When Power Rangers was adapted for the U.S., a key issue was to balance the genders. The Super Sentai shows generally had just one female (almost always the Pink one) and four males on the team. Saban wanted to shift that and so the decision was made to have the Yellow Ranger be a female as well. That would keep for a long time although eventually, some male characters were Yellow Rangers as well. While Pink gets the attention and we’ve had a few Blues, the Yellow Rangers are also notable for some of the more famous members of a Rangers team. It varies depending on the unit as some Rangers squads are just three main Rangers before more join on. Yet the five-person unit usually means a Yellow Ranger among the squad from the start.

There have been a few exceptions (despite a score of Rangers, Dino Charge didn’t have a pure Yellow one) but the color remains one of the biggest standbys of the franchise. It makes sense given it’s a prime color and no matter the number of Rangers, Yellow is always a standout. Over the years, numerous women (and a few guys) have taken on the color with a couple actually carrying it over from one series to another. Each brings their own strengths to the role with a few far more famous than others. Here’s how the various Yellow Ranger of the franchise rank and shows why this color is one of the most important in this iconic franchise.

20 CALVIN, NINJA STEEL

The latest on this list, Calvin is the current Yellow Ranger. He and girlfriend Haley are just driving around when they find wreckage from an alien ship and the goofy Mick. Attacked by enemies, they’re on the run to join the other Rangers and gain the Ninja Star powers. Calvin is a serious mechanic with Haley openly cracking he seems to love his truck more than her. That extends to his Zord with Calvin showing he enjoys being a Ranger and his technical skills can sometimes rival genius Sarah.

Nico Greetham shows the nice humor of Calvin but also his flaws. The guy can be just way too laid-back and easily distracted (even forgetting to pick Haley up a few times) and behind in school. He also had a fear of driving for a long time due to a childhood incident but overcame it to help the team out. Still very capable in a fight, Calvin shows that he can live up to the legacy of the Yellow Ranger well and be good even with a forgetful attitude.

19 TIDEUS, ALIEN

One of the wilder twists of MMPR was when Rita’s dad, Master Vile, turns back time on the planet. This transforms the Rangers into children with Zordon having to call in help. In comes the Ranger team from the planet Aquitar. Tideus is important, historically, as the first male Yellow Ranger. A good-natured figure, he takes his duties as a Ranger very seriously, often a bit too much so.

He’s the strongest of the Alien Rangers and able to handle their battles well. He does have the same weakness as the others in that they can’t be away from water for too long which does limit their effectiveness. As the first male Yellow Ranger, Tideus is notable but much like the entire Alien Ranger era, his tenure is rather forgettable.

18 KELSEY, LIGHTSPEED

It takes no time for Kelsey to prove herself as an action junkie. Her very first scene has her climbing up a mountain when she’s recruited for the Lightpseed team. Agile, she fits the Ranger role quite well to be an expert fighter and takes to their conflict nicely. She’s a free spirit and independent so can often jump into situations with little preparation. Yet that does show a good skill in battle as she’s often one of the last Rangers standing against a foe. Sasha Williams showed the flaws in Kelsey, including how she ended up in the hospital when her hotheaded antics cost her in a fight.

A unique turn was Kelsey making the surprising revelations she had grown up rich. She turned her back on the posh society life to be more down to earth which caused her to be on the outs from her grandmother. They made up with grandma even helping rescue Kelsey from an attack. The character is last seen in Time Force back to her old adventure life to show how being “extreme” is part of her blood.

17 EMILY, SAMURAI

After being believed canceled at last, the franchise was revived by Saban for Nickelodeon. Samurai set a new standard for the show with more action as well as breaking into a second “Super” season. At first, Emily looks the typical sweet gal next door with Brittany Anne-Pirtle looking lovely in the role. She proved herself a tough fighter and her earth-based powers were effective such as taking down a monster all by herself. While her singing voice and looks likened her to Kellie Pickler, Emily was tougher than that.

A big turn was the revelation that her older sister was supposed to be the Yellow Ranger. When she came down with a severe illness, Emily took up the mantle. Thus, she has to constantly fight to prove herself worthy of the role. She does so and ends the show finally getting together with teammate Mike. She briefly returned in Megaforce to show that this “country mouse” roared loud as a Yellow Ranger.

16 RONNY, OVERDRIVE

Operation Overdrive is generally considered the worst Power Rangers series. A combination of poor writing and a lowered budget led to a series that even the producers admit was not what they hoped for. Still, Ronny was a pretty good fit for the Yellow Ranger mantle. A former race car driver, she was recruited for the team and given a genetic boost that, fittingly, gave her super-speed. Caitlin Murphy provided the character with some nice humor and sass while also carrying on a competitive edge.

Indeed, it was shown how Ronny was used to always being the best which sometimes made it hard to fit into a team setting. But she did support the group whenever she was needed. It was clear she loved being a Ranger, even disliking going back to her racing career when she briefly lost her powers. There were also quirks like her wearing “lucky socks” that had an odor so bad, it literally knocked a monster over. While the series may not be the best of the franchise, Ronny did rank as a highlight of it.

15 DUSTIN, NINJA STORM

The concept of Ninja Storm was that the three main heroes were only chosen as Rangers because they were the only ones left when Lothor abducted everyone else at their ninja academy. Of the trio, Waldo “Dustin” Brooks seemed the least likely to be effective. He was a goofball who seemed to enjoy having fun more than anything serious. But as a fan of the Power Rangers, he embraced becoming one big time. He was actually the first to figure out how to morph and using his wind powers very effectively in a fight.

While Glenn McMillan gave the character lots of humor, he also inserted some warmth to Dustin as well. It was shown Dustin would always look for the best in people which sometimes backfired but other times ended up being a help. He was more serious in a fight and could be an effective leader while bonding with Blake and Hunter nicely. The character did just as well on Dino Thunder to prove how you couldn’t judge by appearances as this supposed goof turned into an effective Yellow Ranger.

14 TRINI, 2017 MOVIE

The 2017 big-screen reboot of Power Rangers changed a lot of things but did its best to capture the heart of the property. When first seen, Trini (Becky G) is standing on a cliff, doing yoga while listening to death metal. That contrast fits the character who’s so quiet and overlooked that people think she’s a brand new transfer when she’s been at Angel Grove High for a year. Often the target of bullying, Trini accepts the Yellow Power Coin with a bit of an attitude but handles it well.

A major scene in the movie is Trini targeted by Rita Repulsa (Elizabeth Banks) in a tense scene but Trini standing up to her. There’s also how the character is open on her personal beliefs and who she likes and it’s clear becoming a Ranger is giving her confidence to finally be herself. She also handles the fight scenes quite well. Should the series continue, this version of the character can rise up more yet Becky G managed to put a modern stamp on a good part.

13 CHIP, MYSTIC FORCE

A rarity of the Yellow Ranger on the team being male, Chip had a good attitude from the start of Mystic Force. He was already a good-natured guy who easily made friends and wanted to help others. As a huge fan of comic books and fantasy, Chip is the first to accept a world of magic and absolutely loves it. Nic Sampson imbued the character with lots of humor that became infectious as Chip is the first of the Rangers to unlock their magical powers which gives him control over lightning for attacks.

Chip adores being a Ranger from the powers to his outfit (he just loves that cape). While he seemed a bit distracted at times, his knowledge of fantasy tropes does help a lot. Not only does he understand that Vida has been turned into a vampire but is able to find a way to cure her. It also helps with other conflicts and grasping ideas the other Rangers have trouble handling. Throw in his ability to transform into his own Zord and Chip proved that being a fanboy isn’t a bad thing to become an effective Ranger.

12 Z, SPD

When the viewers first meet Elizabeth “Z” Delgado, she’s a thief working with partner Jack on the streets. It turns out the two are actually robbing criminals to provide help for the poor folk in their neighborhood. Z is aided by how she has the power to split herself into copies to aid in combat. That leads to her and Jack offered a chance to join the Rangers. A tomboy, Z has a nice attitude that helps the team out and an odd bond with Pink Ranger Syd. She had a good heart as well as a sardonic sense of humor. The bond of her and Jack was good as Z could talk her old friend down from crazy actions even as she was willing to risk her own life majorly.

The character stood out nicely with her attitude and not being a “girly” Ranger. Ironically, Monica May has gone on to a new career as a burlesque dancer which is quite the departure from one of the more notable “tomboy” Yellow Rangers.

11 ASHLEY, TURBO/SPACE

At first, Ashley seemed to be just a random cheerleader shown in the background at Angel Grove High. She stepped up helping get civilians out of danger when the city was attacked. That made her chosen to be the new Yellow Ranger when the old team moved on. At first, Ashley came off as a bit of a ditz despite Tracy Lynn Cruz’s fun performance. She was into fashion and clothes and while a sweet personality, didn’t seem to take things too seriously in her time as a Turbo Ranger.

The character toughened up a bit when she joined the team for Space. She could be bubbly but more assertive and tougher than she seemed. Twice she was abducted but managed to escape her captors for some good fighting. She was a tad boy crazy and an attraction to Andros but her bond with best friend Cassie helped ground her. Ashley grew into the role nicely to be a good Yellow Ranger on two teams to close out the original era of the show.

10 KATIE, TIME FORCE

In terms of pure strength, Katie has to rank among the toughest of all Power Rangers. Thanks to her living in the future, Katie is super-strong to an amazing degree. A running gag on the series was how she could give hugs that threatened to crush bones. There could also be her lifting up furniture with one hand while cleaning up the loft. In personality, Katie was far more open with her feelings than teammate Kim and a nice sense of humor to back the team up which Deborah Estelle Phillips sold well.

One episode has a photographer getting photos of the Rangers out of their suits. Katie went to him, not threatening with her strength but rather pointing out how exposing the Rangers could put everyone at risk. When the photographer was in danger, Katie risked herself to save him, telling him she didn’t care if he still published the photographs. This pushed him to get rid of the photos and change his path. While her strength was notable, it was her heart that made Katie a great Ranger.

9 TRINI, MMPR

As the first, she has to be notable. Okay, looking back, casting the Asian actress as the Yellow Ranger may not have been the most PC of ideas. Yet Thuy Trang did stand out nicely in the role. A lovely face, Trini was a good backer to Kim, their bond of friendship quite strong through the show. Trini was tough in her own right and cared deeply for others to show a great style in the part.

Her role was cut short when, in mid-1994, Trang, Austin St. John (Jason) and Walter Jones (Zack) got into a contract dispute with the producers and left the show. The absence was explained by them going to join a peace conference abroad. Tragically, Trang was killed in a car accident in 2001 at just 27. Trini is living on in the current Boom comics series as she set the bar every Yellow Ranger since has been following.

8 MAYA, LOST GALAXY

From the start, this lady stood out nicely. After all, while the other Lost Galaxy Rangers were in uniforms, Maya was clad in what amounted to a loincloth outfit with long lush hair. Cerina Vincent was easily one of the most beautiful actresses to ever be on the show and the series showed it off. Maya was from a quiet civilization that came under a vicious attack by aliens that turned most of her village to stone. She escaped to join with the Rangers gaining the Quantum Swords. She and Kendrix clashed at first but became good friends and Maya was also the first to welcome new Pink Ranger Karone.

Her empathic abilities made her a bit too trusting of others but her jungle skills were useful in a fight. Vincent has gained fame thanks to her infamous role in Not Another Teen Movie and recently played the mom on the Disney Channel comedy Stuck in the Middle. But she’s still remembered for a Yellow Ranger who looked great while having the fighting goods to be among the best to don that color.

7 AISHA, MMPR

A huge shift for MMPR was in season two when Jason, Zack and Trini all left. As fate had it, the team had just befriended newcomers Rocky, Adam and Aisha. After the trio stumbled onto the teams’ identities, they were chosen as successors. Aisha had a bit of a rough start filling in as she could go a bit overboard on things from being the school fire marshal to living up to the legacy. Likewise, Karan Ashley seemed a bit off in the role at first but slowly came into it as the show went on. One storyline has Aisha the only Ranger to resist a monster’s hate spell to save the day.

Season three boosted Aisha up more as the Rangers took on their Ninja powers. She got a bit more sass with her attitude and outfits and could be more assertive. Her ending was when the world was turned back in time and she was searching for a Zeo crystal. She found it in an African village but elected to remain there and help the locals out. It showed how Aisha’s heart was always her strongest asset which made her time as a Yellow Ranger notable.

6 TANYA, MMPR/ZEO/TURBO

Her time on MMPR was rather short as she was still a child when Aisha ran into her in Africa. When the world was set right in time, Tanya was pushed by Aisha to take up her mantle as the Yellow Ranger. She joined the Zeo team and took to it with such skill, you’d think she’d been a Ranger all her life. Possessing a great sense of humor and warmth, Tanya loved the team to the point of turning down a chance at a recording contract to continue and defend Angel Grove.

Tanya would be able to rescue her long missing parents but remain in Angel Grove to help the Rangers. She moved on to become the Yellow Turbo Ranger and remained a top fighter. As with the other Rangers, she gave up the mantle when she graduated high school, choosing friend Ashley as her successor. Balancing across two teams, Tanya wasn’t a fill-in but a good Ranger in her own right.

5 GIA, MEGA FORCE

Gia should have aggravated fans majorly. Even on the show, it was pointed out how Gia was so great at nearly everything she did that one baddie used it to try and stir up tensions between her and Pink Ranger Emma. A genius at math and science, Gia was also an excellent athlete and even took up leadership of the Mega Force team. While beautiful, Gia was a great fighter and always willing to back up the others. Her Mega Force powers gave her the ability to take on the powers and weapons of Yellow Rangers of the past to make her a very great warrior.

Ciara Hanna was the beauty of the team despite how she insisted on being more the tomboy. She also had a great sense of humor with some sharp remarks on the villains and could mediate disputes on the team. As part of the squad that honored the past of the Rangers more than others, Gia proved she was more than worthy of the mantle of the Yellow Ranger in whatever incarnation she borrowed.

4 KIRA, DINO THUNDER

The first time we see Kira Ford, she’s strumming a guitar in the school yard which earns her detention. This leads to her joining the others in first becoming Dino Rangers. Like the others, her gem grants her a special ability which, making sense, is a loud sonic scream. Emma Lahana looked lovely in the part with Kira a tough gal who enjoyed being a Ranger and did her own singing. One episode has her offered a contract as a pop diva but turns it down as she wants to be more herself.

Kira’s laid-back style made her a good sight in a battle, including a clash with a brainwashed Ninja Storm team. That she could command a flying dinosaur zord made her even more of a force in a fight. A hysterical episode has her affected by energy to become a shopaholic “Mean Girl” which Lahana sold wonderfully. She even showed off nicely on both SPD and a special team-up on Operation Overdrive. It all combined to make Kira one of the most notable ladies to ever done the yellow suit.

3 LILY, JUNGLE FURY

Jungle Fury played on how two students of a ninja academy were ace fighters while the third (Casey) had barely been there a month before they were chosen as Ranger. Lily had spent most of her life training and so found it a bit hard to adapt to being just a regular teen again. She got into it as she would integrate her dancing into her fighting and be a fine Yellow Rangers. Anna Hutchinson gave the character a nice resolve as she was often the mediator of disputes between her teammates.

A fun episode has Lily affected by an evil spike to turn into a selfish motorcycle gal. She had a good sense of humor although fans poked fun at her tendency to constantly be yelling when morphed. But Lily had good strengths such as convincing a stubborn teacher to give her training and even helping out enemy Camille one time. It made Lilly one fun Ranger to bring more Fury to the franchise.

2 SUMMER, RPM

Before she was everyone’s favorite undead medical examiner on iZombie, Rose McIver was showing her stuff as a Yellow Ranger. When we first meet Summer, she’s a chipper gal who’s also an ace motorcycle rider and a total action girl. Which just made it more amazing when a two-part episode reveals her origins. Summer had been a rich, spoiled heiress who cared more about nice clothes and parties than anything important. The world being conquered by machines changed her attitude fast as she learned to grow up and accept responsibility as a Ranger.

In a fight, Summer was always great with one episode having her kicking butt while in a wedding dress. Her strength would rub off on others as she inspired her own parents to learn to live without their wealth as well. Her character growth is one of the best of any Ranger and McIver showed the talent that made her a genre favorite even outside the franchise.

1 TAYLOR, WILD FORCE

Of all the Yellow Rangers, Taylor was the most commanding. She had been a fighter pilot when she was the first Ranger recruited by Princess Shayla and took up a leadership role for the team before Cole joined up. She was a bit too by the book (literally writing a book of rules for the team to follow) which didn’t always work out too well. Feisty and hot-tempered, she was a major departure from the friendly Yellow Rangers of the past.

Alyson Kiperman did show Taylor slowly shifting her ways and becoming a bit more open to the rest of the team. She was still great in a flight and it made sense she had an Eagle as her Zord given her flight training. A highlight of the team-up with the Time Force Rangers was her clashing with Eric although hints of some attraction between them as well. The series ends with Taylor back in her old jet but marked her as one of the toughest and most effective to ever wear the color Yellow.