The Power Rangers, multicolored defenders of Earth since their debut in 1993. SinceMighty Morphin Power Rangers’first season, these superheroic teens have faced all manner of threats, from cackling witches to giant monsters, using all kinds of weapons and Zords to keep evil at bay. These “teenagers with attitude” are beacons of good and hope, putting their lives on the line for the safety of the planet. That is, until they aren’t. Sometimes, these young heroes are drawn to the darkness, dipping their toes into evil and posing a threat to the world unlike any other in their respective seasons.
A common trope of thePower Rangersfranchise is the evil Ranger. Ever since the series' first season, nearly every Ranger team has faced a threat wearing the same spandex and helmets that they themselves wear. Whether they are forced into villainy by magic or brainwashing, or they choose the path of evil of their own free will, these evil Rangers often pose some of the greatest threats to their season’s Ranger team.
The following 20 are some of the worst and scariest evil Rangers in the franchise, fearsome foes that have stood in the way of the heroes since the very beginning of the series.
20Lord Zedd, the Z-Ranger - Power Rangers Comics
The most recent “evil” Ranger on this list,Lord Zedd’sappearance as the Z-Ranger in 2023’sPower Rangerscomics immediately shocked fans. The Emperor of Evil has fought against the Rangers for over two decades. In the most recent arcs of the comics, though, Zedd’s evil allies have turned against their former master. Badly wounded, Zedd was forced to turn to the Rangers to help quell the insurrection. As Rita sends an army of Putties to attack the Ranger Command Center, Zedd reveals a secret morpher, and with the trademark phrase, “It’s Morphin Time,” Zedd transforms into a new breed of Power Ranger.
The Z-Ranger Has Yet to Show the True Evil of Which He Is Capable
Technically speaking, Lord Zedd’s Ranger form is a bit of a cheat for this list, as he actually uses his newfound powers to help the Rangers. With that said, given Zedd’s role as the self-proclaimed Emperor of Evil, the Z-Ranger deserves at least a shout-out on this list. Really, his new abilities have yet to be fully revealed at the time of this writing, but given his newly explored origins as a Guardian of Eltar and Zordon’s mentor, this morphinominal change of pace is an exciting step for the comic book series.
While he is fighting beside the Rangers at the moment, the time will likely come where he will use his new powers to take on the Ranger team.
19Jarrod and Camille - Jungle Fury
In the world ofPower Rangers Jungle Fury,the Pai Zhua school of martial arts was instituted as the last line of defense against the powerful evil spirit Dai Shi. In the modern day, one of its finest students is Jarrod, a young martial arts prodigy wielding the Lion Animal Spirit. Due to his arrogance and bullying, though, Jarrod was overlooked as one of the school’s guardians, and in his anger, he released Dai Shi from its imprisonment. Possessed by the ancient evil, Jarrod joins forces with Dai Shi’s follower Camille, the two harnessing their inner Animal Spirits to summon incredible power as the Lion and Chameleon Warriors.
Jarrod and Camille Were the High Points of Jungle Fury
WhileJungle Furydoesn’t have the lasting legacy of otherPower Rangersseasons, none of that fault lies with the season’s primary villains. Jarrod and Camille aren’t technically Rangers, bearing the title of Lion and Chameleon Warriors, but their designs still represent some of the absolute best in the franchise. Taking inspiration from Chinese decorative armor, these two warriors look like nothing else in the franchise.
The more personal angle, with Jarrod being a long-time friend of two of the main Rangers, also helped raise the stakes in every battle, giving the Rangers another reason to fight outside the “save the world” angle.
18Robo Rangers - Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel
Many seasons ofPower Rangershave some form of crossover episode, but viewers weren’t expecting the massive scope of “Dimensions in Danger,” the 10th episode ofPower Rangers Super Ninja Steeland the series' 25th anniversary event. Rangers across the multiverse have been kidnapped by the villainous Lord Draven, and the Ninja Steel Rangers have been recruited to help rescue them. When they arrive in Draven’s dimension, though, they discover that the madman has used his technology to createRobo-Rangerreplicas of the kidnapped heroes, building an army of evil Rangers to help him conquer the multiverse.
“Dimensions in Danger” was an excellent throwback for longtime fans of the franchise, reintroducing 10 fan-favorite Rangers in an epic clash on par withSuper Megaforce’s “Legendary Battle.” In this context, the Robo-Rangers aren’t the most fearsome threat. In reality, they aren’t that involved with the events of the episode.
The only Robo-Ranger with any real focus is Tommy Oliver’s Black Dino Ranger clone, which was easily beaten back by Tommy’s own Master Morpher. With that said, seeing a massive legion of Rangers gathered to destroy the multiverse is a terrifying sight, and the episode did a good job stressing the danger they posed.
17Shredder/ Casey Jones - MMPR / TMNT Comics
One of the most exciting events in Boom Studios' excellent run onPower Rangerscomics is the two partMighty Morphin Power Rangers/ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.This crossover sees the Rangers teaming up with the Heroes in a Half-Shell in order to take on some of their greatest foes. In the first crossover, the team is forced to battleShredderin order to regain the stolen Dragon Power Coin, which has granted the villain the power of the Morphin Grid. In the second,Casey Jonesis kidnapped and brainwashed by Shredder and Krang, who utilize a combination of Dimension X and Morphin Grid energies to transform him into Ranger X.
Shredder and Ranger X were the Perfect Villains for the MMPR/TMNT Crossovers
Put simply, Shredder’s Green Ranger form and Ranger X are two of the coolest new additions to Ranger lore. Artist Dan Mora killed it with these two designs, brilliantly blending Ranger aesthetics with each character’s base design. More importantly, though, they are both incredible threats that completely warrant the Rangers/Turtles team-up in order to defeat them.
Casey’s time as an evil Ranger was even more satisfying given his eventual redemption, echoing archetypal narrative beats forPower Rangerstorytelling. Shredder and Casey wereperfect villains for these excellent crossover eventsand wholly deserve their spot on this list.
16Ollie Akana - Cosmic Fury
The newest entry on this list,Ollie Akanamade his debut as the Tricera Fury Blue Ranger inPower Rangers Dino Fury,but during the opening episode of its sequelCosmic Fury,he is doused with a serum that corrupts his connection to the Morphin Grid and turns him evil. Despite attempts to restore him to the side of good, Ollie remains a devout follower of Lord Zedd and one of his most powerful generals. Gaining black armor and a Tricera Blaster, Ollie leads Zedd’s armies into battle against his former allies. In the final episodes, the team manage to sever Ollie’s connection to the Grid, bringing him back to the side of good in time for the final battle.
Ollie Akana Add New Depth to Cosmic Fury
Cosmic Furywas always going to have an evil Ranger. As an anniversary season, it was filled with references to the entire history of the franchise, and Ollie’s tenure in Zedd’s army acts as a throwback to all the evil Rangers that came before. What shocked fans about his moral shift was the complete lack of marketing surrounding it.
All the promotional material pointed to Ollie being another member of the team, so imagine viewers' surprise when he not only turned evil but remained evil for almost the entire season. It was a shocking surprise but not an unwelcome one as it created some intense and emotional character beats throughout the story.
15Roxy and Blaze - Beast Morphers
In the world ofPower Rangers Beast Morphers,scientists in the city of Coral Harbor have discovered a means of tapping into the Morphin Grid’s power, providing the city with infinite clean energy called Morph-X. However, an evil computer virus named Evox seeks to use this energy to increase his own power. Roxy and Blaze were originally intended to become Power Rangers, but a run-in with Evox left the pair comatose. Evox transformed the pair’s consciousnesses into corrupt Cybervillain avatars, granting them powers through stolen Morph-X on the condition that they aid it in its hunt for more of the mysterious energy.
Roxy and Blaze Provide a New Twist to the Traditional Evil Ranger Story
Roxy and Blaze are unique among evil Rangers in that they are one of the primary threats throughout their season, providing a much-needed dose of humanity to the robotic villains. Roxy especially has some great character interactions with her former boyfriend, Ravi, adding a more personal element to the good/evil conflict, and the rivalry between Blaze and Devon leads to some great moments throughout the seasons.
More than that, they also havetwo of the best evil Ranger designs in the series, brilliantly blending the aesthetics of the seasons' villains and Rangers into two sleek motifs that feel truly unique within the franchise.
14Void Knight - Dino Fury
Very little is known about the mysteriousVoid Knightat the opening ofPower Rangers Dino Fury.He is seen breaking into the secret underground Ranger base in order to steal a cache of Sporix. His fight with the new Rangers results in the release of the Sporix into the city, forcing him into a race against the Rangers.
The viewer learns that Void Knight is Tarrick, an extraterrestrial hoping to utilize the Sporix in order to save the life of his wife, Santaura. After Santaura’s resurrection and fall to evil, however, Tarrick attempts to right his wrong by gifting the Dino Knight Morpher to Zayto, but his wife’s powers transform him into the even more powerful Void King.
Tarrick is One of the More Multidimensional Baddies on This List
Tarrick’s story inDino Furyhelps set him apart from many of the other evil Rangers on this list. While many are pure evil or brainwashed to perform evil acts, Tarrick willingly turns to evil in order to save the life of someone he loves. His entire arc revolves around an end-justifies-the-means mentality, creating sympathy for the character as the season progresses.
More than that, he always attempts to choose the less violent path, never allowing children to be harmed in pursuit of his goals. This helps humanize this villain, adding new dimension to the character that helps make him stand out from the other purely evil monsters listed here.
In the future world ofPower Rangers SPD,the Space Patrol Delta is a police unit meant to keep the peace among the varied alien species now inhabiting Earth.The A-Squadwere the first and best team of Rangers in SPD’s ranks, acting as the main line of defense for the planet until their sudden disappearance during a battle with Emperor Gruum.
However, as the B-Squad continued to protect the planet in their stead, they eventually resurfaced, though they quickly revealed that their original disappearance was a ploy. In reality, they had betrayed the SPD in order to join the Emperor Gruum’s forces, acting as his new elite fighting unit.
The A-Squad changed the game upon their reveal. Not only was their “disappearance” the inciting incident of the series, putting the main team of Rangers in the spotlight, but they were also the first Rangers to openly defect. They weren’t designed for evil or brainwashed (though this was the original plan).
No, they simply wanted to join the winning side of the war, making them the first traitorous Rangers in the franchise. With their powerful weapons and hi-tech armor, they were a force to be reckoned with, destroying or decommissioning two different Megazords during their evil tenure and nearly decimating the B-Squad team on several occasions.
12The Ranger Slayer - Go, Go, Power Rangers Comics
In Boom Studios' excellentMighty Morphin Power Rangers’comics, an alternate reality exists where Tommy Oliver never returns to the side of good. After conquering his world, the newly dubbed Lord Drakkon utilizes the powers that once controlled him to add a powerful warrior to his ranks.
Kimberly Hart, possessed by the power of a corrupted Pterodactyl power coin and the newly forged Bow of Darkness, is sent across time and the multiverse to kill their younger selves. However, during the battle, Drakkon’s twisted hold on his former ally is broken, setting the Ranger Slayer on a path of vengeance against her former master.
The Ranger Slayer Expertly Puts the Spotlight on Kimberly Hart
ThePower Rangerscomics have done a great job expanding on the role of Kimberly Hart, building on the strong foundations established by Amy Jo Johnson in the original series, and the Ranger Slayer is a fascinating exploration of the character’s darker side. It gives a new perspective to her relationship with Tommy Oliver, twisting it to give her one of the most interesting arcs in the comics.
From a mind-controlled pawn to a redemption-seeking antihero to a leader of two separate teams of Rangers, the Ranger Slayer is an incredible addition to the lore surrounding one of pop culture’s most beloved characters.
11Rita Repulsa - Power Rangers
In 2017, director Dean Israelite rebooted thePower Rangersfranchise, expanding on the TV series' foundations to create a big-budget superhero epic based on the original season. Millions of years ago, the Power Rangers, led by Zordon, were tasked with defending the immensely powerful Zeo Crystal. However, one of their own, the Green Ranger Rita Repulsa, betrays them, but after a climactic clash with Zordon, she is sent to the bottom of the ocean. In the modern day, Rita has risen again, and using the power of the Green Power Coin, she seeks to resurrect her minion Goldar and recover the Zeo Crystal from Zordon’s new team.
Green Ranger Rita is a Fantastic Twist on the Original Villain
While the fanbase was mixed about this reboot, many were pleasantly surprised at the change in Rita Repulsa’s origins. Given her original connection to the corrupted Dragon Power Coin in the first season, it only made sense for the film to make her the original Green Ranger.
It gave her a more personal connection to Zordon and the Rangers, and it provided an explanation as to why she could single-handedly best these superpowered teens. The reason it works is that it doesn’t overlook her original character motifs, especially her magic. The film simply ties them into the green Power Coin, creating one of the deadliest evil Rangers of all time.
