Rob reviews Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #108…
Things slow down this week as we finally learn the origins behind Mistress Vile’s mysterious partner. As Vessel’s origin is revealed what ramifications will it bring to the wider MMPR mythos?
Kicking things off back in the not-so distant past, Mistress Vile and Alpha-1 are hunting for something on the planet Bizark. This soon turns out to be the resting place for Zordon’s body which was placed on Bizark after Rita stripped his consciousness and trapped the Eltarian within the time vortex. Needing a “vessel” for the Dark Spectre, Mistress Vile sees the body of her arch nemesis as the perfect host.
Flash forward and we then find ourselves in the present day as the battle for Earth continues. Across the next few panels we get some gorgeous work from the returning Marco Renna that illustrates Vessel heading towards his target, while chaos rains all around. With the Command Centre in his sights, Vessel effortlessly dispatches with Rock, Adam, and Alpha-5, to then leave him alone with the shocked Zordon. With their shared past needing some context, the rest of the issue then delves into Zordon’s psyche, and the need to face his own past.
As MMPR issues go, this one is pretty slow. It doesn’t rely on flash action sequences to tell its story, and as such is quite the slow burner. It’s certainly a bridge that did need to be crossed - especially after THAT reveal, and thankfully it’s done in a way that respects Zordon’s character, while simultaneously moving his personal arc forwards. Ever the optimist, this conversation sees Zordon attempting to appeal to Vessel’s better nature, as the antagonist attempts to break his otherworldly spirit’s resolve. It’s a great meeting of minds as the two characters - who are essentially the same person - act as polar opposites. It’s also interesting to note that Vessel IS Zordon without his compassion, and yet knowing this, Zordon sees the glimmer of light inside his former self.
I’ve said it quite often through Melissa Flores’s run as MMPR scribe that she certainly knows these characters inside and out - and here is no different. We’ve seen hints in past issues of the animosity between Zordon and Grace Sterling that’s stemmed from that disastrous mission on the Moon. Naturally with the Power Rangers working with Grace’s Promethea, this conflict was bound to be brought up - and it has done many times - albeit with Zordon sticking to his convictions. Here, however we finally see the Eltarian deal with his error of judgement which caused the decimation of Grace’s tenure as the Red Ranger. It’s quite a poignant moment that serves as a reminder that Zordon isn’t infallible and that his own actions have caused plenty of hurt to those under his command.
Another great thing about this issue is that Marco Renna has returned for art duties. While it’s a one off, Renna’s art style is synonymous with Mighty Morphin Power Rangers over the years, and it’s great to see him take charge of these characters once more. And naturally with Flores, taking us into the past, it totally makes sense for Renna to lend his talents towards it.
All in all, while Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #108 isn’t the action-blockbuster we’ve come to expect, it’s change in pace doesn’t let up on the story being told. What we get here is an important issue that builds more to Zordon’s character, while giving an antagonist his origins, and moving the wider story forward. With yet another pawn entering the giant MMPR chess board, and with Drakkon and his Coinless waiting in the wings, we’re still none the wiser as to how far down the rabbit hole Melissa Flores will take us. Yet I’m all for it!
Rating: 8/10
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Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow us on Twitter/Facebook @GeekCultureRev, and TikTok/YouTube @Geekculturereviews.
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