Be forewarned that this article will be full of my biases. Let me remind people I used to like Power Rangers until I saw more of Super Sentai. I wrote an article pointing out what Power Rangers did better for the American audience. A recent article from Screen Rant talking about what might be an unpopular opinion or not. It's all about how Rita Repulsa's and Lord Zedd's final fates made the original incarnation look INSUFFICIENT. I'd say that was the fault of THE GREED because Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers could've just wrapped up as planned. Lord Zedd could've been reserved for a totally different adaptation for Gosei Sentai Dairanger with an entirely new team of rangers. Instead, we know how Mighty Morphin' extended up to 150 episodes (three seasons), the story got overcarried into Power Rangers Zeo and got wrapped up in Power Rangers in Space. Space may have saved the franchise but I found it incredibly hard to watch after watching Dengeki Sentai Changeman. Okay, back to topic!
The history of what I dub as the best couple of Power Rangers can be interesting. Was it a good plot twist that Rita was merely the second-in-command of Lord Zedd? Lord Zedd returns to take over the job that Rita failed to do. In fact, Lord Zedd was supposedly a darker and more threatening character. Parents complained that Lord Zedd was "too evil" and he was soon married off to Rita. Lord Zedd started showing signs of decay even more in episodes like when he randomly wanted Kimberly as his queen -- even if he spent like SEVERAL EPISODES trying to destroy her and the others! I find Lord Zedd and Rita entertaining to watch when they got married. Lord Zedd got sillier but he was also twice more dangerous. Rita was practically his better half (or worse half). The rangers could hardly claim victory against their combined forces.
But we know how American TV goes. It tends to overextend and overmilk the popularity of just ANYTHING. Lord Zedd and Rita got carried over into Zeo. Zeo was a continuation in contrast to how Choriki Sentai Ohranger was its own continuity. Preferring Zeo over Ohranger (and honestly, Ohranger gave me more reasons not to rewatch Zeo) may just be because of cultural differences. Lord Zedd and Rita were trying to recover their former positions back.The Machine Empire attacked their area -- causing them to leave.
Lord Zedd and Rita proved to be somehow better than what I call the awfully reshuffled team. Ohranger did what it did -- have the rangers win the battle! Ohranger had its conclusion after they defeated both Kaiser Buldont and Multiwa enlarged. Empress Dowager Hysteria sacrificed herself to save her infant grandson (which the show NEVER explained how it happened). Hysteria began showing feelings that she thought made humans weak. Zeo did something different. Instead, Lord Zedd and Rita showed their villainous scheming. Lord Zedd and Rita may have never defeated the heroes. However, Lord Zedd and Rita GOT THEIR REVENGE by blowing up the Machine Empire's main members WITH A FALSE PEACE OFFERING. Like WUT?
It was good that they took the backseat in Power Rangers Turbo. The last thing Rita did was to tell Divatox to "RUN!!!!" The two however became part of the upcoming United Alliance of Evil in Space. Theoretically, it can be a good idea but I disagree otherwise. One of the many lessons I learned in writing stories is too many characters can be detrimental. It seemed cool on paper to have all the villains from Mighty Morphin' up to Turbo join in. I made that bigger realization after watching Ucchu Sentai Kyuranger and more of Changeman. I felt Dark Specter was another character with lost potential. Dark Specter became The Unfought when he's not even supposedly Javious of Denji Sentai Megaranger. The villainous couple joined the alliance and that messy final battle.
Both Lord Zedd and Rita became HUMAN at the end of the series. Zordon sacrificed himself -- an act that gave the Zordon Arc its BADLY NEEDED CLOSURE. However, Lord Zedd became the Lord of extremely bad fanservice. Power Rangers Super Legends had a What-If scenario where Lord Zedd became an archaeologist as a human. Lord Zedd later remembers his past glory and attempts to rewrite history. The game's obviously non-canon as most Power Rangers games -- it's just a What-If creative sidestory. Even the SNES Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers game doesn't go by the show canon! Lord Zedd didn't make any official return until much later. The two managed to conceive Thrax at some point or was Thrax just a pretender all along? Do the math and it's rather wonky -- unless an explanation of forced growth like Salamandes of Kyukyu Sentai GoGoFive and Olympius of Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue was ever done! Thrax was obviously a reference to Lord Zedd and Rita.
Screen Rant put it this way and it took the words out of my mouth:
In other words, the original Power Rangers’ most important villains were not dealt with by the Rangers themselves but rather by a new group of antagonists. Zedd and Rita would eventually return in Power Rangers in Space, at the end of which Zordon sacrificed himself to purify all evil in the galaxy. Zedd and Rita were redeemed thanks to the Z-wave and turned into good, human versions of themselves. While this was certainly a happy ending, it’s interesting how there was never an ultimate battle between the Rangers and these two villains until much later.
I watched Mighty Morphin' Once and Always -- which took a darker twist! Trini Kwan died there sacrificing herself for the others. Robo Rita was born out of Rita's evil self. Rita was merged with Magiel for Power Rangers Mystic Force. I heard it was to give tribute to the late Soga Machiko who died of pancreatic cancer. Robo Rita was completely way too cruel compared to the OG Rita -- a character who still cared about her fellow villains! It may not be the OG Rita but there's no denying that it's still a reference.
This scene from Power Rangers Dino Fury starts to show why I'm glad I skipped it. This doesn't mean I'm rewatching Kishinryu Sentai Ryusoulger -- which became more of a BOREFEST in the long run. Asking how Lord Zedd was defeated was one thing. The answer was, "He wasn't! He was purified!" This makes me glad that Ryusoulger didn't do something as crazy as bringing back Black Cross Fuhrer from Himitsu Sentai Goranger as a compliant slave. Black Cross Fuhrer's return as a lackey as only saved mostly for non-canon purposes -- such as that DREADED Super Hero Taisen! Lord Zedd even became the main villain of Power Rangers Cosmic Fury -- a show I'm glad I also skipped.
What Screen Rant stated simply adds up to my PERSONAL reasons for not liking Power Rangers. I two were introduced and they were forced to overstay their welcome. It's not like how Super Sentai only brings back previous villains for non-canon crossovers. Black Cross Fuhrer was given a role in the 199 Great Gathering movie. Black Cross Fuhrer's guest role in Super Hero Taisen as a demoted to extra was just for a crossover movie -- an obviously NON-CANON event! I could add how watching Kosoku Sentai Turboranger and Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger further enforced it. Zyuranger is anything but perfect, it's got the kid-of-the-week overshadowing the heroes, and the ending can be "HUH?!" However, I'd take that flawed ending anytime over what Toei and Saban did. Yes, Toei created the Zyu2 footage for Saban-only usage and the cycle of greed continued!
Goranger had the Gorangers finally get rid of Black Cross Fuhrer. The final episodes didn't feel as much as it was in the earlier days. The Gorangers finally blew off the Black Cross Castle from within as there was no Megazord yet. Zyuranger finally ended as it was planned -- even if the said ending is pretty open or could potentially cite a sequel. Fortunately, I'm glad that the average ending of Zyuranger is left to our imaginations. I feel Bandora and her gang sealed away wasn't a good way to wrap things up. Toei probably wanted to try something new but it wasn't too welcome. Gosei Sentai Dairanger had an open ending but I'd take it that Shadam actually transferred his soul to a clay body and FORGOT ABOUT IT. I believe Toei left some endings like that so the audience can have fun deciding what really happened.
Things probably went the way were for the villainous love birds for one reason -- FANSERVICE! I'd probably want to admit that I'm getting tired of Frieza returning to the Dragon Ball franchise for the heck of it! Frieza's my top favorite Dragon Ball Z villain BUT I feel he's an overused villain now. I probably should've just skipped Resurrection of F as it was later retconned into the Dragon Ball Super series DIFFERENTLY. Lord Zedd and Rita are iconic villains. Their marriage was probably meant to bring two iconic characters together. Rita was probably brought back due to fan demand -- the same way Tommy Oliver was brought back later on as the White Ranger for Season 2. Lord Zedd was a Breakout Villain -- many still consider him the best even if there are others better than him IMHO. Villains like Trakeena from Power Rangers Lost Galaxy and Queen Bansheera from Lightspeed Rescue are no laughing matter. Ransik may be hammy but he could've killed the Time Force Rangers. Ransik's only defeat was in a dramatic twist of fate -- he nearly murdered Nadira whom he truly cared for! Venjix was a dangerous virus that took over another dimension in Power Rangers RPM -- which may be a clear reference to several Hollywood movies with a similar plot. Venjix poses a serious threat that
The two may have been that beloved way too much! Mighty Morphin' kept changing casts while Lord Zedd and Rita STILL STAYED BEHIND! That's probably why the writers simply refused to kill them off in a final battle for some time! However, this might prove problematic as it's NO LONGER THE 1990s! I even wrote about whether or not Power Rangers would die any time soon last 2017. I believe it got worse in 2017. Sure, Power Rangers managed to get past Power Rangers Ninja Steel. However, there doesn't seem to be any clear sign of what the future will be. I feel nostalgia is really the biggest killer. Relying on any past successes can be bad for ANY FRANCHISE or ANY COMPANY. Toei may have been overusing Frieza for the Dragon Ball franchise. Heck, I wish Dragon Ball Super never existed either! Power Rangers has been hit by the problem with rose-tinted glasses. Please, the 1990s children may be buying toys FOR THEIR CHILDREN NOW. As I'd probably want to say it -- the problem isn't that Ranger History Lessons exist but when THEY'RE FREAKING OVERUSED.
In turn, any attempt to create a solid continuity can be disregarded. Lord Zedd and Rita had both been written in and out at a whim. It's probably a bad idea to put Power Rangers into one near-seamless timeline huh? Trying to fit Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger with all 34 previous series as well as after it -- you get so many events that can't happen because of obvious contradictions. Dinosaur extinction is just one event. Great events that kickstart the show are another. Right now, it seems that retcons happen only because of Lord Zedd and Rita. I wouldn't be surprised if Rita becomes evil again -- even after she supposedly became the Mystic Mother. I still feel Mystic Mother may have been a contradiction of sorts too.
Overall, I feel that Lord Zedd and Rita enter the LONG LIST of overused villains!
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