The Ultimate Revelation: Power Rangers Introduce the Unforgettable Orange Ranger After 3 Decades

WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Power Rangers Cosmic Fury.

Summary

Introducing the first Orange Ranger in 30 years, Power Rangers Cosmic Fury fulfills the heartfelt desire of long-time fans. A rarity in the Super Sentai series that Power Rangers draws inspiration from, the Orange Ranger has only appeared in a handful of shows.

Power Rangers Cosmic Fury introduces the much-needed Orange Ranger, adding significant value to the show, particularly considering its potential as the conclusion of the current Power Rangers timeline. With Fern, portrayed by Jacqueline Joe, Cosmic Fury finally addresses the absence of an Orange Ranger, a gap that has persisted for 30 years since the inception of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers in 1993. While the franchise has witnessed numerous seasons, diverse teams, and a multitude of Power Rangers, certain colors have been more prevalent than others. For instance, every Power Rangers team has featured a Red Ranger, but not every season has included a Green or White Ranger. In the case of Cosmic Fury, most of the Ranger colors have been retained from Dino Fury, but the series has also introduced two entirely new Ranger colors, with Orange being one of them.

Power Rangers enthusiasts have long yearned for the addition of an Orange Ranger to the beloved franchise. In recent years, uncommon colors like Gold and Purple have made appearances multiple times, much to the delight of fans. Excitingly, the lineup of Power Rangers Cosmic Fury characters now includes an Orange Ranger.

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Power Rangers Cosmic Fury’s Orange Ranger Is The Franchise’s First

Power Rangers has never had an Orange Ranger until now because most of the Super Sentai series that the show is based on did not feature an Orange Ranger. Out of the 47 Super Sentai shows, only four of them included an Orange Ranger. Only one of these shows, Kyuranger, has been adapted into a Power Rangers season. However, even though Power Rangers Cosmic Fury did not use the Kyuranger suits, there was no guarantee that they would add an Orange Ranger to the team. Some colors, like Blue and Red, are commonly seen in many Super Sentai shows, while others, like Orange, are rare.

The ending of Power Rangers Cosmic Fury suggests that it may be the last season in the current format of the show. This makes the addition of Power Rangers' first Orange Ranger after 30 years even more significant. It should be noted that there have been a few characters associated with the color Orange in the Power Rangers TV show, but none of them officially count as Orange Rangers in the show's chronology. For example, an Orange Ranger appeared in Power Rangers S.P.D., but it was just a dream sequence played for comedic purposes and not an actual new character. Similarly, Kat Manx's Kat Ranger from S.P.D. is often mistakenly referred to as the Orange Ranger.

Fern’s Orange Ranger Power Comes From The Solonosaurus

Fern is currently the sole official Orange Ranger in a Power Rangers TV series, making her debut in Power Rangers Dino Fury. Despite the presence of an Orange Ranger counterpart, Sasori Orange, in Cosmic Fury's Super Sentain adaptation, Fern's costume and powers were largely unique. Throughout the series, Fern's connection with the Power Rangers grew stronger, particularly after her girlfriend Izzy discovered her superhero alter ego. In an unexpected turn of events, Fern inadvertently accompanied the Power Rangers to another galaxy at the end of Cosmic Fury episode 1, marking the beginning of her own journey as a Power Ranger.

Fern's origins as the Orange Ranger were an unexpected twist, intertwining with a cherished character from Dino Fury. The Dino Zords vanished in the conclusion of Dino Fury season 2, requiring Red Ranger Zayto to transform them into pure energy. Subsequently, the Power Rangers acquired new Zords in Power Rangers Cosmic Fury episode 1, followed by newfound abilities in episode 3 known as the Cosmic Orbs. David Yost, renowned as the original Blue Ranger in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, assisted in the creation of these Cosmic Orbs to grant the Power Rangers enhanced powers and weaponry. Right there, Billy devised seven state-of-the-art morphers; however, only five Rangers were in possession of them.

The idea was that former Red Ranger Zayto and the now evil Blue Ranger Ollie would receive their morphers upon rejoining the team. However, when Solon, the Solonosaurus alien who has been guiding the Power Rangers since Dino Fury, was captured, Fern had no other option but to utilize one of the morphers. Fern's original plan was solely to employ the Cosmic Morpher as a blaster and had no intention of activating it. Nonetheless, as Fern endangered her life to rescue Solon, the Morphin Grid intervened. Consequently, Fern's Cosmic Morpher was activated, with the Cosmic Orb assuming an orange hue, transforming her into the Power Rangers Cosmic Fury Orange Ranger.

Cosmic Fury’s Orange Ranger Costume & Zords Explained

The Orange Ranger costume worn by Fern on the show was specially designed for Cosmic Fury. Unlike the typical Super Sentai influences seen on Power Rangers, the Cosmic Fury suits drew inspiration from American superhero series. However, elements of Super Sentai still played a role in shaping the Cosmic Fury costumes. Interestingly, the Cosmic Fury helmets closely resembled those of the Dino Fury suits, which were based on the Kishiryu Sentai Ryusoulger series. It appears that Fern’s Orange Ranger helmet was repurposed from a Ryusoulger Pink Ranger helmet, while the rest of the suit matched the overall Cosmic Fury aesthetic.

What Is Next For Power Rangers’ First Orange Ranger

Fern, the Orange Ranger in Power Rangers Dino Fury, derives her powers from the Solonosaurus, a fictional dinosaur. However, she does not control a Solonosaurus Zord like the rest of the team. In the show Cosmic Fury, there is no appearance of any Dino Fury Zord, and most of the Megazord battles were adapted from Kyuranger. Fern's primary Zord in the series was the Cosmic Scorpion, which was conveniently orange in color. Nevertheless, the Zords in Power Rangers Cosmic Fury were not exclusive to specific characters, allowing each Ranger to pilot multiple mechas. Despite having less experience compared to the other Cosmic Fury Rangers, Fern swiftly mastered Zord operation.

At the conclusion of Cosmic Fury, Fern becomes a member of the Power Rangers' final lineup. As for the next Power Rangers series following Cosmic Fury, it has yet to be announced. There is a possibility that the new show will be a reboot placed within a different storyline. In such a scenario, none of the Rangers from Cosmic Fury would be expected to make a return. Breaking a long-standing franchise tradition, the cast of Power Rangers Dino Fury appeared in three consecutive seasons, an occurrence unseen since the days of Mighty Morphin. Thus, if Cosmic Fury marks the conclusion of the current chronology, it would serve as a most fitting farewell to this extraordinary team.

Given the existence of a Power Rangers multiverse within both the show and the comics, it remains a possibility for future stories to feature the return of a Power Ranger. An instance of this can be seen in the conclusion of Power Rangers Cosmic Fury, where Billy discovers that Zordon is alive, thereby creating opportunities for narratives involving the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Whether it be in the form of comics or a forthcoming show set in the primary continuity, it would be exciting to witness further development of the Orange Ranger Fern, particularly since this new Ranger color made its debut solely in episode 6 of Power Rangers Cosmic Fury.