Knight of the Infinite Aurora (Episode)

"Knight of the Infinite Aurora", is the Fifth Episode of Power Rangers Aether and the end of the "Aether Determined Destiny" Arc. It is the first offical apperance of Ryo Matsubara as the Red Aether Ranger, and of the Demon Machine General Heket.

Summary
The identity of the Red Rider is revealed when the Rangers come across an injured man in the forrest just outside of town. He is brought in for questiong and he reveals the reason why he and the Black Rider were after the Zenith Crystals. He reveals the Black Rider was in possession of another Crystal similar to their Zenith Crystals. Now She's been captured by Briezora, he knows they'll use her as an enemy. When the Rangers face off against one of Galexia's Cybershades and the possessed Black Rider; the Final peice of the Zenith Crystal reveals itself as a new Ranger appears.

Main
When a group of the Rangers are out for an early morning run near the Angel Grove forest, they come across the injured Red Rider. It appears there was a struggle, and the Black Rider is no where to be seen. They decide to take the injured man back to the base to treat his wounds and get answers from him.

On the moon base, the Black Rider is brought before King Aradon, and is revealed to be possessed by the spirit of one of Briezora's former Demon Generals; Heket. Her soul was caught in a crystal which was created centuries ago whenever Tenshii and Briezora had their final battle.

The Red Rider awakes in the Alpha base Infirmary, and is questioned by the Rangers about why he and the Black Rider were after the Zenith Aether Crystal. He doesn't tell them anything more than he planned only on borrowing the power. He mentions a woman named Ashe Black (AKA the Black Rider), was the one who told him the Crystal's power would work. He tells them his name is Ryo Matsubara, and explains to them why he has the abilities he has.

Ryo is a member of the Shokan-Shi Sentai Aurora Rangers; Sentai Rangers who are summoners and weild control of the elements. He is the representative of three summoner tribes of the Southern Fire Element. He is ther former leader of his team; but has left them to persue his own personal mission, which required the power of the Aether Crystal.

He mentions Ashe Black, the woman he was travelling with told him the Crystal was key to doing what needed to be done. He mentions she was kidnapped, and the Machine Empire was probably after the Black Crystal she had in her possession. Tenshii informs Liam this may mean Ashe is being possessed by one of Briezora's Generals by the name of Heket.

While Liam and the others go to inform the other Rangers of the current situation they encounter Heket, who has come down to Angel Grove in the company of the Cryofever Cybershade, and engage in combat with the two.

Meanwhile back at the United Alliance Base, Ryo tells Romi he knows about the spirit possessing Ashe, and knows they might have to kill her to save her. However, he tells Romi he won't be able to watch it happen to Ashe, not only because Ashe is his best friend, but also because it reminds him too much of what happened to his brother; Ryu.

A while prior to Ryo beginning his travels with Ashe in search of the Zenith Aether Crystals; while Ryo was still the leader of the Aurora Rangers, he had been chosen as the summoner who was to represent his family over his brother; which resulted in his brother's jealousy overcoming him, and him being manipulated by the sorceress which the Aurora Rangers fought against. Ryu, later sacrificed himself to become one with the Celestial Beasts which Ryo's team drew their powers from; which caused Ryu to be sealed away within the summoning gems. Ryo felt guilty about what had happened; as Ryu had taken his place at the time.

Ryo realizes Heket had probably tricked him into helpping him find the other Aether Crystals, as he was already in possession of one peice of it. He realized she was probably just going to stab him in the back and take the crystal from him, and the crystal was probably never going to help his brother. Instead he resolves to try to free Ashe from Heket's control, by joining the Aether Rangers as the Red Aether Ranger.

Romi and Ryo arrive at the battle to find their fellow Rangers have their hands full between the Cybershade and Heket. All the Rangers fight against Heket and the Cybershade for a bit, before combining their Eidolon energies to summon their ultimate team weapon; the Crystal Lotus Cannon. They fire the weapon at Heket, in hopes the pure Aether energy will dispel the dark spirit. They are dismayed to find Heket is able to counter them, by using an Eidolon of her own: the Frog Eidolon; and turns the blast of the cannon back at them.

Heket engages in battle against Lianjie, and nearly defeats him, however something strange happens, and Heket finds herself losing control over Ashe's body, and unable to fight with out resistence from Ashe. Heket decides to flee to return back to the Moon base, but not before she uses a serum Galexia gave to her in order to make the Cryofever Cybershade transform into it's larger form of a Gigashadow.

The Eidolons appear and use their powers to become the Eidolozords, Larger more power-uped versions of the Eidolons, which are pioleted by the Rangers. Together the Eidolons take down the Cryofever Gigashadow.

Back at the Moon base, Heket is trying to recover from the loss of control she experienced. Galexia determines she lost control because she wasn't near a source of adequate Nadir Aether Energy in order to sustain her soul, thus breaking her supression of the human's body she was possessing. She offers to modify Heket's machine armor to prevent this from happening.

Epilouge
Ryo sits out on the balcony of an apartment, alone at night. Thinking about his brother, and how he might not be able to save him like originally thought. Ryo temporarily feels guilty over the possibility he might have taken the only other chance his brother might have had to become a Ranger like he wanted.

He has a breif conversation with the spirit of his brother; and is offered encouragement.

Monster of the Day

 * General Heket - (Retreats)
 * CyberShade Cryofever ► Gigashadow Cryofever

Deleted/ Altered Scenes

 * The Scene with Ryo on the balcony of the apartment at the end of the chapter was originally supposed to be a conversation between Ryo and Aisha, rather than Ryo and his brother Ryu.

Trivia

 * This episode marks the offical appearance of Ryo Matsubara as an Aether Ranger (though not his first apperance as a character)


 * The college Joey attended in Arkansas is not mentioned by name---but it is implied not to be the University of Arkansas (which he dressed as the mascot for). However the college is alluded to by Romi when she calls Joey "Wonder Boy"; referencing the mascot of Arkansas Tech University.
 * This is the real life college the author attended.


 * Romi's astral projections are in blue to match her ranger color, and they appear to have full sight. However she mentions she can't stay projected for too long because it could cause migraines and brain damage.


 * Lianjie knows a little bit of Japanese, as his mother used to teach English in Japan.


 * This chapter marks the first apperance of the Demon General Heket.


 * The Black Rider is given the name "Ashe Black"


 * This is the first Chapter where the Rangers use the Crystal Lotus Cannon as a team weapon.


 * This is also the first apperance of a Giant form for the Cybershade Monsters, and the first apperance of the Eidolozords.

Links
Knight of the Infinite Aurora: On FF.Net

Knight of the Infinite Aurora : On AO3