that guy, Dash?" Lucas somberly confirms, "He was the best on the track. He was the ONLY guy who could ever beat me." Trip, tinkering around with an electronic switchboard up near the clockworks, turns around and asks surprisedly, "H-he was a RACECAR driver?! So... h-how'd he end up in jail?" Lucas fidgets with the bottle, and finally gets up to walk around as he reveals distraughtly, "He got too cocky. One day he was foolin' around, racing on the street for fun.... He caused a terrible accident. And then there was a trial, and I had to testify against him." Trip & Jen appear quite moved by this story, showing visible signs of empathy for him. Katie presses for more of the story, "And?!" Lucas cuts to the chase, while staring into a wall, "He was frozen." He lowers his head in deep shame after admitting this, feeling unexplained guilt.

In the Prison Ship, Nadira places several solid gold necklaces around Dash's neck. She giggles admiringly at him, though he just inspects himself undecidedly. Gluto stands behind Dash, watching this scene with much disgust. He lets out a scoffing grunt and throws his hands up in the air, as he waddles off. Nadira swoons, "They make you look... FABulous!" Dash stands up from his crouched position next to her leopard-print couch, and checking out a flimsy gold bracelet, remarks, "Yes. They do, don't they?" Nadira giggles and waves her pink-feathered fan against herself. As Dash & Nadira stand side by side basking in the shimmer of his numerous jewelry gifts, Gluto comes over. The blue-green whale-frog mutant slaps a silver coiled whip against his hands, and asks in his goombah-ish voice (speaking for the first time since "Clash For Control 1"), "Hey! How 'bout some fa' me?!" Nadira replies with increasing anger, "There's not enough jewels in the world to make YOU look better! So, BACK off!" Gluto, scorned by the women he pleaded loyalty to so long ago, shakes his coiled whip at her, and grumbles, "Wha?! Why I outta... Dohh... Rughh..." He immediately turns and waddles off to sulk, since as we can tell from his multiple rows of gold chains around his obese neck, Gluto loves the jewelry. Dash brushes his hand against Nadira's long pink hair, causing her to smile. He then steps forward, and in a flash of greenish light, transform into his human form! He's a slightly taller, dark-short haired young man around Lucas' age. He's got a black leather jacket, with matching pants and a beige shirt underneath. Plus, all of those darned necklaces still on, of course. Dash, speaking with the same raspy voice, states, "I'm gonna go check out life in the year 2001!" Nadira eagerly spins around, causing streaks of pink energy to surround her white-leather armor. In a blink, she stands before Dash in a leopard-print pantsuit, with a black leather jacket slung over her shoulder and sunglasses in her long pink hair. Nadira pitches aside the feathered-fan, and remarks, "Great! I'M going, too!" She struts across he room, and when Dash extends his open hand, she places hers in his. Gluto can be seen in the background, arms crossed, letting out restrained groans at the sight of Nadira turning her affections towards another mutant. She ignores him and giggles gaily, guiding Dash past the Cyclobot guards in the room, and to the horizontal-barred doors leading to the exit hall. Gluto steps back and allows them passage reluctantly, keeping his coiled whip in hand, just in case. See? That's what happens when a character is ignored for so long. They end up getting new weapons without us seeing them!

Momentarily in the city, Nadira walks arm-in-arm with Dash, as she skips girlishly down the sidewalk. Her incisive giggling finally comes to a stop when she spots a desired item in a shop window. She gasps, "Ahh! Look at THAT!", and drags Dash forcibly over to take a closer look. When Nadira reaches the window, filled with several styles of women's shoes, she becomes enthralled by the many new and different designs. She proclaims, "Oh, MY! Ahh! I simply can't LIVE without THIS one!" Dash looks at the shoes, then looks at her, and makes a bemused face before taking advantage of the fact she released him from her grip by sneaking off. Nadira, holding her little matching leopard-print purse daintily in hand, demands of her servant, "Come now! I want one of EVERYthing!" Her giggling is once again cut short, when she turns around and begins calling out for the absent Dash. He's just around the corner, hiding out of sight. Nadira's shoutings of his name grows from sweet to downright wrathful. She eventually gives up, pitching a fit that causes her sunglasses to drop off her scalp and fall onto the sidewalk, where she leaves them as she storms off squealing, "AHH! I NEVER!" Dash rolls his eyes and breathes a sigh of relief, commenting in a very un-raspy tone, "What an AIRhead!" He yanks off the gold necklaces and drops them into a nearby wastebin.

Some time later, Dash sits at a window booth in a small diner/resturant. He sips a glass of complimentary water, and prepares to eat a halfway unpeeled banana lying on his plate. He flips the bottle of ketchup (or catsup, if you prefer) into the air, catches it smoothly and covers the entire exposed banana with the red tomato paste! What kinda sicko don't eat the peel?! He's EVIL! Speaking of evil, Dash picks up the ketchup-coated banana, and chomps down on it, seeming quite pleased with the flavor. Lucas suddenly appears (likely having tracked his mutant buddy down via DNA scanning), walking up to the booth and remarking, "I dunno HOW you mutants eat that stuff!" Dash wipes his mouth off with a napkin, staring at his former rival quite unhappily. The moment Lucas sits across from Dash at the booth, a waiter comes over and sets down a glass of complimentary water. Lucas wisely pushes it aside. Dash pokes at his teeth with a toothpick and gazes out the window, trying to ignore Lucas. That doesn't stop Lucas from reminiscing on old times, stating, "I used to RESPECT you, Dash. The way you used to tear up the track?! You were... You were LIGHTNING! But now, how can you work for Nadira?!" Dash leans forward and looks him in the eyes, snapping at him with an explanation, "Get a CLUE! I don't CARE about Nadira. I'm here to pay you back." Lucas asks offendedly, "Pay me back?!" Dash continues, "Yeah! If you hadn't ratted on me at the trail, I wouldn't have spent the last two years frozen!" (He's Zhane?!) Lucas firmly stresses, "I was JUST telling the truth! You need to take responsibility for what you did!" Dash points his toothpick at him, and snarls, "Hold your breath! I've had a lotta time to THINK! We races six times, you and me. I've won three." Lucas adds, "And _I_ won three!" Dash offers, "How 'bout we break that tie? One last race." Lucas thinks about it for a moment, before shaking his head and confirming, "Okay. Okay! But if YOU lose, you turn yourself in! QUIT working for Nadira!" Dash agrees cockily, "Fine. But trust me... I WON'T lose." Just then, Lucas' Chrono-Morpher beeps, prompting him to immediately turn around in the booth, press the button, and lean against the seat as he whispers while looking around cautiously, "Go ahead." At the Clock Tower, Trip paces back and forth with a letter in hand, informing his teammate (through non-hologrammatic communications, for a change), "H-hey, Lucas! You, uhh, got a letter! It says you gotta go to TRAFFIC school!" Trip holds up the letter, and it's got a nice little drawing circle of four mountains with the words, "Silver Hills Driving School" around it. Lucas grimaces, snorting, "Oh, GREAT." He presses the Morpher button and turns back around, only to find Dash has slipped out during the distraction. Not only did he not finish his ketchup-coated banana, but he likely let Lucas with the bill! Lucas looks around, but finds Dash nowhere. Guess that's why they call him Dash, he's super fast (as Nadira can probably attest... ahem)!

[commercials]

Hey, there's that nifty Silver Hills Driving School logo again! It's on a big sign over the door of the very busy building. No wonder there are so many empty streets in the city! Judging by the amount of people walking in and out of the place, everyone must have lost their licenses! I bet Officer Cruller is a crooked cop who likes to give tickets to everyone he sees passing by him. Anyway, sitting outside of the Driving School is the "Student Driver" car, which I believe is the exact same black & white car that Mister Picketts of the DMV had Lucas drive in "A Blue Streak", but i'm likely wrong. What IS wrong, however, is how the Student Driver car is parked in a handicap parking space! Inside, a class has already begun. A middle aged, rugged black man by the name of Mister Graves teaches, standing at a podium surrounded by walls filled with numerous street signs (likely cut down from streets in Silver Hills, given how hardly no one is out there driving lately!). He tells the mostly young crowd of men & women, including Lucas, "The streets are NOT a playground for your amusement. There ARE laws, and i'm here to make SURE, you learn to obey them." Lucas becomes distant, and drifts off into a flashback to Dash in the diner, stating, "If you hadn't ratted on me at the trial, I wouldn't have spent the last TWO years frozen!" His gazing at the floor gains attention, when Mr. Graves takes aim of the him, as he's sitting right in the middle of the crowd, asking, "You! Am I BORing you?!" Lucas snaps out of his flashback, and shakes his head in response to the instructor. Mr. Graves picks up a yellow slip of paper, and states, "Let's see what your story is, anyway." He walks over to Lucas, and intimidatingly announces, "AHA! Reckless driving! EXACTly what i'm talking about! Let's see how reckless YOU are, when you get out on the road with ME!" He sticks his finger in Lucas' face while towering over the pretty boy. Lucas can only gulp deeply in fright in the face of the grim teacher.

Soon, Lucas & Mr. Graves are in the Student Driver car, both buckled in. Graves orders like a drill instructor, "Okay! Move it out!" Lucas obeys, starting up quickly and speeding out into the parking lot. Graves shouts, "HALT!", and Lucas hits the brakes, coming to a stop on a dime. He worriedly looks at his teacher, who scolds him sternly, "Slow down! This isn't a RACE, ya know?!" Lucas blinks, and begins to pull out slow & steadily (check out how many non-handicapable cars are in handicap spots in the background!), much to Mr. Graves' approval. Stock footage kicks in, as the white & black car navigates a narrow maze of pavement set up specifically for the school. Graves' voice-over narrates the scene (which is sped up quite hoakily), "Okay, turn left here. Hang another left. Alright, stop... and reverse." Elsewhere in the city, Nadira dashes (no pun intended) out of a department store (their name blocked by a big "sale" sign), giggling loudly as she takes off with several leopard-print bags (surprise, surprise). The Mutant Mobile awaits nearby, allowing her to pitch the bags full of stolen goods into the backseat, as she hops in and demands of her (apparently forgiven for his ditching her earlier) driver, "Step on it, Dash!" They take off in a blur, leaving the female store employee, with curly short brown hair, shaking her fists at them and crying, "Hey! HEYYY!", to no avail. Out on the ever-popular endless stretch of nearly empty streets, Lucas is impressing Mr. Graves with his calm & patient driver skills, inspiring him to remark, "So far, so good, Mr. Kendall. I MIGHT just pass you!" Lucas breathes a sigh of relief ("phew!"), as Graves marks some notes on his clipboard. Suddenly, his Chrono-Morpher beeps, and Lucas reacts sharply, by slamming on his breaks in the middle of the road! Mr. Graves is shaken up by this hasty reaction, screaming, "WHAT are you DOIN'?!" At the Clock Tower, Jen explains into her own Morpher, as Wes rushes down the steps from the upper level and Trip & Katie run in different directions, "Lucas, Nadira just hit another store! She's headed SOUTH on Main Street." Lucas wastes no time in grabbing the gear, shifting it, and zooming into reverse, quickly spinning the car around and racing to the destination. Mr. Graves, stunned by this maniac ordeal, demands, "WHOA! Stop this car!" Lucas glances over at him, but refuses to listen. Graves pleads "What're you doin'?!" again, as the petal is firmly placed against the metal.

Down Main Street, which is the emptiest street in the whole town, the Mutant Mobile cruises along at a brisk pace. Nadira, who, btw, is wearing yet another different outfit (her black leather jacket, a black short top, black pants, and new pink-tinted sunglasses), admires yet another collection of more gold rings on her fingers than she's got IQ points. She giggles diabolically and writhes her pricetag dangling hands about. Boy, the Silver Guardians sure must be enjoying their vacation! Anyway, soon, Lucas & the MM meet up, one coming one direction while the other from another. There's bloodcurdling screams from both Nadira & Mr. Graves as Dash & Lucas screech to perfect stops within collision range of each other. Mr. Graves immediately gets out of the vehicle, and turns around to tell Lucas terrified, "I should have NEVER quit the army!" He goes running for his life, allowing Lucas to lean out the open window and exclaim, "It ends HERE, Dash!" Dash angrily disagrees, "I don't THINK so, Lucas! This will be our last race-- the Tiebreaker!" Nadira cackles with psychotic glee, "THIS outta be FUN! Fun, fun, fun! Yeaahhhaha!" Lucas is against the settings, "NO! I'm NOT gonna race you on the streets. It's TOO dangerous!" Dash plays the coward card by quipping, "Oh, so you're chicken! Figures!" Lucas pleads straightly, "DON'T do this." Dash does it anyway, shifting gears and zooming past Lucas, getting a head-start. He hesitates for a moment, but when the Mutant Mobile swerves back around, Lucas gives in to his natural addiction for the fastlane, and follows along. Don't ask me to explain how a rinky-dink, rundown Student Driver car like Lucas' can match the speed of a magically enhanced Mutant Mobile, because you won't like the answer. Yet, somehow Lucas manages to catch up to the MM, where Nadira laughs evilly. No more of me mentioning her laughing evilly, because that's ALL she ever does. She robs stores and giggles maniacally. So, vroom-a-vroom-a-vroom. All Lucas & Dash wanna do is a put a vroom-vroom-vroom in a vroom-vroom. Just shake your rump! Lucas ends up, thanks to the still-inane fact that there's NEVER any cars on the streets, riding side-by-side with the Mutant Mobile. He shouts over the incredibly loud engines revving, "STOP! This is the kinda STUNT that got you in trouble BEFORE!" Dash turns the tables in response, "I wouldn't have BEEN in trouble if you hadn't testified against me. Remember THAT?!" Nadira makes faces at Lucas, and adds, "Yeah!" Lucas speaks truly when he retorts, "QUIT blaming everyone else for YOUR mistakes! Now PULL over!" Nadira sticks her tongue out at him, and likely gets a mouthful of loose pink hair and dead bugs. The Mutant Mobile speeds up, with Dash remarking, "I don't THINK so."

Lucas speeds back into the lead, but witnesses something startling up ahead. A small white & red soccer ball bounces into the street, dramatically slow. Lucas reacts instantly, by slamming his car into the Mutant Mobile! The sideswipe causes a burst of sparks, and is able to disorient Dash & Nadira enough to stop the vehicle from further racing at the moment. Lucas pulls to a hasty stop as well, parking in such a way that if the street actually had other cars on it, it could pose a traffic hazard. Dash (tossing off his seatbelt) gets out of the MM in a huff, complaining, "I had 'em BEAT! What'd you do THAT for?!" Lucas also gets out of his car, and proclaims, "'Cause I HAD to." Dash wonders, "What're you TALKIN' about? Huh?!", when he glances over just a few feet away. A small girl and two equally young boys rush into the street to retrieve the ball. They simply wave friendlily at the mutant and company, bidding, "Bye!" The kids run off just as quickly as they appeared (the fat boy lags behind, shouting to his two pals, "Hey, wait up guys!"). Dash faces Lucas, and realizes, "I would've hit them if you hadn't stopped me. Just like before at the accident. Winning was SO important to me, I didn't care what happened to ANYONE else. You're right, Lucas. _I_ have to take responsibility for what _I_ have done. YOU win!" Nadira, still sitting in the Mutant Mobile, screams in protest, "WHAT?! The race isn't over! Get your mutant butt back in here and DRIVE!" Dash turns around and refuses, exclaiming, "NO way! I'm NO one's chauffeur. I QUIT!" Lucas smiles slightly and nods, seeing a spark of the true man he's spent so long feeling guilty about having sent to prison. Nadira asks, "Oooo! You quit, huh?!" She pulls out a small, dagger-type electronic device, and aims the pointed end at Dash, zapping him with a surging pulse of pink energy! It strikes his chest, and causes his body to begin painfully coursing with glowing electricity. Lucas screams out his refound friend's name, just before the other four Time Force Power Rangers arrive on scene (on foot, oddly). They join Lucas' side, while Red Ranger shouts, "Nadira, NO! We've GOT to do something!" Dash collapses to his knees, crying in agony as the pink power flows through his entire form. Nadira removes her sunglasses and urges evilly, "Go ahead! HELP your friend." Lucas is ready to rush out to try to aid him, but Wes holds him back. Green Ranger informs him, "Wait! You CAN'T. Those currents are TOO powerful!" Nadira offers, "Let me show you some REAL power!", before aiming the dagger-like device at Dash again, sending a massive jolt of energy into him reluctantly. He rises back to his feet, and right before our heroes' eyes, gains a bulky set of chest armor & gauntlets from the dose of badness!

The upgraded Dash (or, as I like to call him now, "Mad Dash") darts towards the four morphed Time Force Rangers, as Lucas just stands silently in the background. Nadira remains in the Mutant Mobile, doing her usual thing. Mad Dash faces the Rangers. Red Ranger throws a high kick that he ducks. Pink Ranger tries to punch him but he deflects the blow, kicks Green Ranger away, and turns back for Red Ranger, blocking his blow and taking him down with a kick. Mad Dash brings his elbow back around and knocks Yellow Ranger off, before kicking Pink Ranger harshly onto the cement. The enraged mutant turns his sights on the remaining TF, and though Lucas gets into a fight stance, Mad Dash's enhanced strength is far too much. Lucas is struck powerfully in the gut, followed by a second blow that sends his whole body flying painfully through the air! In midair, Lucas presses his Chrono-Morpher, and in a flash of gold light, he activates, "Time for Time Force!" The Blue Time Force Power Ranger lands perfectly, fully morphed, in a completely different area of the city (another one of those industrial shipping zones with Japanese writing on signs). Mad Dash now has his own sword in his clutches, which he wields with renewed vigor. Blue Ranger races his way, and the two meet in-between. Lucas flips over the sword swipe, slaps Dash's hand away, and tries to toss a kick, but he ducks. Two more kicks are thrown, with neither getting results. Mad Dash seizes the opportunity and slashes Blue Ranger sparkily across the chest twice. A third blow is attempted with a downward thrust, but Lucas blocks it roughly with his forearm, allowing him to grab the blade and hold his opponent in place long enough to talk. Blue Ranger pleads, "Dash! DON'T do this!" Mad Dash, trying to speak through the stranglehold Lucas has on his neck, grunts, "I can't... control myself!" The mutant kicks the Ranger in the side repeatedly, before lifting his sword up, and taking Lucas along in the air with it! He's spun around a few times, screaming all the while, before letting go, ricocheting off of a metal pillar, and returning with a well-timed series of attacks in midair, this time using both of his Chrono-Sabers that he apparently summoned between shots. Mad Dash takes the slashes, and rolls away. Once back on his feet, he puts his hand to his face, and when he releases, a double-zap of yellow energy bolts burst from his eye-visor. Blue Ranger takes the brunt of the blast, his body smoking & bursting. While falling dramatically, he's able to send a return laserblast back at Mad Dash, taking him down as well! They fall simultaneously, with the mutant's sword being dropped against the concrete. Lucas recovers fast, regrouping with his TF teammates suddenly. Mad Dash, though, lies on his stomach, clutching his smoking chest and moaning. Lucas yells, "Dash! You okay?!" Pink Ranger wastes no time, as she already has her V-5 weapon in hand, as she orders, "Alright! Let's take him in!"

Nadira makes the scene, still in her black outfit, but now carrying a small, sleek, white blaster in hand. She twirls around, and boasts, "Mmmm! Let's quit the SMALL talk, SHALL we?!" She spins back and fires her blaster at the Time Force Rangers, causing all of the V-Weapon wielding heroes to be overwhelmed by sparks. Mad Dash is also struck by Nadira's strange new blaster's attack, causing his black & gold leg patch to fall off and clink like metal when it hits the ground. Mad Dash laments, "Oh, NO! The DNA Patch!" (naming the patch for the first time on the series!) His abnormal DNA is exposed, his molecules expand and the chain reaction leads to Mad Dash growing to the usual astonishingly large size. The Time Force Rangers watch in awe (now without their V-Weapons, make up your minds!), with Trip gasping, "Oh, no!" Blue Ranger calls into his Chrono-Morpher, "Circuit! We need some help!" At the Clock Tower, Circuit sits on his perch, and comes to flapping life as he replies, "Right! The Time Flyers are on the way!" In the year 3000, at the TF launchpad, the female computer voice announces, "Launching Time Flyers in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1..." Trans-Warp Megazord lowers his visor, the Time Gate surges to life, and the five Time Flyers are punched into the vortex. They exit in 2001 at the top of the stadium, as usual. The Rangers board the Flyers, and soon, Trip activates, "Time Force Megazord!", Lucas adds, "Mode Red!", Katie quips, "Let's DO it!", and Jen concludes, "NOW!" The Time Flyers come together to form the Time Force Megazord in Mode Red! It pulls out its Saber, and faces the giant Mad Dash, who also has his own sword back in hand. The agile mutant rushes forth and inflicts the first slash (what point is there in the Megazord having a shield when it never uses the darned thing?!). Followed by the second, and third, though the fourth is blocked by Mode Red's Saber. It redirects Mad Dash's sword, and then uses the shield to bash against the mutant painfully flying across the city. When Mad Dash lands on his feet, he turns around and shoots off another round of eye-visor lasers, hitting the Megazord in the chest-gem. The Rangers within are rocked about the Control Room. Blue Ranger regrets, "I'm SORRY I have to do this, Dash!" Mode Red Megazord instantly charges its Saber with a golden light, and fires the energy blast successfully off the Saber at Mad Dash. The resulting explosion tears apart his upgraded "Mega Madder" armor, or whatever, causing it to fall into several giant pieces in the middle of the city.

Dash, his chest still smoking, topples over limply & wearily, passing out upon impact. Lucas cries out his name, and Dash reawakens groggily. He struggles back onto his feet, and between grunts, vows, "Lucas... I'm ready to pay for what I did. When I get out, everything's gonna be different." Blue Ranger asks, "... What?" The still-giant Dash continues surrendering, "I've got YOU to thank for that. That's why I want it to be you that takes me back in. Please... do it." The Rangers stare at their teammate as he ponders the decision. It doesn't take long, before Blue Ranger pulls his control-staff out from the floor, and it transforms into the Megazord Saber remote. Lucas holds it up, the sides drop down, and he exclaims, "All RIGHT. I KNEW you'd do the right thing!" The green Megazord clockface is formed, though instead of the usual countdown, Lucas calls for something called, "Time Freeze! Hyah!" The Time Force Megazord in Mode Red flashes its eyes greenly, and cuts horizontally through Dash. The golden slash rips through the mutant, causing his body to glow light blue as he shrinks as quickly as he grew. Dash's DNA retracts and he ends up in tiny Chrono-Frozen action figure mode, standing tall on his feet, unlike other mutants taken by force. Blue Ranger lowers the Saber, and promises, "Goodbye, Dash. I WILL see you again." The Megazord copies his movements, going to an at-ease position. Moments later, the demorphed Lucas walks down to where Dash's tiny body is. He holds his Time Force Badge over him, and creates a new containment capsule with the little mutant inside. Lucas picks it up and holds it tightly. His fellow demorphed teammates stand in the background, as Lucas bids a final goodbye, "And someday... you're gonna be a champion again." He's about to look at his teammates, but pauses, visibly unsettled by having to put his former pal in prison for a second time. Lucas takes the canister and walks off on his own, the others giving him his space to sort through this emotionally.

Meanwhile, on an episode of The Jetsons, Dash wins first place in a race. Oh, no, wait, that's supposed to be a very brief "dream" sequence showing Lucas' wish coming true. Too bad the awful production designs overpower the notion of "whose dream was it?"

[commercials]

At the Clock Tower, Lucas punches in "3-5-4" on the keypad of the large silver Containment Freezer they use to store recaptured mutants. One side opens up, and on the large cold shelves we see only three tubes! (the last time we peeked in, there was hardly room enough for the nearly dozen of them they had then! Is there a second storage freezer around?) Lucas takes a last look at Dash, and places his Chrono-Tube in with the others, before locking the freezer back up again. Trip comes up the steps and says, "Hey, Lucas! There's, uhh, someone downstairs. He wants to see you." Lucas seems confused, but heads down to find out who his visitor is. It just happens to be his driving instructor, Mister Graves! The elder man looks quite pleased when he sees the TF Officer appear, though Lucas still nervously figures, "Oh! Mr. Graves! I suppose you're here to tell me I failed." Graves denies it, "FAILED?! Unh-UHH!" He slaps Lucas' stunned shoulder and stresses, "You're the BEST driver i've ever SEEN!" Mr. Graves takes Lucas aside, and confides, "In fact, I came here to ask you for a lesson." Trip, Jen, Katie & Wes show up together near the stairway, and watch as Mister Graves puts on an old fashioned set of hooded goggles (like pilots and ancient Nascar drivers used to wear), which goes with the white scarf around his neck. He smiles and adds, "I've always DREAMED of being a.... Racecar driver!" Lucas asks in disbelief, "YOU... a racecar driver?" Graves enthusiastically replies, "Yeah!" Lucas swallows hard again. Mr. Graves grabs his arm and in his army-induced voice, orders, "Let's move it out!" Lucas is reluctant, stating, "I don't think I shou...", until Graves demands with a smile, "NOW!" Lucas expresses pure fear of the whole situation, probably thinking the crazy ex-grunt will be an even more dangerous racecar driver than Dash was. Mr. Graves pushes Lucas out of the NOTOJ office, leaving the other four TF Officers chuckling up a storm. But the empty-road syndrome plaguing Silver Hills is not a laughing matter. Please donate to the "Get Some Extra Vehicles In The Background" foundation.

[Scenes from "Lovestruck Rangers"; End Credits]