Tommy Oliver’s Power Rangers journey goes far beyond Mighty MorphinPower Rangers’ Green Ranger story. Tommy, played by the late Jason David Frank, is widely considered the most important Power Rangers character in the history of the franchise. Tommy was not one of the original Power Rangers, yet he joined the team after breaking free of Rita Repulsa’s magic. From then on, Tommy built an impressive Power Rangers legacy that shaped the show as audiences know it.
Mighty Morphin’s Green Ranger is one of the most iconic Power Rangers if not the most. The first evil Power Ranger was unlike anything the show had done so far, making it an instant phenomenon. However, Tommy’s legacy is much more than the Green Ranger. In fact, the Green Ranger is Tommy’s weakest Power Rangers form. Here are 10 essential Power Rangers episodes about Tommy Oliver that go beyond the Green Ranger.
10 Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Season 2, Episodes 12-13, “Green No More”
After momentarily losing his Green Ranger powers in “The Green Candle,” Tommy lost his Green Ranger form definitively in “Green No More.” The Green Ranger only appeared in 27 episodes of Zyuranger, which is why Mighty MorphinPower Rangers would eventually have to write off the character. Otherwise, all of the Green Ranger scenes would have to come from original American footage. The Green Ranger powers were originally given by Tommy to Rita Repulsa, who was secretly working for Lord Zedd all along. As such, Zedd had a personal vendetta against the redeemed Green Ranger.
The Power Rangers were aware that Tommy’s Green Ranger powers would not last forever. Tommy began to participate less in the Power Rangers’ missions, otherwise, his powers would fade away even quicker. The “Green No More” arc saw Tommy coming to terms with the fact that he would not be a Power Ranger forever. To save his friends, the Green Ranger fought one last battle before losing his powers for good. “Green No More” may have been the end of Mighty Morphin’s Green Ranger story, but it was only the beginning of Tommy’s Power Rangers legacy.
9 Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Season 2, Episodes 17-18, “White Light”
After losing his Green Ranger powers, Tommy distanced himself from his friends in Angel Grove. Tommy loved being a Power Ranger, not because of the powers, but because he could always be around his friends. Fortunately, it only took a few episodes for Tommy to return. Lord Zedd was a tougher opponent than Rita Repulsa, which led Zordon and Alpha to create a new Power Ranger. Using the absurdly powerful White Light, Zordon created the White Ranger and passed its power to Tommy. The Rangers did not know the identity of the new Ranger, which only made Tommy’s return better.
Tommy’s White Ranger form may not be as famous as the Green Ranger, yet it was arguably Tommy’s most important Power Rangers transformation. As soon as Tommy became the White Ranger, he also became the Power Rangers’ leader. From an in-universe perspective, Zordon was aware that Jason was about to leave the team. In addition, the White Ranger was more powerful than any of the other Rangers – including Tommy’s former Green Ranger form. Tommy’s White Ranger form also appeared in the non-canon Mighty MorphinPower Rangers: The Movie.
8 Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Season 2, Episodes 44-46, “Return of the Green Ranger”
The original Green Ranger powers ceased to exist in “Green No More,” but the imagery of the Green Ranger would continue to be important in Mighty MorphinPower Rangers. “Return of the Green Ranger” was a three-episode arc that saw the Rangers going back in time while Tommy faced an evil clone of himself. This evil Tommy clone had proxy Green Ranger powers, leading to a White Ranger vs. Green Ranger fight. Seeing Tommy’s two Ranger forms at the time fighting each other could not have been a cooler crossover. In addition, it showed that Tommy had moved on from his Green Ranger days, even referring to it as “evil."
7 Power Rangers Zeo Season 1, Episodes 1-2, “A Zeo Beginning”
Power RangersZeo’s pilot, the two-part “A Zeo Beginning” episode, is a major part of Tommy’s Power Rangers history. With the Power Coins destroyed and the Power Rangers now receiving the Zeo Crystals, it was time for some Rangers to change colors. There were only five colors in Zeo originally, and Billy had decided to retire as a Power Ranger. As a result, Red Ranger Rocky became Zeo’s Blue Ranger, and Tommy became Zeo’s Red Ranger. Even though Tommy was already the Power Rangers’ leader when Mighty MorphinPower Rangers ended, the Red Ranger title has its own symbolism. Tommy was not both a leader and a Red Ranger.
6 Powers Rangers Turbo Season 1, Episodes 1-3, “Shift Into Turbo”
Tommy’s Red Ranger journey continued when the Power Rangers shifted into Turbo. The actual transition from the Zeo powers to the Turbo powers happened in Turbo: A Power RangersMovie, which serves as Power RangersTurbo’s pilot episode. That said, the three-episode arc “Shift Into Turbo” recaps the most important events from the movie, namely the new Turbo powers, Rocky leaving the team and the addition of Justin as the Blue Ranger. Tommy continued to lead the Rangers as Power RangersTurbo’s Red Ranger.
5 Power Rangers Turbo Season 1, Episodes 18-19, “Passing The Torch”
Tommy’s role in Power Rangers’ Zordon Era came to an end in Turbo’s “Passing the Torch,” a two-part episode that replaced most of the team. The recurrent Power Rangers cast that had been on the show since Mighty Morphin/Zeo did not get their contracts renewed, which is why Power RangersTurbo introduces a new team midway through the show. Apart from the Blue Ranger, each of the Turbo Rangers was replaced by trustful, brave people whom they had recently met. Tommy was replaced by T.J. as Power RangersTurbo’s Red Ranger and would only return to the show five years later.
4 Power Rangers Wild Force Season 1, Episode 34, “Forever Red”
Power Rangers Wild Force’s “Forever Red” is widely considered one of the best Power Rangers episodes ever made, if not the best. Several reasons make “Forever Red” so special, the first being the Red Rangers crossover. Every Power Rangers Red Ranger up until that point, except for Rocky, participated in the crossover. One of them was Tommy Oliver, in what was the character’s first appearance since “Passing the Torch.” Tommy used his Zeo Red Ranger Powers during “Forever Red,” with T.J. returning as the Turbo Red Ranger. "Forever Red" also saw Tommy reuniting with Jason for the first time since Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie.
3 Power Rangers Dino Thunder Season 1, Episode 4, “Legacy of Power”
Two years after “Forever Red,” Tommy Oliver became a recurrent Power Rangers character again in Power RangersDino Thunder. Recently graduated from college and working as a high school teacher, Dr. Oliver mentored a team of three young Rangers who did not know Tommy was once a Power Ranger himself. In “Legacy of Power,” the 500th Power Rangers episode, the Dino Thunder Rangers find a recording of Dr. Oliver telling the entire history of the Power Rangers up until that point – including his. Tommy narrating the events of Power Rangers in the show’s 500th episode was a special, emotional moment that will forever be part of the franchise’s history.
2 Power Rangers Dino Thunder Season 1, Episode 5, “Back In Black”
Dino Thunder’s “Legacy of Power” was followed by “Back in Black,” during which Tommy Oliver once again became a Power Ranger. Tommy became the Black Ranger in Dino Thunder, adding yet another entry to the list of Tommy Oliver Power Rangers forms. Once the evil Green Ranger, the powerful sixth Ranger, and the leader Red Ranger, Tommy was now a combination of Zordon with the extra Ranger trope. The Black Ranger was quite more powerful than the other three Rangers, and it may be the second most powerful Tommy Power Rangers color, only behind Zeo Ranger V Red.
1 Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel Season 1, Episode 10, “Dimensions In Danger”
Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel’s “Dimension in Danger” was a crossover episode celebrating the franchise’s 25th anniversary. While several legacy Power Rangers returned for the episode, “Dimensions in Danger” was focused on Tommy. The Power Rangers crossover introduced Tommy’s Master Morpher, a special morpher that allowed Tommy to use all of his previous Rangers forms. Tommy used the Mighty Morphin Green, Might Morphin White, Zeo Red, and Dino Thunder Black Ranger forms all in the same episode. It also established that Tommy and Kat were married. “Dimensions in Danger” was Jason David Frank’s final Power Rangers appearance before his death, making it a bittersweet farewell to the Power Rangers legend.
