Welcome to an all new edition of Parlay points, the complementary blog to the ODPH Podcast! On this edition….we have finally arrived at the end of the epic story “The Eltarian War”, which has been making waves in the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers comic universe by Boom Studios. Between Mighty Morphin & Power Rangers, Ryan Parrott and the rest of the creative teams have crafted such an incredible story that has hit every benchmark you can think of. It has had some memorable moments that no matter your fandom level of the rangers, readers haven’t been able to put the books down after starting to read them.

POWER RANGERS #16 by Parrott, Francesco Mortarino, Christian Prunesti, Raul Angulo, & Ed Dukeshire closes the final chapter on this story. Let’s see how everything ends, shall we?

POWER RANGERS #16 - On Sale Feb. 16th
Creative: Ryan Parrott, Francesco Mortarino, Christian Prunesti, Raul Angulo, & Ed Dukeshire (Cover by Gerald Parel)
Credit: Boom Studios

*** POTENTIAL SPOILER WARNING ***

The whole story has centered around 3 key figures in the MMPR universe: Zordon, Lord Zedd, & their long lost ally Zartus. As Zartus re-appeared in their lives, he brought with his allies & a plan to take down his old friends. With the fate of the universe in the balance, readers saw unlikely alliances unfold. None more personal than Zordon & Lord Zedd. Mighty Morphin #16 closed up most of the stories happening in this saga. Power Rangers #16 serves as an epilogue to what has transpired.

The issue opens with Lord Zedd coming to terms on what has happened with his former allies. The conversation is personal & really brings everything back full circle on what these long time adversaries have been thru. After that, The majority of the issue sums up the impact this has taken on Zordon. He has taken a lot of damage and is running out of time in his current state. There’s a few standout moments that readers will definitely enjoy here.

Meanwhile, Zartus’s last remaining forces come to terms with their defeat. The fallout from this is very clear on the heroes who have fought the good fight during this story. Everyone involved is walking away from this battle changed, which is how it should be with an epic like this. The new direction for both books is set & readers have a lot to be excited for after the Eltarian War.

Give the credit where credit i due. Everything Ryan Parrott has done with this story has been nothing short of phenomenal. Parrott captured the friendship of the past & the animosity of the present between these former allies. The whole story’s heart and soul has been the connection of Zordon, Zedd & Zartus. Even with all the huge action (& trust me, there is plenty with this story), the moments of conversation are what really stands out with “The Eltarian War".” For this issue specifically, Zordon’s conversation with Zedd really puts a nice closure to this saga.

Mortarino’s art really shines thru this issue. The look of Lord Zedd’s one eye starting is a very cool visual that adds something to the conversation with Zordon. Another stand out moment is a “wish” from Zordon which will hit readers in the emotions. There’s another quiet moment with a few characters saying goodbye that Mortarino does a great job presenting to the readers. Solid job all around.

Overall, “The Eltarian War” closes on a strong, emotional note. For long-time MMPR readers, there is much to enjoy and take from this instant classic! For new readers, the story is a great presentation of how to do a BIG event. To be honest, MMPR was never my biggest fandom & I just started reading these books before the “war” kicked off. Now, they’re both must-reads each issue. Make a point to get this whole story next time you hit the LCS. You won’t be disappointed!

Let me know on Twitter what you thought of Power Rangers #16 & “The Eltarian War” overall.

As always, Thanks for reading!

POWER RANGERS #16 (BOOM STUDIOS)

Ken M