From: nev@whidbey.com   
      
   > That the enemy coming to Earth is presented as having conquered everyone   
   > else,   
   > that's not sitting well with me.   
      
       Everyone keeps saying that the threat isn't as intense as it used to be   
   in past seasons.  I agree with that.  But there's a key factor that many may   
   be missing- unless I'm wrong, of course- and that is that Gruumm isn't all   
   that determined to take Earth right now.   
      
       I've said before that, in "Shadow, Pt.1", Gruumm was touring Newtech   
   City before his blue robot began to place those spikes in the ground, and he   
   was conflicted with himself over why he was trying to take over such a   
   useless planet to begin with.  There was also a time where, he was alone,   
   and he was promising to defeat the Rangers, but then he seemed to have a   
   Gollum-type thing going on.   
      
       Now, whether or not that particular scene was just cinematography or   
   whatever, I don't know; but if you put these two pieces together, along with   
   his infrequent attacks, it seems more like he just wants SPD out of the way   
   as opposed to conquering Earth.   
       He has been generally raiding resources and attacking SPD, not trying to   
   suppress its people.  And, if he can cause a little chaos here and there,   
   it's no big deal to him.  The only reason, at this point, that I can see for   
   persisting in attacking Earth may be that SPD has cost him resources and   
   time, and he wasts revenge.   
       Now, what other non-aligned aliens do, isn't really the point here   
   unless they're directly connected to Gruumm- which some aren't.  Piggy, for   
   example, is conveniently places on Earth, and as chance would have it,   
   Gruumm is attacking Earth.  I don't think Piggy was purposely sent there as   
   a spy as a prelude to an invasion, although he is providing info and   
   resources to Gruumm.   
      
       Of course, I am on a two week delay, so...   
      
      
           James Nevermann ][   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)