We begin with cheerleading tryouts in the Juice Bar, because it’s illegal for a show set in high school not to have a cheerleading tryout episode.
Tommy and Kimberly are watching on like proud parents, and discuss how cool it is that Kimberly’s cousin Kelly wants to be a cheerleader like her.
*tire screech*
Kimberly. Is not. A cheerleader. Kimberly. Is. A gymnast. They. Are not. The same thing.
It’s unclear at first whether Kimberly’s cousin is the scrunchie-wearing girl from the first shot or the ginger next to her, but once the ginger misses a line and runs off in distress, that answer becomes abundantly clear.
And yes, in case you’re wondering, it’s the junior high cheerleading squad.
Kimberly and Tommy try to raise Kelly’s spirits, but the preteen is despondent. The official tryout is tonight, and she’s convinced that she doesn’t have what it takes.
Kimberly snatches the pom-poms from her and runs her through the routine again, but Kelly only takes Kimberly’s perfection as a sign that she has no chance.
Apparently “everyone at school still talks about what a great cheerleader” Kimberly was, which is absolute nonsense, because no one in junior high aside from the teachers would have even seen her in action. Also, it’s a junior high cheerleading team. No one is good.
On the moon, Rita’s mad that people are cheering for things that aren’t her, so she barks at Finster about finishing work on her new monster, the Lizzinator. Goldar mentions that the first phase of the plan is kidnapping Kelly, which is a solid idea (we all saw how well it worked the last time Rita abducted members of the Rangers’ families), though Squatt and Baboo believe her purpose is to teach them new cheers.
The other Rangers enter the Juice Bar just in time for Ernie to rush up to them in a frenzy, asking if one of them can head downtown to pick up some supplies he ordered. Apparently the delivery truck broke down, and they’re his only hope.
Jason volunteers to go and heads off at once, Ernie telling him he owes him one. Are we…are we writing Jason out of an episode now?
The others head over to where Kimberly and Kelly are practicing. Kelly is still struggling with the words to the cheer, and when she messes up again, she all but bursts into tears (that would take far too many acting chops) and storms out with the declaration:
“Forget it! I can’t do it! Let’s face it — I’m never gonna be as good as you, Kimberly. Why should I even bother trying out for the team?”
Kimberly and Tommy catch up with her later at the park, where she’s sitting morosely on the swings. Tommy asks if there’s room for two more, and it’s honestly sweet how good he is with Kimberly’s cousin.
Kimberly sits down on the swing next to Kelly and tells her that everyone has to practice the routines over and over, even herself. She points out that there’s no use in Kelly comparing herself to Kimberly — she needs to focus on herself and what she does best. Tommy nods supportively, and Kelly seems reassured by the pep talk.
Rita decides this is all too Full House for her and sends the Putties down to kidnap Kelly. Squatt and Baboo, in an intelligent moment for once, warn her that she might want to send someone else down, given Kelly is in the company of two Power Rangers. But Rita is confident in her foot soldiers and refuses to heed their warning.
Tommy spots the attackers first and Kelly launches off of her swing with a shriek. Kimberly warns her to stay back as she and Tommy race in to kick some ass.
Kelly has no questions whatsoever about why her cousin and her boyfriend can fight off a squad of Rita’s soldiers. But more importantly, while she’s busy watching them clean up shop, Squatt and Baboo teleport in behind her.
The two each grab an arm, and while Kelly screams for Kimberly’s help, the Pink Ranger is too far away to do anything.
Squatt and Baboo teleport Kelly away to that one cave they always use, and she immediately backs away from them, clearly planning her escape.
Kimberly and Tommy hurry to tell the Rangers still in the Juice Bar about the situation. Meanwhile, Jason has just finished picking up Ernie’s packages downtown when what I can only assume is the Lizzinator bursts through a fully-styrofoam wall nearby.
Jason has no time for this and morphs after checking the area for passerby for approximately one-eighth of a second. The Lizzinator — which has some kind of central/eastern European accent, for whatever reason — picks up a car and chucks it at Jason, so we’re off to a fine start so far.
Jason seems more upset about the vandalizing of a person’s car than the threat to his life, which tracks, and he leaps at the monster, taking mad swipes with his Blade Blaster.
The Lizzinator hurls Jason into a stack of nearby oil barrels (where the hell does Ernie get his supplies from?) before deciding the Red Ranger is too easy prey at the moment and vanishing with the declaration of, of course, “I’ll be back.”
The Rangers all meet at the Command Center and fill each other in on what they’ve witnessed — Zordon annoyingly already knowing everything — and Billy says they’ll have to combine their powers to save the day.
Tommy’s immediately in, though Zack reminds him of his limited power supply. Tommy replies that this will have to be one of the times that he uses it, as if he hasn’t fought in 60% of the episodes since he’s been back.
Zordon is doubtful whether they can beat the Lizzinator, even with their powers combined. Trini can’t believe it’s that powerful, but Alpha’s sensors indicate (according to Billy):
“Apparently, the Lizzinator’s outer body is made up of super metals from another galaxy. It’s virtually impossible to penetrate.”
Kimberly says that they have to try or she’ll never find Kelly (also the world could be destroyed), and Jason agrees. Alpha promises to keep looking for Kelly as the Rangers morph and head to fight the Lizzinator.
The monster is preparing to push a car off a cliff — I guess vehicular damage is its schtick? — when the Rangers interrupt it. It sics Putties on them, but foot soldiers are no match for six morphed Rangers, so Jason is quickly able to break away and land on the car.
He tells off the Lizzinator for stealing a car (priorities, my man) and opens the door, presumably to…drive it back to its owner?
But he only gets socked in the face for his efforts, as a Super Putty was laid in wait for him. The Putty then wheels the car around and drives it directly at Jason, who understandably asks:
“What? Putties can drive?”
And when it accelerates:
“Whoa! Yep, they can drive!”
Jason leaps on top of the car and tries to stop it by…shouting at the Putty, I guess? So we get this for a while:
Luckily, the Lizzinator starts firing eye beams at the doughnut-ing car, effectively stopping it, albeit at great risk to Jason’s life. Once Jason has been catapulted off the top of the vehicle, the Lizzinator starts kicking rocks at him, because Jason just cannot catch a break this episode.
Tommy sweeps in like an absolute badass to put a stop to the biggest rock the Lizzinator throws.
He then runs to Jason’s side, and while the Red Ranger tries to act tough, it’s clear he’s hurting. Probably remembering that whole deal last episode, Tommy tells him they’ll work together to take down the monster.
Jason, however, is worried that Tommy’s powers will give out, Shatner-ing for the gods all the while.
Tommy embraces his role as the sixth Ranger and goes to fight the monster solo.
Meanwhile, Kelly has made herself comfortable in Squatt and Baboo’s cave, popping a squat on a rock and running an inner monologue in which she reflects back on Kimberly’s past advice. She spots Squatt and Baboo bickering in the corner and asks if they want to learn some cheers. The henchmen, being as dumb as rocks, excitedly go along with her suggestion.
Back on the battlefield, Tommy is kicking some Lizzinator ass while the others wipe out the Putties off-screen. Jason thanks him, evidently having recovered from his brutal injuries.
Rita makes her monster grow, and it’s pretty early in the episode for that, leading me to believe this Tommy-could-lose-his-powers plot might not just be throwaway dialogue, after all. (Spoiler alert from the future: It was.)
He’s certainly still got them for the time being, as he summons the Dragon Zord and has it fight the Lizzinator on its own. The Zord does well for a while, but eventually it becomes clear it’s in over its head.
The Rangers call their Zords, and Kimberly’s getting-in-the-Zord line is “I just love this part,” which they’ve fully used before.
In the cave, Kelly is leading Squatt and Baboo in an adorably shady cheer:
“Rita, Rita, she’s your leader! But the Power Rangers always beat her!”
She guides them through some dizzying choreography, and the henchmen suddenly feel the need to lie down.
The Rangers defeat the Lizzinator with great aplomb, calling on Titanus to form the Ultrazord in order to break through the monster’s skin.
The day has been won, but Kimberly’s still freaked about Kelly. Gladly, Alpha has managed to locate her, meaning her tactics weren’t really necessary, but they were still impressive nonetheless.
Squatt and Baboo teleport away, feeling sick, and just as Kelly is about to make a break for it, the Rangers all teleport straight to her. She’s ecstatic to see the heroes before her, and they congratulate her on managing to shake off her captors.
Later in the day, Kimberly is at cheerleading tryouts with Kelly, who tells her she’s learned her lesson about comparing herself to others. Bulk and Skull, who’ve had nothing to do all episode, come in to tell the twelve-year-old they’ve never met that there’s no way she’ll make her junior high cheerleading squad.
Kelly tells them to go pick on someone with their own IQ, which is a decent burn given the show’s usual standards. Kimberly points out that “the zoo might be down the street.”
Bulk tries to give a chant about himself, but is interrupted when he either lets out a massive fart or rips his pants at the end. It’s not entirely clear. The whole crowd bursts out laughing as the two back out, Skull covering Bulk’s butt with his hat.
But enough of that — it’s cheerleading tryout time! Kelly takes to the floor and, with her newfound self-confidence, is more than able to make the team with a dance routine that in no way resembles the cheer she was practicing with Kimberly earlier.
The Rangers all swarm her, and Kimberly is overcome with pride.
Power Rangers In Order 