This 22-Year-Old Power Rangers Episode Fulfilled The Dreams Of Every 90s Kid

Power Rangers Wild Force’s “Forever Red” delivered a lot of instant classic moments, including one interaction that fulfilled the dreams of every 1990s kid who watched through the Zordon Era. Although Power Rangers has had 30 seasons already, it’s difficult not to associate the franchise with the 90s. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, which premiered in 1993, quickly became a phenomenon and set in motion what would become one of the longest-running franchises of all time. The Power Rangers chronology can be split into two eras – before and after the death of Zordon in Power Rangers in Space.

From Mighty Morphin’s pilot to the first half of Power Rangers Turbo, the show followed essentially the same team of heroes, although with a few changes from time to time. Four years after Power Rangers premiered, we were still watching characters like Tommy Oliver and Adam Park. The introduction of four new heroes midway through Turbo was a massive change for the show, with these new actors also starring in Power Rangers in Space alongside a brand-new Red Ranger. Despite being the conclusion to the Zordon Era, In Space wasn’t too connected to the Mighty Morphin world.

“Forever Red” Delivered The Andros & Tommy Crossover Every ‘90s Kid Had Dreamed Of

Tommy And Andros Were Arguably The Faces Of The Zordon Era

A lonely Red Ranger searching for Zordon, Andros found himself a new team once he met the former Turbo Rangers of Earth. While it took a while for T.J., Cassey, Ashley, and Carlos to work well with Andros, they eventually became a well-balanced Power Rangers team that is often listed as one of the franchise’s best. The former Turbo Rangers had once been mentored by Zeo/Turbo heroes in Angel Grove, but In Space took the show in a very different direction. The stakes were higher than ever, and Andros’ backstory was more complex than anything Power Rangers had done.

From his engaging story to his iconic hair, Andros is among the most popular Power Rangers of all time. Power Rangers in Space was comparable to Mighty Morphin in terms of how well received it was and how popular it became, with Andros sort of working as a Tommy Oliver replacement. Despite all the connections between MMPR and In Space – Zordon’s role in the story being the biggest one – Andros never met any of the original Power Rangers during his season. This is why having Tommy Oliver and Andros interacting in “Forever Red” was such a big deal.

Andros & Tommy Working Together In Wild Force Brought Power Rangers Full Circle

Andros Was Mentored By Zordon But Had Never Met The OG Rangers On-Screen

In Space’s “Countdown to Destruction” was a finale not only to the season but for an entire era of Power Rangers, bringing everything together with Zordon’s death and the redemption of Rita Repulsa. However, despite the significance of this episode to the franchise, “Countdown to Destruction” did not feature any of the original Power Rangers. The episode establishes that rebels all over the galaxy are fighting the Alliance of Evil, but we only get to see the season’s main Rangers. The only other hero who shows up is Trey of Triforia as the Zeo Gold Ranger.

It is unclear what Tommy, Jason, and the rest of the MMPR Rangers were doing during Astronema’s attack on Earth, but the fact is that, after “Countdown to Destruction,” I never thought I would see Andros interacting with any of the franchise’s original heroes. Fortunately, I was wrong. In “Forever Red,” Andros and Tommy have to put together an elite team of Red Rangers to prevent the Machine Empire from reactivating Lord Zerd’s Serpentera Zord on the moon. Andros and Tommy served as the leaders of this all-star team, which also included the original Red Ranger, Jason Lee Scott.

Tommy & Andros’ Team-Up Wasn’t The Only Fan Wish To Come True In Forever Red

Forever Red Delivered A Lot Of Great Interactions

As someone whose favorite Rangers growing up were Tommy and Andros, seeing those two fight side by side in Wild Force was an unforgettable experience. However, this was not the only fan wish to come true in “Forever Red.” Seeing Jason, the original leader of the Power Rangers, interacting with several other Red Rangers that followed his legacy was also very exciting. The reunion between Jason and Tommy couldn’t have been more special given what those two characters meant to the franchise, not to mention the opportunity to see MMPR Red and Zeo Red together for the first time.

Small moments like Lightspeed Rescue’s Carter Grayson teaming up with Andros for a combo and T.J. as Turbo Red fighting alongside his predecessor Tommy were also very special, even more so for long-time fans who had been watching the show since MMPR. Over 20 years later, Power Rangers Wild Force’s “Forever Red” remains one of the few episodes in the franchise that truly makes it feel like all seasons of Power Rangers take place in the same world. All Red Rangers are written like they used to be in their respective shows, and there is a delightful sense of continuity.