Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Power Rangers Prime #1! Power Rangers‘ Angel Grove has always been portrayed as the Idyllic ‘teen town’ where kids could safely roam the streets, meet up at local hangouts and roller skate to their heart’s content. It’s a city where every ’90s kid wanted to live, as it was a perfect representation of the bright and colorful (and fictional) existence of ’90s SoCal. Power Rangers‘ new continuity, Angel Grove has become something fans have never seen before.
In Power Rangers Prime #1 by Melissa Flores and Michael Yg, Angel Grove, California (and indeed the entire world in general) has undergone a major renovation, courtesy of the Eltarian Empire. The Eltarians – who were originally a peaceful race of aliens – came to Earth decades before the events of this comic to save the planet from a Beast Brigade invasion. At that time, the Eltarians fought side by side with the Power Rangers, but once the Beast Brigade was defeated, the Eltarians turned against the Rangers. They kill all the Rangers, allowing the Eltarians to take control of Earth unchallenged.
When the Eltarians took control, they gave the entire planet a total facelift. The Eltarians introduced humanity to the advanced technology that the world quickly became dependent on, restructured the educational system across the globe, and permanently became the undisputed rulers of the world. Given all these changes, every corner of the Earth looked different, including and especially Angel Grove, California.
Angel Grove is a futuristic city and Eltarian training facility in Power Rangers Prime
The once idyllic ‘teen town’ is now an important center for Eltarian occupation
In the original Power Rangers continuity, Angel Grove was the epitome of what every kid wanted from their hometown in the ’90s, as it perfectly captured the “radical” ’90s energy that teens everywhere wanted to experience for themselves. Additionally, the city was made even cooler by the fact that it was under the direct protection of the Power Rangers, meaning that if someone lived there, they could see the Power Rangers in action (something Bulk and Skull tried to do effortlessly throughout the original film). series).
Now, though, it’s safe to say that no one who wanted to live in Angel Grove in the ’90s would still feel this way. Not only has it become the antithesis of the “no rules” energy that the classical city gave off due to the fact that basically the entire city is now an Eltarian training center, but the overall aesthetic has completely changed from what it was. Alien architecture and futuristic aesthetics have swallowed up the once-classic SoCal city, turning it into a pillar of the intergalactic fascism that the Eltarians represent — which, as every ’90s kid would agree — is bullshit.
Power Rangers’ Alameda dos Anjos is now more meaningful than ever
Angel Grove is where the fate of the world will be decided Power Rangers Prime
Although Angel Grove has always been significant in Power Rangers tradition, since it is where the Power Rangers regularly battle potentially world-destroying threatsbecame even more Power Rangers Prime. Angel Grove is where the Power Rangers will once again rise to prominence, and when they do, they will have to destroy the Eltarian fortress that has become Angel Grove if they have any chance of winning back their planet. If the Power Rangers can take back Angel Grove, they can take back the world, making the city much more meaningful than ever before.
Even though Angel Grove has taken on a heightened level of narrative significance, it has still suffered a massive downgrade in Power Rangers lore. The idyllic “teen town” disappeared, and in its place a pillar of intergalactic fascism was erected, a pillar that Power Rangers will have to be destroyed if they want to save the world, and one that fans have never seen before.
Power Rangers Prime #1 by BOOM! The studios are now available.