For those of you who missed my original article on Power Rangers: Origins and yesterday’s first half of this article, I just put the links in, but here’s the short version. Back in 2024 information started getting released about a joint project between Saban Brands, ZAG Entertainment, and Onyx Films for an animated reimagine of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers. Ultimately it was passed on in favor of a more gritty live-action reimagine that I have no interest in. There wasn’t a ton of info back then but a couple of nights ago I received a tweet from Spanish-speaking fan site Ranger Esp (I’m assuming that’s short for “espanol”, of which I read very little and needed Google Translate) for an article they did on new information collected by Reddit, a site I don’t go to because free speech is debatable over there.
In part one I looked at the new bios for the reimagined Rangers, and there were changes that I’m not sure I would have been onboard with but others that were okay. However, Ranger Esp also has the plot synopsis broken down into acts, so I wanted to go over the movie that might of been itself to see if that makes up for how disinterested I was in the new takes on characters. I don’t know why the original series that started a franchise has to have so many changes in new versions. This movie, the live-action movie, and Boom Studios all seem to want to reimagine the wheel, and it just feels so unnecessary to me. I don’t need a grimdark “adult” take on Power Rangers. You can do the sentai sub-genre in general that way and depending on how it’s handled I might at least be curious. Power Rangers is a kids franchise that just happens to be good enough for adults who aren’t obsessed with violence, nudity, and swearing can also enjoy because the characters and writing make for a fun experience, especially as the franchise and even the “Zordon Era” went on. Anything darker than Power Rangers In Space or Power Rangers RPM just doesn’t work for me. And RPM is the world where a gifted child was kidnapped and forced to make Skynet, and it almost succeeded in wiping out humanity.
With the intro out of the way, it’s time to dive into the movie summary itself. At the very least it looks like it wanted to be fun kids fare, but was this a reimagine we missed out on or were better off without? Note that all text and images from here out, minus my commentary or something I already have in my media library, come from the Ranger Esp article and Google Chrome’s translation. At some point I realize I was just copying the entire part, but there’s also going to be a bunch of production art that I’m not using for the text wall breaks and samples, plus it’s all there without my commentary if you want to form your own thoughts first. Or stay here if you don’t read Spanish and hate translation programs.
Prologue:
Somewhere in the universe, five strange characters explore an unknown planet and free the intergalactic witch Rita Repulsa, thirsty for revenge after 10,000 years of imprisonment.
So instead of Earth astronauts on the Moon or Mars (I wonder if the animated Rangers moon has an atmosphere like we see in the series, probably due to Rita’s magic?) we get aliens. It could be Rita’s minions, which aren’t named in these summaries so we don’t know if Goldar and company are coming to play or if they would have created new ones, but have they been tracking her for 10,000 years instead of being trapped with her? Yes, 10,000 years is how long she was in there as shown in the first season intro.
On Earth, in the Angel Grove desert, the wise Zordon and his faithful robot Alpha 5 discover that Rita has escaped and that the planet is in danger. Zordon, trapped in a parallel dimension, can only communicate through a holographic computer.
This is the screenshot they have for Zordon and Alpha 5. Instead of the “interdimensional being trapped in a time warp” who communicates through some kind of tube, we have what appears to be a new take on the viewing globe. I’m not against it. Zordon wasn’t really in that tube in the show, though that’s how he was depicted when captured for Power Rangers In Space.
Zordon sends Alpha 5 into the city in search of five teenagers capable of activating the powers of the Zordosphere , a parallel dimension built by Zordon.
We see Alpha 5 camouflaged in various disguises (as a child, as a trash can, etc.) in different comic scenes that introduce us to the 5 protagonists and their personality traits.
After several failed attempts, Alpha 5 and Zordon manage to convince Jason, Zack, Kimberly, Trini and Billy to become the planet’s new defenders.
Outside of Alpha wearing disguises (in both versions of the pilot he just teleports them like they were predetermined) that’s not too far off from their original origins. That’s one of the things I’ve have to see to decide if I liked it.
Act 2:
Rita sends her henchmen to surprise the 5 in a cafeteria. Alpha 5 comes to their rescue and gives them the Holo-Bracelets that allow them to teleport to Zordon’s secret spaceship-shaped base.
At first I thought it meant they were surprising Alpha 5. I have to ask why, if they already agreed to join up, they weren’t already given the replacements for the usual Power Morphers and Power Coins? As for the new morphing devices…eh. Given how much hologram stuff we saw in part one (again, not sure they understand what holograms are…they don’t work like on Star Trek except on the MegaShip) I can see them building on it. I’ve always kind of liked bracelet morphers more than belt morphers, but my thing has always been the opposite of some, that the Morphers being able to look like something else for a disguise, was my favorite interpretations. Yes, even the cellphones…though not so much the gloves.
The five teenagers begin training with Zordon’s advanced technology. Each receives their corresponding Power Suit, Zord Weapon, Zordhover, and Zord.
Zords are large, dinosaur-like robots that are quite playful. Their personalities resemble those of their owners, and they behave like pets (we see Billy throwing a ball and his Triceratops Zord fetching it like a dog).
Okay, seeing the Rangers actually train with their powers I’m totally okay with. It’s more interesting than just downloading everything into their heads when they morph, like operating the Zords and Billy suddenly being able to fight in the Japanese stock footage morphed Ranger form. Seeing them learn to master their abilities, which the Rangers never do enough in this franchise, would have been worth seeing. You lost me at “Triceratops Zord fetching (a ball) like a dog”. It lacks the dignity of the Galactabeasts or Wild Force Megazords, both groups shows to actually be alive. Plus the original Zyuranger versions of the “Zords”? They were ancient god beings. This just sounds silly. It’s not a dealbreaker…yet…but it feels wrong.
The rookie Rangers must face Rita’s monsters, but their differences make cooperation difficult. Even Zordon doubts they’ll be able to work together.
Okay, this summary I actually hate, and I don’t know if the site is doing the summary, the notes from the actual production, or the person on Reddit they’re getting it from. I’m not chastising any of them, it’s the notes itself. The original Rangers were already five close friends, making them already good at teamwork and respecting each other. There have been other Rangers teams as close or closer, and others that had to learn to get along. Either way works if you don’t have Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters From Beverly Hills level of subpar writing. (There is literally an episode where the Galactic Sentinels decide to try to get along and the mentor tries to tell them that’s a bad thing–and the story says he’s right!!! It’s not the only time Nimbar’s IQ and morality are brought into question, and when you’re a giant space brain thing protecting the universe that’s not a good sign.) I want the original Morphin team to get along and be friends. Also, if you didn’t think they’d get along…WHY DID YOU RECRUIT THEM INSTEAD OF FIVE MARTIAL ARTISTS WHO DO GET ALONG! Are these the only martial arts experts in this version of Angel Grove?
As Power Rangers, they must master psychomaterialization, a technology that straddles magic and science that allows them to access their suits, weapons, and Zords, but requires eccentric summoning moves that are ridiculous to humans.
This image is one of mine. Also, not a Power Ranger.
Is this needed? Maybe it would have worked better in execution. It’s for kids. Make it cool. A magical pseudoscience term like “psychomaterialization” sounds fine though ultimately was never necessary, but, “requires eccentric summoning moves that are ridiculous to humans”? Is this one of those bits that takes a shot at the recycled sentai and the Zyuranger poses? This is why I put down the trailer for the live-action Dora The Explorer years ago. If you’re taking the whole time trashing the very concept of the source material, it’s not a good thing.
The protagonists’ parents begin to notice strange behavior in their children, but they attribute it to adolescence. This leads to various comical scenes.
You mean parents exist for more than kidnappings and occasionally embarrassing their kids? Amazing! For the tone they’re going for, okay.
After their first victory, the Rangers become celebrities. The entire world knows about the Power Rangers , and their fame begins to go to their heads, which raises concerns in Zordon that they’re letting their guard down.
The vanity of the five young men leads them to a major defeat, which causes them to lose self-confidence and be criticized by the media. It’s a disaster.
No. That’s not this version of the Rangers. (Also, Kim and Trini aren’t “men” and I don’t know who to blame for that term.) That can be done with other teen superhero stories both comedic and serious (I’m not sure which way this movie was going to go), but it’s not what I want from Earth’s original Power Rangers (time travel nonsense aside).
Act 3
The team falls apart. Billy is kidnapped by Rita and taken to her fortress on the Moon, and Zordon’s secret base suffers major damage. The Rangers’ morale is at rock bottom, and the pressure of hiding their secret identities from their families begins to take its toll.
Again, it’s nice that the parents are being brought into this, but I’m just not used to secret identity stuff being in the forefront of this franchise. The occasional episode or part of Devon’s arc with his dad on Power Rangers: Beast Morphers, but…I’m not against it because of course I’m not seeing the execution. It just feels weird to me.
Jason takes on the role of leader, rallying the team to reactivate the base’s computer and regain communication with Zordon. Together, they devise a plan to rescue Billy and gradually regain their motivation.
Meanwhile, Rita creates the ultimate weapon: a mega-monster composed of all the evil souls in the galaxy.
We have seen stories where the Rangers don’t have Zordon. It was one of the plot points some of the multiparters…usually involving Tommy’s powers not that I think of it…and a big detail for Power Rangers In Space. How do the Rangers succeed without their mentor? Meanwhile, Rita Repulsa seems to be channeling ideas from her sentai counterpart Bandora.
Act 4
Alpha 5 activates the PowerShuttle and the Rangers speed toward the Moon. They attack Rita’s fortress by surprise, rescuing Billy and gaining a new ally: a small minion of Rita’s .
The Rangers return to Earth united and safe, but Rita’s henchmen pursue them. An epic aerial battle ensues, culminating on the ground.
Rita loses control of the mega-monster and is absorbed by it. The creature destroys everything in its path and heads toward Earth.
I don’t remember the Rangers ever going to Rita’s place. They always ended up in some other dimension but until Power Rangers Zeo they never went to the moon or challenged Rita or Zedd there. I wonder which of Rita’s minions would be joining them? That would require a big character change, as all of them seemed to like being evil. New character, maybe? How we get the Dragonzord and Tommy into the sequel?
The Power Rangers summon their Zords and unite their souls to form the Megazord, the legendary ultimate weapon created by Zordon. This 50-meter-tall robot can only be used for a limited time of 10 minutes, as the amount of energy it requires could cause the Zordosphere to implode.
The Rangers are victorious but lose Zordon in the process, as he must use all his strength to save his apprentices.
Ah, the ending to Power Rangers In Space. I guess for a movie, leaving the Megazord to the end makes perfect sense. Not sure I’m in favor of the time limit. If I were to hazard a theory based on everything else we know about this approach, this is their way of explaining why the Rangers don’t just summon the Zord immediately and went the Ultraman route. The real answer is simpler. Zordon always told them never to escalate a battle unless forced to. If the Rangers are just going to summon the Megazord or even the individual Zords and just step on the thing, Rita or her replacements just says “heck with it, send the monster down fully grown”. (Strangely, I don’t hear as many people asking why she doesn’t.) This way they at least have a chance to contain the battle and the destruction. As powerful as the monsters are at “human” sized, it’s nothing compared to the kaiju and giant robot battles would cause. Good thing they always end up in abandoned areas where nobody is in the buildings everyone falls into, right kids?
Epilogue
Peace returns to Earth. The five heroes have become inseparable.
Rita wakes up in a hellish dimension, accompanied by her lieutenant. This isn’t over yet…
In the final scene, the Rangers’ base computer picks up a weak signal that confirms that Zordon is still alive.
And there’s your sequel bait. I’m assuming that’s Goldar they’re talking about. We don’t even know if Rita’s using her Putty Patrol in this version. The article, even if you can’t read Spanish and don’t like translation software, also contains art of the suit designs, early and “final” 3D character models, and some backgrounds. (We’ve seen Zordon and Rita’s places above and I’m assuming you can tell which is which by visual cue or they failed in their task.) The style matches the handful of Zag shows I’ve seen (okay, “three” might not be a handful). I’m okay with the suits and replacement morphers. The bases I can understand with rights issues. The Command Center was based on a real world building and Rita’s palace is just Bandora Palace from Zyuranger until season 2. They’re actually pretty cool on the outside, and we only see inside Zordon’s place in that one clip of him and Alpha 5.
It’s the Zords which I really don’t like. Again, Zyuranger and licensing from Toei, though the two studios do have a creative history together. Still, they just look uninteresting and flat. They remind me of the Voltron Force redesigns of the GoLion lions and I didn’t really care for them, either. Billy’s Triceratops gets the worst of it. That’s one ugly “dog”. The various MegaZord designs? Call it personal preference for how I like my combining robots, but it just doesn’t work for me at all.
So we get back to the question that these Power Rangers: Origins articles get to: do I wish this was made? In comparison to the movie we got, maybe, but while not the die hardest of Power Ranger fans, I do really enjoy the franchise, and I don’t think I’d enjoy this. Don’t give me “it’s not made for you, it’s made for kids”. Look over this site and see how little I care about what people I don’t know think is “for me”. I do see kids enjoying it, and maybe it would lead to what some in charge of this franchise at Hasbro or the studios they hire want to do and pull it away from the Japanese sentai, but while that would allegedly save on costs (it won’t, which is why Saban used stock battle footage in the first place) or allow the writers more freedom (never heard a writer complain before), it would also lose what makes Power Rangers different from other superhero series, live-action or anime. Those Japanese elements are what give the franchise its flavor even when so many American elements are added in. I’m still not sold on Power Rangers: Origins as something we “lost”. It might have been okay, and find a young audience who doesn’t care as much as adults, and I didn’t even “grow up” on the show as I was already a high school graduate at the time. I’m just saying I don’t know if I would have liked it, but I guess we’ll never really know for sure. They went in a different direction….
And I know I don’t want to see that.
BW Media Spotlight 