The Command Center. Zordon's tube is still showing the intergalactic equivalent of static. Jason expresses that he wishes he could get his hands on the Green Ranger behind the attack. Zack states that unless they can recover Zordon, they'll never find out the villain's true identity. Billy and Trini are doing advanced sub-atomic engineering on Alpha and manage to repair him to fully operational status. Rita laughs and announces it's time to put phase 2 of her plan into action. Finster explains that when the Knasty Knight defeated Zordon's warrior ages ago, he gave his Sword of Darkness to Rita as a prize. This weapon has the ability to keep Tommy under her spell forever, so long as it's not destroyed. Zordon knows this condition too, but in his absence will not be able to tell the Rangers about this vital information. Rita then orders Tommy to remain on Earth as a civilian until further notice and warns him to not divulge his secret to anyone.
The Dragon Coin glows green with evil in Tommy's hand, as do his eyes. Bulk and Skull show up at the alleyway, and decide to get even with him. Walking up, they explain that nobody insults Bulk and they think he owes him an apology. His eyes glow green again, and as they start to run away in panic, he shoots out ocular lighting bolts of green energy at their feet. They dive into a dumpster in cowardice. "What is with that guy?" asks Skull, to which Bulk replies "I dunno, but he should have his eyes checked" as Tommy walks off in grim satisfaction. Meanwhile, Jason wails on a punching bag in frustration at recent events. He rants about how he seems to be a Ranger much like them, but Zordon never mentioned a Green Ranger. He and Zack agree that it's clear this adversary must have attacked the Command Center and that he's probably working on Rita's behalf. Back at headquarters, Billy is now working repairs on the computer consoles' exposed circuitry. He thinks he'll have to replace some of the wirings, and Alpha states that if they can get the main generator back online, they can lock down Zordon and repair the communicators. Billy is confident they can do it, it's just a matter of time, which is resource Alpha fears they have all too little of.
At school, Kimberly approaches Tommy, but he initially blanks her and then takes a cold, aloof attitude. He glares at her in full knowledge that she's the Pink Ranger, but of course she doesn't know the truth about him. He brushes off his absence at their get together yesterday as "something came up" and tells her in a condescending fashion that he's a big boy, and he doesn't need her to worry about him. She asks if something's wrong, he's acting like he's upset with her. He tells her, news flash, she's not the center of everyone's universe, and he has other stuff on his mind. Hurt, she rushes off, and Tommy's eyes flash green again. On the moon, Goldar states that Tommy must earn the Sword of Darkness with a final test of strength against the Putties, unarmed, and Rita says all of the bad guys will watch this contest. Tommy again handily defeats the Putties with very little difficulty, and she rewards him with the Sword.
Kim and Zack still need to take the Radbug to transport to the Command Center, while Jason asks around for Tommy. Finding him, he apologizes and explains he can't work out with him any more today because of an emergency. They agree to meet later, but as Jason turns away Tommy shoots a ray of energy from the Dragon Coin, transporting Jason to a prison dimension shrouded in mist and with electrified bars. Zack and Kim are concerned with Jason's absence, but he can't reach them on his communicator. Goldar reveals his presence, taunting him that he won't be able to contact his friends here. He's also somehow obtained Jason's Power Morpher, so he will be forced to face the formidable adversary unarmed and unpowered until he can retrieve it. Zack and Kim head off to the Command Center without him. She tells him how she's upset with Tommy's change in demeanor, but Zack says regardless that there are bigger problems for them to deal with now. Meeting the repair team, Billy tells them he's almost got the main computer back online. They boot it up to test it and while Zordon isn't back yet, the Viewing Globe shows the Green Ranger practicing with his new Sword. They decide to confront him as the Morphing Grid can track his whereabouts. They can't hail Jason though.
Jason demands the Morpher from Goldar but can't beat him in a fight. Goldar chokes him against a wall and gloats that he could end Jason at any moment, having been given the teenager as a reward for eons of loyal service to Rita. Jason sinks to the ground and into the mist. Taking secondary command of the Rangers, Zack leads them against Tommy. Once again, he beats them very easily using the Sword of Darkness. In desperation, they summon the Megazord. An ordinary-sized Tommy tries to blast it with the Sword, but the mighty mecha reflects his energy back at him using the Mastodon's head as a shield. He's forced to teleport out and while Rita is disappointed, she is glad that Goldar will soon defeat Jason. He laughs that the boy is nothing without his friends, and that no mere human can hope to defeat him, conjuring a sword to finish Jason for good. At headquarters, Alpha manages to lock on to traces of Zordon's signal. Zack says they need him, because the Green Ranger was a lot stronger in this round. Billy still can't locate Jason. In broken, static-laden speech, Zordon attempts to communicate with the team, but Alpha loses the signal. Jason nearly takes the Morpher from Goldar, but he's too quick, knocking Jason to the floor. Goldar prepares to land the killing blow as the "To Be Continued" card comes up...
Tropes:
- Bring It: As Tommy reacts to suddenly being faced with the fully formed Megazord, the Zord looks down at the tiny Ranger and gestures with its arms as if to say "Come at me."
- Curb-Stomp Battle: The four Rangers go off to face the Green Ranger without Jason and it goes about as well as you'd expect. They quickly turn it around, though, as they summon the Dino Zords to deal with the Green Ranger even though he's still human-sized. To his credit, Tommy attacks the Megazord head-on without a moment of hesitation, but the Zord still takes him out in one hit.
- Dull Surprise: Tommy's reaction to Jason, who doesn't realize how uncharacteristically subdued he is. Then again, Jason hasn't known him for all that long by this point and probably thinks he's just being stand-offish.
- Evil Weapon: The Sword of Darkness.
- Flash Back: We once again see the flashback from "Happy Birthday, Zack" where Knasty Knight defeats Zordon's warrior. We now learn that this is where Rita gained the Sword of Darkness, as Knasty Knight took it from the warrior and presented it to Rita as a souvenir of the victory.
- If I Wanted You Dead...: "Understand this, Red Ranger, I can finish you off anytime I chose!"
- Neck Lift: From Goldar during his Evil Gloating to Jason.
- Took a Level in Badass: Even though he was already one of the more dangerous threats the Rangers faced in general, this episode and the next were probably the most menacing Goldar ever was, and also the closest he ever came to actually killing Jason - or any Ranger, really.
- Vocal Evolution: It's here where Goldar really begins to sound deep and gravelly in comparison to the more raspy voice he had at the start. Kerrigan Mahan mentioned that this and the next episode were his favorites to record.
- We Will Meet Again: After being driven back by the Megazord, Tommy vanishes while saying "You haven't seen the last of the Green Ranger!".
- Wrestler in All of Us: Tommy's finisher against the last Putty is a Hurricanrana. And he hits both Kimberly and Trini with one dropkick.
