Power Rangers fans know that the GOAT when it comes to the franchise is Tommy Oliver, played by Jason David Frank, since Mighty Morphin in 1993. The character had a unique origin story as he started as a villain turned hero. Above all, Tommy Oliver was the definition of "once a Ranger, always a Ranger."
Throughout the franchise, the character has made numerous returns and taken part in different teams. Despite all this, fans can't help but be aware that there were some Rangers who came in a close second to the best of the best. Whether it's for leadership skills, good looks, or martial arts skills, some Rangers almost gave Tommy a run for his money.
Updated on January 9th, 2023 by Amanda Bruce: The loss of Jason David Frank in November 2022 hit the Power Rangers community hard. There are adults who grew up with the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series that have since introduced their own children to the show, and Frank’s character of Tommy Oliver was a mainstay in the series, appearing throughout the original Zordon Era of the show and returning time and again as the epitome of “once a Ranger, always a Ranger” that the franchise is known for. While the loss will be felt for a long time, fans can relive his best moments thanks to the entire franchise being available to stream on platforms like Netflix.
Why Tommy Oliver Was The Greatest Power Ranger Of All Time
Tommy's Redemption Story
Don't be fooled; over the years, there have been many spectacular redemption stories to marvel at. For example, Magna Defender sought revenge for his son's death and even went against the Rangers to only become their ally. None surpass Tommy Oliver's.
He made his debut early on in Mighty Morphin's first season as the cute new guy with martial arts skills. His skills led Rita Repulsa to kidnap him and brainwash him to become the Green Ranger. With even stronger powers than the Rangers, Tommy became an undefeatable enemy. After the Rangers and Tommy break Rita's spell, Zordon and Alpha transform him into the White Ranger, starting his story as a hero.
From Active Ranger To Team Mentor
There is an episode in the franchise titled, “Once A Ranger, Always A Ranger” that didn’t actually feature Tommy Oliver. That episode featured Power Rangers from several different teams helping to save the day in a new timeline. The phrase, however, has stuck, to remind the audience that even though a new team comes into play, the previous ones are never completely gone. Tommy Oliver has been a great example of that throughout the franchise, especially in his role as a mentor to new Rangers.
Even after first passing on his Turbo role as team leader to TJ, the new Rangers were able to reach out to him for advice long before he became the Black Ranger in Dino Thunder. He was always ready to lend a hand, an ear, or a kick, but he was also always ready to remind the new team leader that it wasn’t his own team anymore. That made him a valuable sounding board for other Power Rangers.
Tommy Is The Longest Reigning Ranger
It goes without saying that the main reason why Tommy is the best of all time is because of how long he's appeared in the franchise. After Mighty Morphin, Tommy transitioned into becoming the Red Zeo Ranger and the Turbo Ranger for a brief time. At the beginning of the franchise, reusing characters in new installments were normal.
Tommy Oliver took a short hiatus before returning as the Black Dino Ranger and appearing in the epic crossover event Forever Red. Tommy's history as a Ranger is often referred to in different series, and he continued to appear in multi-Ranger crossovers.
Tommy Is A Natural Born Leader
There have been many Rangers who have proven their worth as leaders, but Tommy stands above everyone else. Since becoming the White Ranger, the team naturally followed his lead on many occasions. Tommy often showcased compassion and understanding when the team was down on their luck.
To top it off, Tommy also knew how to help execute a plan and have his teammates' confidence. It was natural to see Tommy transition from the White Ranger to the Red Ranger in Zeo and Turbo. Even when Rocky became the Red Ranger, Tommy was still dominant, but within reason. In all of his appearances and crossovers, Tommy is always the natural leader.
Tommy Is Loyal No Matter What
A characteristic of Tommy Oliver that's always appreciated in the franchise is his loyalty to the cause. Tommy isn't one to shy away from a fight against evil, and he's more than willing to become an ally with the Rangers to defeat Rita and continue on his journey as a Ranger for the next installments.
In Forever Red, Tommy is the one who bands together all the other known Red Rangers, even Jason, to fight the machine empire from regaining power. In Dino Thunder, Tommy disappears to only come back with the black Dino Crystal just in time to save the others. He was also willing to sacrifice himself in his fight with Goldar.
Tommy Has Impressive Martial Arts Skills
All Rangers need good martial arts skills to make it in the franchise—that's rule number one of Power Rangers. When it comes to memorable fighters, fans often recall Tommy. He had impressive moves and combat skills that only got better and better with every appearance.
Between high kicks, punches, and acrobats, Tommy wasn't one to mess with. It's one of the reasons why Tommy is the best of the best, no matter what series he's in. Fans can vividly recall Tommy "Hiya!" whenever he fought.
Other Contenders For Greatest Power Ranger Of All Time
Kimberly (Mighty Morphin)
Pink Rangers in the franchise sometimes get a bad reputation for being damsels in distress. That reputation might have started because Kimberly found herself kidnaped by Rita Repulsa’s minions a time or two - but so did everyone else on her team. She was far from a weak Ranger.
Kimberly was an excellent marksman with her bow, rarely missing a shot. She also acted as leader when needed, taking over when groups of kids needed an escort, when Bulk and Skull were trapped with her in a plane, or when she was transported back in time to an Angel Grove before the Power Rangers had their coins. Kimberly was always ready to do the right thing, even if it gave her “helmet hair.” Kimberly also took care when finding a replacement, so she could follow her own dreams. She even shared her own power with others in the comics, creating a temporary team while in France with her mother. She might not have made a ton of subsequent appearances in the television series like Tommy, but there’s a reason she remains a fan favorite.
Merrick (Wild Force)
Merrick was the sixth Ragner in Wild Force who harnessed the powers of the wolf mask. Taking a look at Merrick's history, he can easily be pitted against Tommy. Three thousand years before Wild Force, unable to defeat Master Org, Merrick ventures to find the wolf mask said to hold immense power.
After defeating Master Org, Merrick is cursed to wear the mask forever and falls under its evil spell. He becomes the evil Zen-Aku and is imprisoned by the other warriors. In the present time, Master Org frees Zen-Aku and uses him against the Rangers. Much like Tommy's story, Merrick has to fight his evil and becomes an ally to the Rangers.
Jen (Time Force)
Jen Scott is the first Pink Ranger to act as the de-facto leader of a Ranger team. Red Rangers are traditionally team leaders in the series, and when her team doesn’t have one anymore, she takes charge quickly and decisively, even when the group gets stuck in the past.
Jen is always ready to make decisions for the greater good, working hard to not mess up the timeline, but also understanding when a little ripple in the timeline might be necessary. She even takes it upon herself to travel through time and track down villains in the Power Rangers Wild Force series. It’s Jen who is really instrumental in uniting the former Red Rangers for the mission.
Wesley (Time Force)
Wesley was much more than the handsome Red Ranger in Time Force. The reason he gets a spot on the list is because of his immense character evolution throughout the show. Wesley was born into wealth and privilege and forced to follow the life his father wanted. Deep down, Wesley knew it wasn't meant for him.
At first, Wesley came off a bit cocky and sure of himself when meeting the Time Force Rangers. Over time, Wesley grew into his role as a leader and as a hero. Wesley had no issue giving up his pristine life to be with the Rangers. When his father finds out he's a Time Force Ranger, Wesley makes it clear that he finally found what he was meant for and was willing to make sacrifices for it.
Andros (In Space)
Andros gets some serious props as a Red Ranger in the In Space season that could rival Tommy. Andros made it his mission to uncover information about the universe's evil villains on his own. He was a lone wolf, but he openly accepted the Turbo Rangers in their fight to rescue Zordon and stop Astronema.
Besides Andros's skills as a leader, fans applauded his storyline with his sister. After uncovering that Astronema was actually his long-lost sister, he does everything possible to save her. He even refuses to fight her in the last major battle. Andros's big moment of heroism is when he musters the courage to destroy Zordon's energy tank to wipe the world of evil.
T.J. (Turbo & In Space)
T.J. gets a considerably high ranking due to his involvement in the franchise and his transition to In Space. T.J. was first introduced in Turbo after freeing Tommy from prison while fighting Divatox. From the start, T.J. had an inherent desire to help in the face of danger.
That's not all; it was revealed that T.J. dreamed of becoming a Ranger ever since he was younger. Many can say it was fate as Tommy hand-picked T.J. to become his successor. After the Command Center is destroyed and Divatox manages to defeat the Rangers, T.J. bands together the Rangers to make the venture to space to go after her and try to free Zordon. T.J. realized his duty as Ranger when meeting Andros and joined forces to become the Blue Ranger.
Jason (Mighty Morphin & Zeo)
Jason and Tommy were head-to-head in Mighty Morphin when it came to the show's top guy. Besides Tommy Oliver, Jason was the second most remembered Ranger in the franchise. This is because he was the first-ever Red Ranger in the American adaptations. Jason had big shoes to fill, and he didn't disappoint.
He was built, skilled in fighting, and compassionate. He had the makings of a great leader and did well until Tommy took over the mantle. Much like Tommy, Jason gave his comrades words of wisdom when needed and even gave them the push to use their Morphers for the first time.