The following contains spoilers for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #2, available now from BOOM! Studios and IDW Publishing.

With an evil Power Ranger working alongside the Splinter Clan's worst enemies, the Teens with Attitude and Heroes in a Half Shell have more reason than ever to continue fighting alongside one another in their latest comic book team-up. Amidst all the action, the teams have also been given a chance to work more closely than ever. Unfortunately for their mentors, it is also an opportunity to ruminate on the painful truth they share regarding who is fighting their wars.

While their enemies regroup to plot their next move, the eponymous heroes of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #2 (by Ryan Parrott, Dan Mora, Raúl Angulo, and Ed Dukeshire) can only prepare for whatever that ends up being. As the young heroes train, Zordon and Master Splinter watch from afar and discuss the matter at hand. No matter how capable they are, Zordon can't help but feel pangs of guilt for knowing that his Rangers, like the Turtles beside them, are still just children at their core. Although Splinter is quick to point out that things are far more nuanced than that, he acknowledges Zordon's point and confirms the inherent tragedy of their situations.

RELATED: The Power Rangers’ Greatest Hero is Now the Universe’s Biggest Threat

The Power Rangers and Ninja Turtles are Children Fighting Ancient Wars

mmpr tmnt II 2 the ones who decide

Though the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise hardly began as a kid-friendly comic, their mantle alone makes it obvious that they are essentially immature children. All the same, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers' own Teens with Attitude are exactly that and always have been. Of course, this is rarely a point of interest or intrigue when it comes to most small screen entries that the franchises are best known for. However, for the Power Rangers of the comics, it has been a serious problem since before they were even born.

When Grace Sterling was introduced in the pages of 2017's Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #17 (by Dafna Pleban and Jamal Campbell), she entered the scene as the enigmatic founder and CEO of Promethea, as well as a vocal supporter of the Rangers themselves. This was because Grace knew all too well what being a Ranger entailed thanks to her time as Zordon's first Red Ranger. All the way back in 1969 when the threat of Psycho Green emerged, Zordon formed the world's original Rangers before immediately sending them on a suicide mission. Only Grace and one other teammate returned and were promptly stripped of their powers. Over the years, Grace formed Promethea to ensure such events never happened again, and while she and Zordon have reconciled many of their differences, that hasn't changed the nature of the business they are in.

RELATED: TMNT’s Fake Ninja Turtles Have Finally Been Unmasked – And They Aren’t Who You Think

The Power Rangers and Ninja Turtles are Becoming Great Heroes

mmpr tmnt II 2 the ones noble life

Zordon specifically choosing teenagers to go into battle as his champions is certainly less than optimal in almost every regard, but everything Splinter has to say still rings true. Even if the Rangers weren't born with their powers or imbued with them unwittingly as his sons were, they still get to choose what it is they do with those powers on a daily basis. The importance of the battles they fight can't be understated, yet every individual Power Ranger and Ninja Turtle has to decide to join in the fray for themselves.

Thankfully, both the Mighty Morphin team and heroes of the Splinter Clan continue to put their powers to good use fighting the forces of evil, and the fact that they do proves just how deserving they are of those abilities in the first place. They may not have the most experience, but the Rangers and Turtles have each done as much as possible with what they've gathered so far.