SHATTER THE UNIVERSE

Multiple threats force the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers to seek help from their worst enemy.

Though there’s plenty of fighting, this duology closer focuses heavily on Yellow Ranger Trini Kwan’s romance with Black Ranger Zack. The MacGuffin is the reality-altering Zeo Crystal, which is hidden on the moon and accessible only to someone who’s “pure of soul.” Lady Lunara, a corrupt version of Trini from an alternate universe, is out to get it. The only way to keep it out of her hands is to enlist aid from fiendishly clever space witch Rita Repulsa, who’s scheming to bring Trini over to the dark side. The premise may not feel robust, but it leads to frequent battles with Rita’s monster minion, Goldar, and his army of Putties, and also to lots of inner conflict and romantic tension that the arrival of more ranger doppelgängers from the alternate universe cranks to a higher pitch. The dialogue and characters are as stylized as the choreographed violence. Narrator Trini sounds younger than her given age of 16, but she expresses mature awareness of her own flaws and respect for Rita as a fellow powerful Asian woman. Ma adds new elements to this revival, which follows the racial and gender casting of the original TV series; Trini says that “watching Kim­berly reclaim pink power and Zack reclaim Black power” helps with her “mixed emotions” about being Yellow Ranger and the only Asian team member.

A lively romantic superhero story for franchise fans.