Putty on the Brain

Putty on the Brain is the fifth episode of the second season of Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers.

Synopsis
Billy and Zack find themselves seeing things when Lord Zedd casts a spell making them see their fellow Rangers as Putties. Making matters worse, Zedd creates Saliguana to finish off the Rangers while they are still confused.

Plot
At Angel Grove High School, Zack shows Billy a pair of glasses that he thinks are perfect for protection in the science lab. Lord Zedd seizes the opportunity to cast a spell on the glasses; once worn, Zack and Billy would see the other Rangers as putties. Seeing Jason, Kimberly and Tommy with Putty illusions, they mistook their friends as a group of Putties assaulting Mr. Caplan. After tackling them in an attempt to "save" the principal, Mr. Caplan gives Billy and Zack detention.

Meanwhile, Miss Appleby has asked Bulk and Skull to feed the classroom's iguana. After Bulk empties the entire box of food into its tank, Zedd transforms the iguana into Saliguana. The sight of this full grown monster scares them out of the classroom.

Bulk and Skull end up in detention for different reasons, and after trying on Zack and Billy's glasses, they see the pair as Putties and flee the classroom screaming.

After school, a group of Putties ambush Zack and Billy in the park. When the other Rangers show up to help, Zack and Billy are unable to distinguish them from the real Putties, with Zack at one point attacking Trini by accident. After finally defeating the villains, the group teleports to the Command Center together.

Zordon reveals the Saliguana, which was able to live in and breathe fire. Billy suggests making something to cool it down, and goes to his lab with Zack to work on an ice device. While working on it, Alpha 5 sent Trini to test a theory--that despite the spell, Rangers should appear normally once morphed. The test is successful, and Zack and Billy can see the Yellow Ranger just as she should be.

Meanwhile, the Saliguana begins attacking the beach outside Angel Grove. As Billy has not had time to test his ice device, he brings an extra computer chip with him to the battle. Tommy is forced to stay behind because of his weakening powers.

After defeating a group of Putties on the beach, the Saliguana attacks the Rangers. Zack's initial attempt to use the ice device doesn't work, but adding the extra chip provides it with extra power, and the device weakens the monster considerably. The Rangers then combine the Power Weapons to form the Power Blaster, leaving the Saliguana on the edge of defeat.

Zedd makes the monster grow and the Rangers summon their Thunderzords. At first, Jason fights the monster alone in the Red Dragon Thunderzord, then rides the Thunderzord Assault Team to dodge the Saliguana's fire attacks before combining into the Thunder Megazord. The monster attacks the Megazord with its tongue, but the Rangers break the hold with the Thunder Saber, then finish the monster off with a charged slash.

Back at Angel Grove High, the iguana returns on the floor of Mrs Appelby's classroom. Zack and Billy are told to wear the glasses one more time, now that Zordon has modified them to neutralize Zedd's spell. It works, and the pair see their friends normally again.

Cast

 * Austin St. John as Jason Lee Scott (Mighty Morphin Red Ranger)
 * Jason David Frank as Tommy Oliver (Mighty Morphin Green Ranger) (Unmorphed)
 * 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
 * Royce Herron as Ms. Appleby
 * 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)
 * John C. Hyke as Saliguana (voice)

Errors

 * When the computer chip is placed on the extinguisher, it has no way to stay in place as they need to be soldered in order to keep from moving.
 * Saliguana's tongue is red when it shoots out of its mouth, but black when it wraps around the Thunder Megazord. This is due to the use of Dairanger footage of the Kabuki Novice's tongue. That same footage would be used later in its proper context in The Great Bookala Escape.
 * When the Rangers sever the Saliguana's tongue, the blade of the Dino Megazord's Power Sword can be seen briefly, a result of the use of Zyu2 footage.
 * Tommy assures Jason that he will join the team once Zordon recharges his powers, but never shows up. This is likely because the Zyu2 footage used for this episode does not contain the Green Ranger.
 * When Trini morphs in front of Billy and Zack, her Blade Blaster isn't closed properly in the holster; the ‘teeth’ on the handle are exposed.

Songs

 * Fight
 * 5-4-1