#power rangers zenith force

[maswartz]

My ideas for Power Rangers versions of each Sentai

Super Sentai <-----> Power Rangers

Goranger <-----> Power Rangers J.A.K.Q <-----> Power Rangers Royal Flush Battle Fever J <-----> Power Rangers Dance Beat Denziman <-----> Power Rangers Cosmic Spark Sun Vulcan <-----> Power Rangers Trisol Goggle V <-----> Power Rangers Treasure Trackers Dynaman <-----> Power Rangers Dyna Might Bioman <-----> Power Rangers Atomic Burst Changeman <-----> Power Rangers Alchemist Adventurers Flashman <-----> Power Rangers Prism Protectors Maskman <-----> Power Rangers Universal Aura Liveman <-----> Power Rangers Nature’s Guardians Turboranger <-----> Power Rangers Turbo Racers Fiveman <-----> Power Rangers Penta Academy Jetman <-----> Power Rangers Avian Armada Zyuranger <-----> Power Rangers Dinosaur Knights Dairanger <-----> Power Rangers Star Spirits Kakuranger <-----> Power Rangers Ninja Beasts Ohranger <-----> Power Rangers Ancient Guardians Carranger<-----> Power Rangers Nitro Racers Megaranger <-----> Power Rangers Astro Force Gingaman <-----> Power Rangers Sacred Protectors GoGo V <-----> Power Rangers Paranormal Squad Timeranger <-----> Power Rangers Chrono Corps Gaoranger <-----> Power Rangers Feral Kingdom Hurricanger <-----> Power Rangers Elemental Ninja Abaranger <-----> Power Rangers Prehistoric Might Dekaranger <-----> Power Rangers Cosmic Patrol Magiranger <-----> Power Rangers Wizard Warriors Boukenger <-----> Power Rangers Extreme Explorers Gekiranger <-----> Power Rangers Primal Aura Go-Onger <-----> Power Rangers Roaring Engines Shinkenger <-----> Power Rangers Bushido Blades Goseiger <-----> Power Rangers Guardian Spirits Gokaiger <-----> Power Rangers Pirate Legends Go-Busters <-----> Power Rangers Biotec Busters Kyoryuger <-----> Power Rangers Fossil Spirits Toqger <-----> Power Rangers Rail Warriors Ninninger <-----> Power Rangers Shinobi Strike Zyuohger <-----> Power Rangers Beast Might Kyuranger <-----> Power Rangers Shooting Star Squadron Lupinranger <-----> Power Rangers Phantom Shadows Patranger <-----> Power Rangers Swift Justice LuPat <-----> Power Rangers Phantom Justice Ryusoulger <-----> Power Rangers Ancient Knights Kiramager <-----> Power Rangers Mystech Mages Zenkaiger <-----> Power Rangers Zenith Force Donbrothers <-----> Power Rangers Cyber Warriors King-Ohger <-----> Power Rangers Armored Swarm Boonboomger <-----> Power Rangers Bolt Boosters

Akibaranger <-----> Power Rangers Fandom Force

[mimeparadox]

Some thoughts about Amelia, Zayto, and Red Rangers

So some of the discussion I’ve seen elsewhere (Twitter) about the news that Amelia would be Red Ranger in Cosmic Fury has centered on the assertion that this represents a demotion of sorts for Zayto, who was the Red Ranger in Dino Fury and will now be the...grey?-colored Zenith Ranger. Additional people have claimed that this is in line with historic mistreatment of Black Red Rangers by the series. While there’s an off-chance that at least some of these people are making these arguments in bad faith, there’s also enough to the arguments, I feel, that they can’t just be dismissed. And some here I my thoughts about the whole thing. 

First, a list of some things that I think can be taken as givens:

1) The Red Ranger role has historically been one of particular visibility. Even in series where all rangers have been roughly equal in importance, the Red Ranger acts as first among equals—the one that’s front and center—and is almost always leader by default (even when the Red Ranger is not the most experienced ranger—more than once, the Red Ranger has been the least experienced team member).

Given this, the fact that in thirty years we’ve only had female Red Rangers in exceptional occasions—a baddie, strictly temporary rangers, comic-book-only characters—is understandably disappointing to a lot of people.   

2) While Red Rangers are often first among equals, there have been plenty of instances where Red Rangers are outright protagonists—the most important person in the story. The classic cases are probably Andros from Power Rangers in Space and Wes from Time Force, whose stories and specific relationships form the foundation for their respective series.

3) There have also been a fair number of instances where a series’ protagonist—or the closest thing to it—has not been the Red Ranger. Examples include Dino Thunder (where Trent is arguably the most important single character), RPM (where Dillon has the best claim, followed by, oddly enough, non-Ranger Dr. K) and the original MMPR after Tommy came along and especially after Jason left.

4) While there have been a fair amount of series starring a Black Red Ranger (Turbo Part 2, S.P.D., R.P.M., Beast Morphers, Dino Fury) one can persuasively argue that none of these feature the Red Ranger as the unequivocal protagonist the way other series have.

5) One can also persuasively argue that series in which someone besides the Red Ranger has been the protagonist have never had a Black character in that role.

6) It is also true that Black Red Rangers have, more than once, been subject to plot developments that result in them no longer being the Red Ranger, in what could be considered to be demotions. TJ was made Blue Ranger in In Space. Jack quits by the end of S.P.D.

 (These are not the only characters this has happened to. Most famously, Rocky, like TJ, went from Red to Blue, although given that at the time Tommy was leader both as White and Red Rangers, it’s a lateral move in a way TJ’s wasn’t.)

And now Zayto is no longer Red Ranger, for as-of-yet-unknown reasons. Could this also be considered a demotion? Possibly, although his new color, name,costume (a cape!), and story (he was brought back to life for a mission!) all seem to suggest a role akin to Sixth Ranger, which is often just as if not more important than the Red Ranger role. And again, there is precedent for a series’ focus character not being the Red Ranger.

On the other hand, we also know that Amelia will also be taking on the role of team leader, which leaves Zayto’s position up in the air, and raises questions. If he remains a full-time team member as he was in Dino Fury, why isn’t he still leader? Is it just because Red is traditionally the leader? He could be the behind-the-scenes boss like Doggie Cruger or Kendall Morgan, which would technically be a promotion, but could in reality not act as one. He could, alternatively, be off doing stuff on his own for some or most of the time, which could translate into importance--Eric and Merrick get a shitload of screen-time in Time Force and Wild Force respectively--but with only ten episodes, I can see why one might not be exactly optimistic that that will be the case. 

Or maybe there is cause for optimism? This cast, after all, has given us plenty of firsts, and Dino Fury was, all in all, a damn pleasing series. While one might not want to give the people behind the show the benefit of the doubt, I can also understand why people might think they’ve earned it. 

I’m still super-excited for Red Cosmic Fury Ranger Amelia, though. 

[litrpgburrito]

Anya | Ep. 3

A hush fell over the grand Assembly Hall as Anya and Kai presented Zenith's case. Holographic displays flickered to life, showcasing the community's transformation. Barren fields teemed with life, workshops buzzed with activity, and a collective smile seemed to emanate from the faces of Zenith's citizens.

"This is…unprecedented," rumbled a deep voice from the assembled council members, their digital forms flickering in the holographic chamber. "A community not just surviving, but thriving through this…leveling phenomenon."

Anya pressed on, her voice echoing with the combined spirit of Haven and Zenith. "It's not a phenomenon," she asserted. "It's a catalyst. A chance for humanity to reach its full potential, together."

Silence followed, thick with tension. Anya could almost feel the council weighing the evidence, the potential benefits measured against the unknown risks.

Finally, a sharp, crystalline voice pierced the silence. "There is merit to this…experiment," the voice conceded. "The potential for growth is undeniable. However, safeguards must be implemented."

A wave of relief washed over Anya. Safeguards she could work with. The council outlined a series of protocols – limitations on the types of skills that could be leveled, fail-safes to prevent misuse – all designed to ensure a balanced integration of leveling into the real world.

The agreement was met with cheers from the Zenith delegation, a joyous echo that resonated back to Haven through the newly established communication channels. The trial was a success. Leveling up wasn't just a secret anymore; it was a bridge, a shimmering pathway connecting the human and digital realms.

The following weeks were a whirlwind of activity. Zenith, empowered by their newfound abilities and their connection to Haven, became a beacon of innovation. News of their success spread like wildfire, igniting a spark of curiosity across the globe. Communities large and small began to reach out, eager to learn more about this extraordinary phenomenon.

Anya, along with Kai and a team of representatives from Haven and Zenith, embarked on a global tour. They traveled to bustling megacities and remote villages, sharing their knowledge and guiding communities through the process of implementing leveling up.

The challenges were vast. Not every community embraced the concept with open arms. Some feared the unknown, others saw it as an opportunity for exploitation. But Anya, fueled by the unwavering belief in the power of shared growth, persevered.

In a bustling metropolis, they helped a struggling artist district channel their creativity into revitalizing a neglected neighborhood (community +2). In a remote village, they guided farmers in using leveling up to optimize their agricultural practices (sustainability +1).

With each success story, the movement gained momentum. A sense of global camaraderie began to blossom, fueled by the shared language of leveling up. Borders seemed to blur, replaced by a shared vision of a future where humanity, empowered by growth, could tackle the world's challenges together.

Back in Haven, Anya watched the holographic news feed with a swelling sense of pride. The world was changing, and she, a ranger from a digital realm, was at the forefront. Yet, amidst the celebration, a nagging worry lingered in her mind. The Equilibriums might have conceded the potential of leveling up, but their motives remained shrouded in secrecy. Anya knew their work wasn't over. The real challenge, she realized, was ensuring that leveling up remained a force for good, a harmonious echo that resonated not just across the real world, but across the digital one as well. The future was bright, filled with possibility, but the echoes of a greater purpose hummed just beneath the surface, waiting to be heard.

[trendagon]

Unlocking the Richness of Companions in Baldur's Gate 3: Your Adventure, Your Party

One of the best parts of playing Dungeons & Dragons is embarking on epic adventures with a diverse group of companions, and Baldur's Gate 3 delivers this experience flawlessly with a wide array of companions available for recruitment. In this article, we'll delve into the world of companions in Baldur's Gate 3, highlighting the richness they bring to the game.

A Diverse Cast of Companions

Baldur's Gate 3 offers players a diverse cast of companions to choose from, each with intricate backstories and fully fleshed-out personalities. These companions encompass various classes, ensuring that you can customize your party to suit your preferred playstyle. Whether you're into spellcasting, melee combat, or sneaky tactics, Baldur's Gate 3 has a companion that fits your needs.

1. Zenith Feur'sel: The Healing Expert

When it comes to clerics in Baldur's Gate 3, Shadowheart might be your first Origin companion but don't overlook Zenith Feur'sel. This high elf cleric of Selûne brings exceptional healing capabilities to the table. Unlike Shadowheart, who specializes in the Trickery domain, Zenith is a Life domain cleric, known for its powerful healing buffs that become even more potent as the game progresses. Moreover, considering the twists and turns of Shadowheart's questline, there's a chance she might leave your party or meet an untimely end. In such cases, Zenith Feur'sel can be an invaluable replacement for just 100 gold.

2. Maddala Deadeye: The Rogue with a Heart

While Asterion is a tempting choice for a rogue character, he's not always the best fit for lawful good playthroughs and can meet a grim fate during his quest line. Enter Maddala Deadeye, a fully customizable rogue companion who won't judge your actions and is always ready to help. Maddala provides a refreshing alternative to the enigmatic vampire, making her an excellent addition to your party.

3. Ver'yll Wenkiir: The Ranged Martial Artist

Early in the game, Baldur's Gate 3 lacks ranged martial companions until you meet Minsc in Act Three. Thankfully, Ver'yll Wenkiir fills this void with grace and style. Beyond just looking cool, Baldur's Gate 3 has addressed some of the issues plaguing DnD fifth edition rangers, making them a valuable addition to your party and an enjoyable class to play.

4. Kerz: The Versatile Paladin

In most playthroughs of Baldur's Gate 3, you'll find yourself lacking a paladin companion unless you're on an evil path to recruit Minthara. Paladins are formidable fighters capable of fulfilling multiple roles in your party, and Kerz, the half-orc paladin hireling, embodies this versatility. With a commanding appearance, Kerz can tank, heal, and deal damage all in one, making him an invaluable asset.

5. Jaheira: The Returning Druid

Returning from previous Baldur's Gate installments, Jaheira is a half-elf druid with a rich backstory and her motivations. While recruiting her may require some effort at the end of Act Two, it's well worth it to have this High Harper join your team. Jaheira adds a dry sense of humor and insightful commentary about your party's actions. Additionally, her history ties her to the city and its true forces, leading to extra dialogue in certain areas.

Wanna Know more companions Click Here

[augment-techs]

The Best of Mighty Morphin #15

(Spoilers: I really believe this is where it...probably...gets good/better...maybe?)

5) Starting off with the Sentry Force Four: Two are finally catching on that this is all bullshit. One maintains the air of certain unpleasant colonizers we can recall from Pocahontas. One, I’m starting to think, might possibly have no choice in the matter of freewill.

4) The call-back to their earlier days of being civil and helpful towards each other turned into an actual death match--with Zordon showing off that “braggart” persona Zartus mentioned. Too bad his kids aren’t watching this; Kim, Trini, and Aisha would take about a thousand pictures and the boys would lose their gd minds.

3) Zartus finally in the dirt and losing his cool. Grace finally showing her humanity and not being a complete waste of a character. I honestly don’t have too much to say about this panel and moment apart from the above and GRACE LOOKS SO CUTE--LOOK AT HER!

2) This is possibly the gayest shit we’ve had yet. Read their entire battle conversation and then tell me you CAN’T hear the Friends to Lovers to Enemies vibe radiating off of them. It’s so fucking stupid AND I LOVE IT.

1) The Minions returning to their roots as being the best versions of themselves ONLY when following a Badass Queen into battle. I love this shot of Zelya and her finally getting to participate in fighting off the enemy horde, but these boys just own my heart in this shot.

[iturbide]

AU Masterlist

For ease of reference, all AUs will be linked to their respective tag on the blog; for fics marked as ‘In Progress’ or ‘Complete,’ status will link to AO3 if the work has an entry there; for fics marked as ‘One-Shot,’ status will link to either AO3 or Tumblr; for fics marked as ‘In Development,’ status will link to a Tumblr summary or outline of the complete work; all ‘In Planning’ works will be left unlinked. 

Fire Emblem: Awakening

The Future Built Upon the Past (In Progress) - My Awakening magnum opus; a look at the events of the doomed timeline and how it led to the course of events that eventually sent Lucina back in time to alter the course of fate.

Affectionately Yours (Complete) - Accepting Plegia’s invitation to visit in his sister’s stead, Chrom rapidly comes to realize that everything he thought he knew about the halidom’s neighbor is at best a wild exaggeration thanks to the guidance of Plegia’s sovereign, Robin.

Cursed Fate (Complete) - A Shadow of the Colossus AU; following Robin’s death, Chrom takes his body back to Plegia for burial; when a disembodied whisper confirms that there may be a chance to restore Robin’s life, Chrom goes on a quest through the Grimleal nation to bring together Grima’s remains.

Crown of Shadows (Complete) / The Shrouded Throne (Complete) - A split-path narrative where, to stop the civil war raging in Plegia, Robin comes to Ylisse to beg aid from Exalt Emmeryn.    After getting drafted by accident into the Shepherds, the Plegian and the Ylissean prince become fast friends – and very soon, something more. 

Accursed Divine (In Progress) - Robin is trapped in a curse that transforms her by day into a fell beast.  Once the curse is broken, the ensuing political drama follows Robin and Chrom uniting their countries after Robin’s ascension to the Plegian throne.

Sigh No More (In Progress) - An arranged marriage AU where following a crushing defeat at Plegian hands, Chrom’s father is forced to wed his son to Robin, who due to Validar’s ritual in her early life now bears more than just Grima’s mark as a sign of her fellblood; despite a rocky beginning, the two become friends and even find love in the union that had only ever been part of politics and power.

Beyond Twilight’s Veil (In Planning) - When Risen begin appearing in Ylisse, Chrom ventures into Plegia on Emmeryn’s behalf to try to find a joint solution, meeting and readily befriending Robin along the way.  When things go wrong, leaving Robin half-transformed and Validar dead, the Shepherds are forced to flee Gangrel’s pursuit; two years later, Robin claims the Plegian throne and reaches out to Ylisse in an attempt to rebuild lost friendships.

War Crimes (In Planning) - A collab with anankos; the Exalt of Ylisse becomes a willing host to Naga’s power in a bid to wipe Plegia off the map, but the Fell Dragon’s return puts the war in a deadlock.  Chrom is kidnapped and brought to Plegia in a desperate bid to open diplomatic channels, but when that fails he ends up as as a guest and becomes unlikely friends with Robin, the son of a Plegian tactician (who has more than a few secrets).

Manwearer (In Planning) - After becoming separated from his mother, Robin is raised by the taguel of Panne’s warren.  On hearing about a threat to the Exalt’s life, the warren mobilizes to her aid, and Robin and Panne ally with the Shepherds to uncover the deeper mystery behind the attack. 

Assassin’s Creed: Awakening (In Planning) - An Assassin’s Creed AU; when Emmeryn is kidnapped and slated to become a Grimleal sacrifice, Chrom and the Shepherds rush to save her – only her rescue comes at Plegian hands, instead.  Defying his crusading father, Chrom chooses to stand by Robin and ends up embroiled in a millennia-old conflict between secret forces.

Smoke and Mirrors (In Planning) - A Pokemon crossover AU; Robin and her Zoroark Reflet (who prefers a human guise that passes for her brother) join with Chrom, a Pokemon Ranger branching out into competitive training; and his sister Lissa, an aspiring pokemon medic.   This brings them into conflict with the Grimleal who are hunting for the Legendary Pokemon Giratina – a pokemon that Robin and Reflet have a very curious connection to.

Sibling AU (In Planning) - Grima is Robin’s older brother and unwilling puppet ruler of Plegia; when Emmeryn invites the recently-crowned king to Ylisse for diplomatic discussions, Grima sneaks his younger brother along to show him the world he’s never had a chance to see, and both unexpectedly find new friends in what they long believed were enemy lands.

Cardcaptor Lissa (In Planning) - A Cardcaptor Sakura crossover AU where Lissa accidentally unseals the Book of Naga and releases magical cards into the world; with the help of a tiny dragon named Tiki, she has to recapture them all before Grima reawakens to usher in the end of days. 

Promare AU (In Planning) - A Promare AU; after Chrom thwarts a group of Grimleal dark mages from kidnapping an Ylissean family, his world is turned upside down by a series of shocking revelations, and he chooses to side with Robin to save the Ylissean Grimleal imprisoned by his father’s orders.

As You Are (In Planning) - Robin comes to Ylisse on a diplomatic mission, hoping to warn the Exalt of a potential threat; when an attack leaves the Plegian blind, Chrom confesses his feelings – only to be rebuffed as Robin believes that the feelings are born of guilt, leaving Chrom to grapple with what he fears are unrequited feelings.

Pride and Joy (In Planning) - Raised in Plegia under Mustafa’s care, Robin is drafted into Validar’s assassination attempt on Emmeryn – but decides that the orders should not be fulfilled and defects, saving the Exalt’s life.  In the trials to follow, Robin tries to keep the Ylisseans safe from Gangrel’s forces without exposing her own wavering loyalties.

Prisoner of War (In Planning) - The Exalt’s war has left Plegia in ruins, its citizens scattered and the remnants of the army using guerrilla tactics to oppose the crusade.   When his father calls him to the front, Chrom is captured by the Plegian resistance, and rapidly discovers that everything he thought he knew about Plegia (and the Heart of Grima who took him captive) is wrong.

Speaker for the Dead (In Planning) - Raised under Validar’s cruel abuse, Robin exists as little more than a hollow shell, surviving each day on the battlefield.  When Chrom reaches out to him and offers a glimpse of something better than the threat of death, Robin cautiously accepts and gradually begins to recover from the traumas of Validar’s upbringing.

Design Defect (One-Shot) - A modern AU where Robin is the son of the head of the Grimleal mafia who enters Ylisstol University and meets Chrom, son of Exalt Corp’s CEO and the heir to the family company.  While Robin might have some ulterior motives for getting close to Chrom at first, he quickly gets in over his head.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Kintsugi (In Planning) - A Golden Deer-based golden route, where Claude decides from the moment he reunites with Byleth that they’re going to save as many lives as possible.

Pre-Timeskip Fix-It (In Planning) - A Black Eagles-based fix-it AU where Byleth gets to shut down Edelgard’s alarming rhetoric every time she opens her mouth, and the Imperial princess stumbles her way through the process of becoming a better person.

Spite Project (In Planning) - A canon-divergent AU where the question of “what would have happened if Edelgard had hired Miklan to kill Claude and Dimitri at the start of the year?” leads to Claude and Dimitri saving each other in more ways than one. 

Bad End AU (In Development) - A Crimson Flower AU exploring the logical consequences and fall-out associated with Edelgard’s conquest of Fodlan, her deceptions regarding the Agarthan menace, and her choice to kill Claude at Derdriu.

Proof of Life (One-Shot) - After establishing an uneasy alliance at Gronder, the joint Kingdom and Alliance forces proceed north to free Faerghus from Imperial control.  On the way, Dimitri and Claude are ambushed by an Imperial assassin, leaving Claude seriously injured; on the way to safety, though, Dimitri is shaken by the Alliance leader’s words, and begins to question his purpose and his ultimate goals.

Fire Emblem: Heroes

Hard Reset (In Planning) - A bad-end Heroes AU where Muspell invades Askr and wipes out the Order of Heroes – but before Surtr can kill Kiran, they fire Breidablik, which somehow transports them to another Zenith.  Taken in by the Emblians, Kiran sets about trying to prevent the ruin that befell the world they were first summoned to.

Controlled Chaos (One-Shot) - In the midst of battle against Muspell, Kiran is taken prisoner by Laegjarn and whisked away from the field; when the leaders of the Order elect to wait, the Heroes take matters into their own hands -- led by the last Hero anyone would have expected.

To The Last (One-Shot) - Though peace has finally established between Askr and Embla, Kiran is unexpectedly struck down by an old illness from their life before they were summoned; the Heroes band together in hopes of finding a cure...but in the end, it all comes down to a prayer.

Promare

Life Goes On (In Planning) - My Promare magnum opus and a direct sequel to Send the Scourge, Send the Swarm exploring the Parnassus aftermath, the Promeopolis Burnish and their recovery and reintroduction to society, and the gradual evolution of the city through the combined influence of the wider Federation and the growing Burnish activism movement. 

The Enemy of My Enemy (In Planning) - A canon-divergent AU where Lio and the Mad Burnish managed to save those captured by Freeze Force before they were taken to the Lake Friege detention center; after awkwardly helping the Mad Burnish slip through Kray’s trap, Galo inadvertently becomes entangled with the affairs of the terrorist organization.

Pokemon

Project: Elements (In Planning) - My Pokemon magnum opus following a scientist in Team Rocket who discovers that her genetic theory has been put into practice without her knowledge or consent; taking charge of the project herself, she finds herself warring with the ethics and morality of her work when young lives hang in the balance.

Pokekids (In Planning) - Based on an FYCD prompt meshed with an original story in development; the story revolves around an original region and original characters setting out on their journey, the challenges they meet along the way, and the friends they make in the process.

InuYasha

The Rising Wind (Complete) - An AU fic based on loveyou-x3000′s Wind Prompt, exploring the aftermath of Kagura’s death, her revival in a borrowed human form, her developing bond with Sesshomaru, and their eventual family.

Maelstrom (In Planning) - A canon-divergent AU where Sesshomaru diverts Kagura after she betrays Naraku, preventing her death at his hands; as she becomes ingrained within the group, though, Naraku sees an opportunity to make use of her even when she is not within his direct control.

Ace Attorney

Crime of Passion (In Development) - My Ace Attorney magum opus; Miles Edgeworth is once again accused of murder and taken in by police, but this time Phoenix Wright won’t be able to take his case -- because the victim of the crime is none other than the defense attorney.  It’s up to Maya to defend the prosecutor this time, while Miles is forced to confront the hard truths about his relationship with the missing lawyer.

[enkelimagnus]

A Castle in the Forest

Percy x Vex’ahlia, Chapter 4, 3337 words,

A Modern AU, in which Vex is a park ranger taking over the Alabaster Sierras post, and finds much more than she bargained for

Read on AO3

-------------------

The Lady’s Chamber is an amphitheatre, standing facing the crossroads of the second biggest crossing of Whitestone. Vex has driven by it a couple of times now, and she’s always seen a couple of worshippers there. Now that she knows the state of the Zenith’s congregation, it seems like this one is much more popular.

The theater part is domed in cream-colored stone. It’s in much better shape than the Zenith, despite the desolate patches of grass peeking out of the stones of the courtyard surrounding it. It’s winter however, so desolate grass is no real surprise.

Whitestone feels a little less like somewhere she could run away and hide in now that she’s felt the heaviness lingering in the city’s past. Vex is a little shaken by Father Reynal, his attitude and the state of his temple.

It’s mid afternoon and the sun has descended greatly on the horizon. Shadows grow as she steps closer to the door to the inner part of the Lady’s Chamber. The theater itself is empty, but she’s hoping the sanctum will at least have a priest. And with luck, this priest will be able to help her root the fiend out.

The door is made of metal and she knocks on it with the scale-shaped knocker. Someone must have been right behind it, because she doesn’t have to wait very long before it opens.

Vex tries not to let her disappointment show on her face. The person behind the door has thick white mustaches and receding white hair and looks weathered by time. He probably won’t be up for a hike and a battle with a fiend.

Fuck, what is it with this town and elderly clerics?

“Can I help you, ser?” The older priest says with a polite but not incredibly cheerful smile.

“Good day, Elder,” Vex replies in kind, before starting to explain again who she is and why she’s there. The facts haven't changed since she’s talked to Father Reynal.

She’s faced with a similar look from this priest than Father Reynal’s. A muted concern, and light dismissal. She’s already tired of this town’s clergy and she doesn’t even know this one’s name.

“Come in, for a moment,” the priest says before letting Vex into the sanctum of the temple.

It’s a simple main room with a rectangular wooden table. The legs are sturdy, skillfully carved. Contrary to the Zenith, this priest doesn’t seem to be alone. Sitting around the table, looking up at Vex as she enters, are two individuals.

With her bow strapped to her back and her muddy boots, Vex initially felt like a sore thumb in these holy places. But when her eyes fall on one of the people in this room, she suddenly feels much better about herself.

Across the table from the entrance is a goliath. Vex has never talked to one, or been so close really. She knew there were a few working for the TWC, but none that she actually met. She’s seen a couple in passing.

They must be at least seven feet tall, skin grey and heavily tattooed all over their back and bald head. A giant axe, fit for their hand, rests against the table by their left side. By their right is sitting the other figure. Next to the goliath, this gnome looks even smaller.

Their skin is a strange purple, almost brown, their hair black with a dark purple streak. It’s a charming thing really. The difference between these two is almost comical. Vex is immediately interested.

“This young ranger seems to have picked up a fiend in the forest,” the priest says.

The goliath looks up in interest. “Do you want us to go smash it for you?”

Vex chuckles lightly. “Actually yes,” she points out. “Do you have divine gifts?”

The gnome next to the goliath laughs out lightly, looking over at their companion. “Oh, that’s funny!” Their voice is high and unbelievably sweet. Vex finds herself softening a little towards them, for no reason outside of that laugh and that voice.

“I don’t,” the goliath shrugs. “I mostly can smash things. But she’s got all the divine shit you want,” they gesture towards the gnome.

“My name is Pike Trickfoot,” the gnome introduces themselves, nodding. “I’m a cleric of the Everlight, Sarenrae. And this is Grog Strongjaw.”

Oh that is definitely what Vex needs. The Everlight is a goddess of redemption and healing and that’s absolutely the energy needed to combat a fiend and save an enthralled half-elf. It’s hard enough to charm those of elven blood, so the fiend is either powerful or very lucky. Or both. Let’s not hope for that, though.

“Vex’ahlia, ranger of the Tal’Dorei Wilderness Conservation program, stationed in the Alabaster Sierra's outpost,” she introduces herself machinally. “So you’d be willing to help?”

She’s maybe a little too business-minded, but she’s just… tired, and worried about this druid out there all alone and probably in dangerous situations.

“I would need a couple of days of preparation and some more information, but I can probably do something, yes,” the gnome, Pike, replies.

“I sensed them on the western edge of the stone platform Castle Whitestone stands on,” Vex starts explaining. “It’s reachable through a path, but it does require quite the bit of walking.”

The priest, who has been silent for a few moments, shifts, clearing their throat.

“We’re up for walking,” Pike smiles. Grog nods. They seem to be working as a pair. “In two days at dawn? If that works for you.”

It sounds almost too good to be true. She still doesn’t know the name of the priest whose temple she’s come into, but their guests are planning to help her with the fiend. After Father Reynal’s pushback, she was really not expecting much from the Lady’s Chamber.

“That works,” Vex nods. “We will meet at the mouth of the path? If you have a phone number, I could give you the map to it?”

They exchange numbers, the gnome writing out ‘Pike Trickfoot’ with a sparkle emoji as her contact. Vex just puts herself in as Ranger Vex’ahlia. Simple and to the point, she doesn’t know this sunshine of a person. She’s not going to have little personal things in there.

The priest next to them clears their throat again. Vex sends them a look. They seem to be nervous about something. They’ve now cleared their throat many times. They’re either sick or they are uncomfortable. Or, third option, they’re trying to make the gnome and the goliath notice something. Vex’ eyes narrow.

Pike smiles, looking at Vex with a warm glint to her eyes. “I do hope this will be easy work and that we will not risk too much. But we never know, with these things. Keeper Yennen has seen enough of these in his days, haven’t you?” She asks the priest who sighs.

“We’re divine servants,” he says heavily. “All our paths are eventually called to cross with a fiend’s. It comes with the faith, unfortunately.”

Vex keeps watching him. There’s something uneasy about this situation. Pike seems to be referring to something the priest does not want to discuss. Yet another untold horror. This town holds one at every corner. Everywhere Vex looks, she can see one.

“You should leave now,” Keeper Yennen nods.

This feels like déjà vu. Because it is. Once again, Vex is shoved away from a conversation, from knowledge. Once again, she politely takes the cue and leaves. She’s starting to get a little tired of it.

She hopes that, in a couple of days, she can ask Pike a couple of questions about this place.

On her way out of the courtyard surrounding the Lady’s Chamber, someone bumps hard into Vex’s shoulder. She’s seen them coming, with their long blue coat and their brown boots, but she really thought there was space for them to cross without bumping. She curses at the sudden ache that radiates into her arm and chest and whips around.

“I’m sorry!” The person she’s just bumped into says, their right hand raising to rub over their left shoulder, while Vex is rubbing her right one. They seem younger than Vex, about eighteen years old. It’s hard to tell really, with this world they all live in, this world where everyone ages differently at different rates. They seem human, but they could very much be eight hundred years old.

They’re familiar in the same way Father Reynal was. Which makes sense, because Vex saw them at the same place, at the same time, she realizes immediately.

They’re about the same size and stature as Vex is. Their hair is dark brown, almost black, but streaking with white around the temples. They had been standing in front of the Zenith, speaking with Father Reynal, when Vex drove by after her very first supply run.

“It’s all fine,” Vex shrugs.

“Have a good day!” They call out as they rush towards the Lady’s Chamber.

Vex raises an eyebrow at the retreating figure. Two temples at once? Or maybe a new convert of Erathis. Father Reynal did say the worship of Pelor has dwindled in this town.

Everyone she has met in this town, except for the gnome and the goliath, has a strange nervous energy about them. They all seem to struggle with hiding secrets, as if the skeletons are too big to fit in the closets they try to force them in. The truth, or at least the story, of what has happened in Whitestone in the past few years is eager to jump out and reveal itself.

Vex wants to know. After today, there’s no doubt about it. She wants to know about this fiend and about Castle Whitestone. About what happened to the De Rolos and why they’re gone. About the empty temples and the half dead tree in the center of town.

She guesses it’s a little rich of her to want to know and stop people from lying to her, when she’s herself running from the past and refuses to tell anyone her own last name. When she’s trying to hide her own past from herself.

She drives back home quietly, without the radio on. She lets her own thoughts be loud for once, no matter how uncomfortable it is to hear her own self-reflection, to discuss her past and future with this horrible nagging thing that is her own mind.

The sun is setting over the trees, she has a cub to take care of, and she wants to rest. She wants to light a fire, make some coffee and settle by the warmth with the cub napping on her feet.

The loneliness is getting more than bearable, it’s getting enjoyable. She loves the quiet of her cabin in the evenings, when she hears that lone wolf cry out. She’s never heard any other wolf respond to it. Poor creature. She can relate to what it must be feeling.

She does all as planned, gathers her things and makes her fire and settles with a blanket. She brushes out her hair. It’s growing more than it used to. It had fallen a lot when she was in Shademurk Bog, especially in the last couple of months, when it had gotten unbearable. It’s growing again now. She’s growing again.

Right as she’s about to fall asleep, the wolf cries. And to her great surprise, a second cry answers it. She goes to sleep with a smile on her face, and the cub snuggled against her chest. She stopped making him sleep in the crate some time ago.

Vex awakes to a chill and misty forest morning. She sees the fog wrap around the trees. The ones around the cabin are a little thinner, a little younger. The forest itself gets thinner around civilisation, as if to protect its oldest, most precious mysteries with barriers upon barriers of younger fodder.

She’s halfway through her breakfast when the talkie-walkie hisses with an incoming call. The thing that’s not supposed to work, because the other half of the pair of walkies was lost with the previous ranger.

“Hello? Hello, is there anyone here?”

The voice seems a little anxious, a little hurried. Something’s wrong. Vex bolts from her chair and rushes to the dust-covered walkie.

“Ranger Vex’ahlia, speaking. Can you tell me what’s happening?” She asks, forcing her voice to stay calm and soothing.

“Yeah, huh, hi, huh,” the voice continues. “We found this and a body? In the middle of a clearing?”

A body? Vex’s heart freezes in her chest and she forces herself to swallow. She’s trained for this. She needs to call in the local authorities, which she knows to be the Pale Guard. She grabs her phone from her pocket without thinking, ready to dial as she walks.

“Can you tell me where you are?” She responds. “There should be a trail marker within a hundred yards of you, if you haven’t strayed too far from the path. I’ll be there asap.”

The walkie goes quiet then, and she waits with bated breath for the person to contact her back with a position. It takes a few horrible frozen minutes for the receiver to crackle again, and she’s given the coordinates.

“I’ll be there asap,” she repeats. ”I will be contacting the authorities too, so do not be surprised if members of the Pale Guard arrive as well.”

“Okay, thank you,” the voice replies.

Vex volts back, dialing the Pale Guard emergency number that gets her directly to someone without going through any helplines. She slides the phone between her ear and her shoulder as she straps her quiver to her thigh and grabs her bow. She puts her coat on and walks into the foggy morning.

It takes her about forty-five minutes to get to the trail marker she was given. She follows instructions and finds the camp of the person that contacted her quickly. A fire is lit in the center of an encampment of three small orange tents. She notices a crossbow resting against one of the tents’ sides.

“Hello? I’m the ranger you had on the walkie,” she calls out.

Three figures come out of the tent with the crossbow. They’re tall, two humans and a dwarf. One of the humans, tall with blonde hair, has a smaller version of a quiver strapped to their thigh.

The dwarf’s right hand is gloved, and in the glove, they hold the walkie. It’s dirty, with dark stains that Vex already knows is blood.

“Thank you for coming,” one of the humans says.

“I’m doing my job,” she replies. “Now show me the body.”

They take her a little bit further from the camp. The body is half-sat against a tree. The right side of it is burnt to a crisp and the left is wracked by large claw marks. The blood that burst from those wounds has long dried on the intact clothing.

There’s no way Vex can recognize them by looking at their face, half is charred and the other is almost fully melted from the heat, frozen now into a horrifying grimace. No wonder those who found the body sounded so tense on the walkie.

Her eyes fall on the insignia on the mostly intact part of the clothing. She swallows. It’s a triangular shape, of a burnt orange color, with the silhouette of Tal’Dorei in dark green over it. The letters TWC are written in white over the continent. Vex wears the insignia’s twin on her coat.

It’s Regae. It has to be. She doesn’t know of any other people from the TWC in the area, and the body isn’t old enough to be a previous ranger. Regae had been there for fifty years when he disappeared.

She takes a deep breath. “Alright,” she nods. “Thank you for calling me in. The Pale Guard will be here shortly to identify what has happened there.”

The human with the small quiver now has their crossbow in hand, ready to go. Machinally, Vex searches for the crossbow bolts and what they look like. She did make a promise, however unspoken, to the cub, after all.

Her sight falls on the ends of the crossbow bolts, the fletching. The pattern is immediately familiar. It’s the same one as the one she had to pull out of her sleeping cub. Her eyes narrow at the human.

“May I have your name, please?” She asks, trying to keep the anger from her voice. It seems to work, as the human doesn’t look as suspicious as he would have otherwise. She takes an arrow out of her quiver.

“Donavan Clarence,” the human nods.

“I see you enjoy hunting, Donovan,” Vex gestures towards the crossbow. “What kind of game are you after? Are you more of a pheasant type, or do you go after bigger prey? Let’s say, bears for example.”

Her voice is cold as ice now, her hand on her bow, ready to notch the arrow, draw back, and shoot.

The human stares at her intensely. “Why are you asking?” They growl.

“Maybe because it’s my fucking job to keep the innocent creatures of this forest safe from criminals like you,” she shrugs, and draws her bow.

She’s incredibly close to them, and if she shoots, it will hurt. They both know it. She hopes the Pale Guard isn’t far. By killing the mother of the cub, Donovan Clarence has committed a crime. National Parks protect the creatures they watch.

The human looks at her, full of contempt. “You have no idea what you’re doing, half-elf,” they hiss. Their hand drifts to the bolts and Vex’ hand loosens.

The arrow shoots through the hair and goes straight through the palm of the human. They scream in surprised pain. Blood gushes out of the wound and starts streaming down their hand and arm, soaking their sleeve.

Around them, the two others get their swords out, ready to defend their friend. Vex swallows. Okay, maybe she jumped into this one a little too early. With lightning-fast motions, she notches another arrow into the bow.

“You have no right to hurt the creatures of this park,” Vex continues. “The only person allowed to deal with threats in here is me.”

“It was a last minute situation, ser!” The other human tries, but their voice falters with hesitation and Vex knows they’re lying.

The cold eyes of Donovan Clarence and their total lack of remorse is enough to see clearly through this conversation. They had fun killing an innocent bear and trying to kill its cub as well. It was pure cruelty.

“The Pale Guard is on its way,” Vex reminds, taking a step back to encompass all of them in her line of sight. “You have no choice but to surrender. The one who killed the bear, if they’re not the same as Ser Clarence, will probably be arrested for poaching.”

She can see them start to shift uncomfortably. They’re calm for now, but this is not going to continue to be calm if it goes on much longer. Her bow is drawn again.

They stay like this, waiting for one of them to make a move, for what feels like an hour. It’s probably close to a couple of seconds before there’s noise coming from the path and a loud shout of “Pale Guard, put your weapons down!”.

Vex exhales. Thank the Gods for this. She knows she wouldn’t have been able to take down three people. They may not look strong enough to match her one-on-one, but this would have been three-on-one. She wouldn’t have come out of there looking good, if at all.

She gets to explain her point and the Pale Guard believes her. She’ll have to answer more questions in town, but they know what her job is, and she introduced herself when she first arrived. It also seems like Donovan Clarence has been suspected to be a criminal hunter for a long time. They’re just finally able to get some proof of it.

As Clarence and their buddies are taken away, Vex’ attention is violently brought back to the very dead body of the previous ranger. One of the members of the Pale Guard there is now crouched by the body, running spells over it to try and determine cause and date of death.

They get back up and walk back to where Vex is standing, arms crossed, looking quite worried.

“We’ve found traces of fiendish magic on the burnt side of this body,” they explain. “You have a fiend on your hands, ser.”

Vex sighs. “Thank you,” she nods. “I sensed a fiendish presence around Castle Whitestone yesterday.”

The guard looks around. “We’re quite far from the Castle Whitestone, in a completely different direction.”

That’s true, but she’s pretty sure the range of her trance would be enough to find a fiend around this area. “How long have they been dead?”

There’s more looking around and more thoughtful pondering airs on the guard’s face. They’re writing things absent-mindedly on a red-covered notepad.

“With the weather here and all… I would say about four months.”

Four months? That means there’s been a fiend around the forest for at least that long. Vex prays to anyone that can hear that Regae hadn’t been investigating other deaths from the same creature when they found it.

“Would the Pale Guard be able to lend me a couple of people to help defeat the fiend?” Vex asks after a moment.

The guard stares at her. “The Pale Guard isn’t trained to hunt creatures in the Parchwood Timberlands, ser.”

“It’s ma’am,” Vex specifies more out of habit than anything else. “Then who is trained to do that?”

They tense slightly, closing up their little notepad and shoving their hands in their pockets. “That would be the Grey Hunt, ma’am, but they haven’t really been around since…”

Has she stumbled upon another one of those untold stories, again? How many fucking mysteries are there in this godsforsaken town?

“Since what? I’m new here, I don’t know anything about the local history,” she snaps.

“Since the De Rolo massacre.”

Almost immediately after that, their superior calls for the guard she’s been talking to and they’re delighted to escape. Vex curses at the retreating back of the humanoid and stomps one foot in the soft floor of the forest.

The De Rolo massacre. What the fuck happened in this city? Why won’t anyone tell her about it? She can feel her own frustration growing in her chest. She wishes she was a black dragon, so she could spit out that angry acid.

After that, none of the guards seem to want to talk much to her. They pack up the body of Regae to bring it to their lab and verify the readings of the initial spells, and only nod at her goodbye.

She’s left alone in the clearing, with fire burnt out and the tents still fixed into the ground.

[aion-rsa]

The Power Rangers Turbo Deleted Scenes That Could Have Saved the Movie

https://ift.tt/3aDPrNw

Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie is, at best, a glorified TV movie. Made when Power Rangers’ popularity was in slow decline after the zenith of the Mighty Morphin days, the film makes no pretense that it’s trying to be any kind of cultural event like the first film attempted to be. Instead, it only half-heartedly tries to bring in a new audience with the addition of kid Ranger Justin and struggles to please hardcore Power Rangers fans.

The story –new villain Divatox makes her way to a mystical island to marry an ancient evil and the Rangers have to stop her — limps along with little forward momentum. Guest alien character Lerigot, who speaks in an alien language nearly the whole movie, gets equal if not more screen time than Justin. There’s little to no character development for the main cast. It also takes over an hour and 10 minutes for the Rangers to actually morph and fight.

The two saving graces of the film are Divatox, played by Hilary Shepherd Turner, who brings a demented joy to the baddie, and the return of former Rangers Jason and Kimberly, who provide most of the memorable moments.

Overall, it’s a fairly dull movie… but it wasn’t always that way. Hidden in two early drafts of the film (specifically the third and fifth drafts) are some deleted gems, which, while they wouldn’t have completely saved the movie, would have made it a more enjoyable one. The characters all get more moments to shine, Justin (sort of) gets a character arc, we’re given more reason to care about Lerigot, Kimberly gets some snappy one liners, and there’s even an explanation of the changeover from the Zeo to Turbo powers!

Like we did with an early draft of the MMPR movie, we’re diving into these earlier versions of Turbo, but we won’t be covering every single change from script to screen. We’ll instead focus on the biggest changes and deleted bits that shed the most light on what could have been for the Turbo movie.

The Zeo to Turbo Transition

Considering this film is very clearly aimed at fans, let’s start with the biggest sticking point for them at the time when this movie was released. In the final version of the movie, there’s no explanation regarding what happened to the Zeo powers from the previous season of the show. Power Rangers Zeo, the fourth season in the franchise, featured a set of powers that were supposedly the most powerful, able to grow stronger overtime. However, the Zeo powers were completely tossed aside in Turbo with no explanation as to why (maybe after they saw the Zeo morph sequence could be disrupted by water they decided to get something better). The Rangers accept their Turbo powers, and not much else is said on the matter.

For years this has bothered fans… if only they knew how close we got to a real explanation. The third draft starts out with a partial explanation, that the Zeo Zords don’t have the power to withstand passage through the Nemesis Triangle and, as Alpha lays out, “the force of the triangle has mangled many power sources.”

However, it’s a later line of dialogue that could potentially solve every single problem fans have ever had with this.

As the Rangers work on the Turbo Zords, which will take them through the Triangle, Alpha specifically says, “the transfer of powers is complete.”

Now you can be nitpicky and say this was only referring to the Zords but considering that the Turbo keys and morphers appear in the same room as the Turbo Zords, it’s close enough. Plus Zordon makes it clear in the fifth draft of the script that Justin’s powers can’t be transferred to Rocky and that, “from this moment on, you are the Blue Ranger” lending more credence to the idea the Zeo powers have become the Turbo powers.

(This runs contrary to what the show implied in “Shift Into Turbo Part 1,” which made it seem like Justin could give the powers to Rocky if he wanted them.)

Zordon also reveals they had the keys in their possession for safekeeping, which seems to solidify the idea they transferred the Zeo powers into the Turbo keys in a way that would allow them to cross the Triangle.

This is truly the best explanation fans will ever get. After nearly 20 years of endless theories, forum battles, and debates, there was truly a simple explanation for all of this.

Justin

Without a doubt the most controversial addition to Power Rangers at the time, Justin was a legit child who bafflingly got the chance to become a Ranger. Like the film, the early scripts provide no real reason why a child gets to be a Ranger, although it does try to have Justin explain.

“It was an emergency and all, Zordon said I had the right stuff to be a Power Ranger, even if I was a little young, and Rocky thought so too…”

Considering Zordon’s “right stuff” for recruiting the original Rangers was that they were “overbearing and emotional,” I strongly question his decision making process here. Does he just find the closest person who won’t ask too many questions and go, “good enough!”

At least the script does delve a little more into the idea of a child being a Ranger, with Tanya and Kat both unsure if Justin really knows what he’s going up against. Tanya reasons they’ll have to be his family now, which was a line that made it into the film (albeit spoken by Kat) but doesn’t carry anywhere near as much weight there, considering that both of Justin’s parents are dead in the scripts!

In the fifth draft, that backstory is downgraded to just his mom but it’s still given much more time to impact Justin. Tanya and Kat comment several times how much trouble Justin has had since she died and his dad moved away. He’s clearly taken to Rocky quite a bit and is really disturbed by Rocky’s injury.  This comes full circle at the end when, in a deleted scene, Justin worries he won’t be a Ranger anymore but Rocky reassures him that he deserves the powers. For someone who looked up to Rocky so much, this is huge.

Justin’s story even gets tied into Lerigot’s! It only happens at the very end but in another deleted scene in the fifth draft (that was briefly glimpsed in the film’s end credits) Justin gets to hold baby Bethel and sorrowfully observes, “it must be great to have your whole family together again.”

Damn, that made me feel things for Justin! I wish this connection had been explored a bit more but perhaps it was something they had planned to develop in the TV series. Still, these little glimpses into Justin’s life would have made the idea of a kid Ranger easier to accept and given him a more emotional arc.

Lerigot’s Backstory

Lerigot was… certainly a choice. Someone in the Turbo movie production office must have thought they’d be making some serious tickle me Elmo money off this alien but uh… he’s horrendous. His face is the stuff of nightmares. His eyes are that of a killer. His voice is what you hear as you’re slowly dragged into hell.

As mentioned earlier, he takes up way too much of the film’s runtime, especially the first half as we watch him play with animals in Africa. Both in look and execution, Lerigot is a huge misfire. However, the fifth draft of the script at least gave us more of a reason to care about him and, delightfully, tied his backstory to Maligore.

In the film, it’s revealed that Lerigot’s key can get Divatox through the Nemesis Triangle to Maligore. It was kind of strange how this specific key could do that but in the script Zordon explains to the Rangers that Lerigot’s ancestors, the Liarians, were the ones who exiled Maligore to the island Muiranthias in the Nemesis Triangle. Lerigot inherited the golden key, which, as in film, opens the gateway to the island.

Read more

Movies

The Power Rangers “Reboot Universe” Is Exactly What The Franchise Needs

By Shamus Kelley

Movies

The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Movie We Almost Got

By Shamus Kelley

Speaking of keys, the keys the Rangers use to morph were also tied into Lerigot’s backstory. In the film, Zordon just calls them “similar” to Lerigot’s key but the script reveals that the keys and morphers were entrusted to Zordon for “safe keeping with the hope that they would never have to be used.”

So hey, uh, Zordon. Were you gonna… tell the Rangers about those powers at all? Could have been real useful all those times they lost their powers before now! Maybe you wouldn’t have even needed the Zeo Crystal if you just opened that wall and gave everyone the Turbo powers! Why do you have so many secret powers, Zordon?! We know you have a Zord fleet hidden away on an alien planet! I know you’re all about “don’t escalate battles” but people are dying!

Anyway, tying in Lerigot to the Rangers’ powers is a cool idea and does give both the powers and Lerigot more weight in the film since they’re the only things that can take on Maligore. The powers aren’t just something Zordon cooked up in a few minutes. It also conjures up images of ancient Liarian Rangers, possibly multiple teams who inherited the powers from each other.

That’s incredible! Even though it was scrapped, the idea of more alien Power Rangers out there isone I’m always open to, plus it gives us the image of Liarian Power Rangers beating up Maligore. This is an image I will treasure for all time.

Aqua Power Suits

One would think introducing the Turbo powers would be enough for a film but there were plans to feature a second set of… powers as well. Actually, it’s a little confusing so I’ll try to explain as best as I can.

In the script, Tanya and Adam are actively tracking Divatox’s landing on Earth instead of just kind of hanging around the Power Chamber while Tommy and Kat go off to Africa. Zordon instructs them to investigate and the two bust out the Aqua Power Suits, which are described as“five armored suits split down the middle and peeled back.”

Adam and Tanya don’t morph into them, they, as the script describes, “step backwards into their suits. The suits close from the feet up, snapping into place. The face shields show half of their faces as they step forward to reveal a small jet pack on their backs.”

No explanation is given as to where these suits came from; they were just hiding in a wall. At least, unlike the Turbo powers in the script, the team already knew about them and Zordon wasn’t hoarding them away until it was time to (sell some new toys) face a great threat.

Showing half their faces in the suits brings to mind the abandoned plans from the first movie, which featured open visors during fight scenes. It makes more sense here considering the suits, as written in the script, sound more like souped-up scuba gear than actual morphed suits. A later scene reveals that the suits have miniature radar screens, a button on the helmet that allows the wearers to talk to each other underwater, and a weapon attached to the hip.

The suits were mainly used in an altered scene where, instead of Jason and Kimberly simply being captured by Divatox, Tanya and Adam tried to save them in a thrilling underwater battle. The two former Rangers are taken into the subcraft, and before Tanya and Adam can try and get inside, Divatox electrifies them. It’s a great sequence that would have added some much needed action to the start of the film.

Aqua Suites, power up! #PowerRangers pic.twitter.com/YZcQgKIyiZ

— Jackie Marchand (@jackieyo) October 29, 2018

Concept art of these suits has been released by longtime Power Rangers writer Jackie Marchand but the images don’t match the script at all. The art features the regular Turbo Rangers, only with additional underwater equipment. They depict the aqua aesthetic as more of a power-up rather than a whole other suit.

So uh… how would that have all worked if the Aqua Power Suits were introduced BEFORE the Rangers got their Turbo powers? Would the Aqua Power Suits have appeared over the Zeo suits?

One explanation might be that in an even earlier draft of the script the Rangers did use the Aqua Power Suits later in the film. According to Power Rangers: The Ultimate Visual History, the original script for the film (which we assume is the first draft) was 150 pages, so there was ample time for the new suits to appear. (For reference the third and fifth drafts we’re covering are 87 pages and 91 pages, respectively.)

Another possibility is that, while the suits were designed for the film, Turbo didn’t really have the budget to film the scenes they were used in. As cool as an underwate fight scene would have been, it wouldn’t have been easy to pull off. Doubly so with actors in costumes like Ranger suits. Actor Johnny Yong Bosch (Adam Park) revealed in 2013 that, while some scenes leading into the Aqua Power Suits were filmed, they were ultimately cut during production.

Bulk/Skull/Lt. Stone

The unexplained change from Zeo to Turbo powers isn’t the only plotline that left fans of the TV series baffled when this movie hit theaters. In the finale of Power Rangers Zeo, Bulk and Skull were recruited for a secret detective mission off the coast of France, quitting their positions working under the former Lt. Stone. It was a seismic shift that was almost completely dropped in the film; the trio’s suddenly back on the police force that they’d been fired from with the only acknowledgment being Stone remarking they were lucky to be rehired.

While the scripts don’t address the France mission cliffhanger, it does at least provide some explanation for how the trio got back on the force. Stone tells Bulk and Skull at a baseball game that, “we are in the middle of the international summer festival. The department is short on manpower. Trust me… they must be if they hired you back.” It’s not much but… it’s something and does lead to a series of deleted scenes.

During the same baseball game scene, as in the film, Stone instructs Bulk and Skull to relieve him at the international danceathon. This is a reference to a subplot that never made the cut, with Stone stuck at the dance after Bulk and Skull were kidnapped by Divatox. Twice during the film we cut back to him being forced to dance, first to German polka and then a Jamaican line dance. This plot was to be wrapped up in a final scene where Bulk and Skull finally show up, only for Stone, in Kabuki makeup, to chase them down with a stick.

While I’m glad to see Stone get something more to do, these scenes are of little consequence and it’s no wonder they were cut. They were filmed though, and the footage that exists isn’t all that funny, especially since it features several cultural stereotypes that are downright offensive. 

The Malichians make an appearance at the festival in these deleted scenes  (seemingly having followed Bulk and Skull back from the island), and just like in the film, they’re a painfully out of date and racist depiction of native people.

Mandika the Mermaid

Ever wonder how Bulk, Skull, and Kimberly made it to shore after escaping the sub craft? In the film, it’s implied they floated back up but the script gives us a far more entertaining explanation. It was a mermaid! And not just a random mermaid but one that was going to share a subplot with Adam!

In the script, the Rangers face a much longer trek to get to the Ghost Galleon, needing to follow a river in the “Digathian Forest.” The Rangers drive there but can’t find their way until they spot “a beautiful young girl of about eleven. Her skin is the color of alabaster with long blue/black hair that trails in front of her bare chest.” (What a creepy description.) “She dives and a silvery tail flips out of the water.” The mermaid is named Mandika and is friends with Alpha! That robot must get up to some amazing adventures off screen.

Just after that introduction Adam is unnerved by a vision of Maligore at a campfire (the image of Maligore in fire recurs in the script) and goes for a walk. Mandika leads him to a pirate skeleton, which points the way to the Galleon. After that, Mandika pops up to save Bulk and Skull and then Kimberly before needing to be saved herself, which also helpfully fills in a plot hole.

In the film, as two missiles streak toward the Galleon, Kat suggests, “We can’t be detected inside the Turbo vehicles.” Which is completely pointless since the missiles end up hitting the ship anyway and the Zords simply withstand the blast.

In the script, the Rangers getting into the Zords diverts the missiles…to Mandika! She’s unaware of the missiles and Adam, on a recon mission, takes a bungee cord out of his power box and leaps down to save her in the nick of time. She thanks him and dives back into the water, never to be seen again.

Mandika is completely pointless. She has zero personality and is only there to help bolster the movie’s attempt at being a big adventure. But we’ve already got five Rangers plus the villains. We don’t need anymore side characters.

Notable Deleted Sequences

Director David Winning said in an interview for the Ultimate Visual History book that the script for the film was “massive – a series of one adventure after another. The original edit was over three hours long, so, realistically, it had to be cut down.” 

While that edit was probably a very early rough cut, it still means a lot of sequences had to go, even some potentially great ones.

Power Rangers fans have hungered for these scenes for years, clues to their existence slowly trickling out. The script finally sheds some light on what these scenes were all about.

One of the biggest of these is Kat firing a flamethrower, with Tommy looking on, an image advertised on the back of the Turbo movie VHS. The script reveals their target was a crocodile, which followed Tommy and Kat after they reunited in the water. Tommy gets Kat out just before the croc tries to attack, getting into a full on brawl with the animal, even grabbing it in “an upside down bear hug” and shoving a branch in its mouth. Tommy gets to shore and Kat scares the croc away with a blowtorch that was in a power box. This sequence was probably cut for time or maybe the image of Tommy wrestling a crocodile wasn’t as cool as the script made it out to be.

Another scene known to fans was of the Rangers traveling through several different chambers to get to Maligore’s temple. This scene was briefly featured in a short music video at the beginning of the Turbo VHS tape, and while it promised something exciting, the script makes it seem pretty boring.

Tommy opens a door to the temple with his Turbo key (which makes more sense than Justin just happening to find a random entrance in the film) and the team enters the “Serpent’s Temple.” There’s an oil slick lake covering the floor, and as they move through, they see cobra statues with real snakes all around them. Tanya hates snakes because Indiana Jones reference and then they just… run into the main chamber. They don’t even fight some snake monsters.

Much better are two scenes that did show up in the film but only in silent form in the end credits. The first is made up of several shots of Lerigot, his family, Jason, Kimberly, Bulk, and Skull entering the Turbo Megazord. Kimberly and Jason share a hug with Tommy looking on, leading some fans to speculate Kim and Jason were now a couple. The script does not mention or indicate that at all but it does contain a great bit where the Rangers react to Bulk and Skull’s weirdness, and Jason bemusedly observes, “I’ve known them since Kindergarten and I still can’t figure it out.” This is the kinda character moment the movie needed more of.

Read more

TV

Resolving Power Rangers RPM’s Cliffhanger 11 Years Later

By Shamus Kelley

TV

The Challenges of Creating Power Rangers Dino Fury

By Shamus Kelley

The second is the shot of Justin getting to hold Bethel that we mentioned earlier, but it also ends with Alpha getting Lerigot to say in English, “Go… go… Power Rangers.” Ugh. I kind of love it.

Fans haven’t heard of all the deleted scenes, though. One particularly interesting one occurs as the Rangers are about to enter the Triangle but first have to pass through some fog. There they see a phantom ship appear and vanish, along with a “world war fighter jet” and even a UFO! 

This is a scene I really wish had been kept in the film. It gives the island more weight 

because it’s a place humans have at least tried to interact with (and earlier dialogue in the script makes it seem like the Triangle is a well known myth.) It makes Earth just as magical as any of the far off planets the Rangers have encountered. If our planet is hiding this kind of power, it’s no wonder villains are always looking to conquer it.

Another great scene is an extended version of the Putra Pod fight where the Rangers actually morph! In the film, they take out Divatox’s minions on the ship unmorphed but in the script the fight is longer and much more exciting. There’s much more action described, with my favorite bit being Tommy having to fight his way into the captain’s room so he can pull the Turbo keys out of the ship. We even get an early version of the morph call, “It’s morphin Turbo time.”

That’s a mouthful but I desperately wish this has been in the film. It still takes way too long but it gives us some Ranger action earlier, which the film badly needed. Even the first film, for all its flaws, knows it has to bust out a Ranger fight early on to keep you interested.

Deleted Character Moments

Without much action to break up the film, a huge problem quickly arises, there are very few character moments. When the film isn’t shoving Lerigot in your face, the Rangers are mostly given painful amounts of exposition or mind numbing dialogue that doesn’t feel specific to them as characters. One could argue the Rangers were never that deep to begin with but there was enough to draw on if they wanted to… and the script did.

Unfortunately, when editing a movie, the first thing to go are little character moments, and that’s a real shame because there are some fantastic ones here. One of my favorites comes early when the Rangers and the shelter kids are all at the baseball game and Tanya catches a speeding ball hit into the stands. It’s a perfect little bit that references her baseball skills from Zeo and gives her a moment with Justin where she gives him the ball, producing his first slight smile in the movie.  

There are actually several deleted little bits about Tanya. When Jason and Kim see Bulk and Skull acting strangely in the subcraft, Jason’s reminded of a report Tanya did about trauma and how people respond to it. Hey, they remembered Jason knew her! Tanya also tells Tommy and Katherine to “send my love to Africa” before they teleport there.

The whole team also gets an absolutely brilliant scene where they’re all around a campfire just before Justin shows up. They all talk about how they used to be afraid of the dark, with Tanya remarking, “That’s when all the monsters camped out under your bed.”

It’s such a sweet bit, especially with Tommy being the first to admit his fear. It also subtly feels like the team is comparing their childhood fears of monsters to their present day lives of fighting them all the time. This moment lets the Rangers feel like genuine people with the weight of the world on their shoulders. If this had made it in, it would have easily been the stand out moment of the movie.

Or maybe it would have been anything Divatox says. She was already one of the best parts of the film but the script gives her even more time. Early on, she gets Rygog to draw up a prenup for the marriage. Rygog dutifully confirms, “Everything that is yours remains yours. And everything that is his becomes yours as well” to which Divatox says, “Sounds fair to me.”

Later, during the big Volcano fight, she threatens to “throw a few Ranger wimps on the barbie” and adds, “You should appreciate that, Pink Ranger!” Divatox remembers more about Kat’s backstory than the final film did.

But none of these scenes even hold a candle to a line that should have been in every trailer because it would have sold this movie. Jason, having just been brought to the volcano, gives the very standard Power Rangers line of “Don’t you know bad guys never win?”

To which Divatox responds,

“Of course they don’t. Guys are complete idiots. Now women on the other hand…”

I LOVE IT. I ADORE THIS LINE SO MUCH. How could you not film this? How could you cut this? It’s brilliant! Perfect for Divatox.

How Much Better Is The Script From The Finished Movie?

Look, many of these deleted bits are great. The character bits help give the film more depth. It made me want to know more about Lerigot, and that’s a true accomplishment! There are some killer lines, acknowledgement of the TV show’s continuity, and Justin is far more likeable. For the hardcore fan, these moments do a lot.

That being said, these little bits don’t fix the film. It’s still a deeply flawed movie that, like the first film, seems to be ashamed of the TV show and tries to tell a story that is as far away from it as possible. But it’s just not that good a story on its own so the only thing that’s worthwhile are those moments that connect to the show and the characters we already love — which are few and far between.

The script gives us more of those but it doesn’t fix the major flaws, like the painfully slow start, the overuse of Lerigot, the lack of character arcs, and too little Ranger action, though the extra scene on the ship is appreciated.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

So yes, the script is better than the film but it wasn’t exactly a super high bar to clear in the first place. At least if some of these scenes had been included, the movie would have been more enjoyable for Power Rangers fans, which really are the primary audience for the film anyway. I’m not saying that’s whom the studio should have been exclusively catering to but the only time the script is able to shine is when nodding at hardcore fans. Without that, Turbo is just a forgettable ‘90s kids movie.

The post The Power Rangers Turbo Deleted Scenes That Could Have Saved the Movie appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3cNIUCy

[courtneytincher]

20 Most Powerful Submarines, Aircraft Carriers, Bombers and Fighter Jets EVER

The real best of the best.In today's world, where every day it seems a new piece of military technology is poised to take over the battlefield and make everything else obsolete, there are several weapons of war that seem to have some staying power. Aircraft carriers, while some may consider them obsolete, remain one of the ultimate ways to display national power and prestige, with the unique capability to attack targets from the world's seas with deadly accuracy.Submarines have many uses. Whether it is to exercise sea control, deter an enemy with underwater nuclear weapons or ensure you have the ability to strike with various types of conventional weapons like cruise missiles on land, subs seem to be only gaining in prominence. (This first appeared several years ago.)Then there is the bomber. Some are old, like the B-52. Some are just getting started, like the B-21 Raider. Some we don't know much about, like Russia's PAK-FA. Yet, one thing is clear: Bombers can still make or break any conflict that could occur now or in the future. And fighter jets are not going anywhere. The F-35 is the ultimate example--considering the massive cost--of this important military asset having clear staying power (the only debate at this point is whether it will be manned or unmanned). So what are the best carriers, submarines, bombers and fighters ever? Robert Farley, one of the world's best defense experts and frequent TNI contributor, has written on this subject extensively. For your reading pleasure, we have packed together several pieces that take this subject on into this one post, which were written several years ago. Let the debate begin. ***The first true aircraft carriers entered service at the end of World War I, as the Royal Navy converted several of its excess warships into large, floating airfields. During the interwar period, Japan and the United States would make their own conversions, and all three navies would supplement these ships with purpose-built carriers. Within months of the beginning of hostilities in September 1939, the carrier demonstrated its worth in a variety of maritime tasks.By the end of 1941, carriers would become the world’s dominant capital ship. These are the five most lethal carriers to serve in the world’s navies, selected on the basis of their contribution to critical operations, and on their longevity and resilience.USS Enterprise:The U.S. Navy supplemented Lexington and Saratoga, the most effective of the interwar battlecruiser conversions, with the purpose-built USS Ranger. Experience with all three ships demonstrated that the next purpose-built class would require a larger hull and flight deck, as well as a heavier anti-aircraft armament. This resulted in USS Yorktown and USS Enterprise, which along with their third sister (USS Hornet) would play a critical role in stopping the Imperial Japanese Navy’s advance in 1942. Capable of cruising at 33 knots, Enterprise displaced around 24,000 tons and could carry up to 90 aircraft.While both Hornet and Yorktown were lost in the carrier battles of 1942, Enterprise served throughout the entire war. She helped search for the Japanese fleet in the wake of Pearl Harbor, and carried out the first reprisal raids in the early months of the war. She escorted Hornet on the Doolittle Raid, then helped sink four Japanese flattops at the Battle of Midway. She filled a crucial role during the Battles of Guadalcanal, surviving several near-catastrophic Japanese attacks.Later in the war, Enterprise operated with the growing American carrier fleet as it formed core of the counter-offensive that would roll up Japanese possessions in the Pacific. Enterprise fought at Philippine Sea and Leyte Gulf, helping to destroy the heart of Japanese naval aviation. She served in the final raids against Japan in 1945 until a kamikaze caused critical damage in May. Returning to service just as the war ended, she helped return American soldiers to the United States in Operation Magic Carpet. Enterprise was the most decorated ship in any navy during World War II, but sadly post-war preservation efforts failed, and the carrier was scrapped in 1960.HMS Illustrious:Between September 1939 and April 1942, the Royal Navy lost five of its seven pre-war aircraft carriers. HMS Illustrious and her three sisters filled the gap. Laid down in 1937, Illustrious traded aircraft complement for an armored deck, an innovation that would make the ship more robust than her Japanese or American counterparts. Displacing 23,000 tons, Illustrious could make 30 knots and carrying 36 aircraft.Illustrious’ first major achievement came in November 1940, when her Swordfish torpedo bombers attacked the battleships of the Italian navy at anchor at Taranto. The attack, carried out on a shoestring compared to the great raids of the Pacific War, nevertheless managed to sink or heavily damage three Italian battleships. Illustrious spent the next few months carrying out raids in the Mediterranean and covering the evacuation of Greece. In the course of the latter, she survived several hits from German divebombers.After receiving repairs in the United States, Illustrious operated against the Japanese in the Indian Ocean. She returned to the European theater in 1943, making additional raids on Norway and in support of Allied landings in Italy. Later Illustrious returned to the Pacific, where supplied with superior American carrier aircraft, she helped spearhead the Royal Navy counter-offensive into Southeast Asia. After surviving a kamikaze attack, she returned to Great Britain and eventually served as a training carrier before being scrapped in 1957.HIJMS Zuikaku:Zuikaku represented the zenith of pre-war Japanese carrier development. Along with her sister Shokaku, Zuikaku filled out Kido Butai with the addition of two large, fast, modern carriers. Displacing 32,000 tons and capable of carrying 72 aircraft, Zuikaku could make 34 knots, and absorb a relatively large amount of battle damage.The size and modernity of the carriers meant that they could handle a greater operational tempo early in the war. After the Pearl Harbor raid, they participated in the Indian Ocean Raid, helping to sink the British carrier Hermes and several other ships. Afterward, Zuikaku and her sister deployed to Port Moresby to cover Japanese landings in what became the Battle of Coral Sea. Zuikaku survived undamaged, and contributed to the sinking of USS Lexington, but because of a lack of aircraft could not participate in the Battle of Midway.Zuikaku continued to form the core of the Japanese carrier fleet into 1944, participating in and surviving the battles of Guadalcanal (where her aircraft helped sink USS Hornet) and the Battle of Philippine Sea. By October 1944, her supply of aircraft and pilots was almost completely exhausted. At the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Zuikaku and several other carriers served as bait for Halsey’s battleships and carriers, luring them away from the center of the Japanese attack. The last survivor of the Pearl Harbor attack, Zuikaku sank under a barrage of bombs and torpedoes.USS Midway:USS Midway entered service in September 1945, shortly after the end of hostilities against Japan. She displaced 45,000 tons, could make 33 knots, and could carry roughly 100 aircraft. Midway and her sisters represented a step beyond the Essex-class carriers that had won the Pacific War, and promised to introduce a new era of naval aviation.Upon commissioning, Midway became the world’s most lethal aircraft carrier. The offensive power of her air group exceeded that of the Essex carriers then in service, and with the introduction of jet aircraft the gap would grow. With the A-2 Savage carrier-based bomber, Midway and her sisters briefly became the only carriers in the world capable of delivering nuclear weapons.Midway underwent extensive modification over the course of her career, eventually acquiring an angled flight deck and other innovations. Although she missed Korea, Midway operated off Vietnam, and continued to serve as the larger “supercarriers” came online. She found heavy use in the Gulf War of 1990, as her (relative) small size gave her an advantage in maneuverability over the more modern supercarriers. Midway left service in 1992, having spanned the history of naval aviation from the F6F Hellcat to the F/A-18 Hornet.USS Theodore Roosevelt:The ten Nimitz-class nuclear aircraft carriers have been the world’s dominant capital ships since they began to enter service in the late 1970s. Constructed over a period spanning nearly 35 years, the class continues to provide the core of American naval power. Among the most active of the Nimitz class has been the USS Theodore Roosevelt, first of the second group of ships. Roosevelt entered service in 1986; she displaces over 100,000 tons, carries between 75-80 aircraft, and can make 30 knots top speed.Roosevelt has served in most of the conflicts of the post Cold-War era. In 1991 she launched strikes against Iraqi targets during Operation Desert Storm. In 1999, her aircraft conducted strikes in Kosovo and Serbia in service of Operation Allied Force. After the September 11 attacks, Roosevelt deployed to the Middle East and participated in the first sorties against the Taliban and Al Qaeda in Operation Enduring Freedom. Two years later, her aircraft flew against Iraqi targets again in the first days of Operation Iraqi Freedom. After a refit, Roosevelt launched strikes against both Afghan and Iraqi targets in the latter part of the decade. Most recently, Roosevelt helped blockade Yemeni ports against a suspected Iranian arms convoy.Like her sister ships, Roosevelt has already undergone substantial modification across the course of her thirty year career, and the Navy expects that these refits will continue into the future. Current projections suggest that she will leave service around 2035, which would give the carrier a nearly fifty-year span of lethality.Wrap:Pundits and analysts have predicted the obsolescence and demise of the aircraft carrier since the waning days of World War II. At the moment, however, the Russian, Indian, British, Chinese, French, and American navies continue to put faith, and resources, into carrier aviation. Despite the vulnerability of the big ships to attack, they provide a unique combination of presence, prestige, and lethality that continues to make them attractive to the world’s most powerful navies.***There have been three great submarine campaigns in history, and one prolonged duel. The First and Second Battles of the Atlantic pitted German U-boats against the escorts and aircraft of the United Kingdom and the United States. The Germans very nearly won World War I with the first campaign, and badly drained Allied resources in the second. In the third great campaign, the submarines of the US Navy destroyed virtually the entire commercial fleet of Japan, bringing the Japanese economy to its knees. US subs also devastated the Imperial Japanese Navy, sinking several of Tokyo’s most important capital ships.But the period most evocative of our modern sense of submarine warfare was surely the forty year duel between the submarines of the USSR and the boats of the various NATO navies. Over the course of the Cold War, the strategic nature of the submarine changed; it moved from being a cheap, effective killer of capital ships to a capital ship in its own right. This was especially the case with the boomers, submarines that carried enough nuclear weapons to kill millions in a few minutes.As with previous “5 Greatest” lists, the answers depend on the parameters; different sets of metrics will generate different lists. Our metrics concentrate on the strategic utility of specific submarine classes, rather than solely on their technical capabilities.· Was the submarine a cost-effective solution to a national strategic problem?· Did the submarine compare favorably with its contemporaries?· Was the submarine’s design innovative?And with that, the five best submarines of all time:U-31:The eleven boats of the U-31 class were constructed between 1912 and 1915. They operated in both of the periods of heavy action for German U-boats, early in the war before the suspension of unrestricted warfare, and again in 1917 when Germany decided to go for broke and cut the British Empire off at the knees. Four of these eleven boats (U-35, U-39, U-38, and U-34) were the four top killers of World War I; indeed, they were four of the five top submarines of all time in terms of tonnage sunk (the Type VII boat U-48 sneaks in at number 3). U-35, the top killer, sank 224 ships amounting to over half a million tons.The U-31 boats were evolutionary, rather than revolutionary; they represented the latest in German submarine technology for the time, but did not differ dramatically from their immediate predecessors or successors. These boats had good range, a deck gun for destroying small shipping, and faster speeds surfaced than submerged. These characteristics allowed the U-31 class and their peers to wreak havoc while avoiding faster, more powerful surface units. They did offer a secure, stealthy platform for carrying out a campaign that nearly forced Great Britain from the war. Only the entry of the United States, combined with the development of innovative convoy tactics by the Royal Navy, would stifle the submarine offensive. Three of the eleven boats survived the war, and were eventually surrendered to the Allies.Balao:The potential for a submarine campaign against the Japanese Empire was clear from early in the war. Japanese industry depended for survival on access to the natural resources of Southeast Asia. Separating Japan from those resources could win the war. However, the pre-war USN submarine arm was relatively small, and operated with poor doctrine and bad torpedoes. Boats built during the war, including primarily the Gato and Balao class, would eventually destroy virtually the entire Japanese merchant marine.The Balao class represented very nearly the zenith of the pre-streamline submarine type. War in the Pacific demanded longer ranges and more habitability than the relatively snug Atlantic. Like their predecessors the Gato, the Balaos were less maneuverable than the German Type VII subs, but they made up for this in strength of hull and quality of construction. Compared with the Type VII, the Balaos had longer range, a larger gun, more torpedo tubes, and a higher speed. Of course, the Balaos operated in a much different environment, and against an opponent less skilled in anti-submarine warfare. The greatest victory of a Balao was the sinking of the 58000 ton HIJMS Shinano by Archerfish.Eleven of 120 boats were lost, two in post-war accidents. After the war Balao class subs were transferred to several friendly navies, and continued to serve for decades. One, the former USS Tusk, remains in partial commission in Taiwan as Hai Pao.Type XXIIn some ways akin to the Me 262, the Type XXI was a potentially war-winning weapon that arrived too late to have serious effect. The Type XXI was the first mass produced, ocean-going streamlined or “true” submarine, capable of better performance submerged than on the surface. It gave up its deck gun in return for speed and stealth, and set the terms of design for generations of submarines.Allied anti-submarine efforts focused on identifying boats on the surface (usually in transit to their patrol areas) then vectoring killers (including ships and aircraft) to those areas. In 1944 the Allies began developing techniques for fighting “schnorkel” U-boats that did not need to surface, but remained unprepared for combat against a submarine that could move at 20 knots submerged.In effect, the Type XXI had the stealth to avoid detection prior to an attack, and the speed to escape afterward. Germany completed 118 of these boats, but because of a variety of industrial problems could only put four into service, none of which sank an enemy ship. All of the Allies seized surviving examples of the Type XXI, using them both as models for their own designs and in order to develop more advanced anti-submarine technologies and techniques. For example, the Type XXI was the model for the Soviet “Whiskey” class, and eventually for a large flotilla of Chinese submarines.George Washington:We take for granted the most common form of today’s nuclear deterrent; a nuclear submarine, bristling with missiles, capable of destroying a dozen cities a continent away. These submarines provide the most secure leg of the deterrent triad, as no foe could reasonably expect to destroy the entire submarine fleet before the missiles fly.The secure submarine deterrent began in 1960, with the USS George Washington. An enlarged version of the Skipjack class nuclear attack sub, George Washington’s design incorporated space for sixteen Polaris ballistic missiles. When the Polaris became operational, USS George Washington had the capability from striking targets up to 1000 miles distant with 600 KT warheads. The boats would eventually upgrade to the Polaris A3, with three warheads and a 2500 mile range. Slow relative to attack subs but extremely quiet, the George Washington class pioneered the “go away and hide” form of nuclear deterrence that is still practiced by five of the world’s nine nuclear powers.And until 1967, the George Washington and her sisters were the only modern boomers. Their clunky Soviet counterparts carried only three missiles each, and usually had to surface in order to fire. This made them of limited deterrent value. But soon, virtually every nuclear power copied the George Washington class. The first “Yankee” class SSBN entered service in 1967, the first Resolution boat in 1968, and the first of the French Redoutables in 1971. China would eventually follow suit, although the PLAN’s first genuinely modern SSBNs have only entered service recently. The Indian Navy’s INS Arihant will likely enter service in the next year or so.The five boats of the George Washington class conducted deterrent patrols until 1982, when the SALT II Treaty forced their retirement. Three of the five (including George Washington) continued in service as nuclear attack submarines for several more years.Los Angeles:Immortalized in the Tom Clancy novels Hunt for Red October and Red Storm Rising, the U.S. Los Angeles class is the longest production line of nuclear submarines in history, constituting sixty-two boats and first entering service in 1976. Forty-one subs remain in commission today, continuing to form the backbone of the USN’s submarine fleet.The Los Angeles (or 688) class are outstanding examples of Cold War submarines, equally capable of conducting anti-surface or anti-submarine warfare. In wartime, they would have been used to penetrate Soviet base areas, where Russian boomers were protected by rings of subs, surface ships, and aircraft, and to protect American carrier battle groups.In 1991, two Los Angeles class attack boats launched the first ever salvo of cruise missiles against land targets, ushering in an entirely new vision of how submarines could impact warfare. While cruise missile armed submarines had long been part of the Cold War duel between the United States and the Soviet Union, most attention focused either on nuclear delivery or anti-ship attacks. Submarine launched Tomahawks gave the United States a new means for kicking in the doors of anti-access/area denial systems. The concept has proven so successful that four Ohio class boomers were refitted as cruise missile submarines, with the USS Florida delivering the initial strikes of the Libya intervention.The last Los Angeles class submarine is expected to leave service in at some point in the 2020s, although outside factors may delay that date. By that time, new designs will undoubtedly have exceeded the 688 in terms of striking land targets, and in capacity for conducting anti-submarine warfare. Nevertheless, the Los Angeles class will have carved out a space as the sub-surface mainstay of the world’s most powerful Navy for five decades.Conclusion:Fortunately, the United States and the Soviet Union avoided direct conflict during the Cold War, meaning that many of the technologies and practices of advanced submarine warfare were never employed in anger. However, every country in the world that pretends to serious maritime power is building or acquiring advanced submarines. The next submarine war will look very different from the last, and it’s difficult to predict how it will play out. We can be certain, however, that the fight will be conducted in silence.Honorable Mention: Ohio, 260O-21, Akula, Alfa, Seawolf, Swiftsure, I-201, Kilo, S class, Type VII***Bombers are the essence of strategic airpower. While fighters have often been important to air forces, it was the promise of the heavy bomber than won and kept independence for the United States Air Force and the Royal Air Force. At different points in time, air forces in the United States, United Kingdom, Soviet Union, and Italy have treated bomber design and construction as a virtually all-consuming obsession, setting fighter and attack aviation aside.However, even the best bombers are effective over only limited timespans. The unlucky state-of-the-art bombers of the early 1930s met disaster when put into service against the pursuit aircraft of the late 1930s. The B-29s that ruled the skies over Japan in 1945 were cut to pieces above North Korea in 1950. The B-36 Peacemaker, obsolete before it was even built, left service in a decade. Most of the early Cold War bombers were expensive failures, eventually to be superseded by ICBMs and submarine-launched ballistic missiles.States procure bombers, like all weapons, to serve strategic purposes. This list employs the following metrics of evaluation:· Did the bomber serve the strategic purpose envisioned by its developers?· Was the bomber a sufficiently flexible platform to perform other missions, and to persist in service?· How did the bomber compare with its contemporaries in terms of price, capability, and effectiveness?And with that, the five best bombers of all time:Handley Page Type O 400:The first strategic bombing raids of World War I were carried out by German zeppelins, enormous lighter than aircraft that could travel at higher altitudes than the interceptors of the day, and deliver payloads against London and other targets. Over time, the capabilities of interceptors and anti-aircraft artillery grew, driving the Zeppelins to other missions. Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and others began working on bombers capable of delivering heavy loads over long distance, a trail blazed (oddly enough) by the Russian Sikorsky Ilya Muromets.Even the modest capabilities of the early bombers excited the airpower theorists of the day, who imagined the idea of fleets of bombers striking enemy cities and enemy industry. The Italians developed the Caproni family of bombers, which operated in the service of most Allied countries at one time or another. German Gotha bombers would eventually terrorize London again, catalyzing the Smuts Report and the creation of the world’s first air force.Faster and capable of carrying more bombs than either the Gotha IVs or the Caproni Ca.3, the Type O 400 had a wingspan nearly as large as the Avro Lancaster. With a maximum speed of 97 miles per hour with a payload of up to 2000 lbs, O 400s were the mainstay of Hugh Trenchard’s Independent Air Force near the end of the war, a unit which struck German airfields and logistics concentration well behind German lines. These raids helped lay the foundation of interwar airpower theory, which (at least in the US and the UK) envisioned self-protecting bombers striking enemy targets en masse.Roughly 600 Type O bombers were produced during World War I, with the last retiring in 1922. Small numbers served in the Chinese, Australian, and American armed forces.Junkers Ju 88:The Junkers Ju-88 was one of the most versatile aircraft of World War II. Although it spent most of its career as a medium bomber, it moonlighted as a close attack aircraft, a naval attack aircraft, a reconnaissance plane, and a night fighter. Effective and relatively cheap, the Luftwaffe used the Ju 88 to good effect in most theaters of war, but especially on the Eastern Front and in the Mediterranean.Designed with dive bomber capability, the Ju 88 served in relatively small numbers in the invasion of Poland, the invasion of Norway, and the Battle of France. The Ju-88 was not well suited to the strategic bombing role into which it was forced during the Battle of Britain, especially in its early variants. It lacked the armament to sufficiently defend itself, and the payload to cause much destruction to British industry and infrastructure. The measure of an excellent bomber, however, goes well beyond its effectiveness at any particular mission. Ju 88s were devastating in Operation Barbarossa, tearing apart Soviet tank formations and destroying much of the Soviet Air Forces on the ground. Later variants were built as or converted into night fighters, attacking Royal Air Force bomber formations on the way to their targets.In spite of heavy Allied bombing of the German aviation industry, Germany built over 15,000 Ju 88s between 1939 and 1945. They operated in several Axis air forces.De Havilland Mosquito:The de Havilland Mosquito was a remarkable little aircraft, capable of a wide variety of different missions. Not unlike the Ju 88, the Mosquito operated in bomber, fighter, night fighter, attack, and reconnaissance roles. The RAF was better positioned than the Luftwaffe to utilized the specific qualities of the Mosquito, and avoid forcing it into missions in could not perform.Relatively lightly armed and constructed entirely of wood, the Mosquito was quite unlike the rest of the RAF bomber fleet. Barely escaping design committee, the Mosquito was regarded as easy to fly, and featured a pressurized cockpit with a high service ceiling. Most of all, however, the Mosquito was fast. With advanced Merlin engines, a Mosquito could outpace the German Bf109 and most other Axis fighters.Although the bomb load of the Mosquito was limited, its great speed, combined with sophisticated instrumentation, allowed it to deliver ordnance with more precision than most other bombers. During the war, the RAF used Mosquitoes for various precision attacks against high value targets, including German government installations and V weapon launching sites. As pathfinders, Mosquitoes flew point on bomber formations, leading night time bombing raids that might otherwise have missed their targets. Mosquitos also served in a diversionary role, distracting German night fighters from the streams of Halifaxes and Lancasters striking urban areas.De Havilland produced over 7000 Mosquitoes for the RAF and other allied air forces. Examples persisted in post-war service with countries as varied as Israel, the Republic of China, Yugoslavia, and the Dominican RepublicAvro Lancaster:The workhorse of the RAF in World War II, the Lancaster carried out the greater part of the British portion of the Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO). Led by Arthur Harris, Bomber Command believed that area bombing raids, targeted against German civilians, conducted at night, would destroy German morale and economic capacity and bring the war to a close. Accordingly, the Lancaster was less heavily armed than its American contemporaries, as it depended less on self-defense in order to carry out its mission.The first Lancasters entered service in 1942. The Lancaster could carry a much heavier bomb load than the B-17 or the B-24, while operating at similar speeds and at a slightly longer range. The Lancaster also enjoyed a payload advantage over the Handley Page Halifax. From 1942 until 1945, the Lancaster would anchor the British half of the CBO, eventually resulting in the destruction of most of urban Germany and the death of several hundred thousand German civilians.There are reasons to be skeptical of the inclusion of the Lancaster. The Combined Bomber Offensive was a strategic dead-end, serving up expensive four-engine bombers as a feast for smaller, cheaper German fighters. Battles were fought under conditions deeply advantageous to the Germans, as damaged German planes could land, and shot down German pilots rescued and returned to service. Overall, the enormous Western investment in strategic bombing was probably one of the greatest grand strategic miscalculations of the Second World War. Nevertheless, this list needs a bomber from the most identifiable bomber offensive in history, and the Lancaster was the best of the bunch.Over 7000 Lancasters were built, with the last retiring in the early 1960s after Canadian service as recon and maritime patrol aircraft.Boeing B-52 Stratofortress:The disastrous experience of B-29 Superfortresses over North Korea in 1950 demonstrated that the United States would require a new strategic bomber, and soon. Unfortunately, the first two generations of bombers chosen by the USAF were almost uniformly duds; the hopeless B-36, the short-legged B-47, the dangerous-to-its-own-pilots B-58, and the obsolete-before-it-flew XB-70. The vast bulk of these bombers quickly went from wastes of taxpayer money to wastes of space at the Boneyard. None of the over 2500 early Cold War bombers ever dropped a bomb in anger.The exception was the B-52.The BUFF was originally intended for high altitude penetration bombing into the Soviet Union. It replaced the B-36 and the B-47, the former too slow and vulnerable to continue in the nuclear strike mission, and the latter too short-legged to reach the USSR from U.S. bases. Slated for replacement by the B-58 and the B-70, the B-52 survived because it was versatile enough to shift to low altitude penetration after the increasing sophistication of Soviet SAMs made the high altitude mission suicidal.And this versatility has been the real story of the B-52. The BUFF was first committed to conventional strike missions in service of Operation Arc Light during the Vietnam War. In Operation Linebacker II, the vulnerability of the B-52 to air defenses was made manifest when nine Stratofortresses were lost in the first days of the campaign. But the B-52 persisted. In the Gulf War, B-52s carried out saturation bombing campaigns against the forward positions of the Iraqi Army, softening and demoralizing the Iraqis for the eventual ground campaign. In the War on Terror, the B-52 has acted in a close air support role, delivering precision-guided ordnance against small concentrations of Iraqi and Taliban insurgents.Most recently, the B-52 showed its diplomatic chops when two BUFFs were dispatched to violate China’s newly declared Air Defense Zone. The BUFF was perfect for this mission; the Chinese could not pretend not to notice two enormous bombers travelling at slow speed through the ADIZ.742 B-52s were delivered between 1954 and 1963. Seventy-eight remain in service, having undergone multiple upgrades over the decades that promise to extend their lives into the 2030s, or potentially beyond. In a family of short-lived airframes, the B-52 has demonstrated remarkable endurance and longevity.Conclusion:Over the last century, nations have invested tremendous resources in bomber aircraft. More often than not, this investment has failed to bear strategic fruit. The very best aircraft have been those that could not only conduct their primary mission effectively, but that were also sufficiently flexible to perform other tasks that might be asked of them. Current air forces have, with some exceptions, effectively done away with the distinctions between fighters and bombers, instead relying on multi-role fighter-bombers for both missions. The last big, manned bomber may be the American LRS-B, assuming that project ever gets off the ground.Honorable Mention:Grumman A-6 Intruder, MQ-1 Predator, Caproni Ca.3, Tupolev Tu-95 “Bear,” Avro Vulcan, Tupolev Tu-22M “Backfire.”***What are the five greatest fighter aircraft of all time? Like the same question asked of tanks, cars, or rock and roll guitarists, the answer invariably depends on parameters. For example, there are few sets of consistent parameters that would include both the T-34 and the King Tiger among the greatest of all tanks. I know which one I’d like to be driving in a fight, but I also appreciate that this isn’t the most appropriate way to approach the question. Similarly, while I’d love to drive a Porsche 959 to work every morning, I’d be hesitant to list it ahead of the Toyota Corolla on a “best of” compilation.Nations buy fighter aircraft to resolve national strategic problems, and the aircraft should accordingly be evaluated on their ability to solve or ameliorate these problems. Thus, the motivating question is this: how well did this aircraft help solve the strategic problems of the nations that built or bought it? This question leads to the following points of evaluation:Fighting characteristics: How did this plane stack up against the competition, including not just other fighters but also bombers and ground installations?Reliability: Could people count on this aircraft to fight when it needed to, or did it spend more time under repair than in the air?Cost: What did the organization and the nation have to pay in terms of blood and treasure to make this aircraft fly?These are the parameters; here are my answers:Spad S.XIIIIn the early era of military aviation, technological innovation moved at such speed that state of the art aircraft became obsolete deathtraps within a year. Engineers in France, Britain, Germany and Italy worked constantly to outpace their competitors, producing new aircraft every year to throw into the fight. The development of operational tactics trailed technology, although the input of the best flyers played an important role in how designers put new aircraft together.In this context, picking a dominant fighter from the era is difficult. Nevertheless, the Spad S.XIII stands out in terms of its fighting characteristics and ease of production. Based in significant part on the advice of French aviators such as Georges Guynemer, the XIII lacked the maneuverability of some of its contemporaries, but could outpace most of them and performed very well in either a climb or a dive. It was simple enough to produce that nearly 8,500 such aircraft eventually entered service. Significant early reliability problems were worked out by the end of the war, and in any case were overwhelmed by the XIII’s fighting ability.The S.XIII filled out not only French fighter squadrons, but also the air services of Allied countries. American ace Eddie Rickenbacker scored twenty of his kills flying an XIII, many over the most advanced German fighters of the day, including the Fokker D.VII.The Spad XIII helped the Allies hold the line during the Ludendorff Offensive, and controlled the skies above France during the counter-offensive. After the war, it remained in service in France, the United States, and a dozen other countries for several years. In an important sense, the Spad XIII set the post-war standard for what a pursuit aircraft needed to do.Grumman F6F HellcatOf course, it is not only air forces that fly fighter aircraft. The F6F Hellcat can’t compare with the Spitfire, the P-51, or the Bf 109 on many basic flight characteristics, although its ability to climb was first-rate. What the F6F could do, however, was reliably fly from aircraft carriers, and it rode point on the great, decisive U.S. Navy carrier offensive of World War II. Entering the war in September 1943, it won 75% of USN aerial victories in the Pacific. USN ace David McCampbell shot down nine Japanese aircraft in one day flying a Hellcat .The F6F was heavily armed, and could take considerably more battle damage than its contemporaries. Overall, the F6F claimed nearly 5,200 kills at a loss of 270 aircraft in aerial combat, including a 13:1 ratio against the Mitsubishi A6M Zero.The USN carrier offensive of the latter part of World War II is probably the greatest single example of the use of decisive airpower in world history. Hellcats and their kin (the Douglas SBD Dauntless dive-bomber and the Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bomber) destroyed the fighting power of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), cracked open Japan’s island empire, and exposed the Japanese homeland to devastating air attack and the threat of invasion.In 1943, the United States needed a fighter robust enough to endure a campaign fought distant from most bases, yet fast and agile enough to defeat the best that the IJN could offer. Tough and reliable as a brick, the Hellcat fit that role. Put simply, the Honda Accord is, in its own way, a great car; the Honda Accords of the fighter world also deserve their day.Messerschmitt Me-262 SwallowThe Me 262 Schwalbe (Swallow, in English) failed to win the war for Germany, and couldn’t stop the Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO). Had German military authorities made the right decisions, however, it might at least have accomplished the second.Known as the world’s first operational jet fighter, full-scale production of the Me 262 was delayed by resistance within the German government and the Luftwaffe to devoting resources to an experimental aircraft without a clear role. Early efforts to turn it into a fighter-bomber fell flat. As the need for a superlative interceptor become apparent, however, the Me 262 found its place. The Swallow proved devastating against American bomber formations, and could outrun American pursuit aircraft.The Me 262 was hardly a perfect fighter: it lacked the maneuverability of the best American interceptors, and both American and British pilots developed tactics for managing the Swallow. Although production suffered from some early problems with engines, by the later stages of the conflict, manufacturing was sufficiently easy that the plane could be mass-produced in dispersed, underground facilities.But had it come on line a bit earlier, the Me 262 might have torn the heart out of the CBO. The CBO in 1943 was a touch and go affair; dramatically higher bomber losses in 1943 could well have led Churchill and Roosevelt to scale back the production of four engine bombers in favor of additional tactical aircraft. Without the advantage of long-range escorts, American bombers would have proven easy prey for the German jet. Moreover, the Me 262 would have been far more effective without the constant worry of P-47s and P-51s strafing its airfields and tracking its landings.Nazi Germany needed a game changer, a plane capable of making the price too high for the Allies to keep up the CBO. The Me 262 came onto the scene too late to solve that problem, but it’s hard to imagine any aircraft that could have come closer. Ironically, this might have accelerated Allied victory, as the Combined Bomber Offensive resulted in not only the destruction of urban Germany, but in the waste of substantial Allied resources. Win-win.Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 “Fishbed”An odd choice for this list? The MiG-21 is known largely as fodder for the other great fighters of the Cold War, and for having an abysmal kill ratio. The Fishbed (in NATO terminology) has served as a convenient victim in Vietnam and in a variety of Middle Eastern wars, some of which it fought on both sides.But… the MiG-21 is cheap, fast, maneuverable, has low maintenance requirements. It’s relatively easy to learn to fly, although not necessarily easy to learn how to fly well. Air forces continued to buy the MiG-21 for a long time. Counting the Chengdu J-7 variant, perhaps 13,000 MiG-21s have entered service around the world. In some sense, the Fishbed is the AK-47 (or the T-34, if you prefer) of the fighter world. Fifty countries have flown the MiG-21, and it has flown for fifty-five years. It continues to fly as a key part of twenty-six different air forces, including the Indian Air Force, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force, the Vietnamese People’s Air Force, and the Romanian Air Force. Would anyone be surprised if the Fishbed and its variants are still flying in 2034?The MiG-21 won plaudits from American aggressor pilots at Red Flag, who celebrated its speed and maneuverability, and played (through the contribution of North Vietnamese aces such as Nguyễn Văn Cốc ) an important role in redefining the requirements of air superiority in the United States. When flown well, it remains a dangerous foe.Most of life is about just showing up, and since 1960 no fighter has shown up as consistently, and in as many places, as has the MiG-21. For countries needing a cheap option for claiming control of their national airspace, the MiG-21 has long solved problems, and will likely continue to serve in this role.McDonnell Douglas F-15 EagleWhat to say about the F-15 Eagle? When it came into service in 1976, it was immediately recognized as the best fighter in the world. Today, it is arguably still the best all-around, cost-adjusted fighter, even if the Su-27 and F-22 have surpassed it in some ways. If one fighter in American history could take the name of the national symbol of the United States, how could it be anything other than the F-15?The Eagle symbolizes the era of American hegemony, from the Vietnam hangover to the post-Cold War period of dominance. Designed in light of the lessons of Vietnam, at a time where tactical aviation was taking control of the US Air Force, the F-15 outperformed existing fighters and set a new standard for a modern air superiority aircraft. Despite repeated tests in combat, no F-15 has ever been lost to an aerial foe. The production line for the F-15 will run until at least 2019, and longer if Boeing can manage to sell anyone on the Silent Eagle.In the wake of Vietnam, the United States needed an air superiority platform that could consistently defeat the best that the Soviet Union had to offer. The F-15 (eventually complemented by the F-16) provided this platform, and then some. After the end of the Cold War, the United States needed an airframe versatile enough to carry out the air superiority mission while also becoming an effective strike aircraft. Again, the F-15 solved the problem.And it’s a plane that can land with one wing. Hard to beat that.A Contest Based on ParametersAgain, this exercise depends entirely on decisions about the parameters. A different set of criteria of effectiveness would generate an entirely different list (although the F-15 would probably still be here; it’s invulnerable). Nevertheless, the basic elements of the argument are sound: weapons should be evaluated in terms of how they help achieve national objectives.Honorable mentions include the North American Aviation F-86 Sabre, the Fokker D.VII, the Lockheed-Martin F-22 Raptor, the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the Supermarine Spitfire, the North American Aviation P-51 Mustang, the McDonnell Douglas EA-18 Growler, the English Electric Lightning, the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, the Sukhoi Su-27 “Flanker,” and the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

The real best of the best.In today's world, where every day it seems a new piece of military technology is poised to take over the battlefield and make everything else obsolete, there are several weapons of war that seem to have some staying power. Aircraft carriers, while some may consider them obsolete, remain one of the ultimate ways to display national power and prestige, with the unique capability to attack targets from the world's seas with deadly accuracy.Submarines have many uses. Whether it is to exercise sea control, deter an enemy with underwater nuclear weapons or ensure you have the ability to strike with various types of conventional weapons like cruise missiles on land, subs seem to be only gaining in prominence. (This first appeared several years ago.)Then there is the bomber. Some are old, like the B-52. Some are just getting started, like the B-21 Raider. Some we don't know much about, like Russia's PAK-FA. Yet, one thing is clear: Bombers can still make or break any conflict that could occur now or in the future. And fighter jets are not going anywhere. The F-35 is the ultimate example--considering the massive cost--of this important military asset having clear staying power (the only debate at this point is whether it will be manned or unmanned). So what are the best carriers, submarines, bombers and fighters ever? Robert Farley, one of the world's best defense experts and frequent TNI contributor, has written on this subject extensively. For your reading pleasure, we have packed together several pieces that take this subject on into this one post, which were written several years ago. Let the debate begin. ***The first true aircraft carriers entered service at the end of World War I, as the Royal Navy converted several of its excess warships into large, floating airfields. During the interwar period, Japan and the United States would make their own conversions, and all three navies would supplement these ships with purpose-built carriers. Within months of the beginning of hostilities in September 1939, the carrier demonstrated its worth in a variety of maritime tasks.By the end of 1941, carriers would become the world’s dominant capital ship. These are the five most lethal carriers to serve in the world’s navies, selected on the basis of their contribution to critical operations, and on their longevity and resilience.USS Enterprise:The U.S. Navy supplemented Lexington and Saratoga, the most effective of the interwar battlecruiser conversions, with the purpose-built USS Ranger. Experience with all three ships demonstrated that the next purpose-built class would require a larger hull and flight deck, as well as a heavier anti-aircraft armament. This resulted in USS Yorktown and USS Enterprise, which along with their third sister (USS Hornet) would play a critical role in stopping the Imperial Japanese Navy’s advance in 1942. Capable of cruising at 33 knots, Enterprise displaced around 24,000 tons and could carry up to 90 aircraft.While both Hornet and Yorktown were lost in the carrier battles of 1942, Enterprise served throughout the entire war. She helped search for the Japanese fleet in the wake of Pearl Harbor, and carried out the first reprisal raids in the early months of the war. She escorted Hornet on the Doolittle Raid, then helped sink four Japanese flattops at the Battle of Midway. She filled a crucial role during the Battles of Guadalcanal, surviving several near-catastrophic Japanese attacks.Later in the war, Enterprise operated with the growing American carrier fleet as it formed core of the counter-offensive that would roll up Japanese possessions in the Pacific. Enterprise fought at Philippine Sea and Leyte Gulf, helping to destroy the heart of Japanese naval aviation. She served in the final raids against Japan in 1945 until a kamikaze caused critical damage in May. Returning to service just as the war ended, she helped return American soldiers to the United States in Operation Magic Carpet. Enterprise was the most decorated ship in any navy during World War II, but sadly post-war preservation efforts failed, and the carrier was scrapped in 1960.HMS Illustrious:Between September 1939 and April 1942, the Royal Navy lost five of its seven pre-war aircraft carriers. HMS Illustrious and her three sisters filled the gap. Laid down in 1937, Illustrious traded aircraft complement for an armored deck, an innovation that would make the ship more robust than her Japanese or American counterparts. Displacing 23,000 tons, Illustrious could make 30 knots and carrying 36 aircraft.Illustrious’ first major achievement came in November 1940, when her Swordfish torpedo bombers attacked the battleships of the Italian navy at anchor at Taranto. The attack, carried out on a shoestring compared to the great raids of the Pacific War, nevertheless managed to sink or heavily damage three Italian battleships. Illustrious spent the next few months carrying out raids in the Mediterranean and covering the evacuation of Greece. In the course of the latter, she survived several hits from German divebombers.After receiving repairs in the United States, Illustrious operated against the Japanese in the Indian Ocean. She returned to the European theater in 1943, making additional raids on Norway and in support of Allied landings in Italy. Later Illustrious returned to the Pacific, where supplied with superior American carrier aircraft, she helped spearhead the Royal Navy counter-offensive into Southeast Asia. After surviving a kamikaze attack, she returned to Great Britain and eventually served as a training carrier before being scrapped in 1957.HIJMS Zuikaku:Zuikaku represented the zenith of pre-war Japanese carrier development. Along with her sister Shokaku, Zuikaku filled out Kido Butai with the addition of two large, fast, modern carriers. Displacing 32,000 tons and capable of carrying 72 aircraft, Zuikaku could make 34 knots, and absorb a relatively large amount of battle damage.The size and modernity of the carriers meant that they could handle a greater operational tempo early in the war. After the Pearl Harbor raid, they participated in the Indian Ocean Raid, helping to sink the British carrier Hermes and several other ships. Afterward, Zuikaku and her sister deployed to Port Moresby to cover Japanese landings in what became the Battle of Coral Sea. Zuikaku survived undamaged, and contributed to the sinking of USS Lexington, but because of a lack of aircraft could not participate in the Battle of Midway.Zuikaku continued to form the core of the Japanese carrier fleet into 1944, participating in and surviving the battles of Guadalcanal (where her aircraft helped sink USS Hornet) and the Battle of Philippine Sea. By October 1944, her supply of aircraft and pilots was almost completely exhausted. At the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Zuikaku and several other carriers served as bait for Halsey’s battleships and carriers, luring them away from the center of the Japanese attack. The last survivor of the Pearl Harbor attack, Zuikaku sank under a barrage of bombs and torpedoes.USS Midway:USS Midway entered service in September 1945, shortly after the end of hostilities against Japan. She displaced 45,000 tons, could make 33 knots, and could carry roughly 100 aircraft. Midway and her sisters represented a step beyond the Essex-class carriers that had won the Pacific War, and promised to introduce a new era of naval aviation.Upon commissioning, Midway became the world’s most lethal aircraft carrier. The offensive power of her air group exceeded that of the Essex carriers then in service, and with the introduction of jet aircraft the gap would grow. With the A-2 Savage carrier-based bomber, Midway and her sisters briefly became the only carriers in the world capable of delivering nuclear weapons.Midway underwent extensive modification over the course of her career, eventually acquiring an angled flight deck and other innovations. Although she missed Korea, Midway operated off Vietnam, and continued to serve as the larger “supercarriers” came online. She found heavy use in the Gulf War of 1990, as her (relative) small size gave her an advantage in maneuverability over the more modern supercarriers. Midway left service in 1992, having spanned the history of naval aviation from the F6F Hellcat to the F/A-18 Hornet.USS Theodore Roosevelt:The ten Nimitz-class nuclear aircraft carriers have been the world’s dominant capital ships since they began to enter service in the late 1970s. Constructed over a period spanning nearly 35 years, the class continues to provide the core of American naval power. Among the most active of the Nimitz class has been the USS Theodore Roosevelt, first of the second group of ships. Roosevelt entered service in 1986; she displaces over 100,000 tons, carries between 75-80 aircraft, and can make 30 knots top speed.Roosevelt has served in most of the conflicts of the post Cold-War era. In 1991 she launched strikes against Iraqi targets during Operation Desert Storm. In 1999, her aircraft conducted strikes in Kosovo and Serbia in service of Operation Allied Force. After the September 11 attacks, Roosevelt deployed to the Middle East and participated in the first sorties against the Taliban and Al Qaeda in Operation Enduring Freedom. Two years later, her aircraft flew against Iraqi targets again in the first days of Operation Iraqi Freedom. After a refit, Roosevelt launched strikes against both Afghan and Iraqi targets in the latter part of the decade. Most recently, Roosevelt helped blockade Yemeni ports against a suspected Iranian arms convoy.Like her sister ships, Roosevelt has already undergone substantial modification across the course of her thirty year career, and the Navy expects that these refits will continue into the future. Current projections suggest that she will leave service around 2035, which would give the carrier a nearly fifty-year span of lethality.Wrap:Pundits and analysts have predicted the obsolescence and demise of the aircraft carrier since the waning days of World War II. At the moment, however, the Russian, Indian, British, Chinese, French, and American navies continue to put faith, and resources, into carrier aviation. Despite the vulnerability of the big ships to attack, they provide a unique combination of presence, prestige, and lethality that continues to make them attractive to the world’s most powerful navies.***There have been three great submarine campaigns in history, and one prolonged duel. The First and Second Battles of the Atlantic pitted German U-boats against the escorts and aircraft of the United Kingdom and the United States. The Germans very nearly won World War I with the first campaign, and badly drained Allied resources in the second. In the third great campaign, the submarines of the US Navy destroyed virtually the entire commercial fleet of Japan, bringing the Japanese economy to its knees. US subs also devastated the Imperial Japanese Navy, sinking several of Tokyo’s most important capital ships.But the period most evocative of our modern sense of submarine warfare was surely the forty year duel between the submarines of the USSR and the boats of the various NATO navies. Over the course of the Cold War, the strategic nature of the submarine changed; it moved from being a cheap, effective killer of capital ships to a capital ship in its own right. This was especially the case with the boomers, submarines that carried enough nuclear weapons to kill millions in a few minutes.As with previous “5 Greatest” lists, the answers depend on the parameters; different sets of metrics will generate different lists. Our metrics concentrate on the strategic utility of specific submarine classes, rather than solely on their technical capabilities.· Was the submarine a cost-effective solution to a national strategic problem?· Did the submarine compare favorably with its contemporaries?· Was the submarine’s design innovative?And with that, the five best submarines of all time:U-31:The eleven boats of the U-31 class were constructed between 1912 and 1915. They operated in both of the periods of heavy action for German U-boats, early in the war before the suspension of unrestricted warfare, and again in 1917 when Germany decided to go for broke and cut the British Empire off at the knees. Four of these eleven boats (U-35, U-39, U-38, and U-34) were the four top killers of World War I; indeed, they were four of the five top submarines of all time in terms of tonnage sunk (the Type VII boat U-48 sneaks in at number 3). U-35, the top killer, sank 224 ships amounting to over half a million tons.The U-31 boats were evolutionary, rather than revolutionary; they represented the latest in German submarine technology for the time, but did not differ dramatically from their immediate predecessors or successors. These boats had good range, a deck gun for destroying small shipping, and faster speeds surfaced than submerged. These characteristics allowed the U-31 class and their peers to wreak havoc while avoiding faster, more powerful surface units. They did offer a secure, stealthy platform for carrying out a campaign that nearly forced Great Britain from the war. Only the entry of the United States, combined with the development of innovative convoy tactics by the Royal Navy, would stifle the submarine offensive. Three of the eleven boats survived the war, and were eventually surrendered to the Allies.Balao:The potential for a submarine campaign against the Japanese Empire was clear from early in the war. Japanese industry depended for survival on access to the natural resources of Southeast Asia. Separating Japan from those resources could win the war. However, the pre-war USN submarine arm was relatively small, and operated with poor doctrine and bad torpedoes. Boats built during the war, including primarily the Gato and Balao class, would eventually destroy virtually the entire Japanese merchant marine.The Balao class represented very nearly the zenith of the pre-streamline submarine type. War in the Pacific demanded longer ranges and more habitability than the relatively snug Atlantic. Like their predecessors the Gato, the Balaos were less maneuverable than the German Type VII subs, but they made up for this in strength of hull and quality of construction. Compared with the Type VII, the Balaos had longer range, a larger gun, more torpedo tubes, and a higher speed. Of course, the Balaos operated in a much different environment, and against an opponent less skilled in anti-submarine warfare. The greatest victory of a Balao was the sinking of the 58000 ton HIJMS Shinano by Archerfish.Eleven of 120 boats were lost, two in post-war accidents. After the war Balao class subs were transferred to several friendly navies, and continued to serve for decades. One, the former USS Tusk, remains in partial commission in Taiwan as Hai Pao.Type XXIIn some ways akin to the Me 262, the Type XXI was a potentially war-winning weapon that arrived too late to have serious effect. The Type XXI was the first mass produced, ocean-going streamlined or “true” submarine, capable of better performance submerged than on the surface. It gave up its deck gun in return for speed and stealth, and set the terms of design for generations of submarines.Allied anti-submarine efforts focused on identifying boats on the surface (usually in transit to their patrol areas) then vectoring killers (including ships and aircraft) to those areas. In 1944 the Allies began developing techniques for fighting “schnorkel” U-boats that did not need to surface, but remained unprepared for combat against a submarine that could move at 20 knots submerged.In effect, the Type XXI had the stealth to avoid detection prior to an attack, and the speed to escape afterward. Germany completed 118 of these boats, but because of a variety of industrial problems could only put four into service, none of which sank an enemy ship. All of the Allies seized surviving examples of the Type XXI, using them both as models for their own designs and in order to develop more advanced anti-submarine technologies and techniques. For example, the Type XXI was the model for the Soviet “Whiskey” class, and eventually for a large flotilla of Chinese submarines.George Washington:We take for granted the most common form of today’s nuclear deterrent; a nuclear submarine, bristling with missiles, capable of destroying a dozen cities a continent away. These submarines provide the most secure leg of the deterrent triad, as no foe could reasonably expect to destroy the entire submarine fleet before the missiles fly.The secure submarine deterrent began in 1960, with the USS George Washington. An enlarged version of the Skipjack class nuclear attack sub, George Washington’s design incorporated space for sixteen Polaris ballistic missiles. When the Polaris became operational, USS George Washington had the capability from striking targets up to 1000 miles distant with 600 KT warheads. The boats would eventually upgrade to the Polaris A3, with three warheads and a 2500 mile range. Slow relative to attack subs but extremely quiet, the George Washington class pioneered the “go away and hide” form of nuclear deterrence that is still practiced by five of the world’s nine nuclear powers.And until 1967, the George Washington and her sisters were the only modern boomers. Their clunky Soviet counterparts carried only three missiles each, and usually had to surface in order to fire. This made them of limited deterrent value. But soon, virtually every nuclear power copied the George Washington class. The first “Yankee” class SSBN entered service in 1967, the first Resolution boat in 1968, and the first of the French Redoutables in 1971. China would eventually follow suit, although the PLAN’s first genuinely modern SSBNs have only entered service recently. The Indian Navy’s INS Arihant will likely enter service in the next year or so.The five boats of the George Washington class conducted deterrent patrols until 1982, when the SALT II Treaty forced their retirement. Three of the five (including George Washington) continued in service as nuclear attack submarines for several more years.Los Angeles:Immortalized in the Tom Clancy novels Hunt for Red October and Red Storm Rising, the U.S. Los Angeles class is the longest production line of nuclear submarines in history, constituting sixty-two boats and first entering service in 1976. Forty-one subs remain in commission today, continuing to form the backbone of the USN’s submarine fleet.The Los Angeles (or 688) class are outstanding examples of Cold War submarines, equally capable of conducting anti-surface or anti-submarine warfare. In wartime, they would have been used to penetrate Soviet base areas, where Russian boomers were protected by rings of subs, surface ships, and aircraft, and to protect American carrier battle groups.In 1991, two Los Angeles class attack boats launched the first ever salvo of cruise missiles against land targets, ushering in an entirely new vision of how submarines could impact warfare. While cruise missile armed submarines had long been part of the Cold War duel between the United States and the Soviet Union, most attention focused either on nuclear delivery or anti-ship attacks. Submarine launched Tomahawks gave the United States a new means for kicking in the doors of anti-access/area denial systems. The concept has proven so successful that four Ohio class boomers were refitted as cruise missile submarines, with the USS Florida delivering the initial strikes of the Libya intervention.The last Los Angeles class submarine is expected to leave service in at some point in the 2020s, although outside factors may delay that date. By that time, new designs will undoubtedly have exceeded the 688 in terms of striking land targets, and in capacity for conducting anti-submarine warfare. Nevertheless, the Los Angeles class will have carved out a space as the sub-surface mainstay of the world’s most powerful Navy for five decades.Conclusion:Fortunately, the United States and the Soviet Union avoided direct conflict during the Cold War, meaning that many of the technologies and practices of advanced submarine warfare were never employed in anger. However, every country in the world that pretends to serious maritime power is building or acquiring advanced submarines. The next submarine war will look very different from the last, and it’s difficult to predict how it will play out. We can be certain, however, that the fight will be conducted in silence.Honorable Mention: Ohio, 260O-21, Akula, Alfa, Seawolf, Swiftsure, I-201, Kilo, S class, Type VII***Bombers are the essence of strategic airpower. While fighters have often been important to air forces, it was the promise of the heavy bomber than won and kept independence for the United States Air Force and the Royal Air Force. At different points in time, air forces in the United States, United Kingdom, Soviet Union, and Italy have treated bomber design and construction as a virtually all-consuming obsession, setting fighter and attack aviation aside.However, even the best bombers are effective over only limited timespans. The unlucky state-of-the-art bombers of the early 1930s met disaster when put into service against the pursuit aircraft of the late 1930s. The B-29s that ruled the skies over Japan in 1945 were cut to pieces above North Korea in 1950. The B-36 Peacemaker, obsolete before it was even built, left service in a decade. Most of the early Cold War bombers were expensive failures, eventually to be superseded by ICBMs and submarine-launched ballistic missiles.States procure bombers, like all weapons, to serve strategic purposes. This list employs the following metrics of evaluation:· Did the bomber serve the strategic purpose envisioned by its developers?· Was the bomber a sufficiently flexible platform to perform other missions, and to persist in service?· How did the bomber compare with its contemporaries in terms of price, capability, and effectiveness?And with that, the five best bombers of all time:Handley Page Type O 400:The first strategic bombing raids of World War I were carried out by German zeppelins, enormous lighter than aircraft that could travel at higher altitudes than the interceptors of the day, and deliver payloads against London and other targets. Over time, the capabilities of interceptors and anti-aircraft artillery grew, driving the Zeppelins to other missions. Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and others began working on bombers capable of delivering heavy loads over long distance, a trail blazed (oddly enough) by the Russian Sikorsky Ilya Muromets.Even the modest capabilities of the early bombers excited the airpower theorists of the day, who imagined the idea of fleets of bombers striking enemy cities and enemy industry. The Italians developed the Caproni family of bombers, which operated in the service of most Allied countries at one time or another. German Gotha bombers would eventually terrorize London again, catalyzing the Smuts Report and the creation of the world’s first air force.Faster and capable of carrying more bombs than either the Gotha IVs or the Caproni Ca.3, the Type O 400 had a wingspan nearly as large as the Avro Lancaster. With a maximum speed of 97 miles per hour with a payload of up to 2000 lbs, O 400s were the mainstay of Hugh Trenchard’s Independent Air Force near the end of the war, a unit which struck German airfields and logistics concentration well behind German lines. These raids helped lay the foundation of interwar airpower theory, which (at least in the US and the UK) envisioned self-protecting bombers striking enemy targets en masse.Roughly 600 Type O bombers were produced during World War I, with the last retiring in 1922. Small numbers served in the Chinese, Australian, and American armed forces.Junkers Ju 88:The Junkers Ju-88 was one of the most versatile aircraft of World War II. Although it spent most of its career as a medium bomber, it moonlighted as a close attack aircraft, a naval attack aircraft, a reconnaissance plane, and a night fighter. Effective and relatively cheap, the Luftwaffe used the Ju 88 to good effect in most theaters of war, but especially on the Eastern Front and in the Mediterranean.Designed with dive bomber capability, the Ju 88 served in relatively small numbers in the invasion of Poland, the invasion of Norway, and the Battle of France. The Ju-88 was not well suited to the strategic bombing role into which it was forced during the Battle of Britain, especially in its early variants. It lacked the armament to sufficiently defend itself, and the payload to cause much destruction to British industry and infrastructure. The measure of an excellent bomber, however, goes well beyond its effectiveness at any particular mission. Ju 88s were devastating in Operation Barbarossa, tearing apart Soviet tank formations and destroying much of the Soviet Air Forces on the ground. Later variants were built as or converted into night fighters, attacking Royal Air Force bomber formations on the way to their targets.In spite of heavy Allied bombing of the German aviation industry, Germany built over 15,000 Ju 88s between 1939 and 1945. They operated in several Axis air forces.De Havilland Mosquito:The de Havilland Mosquito was a remarkable little aircraft, capable of a wide variety of different missions. Not unlike the Ju 88, the Mosquito operated in bomber, fighter, night fighter, attack, and reconnaissance roles. The RAF was better positioned than the Luftwaffe to utilized the specific qualities of the Mosquito, and avoid forcing it into missions in could not perform.Relatively lightly armed and constructed entirely of wood, the Mosquito was quite unlike the rest of the RAF bomber fleet. Barely escaping design committee, the Mosquito was regarded as easy to fly, and featured a pressurized cockpit with a high service ceiling. Most of all, however, the Mosquito was fast. With advanced Merlin engines, a Mosquito could outpace the German Bf109 and most other Axis fighters.Although the bomb load of the Mosquito was limited, its great speed, combined with sophisticated instrumentation, allowed it to deliver ordnance with more precision than most other bombers. During the war, the RAF used Mosquitoes for various precision attacks against high value targets, including German government installations and V weapon launching sites. As pathfinders, Mosquitoes flew point on bomber formations, leading night time bombing raids that might otherwise have missed their targets. Mosquitos also served in a diversionary role, distracting German night fighters from the streams of Halifaxes and Lancasters striking urban areas.De Havilland produced over 7000 Mosquitoes for the RAF and other allied air forces. Examples persisted in post-war service with countries as varied as Israel, the Republic of China, Yugoslavia, and the Dominican RepublicAvro Lancaster:The workhorse of the RAF in World War II, the Lancaster carried out the greater part of the British portion of the Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO). Led by Arthur Harris, Bomber Command believed that area bombing raids, targeted against German civilians, conducted at night, would destroy German morale and economic capacity and bring the war to a close. Accordingly, the Lancaster was less heavily armed than its American contemporaries, as it depended less on self-defense in order to carry out its mission.The first Lancasters entered service in 1942. The Lancaster could carry a much heavier bomb load than the B-17 or the B-24, while operating at similar speeds and at a slightly longer range. The Lancaster also enjoyed a payload advantage over the Handley Page Halifax. From 1942 until 1945, the Lancaster would anchor the British half of the CBO, eventually resulting in the destruction of most of urban Germany and the death of several hundred thousand German civilians.There are reasons to be skeptical of the inclusion of the Lancaster. The Combined Bomber Offensive was a strategic dead-end, serving up expensive four-engine bombers as a feast for smaller, cheaper German fighters. Battles were fought under conditions deeply advantageous to the Germans, as damaged German planes could land, and shot down German pilots rescued and returned to service. Overall, the enormous Western investment in strategic bombing was probably one of the greatest grand strategic miscalculations of the Second World War. Nevertheless, this list needs a bomber from the most identifiable bomber offensive in history, and the Lancaster was the best of the bunch.Over 7000 Lancasters were built, with the last retiring in the early 1960s after Canadian service as recon and maritime patrol aircraft.Boeing B-52 Stratofortress:The disastrous experience of B-29 Superfortresses over North Korea in 1950 demonstrated that the United States would require a new strategic bomber, and soon. Unfortunately, the first two generations of bombers chosen by the USAF were almost uniformly duds; the hopeless B-36, the short-legged B-47, the dangerous-to-its-own-pilots B-58, and the obsolete-before-it-flew XB-70. The vast bulk of these bombers quickly went from wastes of taxpayer money to wastes of space at the Boneyard. None of the over 2500 early Cold War bombers ever dropped a bomb in anger.The exception was the B-52.The BUFF was originally intended for high altitude penetration bombing into the Soviet Union. It replaced the B-36 and the B-47, the former too slow and vulnerable to continue in the nuclear strike mission, and the latter too short-legged to reach the USSR from U.S. bases. Slated for replacement by the B-58 and the B-70, the B-52 survived because it was versatile enough to shift to low altitude penetration after the increasing sophistication of Soviet SAMs made the high altitude mission suicidal.And this versatility has been the real story of the B-52. The BUFF was first committed to conventional strike missions in service of Operation Arc Light during the Vietnam War. In Operation Linebacker II, the vulnerability of the B-52 to air defenses was made manifest when nine Stratofortresses were lost in the first days of the campaign. But the B-52 persisted. In the Gulf War, B-52s carried out saturation bombing campaigns against the forward positions of the Iraqi Army, softening and demoralizing the Iraqis for the eventual ground campaign. In the War on Terror, the B-52 has acted in a close air support role, delivering precision-guided ordnance against small concentrations of Iraqi and Taliban insurgents.Most recently, the B-52 showed its diplomatic chops when two BUFFs were dispatched to violate China’s newly declared Air Defense Zone. The BUFF was perfect for this mission; the Chinese could not pretend not to notice two enormous bombers travelling at slow speed through the ADIZ.742 B-52s were delivered between 1954 and 1963. Seventy-eight remain in service, having undergone multiple upgrades over the decades that promise to extend their lives into the 2030s, or potentially beyond. In a family of short-lived airframes, the B-52 has demonstrated remarkable endurance and longevity.Conclusion:Over the last century, nations have invested tremendous resources in bomber aircraft. More often than not, this investment has failed to bear strategic fruit. The very best aircraft have been those that could not only conduct their primary mission effectively, but that were also sufficiently flexible to perform other tasks that might be asked of them. Current air forces have, with some exceptions, effectively done away with the distinctions between fighters and bombers, instead relying on multi-role fighter-bombers for both missions. The last big, manned bomber may be the American LRS-B, assuming that project ever gets off the ground.Honorable Mention:Grumman A-6 Intruder, MQ-1 Predator, Caproni Ca.3, Tupolev Tu-95 “Bear,” Avro Vulcan, Tupolev Tu-22M “Backfire.”***What are the five greatest fighter aircraft of all time? Like the same question asked of tanks, cars, or rock and roll guitarists, the answer invariably depends on parameters. For example, there are few sets of consistent parameters that would include both the T-34 and the King Tiger among the greatest of all tanks. I know which one I’d like to be driving in a fight, but I also appreciate that this isn’t the most appropriate way to approach the question. Similarly, while I’d love to drive a Porsche 959 to work every morning, I’d be hesitant to list it ahead of the Toyota Corolla on a “best of” compilation.Nations buy fighter aircraft to resolve national strategic problems, and the aircraft should accordingly be evaluated on their ability to solve or ameliorate these problems. Thus, the motivating question is this: how well did this aircraft help solve the strategic problems of the nations that built or bought it? This question leads to the following points of evaluation:Fighting characteristics: How did this plane stack up against the competition, including not just other fighters but also bombers and ground installations?Reliability: Could people count on this aircraft to fight when it needed to, or did it spend more time under repair than in the air?Cost: What did the organization and the nation have to pay in terms of blood and treasure to make this aircraft fly?These are the parameters; here are my answers:Spad S.XIIIIn the early era of military aviation, technological innovation moved at such speed that state of the art aircraft became obsolete deathtraps within a year. Engineers in France, Britain, Germany and Italy worked constantly to outpace their competitors, producing new aircraft every year to throw into the fight. The development of operational tactics trailed technology, although the input of the best flyers played an important role in how designers put new aircraft together.In this context, picking a dominant fighter from the era is difficult. Nevertheless, the Spad S.XIII stands out in terms of its fighting characteristics and ease of production. Based in significant part on the advice of French aviators such as Georges Guynemer, the XIII lacked the maneuverability of some of its contemporaries, but could outpace most of them and performed very well in either a climb or a dive. It was simple enough to produce that nearly 8,500 such aircraft eventually entered service. Significant early reliability problems were worked out by the end of the war, and in any case were overwhelmed by the XIII’s fighting ability.The S.XIII filled out not only French fighter squadrons, but also the air services of Allied countries. American ace Eddie Rickenbacker scored twenty of his kills flying an XIII, many over the most advanced German fighters of the day, including the Fokker D.VII.The Spad XIII helped the Allies hold the line during the Ludendorff Offensive, and controlled the skies above France during the counter-offensive. After the war, it remained in service in France, the United States, and a dozen other countries for several years. In an important sense, the Spad XIII set the post-war standard for what a pursuit aircraft needed to do.Grumman F6F HellcatOf course, it is not only air forces that fly fighter aircraft. The F6F Hellcat can’t compare with the Spitfire, the P-51, or the Bf 109 on many basic flight characteristics, although its ability to climb was first-rate. What the F6F could do, however, was reliably fly from aircraft carriers, and it rode point on the great, decisive U.S. Navy carrier offensive of World War II. Entering the war in September 1943, it won 75% of USN aerial victories in the Pacific. USN ace David McCampbell shot down nine Japanese aircraft in one day flying a Hellcat .The F6F was heavily armed, and could take considerably more battle damage than its contemporaries. Overall, the F6F claimed nearly 5,200 kills at a loss of 270 aircraft in aerial combat, including a 13:1 ratio against the Mitsubishi A6M Zero.The USN carrier offensive of the latter part of World War II is probably the greatest single example of the use of decisive airpower in world history. Hellcats and their kin (the Douglas SBD Dauntless dive-bomber and the Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bomber) destroyed the fighting power of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), cracked open Japan’s island empire, and exposed the Japanese homeland to devastating air attack and the threat of invasion.In 1943, the United States needed a fighter robust enough to endure a campaign fought distant from most bases, yet fast and agile enough to defeat the best that the IJN could offer. Tough and reliable as a brick, the Hellcat fit that role. Put simply, the Honda Accord is, in its own way, a great car; the Honda Accords of the fighter world also deserve their day.Messerschmitt Me-262 SwallowThe Me 262 Schwalbe (Swallow, in English) failed to win the war for Germany, and couldn’t stop the Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO). Had German military authorities made the right decisions, however, it might at least have accomplished the second.Known as the world’s first operational jet fighter, full-scale production of the Me 262 was delayed by resistance within the German government and the Luftwaffe to devoting resources to an experimental aircraft without a clear role. Early efforts to turn it into a fighter-bomber fell flat. As the need for a superlative interceptor become apparent, however, the Me 262 found its place. The Swallow proved devastating against American bomber formations, and could outrun American pursuit aircraft.The Me 262 was hardly a perfect fighter: it lacked the maneuverability of the best American interceptors, and both American and British pilots developed tactics for managing the Swallow. Although production suffered from some early problems with engines, by the later stages of the conflict, manufacturing was sufficiently easy that the plane could be mass-produced in dispersed, underground facilities.But had it come on line a bit earlier, the Me 262 might have torn the heart out of the CBO. The CBO in 1943 was a touch and go affair; dramatically higher bomber losses in 1943 could well have led Churchill and Roosevelt to scale back the production of four engine bombers in favor of additional tactical aircraft. Without the advantage of long-range escorts, American bombers would have proven easy prey for the German jet. Moreover, the Me 262 would have been far more effective without the constant worry of P-47s and P-51s strafing its airfields and tracking its landings.Nazi Germany needed a game changer, a plane capable of making the price too high for the Allies to keep up the CBO. The Me 262 came onto the scene too late to solve that problem, but it’s hard to imagine any aircraft that could have come closer. Ironically, this might have accelerated Allied victory, as the Combined Bomber Offensive resulted in not only the destruction of urban Germany, but in the waste of substantial Allied resources. Win-win.Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 “Fishbed”An odd choice for this list? The MiG-21 is known largely as fodder for the other great fighters of the Cold War, and for having an abysmal kill ratio. The Fishbed (in NATO terminology) has served as a convenient victim in Vietnam and in a variety of Middle Eastern wars, some of which it fought on both sides.But… the MiG-21 is cheap, fast, maneuverable, has low maintenance requirements. It’s relatively easy to learn to fly, although not necessarily easy to learn how to fly well. Air forces continued to buy the MiG-21 for a long time. Counting the Chengdu J-7 variant, perhaps 13,000 MiG-21s have entered service around the world. In some sense, the Fishbed is the AK-47 (or the T-34, if you prefer) of the fighter world. Fifty countries have flown the MiG-21, and it has flown for fifty-five years. It continues to fly as a key part of twenty-six different air forces, including the Indian Air Force, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force, the Vietnamese People’s Air Force, and the Romanian Air Force. Would anyone be surprised if the Fishbed and its variants are still flying in 2034?The MiG-21 won plaudits from American aggressor pilots at Red Flag, who celebrated its speed and maneuverability, and played (through the contribution of North Vietnamese aces such as Nguyễn Văn Cốc ) an important role in redefining the requirements of air superiority in the United States. When flown well, it remains a dangerous foe.Most of life is about just showing up, and since 1960 no fighter has shown up as consistently, and in as many places, as has the MiG-21. For countries needing a cheap option for claiming control of their national airspace, the MiG-21 has long solved problems, and will likely continue to serve in this role.McDonnell Douglas F-15 EagleWhat to say about the F-15 Eagle? When it came into service in 1976, it was immediately recognized as the best fighter in the world. Today, it is arguably still the best all-around, cost-adjusted fighter, even if the Su-27 and F-22 have surpassed it in some ways. If one fighter in American history could take the name of the national symbol of the United States, how could it be anything other than the F-15?The Eagle symbolizes the era of American hegemony, from the Vietnam hangover to the post-Cold War period of dominance. Designed in light of the lessons of Vietnam, at a time where tactical aviation was taking control of the US Air Force, the F-15 outperformed existing fighters and set a new standard for a modern air superiority aircraft. Despite repeated tests in combat, no F-15 has ever been lost to an aerial foe. The production line for the F-15 will run until at least 2019, and longer if Boeing can manage to sell anyone on the Silent Eagle.In the wake of Vietnam, the United States needed an air superiority platform that could consistently defeat the best that the Soviet Union had to offer. The F-15 (eventually complemented by the F-16) provided this platform, and then some. After the end of the Cold War, the United States needed an airframe versatile enough to carry out the air superiority mission while also becoming an effective strike aircraft. Again, the F-15 solved the problem.And it’s a plane that can land with one wing. Hard to beat that.A Contest Based on ParametersAgain, this exercise depends entirely on decisions about the parameters. A different set of criteria of effectiveness would generate an entirely different list (although the F-15 would probably still be here; it’s invulnerable). Nevertheless, the basic elements of the argument are sound: weapons should be evaluated in terms of how they help achieve national objectives.Honorable mentions include the North American Aviation F-86 Sabre, the Fokker D.VII, the Lockheed-Martin F-22 Raptor, the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the Supermarine Spitfire, the North American Aviation P-51 Mustang, the McDonnell Douglas EA-18 Growler, the English Electric Lightning, the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, the Sukhoi Su-27 “Flanker,” and the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon.

September 02, 2019 at 09:33AM via IFTTT

[maswartz]

Power Rangers Zenith Force

(Logo by MasterPikachu6)

Throughout the universe there are countless teams of Power Rangers. Each one drawing power from the Morphing Grid. For eons only the Rangers could access this great power. That is no longer true. Upon capturing a Morphing Master the robotic Machination experimented on him gaining access to the Grid. Once they gained access they proceeded to drain about 50% of its power severely weakening every Ranger throughout the universe. However one of their tests into harnessing the power resulted in four of their Cogger foot soldiers gaining sentience. Filled with guilt and horror at the actions of their creators they rescue the Master and flee to Earth. During a fight against the Machination’s forces a surge of power from the Grid via the Master turns a set of prototype blasters into morphers allowing the five to become the Zenith Rangers and protect what’s left of the Grid from the Machination. Taking shelter with a robotics inventor the Coggers gain civilian holograms to help them blend in while in hiding from the Machination. Protectors of the Grid! Power Rangers Zenith Force!

Augost- The Powerful Ranger! White Zenith Ranger! A space explorer from Eltar, a near death experience left Augost with a strong connection to the Morphing Grid marking him as a Morphing Master despite never morphing into a ranger. It was his capture by the Machination that granted them access to the Grid. A fact that fills him with much guilt. Thanks to his research into the Power Gears, Bart was able to create a special pair of Gears that grant Augost and him their battilizers. When Augost uses his  DragonSaurus Gear he gains a suit of armor based on the Dragonzord and is armed with a powerful drill. Later on Bart develops the Zenith Power Cannon for Augost. This mighty blaster allows him to channel the power of various Ranger teams by theming and even summon energy copies of rangers from those teams. The cannon also turns into the Zenith Jet Zord for Augost to pilot. Face Claim: Dev Patel

Rex- The Mighty Ranger! Red Zenith Ranger! As a robotic life form Rex believes it is his duty and responsibility to protect the more “squishy” organics. He’s even appointed himself as Augost’s personal protector. Face Claim: Pedro Pascal

Maxi- The Overdrive Ranger! Blue Zenith Ranger! Maxi loves knowledge and learning new things. She’ll scan information as fast as possible and relay it to her friends. When she talks about a topic of particular interest her voice will even speed up to the point organic ears cannot register her words. Face Claim: Emerald Fennell

Leonidas- The Wild Ranger! Yellow Zenith Ranger! Admiring the vast wild life of Earth Leonidas can’t help but feel like humanity should be ashamed of how they’ve treated the wild. In secret he wishes he could be truly organic so the wildlife he loves would not fear his presence. Face Claim: Daveed Diggs

Titania- The Mystic Ranger! Pink Zenith Ranger! Titania enjoys fantasy in all its forms. Movies, stories, even fanfiction she reads online. The only problem is she can’t always tell the difference between fiction and reality. Face Claim: Ayo Edebiri

Bartholomew- The Pirate Ranger! Gold Zenith Ranger! Bartholomew is a brilliant yet eccentric robotics inventor who meets the Rangers soon after their escape from the Machination. Fascinated by the Coggers he gives them shelter in his lab where he helps them examine the Power Gears. After a battle with a Cogger he discovers a set of three spare Gears he uses to create a morpher of his own. While examining the Gears he accidentally connects two of his robots to the Grid bringing them to life. He can combine with these robots to access more power. RedRobo- The Burning Bushido Ranger! Gold Zenith Ranger! In this form Bart and RedRobo burn with the power of Kanji-Ryuko. BlueBot- The Shining Crystal Ranger! Gold Zenith Ranger! In this form Bart and BlueBot surge with the power of the Zeo Crystal. Thanks to his research into the Power Gears, Bart was able to create a special pair of Gears that grant Augost and him their battilizers. When Bart uses his  DragonSaurus Gear he gains a suit of armor based on the Q-Rex and gains the ability to manipulate time slightly. Face Claim: Matthew Gray Gubler

Celia- The Dark Ranger/The Battle Ranger! Purple Zenith Ranger!- Captured by the Machination she was subjected to brainwashing to turn her into their weapon to defeat the Zenith Rangers. She managed to resist the control as long as she could but in the end she broke. Now believing herself to be a loyal member of the Machination they set her loose on the Zenith Rangers as their Dark Ranger. In battle against the zords she would pilot the Dark Mechazord During one such battle Augost’s link to the Morphing Grid allowed her to briefly breaking free she turned on her captors until she was brainwashed once more, her mind pushed to the breaking point. During the next battle Augost finally managed to break her free and she joined the Rangers. She also reunited with her girlfriend.

She pilots the second Zenith Megazord when needed. Face Claim: Ciara Hanna

Power Gears- The Power Gears are gears the Machination created during their experiments into the Morphing Grid. Each one contains the power of a team of Power Rangers. During their escape from the Machination’s station the Rangers stole a set of the Gears. The default Gear allows the Rangers to summon a weapon or attack from the team the Gear is based on. A charged up Power Gear is called a Mega Gear and allows the Rangers to summon the weapon of the primary Megazord of that team. Eltar- Charged ball of morphing energy | Mega-Copter Blade Swords Royal Flush- Card Storm | Mega- Royal Flush Staff Dance Beat- Sonic Staff | Mega- Dance Beat Blade Cosmic Spark- Charges attack with lightning | Mega- Rocket Blaster Trisol- Solar Burst |  Mega- Solar Ax Treasure Trackers- Treasure Whip | Mega- Drill Lance Dyna Might- Blast Punch | Mega- Dyna Bazooka Atomic Burst- Atomic Blast | Mega- Atomic Sword Alchemist Adventurers- MagTec BlasterBlade | Mega- Alchemist Saber Prism Protectors- Prism Blast | Mega- Prism Saber Universal Aura- Aura Punch | Mega- Aura Saber Nature's Guardians- Nature Saber | Mega- Nature Blasters Robo Racers-Racer Rush | Mega- Racing Blaster Penta Academy- Penta Blade | Mega- Penta Sword Avian Armada- Wings | Mega- Avian Saber MMPR- Power Blaster | Mega- Power Sword and Mastodon Shield Thunder Spirits- Chi Blast | Mega- Thunder Megazord Saber Aquitar- Aquitar Saber| Mega- Ninja Megazord Punch Zeo- Zeo Crystal Blast | Mega- Zeo Megazord Saber Turbo- Turbo Boost | Mega- Turbo Megazord Saber Space- Spiral Saber | Mega- Astro Megazord Saber Lost Galaxy-Galaxy Elemental Power | Mega- Condor Galactazord Missile Mode Lightspeed Rescue-  V Lancer | Mega- Lightspeed Megazord Saber Time Force- Chrono Pause | Mega- Time Force Megazord Saber Wild Force- Jungle Sword | Mega- Fin Sword Ninja Storm- Ninja Glider  | Mega- Serpent Sword Dino Thunder- Tyranno Staff | Mega- Dino Drill S.P.D- Delta Blasters | Mega- Mega Delta Blaster Mystic Force- Magi Staff | Mega- Titan Saber Operation Overdrive- Defender Vest | Mega- Drive Saber Jungle Fury- Animal Spirits | Mega- Jungle Nunchucks RPM- Road Blaster | Mega- Super Saber Bushido Blades- Sevenfold Samurai Slash  | Mega-  Bushido Megazord Blade Guardian Spirits- Guardian Cards | Mega- Guardian Megazord Saber Pirate Legends- Legend Slash | Mega-Pirate Sabers Biotec Busters- Biotec Blaster | Mega- Biotec Sabre Fossil Spirits- Fossil Spear | Mega- Tricera Driller and Stego Sword Rail Warriors-Rail Slasher | Mega- Railway Saber Shinobi Strike- Shinobi Saber | Mega- Shinobi Megazord Blade Beast Might- Primal Power | Mega- Beast Sword Shooting Star Squadron- Star Morpher Blast | Mega- Shooting Star Blast Phantom Justice- Duo Morpher | Mega- Phantom Saw and Justice Baton or Phantom Gatling and Justice Blaster Ancient Knights-Knight Saber | Mega- Ancient Slasher Mystech Mages- Spell Shooter | Mega- Mystech Sword The Cogger Rangers are able to utilize their personal Power Gears to grow into the Zenith Zords which can combine in pairs to form Duozords that can be piloted by Augost. Red- Zenith T-Rex Zord- A mighty dinosaur charged by the power. Can convert into Warrior Mode Blue- Zenith Hauler Zord- A powerful vehicle fueled by the power. Can convert into Warrior Mode Yellow- Zenith Lion Zord- An roaring beast charged by the power. Can convert into Warrior Mode Pink- Zenith Dragon Zord- A mythical dragon charged by the power. Can convert into Warrior Mode Gold- Zenith CrocoShip Zord- A hybrid of beast and machine fueled by the power. Can convert to the CrocoShip Megazord. White- Zenith Jet Zord- The Zenith Power Cannon in jet form. Zenith Duozord Savage Fang- Combines the savage power of the Lion and the ancient power of the T-Rex. Armed with a claw and a sword and shield. Zenith Duozord Spell Tracker- Combines the magical power of the Dragon and the mechanical power of the Hauler. Armed with a magic wand and a pickax. Zenith Duozord Savage Tracker- Combines the savage power of the Lion and the mechanical power of the Hauler. Armed with a claw and a pickax. Zenith Duozord Spell Fang- Combines the magical power of the Dragon and the ancient power of the T-Rex. Armed with a magic wand and a sword and shield.

Zenith CrocoShip Megazord- Has two modes depending which robot helps activate it RedRobo- Grants the megazord a slashing blade BlueBot- Grants the megazord a shooting blaster When the two DragonSaurus Gears are combined they allow Augost and Bart to grow and combine into the Zenith DragonSaurus Zord. Zenith Megazord- The combined form of the Jet, T-Rex, Hauler, Lion, and Dragon Zenith Zords. The Zenith Megazord can summon various Zords by theming to attack their foe. The Megazord’s finishing move allows them to summon and channel the power of all the Ultrazords that have come before. The Machination Following the Z-Wave the surviving members of the Royal House of Gadgetry, the princes Gasket and Sprocket and princess Archerina retreated to the Machine homeworld to rebuild their forces before heading into a distant galaxy to begin anew. Now calling themselves The Machination they would invade planets and add their technology to their own, increasing their power.

Their ultimate plan is to find a way to tap into the Morphing Grid and harness its power for themselves. In order to do this they capture a morphing master and use him to study the grid leading to weaponry that can disrupt morphs. Their early tests resulted in four of their Coggers gaining sentience and escaping with the captive Morphing Master to Earth. They hide their station using dimensional shift technology to remain safe from attack while they send their forces to reclaim the Zenith Rangers.

King Gasket- A mighty king who has rebuilt himself to boost his power Queen Archerina- A tactical genius who plans the invasions. Duke Sprocket- No longer a child he is now a fearsome warrior General Caliber- The leader of the Machination’s forces. A terror in battle. Professor Circuit- The scientist in charge of adapting new technology into the Machination, he runs the Morphing Grid research. Chancellor Oracom- The royal advisor who sacrificed their body and had themselves installed into the royal data banks to increase their intelligence. Crowbolt- A robotic bird who gathers data and feeds it to Oracom. Cybotix- A robotic warrior built to replace The Dark Ranger after Celia was freed. Cogger*- The footsoldiers of The Machination fueled by the stolen energy of the Morphing Grid. Elite Coggers are given Power Gears giving them the power of a specific team of Rangers turning them into their “Morphed” form. Upon their defeat they will activate their Gear’s Mega function growing them to giant size.

Eventually the rulers of the Machination grow more and more obsessed with taking down the Rangers and getting revenge for the Machine Empire. This behavior confuses Oracom who considers revenge illogical and begins to doubt their ability to lead. After multiple failures they decide the time for action has come and sends a message to the Zenith Rangers with a way to reach the station. Once on board the Rangers engage the remaining rulers in battle before destroying the machine harnessing the energy from the Morphing Grid. However it’s revealed that the entire time the Grid has been slowly recharging itself. As a result the returning energy causes the Grid to spill over into the physical plane as bolts of power. Over a thousand worlds are struck by the bolts. To most the sensation is merely a larger than average static shock but to many others the impact goes deeper. In time it is discovered that those effected by the power bolts have become “Powered” with unique abilities and powers similar to the “civilian powers” some teams of Rangers possess. Some have their abilities from birth, others discover them in childhood or during puberty while others discover them through outside circumstances, usually a life threatening event. It is unclear how many “Powered” there are throughout the universe. The impact of the Grid’s overfill impacts the remains of the Machination as well, all the Coggers are granted sentience and Oracom takes command and sets off to make amends for the Machinations past deeds. Under Oracom’s leadership the new Machination gets to work rebuilding worlds ravaged by them. Mystech Force: When a Cogger steals a Mana Gem and implants it within themselves they gain mystical power drawing the attention of the Mystech Rangers. Thanks to a temporary boost from the Roc the team is able to morph to full power as they join the Zenith Rangers in taking down the threat. Morphers- Zenith Morphers Morphing Call- Zenith Power! Morphing- The rangers shoot out a Ranger Gear that passes over them. As it does it charges them with power before breaking apart and reforming as their Zenith suit. Location: Stone Canyon (Faces by Joekeybladeaura) *Morphed Coggers use the monsters from Donbrothers with the body suit from Zenkaiger Power Rangers Mystech Mages <---------Powerverse-------> Power Rangers Cyber Warriors

[somar78]

An Ex-German Bundeswehr Military Mercedes-Benz Unimog 404

The Unimog 404 was the second major iteration of the legendary German off-roader named by taking the letters from three words – UNIversal MOtor Gerät, or “universal power unit” in German.

In the years shortly after WWII many engineers at automakers around the world were seeking to build a vehicle that could function as both a farm tractor and a road vehicle. The Unimog was specifically developed so that a farmer could use it primarily as a tractor with front and rear power takeoffs, but also use it to transport a significant load of vegetables to market for sale.

The British Land Rover was built with much the same intention, as was the American Dodge Power Wagon, the latter of which was originally a load-carrying 4×4 truck used extensively during the war.

The project to develop the first Unimog prototype was led by Albert Friedrich, the former Chief Engineer of Daimler-Benz’s highly-regarded aircraft engine research division,  the project began in December 1945 just three months after the end of the war.

The basic architecture of the Unimog has changed little in the 60+ years since the first iterations were developed. A flexible chassis is used to increase wheel articulation, live axles are fitted front and rear using portal gears to increase the height of the axle and differential to provide class-leading ground clearance, a cab is fitted up front with a minimal hood over the front mounted engine.

The Unimog 404 was the most prolific of all the Unimog models, it was used extensively by militaries around the world as well as by rescue teams, forestry agencies, rangers, amateur off-roaders, overland adventurers, and even Paris Dakar Rally competitors.

Today the Unimog 404 is the most common model to find listed for sale, and there’s a large global network of enthusiasts and parts suppliers that do a great job of keeping them on the road.

The 1968 Mercedes-Benz Unimog 404 Shown Here

The vehicle you see here is a 1968 Mercedes-Benz Unimog 404 that was originally issued to the German Bundeswehr, the unified armed forces of Germany, where it was used as a military transport.

This is the U82 variant of the Unimog 404.1, so it’s a longer wheel base model fitted with a 2.2 litre M180 straight-6 petrol/gasoline engine and an off-road specific Zenith carburettor, coupled to a manual gearbox with six forward gears and two reverse gears.

The 404 can be driven in both 2×4 and 4×4 mode, allowing significant fuel savings when driven in 2×4 mode at up to a 60 km/h cruise speed on the asphalt.

The odometer on this 404.1 is showing just 2,520 kms or 1,565 miles, which is believed to be original. The over all condition of the vehicle appears to be excellent and it still carries its Bundeswehr green paint work and military shield from its time in service.

This Unimog has a folding canvas roof with option door toppers for use in winter, there’s also a frame and canvas cover for the rear load bay. The wooden floor in the rear tray is original, and it’s fitted with two rows of folding seats for taking passengers on off-road excursions

The drivetrain is listed as being in very good order, having had a light mechanical restoration when the vehicle was imported and licensed for road use in the United Kingdom. If you’d like to read more about this Unimog or register to bid on it, you can click here to visit the listing on Collecting Cars.

  The post An Ex-German Bundeswehr Military Mercedes-Benz Unimog 404 appeared first on Silodrome.

source https://silodrome.com/military-unimog-404/

[conservativeamericatoday]

Steelers Owner DESPERATE For Fans After Sunday Protests – Look What He’s BEGGING Everyone To Do! - Conservative America Today - News Network Subscribe us now to get the REAL NEWS updates - https://goo.gl/Jak4Sa ✪ Latest News Videos: https://goo.gl/Jak4Sa ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ✪ Latest News ✪ ✔ Traitor McCain Just Showed Up Within The NFL With NASTY Surprise For Trump – He’s LIVID! - https://youtu.be/Sc0GDQDqanI ✔ New Ban Is In FULL EFFECT Right Now Across The Nation Until NFL Protests Stop - https://youtu.be/-PMRXdQn7lE ✔ President Trump Calling For NFL Boycott - https://youtu.be/l_pEgFO4XtM ✔ Michelle & Her Minions Freak Out After Catching Melania Doing 1 Thing For Poor Kids At WH - https://youtu.be/ayUcRF70upI ✔ Burn! George Clooney Turns On Hillary After Saying ‘There Will Never Be A President Trump’ - https://youtu.be/RYsP__bal4M ✔ PRESIDENT TRUMP’S APPROVAL RATING IS UP AFTER REACHING ACROSS THE AISLE - https://youtu.be/TEUI8dYVAEE ✔ MSNBC HOST MIKA BRZEZINSKI: “OUR JOB IS TO CONTROL EXACTLY WHAT PEOPLE THINK” - https://youtu.be/_5xqp2g5Ul8 ✔ BUSTED: Sweden Lies About Sex Attacks At Festivals — Frightening Truth Is Coming Out - https://youtu.be/WfMiS_KMGTk ✔ JUST IN: Bernie Sanders Caught In $450,000 Corruption Scandal - https://youtu.be/8RDSB4uStVc ✔ BREAKING: Comey-Obama Collusion Uncovered - https://youtu.be/Fh08k0qppRo ✔ BREAKING: Powerful Democrat Arrested, Led Away In Handcuffs - https://youtu.be/i5kqgpUcc6E ✔ Newt Gingrich Just Went On TV And Leaked Sick Thing Mueller Did To Trump - https://youtu.be/OSPUK55TbhE ✔ TRANSGENDER LESSON FORCED ON KINDERGARTNERS WITHOUT PARENTAL CONSENT - https://youtu.be/YzE2eAOtCcc ✔ CHICK-FIL-A HAS PLANS FOR NEW YORK CITY THAT WILL DRIVE HATERS NUTS - https://youtu.be/txWGDUIcdQc ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ✪ Buy a Tshirt/Mug to support us - https://goo.gl/LF3cGL ✪ Liberal Tears Mug - https://goo.gl/GZg6s9 ✪ "WHITE, STRAIGHT, REPUBLICAN, MALE" Tshirt - https://goo.gl/MzXWaW ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pittsburg Steelers fans around the country were stunned when they learned that the entire team was planning on staying in the locker room during the National Anthem. The reason behind the decision according to Steelers coach, Mike Tomlin, was to show unity as a team by staying out of the anthem controversy, but that didn’t happen. Now, because of their decision Steelers, fans are walking away which has the team owner in a panic and is begging his fans not to abandon them. The National Anthem protest has only grown ever since Colin Kaepernick took a knee last fall. Instead of the protest dying away like Kaepernick’s career, it has taken on a life of its own as more NFL players have picked up where Kaepernick left off. Over the last several weeks, these disrespectful NFL players have been kneeling during the National Anthem much to the fans chagrin. Then, this past weekend, the protests reached their zenith when hundreds of players, coaches, and owners knelt essentially spitting in the face of our veterans. So, when the Pittsburg Steelers stayed behind in the locker room it only angered Americans more. Then, what made it even worse is when offensive tackle and Army Ranger veteran, Alejandro Villanueva was seen in the tunnel with his hand over his heart. The image quickly went viral as Americans found his simple gesture to be the symbol of pure patriotism. However, shortly, after Villanueva’s image went viral Tomlin bashed him which quickly prompted an apology from Villanueva. Recommended Tags the next news network,News, Breaking News, Breaking, abc news, top news. world news today, today news, world news, cnn, fox news, nbc news, usa morning news, local news, top news, world news today

[allcheatscodes]

magic duels of the planeswalkers 2014 xbox 360

http://allcheatscodes.com/magic-duels-of-the-planeswalkers-2014-xbox-360/

magic duels of the planeswalkers 2014 xbox 360

Magic: Duels of the Planeswalkers 2014 cheats & more for Xbox 360 (X360)

Cheats

Unlockables

Hints

Easter Eggs

Glitches

Guides

Achievements

Get the updated and latest Magic: Duels of the Planeswalkers 2014 cheats, unlockables, codes, hints, Easter eggs, glitches, tricks, tips, hacks, downloads, achievements, guides, FAQs, walkthroughs, and more for Xbox 360 (X360). AllCheatsCodes.com has all the codes you need to win every game you play!

Use the links above or scroll down to see all the Xbox 360 cheats we have available for Magic: Duels of the Planeswalkers 2014.

Check PlayStation 3 cheats for this game

Genre: Role-Playing, Third-Person 2D Action RPG

Developer: Stainless Steel Studios

Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios

ESRB Rating: Teen

Release Date: June 26, 2013

Hints

Currently we have no tips for Magic: Duels of the Planeswalkers 2014 yet. If you have any unlockables please feel free to submit. We will include them in the next post update and help the fellow gamers. Remeber to mention game name while submiting new codes.

Cheats

Currently we have no cheats or codes for Magic: Duels of the Planeswalkers 2014 yet. If you have any unlockables please feel free to submit. We will include them in the next post update and help the fellow gamers. Remeber to mention game name while submiting new codes.

Unlockables

Title Unlocks

Alara Champion : Defeat every node on Alara.

Auramancer : Control a creature enchanted with three Auras you own.

Demonic Master : Control five Demons.

Herald of Angels : Have five Angels enter the battlefield under your controlduring a game.

Innistrad Champion : Defeat every node on Innistrad.

Lord of Leviathans : In a duel, control creatures with a combined power of50.

Mage of Alabaster : Your favorite color is white.

Mage of Azure : Your favorite color is blue.

Mage of Crimson : Your favorite color is red.

Mage of Jade : Your favorite color is green.

Mage of Onyx : Your favorite color is black.

Master of the Planes : Complete the single-player campaign.

Necromancer : Control thirteen Zombies.

Phantom Mage : Win a game controlling only Illusions.

Puppet Master : Control a creature an opponent owns.

Ravnica Champion : Defeat every node on Ravnica.

Shandalar Champion : Defeat every node on Shandalar.

Sliver Hivelord : Win a game with the Sliver Hive deck.

Spellslinger : In a duel, use spells to deal 20 damage to your opponent.

The Annihilator : Cause an opponent to sacrifice five permanents in a singleduel.

Zendikar Champion : Defeat every node on Zendikar.

Promotional Unlock Codes

Promo Card #01 : Enter GKSNDR

Promo Card #02 : Enter DWNNDR

Promo Card #03 : Enter FTHPTH

Promo Card #04 : Enter TRCKSC

Promo Card #05 : Enter PRSTTT

Promo Card #06 : Enter RSNGSN

Promo Card #07 : Enter XBXBDZ

Promo Card #08 : Enter PXPRMD

Promo Card #09 : Enter MGCCTN

Promo Card #10 : Enter JRHPRD

Masks Of The Dimir

Archaeomancer : 18th win

Archaeomancer : 9th win

Avatar of Will : 20th win

Consult the Necrosages : 11th win

Countersquall : 29th win

Diluvian Primordial : 26th win

Dinrova Horror : 28th win

Dire Undercurrents : 14th win

Doomsday Specter : 30th win

Evil Twin : 10th win

Fool’s Demise : 17th win

Guardian of the Ages : 19th win

Hands of Binding : 24th win

Illusionary Armor : 13th win

Illusionary Armor : 4th win

Lobotomy : 15th win

Lobotomy : 2nd win

Mark of the Vampire : 6th win

Mental Vapors : 25th win

Mindleech Mass : 1st win

Ravenous Rats : 3rd win

Shadow Slice : 22nd win

Slate Street Ruffian : 21st win

Sleep : 5th win

Smog Elemental : 23rd win

Stolen Identity : 27th win

Threads of Disloyalty : 7th win

Threads of Disloyalty : 16th win

Treasure Hunt : 8th win

Vengeful Vampire : 12th win

Deck Awards: Sliver Hive

Armageddon : 12th win

Armageddon : 22nd win

Battle Sliver : 4th win

Bifurcate : 23rd win

Bifurcate : 7th win

Blur Sliver : 14th win

Bonescythe Sliver : 6th win

Faith’s Fetters : 26th win

Faith’s Fetters : 5th win

Faith’s Fetters : 17th win

Fiery Justice : 25th win

Fiery Justice : 3rd win

Indestructibility : 21st win

Indestructibility : 2nd win

Indestructibility : 9th win

Lifeline : 18th win

Lifeline : 27th win

Lifeline : 13th win

Megantic Sliver : 1st win

Mirror Entity : 19th win

Path to Exile : 11th win

Predatory Sliver : 8th win

Savage Beating : 28th win

Shared Animosity : 10th win

Survival of the Fittest : 20th win

Thorncaster Sliver : 16th win

Titanic Ultimatum : 30th win

Unflinching Courage : 24th win

Wild Pair : 15th win

Wild Pair : 29th win

Deck Awards: Mind Maze

Æther Figment : 5th win

Æther Figment : 13th win

Ætherplasm : 27th win

Cancel : 2nd win

Chronozoa : 10th win

Counterspell : 28th win

Draining Whelk : 11th win

Gossamer Phantasm : 4th win

Halcyon Glaze : 19th win

Halcyon Glaze : 8th win

Illusory Angel : 25th win

Incursion Specialist : 24th win

Krovikan Mist : 20th win

Leyline Phantom : 23rd win

Lord of the Unreal : 9th win

Lord of the Unreal : 14th win

Lord of the Unreal : 17th win

Lord of the Unreal : 1st win

Omniscience : 30th win

Ovinize : 21st win

Ovinize : 29th win

Pantasmal Image : 7th win

Phantasmal Image : 16th win

Phantasmal Image : 12th win

Twincast : 22nd win

Unsummon : 3rd win

Unsummon : 18th win

Veiled Sentry : 15th win

Veiled Sentry : 6th win

Wistful Thinking : 26th win

Deck Awards: Hunter’s Strength

Beastmaster Ascension : 26th win

Bellowing Tanglewurm : 27th win

Biorhythm : 25th win

Bramblebrush : 19th win

Brawn : 22nd win

Craterhoof Behemoth : 30th win

Elephant Guide : 16th win

Enlarge : 7th win

Eternal Witness : 9th win

Eternal Witness : 15th win

Fangren Firstborn : 23rd win

Leatherback Baloth : 8th win

Living Hive : 12th win

Master of the Wild Hunt : 1st win

Nature’s Lore : 29th win

Nature’s Lore : 21st win

Overrun : 6th win

Overwhelming Stampede : 24th win

Predator Ooze : 11th win

Prey Upon : 18th win

Primalcrux : 10th win

Rampaging Baloth : 20th win

Rancor : 5th win

Rancor : 17th win

Rancor : 28th win

Regal Force : 14th win

Revive : 4th win

Savage Summoning : 13th win

Staff of the Wild Magus : 3rd win

Wurmskin Forger : 2nd win

Deck Awards: Guardians Of Light

Angelic Destiny : 10th win

Armored Ascension : 25th win

Armored Ascension : 7th win

Aura of Silence : 19th win

Auratouched Mage : 4th win

Concerted Effort : 30th win

Daybreak Coronet : 16th win

Divine Deflection : 29th win

Divine Favor : 2nd win

Divine Favor : 12th win

Evangelize : 21st win

Final Judgment : 20th win

Guardian’s Magemark : 13th win

Guardian’s Magemark : 27th win

Idyllic Tutor : 23rd win

Idyllic Tutor : 17th win

Kor Spiritdancer : 8th win

Kor Spiritdancer : 28th win

Mesa Enchantress : 14th win

Mesa Enchantress : 5th win

Pacifism : 18th win

Pacifism : 6th win

Pariah : 22nd win

Retether : 26th win

Seasoned Marshal : 3rd win

Seraph of the Sword : 11th win

Sigil of the Empty Throne : 1st win

Three Dreams : 9th win

Totem-Guide Hartebeest : 15th win

Unquestioned Authority : 24th win

Deck Awards: Firewave

Browbeat : 18th win

Chandra’s Spitfire : 20th win

Disintegrate : 21st win

Final Fortune : 26th win

Final Fortune : 22nd win

Fire Servant : 24th win

Fire Servant : 5th win

Fireshrieker : 8th win

Fireshrieker : 29th win

Fireshrieker : 16th win

Flame Slash : 19th win

Flamebreak : 6th win

Flames of the Firebrand : 17th win

Furnace of Rath : 9th win

Grim Lavamancer : 14th win

Grim Lavamancer : 7th win

Hostility : 30th win

Inferno : 1st win

Inferno Titan : 10th win

Kiln Fiend : 13th win

Kiln Fiend : 4th win

Kiln Fiend : 23rd win

Lava Axe : 2nd win

Reverberate : 25th win

Seismic Assault : 12th win

Staff of the Flame Magus : 3rd win

Stalking Vengeance : 28th win

Sulfuric Vortex : 15th win

Sulfurice Vortex : 27th win

Wild Guess : 11th win

Deck Awards: Enter The Dracomancer

Artifact Mutation : 27th win

Banefire : 23rd win

Bloodbraid Elf : 24th win

Borderland Ranger : 4th win

Broodmate Dragon : 20th win

Consume Strength : 21st win

Crucible of Fire : 13th win

Crucible of Fire : 6th win

Dragon Breath : 19th win

Dragon Broodmother : 30th win

Dragon Fangs : 3rd win

Dragon Roost : 11th win

Dragonlair Spider : 25th win

Dragonspeaker Shaman : 16th win

Dragonspeaker Shaman : 12th win

Form of the Dragon : 1st win

Hellkite Hatchling : 8th win

Jund Battlemage : 15th win

Kaarthus, Tyrant of Jund : 10th win

Maelstrom Pulse : 17th win

Maelstrom Pulse : 9th win

Maelstrom Pulse : 28th win

Ogre Battledriver : 18th win

Penumbra Wurm : 29th win

Predator Dragon : 7th win

Sangrite Surge : 5th win

Spellbreaker Behemoth : 26th win

Torrent of Fire : 14th win

Torrent of Fire : 2nd win

Torrent of Fire : 22nd win

Deck Awards: Deadwalkers

Consuming Vapor : 27th win

Corrupt : 13th win

Corrupt : 18th win

Cruel Revival : 4th win

Death Baron : 30th win

Death Cloud : 26th win

Endless Ranks of the Dead : 9th win

Exhume : 23rd win

Farbog Boneflinger : 5th win

Geralf’s Messenger : 16th win

Geralf’s Messenger : 7th win

Grave Betrayal : 28th win

Grave Pact : 22nd win

Gravecrawler : 11th win

Gravecrawler : 6th win

Lord of the Undead : 19th win

Lord of the Undead : 8th win

Mikaeus, the Unhallowed : 10th win

Mutilate : 24th win

Nightmare : 15th win

Quest for the Gravelord : 17th win

Reanimate : 14th win

Rise of the Dark Realms : 20th win

Shrivel : 2nd win

Staff of the Death Magus : 12th win

Undead Warchief : 29th win

Undead Warchief : 21st win

Vampric Tutor : 25th win

Vial of Poison : 3rd win

Zombie Apocalypse : 1st win

Deck Awards: Chant Of Mul Daya

Artisan of Kozilek : 16th win

Bountiful Harvest : 2nd win

Bountiful Harvest : 13th win

Eldrazi Conscription : 7th win

Elvish Piper : 25th win

Elvish Piper : 20th win

Exploration : 29th win

Exploration : 22nd win

Explore : 5th win

Eye of Ugin : 12th win

Fierce Empath : 9th win

Green Sun’s Zenith : 11th win

Into the Wilds : 4th win

Oracle of Mul Daya : 6th win

Pelakka Wurm : 17th win

Plow Under : 27th win

Primeval Titan : 1st win

Rites of Flourishing : 15th win

Rites of Flourishing : 14th win

Scute Mob : 10th win

Summoning Trap : 26th win

Tangle : 24th win

Tangle : 21st win

Terastodon : 8th win

Terastodon : 28th win

Tooth and Nail : 30th win

Vengevine : 19th win

Vigor : 23rd win

Woodborn Behemoth : 18th win

Woodborn Behemoth : 3rd win

Deck Awards: Avacyn’s Glory

Angel’s Mercy : 2nd win

Angelic Overseer : 9th win

Avacyn, Angel of Hope : 10th win

Baneslayer Angel : 16th win

Bonds of Faith : 18th win

Champion of the Parish : 12th win

Champion of the Parish : 6th win

Deathless Angel : 26th win

Devout Invocation : 20th win

Elite Inquisitor : 25th win

Fiend Hunter : 15th win

Gather the Townsfolk : 4th win

Grand Abolisher : 22nd win

Hallowed Burial : 24th win

Honor of the Pure : 5th win

Increasing Devotion : 19th win

Martyr’s Bond : 27th win

Mentor of the Meek : 14th win

Mikaus, the Lunarch : 1st win

Restoration Angel : 23rd win

Ring of Three Wishes : 13th win

Seraph of Dawn : 17th win

Seraph of Dawn : 3rd win

Seraph of Dawn : 7th win

Soul Warden : 21st win

Soul Warden : 29th win

Thalia, Guardian of Thraben : 11th win

Thalia, Guardian of Thraben : 28th win

Thraben Doomsayer : 8th win

Twilight Shepherd : 30th win

Easter eggs

Currently we have no easter eggs for Magic: Duels of the Planeswalkers 2014 yet. If you have any unlockables please feel free to submit. We will include them in the next post update and help the fellow gamers. Remeber to mention game name while submiting new codes.

Glitches

Currently we have no glitches for Magic: Duels of the Planeswalkers 2014 yet. If you have any unlockables please feel free to submit. We will include them in the next post update and help the fellow gamers. Remeber to mention game name while submiting new codes.

Guides

Currently no guide available.

Achievements

Trophy List

Acquire the Sliver Fossil – Defeat the “Sliver Hive” deck in campaign mode. – Bronze

Burn Monster, Burn! – Lose the ‘Angry Mob’ encounter. – Bronze

Chandra’s Ally – Defeat Ramaz. – Gold

Defeat Ramaz’s Ally – Defeat the “Chant of Mul Daya” deck in campaign mode. – Bronze

Flawless Victory – Win a game without losing any life. – Bronze

In it to Win – Win 25 games. – Bronze

Lord of Foriys – Win a Two-Headed Giant game. – Bronze

Maestro of Sealed – Complete the Sealed campaign. – Silver

Masterful Strategist – Win a Multiplayer game. – Bronze

Recover the Scrying Shard – Defeat the “Enter the Dracomancer” deck in campaign mode. – Bronze

Sealed the Deal – Win a Sealed game. – Bronze

Secrets of the Dimir – Defeat the “Masks of the Dimir” deck in campaign mode. – Bronze

Skilled Tactician – Solve a Challenge. – Bronze

Spellbook Complete – Fully unlock one deck. – Bronze

Worthy Adversary – Defeat the “Avacyn’s Glory” deck in campaign mode. – Bronze

[iturbide]

Also please publish a list of your aus to whip up the rest of your fans into a frenzy 😉

pfffff okay to try and keep this at least marginally reasonable I’m going to limit descriptions to one/two lines

Crown of Shadows/Shrouded Throne: A split-path narrative where, to stop the civil war raging in Plegia, Robin comes to Ylisse to beg aid from Exalt Emmeryn.    After getting drafted by accident into the Shepherds, the Plegian and the Ylissean prince become fast friends – and very soon, something more.

Cursed Fate: Following Robin’s death, Chrom takes his body back to Plegia for burial; when a disembodied whisper confirms that there may be a chance to restore Robin’s life, Chrom goes on a quest through the Grimleal nation to bring together Grima’s remains.

Affectionately Yours: Accepting Plegia’s invitation to visit in his sister’s stead, Chrom rapidly comes to realize that everything he thought he knew about the halidom’s neighbor is at best a wild exaggeration thanks to the guidance of Plegia’s sovereign, Robin.

Accursed Divine: Robin is trapped in a curse that transforms her by day into a fell beast.  Once the curse is broken, the ensuing political drama follows Robin and Chrom uniting their countries after Robin’s ascension to the Plegian throne. 

Sigh No More: Arranged marriage AU where Chrom is married to Robin, who due to Validar’s ritual in her early life bears several Grima-esque features (including wings, tail, horns, etc). 

The Future Built Upon the Past: A look at the events of the doomed timeline and how it led to the course of events that eventually led Lucina to alter the course of fate. 

Butterfly: A split-path narrative where, after ascending to the Plegian throne, Robin reaches out to Emmeryn in an attempt to forge diplomatic ties that have long been neglected.  Initially distrustful of the Plegian emissary, Chrom is forced to come to terms with his own prejudices (and eventually his deeper feelings). 

Beyond Twilight’s Veil: When Risen begin appearing in Ylisse, Chrom ventures into Plegia on Emmeryn’s behalf to try to find a joint solution, meeting and readily befriending Robin along the way.  When things go wrong, leaving Robin half-transformed and Validar dead, the Shepherds are forced to flee Gangrel’s pursuit; two years later, Robin claims the Plegian throne and reaches out to Ylisse in an attempt to rebuild lost friendships. 

Pride and Joy: Raised in Plegia under Mustafa’s care, Robin is drafted into Validar’s assassination attempt on Emmeryn – but decides that the orders should not be fulfilled and defects, saving the Exalt’s life.  In the trials to follow, Robin tries to keep the Ylisseans safe from Gangrel’s forces without exposing her own wavering loyalties. 

Speaker for the Dead: Raised under Validar’s cruel abuse, Robin exists as little more than a hollow shell, surviving each day on the battlefield.  When Chrom reaches out to him on the battlefield and offers a glimpse of something better than the threat of death, Robin cautiously accepts and gradually begins to recover from the traumas of Validar’s upbringing. 

Prisoner of War: The Exalt’s war has left Plegia in ruins, its citizens scattered and the remnants of the army using guerrilla tactics to oppose the crusade.  When his father calls him to the front, Chrom is captured by the Plegian resistance, and rapidly discovers that everything he thought he knew about Plegia (and the Heart of Grima who took him captive) is wrong. 

Twist of Fate: A role reversal AU where Chrom awakens in Plegia with no memory and Robin finds him.  With the Exalt mounting a new push in his crusade, Chrom struggles with the questions about who he might have been before – and with his growing feelings for the Plegian who took him in. 

Manwearer: After becoming separated from his mother, Robin is raised by the taguel of Panne’s warren.  On hearing about a threat to the Exalt’s life, the warren mobilizes to her aid, and Robin and Panne ally with the Shepherds to uncover the deeper mystery behind the attack. 

As You Are: Robin comes to Ylisse on a diplomatic mission, hoping to warn the Exalt of a potential threat.  When an attack leaves the Plegian blind, Chrom confesses his feelings – only to be rebuffed as Robin believes that the feelings are born of guilt, leaving Chrom to grapple with what he fears are unrequited feelings.

Hard Reset: A bad-end Heroes AU where Muspell invades Askr and wipes out the Order of Heroes – but before Surtr can kill Kiran, they fire Breidablik, which somehow transports them to another Zenith.  Taken in by the Emblians, Kiran sets about trying to prevent the ruin that befell the world they were first summoned to. 

Kintsugi: A Golden Deer-based Three Houses fix-it AU, where Claude decides from the outset of his reunion with Byleth they’re going to save as many lives as possible.  

BONUS

Smoke and Mirrors: Pokemon AU where Robin and her Zoroark Reflet (who prefers a human guise that passes for her brother) join with Chrom, a Pokemon Ranger branching out into competitive training; and his sister Lissa, an aspiring pokemon medic.   This brings them into conflict with the Grimleal who are hunting for the Legendary Pokemon Giratina – a pokemon that Robin and Reflet have a very curious connection to. 

Design Defect: A modern AU where Robin is the son of the head of the Grimleal mafia who enters Ylisstol University and meets Chrom, son of Exalt Corp’s CEO and the heir to the family company.  While Robin might have some ulterior motives for getting close to Chrom at first, he quickly gets in over his head. 

Second Chances: After Chrom is summoned to Askr and finds the tactician he lost in the conflict with Grima, the two are finally free to have the relationship they were so long denied during their life in Ylisse. 

A House Divided: A speculative AU exploring what might have been had Alm and Celica not attacked Grima in the Thabes Labyrinth and instead took the dragon in.  He eventually befriends Tiki, and the two eventually come into conflict with Naga, who wants to destroy the abomination she fears is corrupting her daughter (and in so doing destroys her relationship with Tiki).

Heroes Canon: The constantly evolving situation in Zenith, which includes the dragon creche and the curious cases of villains truly going Hero. 

Pre-Timeskip Fix-It: A Black Eagles-based Three Houses fix-it AU where Byleth gets to shut down Edelgard’s alarming rhetoric every time she opens her mouth, and the Imperial princess stumbles her way through the process of becoming a better person. 

Spire Project: A Three Houses canon-divergent AU where the question of “what would have happened if Edelgard had hired Miklan to kill Claude and Dimitri at the start of the year?” snowballs into madness (when the summary is 17.5k words and 30 pages long, you know it’s gonna be a monster). 

Daycare AU (collab with AcquaSole): When single father Chrom switches his young daughter into Robin’s daycare center, he quickly finds himself getting close to the soft-spoken Plegian that Lucina has gotten so attached to. 

Feles Regem Aspeciat (collab with citadelity): Naga has possessed Chrom and taken over rule in the halidom.  Robin volunteers to become the inside man for the resistance in the hopes of finding a means to free Chrom from the divine’s control.

War Crimes (collab with anankos): The Exalt of Ylisse becomes willing host to Naga’s power in a bid to wipe Plegia off the map, but the Fell Dragon’s return puts the war in a deadlock.  Chrom is kidnapped and brought to Plegia in a desperate bid to open diplomatic channels, but when that fails he ends up as as a guest and becomes unlikely friends with Robin, the son of a Plegian tactician (who has more than a few secrets).

Assassin’s Creed: Awakening: The result of me playing too much Assassin’s Creed.  When Emmeryn is kidnapped and slated to become a Grimleal sacrifice, Chrom and the Shepherds rush to save her – only her rescue comes at Plegian hands, instead.  Defying his crusading father, Chrom chooses to stand by Robin and ends up embroiled in a millennia-old conflict between secret forces. 

Sibling AU: Grima as Robin’s protective older sibling.  When Emmeryn invites the recently-crowned king of Plegia to Ylisse for diplomatic discussions, Grima sneaks his younger brother along to show him the world he’s been missing, and both unexpectedly find new friends in what they long believed were enemy lands.  (Also woe betide poor Chrom when it comes to dating.)

Promare AU: I saw Promare.  It was great!  So much so that my brain folded Awakening’s setting and characters up all nice and neat and shoved them into Promare’s narrative arc.  And also it’s Chrobin because that’s who I am as a person.

Cardcaptor Lissa: Rewatching Cardcaptor Sakura blindsided me with the realization that Lissa would make a perfect Cardcaptor and things spiraled from there.

Vampire AU: Robin is a charming young man hired on to be Chrom’s manservant and bodyguard; unbeknownst to anyone, he hides a secret (vampiric) affliction. 

Mermaid AU: Everyone’s mermaids what else do you want from me

Life Goes On: My friend wrote a thing and it made me want to write things for the thing it’s all anankos’ fault i’m writing promare stuff now

[aion-rsa]

The Power Rangers “Reboot Universe” Is Exactly What The Franchise Needs

https://ift.tt/38dYBR6

In the early 1990s Mighty Morphin Power Rangers burst onto the scene and quickly became one of the hottest kids shows on the planet. Millions of toys were sold, ratings went through the roof, multiple copycats were created, and a big budget movie was put into production. Power Rangers’ place in pop culture was cemented and secured a long future for the franchise.

However, as the years went on and Power Rangers continued on television its fame slowly evaporated. It fell into the background; successive seasons of the TV show were enjoyed by new generations of kids and hardcore fans but never captured the public consciousness again like it had in the ‘90s. Multiple attempts were made to try and bring it back into the spotlight but they all had little success in the grand scheme of things.

The most recent attempt, the 2017 movie, was deemed a disappointment at the box office despite making its budget back and pleasing many fans. The TV show has mostly stuck to the same formula for the last ten years and has suffered slow erosion in its ratings. Still this isn’t the lowest point in Power Rangers history at all (arguably the rock bottom ratings of Power Rangers RPM.) There have been several successes recently, including the Power Rangers comics and Legacy Wars mobile game.

However, new franchise owners Hasbro want Power Rangers to be a massive success. They didn’t pay half a billion dollars to collect license fees and take up a small section of the toy aisle. They want Power Rangers to be big, to be its own cinematic universe… but after over twenty-years of attempts can Hasbro reinvent Power Rangers?

They’re about to try. Hasbro has tapped Jonathan Entwistle, known for his work on I Am Not Okay With This and The End of the F***ing World to “shepherd new film and television adaptations of Power Rangers.” Adaptations of Power Rangers that, a press release pointed out, will be “non-kid.” In addition they’re planning an animated Power Rangers and some form of continuation for the “kids-oriented” series whose 28th season is currently in production.

A movie. A “non-kid” TV show. Some form of animation. A kid TV show. That’s four major Power Rangers projects that have all been announced or discussed in the past few weeks. Not only that but Entwistle told Insider that what he’s working on is a “reboot universe” and a “whole new world” for the franchise.

This is by far the biggest push Power Rangers has ever received to bring it back into the spotlight and reinvent the franchise. Hasbro is betting big on Power Rangers and looks to be taking the franchise in directions it’s only brushed up against in the past. What do they all mean? How will they relate to each other? What does this mean for the TV series that’s been running for so long with one (mostly) continuing universe? Let’s break it all down because there’s a lot to discuss here.

The New Live-Action Power Rangers Movie

With Hasbro’s acquisition of Power Rangers and the 2017 Lionsgate/Saban Power Rangers movie’s lack of success, it was inevitable the new movie wouldn’t be a follow up to that film. We know for sure that the film will be live-action, Titans writer Bryan Edward Hill has been tapped to write the script, it will be more mature than the TV series  and Entwistle will be directing.

We aren’t sure if the story of the new film will follow the plot originally mentioned in reports back in December of a new team of Ranger time-traveling back to the 90’s. That movie was in the works with Hasbro and Paramount but Paramount hasn’t been mentioned in any of the recent press releases so it’s unclear if that story is still in play or not.

The “Non-Kid” TV Show

We know very little about this show but Entwistle will direct at least some of the episodes. What’s fascinating is how much the press release made a clear distinction between this project and the currently airing Power Rangers Beast Morphers. Specifically it stated, “in addition to the new non-kid projects under Entwistle, Power Rangers-inspired kid series Beast Morphers is currently in season two.”

Read more

TV

Power Rangers Seasons We Never Saw

By Shamus Kelley

TV

The Top 54 Power Rangers Episodes That Will Make You a Fan

By Shamus Kelley

If a Power Rangers TV show isn’t for kids, who will it be for? Besides the 2017 movie, which was aimed at a more general audience, Power Rangers was always first and foremost a show for kids. Even at its zenith the show never tried branching out into programs meant for teens or adults.

A mature Power Rangers was in fact something that previous owners of Power Rangers were starkly against. In 2015, director Joseph Kahn and producer Adi Shankar released the fan film Power/Rangers, a decidedly violent and sexual take on the franchise. Within hours the short was removed after a copyright claim from then franchise owner Saban Brands. The film was only allowed back up with extensive disclaimers noting it was a fan film and was not affiliated with Saban.

This new show could be targeted to teens or even solely for adults. We suspect it’ll probably be more teen/young adult focused (think the Arrowverse shows) for maximum audience potential but you never know. This alone could help Power Rangers redefine itself. By removing all the strict restrictions that come with making TV for younger audiences, Power Rangers would finally have the room to reinvent itself and explore new dramatic territory. It could shake off the monster of the week combined with moral lessons format and go in any direction it wanted. It could take the form of a bingeable “prestige” series, where it’s allowed to fully explore its characters and world to depths previously only dreamed about by fans. We could see a Riverdale style show (let’s call it “Angel Grove”) that focuses more on the characters’ romantic relationships with one another, something the series up to now has shied away from. It would even allow the show to have more intense action, the legendary stunt team able to go all out instead of pulling their punches for fear of their action being copied by children.

Power Rangers could be anything it wanted.

Will The Movie or TV Show Use Japanese Footage?

One of the hallmarks of Power Rangers is its use of footage from various Japanese Super Sentai series for some of its fight scenes and megazord battles. It’s been both a blessing and a curse to the show, saving it tons of money but also locking the show into themes or stories depending on the footage.

While so far no one has commented on whether the “non-kid” show or film will use Sentai footage, we’re fairly confident they won’t. It’s tough to reimagine the franchise while still being forced to use whatever Sentai is given to them. As much as fans love seeing how Power Rangers utilizes the footage, it does keep Hasbro from making exactly what they want. If they’re going to invest the money into a show and film, they want to have full control over it.

The footage from Sentai is also for kids and it’d be tough to add that to even a teen program and get the general audience to take it seriously. Power Rangers fans, after years of exposure to the franchises over the top nature, sometimes miss that, to an outsider, the action of Power Rangers is silly and takes them out of the story. That’s one of the delightful charms of the show if you’re a fan but to outsiders it’s a massive stumbling block. Without it, Power Rangers can finally grow and change in ways it hasn’t been able to in years.

Plus, the art of cutting up Japanese programs and reselling them to America in drastically altered states is archaic at this point. It’s a relic of the ‘90s that somehow managed to survive in Power Rangers. It doesn’t need to continue.

Power Rangers “New Animation”

As reported by No Pink Spandex, Casey Collins (Senior VP, Global Consumer Products, Hasbro) stated on Oct. 6th at the Europse Festival of Licensing event that Hasbro is exploring content for the franchise, which includes “new animation.” Entwisle also stated in the Insider interview that he’s working on animation for the franchise.

Unlike the movie and general audience  series, there was no statement regarding what age group the animated series would be aimed at. The only thing we know for sure is that Entwistle is overseeing it.

In its 27 year history there’s never been an official Power Rangers animated series. Some pitches have been leaked and various people associated with the brand have spoken about the possibility in the past but nothing official ever came to light.

Read more

TV

Power Rangers: A Guide to the Multiverse

By Shamus Kelley

TV

Power Rangers and How It Adapted From Super Sentai

By Shamus Kelley

The possibilities for an animated Power Rangers series are endless. With animation you can do anything you want and you certainly wouldn’t (and couldn’t) use Japanese live-action footage with it. There’s an infinite canvas, whether they want to tell stories that flesh out the world and characters of the film/live-action show, a totally separate story, or a series that skews towards adults akin to Castlevania on Netflix. They could even use it to dive into the continuity of the kid show… although some comments from Entwistle make us suspect that won’t be the case. 

Speaking of…

The New Reboot Universe

Entwistle stated in the Insider interview, “I am now running the new Power Rangers reboot universe from scratch… I’m mapping out a whole new world of movies and television and animation.” Calling it a reboot universe makes us 99% certain these projects will break with the continuity of the kids TV series and create something that completely stands on its own.

This wouldn’t be the first time. The 1995 film, though taking many elements from the TV series, was in its own continuity. The 2017 film also served as a complete reboot, starting the universe over from scratch. The TV show itself contains seasons that are set in alternate universes. Even the current Power Rangers comic books, though trying to stick to key events of the show, take place in their own universe.

Hasbro has a key interest in building “entertainment universes” around their core properties (as stated in a recent press release) and doing that with a franchise like Power Rangers is a smart move. The thought of abandoning the 27 year old continuity may anger some fans but it’s the right move. It makes sure no one in the audience feels left out and it avoids the admittingly messy continuity the show’s developed over the years. 

All this doesn’t mean we’re seeing the end of the Power Rangers kids TV though.

The Kid Show

With all this talk of new universes and projects, fans have been wondering what will happen to the Power Rangers TV show as we know it. Currently the 28th season, Power Rangers Dino Fury is in production and its first season will air on Nickelodeon next year.

Past that, things start to get hazy.  

We know that Dino Fury will have more than one season, thanks to a report from Worldscreen (via NPS.) Olivier Dumont (President of Family & Brands, eOne, which Hasbro owns) stated that they are working on “the first season of Power Rangers Dino Fury.” However, Power Rangers is only guaranteed to be on Nickelodeon through 2021. After that, no one knows where the show will end up. It could potentially move to another network (or streaming service) but this means we’ll have Power Rangers through 2022. That doesn’t mean the show will remain untouched by Entwistle or Hasbro’s new plans for the brand.

As reported by NPS, Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner stated in a Third Quarter 2020 Eagnings Conference Call that Entwistle is handling, “the kids-oriented TV show that’s in its 27th season.” This raises a ton of questions. What is Entwistle’s level of involvement with Dino Fury and will it tie into the new reboot universe? Will he continue to handle the show going forward after Dino Fury? Will it keep using Japanese footage? There’s also the strange distinction made in the initial press release about these projects where Beast Morphers was referred to as a “Power Rangers-inspired kid series.” What does that mean? What makes the kids TV series “Power Rangers-inspired?” Is this some kind of new legal or corporate distinction to keep the kids show separate from the new projects?

It’s hard to answer any of these questions without more information. We can only speculate that perhaps the kids show will continue on in the “original” continuity (along with the Sentai footage) while Entwistle will simply make sure it somewhat matches the tone or aesthetic of the other projects. Another possibility is that the kids show will take place in the new “reboot universe” and it will completely drop the Sentai footage. 

The Future of Power Rangers

To quote the final line of Power Rangers Time Force, “the future looks pretty bright.” Of course some of these projects may not get off the ground. That’s Hollywood, but seeing how committed Hasbro is to Power Rangers with multiple shows in the works gives us a lot of hope. They’ll be different from what fans are used to, no doubt, but that’s what Power Rangers needs right now. Becoming a teen or adult show/film that doesn’t use Sentai footage may be off putting to hardcore fans but it’s the kind of move that’ll draw in a whole new audience. It could reinvent what people think of Power Rangers and that’ll help it grow after years of relative stagnation in pop culture. There’s been a lot of great work for the fans done over the years (the 2017 movie, the recent Boom comics, the Legacy Wars mobile game) but to really make a splash in the wider entertainment world, Power Rangers needs to do something bold and these new projects could be just that.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

For over 20 years Power Rangers has tried to recapture the success of the original MMPR and never succeeded. There are many reasons for that but perhaps the announcements of these new projects show that Hasbro is finally done with trying to reach that zenith. Instead, it’s forging a new path. One that could bring Power Rangers a new level of success in a totally different realm. We’re fascinated to see how it goes.

The post The Power Rangers “Reboot Universe” Is Exactly What The Franchise Needs appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3k0Yqen

[maswartz]

Power Rangers Zenith Force (Original plan)

====================CONTEXT========================= As the title states this was my original plan to adapt Zenkaiger. I came up with the basic premise a few years ago for an original team. A team of Rangers who each survived the destruction of their teams who would unite to face the threat that destroyed their teams. When I heard the early rumors for Zenkaiger it sounded perfect. I even included Power Gears of Ranger teams that we’ve never heard of to give the implication that the threat wasn’t just to the teams we were familiar with. Then came the Kikanoids... When it turned out that four of the core five were gonna be robots I was not the most optimistic, to the point I planned on having a friend draw more “ranger like” versions of them to use instead. However when the rumors for Kaito’s upgrade started I was planning on adding a robotic Green ranger and from there I realized I had come up with a perfect way to utilize the Kikanoid stuff. That lead to the official Zenith Force. However I’m posting this because I hate to let good ideas sit abandoned. Here’s a list of each of the teams the Rangers came from and their various zords. =====================================================

(Logo by MasterPikachu6)

Throughout the universe there are countless teams of Power Rangers. Each one drawing power from the Morphing Grid. For eons only the Rangers could access this great power. That is no longer true. One dark day four worlds were attacked. Their Rangers fought valiantly but they fell. Only one ranger from each team survived to be captured by the villains. The villains had found a way to not only access the grid but drain its power. Rangers throughout the universe found themselves at half strength, all their zords but their personal ones no longer operational. Even their suits are dimmed. Meanwhile the four rangers found each other in captivity and by working together they managed to escape their cell. After stealing some blasters from the armory they discovered a fifth ranger, a Morphing Master. He explained that he had been captured and the villains experimented on him to discover how to access the grid. Now united the Rangers escaped in a ship programmed to fly to the next target, Earth. On Earth they are attacked by their enemy and even without their morphers they fight back. Suddenly a blinding light emerges from their morphers, a surge of power from the Grid combined with the power of the Morphing Master rebuilds their morphers combining them with the stolen blasters. No longer are they rangers from different teams. They are the Power Rangers Zenith Force! And their mission is to defeat the villains, avenge their teams, and restore the Morphing Grid to its proper power. Unite the Powers!

Augustus- Power of the Elements! White Zenith Ranger!- Power Rangers Elemental Charge- A team of Rangers with high speed vehicles powered by the elements/warriors charged by the elements who defended the world of Gorang. The Sixth Ranger who must become a leader Augustus would always swoop in at the last moment to save his team. After his team’s adventures he realized he was a Morphing Master. His capture by the villains is what allows them to gain access to the Grid. His guilt over this drives him onward. Face Claim: Dev Patel

Rex- Power of The Dinosaurs! Red Zenith Ranger!- Power Rangers Dino Might- The royal family of a tribe that worships dinosaurs take up swords empowered by the dinosaurs to defend their people from an ancient evil on the planet Zakar. The Leader who lost his team Rex was the father of his team, his wife, two sons, and daughter were the other rangers (sixth was daughter's boyfriend and then fiance) he learned to let his children grow up only to lose them all. His heart broken by the loss he takes out his fury on the Machination hoping one day to be reunited with his family. Face Claim: Pedro Pascal

Maxi- Power of The Relics! Blue Zenith Ranger!- Power Rangers Relic Hunters- A group of explorers are hired by a government agency dedicated to locating and guarding relics of power from those who would misuse them on the world of Boukan. The genius who lost confidence in her knowledge Maxi was the science expert of her team, she took great pride in her inventions only to watch them all be destroyed along with her team. In time she begins experimenting with the Gears regaining her faith in herself. Face Claim: Emerald Fennell

Leonidas- Power of The Wild! Yellow Zenith Ranger!- Power Rangers Beast Spirits- A group of animal activists are empowered by the spirits of animals to defend a sacred paradise for wild beasts from those seeking to destroy it on the planet of Gaor. The Big Guy who wasn’t strong enough Leonidas used to rush in without thinking, always trusting his strength to get him out of trouble. In time he grew to plan before acting only for him to watch as his team's plans fell apart in their final battle. He trains constantly blaming himself for not being strong enough to save his friends. Face Claim: Daveed Diggs

Titania- Power of The Mystics! Pink Zenith Ranger!- Power Rangers Mythical Warriors- After a dark sacrifice is stopped by an order of light mages a group is trained to become warriors of magic who defend the world of Magin. The Broken Heart Titania was the cheerful one who grew and matured. Now she tries to tell jokes the other members of her team liked to help the others smile, including herself. She tries not to cry for his lost friends knowing they’d want her to be happy. Face Claim: Ayo Edebiri

Barth- Power of The Engines! Gold Zenith Ranger! Power Rangers Aquatic Admirals- A team who use hybrids of aquatic animals and vehicles to fight evil on the high seas of the planet Gouki. The Mentor without pupils Barth was the mentor of his team, he created the tech and weapons they used. He used that knowledge to aid him after escaping his cell on the Machination’s space station. Taking shelter in a scrap room he built himself a pair of robotic assistants named RedRobo and BlueBot using the last of his morpher’s power to bring them online. Surviving on rationed “Substance Bars” he managed to stay one step ahead of his captors until managing to escape to Earth. On Earth he found the others and thanks to Augustus’s link to the grid his morpher was upgraded to a Zenith Morpher allowing him to become a ranger once more. He can combine with RedRobo to gain blades and a shield or BlueBot to gain a blaster and enhanced speed. Face Claim: Matthew Gray Gubler

Mizuki- Power of the Spirits! Silver Zenith Ranger! Power Rangers Chinobi- Team that harnesses their chi to create weapons against evil on the planet Kahurin. The lonely shadow who misses her friends Mizuki was the quiet loner of her team but when the Machination struck them down she sneaked on board their ship to avenge her fallen teammates. She stayed hidden in the shadows of their station for months gathering intelligence before fleeing to join up with the Zenith Rangers. She is haunted by the things she wish she told her friends when she had the chance.

Face Claim: Malika Lim

Celia- Power of the Melodies! Purple Zenith Ranger!- Power Rangers Harmonic Melody- A team who utilize a special melody to enhance their strength to defend the world of Bafev Ja The Ranger turned weapon seeking revenge Celia was forced to watch her entire team fall around her including her girlfriend. Captured by the Machination she was subjected to brainwashing to turn her into their weapon to defeat the Zenith Rangers. She managed to resist the control as long as she could but in the end she broke. Her memories of her time as a Ranger were buried, now believing herself to be a loyal member of the Machination they set her loose on the Zenith Rangers as their Dark Ranger. In battle against the zords she would pilot the Dark Mechazord During one such battle Augustus’s link to the grid allowed him to get a glimpse of the hidden memories within. Briefly breaking free she turned on her captors until she was brainwashed once more. During the next battle Augustus repeated her team’s morphing call finally breaking her free.

Seeking revenge for her team, for her lover, and for herself she joined the Zenith Rangers. The others would often find her humming a tune her girlfriend made for her. Face Claim: Ciara Hanna

Power Gears- The Power Gears are gears the Machination created during their experiments into the Morphing Grid. Each one contains the power of a team of Power Rangers. During an early raid on a Machination lab the Zenith Rangers claim a case containing a collection of Gears they split among themselves, each having a set of favorites. The default Gear allows the Rangers to summon a weapon or attack from the team the Gear is based on while it turns Cogger into Morphed Cogger. A charged up Power Gear is called a Mega Gear and allows the Rangers to summon the weapon of the primary Megazord of that team while it grows Morphed Cogger into giant size. Augustus- Based on elements Elemental Charge- Elemental Blast Full Charge | Mega- Elemental Drill Eltar- Charged ball of morphing energy | Mega-Copter Blade Swords Dance Beat- Sonic Staff | Mega- Dance Beat Blade Cosmic Spark- Charges attack with lightning | Mega- Rocket Blaster Lost Galaxy-Galaxy Elemental Power | Mega- Condor Galactazord Missile Mode Guardian Spirits- Guardian Cards | Mega- Guardian Megazord Saber Storm Surge- Fires a blast of intense heat |  Mega- Storm Saber (Team based on weather) Rex- Based on Dinosaurs and other ancient animals, prefers to use his own power rather than rely on that of others Dino Might- Slash of the Ages | Mega- Tyrex Blade MMPR- Power Blaster | Mega- Power Sword  and Mastodon Shield Dino Thunder- Tyranno Staff | Mega- Dino Drill Fossil Spirits- Fossil Spear | Mega- Tricera Driller and Stego Sword Ancient Knights-Knight Saber | Mega- Ancient Slasher Primeval Beasts- Mammoth Tusk Blade | Mega- Mammoth Tusk Sabers (Team based on ancient mammals) Maxi- Based on scientific teams she uses the most as she enjoys experimenting with various teams Relic Hunters- Search and Destroy | Mega- Crane Grapple and Wrecking Mace Royal Flush- Card Storm | Mega- Royal Flush Staff Treasure Trackers- Treasure Whip | Mega- Drill Lance Dyna Might- Blast Punch | Mega- Dyna Bazooka Atomic Burst- Atomic Blast | Mega- Atomic Sword Penta Academy- Penta Blade | Mega- Penta Sword Space- Spiral Saber | Mega- Astro Megazord Saber Time Force- Chrono Pause | Mega- Time Force Megazord Saber S.P.D- Delta Blasters | Mega- Mega Delta Blaster Operation Overdrive- Defender Vest | Mega- Drive Saber Shooting Star Squadron- Star Morpher Blast | Mega- Shooting Star Blast Phantom Justice- Duo Morpher | Mega- Phantom Saw and Justice Baton or Phantom Gatling and Justice Blaster Leonidas- Based on animals, he loves to see what animals different teams are bonded to. Beast Spirits- Spirits of the Wild | Mega- Roaring Slash Trisol- Solar Burst |  Mega- Solar Ax Nature's Guardians- Nature Saber | Mega- Nature Blasters Avian Armada- Wings | Mega- Avian Saber Wild Force- Jungle Sword | Mega- Fin Sword Beast Might- Primal Power | Mega- Beast Sword Natural Fury- Roar of Rage | Mega- Fury Blade (Team based on extinct animals) Titania- Based on magic, she is fascinated by all the various styles of magic. Mythical Warriors- Mythical Blast | Mega- Mythical Blade Alchemist Adventurers- MagTec BlasterBlade | Mega- Alchemist Saber Prism Protectors- Prism Blast | Mega- Prism Saber Zeo- Zeo Crystal Blast | Mega- Zeo Megazord Saber Mystic Force- Magi Staff | Mega- Titan Saber Mystech Mages- Spell Shooter | Mega- Mystech Sword Arcane Wrath- Arcane Spell Burst | Mega- Arcane Sword (Team bonded to arcane spirits of magic) Stellar Spells- Stellar Wand | Mega- Stellar Saber (Team uses spells powered by stars) Barth- Based on Pirates and Vehicles Aquatic Admirals- Aqua Wave Slash | Mega-Aquatic Sword Robo Racers-Racer Rush | Mega- Racing Blaster Turbo- Turbo Boost | Mega- Turbo Megazord Saber Lightspeed Rescue-  V Lancer | Mega- Lightspeed Megazord Saber RPM- Road Blaster | Mega- Super Saber Pirate Legends- Legend Slash | Mega-Pirate Sabers Biotec Busters- Biotec Blaster | Mega- Biotec Sabre Rail Warriors-Rail Slasher | Mega- Railway Saber Rapid Rescue- Rapid Blaster | Mega- Rapid Saber (Team used high speed rescue vehicles) Mizuki- Based on Chi and warriors Chinobi- Chi Charge | Mega- Chi Slash Universal Aura- Aura Punch | Mega- Aura Saber Thunder Spirits- Chi Blast | Mega- Thunder Megazord Saber Aquitar- Aquitar Saber| Mega- Ninja Megazord Punch Ninja Storm- Ninja Glider  | Mega- Serpent Sword Jungle Fury- Animal Spirits | Mega- Jungle Nunchucks Bushido Blades- Sevenfold Samurai Slash  | Mega-  Bushido Megazord Blade Shinobi Strike- Shinobi Saber | Mega- Shinobi Megazord Blade Wild Spirit- Spirit Roar | Mega-  Wild Slash (Team bonded to beasts made of aura) Celia doesn’t want to use the tech of the Machination after her time serving them against her will. As such she doesn’t use any of the Gears save for the Harmonic Melody one. Harmonic Melody- Sonic Pulse | Mega- Sonic Blast Their new Zenith powers also rebuild their zords. White- Zenith Jet Zord- A high speed jet rebuilt by the infusion of power. Can convert into Warrior Mode Red- Zenith Tyrex Zord- A mighty dinosaur reborn by the infusion of power. Can convert into Warrior Mode Blue- Zenith Hauler Zord- A powerful vehicle rebuilt by the infusion of power. Can convert into Warrior Mode Yellow- Zenith Lion Zord- An roaring beast reborn by the infusion of power. Can convert into Warrior Mode Pink- Zenith Drago Zord- A mythical dragon reborn by the infusion of power. Can convert into Warrior Mode Gold- Zenith CrocoShip Zord- A hybrid of beast and machine rebuilt and reborn by the infusion of power. Can convert to the CrocoShip Megazord. Silver- Zenith Eagle Zord- A soaring eagle reborn by the infusion of power. Can convert into Warrior Mode Purple- Zenith Hummer Zord- A melodic vehicle rebuilt by the infusion of power. Can convert into a Warrior Mode Zenith Duozord Savage Fang- Combines the savage power of the Lion and the ancient power of the Tyrex. Armed with a claw and a sword and shield. Zenith Duozord Spell Tracker- Combines the magical power of the Drago and the mechanical power of the Hauler. Armed with a magic wand and a pickax. Zenith Duozord Savage Tracker- Combines the savage power of the Lion and the mechanical power of the Hauler. Armed with a claw and a pickax. Zenith Duozord Spell Fang- Combines the magical power of the Drago and the ancient power of the Tyrex. Armed with a magic wand and a sword and shield.

Zenith Megazord- Combines the five Zenith Zords into one warrior. White- Torso and head Red/Yellow- Arms Blue/Pink- Legs Zenith CrocoShip Megazord- Has two modes depending which robot helps activate it RedRobo- Grants the megazord a slashing blade BlueBot- Grants the megazord a shooting blaster Zenith Duozord Shadow Song- Combines the shadow power of the Eagle and the harmonic power of the Hummer with a ninja star and microphone

The Machination Following the Z-Wave the surviving members of the Royal House of Gadgetry, the princes Gasket and Sprocket and princess Archerina retreated to the Machine homeworld to rebuild their forces before heading into a distant galaxy to begin anew. Now calling themselves The Machination they would invade planets and add their technology to their own, increasing their power.

Their ultimate plan is to find a way to tap into the Morphing Grid and harness its power for themselves. In order to do this they capture a morphing master and use him to study the grid leading to weaponry that can disrupt morphs. With these weapons they launch an attack on multiple worlds. The survivors of this attack find their way to Earth where they become the Zenith Rangers. The Machination targets them as they are the only ones stopping them from having exclusive access to the Grid.

King Gasket- A mighty king who has rebuilt himself to boost his power Queen Archerina- A tactical genius who plans the invasions. Duke Sprocket- No longer a child he is now a fearsome warrior General Caliber- The leader of the Machination’s forces. A terror in battle. Professor Circuit- The scientist in charge of adapting new technology into the Machination, he runs the Morphing Grid research. Chancellor Oracom- The royal advisor who sacrificed their body and had themselves installed into the royal data banks to increase their intelligence. Crowbolt- A robotic bird who gathers data and feeds it to Oracom. Cogger- The footsoldiers of The Machination fueled by the stolen energy of the Morphing Grid. A Cogger can be upgraded with added power to become a Morphed Cogger.

Morphers- Zenith Morphers Morphing Call- Zenith Power! Morphing- The rangers shoot out a Ranger Gear that passes over them. As it does their original ranger suit appears briefly before breaking apart and reforming as their Zenith suit. (Faces by Joekeybladeaura, suits {would have been} by Chuckles-The-Jester)

Powerverse