Power Rangers: The Franchise That Couldn't Escape Tragedy
The Frank Brothers
Few people are more closely associated with the Power Rangers franchise than Jason David Frank. First appearing as Tommy Oliver, the Green Ranger, in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Frank quickly became one of the series' biggest stars. He would go on to reprise the role across multiple seasons, including Zeo, Turbo, and Dino Thunder, as well as numerous anniversary appearances, making Tommy Oliver one of the most iconic characters in the franchise's history.
That connection to Power Rangers extended to his family as well. Jason's brother, Erik Frank, also appeared in the franchise, portraying David Trueheart in Power Rangers Zeo. Though his role was much smaller, Erik became part of the same legacy that helped define the Frank family within the Power Rangers community.
Tragically, Erik Frank took his own life in 2001. Years later, Jason David Frank faced his own personal struggles, including depression and challenges in his personal life, before he took his own life in 2022. The losses of the Frank brothers deeply affected their family, friends, and generations of fans who grew up watching them bring the Power Rangers universe to life.
Thuy Trang
Before Power Rangers became a global phenomenon, the original team of heroes helped define an entire generation of television. Among them was Thuy Trang, the Vietnamese-born actress who portrayed Trini Kwan, the original Yellow Ranger, in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
As one of the first Asian-American superheroes featured in a major children's television series, Trang became a meaningful representation for many viewers. Beyond acting, she was also passionate about martial arts, a skill that helped shape her performances and reflected the influence of martial arts-driven action on the early Power Rangers series.
After departing the show, Trang continued pursuing acting opportunities, but her life was tragically cut short in 2001. While traveling on Interstate 5 between San Jose and Los Angeles, Trang was involved in a fatal car accident. She was airlifted to a hospital following the crash, but she succumbed to her injuries at just 27 years old.
The impact of Trang's passing would continue to be felt decades later. In 2023, her legacy was honored in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always, a Netflix special celebrating the 30th anniversary of the original series. The special paid tribute to Trini Kwan and explored the legacy of the original Yellow Ranger. Tragically, the production also became connected to another loss within the franchise, as Jason David Frank passed away during its development, making the project an even more emotional tribute to two of Power Rangers' most iconic figures.
Pua Magasiva
Pua Magasiva became one of the most recognizable faces of the Power Rangers franchise when he took on the role of Shane Clarke, the Red Ranger in Power Rangers Ninja Storm in 2003. The leading role helped launch his acting career and established him as an important part of the franchise's history, particularly as one of the few Samoan actors to lead a Power Rangers series.
After his time on Ninja Storm, Magasiva continued acting in New Zealand television and became a familiar face in the entertainment industry. However, his life took a tragic turn in 2019, when he took his own life at the age of 38.
Following his death, reports revealed disturbing allegations about his personal life, including accusations of domestic abuse involving his partner. The revelations cast a complicated shadow over the legacy of an actor who had once been celebrated by Power Rangers fans around the world.
Skylar Deleon Unlike some actors on this list, Skylar Deleon had only a minor connection to Power Rangers, appearing as an extra during the franchise’s early years. However, his later crimes would become one of the darkest stories ever linked to someone from the series. In 1994, Deleon appeared as an extra in the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers episode “Second Chance.” At the time, he was a young actor just beginning his career, with this being one of his earliest credited appearances alongside various commercial roles. But Deleon’s early acting ambitions were short-lived. Behind the scenes, he was enduring abuse from his father, John, a traumatic experience that would shape the course of his life. By 2004, Deleon’s life had taken a very different direction. He had a family of his own, but was struggling financially and struggling to make ends meet. As the pressure mounted, Deleon began turning to crime in an attempt to make quick money. This is when his path crossed with an older couple named Thomas and Jackie Hawks. The couple was looking to sell their yacht and retire in Newport Harbor, California. Deleon showed interest in the boat, and claimed his success as a child actor in shows like Power Rangers allowed him to be in the position to buy the boat. They agreed on a price of 450,000 for the ‘Well Deserved’, and the Hawkses were eager to complete the sale and move on to the next phase of their lives together. However, Skylar Deleon and his wife Jennifer appeared to have very different intentions.
On the morning of November 15th, 2004, Deleon, Jennifer, and several accomplices overpowered Thomas and Jackie Hawks aboard the yacht. The couple were bound and thrown overboard, and their bodies were never recovered. Deleon was later convicted of the murders of the Hawks, as well as a separate killing, and was sentenced to death. He remains on California’s death row to this day.
Ricardo Medina Jr. In 2002, Ricardo Medina Jr. starred as Cole Evans, the Red Ranger in Power Rangers Wild Force. Across 40 episodes, he portrayed a young man who was raised by a fictional Indigenous tribe after his parents were killed during an expedition. For years, Medina's legacy was tied to his time on Wild Force. Then, in 2015, his name made headlines for an entirely different reason.
At the time, Medina was living in an apartment near Los Angeles with an acquaintance named Josh Sutter. The two had been brought together by Sutter’s sister, Rachel, who hired Medina to run what was essentially a dog sanctuary. However, Medina’s increasingly erratic behavior created tension in the home, including threats to release the dogs into the wild. On January 31st, 2014, an argument between Medina and Sutter escalated, and Medina fatally stabbed Sutter with a sword. While Medina’s defense team argued he acted in self-defense, Sutter’s family has maintained that the killing was deliberate. In 2016, Medina faced the possibility of life in prison after initially being charged with first-degree murder. However, he later pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to six years behind bars. He ultimately served only half of that sentence and was released on parole in 2020. While the circumstances surrounding the case remain disputed, Medina’s release after serving just three years for a fatal stabbing understandably sparked controversy. His story remains one of the most unsettling chapters involving someone connected to the Power Rangers franchise.
Like Glee and The Twilight Zone, Power Rangers has accumulated an eerie number of tragedies surrounding the people connected to it.
Of course, these events aren't connected, and there's no evidence of anything more than coincidence. But when so many tragic and disturbing stories surround a franchise that played such a huge role in so many childhoods, it's hard not to notice the pattern.
Because while the Power Rangers may have taught generations of kids that there was always a hero behind the mask, the people wearing those masks were human—and their stories didn't always have happy endings.
So, which of these stories surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments.
