Principal Caplan is overseeing rehearsals for a dramatic production of Rumpelstiltskin, with most of the Rangers in acting roles or as stagehands. They are going over the scene where Jason the king demands for Kimberly as the miller's daughter to spin straw into gold with her magic spinning wheel. Bulk is playing Rumpelstiltskin, but poorly; he misses his cue, refers to Kim as "sweet cheeks" and is dressed inappropriately as usual, justifying the punk gear to Caplan as a "little touch of the 90s." Bulk responds to her theatrical plight as a "bummer" and casually remarks that he'll get the spinning done no sweat. Billy and Trini can't believe his lack of professionalism. He's not being careful with the wheel, spinning it really fast, and claims Kim is making him forget his lines. The wheel turns so fast it sends a breeze at Caplan, knocking off his toupe, much to Bulk's mirth. Kim shouts, looks at the wheel and screams at Bulk for damaging it; it was actually on loan from her grandmother. Caplan calls a rehearsal break and Bulk tries to calm her down but she is not happy. Rita decides to use this as inspiration for her latest scheme. At the Youth Center, a dejected Kim tells Ernie about what happened. The wheel is jammed stuck and it's very important to her. Tommy reassures her that he figures he can fix it. Rita orders the Putties to steal the wheel and turn it into the "Wheel of Misfortune" as a weapon against the Rangers. On their way through school to look at the wheel, Kim thanks Tommy for offering to help. Inside the classroom, they're alarmed to find it missing. Tommy and Kim start to ask school kids if they've seen it but Kim worries they won't be able to find it. Bulk pranks Skull by sending a weird object through his popcorn and Tommy asks them about the wheel. Bulk jokes that because he was broke, Skull took the wheel to spin some money to buy him a soda. Tommy makes it clear he's not kidding, but Bulk drops the sarcasm and says he has nothing to do with it's disappearance. Rita bewitches the wheel as Goldar deploys the Putties against Tommy in the park. The rest of the team find Kim moping around and goofily tease her to cheer her up. Kim tells them what happened with the wheel.
Tommy lays the smackdown, kicking several Putties off a bridge, throwing another after them and and flipping down off it himself to fight the others. He kicks them in easily, but as they start to swarm him like zombies, he leaps back onto the bridge for his backpack, impressively fighting while standing along the handrail. But they manage to tie him up with ropes and he instantly regrets having left his communicator in the bag. Zordon summons the others and explains that Goldar stole the wheel. As the Wheel of Misfortune, it is now a deadly weapon for the villains. He also shows them Tommy's bad luck, but before they can help him they need to protect the city from Goldar and Scorpina. The gold-clad thugs give the Rangers a drubbing and Rita grows them. Summoning the Zords, Jason's mecha is caught in a net by Goldar and electrocuted. Rita's lieutenants attack the restrained Tyrannosaur, and it falls to the ground. Trini unleashes a salvo of lasers, but Scorpina returns the favour against her and several other Zords. Jason orders them to escape and Goldar stomps him on the deck. Alpha and Zordon trust that Tommy will free himself in time to help. Now tied to a tree, he rubs the ropes against the coarse side to weaken them as the Putties prod his backpack. Cutting himself loose, he feints sickness at the Putties and pretends to pass out. The moronic creatures come forward and he decks them all out very fast. Getting his communicator, Zordon tells him about the battle raging on and how they need to form all of the Zords as the Dino Ultrazord, so Tommy rushes to bring Dragonzord into the fray. The fingertip missiles knock down Goldar and Scorpina, and the Dragonzord pulls the net off of the Tyrannosaurus.
Suddenly the Wheel of Misfortune hovers towards them and covers them with dangerous explosive sparks. The Megazord forms and they summon the Mega Power Sword. Trying to swat down the Wheel, it evades the Sword while Dragonzord fends off the giant villains. Before it can cut the Zords down, Jason calls for Titanus to create the Ultrazord. Titanus rolls up and for the first time in the series, the two bipedal mecha form the Mega Dragonzord configuration. The Dragonzord vertically bisects up to its head, stretching out and forming cape and helmet armor over the Megazord. It's arms retract into it's wings, exposing the missile fingertips over the Megazord's shoulders. It's feet form massive shoulder pauldrons. Tommy joins the other five in the main cockpit, standing at the rear to handle the additional control functions. Titanus lowers its neck, with the Dragonzord chest core docking in front of it. Its own chest armor joins as plate support on the Megazord's chest and its claws link with the mecha's hands. Finally, Titanus' tail splits and forms cannons on its shoulders and the Ultrazord is complete as a massive explosion goes off for emphasis. The Wheel spins forward but with a mighty barrage of firepower radiating from these shoulder cannons, Titanus' mouth and chest plate along with the Dragonzord's finger missiles, they cut it down. Rita teleports in retreat and disgust and her minions follow her as Goldar vows revenge, in spite of the fact that they had no chance against the devastating Ultrazord.
At school, the Rangers are ecstatic with their enhanced Zord powers really socking it to Rita and the wheel reappears in the classroom, free from the enchantment. Kim is over the moon, it's even become unstuck! Elsewhere, Bulk and Skull are dressed up for the play and goofing off watching comedic television. But a news broadcast cuts in and the presenter announces the Power Rangers' victory, and Bulk and Skull are not impressed with the interruption. Principal Caplan walks in on them, frustrated because the play is in session and they'll be late for their parts, and forces them out of the room. In the play, Jason the king tells Rapunzel to spin the straw into gold or else and Skull the jester mugs in imitation of him. Kim asks where Rumpelstiltskin (Bulk) could be, but he's forgotten his mark again. He's finally pushed onto the stage by the others and says his goofy line, but Kim's reaction makes him forget his next one until Ernie prompts him. He asks for a smooch, but Kim tells him to spin the straw first. As he stoops to gather the straw, his pants split open and the audience roar in laughter at him along with the rest of the class. Skull mocks him and they bumble off-stage. Seeing the audience enjoying the performance in spite of the mishaps, Kim curtsies and the play ends to generous applause.
Tropes
- Behemoth Battle: Dinozords vs. Goldar, Scorpina and the Wheel of Misfortune.
- Deadly Disc / Chainsaw Good: The episode's Monster of the Week, the Wheel of Misfortune itself.
- Distressed Dude: Tommy gets ambushed and tied up by the Putty Patrol, keeping him from joining the fight right away.
- Monster of the Week: The Wheel of Misfortune.
- Never Trust a Trailer: The announcer in the opening teaser refers to the monster-of-the-week as the Wheel of Destruction.
- Pun-Based Title: "Wheel of Misfortune."
- Rumpelstiltskin: Angel Grove High is putting on a play of the story, with Bulk as the titular imp and Kimberly as the miller's daughter.
- Spectacular Spinning: The Wheel of Misfortune's raison d'etre.
- Title Drop: Whenever someone says the Wheel's full name.
- Untouchable Until Tagged: As the Wheel of Misfortune is an endlessly spinning wheel covered in razor sharp spikes, the Zords can't even get close to it... until the Ultrazord fires its finisher at it.
