The Power Stealer

The Power Stealer is the eighth episode of Season 2 of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. It is the second episode of the Green No More arc.

Plot
The Rangers lead a drive to clean up Angel Grove. But, Lord Zedd has plans of his own and decides to create the Octophantom to capture the Rangers in a magic jar and drain them of their powers. Now, the Rangers face a battle to keep their powers and save Tommy.

Synopsis
Several teens are in the Youth Center, getting ready for the cleanup drive in Angel Grove community and Trini, Zack, and Billy are among them. A television reporter is there as well and she, and her camera man, film the teens and talks to Zack about the cleanup drive. The television reporter tells the group that a rumor is going around that the Power Rangers will be there. Billy doesn't know what to say, Zack says they never met them, and Trini covers for them by telling the reporter they wouldn’t know since they don't know the Power Rangers. The interview ends and the reporter thanks the three. As everyone leaves for the cleanup drive, Bulk and Skull stay behind and check out the television reporter's equipment. The reporter comes up to them and asks what they are doing. Bulk & Skull claim they want to keep an eye on the equipment for her, but she tells them they don't have to, and she’s got it covered. Bulk comes up with an idea - to film the Power Rangers at the park and then remove their helmets thus reveal their identities.

Lord Zedd decides to take advantage of the Rangers need to keep things clean, so he decides to create the most hideous monster he can think of, the Octophantom, which is the cross between an octopus and an elephant. He plans to have the monster lure each of them away, trap them in a jar, and then drain them of their powers. At Angel Grove Park, Tommy, Kimberly, and Jason are cleaning up with several other teens. The camera man has arrived, and starts interviewing Tommy. Putties and Octophantom arrive and everyone starts running. The three rangers begin to fight the putties unaware that the camera, left behind, is recording. Tommy is the first to realize it's a trap. Kimberly finds Tommy is in trouble and warns Jason. They all morph to fight the putties and the monster, not realizing they have been recorded by the camera doing so. Several putties grab a hold of Tommy, and the monster opens his jar, and pulls him into it. Jason and Kimberly try to help, but are too late as the monster escapes with the trapped Green Ranger. Jason then contacts Zordon to inform him what happened and asks him to contact the others, and have them meet in the command center. After everyone has left the park, Bulk & Skull approach the camera. They realized the camera has been recording the Rangers in action so they take the tape. At the command center, the remaining Rangers are filled in. Billy tries to search for Tommy, using the data, but he is unable to locate him. Meanwhile, Tommy is being held captive in one of Lord Zedd's dimensions.

Back at the Command Center, the alarm goes off. The Octophantom is back and defacing park property in order to lure the Rangers out. The Rangers suit up and head off to battle the monster. As the Rangers battle the monster, Billy realizes it's a trap and tries to warn the others, but they are too set on saving Tommy. From the sidelines, Billy watches the fight, trying to figure out the monster's weakness. When he sees the monster complimenting himself on his looks while seeing his reflection, he comes to the conclusion that the monster is very vain. The monster manages to trap Zack and the girls in his jar. Billy and Jason return to the Command Center after the monster leaves. Billy begins working on a device to distract the monster, while Jason goes back into action. Jason soon finds the monster and they battle, while the other four rangers are held captive above the fight, guarded by putties. Jason fights the Octophantom with all his might but is slowly loosing the battle. Just when Jason is about to be sucked into the jar, the Power Lance appears out of nowhere and hits the monster in his trunk, making the him lose his jar. Billy is back with the device, which is a shield with a mirror in it to distract the monster. Jason uses the shield to catch the monster off guard while Billy fights the putties and releases the Rangers. Tommy is very weak, to the point were his suit darkens and despite his protesting is sent back to the Command Center by Billy. The Octophantom grows, and the Rangers call for their zords to form the Thunder Megazord, which they use to destroy the Octophantom.

At the Youth Center, everyone is enjoying the buffet set up for the success of the clean-up drive and Jason thanks Billy for his help. Kimberly fills in the others on Tommy's condition, that his powers are still weak, but he will be okay. Bulk & Skull walk in triumphantly and announce they have a tape of the Power Rangers' identities from the park. The Rangers realize in time that the tape does indeed contain footage that would expose them. Bulk tries to put the tape in, but Jason blocks the VCR with his hand. Zack quickly takes the tape and the Rangers tell Bulk & Skull that they need a label for such an important tape. Zack switches tapes with Billy and then hands Bulk & Skull a different one with a label. Bulk places the tape in, and it shows cartoons. Bulk is upset, but Skull silences him to watch the show. Billy tells his teammates that he will take the real tape home and run it through his tape eraser and the Rangers share a laugh of relief knowing that their identities are safe once more.

Cast

 * Austin St. John as Jason Lee Scott (Mighty Morphin Red Ranger)
 * Jason David Frank as Tommy Oliver (Mighty Morphin Green Ranger)
 * Thuy Trang as Trini Kwan (Mighty Morphin Yellow Ranger)
 * Walter Jones as Zack Taylor (Mighty Morphin Black Ranger)
 * David Yost as Billy Cranston (Mighty Morphin Blue Ranger)
 * Amy Jo Johnson as Kimberly Ann Hart (Mighty Morphin Pink Ranger)
 * Paul Schrier as Farkas "Bulk" Bulkmeier
 * Jason Narvy as Eugene "Skull" Skullovitch
 * David Fielding as Zordon (face)
 * Robert L. Manahan as Zordon (voice)
 * Romy J. Sharf as Alpha 5
 * Richard Steven Horvitz as Alpha 5 (voice) (as Richard Wood)
 * Ed Neil as Lord Zedd
 * Robert Axelrod as Lord Zedd (voice)
 * Danny Wayne Stallcup as Goldar
 * Kerrigan Mahan as Goldar (voice) (as Ryan O'Flannigan)
 * Eddie Frierson as Octophantom (voice)
 * Elisabeth Fies as Octophantom (US stunts)

Errors

 * When Billy says "He's gotta have a weak spot" while watching Jason, Zack & the girls fight the monster, he's behind a bent-shaped tree branch. However, the next shot shows him going from a straightened tree to the bent one. This is likely a goof in editing, but it's now shown properly in the released footage.
 * In all shots of the quarry during the battle, it is sunny, but in shots of the rangers being tied up to the poles, it is a light blue sky.
 * In the Zyu2 footage, just as the camera goes off of Billy and onto Jason and the monster, two crew trucks can be seen.
 * The Rangers refer to the Thunder Megazord as “Mega Thunderzord”.

Songs

 * 5-4-1
 * Fight (Instrumental)
 * Combat