There was plenty to process this week in Saban‘s Go Go Power Rangers #10, but the Ranger’s delightful mentor Alpha 5 was responsible for one of the best moments of the book.
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Spoilers incoming for Saban’s Go Go Power Rangers #10, so if you haven’t read the issue yet you can check out our spoiler-free review right here.
ComicBook.com had the chance to chat with Go Go Power Rangers writer Ryan Parrott, BOOM! Studios Senior Editor Dafna Pleban, and Saban Brands Director of Power Rangers Content Melissa Flores to talk about the latest issue, including one specific moment involving Alpha 5.
The moment occurs towards the end of the book, as Ranger Slayer walks into the Command Center (she does have a power coin after all) and proceeds to scramble Zordon and dish out some punishment to Alpha 5. She does some significant damage too, even ripping off his arm, but when she offers him the chance to help her and survive Alpha turns to her and responds “I say…Aye…Yi…Yi…” His response is perfect, and despite being his tradition catchphrase you can’t help but read it as incredibly defiant and a bit like giving someone the…well, you know.
Alpha’s received a fair share of punishment in Shattered Grid, including that painful appearance in the Annual, but when we asked why the crew hates Alpha 5 so much, Dafna stepped in to say that this moment really is quite the opposite for the beloved Power Rangers figure.
“Actually you read it exactly correctly,” Pleban said. “Ryan wrote that scene, not out of…the phrase you used but like, “Up yours” but pleasant. That’s a hero moment for Alpha 5. He shows up. He’s been kicked to crap and he still shows up and helps save the day.”
According to Ryan, we haven’t seen the last of the fight either, and it could end up being Alpha-5’s most defiant and triumphant moment when all is said and done.
“There’s another part to that fight that’s going to happen in the next issue so you don’t know if its … you know? Here’s the thing,” Parrott said. “Alpha 5 is not a fighter, but that boy is loyal to the core. So, that’s what I love about him. You said that he’s saying “Aye, Yi, Yi.” His catchphrase is always … it’s so in-tune to who he is. I love the idea that he got up and was like, “Aye…Yi…Yi.” It’s just, “Come on, man. Bring it on. I know I’m not going to win but I’m going to try anyways.” So, that’s like Alpha … I just think that’s the most heroic you can be when you take on somebody that you know you don’t have the skills to take them on but you do it anyway. So, I don’t hate him at all. I love him. I think he’s loyal to the core.”
While he very well might get the victory in the end, it still hurts a bit to see the beloved figure in pain.
“I do have to say, it does hurt me every time Alpha 5 gets hurt,” Flores said. “Dafna and I know … Dafna knows I’m like, “What do you guys have against Alpha 5. Leave the poor guy alone.” Everybody wants to hurt him. But, like you said, I think this moment is so appropriate, in this book, for that very reason. Alpha, he’s seen as the weak one, right? He’s seen as this easy target, and you see his spirit and his resilience and the love he has for the kids in just this one page, and I think that’s fantastic. And, if there’s ever a moment that led up to this and deserved it, it was this one. That doesn’t say though that it doesn’t hurt me. Like when I saw the inks sent in of Alpha’s poor little face, it did hurt me a little bit.”
In fact, it kind of hurt Ryan too after he got the art back from artist Dan Mora, whose visuals are such a crucial part of the series.
“Dan has done that to me a few times,” Parrott said. “I’ll write something and then he’ll draw it and I’m like, “I didn’t mean to make it like that.” But not in a bad way, more of a, “Oh, that’s going to be rough.” Like when you see the arm, Ranger Slayer’s holding Alpha’s arm I was like, “aww,” I didn’t mean to write that, that was painful but a smart play, yeah.”
You can read the full issue of Saban’s Go Go Power Rangers #10 right now, available in comic shops everywhere. If you want even more coverage of Power Rangers and Shattered Grid, you can follow me @MattMuellerCB and our stories on the CB Power Rangers Hub right here.
