mad_tea_party | Entries tagged with fandoms: power rangers

So I don't wanna feed the trolls over on Reddit, so I decided to do my defense here instead. This above graphic was a sub discussion going on after someone suggested that the Power Rangers franchise should have ended at RPM. Now having seen Power Rangers RPM, and nothing beyond it (not counting my current rewatch or the little bit of MegaForce )I can't say for certain if that's true. But I have to agree. It wouldn't have hurt the franchise if they hadn't made any other seasons after RPM. They would have ended it on a high note.

I took issue with this sub-discussion because it tried to claim that one, RPM itself was lazy writing. And two, (and this was the biggie for me ) that the team would've done better if Ziggy had acted more like Dillon.

WHAT?! I'm sorry but, WHAT THE HELL?! Ziggy being the exact opposite of any of them was exactly why the character worked so well. His irreverence, and the way he thinks (street smarts for the win...guess the cartel DID teach him a thing or two, despite his repeated failures within it...). He didn't have to be broody McBroodster like Dillon. His comedic timing and his...seeming lack of intelligence made him work within the team because he brought new ways of thinking and optimism when needed. Let's not forget that he helped Doctor K come out of her shell more and realize she didn't have to be so guarded. He didn't judge her, and took her exactly as she was. And didn't try to change her in the slightest.

As for the writing of RPM. Look I agree. Some things could have been improved on. Don't ask me for specific examples. My friend Brayan claims they ripped off In Space with that whole storyline between Dillon and Tenaya7 being related, but to me, that had it's own spin that makes it more unique. As in NEITHER knew they were related until much later in the series. And even after that, Tenaya7 denied it over and over again, even with the proof in front of her. (Yes, Karone did the same thing, but hers didn't seem to last nearly as long.)

Second of all. If you know the story of Go-onger (and I honestly can say that I don't, but I've heard things), it was not the easiest thing to adapt in the first place. They took sentai footage that was comedy in the original and made it deeply serious by introducing the post-apocalyptic element. As someone who writes original stories in that genre? It is fucking hard work! You have to build the world, then, because it is a Power Rangers series, you have to sprinkle in a little bit of camp, and humor. I loved the episode where Ziggy and then Flynn blatantly break the 4th wall by calling attention to the morphing effects and the morph call itself. (Equally, I always wondered why there's a morph call too, and Dr. K's response of "voice recognition" oddly makes the most sense. Why did it take 17 seasons for someone to ask that question?? LOL)

Maybe the dystopian vibe killed it for these Redditors? I don't know. I just wanted to send the Scorpion Cartel after them OR have the Venjix virus affect their computer. And I didn't feel right, as one of Ziggy's fans not stepping in saying something at least somewhere.

So I just discovered in recent months that fanfiction serves another purpose beyond keeping a fandom or characters alive that I love so much.

Back at the end of August and early September, I joined with an old RP partner of mine in a journaling RPG on Insane Journal. I am not new to Insane Journal RPGs. In fact for many years it was my preferred RP method if I couldn't get one on one IM RPs. What I didn't know was that said RP partner only wanted me for one character. Or so it seems in recent messages.

One of the few characters that were not Power Rangers RPM related that hit it off with my Ziggy was a boy named Freckles. In October when I was fully committed to the RP, I posted a thread for Ziggy and Freckles to interact in after they'd been back and forth on the "network" threads. (This RP is really strange. Previous journal RPs I'd belonged to had roughly3 comms you joined: OOC, IC, and Network). Personally that's how I prefer it. Keeps "mobile" posts more organized and there's less confusion. They don't even have a network tag.

Anyway, so I posted the thread and Ziggy and Freckles were suppsoed to go to this RP's version of The Garage, which, if you're not familiar is the base of operations from RPM. I posted the thread, she commented. I commented back. And then....NOTHING ! I mean, freakin' radio silence, y'all. Meanwhile, she's nudging me to post for Dillon more. I suspect she probably doesn't care for Ziggy. But she knew before I started that Ziggy was louder than Dillon, unlike the last time I RPed with her where Dillon really was louder.

There's a reason for this. When she and I first met, I was really into dystopian young adult novels. And I'd just gotten back into POwer Rangers thanks in no small part to the 2017 movie (which, as unpopular as it was with the OG fans of the 93 series and that era's specific movies, I really ate up for a number of reasons). Well anyway, she knew about both of those things, and suggested I check out Power Rangers RPM. Now, I'll be honest and say I was skeptical. After all, even though I knew the franchise had continued on after Turbo, I hadn't touched it outside of Dino Thunder, Mystic Force, and then later MegaForce. Yet on episode 1 (which I started on Netflix), I was hooked for a bit. But at that time, she'd specifically asked for me to try and "get" a Dillon muse.

I don't subscribe to the forcing a muse thing. But as it happened, coming off a Mortal Instruments high, I was really into the brooding bad boy archetype at the time and Dillon happned to fit that to a tee, and so I DID develop a Dillon muse. Unfortunately, there after, the RP itself fell apart, and I once again got distracted by my book fandoms, and RPM was forgotten. It should be noted that while Ziggy of course was in those episodes, since I was trying specifically for Dillon, I guess I didn't pay much attention to him.

Of course you guys know what's happened since. I finally sat down and watched more of RPM, and OMG. That was all she wrote. And while I will forever love this series for the storytelling, Ziggy will forever be my favorite character for more than the shallow superficial "he's adorable as hell" reason. Of course, there is also Gem and Gemma.

In terms of soul bonding, which I really haven't talked about much in recent years, Ziggy and I are very strongly bonded. and at times, that makes it hard for me to focus on other Power Rangers related muses, and trust me, since In Space (cause Andros, come on...and Zahne) I've developed quite arsenal of muses. Thankfully, Ziggy's only stipulation is that they make me happy and they largely do so no problems there. LOL. (He does get a little miffed when I go on my tangents a little too long... like, there was a whole week where it was "Trip this, and Trip that" and he was not fond of that at all until I reminded him that he's still my favorite of the franchise and I don't see that changing any time soon, despite Bridge Carson's best efforts...ahem...).

And now that I've gone completely off course...

In instances like what I'm dealing with with Jodi, fanfiction has helped me solve the need to play other Rangers when I can't play them anywhere else. I will say I have got a healthy cast of them in my PanFandom Discord RP now. This is what we're up to now:

Cam Wantanabe (Ninja Storm)- played by me but is on hiatus because I needed a break with my wrists being what they are with the arthritis and Carpal tunnel in colder months.
Cyber Cam (Ninja Storm) played by Shane

Bridge Carson (SPD)- played by me

Ziggy Grover (RPM)- played by Shane

Xander Bly and Chip Thorn (Mystic Force) played by me

Cyber Cam (Ninja Storm)- played by Shane

Blake Bradley (Ninja Storm- Played by me

Dustin Brooks (Ninja Storm- played by Shane

Trip Regis x 2 (Time Force) - 2040 Trip is played by Shane, I play present day Trip.

Gem and Gemma (RPM)- played by me

and Shane doesn't know it yet, but I do have an Operation Overdrive character coming in later. As predicted I don't hate Operation Overdrive as many others do. In fact, I find it very different from your average Power Rangers series. That might be what hurt it, I don't know. Where RPM being dark and dystopian was a strength to the series, I feel like Overdrive may have alienated some fans? Idk. But being as I'm a fan of not just Indiana Jones, but The Librarians movies and TV series, I am eating this series up. That's all you're getting from me on this series so far. I have a separate place for this.

I should also note that Dr. K from Power Rangers RPM has made a couple of cameos via the Rangers' communicators. Trying to get Ziggy to come back to Corinth. No success as of yet. LOL.

Other than this, I am not playing IN the sandboxes of the series' settings, and that's where Fanfiction has really helped supplement that need. In fanfiction I can orchestrate the story and it stays within the series' varying settings. And I like it that way. It's not always about just playing the chaaracter in RP. Sometimes I want to be in that world.

No franchise or fandom has made me rely on Fanfiction as much as Power Rangers has in the last couple of years. I can't tell if this is good for bad... lol. You be the judge, guys.

"Hyperfixation". It's word I've become very familiar with over the years. When I was younger (we're talking school aged before HS), Mom used to call this "phases". Like I literally had a Barbie phase, a Disney phase (which arguably has continued, even if not quieter than it was back then, depending on the day and what's going on with that brand). I had a Ninja Turtle phase. Anything that was big between the 80s and 90s? I fell for it. Again, to varying degrees.

I'd have to say that in the 90s around 93 to be exact my biggest "phase" was undoubtly Power Rangers. And I'd even argue I fell into it harder than my brother Chris did. My theory about this is I needed an escape from many things. Home life, bullies in school, my growing adult responsibilities that I was still too young to really take on but was forced to. And while I still had the Warners, the Power Rangers had another solution. Instead of being zany, I learned how to be the better person, and not take bait. (Though, I must say, that really didn't, and still doesn't always work).

30 years later, here I am. And with growing trouble at home with health on the part of my parents, bullying in my own crochet group, I needed my teens with attitude again. Only this time? I'm making new "friends" within the franchise. Having finally gone through all of In Space, I finally reached new territory with Lost Galaxy, and have been making "friends" here and there ever since. The old Rangers are there too, just on the fringe, and I still find myself seeking out Adam, ROcky, Tommy, even Kimberly and Kat when I just need a taste of the familiar.

This hasn't come without some serious downfalls that I haven't really been particularly happy with.

The first thing that happened is that in August right around the anniversary, my brain decided to shut down Rescue Rangers for a while. I figured, okay, I'll get through the watch, go to Power Morphicon, enjoy my vacation with Valerie and Lissa and Brayan, and maybe after that I'd be able to get back to Rescue Rangers.

It wasn't just for the fanfic aspect of it. As Fred's anniverary and PowerMorphicon got closer, I was drawn further into my former fandom (which at that point was no longer former, I guess). Between what was going on first with my two RP partners (life got in the way there for them), and then my crushing depression that only this fandom seemed to be able to fix in small doses, I just couldn't focus anymore, and the RP itself suffered the consequences.

When PowerMOrphicon was over, and i was back home, I definitely know I went through even more depression for a long while. Especially since I was still reeling from so many emotional moments that happened without the person that was supposed to have been there with me for it. So to ease the pain, I continued my watch, finally got through In Space.

The hyperfixation seems to get worse with every new series. Currently, I'm having minor fixiations on two specific series in the franchise, Time Force and Ninja Storm. Time Force brought me the first Ranger I could officially relate to in Trip. Trip was not only a Power Ranger, but an outsider in his own team before becoming one along side his team when they arrived in 2001. He was from a completely different plane t with a different culture, and had psychic powers. I'm guessing Katie was the same, but we just didn't see it nearly as much as we saw Trip's being pointed out so bluntly. Not only that, it also goes down as having one of my favorite episodes in the entire franchise so far, "Trip Takes a Stand". I know i've covered this episode in my previous entry discussing Time Force, but it bears so much repeating and praise. Trip's message to Eric, and really to all those watching is simply powerful and beautiful.

I won't talk much in detail about Ninja Storm. But I will point out the 4 characters that have absolutely won my heart in not less than 5 lines. Dustin, Cam, Blake, and Cyber Cam. (Don't give me that look about Cyber Cam. I'm well aware he's just a different side of Cam, but he *does* have his own personality, and I find him wildly entertaining) . and as much as I loved to hate Lothor, I was so unhappy with what he ended up having the neices do to Cyber Cam towards the end. :( (That goes double for Kapri and Marah who actually performed the deed and gave him the virus in the first place. But that discussion is for another entry.

To sum up, I can't deny how incredibly healing being back with both old and new Rangers has been for me. But I do know that I've let people down for it, and I haven't been able to figure out how to make it up to them yet, and I'm sorry. By the way? Rescue Rangers isn't the only fandom that's suffered. Biker Mice from Mars has taken quite the hit, but I am trying to finish at least one of the fics before the New Year. Then I'll be free to work on as many Power Rangers fics as I want. Thus far, I have RPM and Time Force. I also have a Gokaiger one that i'm deathly afraid of posting... lol.

So for most of you guys, you know what went down this past weekend. that's right. I made it to PowerMorphicon after SO many years of saying I'd get here.

The only problem is that the person I said that to so many years ago could not be with me. It has been an incredibly long, hard, and painful year. And while I know my pain can't even compare to what lil bro Jonathan has dealt with, it doesn't make it any less painful. He and I have both pointed out time and again that only the two of us can possibly understand the impact and emptiness in our lives without him.

I know on some level he was there. One way I know? When I was talking to Ryota Ozawa, and getting my selfie with him, I swear to GOD I felt Fred's arms around me too. Not totally surprising if he visited me the night before he'd try to 'photo bomb' me and Captain Marvelous! LOL Was not the only time this happened, but it is the time I felt him the most present.

The things that helped me most this weekend were just so how welcoming and compassionate the cast members were. Even when i was fangirling (and I FANGIRLED A LOT OVER RICHARD BRANCATISANO (Xander Bly from Power Rangers Mystic Force) and MILO CAWTHORNE (Ziggy Grover from Power Rangers RPM), and after I told the respective boys what was going on this weekend, I got extra hugs.

Were there meltdowns? HELL YES. Smaller ones during the con, and one very massive one Sunday night after it was all over. But I have to admit that I am so proud of myself for not canceling. Because setting aside the encounters I paid for, it was a lot of fun, and amazing to see the people that have been on my small screen for so much of my life. I know Fred was happy for me to have these experiences. He would not want his absence to have soured the whole thing for me.

Physically his absence was felt. Emotionally, it was felt. But I also, at the same time, got the sense he was experiencing the con with me at points. First with Ryota, and then every time i talked to Jonathan this weekend it took some of the pressure off because there were things I told him that I normally would have shared with my bestie shit piece. Jonathan was key in making sure I didn't completely fucking lose it. and I don't know if he completely understands that. All I know is he kept checking in on me. Especially after my meltdown the night before I was to meet Ryota Ozawa. He started monitoring me a bit more.

I will be writing more about the encounters at a later date, but I wanted to just talk a bit about the Con and what it was like to do it without the person I was supposed to do it with in the first place.