Summary
Warning: Spoilers for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #119!Classic Yellow RangerTrini Kwanhas received the biggest promotion from thePower Rangersimaginable, but doesn’t think she deserves the accolade. Whileevery color in the Power Rangers lexicon is important, most people want to be the Red Ranger.SPD’sSky going from Blue to Red and Amelia going from Pink to Red inCosmic Furyare rare examples.
Trini, the original Yellow Ranger, gets such a promotion in the comics, but inMighty Morphin Power Rangers#119 by Melissa Flores, Simona Di Gianfelice and Marco Renna, she doesn’t think she deserves it. Amid the “Darkest Hour” for the Rangers, Trini starts to feel the pressure of the stakes of this event, to the point that she doesn’t think she’s qualified to lead the Omega Rangers.
Based on what she’s done as the Red Ranger so far, Trini’s doubt hints more at the journey she’s going on to believe in herself than at any actual validity.
How Power Rangers' Original Yellow Ranger Earned Her Promotion to Red Ranger Status
After the events of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Trini is promoted from Yellow to Red Ranger, and proves time and time again why she earned it.
Trini Kwan Doesn’t Think She Deserves to be the Omega Power Rangers' Leader
How Trini Becomes the Red Ranger
Before it can be discussed why Trini doubts her abilities as the Red Ranger (and, most importantly, why she deserves Red Rangerhood), readers must first understand what inspired the change from Yellow to Red. As most audiences will know, Trini Kwan was introduced in the original cast ofMighty Morphin Power Rangersas the team’s Yellow Ranger.From the start, she displayed the cunning and wit befitting of a leader, even understanding theircommunicators as well as the Blue Ranger, Billy, does.
As seen in the show, she ends up leaving the team with Zack and Jason for a peace conference.However, the comics recontextualize that moment as merely an excuse for the trio to venture off into spacewhen recruited by theBlue Emissary, a godlike protector of the Morphin Grid. Together, they become the Omega Rangers. Althoughthe Omega Rangers' place in TV continuity is questionablenow following theOnce & Alwaysspecial, the Omega Rangers still rank among the franchise’s strongest teams.
One of their biggest challenges comes when they are forced into a confrontation withthe Death Ranger. That ordeal proves to be so draining on the team that once they overcome the Death Ranger’s zombifying infections and defeat them inMighty Morphin Power Rangers#100,Jason retires as a Power Ranger. Since the trio has maintained their Mighty Morphin colors, that leaves the Omegas without a Red Ranger. Partially because of their formerromance together,Jason trusts Trini the most to take his place as Red Ranger.
Why Trini Doesn’t Trust Herself as Leader of the Power Rangers
The Darkest Hour of the Former Yellow Ranger
The “Darkest Hour” storyline marks the final arcfor the currentMighty Morphin Power Rangerscomic book series. After receiving a power upgrade from her new master that turns her into Mistress Vile, Rita Repulsa takes steps to bolster Dark Specter as theThanos of the franchise. She gifts him Zordon’s original physical body as a vessel for him to return, allowing him to rule over the universe with hisdark army of zombified Power Rangers, thanks to Rita’s dark magic.
By the timeMighty Morphin Power Rangers#119 rolls around,Trini is struggling to handle the pressures that come with being a Red Ranger, as the fate of the universe is on the line,especially without her fellow Omega Rangers Kevor and Yale. Dealing with a monumental antagonist who threatens the planet and the lives of its inhabitants is nothing new for Trini, but she previously faced those major threats as the Yellow Ranger, just another team player.Her first challenge as the Red Ranger is the biggest challenge that any of the Power Rangers have faced.
The difference between being the Yellow Ranger and the Red Ranger is that if something goes wrong, Trini is at the forefront of it all, and thus, is most likely to take the blame. Even if there is no blame to give, Trini’s position as leader makes it easy for her to blame herself, as she does in this moment. However, that doesn’t mean Trini’s statements are valid.Trini’s concerns and paranoia about her leadership skills are more of an internal struggle than an actual reflection that she’s done anything wrong.
Trini’s Highlights as Red Ranger
The Former Yellow Ranger Has Proven to Be an Effective Leader
While Trini is still relatively new to Red Rangerhood, she’s been impressive enough to earn her place as leader of the Omega Rangers. The landmark 100th issue that ends with Trini being crowned with a Red Ranger morpher is followed by the “Recharged” storyline. Here, Trini proves especially impressive when the Rangers are faced with the threat of Alpha-1, the diabolical original Alpha created before the more lovable Alpha-5. When everyone else struggles against the robot, Trini is able to slice the bot to pieces.
More recently, the “Darkest Hour” has positioned Trini as a much more prominent figure. From the moment the arc began, Trini has shown her efficient skills as a fighter by successfully fending off Dark Specter’s infected army. Alongside her partner, Zack, and the rest of the Rangers, she’s able to barge through each zombie with ease.Just the fact that she’s survived long enough to oppose Dark Specter when so many Rangers have fallen to him is impressive in itself. It’s also worth noting that she plays a part in saving Tommy Oliver when he is imprisoned by Dark Specter.
The New Red Raner Must Overcome Dark Specter and Her Own Self-Doubt
The Red Omega Ranger’s concerns about herself may not be valid, but they speak to how seriously she’s taking her job and how badly she wants to use her position to ensure the Earth’s safety.That in itself is the makings of a proper leader.Trini’s character arc moving forward isn’t going to be about her learning to be a better leader as much as it will be about overcoming the pressures and doubt she puts on herself. Doing so could lead to Trini saving the world.
The “Darkest Hour” has laid the groundwork for several candidates who could finally put an end to Dark Specter’s reign of terror, includingthe Blue Ranger,the White Ranger, andthe Ranger Slayer.Trini’s Red Ranger could prove to be a sleeper pick to be the deciding factor in Dark Specter’s defeat. All she has to do is believe in herself to be a capable leader for thePower Rangers, and in time,Trini Kwanwill have the opportunity to prove to herself why she’s in the position that she is.
Power Rangers
Power Rangersis a long-running multimedia franchise that debuted in 1993 with the TV seriesMighty Morphin Power Rangers. Created by Haim Saban and adapted from the JapaneseSuper Sentaiseries,Power Rangersbecame a cultural phenomenon by combining action-packed footage fromSuper Sentaiwith new scenes featuring American actors. The franchise follows teams of young heroes who transform into Power Rangers to battle various villains, using martial arts, special powers, and giant mechas called Zords. Over the decades, the franchise has expanded into multiple TV series, films, comics, video games, and merchandise, becoming one of the most successful children’s franchises in the world.
