It's coming up to the Team Ninja Finals at the Youth Center and Jason and Tommy are sparring hard to train for it. They break off and argue about the fighting style they should employ and reaction times, but Zack stops them and reminds them they need to work together to get ready. Billy agrees, pointing to his computer-aided training regime, which will definitely help out if they can emphasize cooperation. Jason responds, thanks for the management, but he's got it all under control. He demonstrates this by trading more blows with Tommy, and after a clinch hold Tommy breaks it by suplexing him to the ground. Zack says the competition is overbearing on the actual teamwork. They then spar with padded Gladiator-style lances, and Billy and Zack are again unimpressed by the individual contests on display. Next, they do simultaneous demonstration kata with bo staffs, and spar with an improved synergy which pleases Zack, but again both end up on the floor. The girls show up and Trini tells them they have to learn to gung ho, which is Chinese for "working together," to have any hope of winning. Rita gloats that she can use this friendly rivalry against them while using the Super Putties from last episode to take over Earth. Tommy and Jason spar once more and bicker about striking sequences, but the others remind them to keep focused on the goal. Bulk and Skull show up in ridiculous pro-wrestling managerial and referee garb, saying the pair need a lot of work. Zack says they're ready to start the finals, but Bulk replies that his ninjas will win, snaps his fingers and sure enough a pair of all-black ninjas appear and show off with a flourish. Jason and Tommy exchange glances but the team generally aren't intimidated by these challengers. Bulk says he only manages the best and tells his men to start working out.
They brush past the pair with an air of arrogance and take the mat. Sparring, we see that they have a nice line in backflips, ninjitsu strikes and hurricane roundhouse kicks, and superior cooperation. Kimberly worries that they're pros through and through, and they effortlessly break a wooden board. Billy speaks to their proficiency, but Jason claims he could take them out by himself, as could Tommy. However, we see some doubt written across their faces. Skull tosses wooden swords at the challengers and they duel very impressively until Bulk calls stop. He then orders a flying power kick on the punching bag, but while bragging at the team the bag pendulums back at him and knocks him to the floor and out cold. Running the Super Putty clay through the mold, Finster states that nothing the power Rangers wield should be able to conquer the new mooks. They put the clay figures through the Monster-Matic and prepare to deploy them against the team. Kim and Trini are walking through the park and reflect on the threat posed by Bulk's ninjas. Zack is going to practice with Jason and Tommy all day to work on their teamwork. The Super Putties swarm the girls, and they're forced to fight them on and around playground equipment. They hold them off but with difficulty, and Kim hails Zordon for backup. Jason tries a punching combo on the bag, but he's quite exhausted. Zordon summons the four guys to assist their friends. Billy runs to help Trini who's lying on the ground. Zack is chased up a slide but knocks his attacker back down it and kicks another off the stairs. Kim swings on a monkey bar and boots a Putty back. Tommy fights valiantly but suffers several hits and is knocked down, as is Jason. Leaping off the slide building, Zack runs to regroup with the others. They teleport to the Command Center where Zordon tells them about the new Super Putty designs. They're now attacking a factory, and Zordon sends Tommy and Jason on a quest to find new weapons to tackle the menaces. The other four morph to fight them back as best they can. Zordon stresses that the leader pair must work together as the path is treacherous and gives them a map. The Rangers are surrounded, but pull their Blade Blasters and open fire on the Putties. This proves ineffective so they charge forward using the blades instead. Once again they struggle despite their best efforts. Kim lands a lucky blow but the disintegrating pieces actually reform the Putty back into two new ones. The same thing happens to Zack when he cuts one down with the Power Axe.
Jason and Tommy find a waypoint indicated by their map, but squabble over who actually discovered it. Alpha worries that their pairing up was a bad idea, but Zordon explains that his choice was meant to be a Secret Test of Character to teach them the importance of teamwork. Alpha prays that the other Rangers will hang on until they can return. The Super Putties attack them with sword weapons, and the villains laugh at their plight. Tommy points out a plinth on the top of a hill, with figurines in the form of their Dinozords representing their objective, and Jason scoffs that it seems too easy. As they climb up, a gigantic, probably sentient (i.e. self driven and self aware with an AI) Carrierzord modeled after a brachiosaurus rolls towards them on wheels and shoots at them with fire breath. Evading them and a boulder avalanche, the pair decided to morph to help themselves up the hill. But as they dart up, the Zord keeps guarding the prize and blasts them back down it. Surprised by their close call, they know they have to carry on regardless or their friends are done for. The Zord bears down on them, and thinking fast Jason tells Tommy that he's quicker but Tommy is better with a sword, presenting him with his Power Sword. They can beat the Zord together if they work in gung ho. Tommy agrees to cover him but insists that he take the Dragon Shield for protection, transferring it in a flash of light. Tommy trades energy blasts with the Zord using his Dragon Dagger and the Sword together. Jason takes a few hits but shakes them off with the Shield as armour, persevering up the hill. He reaches the plinth and opens a chest, finding five advanced laser blasters inside it. The other four Rangers suffer another barrage from the Super Putties, but then from up high on a tower Tommy and Jason blast a couple of them apart with their new weapons.
They throw the blasters at their friends, and now everyone is locked and loaded. They blast them all apart and Jason taunts Rita, who is not happy. Back at the Youth Center, Tommy and Jason prepare to take on Bulk and Skull's entrants. After a short pep talk, they are again hailed by Zordon. Zordon congratulates them and tells them they won't have to fight the Carrierzord, Titanus again as that was only a test of teamwork. He describes Titanus as a valuable ally and friend. Ernie calls the beginning of the Finals, and a panel of judges watch the competitors enter the ring and don boxing gloves. In a tag team battle, Jason takes on one ninja and holds his own well, only taking a couple of hits midway. Bulk and Skull are disgruntled. The teams swap out partners and Tommy easily lays a bunch of strikes on the guy, only to be drop kicked to the mat. Quickly getting up, he beats the ninja into the ring post and the entrants transition to using Gladiator lances. The crowd are mostly all behind our heroes. Jason fends off the opponent with good coordination and kicking, and he tags in Tommy to begin the wooden katana round. In a well-matched duel, the fighters trade strikes and block each other numerous times before Tommy finally lands the winning blow. Finally, all four competitors tag in for doubles combat and two simultaneous sword duels begin. Jason and Tommy trade blows with each opponent, swap places and seamlessly keep the fight going, pretty clearly taking the victory. And so the judges award them the trophy. In disappointment, Bulk orders Skull to get water for their losing team. He trips and pours it all over Bulk, and the entire room laugh at his misfortune.
Tropes
- All Your Powers Combined: This marks the first time Tommy lends his Dragonshield to another Ranger (specifically, Jason).
- Tommy is also capable of firing a lightning blast by crossing his Dragon Dagger and Jason's Power Sword.
- Asteroids Monster: Cut down the Super Putties and they just multiply and reform from clay fragments.
- Breath Weapon: Titanus is capable of spitting fireballs from his mouth.
- The Cameo: The Frankenstein's Monster from the previous episode is spotted with the villains at one point in the episode despite not actually being alive at the time.
- Claymation: The technique used to animate the disintegrating and reforming Super Putties.
- David Versus Goliath: Two Davids (Jason and Tommy) versus one Goliath (Titanus).
- Department of Redundancy Department: Billy says the challenger ninja are proficient, Zack adds that they're also good. Soon after, Baboo says the Super Putties will be unbeatable, and Squatt agrees adding that they won't lose either.
- Dual Wielding: When Tommy gives Jason his Dragonshield, Jason gives Tommy the Power Sword so he can use it and the Dragon Dagger against Titanus.
- Forgot About His Powers: Neither Jason nor Tommy think of summoning their Zords to deal with Titanus.
- MacGuffin Guardian / Threshold Guardians: Titanus the Carrierzord makes his grand debut here, acting as the guardian for the "special weapons" the Rangers need to defeat the Super Putties.
- No-Sell: Titanus does not care about any of the attacks Tommy and Jason throw at him.
- Plot Hole: Despite finding out about the Super Putties from Zordon in the previous episode, the teens act surprised that the Putties are now stronger.
- Super Powered Mooks: The Monster of the Week (or monsters) for this episode are the Super Putty Patrollers.
- Walking Shirtless Scene: Both Jason and Tommy in the final scene.
- Worthy Opponent: The heroes treat the opposition ninjas as this, being skillful and formidable challengers (despite being managed by Bulk and Skull) who probably would have beaten them if they hadn't stepped up their training regime in response.
