Power Rangerswould rarely make significant changes to theSuper Sentaishows it was adapting untilLightspeed Rescuebroke that rule to introduce one of the coolest Rangers of all time. Most entries in thePower Rangersuniverse are localized versions ofSuper Sentaishows, meaning they combine Japanese scenes with American footage. This formula, which traces back toMighty MorphinPower RangersusingZyurangerfootage, remained mostly unchanged for three decades.
ThePower Rangersfranchisenever had a problem with recontextualizing or completely changing certain storylines fromSuper Sentai. Likewise, the personalities and the character arcs of a lot of Rangers did not always match that of their Japanese counterparts. However, nearly every action sequence as well as most villains and their minions would come fromSuper Sentaiwith very few exceptions. The first major deviation between aPower Rangersseason and itsSentaicounterpart happened in 2000 whenLightspeed Rescueintroduced an original Power Ranger that did not exist in the Japanese show.
The Titanium Ranger Was Power Rangers’ First American-Exclusive Ranger
Power Rangers Has Since Introduced A Few Original Rangers In Different Media
Ryan Mitchell was introduced inPower RangersLightspeed Rescueepisode 11, “From Deep in the Shadows,”as the son of Captain Mitchell. After a car accident almost cost the lives of Captain Mitchell and his children, the demon Diabolic appeared in front of them and offered to save Ryan in exchange for raising the child himself. Given that Captain Mitchell had a hold of his daughter but couldn’t reach for Ryan, he accepted the “deal with the devil.” Ryan was raised by Diabolic and manipulated into thinking his father had left him to die.
Cosmic Fury(2023) was the first Power Rangers season in which all of the Rangers' costumes were original suits created for the American show. As a result, the series only usedSentaifootage for Zord and Megazord battles.
Now working for the demons,Ryan stole the Titanium morpher and became the Titanium Ranger.Similar to theoriginal Green Rangerand most extra Rangers in the franchise, the Titanium Ranger was introduced as an enemy but eventually joined the heroes.GoGoV, theSentaishow in whichLightspeed Rescuewas based, did not have a traditional sixth Ranger. This is whyLightspeed Rescuedecided to create an original character that would serve as the extra Ranger of the season. The Titanium Ranger’s design was created from scratch but matched the costumes of the other five heroes.
Ryan Mitchell Remains One Of Power Rangers’ Best Sixth Rangers 24 Years Later
Ryan Mitchell checked all the boxes for what a cool sixth or extra Ranger must have – an interesting backstory that differed, a unique costume that stood out from the rest of the team, and the ability to steal the show every time he was in an episode. Given that there was no Japanese footage ofthe Titanium Ranger,there were only so many ways Ryan could appear inLightspeed Rescue.The show often had to come up with excuses as to why Ryan wasn’t around, from a mystic virus to a quest in the middle of the desert.
Power Rangers’ 10 Best Extra Rangers, Ranked
From Mighty Morphin’s Green Ranger to newer characters, Power Rangers’ sixth or additional Rangers are usually the coolest heroes on the show.
As a result, Ryan only appeared in 14 out of the 40 episodes of the show. Still, the Titanium Ranger made for an incredible addition to the Lightspeed team. That is not to mention his costume, which remains one of the bestPower Rangerssuits of all time. While it was an originalPower Rangerscostume, the Titanium Ranger’s suit was created by PLEX, a company that had already worked on franchises likeKamen RiderandSuper Sentai. Between his dark origin story and his amazing costume, the Titanium Ranger became an instant fan favorite.
Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue
Cast
Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue is a television series that premiered in 2000, serving as the eighth season of the Power Rangers franchise. The show follows a team of five rescue workers who become superheroes known as the Lightspeed Rescue Power Rangers, tasked with saving the world from demonic forces led by the evil Diabolico.
