Unveiling the Epic Return: Power Rangers Cosmic Fury's Heckyl & Dino Charge's Dark Ranger Comeback

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

Summary

The crossover storyline in Power Rangers Cosmic Fury connects three generations of Dino Rangers, introducing the Dark Ranger from Dino Charge.

In Dino Super Charge, Heckyl's redemption story prepared him for a role as a Power Ranger, although it was never shown in the series.

The Dark Ranger debuts in Cosmic Fury, granting viewers the fulfillment of their dreams as he was previously unable to appear on the TV show due to character rights issues.

By assuming the role of the Dark Ranger in Power Rangers Cosmic Fury, Heckyl connects two separate seasons, serving as a bridge between Power Rangers Dino Charge. Though each season of Power Rangers has largely functioned as standalone, there remains a strong sense of interconnectedness within the franchise. Even Dino Charge and Dino Super Charge, which exist in a different timeline than most Power Rangers TV shows, have participated in crossovers in recent years. This is exemplified in Cosmic Fury, where three generations of Dino Rangers take part.

The cast of Power Rangers Cosmic Fury featured David Yost as Billy, the Blue Ranger from Mighty Morphin. Throughout the season, he joined forces with the previous Dino Fury Rangers to fight against evil. Cosmic Fury took the crossover concept to new heights by introducing Heckyl and incorporating elements from Mighty Morphin, Dino Charge, and Dino Fury storylines. Aside from being an exciting crossover event, Cosmic Fury finally fulfilled a long-awaited Power Rangers moment - the debut of Dino Charge's Dark Ranger.

Dino Charge’s Dark Ranger Debuts In Power Rangers Cosmic Fury Episode 7

The Dark Ranger from Power Rangers Dino Charge did not make an appearance on the show, despite the clear indication that Heckyl was intended to become a Power Ranger. Heckyl, like many other Power Rangers villains, eventually went through a redemption arc, which the character acknowledges and jokes about in Cosmic Fury. This redemption was not surprising, as Heckyl was originally not evil but rather the guardian of the Dark Energem from Sentai-6. Unfortunately, during an invasion of the planet, Heckyl accidentally made contact with the artifact, which resulted in him gaining the power of the Dark Energem and the creation of an evil alter ego.

In contrast, Heckyl's Super Sentai counterpart does become a Ranger in Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger: Gaburincho of Musicmovie, a film that takes place in the same continuity as the Kyoryuger show. However, due to character rights issues, Power Rangers was unable to incorporate the Deathryuger design into the TV show. This is the reason why the Dark Ranger, a character that viewers had hoped to see in Power Rangers, was absent from the series. However, the obstacles that prevented Power Rangers from using the Deathryuger design were resolved, allowing the Dark Ranger to finally make an appearance in Power Rangers Cosmic Fury. Additionally, the Dark Ranger from Dino Charge also appeared in the BOOM! Power Rangers comics, which exist within a different continuity altogether.

Power Rangers Cosmic Fury’s Heckyl Role Explained

Briefly, in the Power Rangers Beyond The Grid comic books, Heckyl temporarily transformed into the Blue Solar Ranger. This marked the debut of the Death Ranger design in the Power Rangers franchise. According to the comics, Heckyl returned to his homeworld to safeguard the Dark Energer, but he still grappled with its malevolent influence. Although the Dark Ranger’s origin tale in the comics was intriguing and provided closure to Heckyl’s Dino Charge storyline, it is uncertain if these events occurred within the chronology of the Power Rangers TV show.

The role of Heckyl in Power Rangers Cosmic Fury was remarkably surprising, especially considering that Power Rangers Dino Charge unfolds in an alternate universe separate from the primary timeline. Cosmic Fury acknowledges Heckyl's origin from another universe, but does not delve into the specifics of how or why the Dark Ranger entered this dimension. Nevertheless, Cosmic Fury's Dark Ranger played a vital role in the Power Rangers' mission to protect Earth from an extraterrestrial invasion masterminded by Lord Zedd and his allies. Heckyl served as Terrick's spy aboard Lord Zedd's spacecraft, and amidst this covert operation, he unexpectedly became Squillia's object of affection before revealing his true identity. Almost seven years after Dino Charge's finale, Heckyl underwent a transformation, assuming the mantle of the Dark Ranger.

Who Plays Heckyl In Power Rangers Cosmic Fury

The Dark Ranger provided Terrick and the Resistance with vital intelligence on Lord Zedd before eventually being captured. Once the Power Rangers liberated Heckyl and his companions, the Dark Ranger temporarily teamed up with the Cosmic Fury squad in a spectacular Power Rangers battle, unmatched in recent years. Diverging from the Dino Charge Rangers' morphers, Heckyl's Dark Ranger Morpher boasted a unique design, initiating his transformation sequence with the electrifying battle cry of "Unleash the power." Following an intense collaboration with the Cosmic Fury Rangers and Mighty Morphin Blue Ranger Billy Cranston in episode 7, Heckyl remained a secret supporter of the Resistance, working behind the scenes.

Ryan Carter, who portrayed Heckyl in Power Rangers Cosmic Fury, made his debut in episode 6 as the undercover agent within Lord Zedd's headquarters. Subsequently, in episode 7 of Power Rangers Cosmic Fury, he evolves into the Dark Ranger. Prior to this, Carter also assumed the role of Heckyl in the final episode of Power Rangers Dino Charge. Additionally, he reprised his character in Power Rangers Dino Super Charge, where the storyline unraveled the origins of Heckyl and his concealed, malevolent form. Notably, the voice for Snide, Heckyl's wicked counterpart in Dino Charge, was provided by a different actor, Campbell Cooley.