Rite of Passage:
Production Number 1006 Original Air Date: January 25, 1995 Caine's latest plan to ditch Pita is interrupted by a group of pacifist white-male-chauvinist-pig, non-equal-opportunity employers who need his help to save the universe. Seems they have deep-seated principles and cannot fight...but have no problem asking Caine to kick ass FOR them. Dangling before him the carrot of being allowed to join their illustrious ranks if he doesn't get himself killed first, they plead with Caine to put an end to "the embodiment of an evil presence" known as the Dark Lord. Although Pita and the Ancient lay all the groundwork, Caine muddles through the ordeal, thus becoming a ROOKIE Shambhala Master. (And, not incidentally, also allowing the writers to invent any kind of bizarre "ability" they need for him in the future, to get themselves out of any corner they may have inadvertently written themselves into.)
Do I know you from somewhere? Kate Trotter joins the cast as Karen Simms, the new captain in charge of the 101st. She was previously seen as the battered wife in "Force of Habit."
Gone But Not Forgotten: Soon Tek-Oh makes his final appearance as Bon Bon Hai, who is granted "the blessings of eternal evil" by the Dark Lord and then never shows his enigmatic face in Fu City again.
How is it possible... everyone else at the 101st except Pita was aware that a new, female captain would be starting her job that very day? Perhaps the plucky young detective should try actually spending some time at work every now and then!
Episode Highlight: When his macho pride is wounded after being cut off by a woman driver right in the parking lot of police headquarters, Pita officiously threatens to arrest the woman -- then is brought down a couple of notches when she turns out to be the new captain of the 101st.
Episode Lowlight: A cheap knock-off Ming vase splits apart to indicate that the Dark Lord has escaped his imprisonment in there by the Shambhala Masters.
See pictures from Rite of Passage.