Julien Neaves, Editor
Last month Netflix premiered the film Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once and Always which celebrated 30 years of the long-running superhero franchise Power Rangers which is an American repackaging of the even longer-running Japanese Super Sentai franchise. The film was pretty decent, featuring some solid acting and delivering a love letter to the original series, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, though I would have appreciated more nods to the various other series (there have been 22 series so far and counting).
The catalyst for Once and Always‘ plot is the death of Yellow Ranger Trini Kwan by a robotic version of original big bad Rita Repulsa and sees Trini’s daughter Minh taking up her mantle. This allows the film to pay tribute to late Trini actress Thuy Trang, who passed away in a vehicular accident in 2001. And this got me thinking about the many Yellow Rangers we have had over the years. With a Zord-sized SPOILER ALERT and a caveat that there will be no evil Rangers (sorry Psycho Yellow) nor any comics-only Rangers (sorry, I haven’t read any), let’s rank All 22 Yellow Rangers:
22. Tideus, Yellow Aquitian Ranger, Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers Mini-Series (Jim Gray)
Truth be told, I forgot this guy existed, likely because most of the Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers mini-series is something of a blur. The Aquitian Rangers were cool looking but kind of stiff, and as a young-un watching it I was just confused why the rangers were turned into children and we were stuck with these weirdos. The only one I really remember was Delphine, the White Aquitian Ranger and the leader.
Tideus does have the distinction of being the first yellow male ranger (in Power Rangers, not Super Sentai) so I guess that’s something. But he gets the bottom spot for just being so unmemorable. Who are we talking about again?
21. Trini Kwan, Yellow Ranger, Power Rangers (Becky G)
Now it is fair to compare characters that appeared in one film to those that appeared in a full series, some with multiple seasons? Probably not, but I’m going to do it any way for completion sake. Which takes us to the reboot Trini Kwan of the 2017 Power Rangers film.
Firstly, I thought the film was not that bad. Sure, it could have used a lot more action and better pacing, but the characters and acting were decent enough. And new Trini Kwan (played by Becky G with the good hair) was likeable. She is best remembered for being the first LGBT character in the franchise (we would not have one in a series until Dino Fury in 2021) but other than that, nothing much to see here.
20. Minh Kwan, Yellow Ranger, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once and Always (Charlie Kersh)
Next up on the list is our second movie-only Yellow Ranger, Minh Kwan from Once and Always. She starts off a bit grating but got better as the film progressed. And as the encapsulation of the Trini tribute, I think Minh (and actress Charlie Kersh by extension) did her justice.
19. Emily Stewart, Yellow Samurai Ranger, Power Rangers Samurai and Super Samurai (Brittany Anne Pirtle)
Sweet, young and innocent Emily. She controlled the element of earth and piloted the Ape Folding Zord. Yeah, she was just kind of there and did little to distinguish herself amongst the team or in Yellow Rangers in general.
18. Veronica “Ronny” Robinson, Yellow Overdrive Ranger, Operation Overdrive (Caitlin Murphy)
Operation Overdrive is not the best Power Rangers season. It’s tonally all over the place, and the characters are not all that great. But professional race-car driver turned Yellow Ranger was one of the better team members. Sure, her super competitive spirit could get annoying at times, but her never-say-die attitude was an endearing one. And her super speed abilities came in handy on multiple occasions.
17. Calvin Maxwell, Ninja Steel Yellow, Ninja Steel and Super Ninja Steel (Nico Greetham)
Calvin is the kind of guy you just want to sit back and chill with. When he’s not fixing some vehicle or spending time with his sweet girlfriend and fellow Ranger Hayley, he’s kicking backside as the Yellow Ranger. But Cal is at times a little too chill for his own good, landing him low on this list.
16. Gia Moran, Megaforce Yellow, Megaforce and Super Megaforce (Ciara Hanna)
I liked Gia. She was confident and spunky, and her will-they, won’t-they flirty relationship with fellow ranger Jake was entertaining. But sadly, she was in Megaforce and Super Megaforce, a series that was high on hype but low on delivery.
15. Waldo “Dustin” Brooks, Yellow Wind Ranger, Ninja Storm (Glenn McMillan)
“Hey dude. Wanna grab your bike and go shred?” At least I think that’s how motocross guys speak. Yeah, Dustin was a righteous dude. Red Wind Ranger Shane was the serious one, Blue Wind Ranger Tori was the feisty one, but old Dustin was the cool one. And he was both a comic book and a Power Rangers geek, so he gets extra points for that.
14. Aisha Cambell, Yellow Ranger and Yellow Ninja Ranger, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (Karan Ashley)
It was a tough job filling the shoes of the original Yellow Mighty Morphin Power Ranger Trini, but Aisha did a commendable job. She was very sweet and optimistic, like a breath of fresh air to the team. And she got to feature in the cheesy but enjoyable spectacle that was the 1995 movie.
Unfortunately, as a character Aisha seriously lacked in the development department, and therefore does not make it higher on this list.
13. Ashley Hammond, Yellow Turbo Ranger and Yellow Space Ranger, Turbo and In Space (Tracy Lynn Cruz)
If Kimberly was the original eye candy of Power Rangers, then Ashley was her successor. I’m just stating facts here people.
But physical appearance aside, the second Yellow Turbo Ranger and Yellow Space Ranger was an enjoyable character. A high school cheerleader, she brought her bubbliness and enthusiasm to the team, and her relationship with stoic Red Space Ranger Andros was one of the better romances of the franchise. And she was part of In Space, arguably the best series of the franchise, so that is a huge plus on her side.
12. Lily “Lil” Chilman, Jungle Fury Yellow Ranger, Jungle Fury (Anna Hutchison)
You don’t get much sweeter than Jungle Fury’s Lily Chilman. She was like a big ball of sunshine and really lit up Jungle Karma Pizza with her presence. From her endearing romance with her shy fellow ranger Theo to her fierce cheetah fighting skills, Lil was the whole package.
And if you don’t like her then you need to chill, man.
11. Zooey Reeves, Yellow Beast Morpher Ranger, Beast Morphers (Jacqueline Scislowski)
When you think ferocious beast, what’s the first animal that comes to mind? I’d bet good money that your answer would not be a rabbit. And yeah, it’s kinda weird that Yellow Beast Morpher Ranger Zooey Reeves’ “beast” is a bunny, and her superpower is super hopping.
But that aside, Zooey gets points for being a capable, caring and intelligent character. She was truly the heart of the Beast Morphers team and her romance with fellow ranger Nate was a cute one. And I wouldn’t mess with her in a fight, because she might get hopping mad. Get it? You get it.
10. Taylor Earhardt, Yellow Wild Force Ranger, Wild Force (Alyson Kiperman)
And it’s time to get wild with our next entry, Yellow Wild Force Ranger Taylor Earhardt. Taylor is just a great ranger. The team’s second-in-command, she is level-headed, thoughtful and a natural born leader, she is a major asset to her team. And her Soaring Eagle morphed mode both looks cool and is quite effective in a fight. At times it felt like she should be the one still running things and not her replacement, the emotional Red Ranger Cole.
Hey Saban, sorry, Hasbro, can we get a series with a full-time female lead? Please and thank you.
9. Kelsey Winslow, Yellow Lightspeed Ranger, Lightspeed Rescue (Sasha Williams)
How could one not love Yellow Lightspeed Ranger Kelsey Winslow? Super sweet and overflowing with energy, this extreme sports enthusiast and mountain climber was feisty, fearless and fun-loving, and just an all-around joy. Sure, she could be a little silly at times, but that was just part of her effortless charm.
8. Katie Walker, Yellow Time Force Ranger, Time Force (Deborah Estelle Phillips)
I mentioned above that In Space is arguably the best Power Rangers series. Well, neck and neck with it has to be Time Force which was 13 Flavours of Awesome Sauce. And one of the many reasons it was always a great time for Time Force was the great cast of characters, and that includes Yellow Time Force Ranger Katie Walker.
She stands out from the jump for being the strongest female ranger physically with her super strength, and she balances that with a warm, affectionate personality and protective nature. And she also carries a pretty massive gun. Those mutants never stood a chance.
7. Maya, Galaxy Yellow Ranger, Lost Galaxy (Cerina Vincent)
Oh my, my, my Maya. So, exactly whose idea was it to have a ranger who walks around dressed like Sheena, Queen of the Jungle? I’m not complaining; I’m just asking. If there was an award for sexiest female ranger ever, this tribesgirl from the planet Mironi would definitely take the prize. Hot damn!
But excessive hotness aside, Maya gets several points because of how unique a character she was. In a franchise where almost all of the rangers are regular humans from Earth, here we had this wise and delightfully strange alien woman. Her special connection to nature and the Galactazords was invaluable to the Lost Galaxy team. And her quest to save her planet after it was turned to stone by the villain Furio made for a compelling motivation. While Lost Galaxy was a mixed bag of a season (those costumes were awful and the Zords were odd looking) the gorgeous and gracious Maya was always a pleasure to watch.
6. Tanya Sloan, Yellow Zeo Ranger and Yellow Turbo Ranger, Zeo, Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie and Turbo (Nakia Burrise)
Tanya Sloan took up the mantle after Aisha decided to stay in Africa to help sick animals and initially had to deal with being transformed from a child in the past to a teenager in the present (yeah, it was a weird storyline). But she adapted quickly and showed her quality to the team.
As the Yellow Zeo Ranger she rocked some nunchucks like Michelangelo (the Ninja Turtle, not the artist). Then she would become the Yellow Turbo Ranger for the not-so-great Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie and middle-of-the road (pun somewhat intended) Turbo series. Despite the middling quality of Turbo, she remained a really solid and dependable ranger and was there for the team whether they needed a word of advice or help taking down the monster-of-the-week. And she had a great singing voice too. While she may be overshadowed by other Yellow Rangers, Tanya definitely deserves recognition.
5. Summer Landsdown, Ranger Operator Series Yellow, RPM (Rose McIver)
Actress Rose McIver is known now for her roles in fantasy series iZombie and the hit comedy Ghosts, but back in 2009 she was starring as Summer Landsdown, AKA Ranger Operator Series Yellow, in the very fun RPM. And McIver showed her quality in the role, imbuing Summer with a strength and wit rarely seen in the franchise.
Originally a spoiled rich heiress, her life changed forever when she was abandoned by her friends and staff during the evacuation following the initial attack by the sentient AI Venjix. Summer fought her way to the city of Corinth and tragically lost her loyal butler Andrews on the process. Yeah, don’t let the cartoonish looking Zords fool you, RPM went some dark places. Following her experience, Summer emerged a stronger, kinder, more determined and no-nonsense person, and a good match for the brooding Dillon. With its great storytelling and characters RPM is one of the top tier Power Rangers series, and hands down Summer Landsdown is one of the best Yellow Rangers ever.
4. Charlie “Chip” Thorn, Yellow Mystic Ranger, Mystic Force (Nic Sampson)
If I were a Power Ranger, I’d probably be Yellow Mystic Ranger Charlie “Chip” Thorn. This odd superhero and fairy tale-loving geek is just so admirably comfortable in his own costumed skin. Of the Mystic Rangers, he was quick to believe in magic and accept his fate as a ranger. Heck, he actually enjoyed it, which is probably how many of us would react. Cheerful, eager and brave, this oddball mystical archer definitely hit the spot, and takes the highest spot among the male Yellow Rangers.
3. Kira Ford, Yellow Dino Ranger, Dino Thunder (Emma Lahana)
Kira Ford is just the best. Well, not the best on this list, but you know what I mean.
Behind her tough facade and neo-punk style there was a sweet and sensitive soul. She is also a very talented singer and guitarist. And her Ptera Scream ability? Shut the front, back and side doors. Definitely one of the coolest abilities in the franchise. She also has a fantastic looking costume and a quick and efficient fighter. Kira Ford is the total package and gets the bronze on this list.
2. Trini Kwan, Yellow Ranger, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (Thuy Trang)
And here we have it, Trini Kwan, the very first Yellow Ranger. While Pink Ranger Kimberly Hart may have been more popular (being many boys’ crushes may have something to do with that) Trini is the better character. Unlike the at times ditzy and shallow Kim, she was more mature and thoughtful. And she was a skilled martial artist as well, really showing those Putties what’s what.
When morphed, she used her twin daggers deftly and was very capable at piloting her Sabertooth Tiger Dinozord. As mentioned above, we lost actress Thuy Trang back in 2001, but as the first Yellow Ranger, and a pretty great one at that, her legacy will live on forever.
1. Elizabeth “Z” Delgado, S.P.D. Yellow Ranger, S.P.D. (Monica May)
What’s this?! Trini is not at number one?! How dare you, Julien?! HOW…DARE…YOU?!! Okay, before you @ me do allow me to make a case for my number one.
Trini is an iconic character, and nothing will ever change that. But for my money (and I would argue, for your money too) the greatest Yellow Ranger is Elizabeth “Z” Delgado from S.P.D. Z is simply a blast of a character. She’s a former thief, so she brings that edge and sass and ‘tude that you rarely get in Rangers. She has the ability to make holographic clones of herself, which is just next level and looks so cool onscreen. And because of that ability she was treated like a freak as a child, making for a tragic backstory, adding depth to the character. She is fiercely loyal to her friend and later fellow Ranger Jack and becomes protective over her team as well. And when morphed she is quite the powerful fighter.
In any emergency, this is the Yellow Ranger you would want fighting at your side. Z gets an A+ and takes the gold on this list.
So, that’s my list. Who are your Top 3 Yellow Rangers? And you can check out more morphenomenal content below:
Julien “Editor Jules” Neaves is a TARDIS-flying, Force-using Trekkie whose bedroom stories were by Freddy Krueger, learned to be a superhero from Marvel, but dreams of being Batman. I love promoting Caribbean film (Cariwood), creating board games and I am an aspiring author. I say things like “12 flavours of awesome sauce”. Read more.