The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers tend to be straightforward characters. The first quintet brings one or two unique personality traits to each figure, but most young fans would sooner define them by their costume color. One of the most iconic Rangers is the arguable protagonist of the 30-year franchise. Tommy Oliver joined Power Rangers in 1993 and regularly rejoined until actor Jason David Frank's tragic passing in 2022. He enjoyed six titles during his tenure with the series.
Power Rangers is a show about iterating endlessly on a single brilliant idea. The franchise repurposes footage from Super Sentai with a kitschy American high school sitcom to create a memorable concept. Each new series borrows new action scenes, combining them with a new narrative. The various twists on the format share elements, some of which feature references to the earlier work. Tommy Oliver is one of the few major characters who keep coming back.
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The Green Ranger
Dr. Thomas Oliver first appeared in Power Rangers as a fiercely talented martial artist and transfer student to Angel Grove High School. After he fought Jason Lee Scott, the Red Ranger, to a standstill in a local tournament, Rita Repulsa saw him as a perfect target. She kidnaps and brainwashes him, using a hidden sixth Power Coin to grant him the Green Ranger gear and powers. He becomes the first Evil Ranger. Tommy deactivates Zordon and infects Alpha 5, then drags Jason to the Dark Dimension. He nearly stabs Jason to death, but the other Rangers save him. Rita traps Tommy in the Dark Dimension as punishment. Tommy returns with his first Zord, the Dragonzord, and tries to destroy Angel Grove. The Rangers defeat him, saving him from Rita's spell. The Rangers forgive him and welcome him as the first Green Ranger. He served alongside his new friends, but villains continued to bedevil him. Zedd stole the Green Rangers' powers with a green crystal and a team of Evil Rangers. Tommy believed he was out of the game, but that never lasted long.
The White Ranger
Tommy's back with the White Light of Good at his side. He dons the new White Ranger garb, wields a sentient sword named Saba, and pilots the White Tigerzord. Tommy helps his friends construct the Mega Tigerzord, a combined giant robot with the power of five distinct machines. The White Ranger became the leader of the Power Rangers. He oversaw the power transfer from the first Red, Yellow, and Black Rangers to the second. He fought a corrupted clone of himself, teaching the newly-christened Tom to fight for Angel Grove.
The White Ninja Ranger
Season 3 of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers sees Rita's brother destroy the Zords and Power Coins. The Coins' creator, Ninjor, makes new medallions with a ninja motif. This one's a naked gimmick to sell more toys without the barest justification of earlier transitions. His new Zord is a falcon, and his new outfit later comes with metallic armor. It doesn't last long.
Zeo Ranger V – Red
Power Ranger Zeo is the fourth season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. It opens with Tommy and his cohorts gaining the power of the Zeo Crystals. He fought the evil King Mondo and his Machine Empire. He piloted a phoenix-like Zord and wielded a magical sword. Tommy endured some relationship trouble in this season. The first Pink Ranger breaks his heart, and he starts dating the second. He recruits Jason to become the temporary Golden Ranger, allowing them to hang out again. Tommy remains the leader of this team, a position he's maintained for years.
The Red Turbo Ranger
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Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie sees the Zeo Rangers fail to defeat the latest threat. Zordon hands them another upgrade, making them Turbo Rangers. Tommy stays red and keeps his leadership position. Tommy leaves the show in the resulting Power Rangers Turbo series. He gets into stock car racing. He decides to select a successor and attend classes at MIT. He feels safe leaving the team in his friend T.J.'s hands after he and his allies save Tommy's life. He offered these words to his replacement:
I wouldn't be standing here today, T.J. if it weren't for your courage and strength. I choose you to lead the team as the new Red Ranger.
The Black Dino Ranger
Tommy stepped away from the Power Rangers for five years. He briefly returned to lead a team of Red Rangers in a Wild Force episode but slipped away again for two more years. In the downtime, Tommy got his PhD in paleontology from MIT. He and his research partners develop Dinozords, mechanical raptor vehicles, and cyborg footsoldiers. Tommy becomes a high school teacher, and a lab accident turns one of his friends into a villain. Three of Tommy's students take Dino Gems to pilot Dinozords. Tommy later becomes their guide and mentor. He pilots a Brachiozord and gains the power to turn invisible. Tommy is a team member in Dino Thunder, but his role generally revolves around motivating and empowering the new generation. He has to fight earlier versions of himself, leading to a soaring conclusion in which the heroes must give up their powers to save the world. Tommy happily retires to a quiet life as a high school teacher.
Tommy appeared in a few episodes of later seasons. His last Power Rangers appearance came in the 25th anniversary special, Dimensions in Danger. He declined to star in the 30th anniversary, Once and Always. Tommy is a critical part of the tapestry of this franchise. His varied forms kept him in the Power Rangers ranks for almost twenty years.
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