As Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always celebrates its first anniversary, we take a look at some other Power Rangers seasons that merit their own reunion special.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always, a reunion special commemorating the 30th anniversary of the original series, captivated fans around the world as the original and second generation cast were mixed for a spectacular event.
Despite the success, the decision to reboot has currently ended any hopes for more seasons getting a fantastic return to strengthen the legacy and the Morphin Grid, itself. With many different series and amazing casts, there is a lot of potential for momentous series to be given their time in the spotlight. With so many series to choose from, we have established the most crucial reasons why every season should be given the anniversary special treatment.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always was released on April 19th, 2023, via Netflix as a globally distributed anniversary special. The special was part of plans for the 30th anniversary celebration, including the 30th season as Power Rangers Cosmic Fury. The announcement video, in 2022, featured David Yost and Walter Emanuel Jones as they shared the news of their return to their iconic characters. The OG members were also joined by Steve Cardenas and Catherine Sutherland, a cameo of Johnny Yong Bosch and Karen Ashley, with Charlie Kersh honouring Thuy Trang as Trini’s daughter, Minh.
Once & Always Provides Morphinominal Groundwork for Season Specials For All
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always created a huge acceleration in nostalgia. The global distribution of the 30th anniversary release on Netflix also allowed it to be enjoyed without problems of delay. However, the first anniversary of the special reminds fans that its success was left behind by the plans for Hasbro to stage a reboot. There are so many iconic and amazing stories for past teams and here are some of the core reasons why every season deserves a reunion special.
Continuing the Legacy by Reuniting, Demonstrated by Once & Always
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always featured the long awaited return of the Power Ranger legends from the series that started it all. Not only did it finally bring back Walter Jones and David Yost, but the special also allowed the second generation cast to finally unite. This includes Walter being able to work with Steve and Catherine, which never happened before. We were also blessed by the inheritance of a legacy by Charlie Kersh, who became the Yellow Ranger after Robo Rita killed Trini.
This honoured the character, played by the late Thuy Trang, by including her legacy in the story, while also handing off the legacy left behind. So many series would benefit from this massive development, including the following seasons from the Zordon Era. This is due to the cast sharing Ranger identities in Power Rangers Turbo, providing a unique opportunity to bring in more characters that never got the chance to work together by simply merging Zeo and Space. Along with Blake Foster as the Blue Turbo Ranger, Justin.
Sentai Causes Envy for Next Ideal Release
The great momentum of the Sentai anniversaries seen for the 10th and 20th milestones has reached every corner of the Power Rangers fandom. This includes the response from Power Rangers stars who haven’t been granted such a great opportunity. Matt Austin-Sadowski is one iconic actor who spoke out in response to the upcoming Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger 20th anniversary movie. The actor who portrayed Bridge Carson in Power Rangers SPD shared his view on the missed opportunity to bring the gang back together.
A reunion for SPD would have also had the perfect timing since the series celebrates its 10th anniversary next year, the story was set in 2025 and was even given sequels in the comics. This includes seeing the team in Saban’s Power Rangers: Soul of the Dragon, featuring Tommy Oliver’s retirement. However, Power Rangers Cosmic Fury also created the perfect timeline bridge that would have demanded a followup, if not for the reboot that fans now await. There was also a followup to the story revealed by Jason Biscoff, which remains unused despite its potential.
Teased Ideas that Could Be Brought Back To Life
There are many different concepts and ideas that never got the chance to become reality. This includes some changes that were made that often cancelled big plans for a Ranger series. Two big changes include Power Rangers Lost Galaxy and Power Rangers SPD, which were revealed to have been planned during and after its airing series. Fundamental changes involved Karone becoming a Purple Ranger instead of Pink and the loss of seeing Jack Landors return as a Ranger in the comics.
These concept and more could be fantastic foundations for a special to celebrate the anniversary. Resurrecting ideas and even adding unexpected additions could bring the same level of excitement for Super Sentai anniversaries. There are many routes in terms of story but the new releases seen for anniversary releases often drive excitement higher than a story that just brings the cast together again. By using previously teased ideas, this could provide stronger ground for Power Ranger originals.
Saluting History and Preparing For the Future
A lot of different seasons have made a great impact on different generations over time. Whether it be Time Force, Mystic Force, RPM, or even Super Mega Force, each has featured as a pivotal series that has amazing potential and an incredible cast. Conventions are filled with fans who share their love for different Ranger teams and the desire for returns has grown every year. There is also a chance for inclusion as more content is created including mixing in the cast with similar themes or even having Avengers style teamups for bigger threats. This has been a major feature of the comics as Kyle Higgins, Ryan Parrott, and Melissa Flores have demonstrated.
Some fans also still desire the live action debut of the canon TTRPG series, Power Rangers Hyperforce, and even the Omega Rangers. However, the fundamental mission would be to bring back the iconic characters and continue the amazing stories revealed over the years. Having a team given their reunion is a major demand from the entire fandom, but it would also be amazing to have full feature teamups. There are certainly a tonne of different characters, foes, and Rangers that deserve a return and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always has shown how powerful it can be.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always is available to enjoy on Netflix, featuring the iconic cast for the 30th anniversary.
Hasbro has yet to reveal any plans for the future of the Power Rangers franchise, including the long awaited reboot, currently in development.
For more Power Rangers, keep an eye on upcoming updates for the franchise. For more Tokusatsu, keep an eye on social media and keep following The Toku Source for more news and announcements.
