The Rise and Fall of Count Nocturne

The Rise and Fall of Count Nocturne is the 40th episode of Power Rangers: Aero. It is a Carlos Vallerte-focused episode.

Summary
While on his way home from Bulk and Skull's Scary Film Festival, Carlos is ambushed and bitten in the park by Telissa's latest monster, Count Nocturne. The next day, Carlos slowly starts to develop the attributes of a vampire, and the other Power Rangers quickly try to cure him and take down Count Nocturne. Meanwhile, Bulk and Skull are determined to slay Carlos before he turns his friends into vampires too.

Plot
Carlos and Dylan attend a vampire film festival being held at the Youth Center by Bulk and Skull. Carlos complains about having to watch yet another one. Telissa finds the idea of Carlos disliking vampires intriguing. Rygog, swatting lunar bats on the balcony of the space base, says that the Rangers should try dealing with these vermin if they find vampires annoying. Telissa actually compliments Rygog on the idea capturing a lunar bat with her tongue; it turns into a vampire monster known as Count Nocturne.

Carlos and Dylan later head home from the Youth Center, each heading in an opposite direction. Icthyotrons appear and restrain Carlos, allowing the arriving Count Nocturne to bite him without resistance, taking his blood. Bulk and Skull, who were a short distance away, watch the monsters depart, becoming worried that Carlos may now turn into a vampire.

The next day, Carlos arrives at school, all dressed in black except for a green sweater; Ashley wonders why he's wearing sunglasses. Carlos, perhaps thinking Count Nocturne's bite didn't do anything, explains light hurts his eyes because he couldn't sleep last night. Bulk and Skull spy on him, but are caught by Dylan; they explain what they saw, giving him garlic to protect himself with. The moment they decide to confront Carlos, they approach Ted in his office and the principal decides to help the two apprehend Carlos. Justin notices Carlos finds touching the garlic painful and refuses to remove his sunglasses. He begins studying about vampires, causing a spying Telissa to become angry.

While in the park with T.J. and Cassie, Dylan is attack by Count Nocturne and the Icythotrons. They fend them off, now sure that something must be wrong with Carlos. Remembering Ashley is with Carlos, they rush back to the school, worried he might bite her and turn Ashley into a vampire next.

At school, Ashley wonders if Carlos wants to go to the blood drive with her after lunch; he agrees, saying that he's famished. However, the moment Ashley turns to look into her locket, Carlos leans in to bite her. Luckily, the others arrive and confront Carlos; seeing Carlos has no reflection in her locker's mirror, Ashley freaks out. Carlos turns into a bat and flies off, leaving the rest of the Rangers and Ted to wonder who they can track him down and forcibly take him back to the Power Chamber.

They track Carlos to the blood drive, and take him back to the Power Chamber. Delta sprays an antidote on Carlos, bringing him back to his senses. However, so long as Count Nocturne is around, the spell will take control again. The Rangers morph and head out to battle.

Telissa fires the phasers, growing the monster; Count Nocturne traps the JetFlyer Megazord, forcing the Rangers to try a new configuration. Using the Aero JetStream Megazord, the blast Nocturne into oblivion. Telissa begins crying, and Rygog embraces her in a comforting way.

Back i the Power Chamber, Delta calls Alpha on the videophone to inform him of Nocturne's defeat.

Cast

 * Tracy Lynn Cruz as Ashley Hammond (Yellow Aero Ranger)
 * Blake Foster as Dylan Peterson (Blue Aero Ranger)
 * Patricia Ja Lee as Cassie Chan (Pink Aero Ranger)
 * Roger Velasco as Carlos Vallerte (Black Aero Ranger)
 * Selwyn Ward as T.J. Johnson (Red Turbo Ranger)
 * Paul Schrier as Farkas "Bulk" Bulkmeier
 * Jason Narvy as Eugene "Skull" Skullovitch
 * Gregg Bullock as Jerome Stone (background action only)
 * Sandi Sellner as Alpha 5 (suit)
 * Richard Horvitz as Theodore "Ted" Swanson and Alpha 5 (voice)
 * Hilary Shepard Turner as Telissa
 * Carol Hoyt as Fera of Triforia
 * Donene Kistler as Delta 4 (suit)
 * Kristen Lazarian as Delta 4(voice)
 * Ed Neil as Rygog
 * Lex Lang as Rygog (voice)
 * Scott Page-Pagter as Porto (voice)
 * Tom Fahn as Count Nocturne (voice)