- —Tagline
Tigerzord VS Gundam Epyon is the 37th episode of Death Battle, featuring the White Ranger, Saba, and the White Tigerzord from the Power Rangers series and Zechs Merquise and Gundam Epyon from the Mobile Suit Gundam Wing series in a battle between giant robots piloted by former villains. Tommy was voiced by Chris Niosi, Saba was voiced by Doug Drury, and Zechs was voiced by Stuart Schlomach.
Interlude
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Wiz: Evil. It has many faces, and sometimes even a good-natured soul may become its unknowing pawn.
Boomstick: Oh, did you say something? I couldn't hear you over GIANT FIGHTING ROBOTS! Seriously, what's cooler than giant robots? Absolutely nothing.
Wiz: The White Tigerzord, the sixth Thunderzord.
Boomstick: And Epyon, the sixth Gundam. He's Wiz and I'm Boomstick.
Wiz: And it's our job to analyze their weapons, armor, and skills to find out who would win... a Death Battle.
White Tigerzord
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Fight by Ron Wasserman
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Wiz: Behold the Thunderzords, mighty bestial vehicles with a power and a force like you've never seen before.
Boomstick: Unless you live in Japan, then that shit's everywhere!
Wiz: The Thunderzords are piloted by the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, five overbearing and over-emotional humans.
Boomstick: Teenagers...
Wiz: For over a year, these five heroes defended the Earth from the evil Rita Repulsa and her cronies.
Boomstick: But when her boss, Lord Zedd, showed up and started beating some serious Ranger ass, the team knew they needed some help.
Wiz: Thus, a giant floating head in a tube and his robot buddy set to work building a new Ranger with a new Zord.
Zordon: I present to you... the White Ranger.
The room gets brighter, then the White Ranger floats downward to the ground.
Tommy: Tigerzord!
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Go Green Ranger Go! by Ron Wasserman
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The Tigerzord roars.
Boomstick: The White Tigerzord is a gigantic weaponized robo-kitty. While cats are clearly inferior to dogs, I might make an exception for this one and take it home.
Wiz: Well, considering after it transforms to warrior mode, the Tigerzord weighs 150 tons and stands nearly 15 floors tall, I don't think you'll find one in a pet shop window.
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Hope for the World by Ron Wasserman
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Boomstick: And it's a Transformer?!? Awesome!
Wiz: The White Tigerzord is powered by the, quote, "White light of goodness", as is its pilot, the heroic leader of the team, Tommy Oliver, the White Ranger.
Boomstick: He wasn't always in charge, though. His original powers came from the screeching, migraine-ridden she-witch Rita. Naturally, it was a trick and those powers came packaged with a curse that turned him evil.
Wiz: Luckily, Rita doesn't logic much, so the Rangers reversed the spell by destroying a completely unrelated object.
Boomstick: Tommy wields Saba, a talking saber that shoots lasers and remote controls the Tigerzord.
The Tigerzord trips and falls on its back, still moving its feet as if running.
White Ranger: Hey! I thought you knew what you were doing!
Saba: I do!
White Ranger: Yeah, you sure could've fooled me.
Wiz: And is also... uniquely multilingual.
Saba: That's right. None of you speaks bird. Take me over to the cages. Um... squawk, squawk, tweet, squawk, tweet...
Boomstick: Everyone that just watched that is now dumber. Our bad.
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Dino Thunder Main Theme by Bruce Lynch
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Wiz: In battle, the Tigerzord's tail doubles as a golden tiger sword.
Boomstick: Which can light itself on fire, I assume, by sparking a robo-fart of some sort. See, Wiz? I can science, too. Anyway, the Tigerzord knocks foes off their feet with sonic blasts, temporarily increases agility with hyper speed, and shoots fireballs from its... chest mouth thing.
The Tigerzord prepares to unleash a fireball.
White Ranger: White Tiger Thunderbolt! Armed and ready!
It fires, which hits Nimrod.
White Ranger: (laughs)
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Fight by Ron Wasserman
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Wiz: The Tigerzord's greatest asset, however, is its ability to mimic the movements of its pilot.
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White Ranger Tiger Power
by Ron Wasserman |
The Tigerzord punches and kicks Nimrod, knocking her to the ground.
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Fight by Ron Wasserman
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Wiz: So it's important to determine how superhuman the White Ranger is, but he doesn't have many measurable feats. Fortunately, all Ranger powers are derived from the same Morphing Grid, a galaxy-spanning energy field which balances all life.
Boomstick: So... the Force.
Wiz: Yeah, pretty much. This means all Rangers have comparable powers that we can use to measure Tommy's potential.
Boomstick: The SPD Green Ranger Bridge Carson once lifted and threw a two-ton car at this poor girl, who he guessed was a demon. Luckily, he was right and a PR catastrophe was avoided.
Wiz: The average man can squat-lift about 125 pounds, so this feat makes Power Rangers at least 32 times stronger.
Saba: That was most impressive.
Wiz: And we know Rangers also receive a speed boost, so it's reasonable to believe that a morphed Ranger's reaction speed is in the ballpark of 32 times faster than the average person. Thus, the White Ranger can actually react to attacks in about six milliseconds. To compare, in the same given time, a bullet fired from a gun would've only traveled about nine feet. As the Tigerzord mimics the White Ranger in real-time, it must be capable of the same speeds.
Boomstick: I bet he could totally do that knife finger stabby game. Actually, uh, Wiz, put your hand on the table.
Wiz: NO! Not after last time! That poor intern...
Boomstick: I told him not to move!
Wiz: Anyway, like that intern, the Tigerzord can't always cut it on its own.
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Zords by Ron Wasserman
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Boomstick: When that happens, Tommy's friends usually come in to save his ass, but even though they won't be able to help him today, Tommy can still call upon his secret weapon.
Wiz: Each Power Ranger has his or her individual Zord, which only they can pilot. However, there have been numerous instances when a Ranger has called upon other Zords. So Tommy can call upon the Lion, Griffin, Unicorn, and Phoenix Thunderzords to create the Mega Tigerzord.
The Tigerzord transforms into the Mega Tigerzord.
Boomstick: The Mega Tigerzord is a massive monster of a mech. It's got an energy shield, an energy ball attack, and a wicked dropkick. Oh, and its finishing move is literally lighting a giant robo-bird on fire and shooting it through everyone in its path. Obviously, the Mega Tigerzord has never lost a match.
Wiz: The Mega Tigerzord is so powerful, it's even had that finisher move reflected back at it, survived, and all it did was fall over and look surprised.
Boomstick: But it's not all firebirds and rainbows. Enough damage can overload the Tigerzord's connection to the Morphing Grid and annihilate it. But don't get me wrong; this is one ass-kicking, Mighty Morphin', fire-birding, flame-swording power kitty! Meow.
White Ranger: Saba, are you ready, pal?
Saba: White Ranger, I'm ready when you are.
White Ranger: Alright! Tigerzord! Power up!
The Tigerzord roars and then turns into warrior mode.
Gundam Epyon
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Gundam Attack by Kow Otani
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Wiz: In the year 195 A.C., yes, A.C., Earth and its space colonies were on the brink of civil war. Chaos had erupted, governments shattered from within. The only constant were five freedom-fighting mobile suits called Gundams.
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Just Communication by Two-Mix
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Boomstick: Piloted by a bunch of kids who have no idea how to have fun. Seriously, get laid or something.
Wiz: Intrigued, the disgraced commander Treize Khushrenada set about creating his own Gundam.
Boomstick: For sex?
Wiz: No, for Zechs.
Boomstick: This is getting really confusing.
Wiz: Try and keep up. Treize hoped this new non-sexual fighting machine would finally answer the meaning of life and death.
Boomstick: And birth!
Wiz: NO!
Treize removes a book from the shelf.
Treize: I have a guide here that will show you how to live from now on.
The walls split, revealing Epyon.
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Legend of Zero by Kow Otani
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Wiz: And so, the Gundam Epyon was born.
Heero: Do you think you've built a god or something?
Treize: Maybe I do.
Boomstick: Epyon is a fierce force of metal and badassery. Like all Gundams, it's armored with... Gundanium.
Wiz: Yet another stupidly-named fictional metal that happens to be many times stronger and lighter than titanium.
Boomstick: Standing 57 feet tall and weighing just under 10 tons, Epyon is actually quite a bit smaller than your average Japanese giant robot.
Wiz: But for what it lacks in size, Epyon compensates with incredible speed. With a max propulsion of nearly 200,000 pounds, Epyon can fly over 250 miles per hour.
Boomstick: But manning a Gundam at that speed is rough, and can kill a pilot who hasn't been trained.
Wiz: Epyon's pilot is the legendary warrior and Treize's closest friend, Zechs Merquise, the Lightning Count. Commander of the OZ special forces, valedictorian of a prestigious military academy, and sole pilot of the unstable Gundam prototype.
Boomstick: How does the Wizard of Oz come into this now!? Anime seriously confuses me. Well, regardless, Zechs is a true warrior.
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Treize Kushrenada - The Man Who Makes History by Kow Otani
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Zechs: I am a true soldier.
Boomstick: Oh, look, an echo.
Wiz: Despite this, he could not handle the politics of war. After Treize staged a coup which spiraled out of control, Zechs stumbled through the ensuing chaos like a lost pup, always ending up fighting for the wrong cause by complete accident. Whoops.
Zechs: I don't understand! Why am I still so... spineless?
Boomstick: Oh, I have an awesome giant Gundam that everyone needs to do awesome stuff. Poor me.
Wiz: But, plot twist: Zechs has been hiding a secret identity. He is, in fact, Milliardo Peacecraft, the long-lost heir to the throne of the pacifist Saint Kingdom. Yes, the Peacecrafts literally craft peace.
Boomstick: At first, the only one who knew Zech's true identity was his slap-happy admirer, Noin. You'd think a cheerful girlfriend who doesn't have blood on her hands would help Zechs lighten up a bit. But...
Zechs: Don't go getting too attached or parting will hurt.
Noin: But my soldiers aren't ever going to be killed in battle.
A black screen says "Exactly 1 minute, 10 seconds later"... then explosions travel across the complex, killing her men, followed by Noin holding one of her men in her arms before he dies.
Boomstick: Damn... he won't be hitting that for a while.
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Plot, String and Marionette by Kow Otani
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Wiz: Despite being a back-stabbing, coup-staging terrorist, Treize Khushrenada apparently has some high sense of honor, and this is reflected in Epyon's arsenal.
Boomstick: Aside from two tiny vulcan guns, Epyon was designed as a dueling suit, and lacks effective long-range weaponry. But that's okay, 'cause check out this sword!
Epyon cuts through four robots, two with each swing, separating them from the top halves before they explode.
Boomstick: The Beam Sword is connected directly to Epyon's power source, which means its size and power can be increased on the fly. Epyon also has a durable shield which houses a chain whip called the Heat Rod, that can be super-heated to slice through armor.
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Zechs Comes by Kow Otani
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Wiz: But its greatest and most risky weapon is its on-board computer: the EPYON system. A modified Zoning & Emotional Range Omitted System. This directly links with the pilot's brain and aids him by constantly predicting outcomes and strategies in mid-battle. And unlike other zero systems, this modified version shows Zechs's opponents' face as he's murdering them.
Boomstick: Oh, that's right. For the nightmares.
Wiz: It gets worse. The EPYON system relies on Zechs ignoring all distractions, including his own drive to win. It predicts every possible outcome of the battle at hand and shares them with him. These include the outcomes where he loses, which take the forms of hallucinations. If Zechs can't separate fact from fiction, these hallucinations may become reality.
Boomstick: But despite the danger, it's totally worth getting into Epyon's pilot seat, 'cause this giant robot is a born winner. It's capable of holding four other Gundams at once, survive the heart of an exploding space station, and destroyed another giant space station with a single, awesome sword slice. Ha-haa! Gundam powers, away!
Wiz: Of course, Epyon does have its fair share of weaknesses, and even though Zechs eventually overcame his turn to the dark side, nearly sacrificing his life for the greater good in the process, he never did quite become that perfect soldier he always wanted to be.
Boomstick: But good news: he did eventually get in Noin's pants. Worth it!
Zechs: Just watch me! I'm gonna live right to the bitter end! I'll live the hard life of a warrior!
Prelude
Wiz: Alright, the combatants are set. Let's end this debate once and for all!
Boomstick: IT'S TIME FOR A DEATH BATTLEEE!!!... Robo-style!
Death Battle
In a barren, hill-covered area, the Tigerzord in warrior mode slowly walks across while the White Ranger stands atop it holding Saba, who is controlling the Zord.
White Ranger: Alright Saba! Time for a weekly test run!
Saba: Excellent! Let's test the weapon systems!
White Ranger: Just make sure the safety systems are on.
Just as the White Ranger says this, a blast fires from the Tigerzord's chest as the Zord falls onto its rear.
Saba: Safety systems activated.
The blast from the Tigerzord continues flying into the distance.
Saba: Um... that will... probably dissipate, right?
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To Beauty, to Elegance and to Noble-Mindedness by Kow Otani
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Elsewhere in the same area, Zechs is standing. He lets out a breath until Noin flies in inside her mech.
Noin: Zechs... what are you doing down here?
Zechs: Hm... hello Noin. Just brooding over how I nearly destroyed the Earth.
Noin: That again? You've gotta lighten up, you grump.
Zechs lets out another sigh.
Noin: Well... how about we do that thing you're always asking about? You know... that thing that rhymes with your name?
Zechs: What? Really?
Noin: Of course. I think it's finally time.
Just as Noin says this, the blast from the Tigerzord hits her mech, causing critical damage. Noin screams and then the mech explodes.
Zechs: Noin? NOOO!!!
It cuts back to the Tigerzord.
Saba: ...eventually...
White Ranger: Huh. I think I'll drive.
The White Ranger jumps into the Tigerzord.
Meanwhile, Zechs, amongst the fiery ruins of Noin's mech, takes out a remote control and presses it. Epyon flies in right behind him and its eyes glow.
The Tigerzord resumes it walk, this time with the White Ranger piloting it. Suddenly, it stops.
Saba: Warning! Bogey approaching fast! 200 meters!
White Ranger: *groans* Must be one of Zedd's!
Saba: Zero meters!
White Ranger: Huh?
Epyon flies in and strikes the Tigerzord from behind, then lands to the ground.
Zechs: I'LL BREAK YOUR FACE!
White Ranger: Is it just me or do Zedd's goons keep getting smaller and angrier?
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When The Dragon Swims Everything Ends by Kow Otani
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Zechs lets out a roar-like shout as Epyon flies towards the Tigerzord. The Tigerzord blocks the blow, but Epyon flies behind it, striking the Tigerzord from behind with its beam sword. It cuts to the inside of the Tigerzord, with Saba floating alongside the White Ranger.
White Ranger: Whoa! He's quick for a little guy!
Saba: Stop messing around and start defending!
White Ranger: Right! Time for action!
The Tigerzord starts charging up a move as Epyon flies toward it.
White Ranger: White Tiger Sonic Boom!
The move is successful, as Epyon is blown backward and falls to the ground. It cuts back to the White Ranger, now holding Saba in his hand.
White Ranger: Alright Saba, I want the Tigerzord to follow my every move!
He lifts Saba over his head, then does two swings. The Tigerzord replicates the two swings to defend against Epyon's beam sword, then swings the sword rapidly, keeping up with Epyon's swings, before the two swords clash. It cuts to Zechs inside of Epyon.
Zechs: You may be skilled... but you're too slow for Epyon!
As he says this, Epyon flies backward.
White Ranger: How's this! Hyperspeed!
The Tigerzord moves forward at an incredible speed, punching the fleeing Epyon, who then crashes to the ground on its front. The Tigerzord then steps toward it.
White Ranger: Time to stamp out some evil!
The Tigerzord moves its foot downward to stomp on Epyon, but Epyon flies out of the way just in time. Epyon fires its vulcan guns at the Tigerzord while it flees, which have almost no effect.
White Ranger: Huh. What, are you playing hard-to-get? Alright then. Go long!
The Tigerzord begins charging an attack.
White Ranger: White Tiger Thunderbolt! Fire!
The bolt fires from the Tigerzord and Epyon activates his shield. While the shield does prevent damage, the blast itself knocks Epyon back. Inside Epyon, the EPYON system beeps and a red light flashes over Zechs.
Zechs: The EPYON system indicates that you've shown your full arsenal.
The Tigerzord charges up once again.
White Ranger: Fire!
This time, three bolts fire from the Tigerzord. Epyon flies toward the Tigerzord, evading all three bolts. It seems that another bolt manages to hit Epyon, but then Epyon slices at the Tigerzord's legs nearly instantly, damaging them. Epyon then flies upward towards the Tigerzord's head, ready to deliver the final blow.
Zechs: You're finished.
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Hearing the Whispers of Stars at Night by Kow Otani
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Suddenly, the wasteland is shown in a sepia-tone color, as is Epyon, but with the Tigerzord nowhere in sight. Epyon stops what it's doing.
Zechs: What?
Then a massive shadowed mech appears in the background and moves its arm upward, ready to strike. A gleam appears from the hand.
Zechs: What's that?
The mech's arm starts glowing, then its chest charges with electricity. A sound of a bird screech and a lion roar plays, then the mech unleashes its attack as Zechs screams.
Then the wasteland is in color again, back to Epyon and the Tigerzord.
Saba: Quick Tommy! The circle on its chest! It must be a weak spot!
White Ranger: Right!
The Tigerzord steps back and prepares a punch.
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White Ranger Tiger Power
by Ron Wasserman |
The Tigerzord's fist moves with incredible speed, then when the Tigerzord finally hits Epyon, it has no effect.
Zechs: Hmm... don't get cocky.
White Ranger: What? He didn't explode?
Saba: Well, this defies all logic!
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OZ Mobile Suits Approach by Kow Otani
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Epyon flies away from the Tigerzord, then grips its leg with the heat rod. The Tigerzord falls over on its front, knocking the White Ranger and Saba down.
White Ranger: We're grounded!
Saba: Tommy! Call the Zords!
The White Ranger picks up Saba.
White Ranger: You got it!
He holds Saba upward.
White Ranger: I need Thunder Zord Power! Now!
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Zords by Ron Wasserman
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The clouds cover the sky as lightning strikes multiple times. All four other Zords appear and then in a flash, the Tigerzord has become the Mega Tigerzord.
Zechs: Oh shit.
The Mega Tigerzord charges toward Epyon, who tries to block the blow, but is knocked back. Epyon is then grabbed by the Mega Tigerzord, who places it on its feet, flips over, and lands on the ground. Epyon is knocked upward, allowing the Mega Tigerzord to punch it multiple times before knocking it upward even further with an uppercut. The Mega Tigerzord jumps after Epyon and flies above it, then kicks it back to the ground with both its feet. It then puts both of its arms up into the air, charging up an energy ball, then throws it downward. Epyon manages to regain control and avoids crashing into the ground.
Zechs: No, not like this!
Epyon turns to face the incoming energy ball and uses the heat rod to block, which successfully stops the attack. The Mega Tigerzord puts its arm up and begins charging up an attack. Zechs then sees the shadowy mech doing the same move, and realizes that it was the move that destroyed him in his hallucination.
Zechs: Here it comes.
The Mega Tigerzord unleashes a giant beam, which Epyon flies out of the way of.
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White Reflection by Kow Otani
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Zechs: Routing all power to thrusters!
Epyon flies right behind the Mega Tigerzord by its head.
Zechs: And now to the beam saber!
Epyon takes out its beam saber and charges with energy.
Zechs: For... NOOOOIIIIIIIN!
White Ranger: UGH! NO!
Saba: SON OF A BIIIIII—
After a single slash from the full-powered beam saber, Epyon lands to the ground as the Mega Tigerzord reaches critical condition and overloads its connection to the Morphing Grid. The top half begins to slide off the bottom half, then it explodes as the White Ranger screams. All that remains is the Mega Tigerzord's bottom half.
Zordon is crying over the death of the White Ranger, the Command Center filling with tears, while Zechs is by Noin's mech crying over her death with a puddle of tears below him.
Results
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Rhythm Eros by Classic Black and Green
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Boomstick: Ow! My childhood!
Wiz: This was a surprisingly close call. At first glance, the Tigerzord towers over Epyon and is fast enough to keep up with it. Yet Epyon destroyed Barge, a 26,000 foot long space fortress with one sword swing. Just one! There's no doubt that a few swings like that were enough to overload Tigerzord's connection to the Morphing Grid.
Boomstick: I mean, this goofy-looking skeleton dude did it, so I imagine a giant laser sword wielded by a devil robot could do it, too.
Wiz: Also, Zechs is a far more experienced and properly trained warrior, unlike Tommy, who was drafted in the middle of high school. But the Tigerzord wasn't helpless. Its Mega form even duped the Epyon System for a moment, but unfortunately for our favorite White Ranger, Epyon is an ever-evolving dueling machine.
Boomstick: Stupid future-predicting robot. And its REALLY fucking sweet sword! Gundam-it!
We cut to the "Winner" card.
Wiz: The winner is the Gundam Epyon.
Trivia
Production
- The core connections between the White Tigerzord and Gundam Epyon are that they are both giant mechas based on mythological creatures (the white tiger and a dragon, respectively) and are piloted by former villains who are associated with the number six (Tommy Oliver is a sixth Mighty Morphin Power Ranger representing Green Ranger and White Ranger, while Zechs Merquise' first name is derived from "sechs", the German word for "six").
- Tommy would later return as a Green Ranger to fight against Akane Yashiro and Mechagodzilla with Dragonzord in Dragonzord VS Mechagodzilla.
- This episode was originally supposed to air after Godzilla VS Gamera. However, it was delayed due to a hard drive failure, and Batman VS Captain America took its place.
Easter Eggs
- Tommy and Saba thinking the symbol on Epyon's chest being a weak spot may be a reference to the infamous Z Putty Patrollers and how their weak spot was the Z emblem on their chests, which would make them explode.
- During the ending scene, the footage of Zordon crying is actually footage of Zordon comedically singing "99 Bottles of Slime on the Wall" from the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers episode "The Mutiny", with tears being edited into the footage.
Errors
- During the battle, Zechs is shown standing inside Epyon's cockpit instead of sitting like he normally would.
- However, this is most likely due to the lack of sprites of Zechs sitting.
Other
- This is the first giant robot-themed episode, with the next three being Power Rangers VS Voltron, Optimus Prime VS Gundam, and Dragonzord VS Mechagodzilla.
- This is the first Hasbro VS Bandai Namco-themed episode, with the next one being Optimus Prime VS Gundam.
- This is the first time that the Bandai Namco character wins.
- This is the first Anime/Manga VS Live Action-themed episode, with the next four being Power Rangers VS Voltron, Obi-Wan Kenobi VS Kakashi, Darth Vader VS Obito Uchiha, and Light VS Columbo.
- This is the first time that the Anime/Manga character wins, with the next two being Power Rangers VS Voltron and Darth Vader VS Obito Uchiha.
- This is the eighth episode where Boomstick yells a variation of his pre-fight catchphrase (via saying "IT'S TIME FOR A DEATH BATTLEEE!!!... Robo-style!"), after Akuma VS Shang Tsung, Rogue VS Wonder Woman, Felicia VS Taokaka, Eggman VS Wily, Terminator VS RoboCop, Pokémon Battle Royale, and Fulgore VS Sektor, and with the next 21 being Boba Fett VS Samus Aran (2015), Guts VS Nightmare, Solid Snake VS Sam Fisher, Hercule Satan VS Dan Hibiki, Bowser VS Ganon, Joker VS Sweet Tooth, Meta VS Carolina, Mega Man Battle Royale, Dragonzord VS Mechagodzilla, Scarlet Witch VS Zatanna, James Bond VS John Wick, Trunks VS Silver, SpongeBob VS Aquaman, Jason Voorhees VS Michael Myers, Sauron VS Lich King, Gogeta VS Vegito, Phoenix VS Raven, Scooby-Doo VS Courage the Cowardly Dog, Galactus VS Unicron, Kratos VS Asura, and Ghost Rider VS Spawn.