5 Essential Facts About Tommy Oliver's Power Rangers Return

Adam has been writing in the entertainment news space for over a decade. Beginning his career of covering film and TV at CinemaBlend, he has also appeared on The Flash Podcast and done several radio spots. 

Tommy Oliver has arguably been the Power Rangers franchise’s most popular character ever since he was forcibly turned into the Green Ranger and forced to serve Rita Repulsa in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Jason David Frank played Tommy for nearly 30 years, during which time he also became the Mighty Morphin White Ranger, Red Zeo Ranger, the first Red Turbo Ranger, and the Black Dino Thunder Ranger. Frank also cameoed alongside Mighty Morphin co-star Amy Jo Johnson in the 2017 Power Rangers reboot movie as Angel Grove citizens.

In more recent years, Tommy has been a staple character in many of the titles from BOOM! Studios’ Power Rangers comic book line. Now, the original Green Ranger is back in action, albeit in the future rather than contemporary times. Similar to the graphic novel Power Rangers: Soul of the Dragon, the new limited series Power Rangers: Green focuses on a much older Tommy. This version of him is forced out of retirement to embark on a dangerous mission that's tied to his past life as a Power Ranger.

Power Rangers: Green #1 was released on August 5, with Pallie Paul Allor writing the six-issue series, and Gustaffo Vargas handling the artwork. Here are five key facts to take away from the first issue about what’s happened to this take on Tommy since his glory days as a morphenomenal hero.

Warning: SPOILERS for Power Rangers: Green #1 are ahead!

Tommy Is The Last Power Ranger

Power Rangers: Green takes place in an apocalyptic future where Tommy is the only remaining Power Ranger. He’s even outright nicknamed “The Last Ranger” in the comic book, though he’s unable to morph into his original verdant form, requiring him to fight the enemies who jeopardize his life as a farmer on another world with a simple staff. Tommy is also living in the remains of the once-mighty Dragonzord, which is now called the “Dragon’s Grave.”

It’s unclear what events drove Tommy to live this life of seclusion, nor what happened to his old cohorts Jason Lee Scott, Trini Kwan, Billy Cranston, Kimberly Hart, and Zack Taylor. The logical assumption would be that they died in some tragic fashion, but when it comes to Power Rangers, it’s also possible they suffered a more bizarre fate. This mystery will undoubtedly be solved before Power Rangers: Green is over, but in the meantime, fans can take comfort in knowing that Tommy isn’t living alone in this reality.

Alpha 5 Is Working With Tommy

As Zordon’s robot attendant, Alpha 5 was a key supporting character from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers up until the beginning of Power Rangers Turbo, when he was succeeded by Alpha 6. While Zordon’s whereabouts in Power Rangers: Green’s future timeline are also unknown, the robot is still with Tommy after all these years, as well as serves as the story’s narrator. So, the main protagonist is not entirely devoid of people from his Ranger life, though Alpha 5 is in a slightly damaged state.

The robot’s anxious personality is as strong as ever when the events of Power Rangers: Green begin. Tommy’s longtime ally insists that he stay secluded and continue his quiet life as a farmer, meaning he’s very much against the former Green Ranger getting involved in the conflict that presents itself in this first issue. While Alpha 5 being worried is keeping in character, it’s nonetheless curious why he’s so hellbent on ensuring that Tommy keeps a low profile on this unnamed world, especially with both new and familiar threats causing trouble.

Tommy Has A Surrogate Daughter

Tommy and Alpha 5 are joined in Power Rangers: Green by a teenaged girl named Mirella Vex, who’s been living with them for an undisclosed period of time and communicates with sign language. Mirella is referred to as Tommy’s “downcycle prodigy,” leaving it unclear whether she’s biologically related to him, as well as if she has any alien DNA. Regardless, Tommy and Alpha 5 treat her like family and are determined to keep her safe at all costs.

That makes it all the more complicated when Mirella insists on joining Tommy for his new journey despite his protests. Her impulsiveness is reminiscent of how he was at her age, but the older Tommy now has to worry about her well-being in the midst of clashing with the limited series' villains. What’s an additional headache for him works for Power Rangers: Green readers’ benefit, as they get to see more of this father/daughter-like dynamic that’s been present in stories like Logan and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin.

There Are New Villains On A Magical World Under Siege

Tommy’s quiet life is disrupted in Power Rangers: Green #1 with the return of Goldar, another character who’s familiar to Mighty Morphin Power Rangers fans. This alien warrior served both Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd in that series up to Power Rangers in Space, then was reincarnated into a new form in Power Rangers Beast Morphers. Goldar and Tommy had an especially contentious rivalry in the Mighty Morphin days, but in the new BOOM! Studios series, the former is now an ally to the latter.

Goldar approaches Tommy about fighting the tyrant Unmade and her robot minion Red Censer, who’s driven to kill anyone touched by magic. Unmade is later revealed to be Scorpina, who fought alongside Goldar in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, and it’s also indicated that Red Censer is somehow connected to Tommy. While the presence of “Red” in their name would understandably make one think of the aforementioned Jason, the Mighty Morphin Red Ranger, that could also be, pardon the pun, a red herring.

The New Suit Has An Open Mouthpiece

While Tommy can’t morph into a Power Ranger in Power Rangers: Green #1, that doesn’t mean he’s given up dressing like one. Tommy has donned a makeshift outfit that resembles his old Green Ranger suit, with this helmet lacking the signature mouthpiece that was present on the Mighty Morphin helmets. There’s nothing magical or superpowered about this outfit, but Tommy nonetheless dons it before heading out on his mission.

Tommy memorably lost his Green Ranger powers early on in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers season 2, paving the way for him to become the White Ranger. He later regained the ability to morph into this specific form for his appearances in Super Megaforce, Super Ninja Steel, and the 30th anniversary special Once & Always, but it’s difficult to determine if any of that history remains intact in the Power Rangers: Green universe.

Whatever the reason Tommy became unable to morph into the first (and best) Green Ranger for the purposes of this story, it stands to reason those powers will return to him in a future issue. For now, it’s fascinating to see that while his Power Rangers days are far behind him, Tommy nonetheless has taken the effort to make a homemade version of the suit as a reminder of his heroic past.

Power Rangers: Green #2 will be released by BOOM! Studios on Wednesday, September 16. This series is the third Power Rangers title launched by the company in recent months, preceded by Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (vol. 3) in June, and Powers Rangers Unlimited in July.