Unleashing Unprecedented Power: Power Rangers Cosmic Fury Debuts the Ultimate Live-Action Addition to the Franchise

Summary

Power Rangers Cosmic Fury will feature the live-action debut of the Dark Ranger, a character that was technically introduced in the Power Rangers comics.

Dino Charge and Super Dino Charge occurred in a distinct Power Rangers universe, and they have had collaborations with various Ranger teams and featured in the comics.

The forthcoming show, Cosmic Fury, will introduce Heckyl, a character from Dino Charge, as the Dark Ranger. This unique and abbreviated season will predominantly unfold in locations other than Earth.

Power Rangers Cosmic Fury will mark the live-action debut of the Dark Ranger, who was first introduced in the comics. As the release date for Power Rangers Cosmic Fury approaches, more details have emerged about this unique season, which is technically the third season of Dino Fury. In Cosmic Fury, the former Dino Fury team will venture into space to battle Lord Zedd, bringing together different Power Rangers eras. In addition to the previously announced appearance of Billy from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, the show has now confirmed the return of a character from Power Rangers Dino Charge.

Dino Charge, which premiered in 2015 and continued with Super Dino Charge, takes place in a separate Power Rangers universe that deviates from the main continuity. It exists in a world where the events of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers likely never occurred. However, Dino Charge and Super Dino Charge have had crossover episodes with other Ranger teams and have played a role in the Power Rangers comics. Interestingly, in the comics, Heckyl becomes the Dark Ranger, and surprisingly, this version of the Dark Ranger appears in the Power Rangers Cosmic Fury trailer.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Dark Ranger Heckyl Will Be In Power Rangers Cosmic Fury

Dark Ranger Heckyl, a character from Power Rangers Dino Charge, will be making an appearance in the Cosmic Fury trailer. It's worth noting that while Heckyl was featured in Dino Charge, the Dark Ranger never made an appearance in the Power Rangers TV shows. The Dark Ranger actually originates from the Super Sentai counterpart of Dino Charge, Kyoryuger, specifically the Deathryuger from Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger: Gaburincho of Music movie. However, this particular Sentai Ranger did not crossover into the Dino Charge series. The Death Ranger only became part of the Power Rangers canon in the comics, in a storyline that takes place after Super Dino Charge. Now, the live-action debut of Heckyl's Dark Ranger will occur in Cosmic Fury.

Power Rangers Cosmic Fury is set to predominantly take place off Earth, a departure from previous Power Rangers series since 1999's Lost Galaxy. With a shorter episode count and a focus on the main storyline, Cosmic Fury centers around the Power Rangers uniting to thwart Lord Zedd. Notably, the series will introduce the first Orange Ranger and feature the potential transformation of Blue Ranger Ollie into an antagonist. Additionally, at least two established Power Rangers characters, namely Billy from Mighty Morphin and Heckyl from Dino Charge, will join the team.

The trailer for Cosmic Fury showcases the original Blue Ranger and the Dark Ranger fighting alongside four of the Cosmic Fury Rangers, hinting at an exciting crossover. However, viewers may require some background on Heckyl, who only became the Dark Ranger following the events of Super Dino Charge. Heckyl hails from the planet Sentai-6 and is now the guardian of the Dark Energem. It is possible that the Cosmic Fury Rangers will visit Sentai-6 for a specific purpose, or the Dark Ranger will respond to their plea for assistance. Interestingly, no crossover between Dino Fury and Dino Charge has occurred thus far.

Dino Charge's Heckyl Explained - Why He Never Became A Ranger

The character Heckyl in Dino Charge is loosely based on the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Heckyl was originally a peaceful resident of Sentai-6, a planet responsible for safeguarding the dangerous Dark Energem. However, Lord Arcanon, one of the villains in Dino Charge, launched an attack on Heckyl's planet in an attempt to steal the Dark Energem. In an unfortunate incident while protecting the gem, Heckyl accidentally touched it and instantly gained its powers. This contact also corrupted him, resulting in the creation of his evil alter-ego, Snide.

This Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde-esque transformation made Heckyl and Snide compelling adversaries for the Power Rangers. Eventually, Heckyl found redemption and joined forces with the Dino Charge Rangers, dedicating himself to rebuilding his planet. In the conclusion of Dino Super Charge, Heckyl became the guardian of the Dark Energem, seemingly marking the end of his journey. Despite the anticipation for Heckyl to become a Ranger empowered by the Dark Energem, this storyline never materialized. The Deathryuger, Heckyl's counterpart in the Super Sentai series Kyoryuger, only appeared in a movie and was not utilized in the TV shows. This likely explains why Heckyl did not become a Power Ranger.

How The Power Rangers Comics Made Heckyl Into The Dark Ranger

The BOOM! Power Rangers comics greatly expanded the lore of the saga. They introduced new stories featuring the Mighty Morphin crew and even included Rangers that had never appeared in any of the TV shows. For instance, the Dairanger costumes, which were never used in Power Rangers, were reimagined as the Ranger forms of an original team. Additionally, Shattered Grid incorporated Kyoryuger's Deathryuger into the Power Rangers' canon by revealing that Heckyl eventually became a Power Ranger. Initially, the Dark Ranger's design in the comics differed from the one in Kyoryuger, but it ultimately matched the Deathryuger costume worn by Heckyl.

Between the conclusion of Super Dino Charge and the Shattered Grid comic book event, Heckyl utilized the Dark Energem to create a morpher, enabling him to become a Power Ranger. Consequently, in the continuity of the Power Rangers comics, Heckyl eventually became a Power Ranger and fought alongside the Dino Charge crew. The comics further delved into Heckyl's struggle to control the Dark Energem fully, as he was plagued by the fear of regaining his evil nature. After the events of Shattered Grid, Heckyl joined forces with other Power Rangers from various points in the Power Rangers' timeline and temporarily took on the role of the Blue Solar Ranger.

Cosmic Fury's Dark Ranger Means Power Rangers Is Acknowledging Wider Lore

The inclusion of Heckyl as the Dark Ranger in Cosmic Fury signifies that Power Rangers is embracing the broader lore of the saga, which is a positive development for the franchise. While the Power Rangers comics have been impressive, their connections to the TV shows have been limited. For instance, Omega Rangers, which once consisted of Zack, Trini, and Jason, were not acknowledged in the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always. Thankfully, this appears to be changing with Cosmic Fury, especially with the return of Heckyl. Even if Cosmic Fury doesn't directly reference Beyond the Grid, the addition of the Dark Ranger establishes a significant link to the comics.

Shattered Grid and Beyond the Grid were the first pieces of Power Rangers lore to establish that Heckyl became the Dark Ranger in Dino Charge. Therefore, the Dark Ranger in Cosmic Fury can be considered a live-action representation of a character that originated in the comics. Whatever issues prevented the Deathryuger costume from appearing in Power Rangers Super Dino Charge have presumably been resolved, allowing for the inclusion of this Ranger in the TV show. Power Rangers Cosmic Fury appears to be shaping up as a celebration of the Power Rangers universe, with Billy mentoring the Rangers and Heckyl returning as the Dark Ranger.