Power Rangers Dino Thunder: The Perfect Legacy Season
February 14, 2004 my all time favorite Power Ranger season debuted on Jetix. Now from 2003-2009 Disney owned the rights to Power Rangers and moved production from Los Angeles to New Zealand to save on money. Ninja Storm was the first official Power Ranger season of the Disney Era which aired in 2003. Despite the great writing for the season with little promotion Power Rangers Ninja Storm viewership wasn't looking all too great. To bring back veteran fans for the next season (Dino Thunder) original Power Ranger producer/writer Doug Sloan asked Jason David Frank (original Mighty Morphin Green & White Ranger) to return back to the series.
Jason David Frank returned as Dr. Tommy Oliver after his character left for college after Turbo. Somewhere, between Turbo & Dino Thunder, Tommy worked with the villain of the series Anton Mercer (Mesagog) until their lab was destroyed and they lost all of their work. Honestly, I think that this is the best portrayal of the legendary Tommy Oliver character. Not only is his legacy expanded on in this season but he even becomes the Rangers Zordon so to speak. He's a great mentor to the Rangers and that role works better for him because you see from the first four seasons to Dino Thunder how much Zordon's wisdom has rubbed off on him.
Highlight Episodes: Legacy Of Power, Back In Black & Fighting Spirit
Let's start with the Red Ranger of the season: Conner McKnight. Like the other rangers (Ethan, Kira & Trent) of the season Conner takes elements of one of the original MMPR Rangers. While, Conner is modeled after the original Red MMPR Jason Scott, he is nothing like him in terms of personality. In the beginning of the season Conner starts off as a sexist dick who looks down on Ethan for being book smart and a nerd. However, throughout the season you see him grow as a person when he learns that being a jerk doesn't always work.
Highlight Episodes: Wave Goodbye & The Passion Of Conner
Not only is Ethan James one of my favorite blue rangers but he's one of my favorite Power Rangers in general. He's modeled after Billy Cranston the original MMPR blue Ranger, making him the nerd of the group. I think the best characteristics of Ethan is his book smarts, his sarcasm towards Conner and he's a computer wiz. Ethan might not be the toughest but his intelligence is his strongest characteristic. One of the best episodes for his character is Bully For Ethan, where instead of using his dino gem powers to fight a bully he uses his brain to help him improve his soccer skills.
Highlight Episodes: Game On, Bully For Ethan & Tutenhawkens Curse
Normally there are two women Rangers on a team. However, the only one we get this season is Kira Ford. Kira is a tomboy, has a deep passion for music and just like Ethan very witty and sarcastic towards her fellow teammates. It was clearly obvious that Kira's character design was influenced by a lot of the pop/punk singers that were popular at the time such as Avril Lavenge. In the episode Leader of the Whacks, the Rangers are effected by a meteorite that alters their personality, to which the meteorite shows that Kira actually has a feminine side to her.
Highlight Episodes: Diva In Distress, The Missing Bone & A Star Is Torn
Our fellow sixth Ranger Trent Fernandez-Mercer is very similar to Tommy: both of their names start with the letter ‘T’, both Rangers are adopted, both started off evil, both were White Rangers, both fought evil clones of themselves, etc. Trent is the adopted son of Anton Mercer who took Trent in after he lost his parents during an expedition. Their relationship is very similar to Norman and Harry Osborn. Trent's passion is drawing and he wants to be an artist, however, Anton doesn't see that as a real profession and wants Trent to look at something more realistic and profitable. Just like Anton Mercer/Mesagog when Trent first came in contact with the white Dino gem he developed a Jekyll/Hyde personality whenever he would morph into the White Dino Ranger.
Highlight Episodes: White Thunder Trilogy, Burning At Both Ends, Strange Relations, Drawn Into Danger, House Of Cards & A Test Of Trust
The main villain of the series is Mesagog accompanied by his two henchmen, Elsa (not from Frozen) and Zeltrax. Mesagog is the other half of Anton Mercer that he is unable to control. Mesagog ultimate goal is the revert the earth back to it's prehistoric days of the dinosaurs and transforming everyone into reptiles (think Dr. Curt Conners/The Lizard from Spider-Man) as well. Anton Mercer is essentially Dr. Conners from the Spider-Man comics. He has no control over when he turns into Mesagog (just like Dr. Conners/The Lizard) and he has a split personality from his human form to his monster form.
Throughout the season it was hinted at numerous times that Elsa had a massive crush on Tommy. I’m so glad they didn't do that in the finale. Elsa is Mesagog's 2nd in command and tries her best to appease him. Elsa is nothing but a pawn for Mesagog to toy with. She's definitely one of the best villain henchmen in the PR universe.
As far as Zeltrax goes there isn't a whole lot I have to say about him. It turns out that he is someone from Tommy's past. Once you find out how Zeltrax and Tommy is connected it's not really an, “oh, my God” moment, but it definitely does humanize Zeltrax in a sense.
To sum up this season not only is this one of the best Power Ranger seasons of the Disney Era, but it's one of the best seasons of all time. From the unmorphed fight scenes, to the villains, the team up with Ninja Storm, the theme song and it's the closet thing to feeling like MMPR. Not only was bringing back Jason David Frank as Tommy a smart move to bring up viewership but it also expands on his character and how he's grown from the student role in the first four seasons to the mentor role in this season. With episodes like Legacy Of Power (500th Episode) & Fighting Spirit it reminds me why I'm happy to be a Power Rangers fan. The last episode Thunderstruck is the first and only episode of the entire show to end the season with a musical number with clips to previous episodes.
A lot of the newer series try way too hard to rip off MMPR from the characters, to the theme music, to even the morph call, “it's Morphin time!” However, where they failed Dino Thunder succeeds. The Rangers in the season have a lot more growth and personality which I wish seasons like Samurai/Super Samurai & Megaforce/Super Megaforce had more of. If you want the perfect anniversary season of Power Rangers then fire up Dino Thunder! You won't be disappointed.
My Favorite Episodes: Day Of The Dino Both Pts, Legacy Of Power, Back In Black, Game On, Fighting Spirit, Thunder Storm Both Pts, Drawn Into Danger, House Of Cards & Thunderstruck (both parts)
