Author's notes - Jokermask - I'm glad you liked Zedd's speech :). It was one of the first parts of the story that I wrote, and I changed it very little in editing. Not only does Zedd spend this entire story playing everyone like fiddles to get what he wants, but I wanted him to be physically threatening, as well as delivering an almighty verbal thrashing. And it works. Up to that point, Crulger is pompous and self-obsessed ... but Zedd's speech reduces him to a vulnerable, trembling victim who Zedd easily dispatches. It's why the dialogue with Tommy afterwards was really important. Sure, Zedd's a monster who's done terrible things ... but he has standards. Whitebeard - Thank you :). Like most villains in the PRU, Zedd and Crulger don't really like each other very much, but for the first few chapters, I wanted to show that there was, at least, a mutual working respect between the two, which lasts until Crulger makes the mistake of comparing himself to Zedd, which is when Zedd's ego roars to life with a vengeance.

Anyway, here's the final chapter. Thanks for reading, everybody! I hope you enjoyed the story as much as I enjoyed writing it. I'm not gonna lie. Zedd is still one of my favourite villain :). Enjoy!

Chapter Five

In the shadow of the Thunder Megazord, the Rangers gazed around the flattened clearing.

"So Zedd was actually using us this whole time?" Kimberly asked. "Ever since this morning?"

"Seems like it," Zac said.

"Crulger too," Tommy added, and then nodded to the shattered mask lying in the dirt. "At least we won't have to worry about Crulger attacking Earth any time soon. What about Drektor? What happened to him?"

"After we destroyed the Vulture, we scanned the battlefield to find him," Jason replied. "From what we saw, I don't think we'll have to worry about him ever again, either."

"What a day," Kim said.

"You're not wrong," Zac began. "When we get home, can someone remind me to find Teresa and tell her that a little peace and quiet at the moment doesn't sound like such a bad idea?"

Tommy looked to his friends. "Should we have tried harder to get the sanction away from Zedd?" he asked. "I was standing right there. I mean, we could really use something like that."

Jason gazed over the wreckage. "Zedd's only gonna get stronger," he said. "It'd be nice to have a trump card for once."

"A one-time-only, just-in-case kind of deal?" Kim asked.

"No," Trini said, and the Rangers turned to her. "Anything that powerful is better off destroyed," she continued. "Otherwise someone else would've just showed up and tried to steal it from us. It's better this way."

"I suppose you're right," Jason said, and glanced up to the Thunder Megazord. "What do you say we head home and tell the others what happened?"

"I believe that's an excellent suggestion," Billy nodded. The Rangers reached for their communicators, and as the zords vanished, the six heroes teleported away.

Arriving back in the lunar palace, I was in no mood to torment the Rangers any further that day. It had been a rare moment of honesty that had surprised even me when I admitted to the White Ranger that I didn't have the energy left for a battle. It was a week before I was back to even half my strength. But it didn't matter how long it took to recover from destroying Crulger and the Omega Sanction. The Earth was still there waiting for me every morning, taunting me from across the dark void of space.

As loathsome as the idea was, the noble White Ranger was right, of course. The Rangers had accomplished most of the task I'd needed them to, and I owed them a favour. So for the next few weeks, I gave Finster even less time than usual to finish his monsters, and the ones he sent down to torment the Rangers were beta-versions at best, easily destroyed within the opening skirmish.

But don't dare be so foolish as to misread my intentions.

I hate them, now and forever. They're always there, always finding new ways to thwart my ambition. One day, Zordon will see. One day, I'll prove to the Rangers and the entire Universe how great I am. When that day comes, I will finally be the emperor of all I see. And Zordon and his hateful Rangers will have no choice left but to bow at my feet.

One day, that will all come. I'm more certain of it now than ever.

I am Lord Zedd.

Fear me.

The End.