The Power Rangers franchise includes a multitude of fan-favorite Rangers, and more than a few of those favorites are Red Rangers. Red Rangers are often the leaders of a Power Rangers team, so they understandably get more of the spotlight. That said, they also get the lion’s share of criticism, so when a Red Ranger is able to make it through that gauntlet and become a favorite, it’s always an impressive feat. That’s why we wanted to shine a light on the top 10 Red Rangers of all time from across TV, Movies, and Comics, and the lineup of the top 5 might just surprise you.
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10. Tommy – Power Rangers Zeo
Coming in at number 10 is one of the most iconic characters in the Power Rangers franchise, so it might be surprising that he’s not higher on the list. The character we are talking about is the legendary Tommy Oliver, and if we were talking about Tommy’s legacy as a whole, it would be difficult to argue Tommy not being towards the top.
When it comes to Tommy’s time as a Red Ranger specifically, though, while he was a Red Ranger and a leader of the team in two seasons, he was clearly more pivotal during Power Rangers Zeo. Tommy had to lead the team through a number of major challenges, with the show literally beginning with the explosion of the Command Center. That was followed by navigating his personal life after the famous Kimberly break-up letter, as well as the discovery that he had a brother, and almost turning on his friends after being brainwashed.
There were several shining moments from Tommy throughout the season, too, though Tommy’s Zeo era got some love more recently in the Dimensions in Danger 25th anniversary episode, giving us a full fight sequence courtesy of the Master Morpher. Even if this wasn’t up to the bar of his time as the Green or White Rangers, Tommy’s Zeo era still has enough energy to make this list.
9. Carter – Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue
Next, we’re moving to Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue, where fans first met Carter Grayson. Carter didn’t need the powers of being a Ranger to be a hero, as he was already protecting the city as a firefighter before his Red Ranger days even began. Carter is also just about everything you’d want in a leader, though his rigidness caused issues for his team over the course of the series.
Despite those hang-ups, Carter still comes across as not only incredibly capable but also ever resilient in the face of extreme odds. That extends to both time as a firefighter and a Ranger, and this is even showcased outside of Lightspeed Rescue when he returns to help other Rangers in Forever Red and Legendary Battle. The main hangup for Carter is that while he does grow as a team leader a bit, he doesn’t really evolve as an individual much, and the combination just means he falls a bit further down the list. That said, he’s still awesome and more than deserving of a spot.
8. Lauren – Power Rangers Super Samurai
For this next entry, we’re moving to the world of Super Samurai, where we’ll meet our next Ranger icon, Lauren Shiba. Lauren didn’t actually take over as the Red Ranger until late in the season, so she doesn’t have as much time in the role to draw from compared to others on the list. That said, her time as Red Ranger was still incredibly strong, so while there might not be much in the vault, what is there is stellar.
Lauren took over the role of Red Ranger from her brother Jayden and pretty quickly showed that she had the role handled. Not only did she bring an upgrade in skillset, but she proved to be as effective a leader if not more effective in her brief time.
This list encompasses more than just the show though, and if you factor in the comics, it’s easy to see why Lauren became a fan favorite so quickly. Lauren had a stellar role in Power Rangers Shattered Grid, both as an individual and as a team leader, and that’s on top of a delightful team-up with the original Red Ranger in the midst of that epic story. While Shattered Grid was surely a showcase, she’s continued to shine as the lead Ranger in Power Rangers Prime, and despite her circumstances truly putting her leadership abilities to the test, she is still making it work.
7. TJ – Power Rangers Turbo
It’s time to shift gears and move to Power Rangers Turbo, and while we did cover one of their Red Rangers earlier in this list, it’s time to shine a light on the true leader of the Turbo team. That leader is the beloved Red Ranger TJ, and like Lauren from Super Megaforce, their brief time as Red Rangers isn’t enough to overshadow their greatness.
TJ is one of the most likable Rangers in the franchise, and he was a natural fit for a leadership role when Tommy Oliver handpicked him to be the team’s new Red Ranger. TJ always held that close to heart over the course of the season, but he never really had to showcase it, as TJ constantly put others before himself and put his own survival on the line without a second thought. Granted, the final battle didn’t go that great, and he would be a blue Ranger when the story picked up in Power Rangers In Space, but his time as a Red Ranger still allowed him to make a huge impression.
6. Trini – Omega Rangers
It’s a running theme on this list that you don’t have to have been a Red Ranger for a long time to make an impact, and that is also true of our next Red Ranger, Trini Kwan. Most fans know Trini as the Yellow Ranger in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, and that’s certainly true, but fans of BOOM! Studios’ Power Rangers comics will remember that Trini would eventually become the new Red Ranger and leader of the Omega Rangers.
While Trini did temporarily become a Red Ranger when she swapped Ranger colors with Jason, that didn’t last long. After Trini, Jason, and Zack became Omega Rangers though, there would come a point where Jason sacrificed his connection to the Morphin Grid, and Trini would step into the role of Red Ranger. Trini had been one of the most well-developed characters in the Power Rangers comics before this, and it was all preparing her for this final era.
With the exception of Andros, no other Ranger faced the level of world-ending threat that Trini did, and this is literally what Trini steps into within minutes of becoming the Red Ranger. Trini had to lead her team of Omega Rangers against an emboldened Dark Specter and his infected army during Power Rangers’ Darkest Hour event, which was easily the most dire of scenarios yet for the Rangers, and somehow she found a way to survive and make it happen. She might not have been a Red Ranger very long, but she racked up some impressive wins during that short time, earning her a spot in elite company.
5. Wes – Power Rangers Time Force
We’re moving forward a bit in the timeline with our number 9 pick, which is Wes Collins from Power Rangers Time Force. Wes experiences one of the more impressive character arcs in the franchise, both in terms of as an individual and as a leader. His introduction is also one of the wildest, as he’s actually genetically identical to the current Red Ranger of the show Alex when the show begins.
Over the course of Power Rangers Time Force, Wes clashes with a number of people, including his father, Jen Scotts, and Alex, though he’s still a rather pleasant and innately likable person during most of these occasions. Though things start out rocky in that regard, by the end of the season, there’s a genuine camaraderie with the rest of the team and Jen in particular. That eventually leads to Wes taking over as the team’s Red Ranger, and though he’s not the leader (that falls to Jen), he is a vital part of the team and the family they’ve created.
On top of that, Wes continues to be a prominent figure in the franchise, as he returns at several different points to lend a hand to other Ranger teams. That includes the Wild Force Rangers, the Megaforce Rangers, the Ninja Steel Rangers, and even the HyperForce Rangers, and each and every time, he’s shown to be an ever-reliable, calm, and collected presence.
4. Zayto – Power Rangers Dino Fury
For our next entry we are moving to a newer season in the franchise, that being Power Rangers Dino Fury. That’s where fans first met Zayto, who was actually a Ranger from 65 million years ago and had been stored away in stasis underground. When he is awakened after the Sporix are unleashed, we see one of the great fish out of water Power Rangers tales start to develop, and it’s absolutely delightful.
There’s an innate likeablity to Zayto that isn’t as prominent in other Rangers, and while part of that is due to seeing him interact with Earth and its citizens and lingo for the first time, he also conveys a genuine empathy and compassion for others and a sense of duty to protect his adopted world. Zayto’s also one of the more lore-rich characters in the franchise, as not only are there mysteries tied to his world of Rafkon but also his friends and family there and the real origin of the Sporix, and we see that all play out through the season.
That gives Zayto an impressive amount of depth in which to draw from, and coupled with the comedic goldmine that is seeing him adopt current day slang, it makes Zayto one of my favorite Red Rangers to date.
3. Andros – Power Rangers In Space
If you’re looking for a Red Ranger story full of drama and twists, look no further than Power Rangers In Space. In Space is the home of the Red Ranger Andros, who is introduced in one of the coolest opening season sequences ever, and soon, fans learn that he is trying to track down Zordon after he was captured by Dark Specter.
That’s only the tip of the iceberg though, as we then learn that Andros has continued to search for his abducted sister, and she turns out to be none other than the brainwashed pseudo-daughter of Ecliptic Astronema. Oh, and by the way, Andros is also trying to wake up his best friend, Zhane, who is comatose in a cryogenic tube.
Navigating all of that would be challenging for any Ranger, but despite some trust issues and other character flaws showcased along the way, he manages to trust a new set of Rangers and lead them against one of the most powerful entities in the Power Rangers franchise. Did I mention dealing with the Psycho Rangers and then becoming a Solar Ranger in the comics as well? If I didn’t, consider those mentioned now, and those are just some of the challenges Andros has had to overcome, more than earning him a spot on this list.
2. Amelia – Power Rangers Cosmic Fury
We couldn’t complete the top 10 Red Rangers without giving some shine to Power Rangers Cosmic Fury, and that means no. 2 on this list is the Cosmic Fury Red Ranger Amelia Jones. Amelia was instantly a fan favorite in Power Rangers Dino Fury as the team’s Pink Ranger, and over the course of the season, fans only grew to love her more thanks to her always-present compassion, humor, and love of the paranormal. Throw in the twist that she was also Rafkonian like Zayto, and you’ve got yourself a beloved character.
That’s why when Cosmic Fury came around, it was amazing to see her step into the new role of Red Ranger and leader of the team, and she delivered in spades. The premiere of Cosmic Fury saw Amelia have to adapt on the fly as she dealt with an evil ex-boyfriend and sudden injuries to her team, and that was just the introduction.
Amelia would then have to continue to evolve as a leader and deal with the additional responsibility she had inherited from Zayto, while also giving her leadership role its own spin. She got everyone through a series of huge hurdles on both a personal level and a worldwide scale level, including the reappearance of Lord Zedd. Personally, I would love to see the character return in a future series, as with just one series, she became one of my favorites and one of the best Red Rangers of all time.
1. Jason – Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
I’m going to be honest, you probably saw this coming, right? Even with a franchise that’s over 30 years old and with various incarnations along the way, there’s only one series that started it all. That series is Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, and when it comes to Red Rangers, there is one iconic character that shines the brightest.
That would be the original Red Ranger, Jason Lee Scott, and this was where I had to separate favorite from best. While my favorite might be Amelia or Andros, it’s hard to argue just how synonymous Jason is with being a Red Ranger, and that’s due to the character’s constant embodiment of team-first leadership and heroic heart over the course of the original show.
Jason had flaws just like any other Ranger, but time and time again, he showed up when it mattered most, cared for his teammates, and put his own ego and wants aside to save the city or help his friends, even when he didn’t necessarily want to. While they were competitive at first, Jason’s friendship with Tommy is the perfect example of this in action, and this would be a consistent theme for the character over the years. No matter how long it’s been since he showed up last, when Jason arrives, you know a legend has entered the room.
The legend is only expanded upon when you consider the comics, which gave the character even more depth and nuance. Throughout the series, you see Jason struggle with the difficulties of being a leader like in the show, but you also see Jason attempt to figure out his relationship with his father, and that changes again after his health starts to falter.
We then see Jason and Trini navigate a romance at one point, and that’s not even bringing in Jason’s role in Shattered Grid and the Omega Rangers, where he takes point once again but with a whole new set of stakes and challenges. When all things are considered, it’s hard to find a Red Ranger that embodies the spirit of the position as much as Jason, and that’s why he’s in the number 1 spot.
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