The first Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always trailer is full of Easter eggs, references, and long-awaited Power Rangers returns. While a Once & Always first look had been revealed at the beginning of the year, Power Rangers had yet to reveal more about the upcoming Power Rangers reunion. Once & Always will celebrate Power Rangers’ 30th anniversary with a scripted, hour-long special that brings classic friends and foes.30 years after Mighty Morphin Power Rangers’ “Day of the Dumpster” introduced audiences to five teenagers with attitude and their mentor, Zordon, the Mighty Morphin era will be revisited in Once & Always. With multiple original Power Rangers actors returning for the special and three decades of Power Rangers lore to fill in, the upcoming reunion could not be more exciting. Here’s a breakdown of all Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always Easter eggs, reveals and cast returns.
14 Mighty Morphin’s Rita Repulsa Is Back (As A Robot)
The Power Rangers reunion trailer reveals that Rita Repulsa, the classic Power Rangers villain, returns in Once & Always as some sort of cyborg. It is curious to see Rita Repulsa back as a Power Rangers villain, though, considering that the character was redeemed at the end of Power Rangers in Space. In addition, Rita had previously returned in Power Rangers Mystic Force as Mystic Mother, who assisted the Rangers as the Empress of Good Magic. This robot version of the best Power Rangers villain also has her original putty patrollers.
13 The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Are Back As A Team
The Power Rangers: Once & Always trailer sees the Mighty Morphin Rangers operating as a team during a fight against Rita Repulsa and the putty patrollers. However, by the end of the original Power Rangers TV show, the Mighty Morphin Rangers as a team no longer existed. Both the original Power Coins and the Ninjeti powers were no more by the end of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers season 3, and the Rangers would later acquire the Zeo Crystals ahead of Power Rangers Zeo. By Power Rangers Turbo season 2, Zordon’s original team had disbanded completely.
12 Power Rangers: Once & Always Trailer Confirms Trini’s Death
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always’ trailer confirms that the upcoming Power Rangers reunion will pay homage to Thuy Trang, who played Trini, the first Yellow Ranger, in the original Power Rangers TV show. Trang tragically passed in 2001, the victim of a car accident, and Power Rangers never addressed what happened to the character of Trini in-universe after the Mighty Morphin era. Now, the Once & Always trailer reveals that Rita Repulsa kills Trini, most likely at the beginning of the special, thus offering an in-universe conclusion for the character’s story.
11 Walter Emanuel Jones Returns As Zack, The Black Ranger
Walter Emanuel Jones, who played Zack, Mighty Morphin’s first Black Ranger, returns in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always. Like Trini and Jason, Zack exited Zordon’s Power Rangers team during Mighty Morphin season 2 for a peace conference. The BOOM! Power Rangers comics later retconned their exits, revealing that the original Black, Yellow, and Red Power Rangers became the Omega Rangers. Walter Emanuel Jones hasn’t appeared in a Power Rangers show since he exited Mighty Morphin, which makes Zack’s return even more special.
10 David Yost Returns As Billy, The Blue Ranger
David Yost, who played Billy, Mighty Morphin’s Blue Ranger, returns in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always. Billy was the only Power Ranger featured in the Mighty Morphin pilot to remain until the very end of the show, with the character also returning for Power Rangers Zeo. In Zeo, however, Billy took a Zordon-like role, assisting the Power Rangers from the Commander Center. After Billy left Earth to help a group of Power Rangers in space, David Yost never returned to the franchise.
9 Mighty Morphin Power Rangers’ Alpha 5 Returns
Alpha 5, the robot who guided the Power Rangers alongside Zordon in Mighty Morphin, returns in the upcoming Power Rangers reunion. There are multiple Alpha robots in the Power Rangers universe, yet the Power Rangers reunion trailer strongly suggests that this is Alpha 5, the one from the original Power Rangers show. In fact, Richard Horvitz, who voiced Alpha 5 in Mighty Morphin, returns for Once & Always.
8 Power Rangers: Once & Always Trailer Reveals Trini’s Daughter
As a tribute to Thuy Trang and her Power Rangers character Trini, the Power Rangers reunion will feature Trini’s daughter. Minh Kwan, played by Charlie Kersh, will make her Power Rangers universe debut in Once & Always, although the Power Rangers reunion trailer does not reveal too much about the character. Now that Rita Repulsa killed the original Yellow Power Ranger, Minh wants revenge for her mother.
7 Rita Is Creating A Time Portal To Kill Rangers Before Zordon Recruits Them
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always’ trailer reveals Rita Repulsa’s ultimate plan against the Rangers. As Billy notices, Rita is creating a time portal, so that she can go back in time and kill the “teenagers with attitude” before Zordon recruits them. Since her return after 10,000 years, Rita spent her life trying to destroy the Power Rangers, which she will now try to accomplish with a Terminator/Sarah Connor-type of plan.
6 Catherine Sutherland Returns As Kat, The Second Pink Ranger
Catherine Sutherland, who plays Katherine, Mighty Morphin’s second Pink Ranger, will appear in the upcoming Power Rangers reunion. Kat replaced Kimberly as the Mighty Morphin Pink Ranger following Amy Jo Johnson’s exit from the show. Kat was also Power Ranger Zeo’s Pink Ranger and Power Rangers Turbo’s first Pink Ranger. Tommy Oliver, the original Green Ranger, is married to Kat by that point in the Power Rangers timeline, which might lead to a bittersweet Tommy reference following Jason David Frank’s passing.
5 Steve Cardenas Returns as Rocky, The Second Red Ranger
Steve Cardenas, who plays Rocky, Mighty Morphin’s second Red Ranger, also returns in Netflix’s Power Rangers anniversary special. After Jason left to team along with Trini and Zack to become an Omega Ranger, Rocky was recruited by Zordon to become the next Red Ranger. Cardenas was also the Red Ranger in the classic 1995 Mighty Morphin Power Rangers movie and the Blue Ranger in Power Rangers Zeo.
4 Aisha & Adam Assist The Power Rangers As The S.P.A.
Aisha (Karan Ashley) and Adam (Johnny Yong Bosch), who, along with Rocky, joined the Power Rangers' large universe following the exits of Jason, Zack, and Trini, return for Power Rangers’ 30th-anniversary special. Aisha replaced Trini as the Yellow Ranger while Adam replaced Zack as the Black Ranger. Aisha never returned to a live-action Power Rangers TV show after Mighty Morphin, while Adam remained on the show until Power Rangers Turbo. Both Adam and Aisha are part of the S.P.A, which might be a proto S.P.D. in the Power Rangers timeline.
3 The Power Rangers Return To Angel Grove’s Youth Center
Angel Grove’s Youth Center, a location that appeared in pretty much every Mighty Morphin Power Rangers episode, could not be absent from the upcoming Power Rangers’ 30 anniversary special. The Power Rangers reunion trailer sees Zack and Rocky fighting Rita’s putties in Angel Grove’s Youth center, with Power Rangers' original Black Ranger Zack warning the putties that they should have not attacked that place. This could be a reference to Zordon and Rita’s unofficial no-escalation agreement, which explains why Rita never attacked the Rangers’ civilian lives.
2 The Original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Zords Return
Perhaps the most surprising Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always trailer moment was the return of the original Power Rangers zords. The Dinozords were destroyed after the Thunder Megazord fell against Rito Revolto, Rita’s half-brother, which led to the Power Rangers getting new zords and powers during Mighty Morphin season 3. Time travel may be the key to explaining how come the original Power Rangers zords are back.
1 The Original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers’ Megazord Returns
With the original Power Rangers zords back, the Power Rangers reunion will get to revisit the Dino Megazord, the very first Megazord. One of the most iconic mechas in pop culture, Power Rangers’ original Megazord hadn’t been seen since the Thunder Zord came into play. Now, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always trailer reveals a brief first look at the Dino Megazord’s epic return.