Let’s get into it: “The Power Rangers” franchise is currently in its 24th glorious season. That’s insane. We could swear it was just 1993 a second ago. Since the beginning of the series, there have been some pretty powerful Rangers fighting some devious and dastardly villains; and yet one question remains: Who is the most powerful Red Ranger?
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If you’re like us, you love the non-stop hand-to-hand action and giant mech fights that make up “The Power Rangers” universe. It was tough narrowing down our favorite Red Rangers and the reasons why they’re great. Let us know if any of the Rangers we mentioned have any other powers you love, or why the ones we didn’t mention should be on this list instead!
15 POWER RANGERS SAMURAI
Jayden had been training in the ways of the Samurai since he was a little kid. He’s a man of few words and doesn’t let loose often. The time he spends training and his commitment to his training makes him pretty darn powerful, though, and an excellent Samurai leader. His skills with his Samuraizer Sword make him a formidable foe on the ground, but he isn’t the most likeable Red Ranger until “Jayden’s Challenge,” where he learns that he’s only most powerful when he’s fighting with his team.
On his own, there isn’t a whole lot that makes Jayden super powerful, but when you think about his position as the leader of the Samurai Rangers, you realize that his best skill is being a valued member of their squad. Our favorite Samurai gadget has got to be the BattleWing Megazord, mostly because it’s a badass flying Samurai robot and also because it was formed on a hunch that completely paid off mid-battle. Talk about risky!
14 DINO THUNDER
Unlike other Red Rangers before him, Connor McKnight’s dream is to become a famous soccer player. He’s often labelled a jock by his friends and he often questions his duties and abilities as a Ranger. He is sometimes selfish and maybe even a little arrogant, though well intentioned and determined not to let his team down. With that being said, let’s get into his powers.
Connor is the first of the three Dino Thunder Rangers to unlock Super Dino Mode during “White Thunder, Part 3,” which powers up his suit with slightly more power and speed. Due to his red Dino Gem, he has super speed and reaction time, and though he can move fast, his top speed is not clear. In “The Passion of Connor,” he unlocks the Triassic Battlizer after Tommy talks him out of questioning his ability to be the Red Ranger. This Battlizer gives him two big cannons and an amazing finishing move called Battle Blast.
13 NINJA STORM
Throughout the season, Shane Clarke becomes a reliable and strong leader. His superhuman physical abilities thanks to his ninja training truly make him very powerful. For starters, he’s got the ability to manipulate air like an Airbender from “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” and he can push objects and move through the air as if he were walking. He also has superhuman speed and can leap tall buildings. Do you want more? He can skateboard! While that might not necessarily be related to his Power Ranger powers, we thought it was pretty neat and worth mentioning.
In addition to such weapons as the Ninja Glider and the Tsunami Cycle, he’s also got a Laser Blaster, a Ninja Sword and Battlizer with two modes: Ground Mode and Flight Mode. In Shane’s Karma, his ground mode Battlizer gives him increased power and speed; when in flight mode, his Battlizer gives him a powerful finishing move, the Ultra-Laser.
12 POWER RANGERS SPD
Jack Landors definitely has one of the more interesting character arcs as Red Ranger. At first, he is very casual about being a Ranger, and he doesn’t take his role very seriously, though he does often butt heads with Sky Tate, “Power Rangers SPD’s” Blue Ranger. Unfortunately “Power Rangers SPD” has less cool gadgets than some other “Power Rangers” seasons, but Jack does get a pretty sweet Battlizer with two modes. Though his Sonic Mode Battlizer does look pretty badass, as seen in “Reflection, Part 1,” his Battlizer in Cyber mode gives him a ton of maneuverability and is extremely powerful.
When unmorphed, Jack has the ability to pass through walls, which may have been helpful to him when he devoted his life to crime, but is a power we wish he used more in his fighting style. We have to respect Jack because of his choice to retire. When he meets Ally in “Resurrection” he realizes that he likes helping people on the ground more than he likes being a Ranger, and in “Endings, Part 2,” he retires as Red Ranger and Sky is promoted.
11 LOST GALAXY
Leo Corbett was a citizen of Angel Grove, but after all the attacks he had seen throughout his lifetime, he snuck aboard the Terra Venture to find a new, safer world to live on. He follows his brother Mike onto the Terra Venture, and two end up on Mirinoi, where they discover the mysterious Quasar Sabers. Though Mike draws the Red Quasar Saber, he gives it to Leo just before he falls into a pit and disappears.
Similar to many Red Rangers throughout the series, he powers up using many weapons, including his epic Battlizer. In “Facing the Past,” Leo unlocks the ability use his Battlizer. Though a little big and clunky looking, his power-up gives him the ability to use Grappling Claws, Targeting Scopes and blasters that take down his enemies. In addition to being powerful, he gets points in our books for being able to bond with his zord, the Lion Galactabeast, who is our official dream pet.
10 MYSTIC FORCE
Nick Russell is a more impulsive, hot-headed Red Ranger than we’re used too. He was born in the Magic World but was separated from his parents and taken to be raised in the human world during a big war. He spends a lot of his time as a loner, but after he helps Udonna, the White Mystic force Ranger, he is granted the power of magic and becomes the Red Ranger.
His Red Ranger abilities often seem a little new, unfiltered and raw, but when harnessed correctly, they’re a force to be reckoned with. In “The Hunter,” we get our first taste of his Battlizer, The Red Dragon Fire Ranger. This deadly power-up gives Nick wings, and the ability to cast spells, blast fire and energy bolts, and covers him in samurai-style armor. This is all not yet mentioning the fact that it’s powered by combining with his dragon, Fire Heart. Did you read that correctly? He powers up by combining with a Dragon! Watch out Daenerys.
9 LIGHTSPEED RESCUE
Carter Grayson was saved by a firefighter as a child, which made him follow in his savior’s footsteps to become a firefighter himself. He is a fearless and by-the-book leader, often doing everything he can, including risking his own life, to save those around him from danger. So it’s no surprise that this fearless leader has some pretty amazing powers and abilities to help him morph into action.
In “Web War,” we got a taste of his Battlizer powers with his Trans-Armor Cycle. Though big and clunky, the armor has some pretty impressive abilities, including lasers, a tire attack and protecting Carter from incoming projectiles. Carter and his team have some pretty amazing megazords, but our favourite has got to be the super train megazord. If it’s not powerful enough to save the day, it also has space on deck to carry both the Lightspeed Rescue Zords and the Omega Zords into the action.
8 DINO SUPER CHARGE
Tyler Navarro is a curious, free-spirited leader who is driven to become more powerful and to find his lost father. His dad disappeared in an expedition in a cave, which has Tyler searching for clues about his disappearance at the Amber Beach Dinosaur Museum, which led him to discover the prehistoric Power Ranger powers.
What makes Tyler so formidable is his variety of power-ups. In “Forged Under Fire,” Tyler uses his Dino Charger X Armor, which gives him “War Greymon” style claws and a spiral attack that allows him to plough through his enemies. Though not technically a Battlizer, Tyler also has the T-Rex Super Charger. In “Roar of the Red Ranger,” Tyler powers up with the new and improved T-Rex Super Charger, which gives him some pretty incredible abilities. Our favourite is the T-Rex Super Kick, which gives him the power to fly horizontally through the air, chomping his legs together like a ferocious dinosaur maw.
7 POWER RANGERS TURBO
T.J Johnson was picked by Tommy to take over from him as the Turbo Red Ranger after he helped save the Rangers in “Passing The Torch” T.J. is good-hearted and he’s great at making quick decisions to help the Turbo Rangers out of some sticky situations. Our personal favourite weapon of his is the Turbo Navigator -- a futuristic, handheld computer with the ability to scan and track alien activity. It can transform into Gun Mode to locate and target enemy weak points before delivering the final blow.
In addition to a Megazord, the Turbo Red Ranger has the Lightning Cruiser, a slick vehicle capable of reaching extreme speeds while maintaining maneuverability. In regular mode, the Lightning Cruiser has a cannon that can dole out powerful blasts of energy, and when it transforms into Jet Mode for air assaults, it's got four guns on its wings.
6 POWER RANGERS IN SPACE
Andros is probably best remembered for his awesome Ranger powers and his very stylish ‘do. He’s a deep space warrior from the planet KO-35, where the Power Ranger technology was first created. His sister Karone was kidnapped by the bounty hunter Darkonda when they were children and he joined the army so he could become a Power Ranger and rescue her.
Andros is definitely one of the more skilled leaders the series has ever seen. For starters, he’s got telekinetic abilities, though we wish we he used them more while fighting. Still, his hand-to-hand combat skills are second to none. He fearlessly held his own when Astronema sends the infamous Psycho Rangers to take on The Space Rangers in episodes 31-39 of the season. Space Red also has some pretty cool artillery. Introduced in “Mission to Secret City,” Andros uses the franchise’s first Battlizer, complete with muscle armored torso, missile launchers and the ability to fly.
5 POWER RANGERS TIME FORCE
Eric Myers is a soldier working to protect the world from evil. A man from humble beginnings, Eric’s pride makes him a bit of a loner who is determined to prove himself. When he discovers that Wes is the Time Force Red Ranger, he is determined to acquire Ranger powers of his own. Thus, he eventually gets the Quantum controller in “The Quantum Quest” and becomes the Quantum Ranger.
Though not the season's main Red Ranger, the Quantum Ranger is definitely one of the most powerful Red Rangers of the series. He uses his trusty Quantum Defender, a gun / sword hybrid, to take on most enemies. He is also the first sixth Ranger to acquire a Battlizer, and the Quantum Mega Battle Armor is pretty incredible. In "Quantum Secrets,” we find out his Battlizer has roller blades, wings that work as giant swords, an an aerial mode that helps him take down massive enemies. If that’s not enough for you, he’s got his personal megazord, the Quantasaurus Rex, a giant lethal weapon from the future with explosive laser powers in Dinosaur Mode and Thunderfirst punching action in Megazord Mode.
4 POWER RANGERS RPM
Scott Truman is an Air Support pilot defending the city of Corrinth in the terminator-style apocalyptic world of Power Rangers RPM. After his ship gets shot down and his brother is killed in a battle, he is recruited by Doctor K to become the RPM Red Ranger. Power Rangers RPM is a special season where a new executive producer took the show in a different direction. As a result, the season focuses on character development and plot in a deeper way. What places Scott so highly on this list isn’t necessarily his powers or arsenal, but his leadership abilities and character.
In “Ranger Red,” Doctor K needs a special thruster to fix one of the Zords, and Scott ventures alone into the desert to get the piece from his brother’s plane wreckage. This leaves him vulnerable to Attack Bot attacks, but he doesn’t care, focussed only on how he can best serve his team. That motivation fuels Scott throughout the entire season, and that’s why he’s on this list.
3 MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS
This one goes out to the original Red Ranger: Jason Lee Scott. Before becoming a Power Ranger, Jason was a skilled martial artists who loved teaching others, already showing signs of the great leader he would become. Once he becomes a Ranger, his goal is to be the best leader possible. As soon as a problem comes up, he’s right there with a solution. Jason is super skilled with his power sword and is able to take down most enemies on his own. In the episode “Teamwork,” we see that the Rangers can combine their weapons together to form the epic Team Power Blaster, a formidable weapon that makes him one of the most powerful rangers yet.
If that wasn’t enough, Jason is also able to use the Green Ranger’s Dragon Shield armor to power up even more, as seen in “Birds of a Feather.” He may not have had the most gadgets or the coolest Zords, but for 1993, he was one of the most badass live-action heroes the world had ever seen (at least in a kids program). Given his performance in 2002's “Forever Red,” he clearly still packs a punch.
2 POWER RANGERS SUPER SAMURAI
Lauren Shiba is Jayden's older sister from Power Rangers Samurai, and the true head of the Shiba clan. The siblings were separated at birth, and when she returned, Jayden decided that he had to leave and he put Lauren in charge. Lauren is extremely skilled with her sword, such that when Mike challenges her to spar in “The Great Duel,” she easily defeats him. In so doing, she proved that, even un-morphed, she is an extremely well-trained fighter.
What makes Lauren so powerful is her ability to create new Samurai Symbols. In “The Sealing Symbol,” she uses her Symbol to defeat Xandred, only it doesn’t work, as he is now part human. Though some might see this as a weakness, we think that her creativity and mastery over her craft, as well as her ability to prove herself to her previously skeptical teammates, makes her extremely formidable. That earns her this spot on our list.
1 POWER RANGERS ZEO
The number one spot on this list cannot go to any other Ranger. Having appeared in over 200 episodes of the series, Tommy Oliver is by far the most popular Power Ranger ever. Though he did spend a brief moment as the Red Turbo Ranger, we’re only going to focus on what makes Tommy’s Red Zeo Ranger so powerful and awesome. Tommy immediately gets points for creativity with the Zeo Defender Wheel. Built by Alpha and Billy Cranston, this was an actual wheel that Tommy would get inside before being subsequently launched at enemies, creating a powerful burst of energy. This weapon was super unique and was often an excellent way to deal some serious damage to smaller foes.
The Zeo Power Canon is also an unbeatable finishing move. We watched a lot of Power Rangers while getting ready for this list, and it seems like this kind of weapon isn’t really used in the series anymore, which is a shame. There’s nothing like the power of a gigantic cannon that takes five Power Rangers to hold up. With Tommy at the helm, baddies don’t stand a chance.
Which Red Ranger is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!