Top 20 Unexpected Power Rangers Plot Twists
#20: The Dark Side of Anton Mercer
Top 10 Unexpected Power Rangers Plot Twists
“Power Rangers Dino Thunder” (2004) From the moment he first showed up, there was something that felt off about Anton Mercer. Over time, we learned the twisted and shocking truth. After an experiment with dinosaur DNA went horribly wrong, Mercer became one-half of the big bad Mesagog. The scientist was then doomed to be a prisoner in his own body in a horrific Jekyll and Hyde scenario. At one point, he even turned one of his old colleagues into the merciless warrior Zeltrax. Worst of all, he put his son Trent into an unfortunate predicament by making him keep this all secret from the other Rangers. It was only when Mercer and Mesagog were fully separated that he and Trent were finally free from this Jurassic nightmare.
#19: Mr. Hartford’s Little Secret
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“Power Rangers Operation Overdrive” (2007) Say what you want about Operation Overdrive, this plot twist definitely caught our attention. Halfway through the season it’s foreshadowed that there’s more to Mack than meets the eye – a secret that not even he knows. Turns out that Mack isn’t really human. He’s actually an android that Mr. Hartford had built two years prior and implanted with false memories. Naturally, Mack is devastated, and his relationship with his so-called “father” is strained beyond belief. Thankfully, it’s not enough to make him call it quits as a Ranger. Android or not, Mack displayed more humanity than most, and it was only fitting that he received the “real boy” ending in the season finale.
#18: The Titanium Ranger’s Identity
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“Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue” (2000) The mysterious Titanium Ranger caused a lot of trouble for the Lightspeed Rescue Rangers. For a time, they had no idea who this antagonist was. However, everything changed when Captain Mitchell recognized who the ranger really was in the middle of a fight. The leader was horrified to discover that his long-lost son Ryan had been under the helmet all along. As it turns out, Captain Mitchell made a deal with the demons to save his child’s life years ago. In exchange, the villains took Ryan in and raised him to believe that his father never truly loved him. Although Ryan didn’t want to believe the truth, he eventually learned to accept it and became a reliable ally.
#17: The A-Squad Shows Their True Colors
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“Power Rangers S.P.D.” (2005) Originally, the A-Squad Rangers were considered the model heroes at S.P.D. That’s why it was a shock when the team went missing at the beginning of the season. Upon their return from being M.I.A. for most of the S.P.D. story, it looked like they would become top heroes again. But it didn’t take long before they revealed their true colors. It turned out that they joined up with the villains while they were away. Normally, a Ranger has to be brainwashed to join the forces of evil. But the A-Squad did it on their own because they wanted more power. Fortunately, the team of double-crossers was no match for the true heroes at S.P.D. – the B-Squad Rangers.
#16: Lord Zedd’s Origin
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“Boom Studios’ Mighty Morphin” (2020-22) In the original series, Rita made a joke about how Lord Zedd became hideous after trying to get the Zeo Crystal. The Boom Studios comics took that idea and added an even bigger twist to it. It turns out that Zedd was once Zordon’s mentor. Back then, the big bad was known as Zophram, the Supreme Guardian of Eltar. While trying to protect the Zeo Crystal, he touched it. Its magic transformed him into the corpse-like being we know today. While his body mostly recovered, Zophram’s mind was twisted and broken. He then fell deeper down the path of darkness and became an Emperor of Evil. Zordon and Zedd’s conflict feels a lot more grim once you learn that they were once brothers in arms.
#15: The Curse of Zen-Aku
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“Power Rangers Wild Force” (2002) Zen-Aku definitely put the Wild Force Rangers through the wringer, but it was clear that he was so much more than just a powerful Duke Org; he was actually once human. Three thousand years ago, he was an Animarian Warrior named Merrick who harnessed the power of a cursed wolf mask to defeat the original Master Org. Unfortunately, the mask took over and turned Merrick into the Duke Org with few memories of his past life but a thirst for answers. Thankfully, the Rangers managed to break the curse and Merrick was free to fight alongside them as the Lunar Wolf Ranger. Unfortunately, some forces of evil just don’t know when to call it quits.
#14: Enter the White Ranger
“Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” (1993-95) On one fateful day, Billy made a startling discovery in the Command Center – Zordon was creating a brand new White Ranger. But neither he nor the audience knew who would hold the morpher. There were a few red herrings placed throughout the season that hinted at who the new teammate could be. When the big day arrived, everyone was shocked to find that former green ranger Tommy was the new White Ranger. At the time, we thought Tommy’s ranger career was finished after he lost his Green Ranger powers. That’s why seeing him remove his helmet as the White Ranger made several jaws drop. Kimberly was even so shocked that she fainted.
#13: Master Org Destroyed the Red Ranger’s Family
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“Power Rangers Wild Force” (2002) Master Org’s backstory was full of morbid twists. For starters, it turns out that he was once a human named Dr. Adler who hid his true self from his minions. Not only that, but he used to be close to Richard and Elizabeth Evans. That duo happened to be the late parents of Cole the Red Ranger. After becoming bitterly jealous of the couple’s love, Adler vowed to get revenge on them. When he turned himself into an org, he got his revenge in the worst possible way. Neither Cole nor the audience could believe their ears when they heard that the red ranger’s missing parents were permanently lost thanks to Master Org.
#12: Leanbow
“Power Rangers Mystic Force” (2006) Unlike the other baddies in the Underworld, Koragg prided himself in being an honorable warrior. But where did that sense of virtue come from? As it turns out, Koragg was once a brave and honorable wizard named Leanbow. He was also ranger mentor Udonna’s husband. During the Great Battle, Leanbow put himself on the line to help seal away the forces of darkness. That’s why everyone thought he was gone for good. In reality, he was corrupted by dark magic and transformed into the Knight Wolf with no memory of his past life. Thankfully, Leanbow was eventually freed from Koragg’s influence and returned to the side of good as the Wolf Warrior.
#11: “I Will Be Known as Lothor”
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“Power Rangers Ninja Storm” (2003) While on a mission in the past, Cam encounters the younger version of his father, Sensei Watanabe. Unfortunately, he also meets his dad’s treacherous twin brother, Kiya. Cam wipes the floor with the twisted sibling. Before Kiya is banished into space, he gives himself a new name – Lothor. That shocking line of dialogue meant that the past Sensei’s brother was the season’s present big bad. Family drama wasn’t new to the franchise at this point. However, seeing that the Ninja Storm Rangers’ greatest nemesis was their Sensei’s disgraced sibling was a new kind of twist. And since Lothor joined the dark side willingly, this was also a shocking case where redemption wasn’t on the table.
#10: Bowen
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“Power Rangers Mystic Force” (2006) Before he became a Ranger, Nick traveled the country never knowing who his real parents were, and without a real sense of who he really is. Meanwhile, the Rangers’ mentor Udonna was separated from her baby, Bowen, years ago during the Great War. Have you connected the dots yet? Yes, it turns out that Nick is actually Bowen; meaning that not only was he destined to be the Red Mystic Ranger, but also to become the “Light” that can defeat the forces of evil once and for all. It’s definitely not what Nick expected! But when the fighting’s finally finished, the ending is all the sweeter for him being reunited with the family he never knew he had.
#9: The ‘Peace Conference’
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“Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” (2016-20) & “Saban’s Go Go Power Rangers” (2017-20) In the original TV series, Jason, Zack, and Trini left the team in Season Two to be part of a Peace Conference in Switzerland. It was basically just an excuse for the actors leaving the show. The Boom Studios comics, however, add a clever twist to this infamous departure – there never WAS a Peace Conference. In reality, it was all a cover story concocted by the trio so they could leave on a new quest to protect the universe as the Omega Rangers. It can’t have been an easy decision for the young heroes, especially lying to their teammates, but the lie was a necessary evil for the sake of the entire universe.
#8: Frax’s Backstory
“Power Rangers Time Force” (2001) At first glance, Frax seemed like just another one of Ransik’s goons – a mechanized genius frustrated with his master’s disrespect for robots. However, there’s a dark secret behind that metallic shell – Frax actually used to be human. He was once Dr. Fericks, a kindly scientist who took pity on Ransik during his time of need. Tragically, Ransik “rewarded” the doctor by mortally wounding him and stealing his technology. Fericks survived and managed to rebuild himself into the robotic mad scientist we know today, secretly planning his ultimate revenge on the mutant that destroyed his life and dragged him into the vicious cycle of hatred and despair. Even more tragically, Frax’s story only gets worse from there.
#7: The 1969 Rangers
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“Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” (2016-20) In the Boom Studios comics, we’re introduced to Grace Sterling – CEO of Promethea and an unexpected ally for the Rangers. It turns out that she has a bit of history with Zordon …as his original Red Ranger. Back in 1969, she and four others were chosen for a mission to thwart the Green Psycho Ranger’s evil scheme on the moon. While Psycho Green was dealt with, it came with a heavy cost… Grace was one of the only two Rangers to make it out of the mission alive. This early experiment became one of Zordon’s biggest regrets, but it nonetheless inspired Grace to keep fighting for the greater good… even if it means walking into some morally gray areas.
#6: Dillon’s Sister
“Power Rangers RPM” (2009) Because of his amnesia, Dillon’s past is a complete mystery to him… except for one vague, haunting memory. Before his Ranger days, Dillon had a blind sister who he swore to protect, but they were separated trying to escape from Venjix, given cybernetic implants, and had their respective minds wiped. What’s even more shocking is who turns out to be his sister – Venjix’s human infiltration ‘bot’, Tenaya 7. When she learned the truth, she was even more shocked than the fans, as she didn’t even know she was human. Tenaya 7 tried to deny the truth, and Venjix tried to wipe out everything she learned through brainwashing, but the past never stays buried forever.
#5: Amelia’s Parents
“Power Rangers Dino Fury” (2021-22) Since we first met her, Amelia was fascinated by the paranormal. It turns out her obsession for the supernatural came from the fact that her parents went missing when she was younger. But the mystery was solved in an extremely unexpected way. First of all, it turned out that Amelia is an alien who was separated from her parents as a baby. And who are her parents? As it turns, she was the daughter of the deadly villains Void Knight and Void Queen. The poor couple was once trapped on earth and forced to give up their only child. As a result, Void Queen vowed vengeance on all of humanity. This twist was subtly built up and felt extremely satisfying when it was unveiled.
#4: The Ultimate Sacrifice
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“Power Rangers Lost Galaxy” (1999) Although the Rangers are typically regular humans underneath their suits, fans always felt like the heroes were invincible. But “Lost Galaxy” changed all the rules. In a shocking scene, pink ranger Kendrix heroically sacrificed herself to save all of Terra Venture. Behind the scenes of the show, the actress playing the ranger, Valerie Vernon, was diagnosed with leukemia. She ended up being written off the show so she could focus on treatment. Thankfully, the actress recovered and Kendrix was miraculously resurrected in the finale. But the ranger’s original demise reminded viewers that not even the greatest heroes will always make it home alive.
#3: “Meet Project Venjix”
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“Power Rangers RPM” (2009) When Doctor K discovered Alphabet Soup’s true nature, she planned to shut them down with a self-aware computer virus - Project Venjix. Unfortunately, she was interrupted before she could install a proper firewall. This enabled Venjix to spread like wildfire and plunge the world into an apocalypse. K’s backstory is nothing short of tragic; she was abducted by a corrupt government facility as a child, and forced to live with the fact that she accidentally created the ultimate doomsday device in her efforts to escape. Thankfully, rather than mope, she instead chooses to fight back with humanity’s last line of defense – the RPM Power Rangers.
#2: Evox’s Dark Past
“Power Rangers Beast Morphers” (2019-20) With his master plan underway, Evox decides to reveal his origin to the Rangers. When Nate was a child, he experimented with Morph-X and snake DNA on a certain Cell Shift Morpher. This meant that not only did Nate inadvertently create Evox, but Evox is actually the final evolution of the Venjix Virus! (Venjix in Scott’s Morpher) This finally gave us a resolution to the cliffhanger in the RPM finale, confirming that Venjix was in fact still alive… and now even deadlier than ever. Coupled with the cruel irony of Nate having accidentally unleashed their greatest enemy, this makes for two huge twists in one.
#1: Andros & Astronema
“Power Rangers in Space” (1998) When Andros was a child, Darkonda kidnapped his sister, Karone. But the Red Ranger never gave up hope of one day finding her. Years later, he finally did… but not as he expected. She was found and raised by Ecliptor into the Princess of Evil, Astronema. Not only is this the first major Ranger-Villain family plot twist, but it also explores a concept barely explored until this point – that not all Power Ranger villains are born evil. Some of them were never given the choice. Fortunately, once Karone is freed from evil’s influence – twice - she finally gets the chance to choose her own path and make up for all the wrongs she committed.
