THE BOOM! Studios Power Rangers The comic book franchise features a secret evil Green Ranger that television fans may not know about. Tommy Oliver’s introduction in the original Powerful Morphine The series as Rita Repulsa’s mind-controlled servant was the first time the evil Rangers trope was incorporated into the franchise. Since then, there have been several examples of the trope on TV – and in comics.
In particular, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #20 by Kyle Higgins and Daniele Di Nicuolo features the debut of an evil comic book-exclusive Green Ranger and member of the Psycho Rangers. Longtime viewers will remember that the Psycho Rangers were the antagonists of Power Rangers in space, the show’s sixth season. The team mirrored the colors of the Space Rangers, but neither team featured a Green Ranger.
The comics, however, expand on his lore by showing Psycho Green’s origins, revealing how he is the most powerful of the Psychos.
Psycho Green debuts by killing the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #20 by Kyle Higgins, Daniele Di Nicuolo, Walter Baiamonte and Ed Dukeshire
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #20 is set in 1969, dedicated entirely to the origin story and fate of Zordon’s original Rangers before the ’90s show. On the day of the Apollo 11 moon landing, the Psycho Green Ranger resurfaced. Psycho Green was the right-hand man of Dark Specter and Rita Repulsa – until she was imprisoned in his lunar prison thousands of years ago, hinting at the kind of strength, power and skill he wields if he is considered qualified to serve a lord so closely.
After his arrest, Psycho Green worked effortlessly to free Rita, until Zordon and Alpha 5 knocked him out of orbit with their pulse defense cannons nearly 100 years ago. Instead of dying, Psycho Green was just sleeping until the astronauts who landed on the moon woke him up. To stop him from freeing Rita, Zordon recruits five “adults with attitude” to crown them Power Rangers on short notice. However, the Power Rangers are no match for Psycho Green, who single-handedly brutalizes the entire team at once.
One by one, Psycho Green kills each member of the Power Rangers within seconds of each other. The closest they come to retaliation is Blue Ranger stabbing him in the back with a Power Lance, but Psycho Green is unfazed before crushing Black Ranger with a rock and cutting off Pink Ranger’s air supply.. Even a Power Blaster from the surviving members only inspires Psycho Green to transform into his monster form. The Blue Ranger must sacrifice himself by allowing the monster to eat him, firing one of Zordon’s cannons inside him to finally defeat Psycho Green.
Psycho Green returns to the Power Rangers story after its original debut
Saban’s Power Rangers: The Psycho Path by Paul Allor, Giuseppe Cafaro, Marcelo Costa and Ed Dukeshire
The comic book Power Rangers: The Psycho Pathhowever, it reveals that the original Blue Ranger’s sacrifice did not destroy Psycho Green. He just buried it under the moon’s debris for decades, which also seemed to protect it from the evil conqueror Z-Wave. Once awake, he discovers that his master, Dark Spectre, has sired an apprentice in Astronema, who has created his own team of Psycho Rangers as seen in the show. The comic expands on the lore by revealing that Astronema based her creations on real people she killed in the past.
Astronema recovers from Dark Spectre’s mind control and, as seen in the series’ seventh season, she redeems herself as Karone, the Lost Galaxy Pink Ranger. She returns to her and brother Andros’ home planet, KO-35, where Psycho Green joins forces with the Psycho Rangers – he recovers the data cards the Psychos were trapped in, reprogramming them to his liking – and captures Karone, trying to reprogram your brain. back to becoming Astronema. At the end, the other Psychos turn over a new leaf, keeping Psycho Green locked away on your mothership.
Psycho Green’s origin story informs how his presence reshapes Power Rangers lore
Bonus story from the second edition of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, second year
After his defeat, the Psycho Green Ranger is given an exclusive real-life origin story. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Year Two Deluxe Edition (later reprinted in The Psychological Path), “Psycho” by Trey Moore, French Carlomagno and Dukeshire. This story reveals that Psycho Green – originally called Trek – was the first member of the Supersonic Rangers on the planet Xybria.
By enriching the story of the Psycho Rangers, Power Rangers enriches the history of villainy in its universe.
The planet’s inhabitants – including Time Force Trip, another Green Ranger – they are telepathic, but Trek’s mind is unreadable, disturbing his teammatesand as a result, exclude him from missions. Trek’s bitterness makes it easy for Dark Specter to manipulate him into joining the ranks of evil, becoming his Psycho Ranger and killing the Supersonics.
What makes Psycho Green’s introduction and origin story so compelling is how it contributes so much to the ever-growing lore of the Power Rangers franchise. Knowing that he was a Green Ranger who served directly under Rita Repulsa adds context to why Rita would want a Green Ranger serving her when Powerful Morphine comes around. It also adds context to the Green Ranger’s ever-elusive curse, showing how it predates even Tommy Oliver. By enriching the story of the Psycho Rangers, Power Rangers enriches the history of villainy in its universe.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #20 is now available on BOOM! Studios.