Rita Repulsa & Lord Zedds Fates After Mighty Morphin Make The Original Power Rangers Look Very Inefficient

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Power Rangers

Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd both returned in 2023, and they made the original Power Rangers look very inefficient in hindsight. It doesn’t matter how many Power Rangers seasons there are – the franchise will always be associated with Mighty Morphin on some level. From long-time fans of the show to casual viewers, names like Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa will always be iconic. As such, it is no surprise that both of the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers villains returned in 2023, the year that celebrated Power Rangers’ 30th anniversary.

While Rita Repulsa was the first Power Rangers villain, she was technically working for Lord Zedd the whole time. In MMPR season 2, we learn that Rita answers to a bigger evil, Lord Zedd. Interestingly, Zedd also answered to a bigger threat, Dark Specter, about which we learned in Power Rangers in Space. Lord Zedd was meant to be a more serious, threatening replacement for Rita Repulsa, but they eventually teamed up and became even sillier versions of themselves. In hindsight, it’s curious how the original Power Rangers team never defeated their ultimate villains.

Neither Rita Repulsa Nor Lord Zedd Was Ever Defeated In The Original Power Rangers Show

Rita Repulsa & Lord Zedd Were Only "Defeated" In Power Rangers In Space

Custom image of Rita Repulsa, original Blue Ranger Billy, and Lord Zedd

Rita Repulsa was not defeated by the Power Rangers in season 2 – she was instead trapped by Lord Zedd when the new villain took over. Rita was eventually freed and teamed up with Zedd, which led to a bizarre storyline that concluded with Rita and Zedd getting married. By the end of MMPR season 3, both Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa were still active villains and had their minions by their side. At the start of Power Rangers Zeo, the sequel to Mighty Morphin, Zedd and Rita have to run away from a new group of villains, the Machine Empire.

In other words, the original Power Rangers’ most important villains were not dealt with by the Rangers themselves but rather by a new group of antagonists. Zedd and Rita would eventually return in Power Rangers in Space, at the end of which Zordon sacrificed himself to purify all evil in the galaxy. Zedd and Rita were redeemed thanks to the Z-wave and turned into good, human versions of themselves. While this was certainly a happy ending, it’s interesting how there was never an ultimate battle between the Rangers and these two villains until much later.

Rita Repulsa & Lord Zedd Returned In 2023 And Gave The Power Rangers A Lot Of Trouble

Rita Repulsa Returned In Once & Always; Lord Zedd Returned In Cosmic Fury

Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd both returned in Power Rangers as part of the show’s 30th anniversary celebration, although in different projects. Rita was sort of resurrected in Power Rangers: Once & Always after Billy failed to bring Zordon back to life by accessing what was left of the Z-Wave. Rather than bringing Zordon back, the original Blue Ranger restored the evil part of Rita Repulsa. She then took over Alpha’s body and became Robot Rita. Rita’s return led to a very bittersweet moment in which the villain killed Trini, the original Yellow Ranger.

Season/Specials

Release Year

Mighty Morphin	1993
Zeo	1996
Turbo	1997
In Space	1998
Lost Galaxy	1999
Lightspeed Rescue	2000
Time Force	2001
Wild Force	2002
Ninja Storm	2003
Dino Thunder	2004
S.P.D.	2005
Mystic Force	2006
Operation Overdrive	2007
Jungle Fury	2008
R.P.M.	2009
Samurai/Super Samurai	2011
Megaforce/Super Megaforce	2013
Dino Charge/Super Dino Charge	2015
Ninja Steel/ Super Ninja Steel	2017
Beast Morphers	2019
Dino Fury	2021
Once & Always	2023
Cosmic Fury	2023

Once & Always gave Trini’s character closure 22 years after Thuy Trang’s death. The special was focused on the original Yellow Ranger and her legacy and ended with Billy giving the final blow against Robot Rita, avenging Trini in the process. Lord Zedd, on the other hand, was brought back thanks to dark magic and time travel shenanigans in 2022’s Dino Fury season 2. Zedd would then show up again in Cosmic Fury, this time as the main villain of the season. With the help of Billy, the Cosmic Fury Rangers defeated Lord Zedd by trapping him on a loop.

Will Rita Repulsa And Lord Zedd Ever Show Up In Power Rangers Again?

The Power Rangers Show’s Future Is Unclear

Rita Repulsa getting a tan on a desert planet with Lord Zedd in front of her in Cosmic Fury

Given that 2023 saw the return of both of the Mighty Morphin main villains, I find it difficult to believe that they will appear in live-action anytime soon. Power Rangers is currently on hiatus, and it’s unclear where the show goes next after Cosmic Fury’s ending. With Power Rangers moving production from New Zealand and no updates on a new Super Sentai adaptation, many assumed that the next project was going to be a reboot.

The Mighty Morphin Black Ranger in costume combined with the Mighty Morphin team without their costumes

Power Rangers Finally Delivered The Scene Every Mighty Morphin Fan Had Been Waiting For Since The 1990s

It took 29 years, but Power Rangers finally delivered a team-up every Mighty Morphin fan had dreamed of seeing since the original 1990s show.

However, TV Line recently reported that the Power Rangers reboot on Netflix is no longer moving forward. That said, if Power Rangers ever reboots Mighty Morphin, it will likely introduce new versions of characters like Rita and Zedd. Until then, they and the rest of the Mighty Morphin characters continue to be revisited in the BOOM! Studios comics, most of which take place during the original show and tell brand-new stories set in that world.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always is a 2023 film that reunites original cast members from the iconic 1990s television series. The story follows the Rangers as they face a new threat that tests their legacy and bond. With evolving powers and old adversaries, the Rangers must harness their teamwork and courage to protect the world once again. Directed by Charlie Haskell, this film stands as a nostalgic tribute to a beloved franchise.
Power Rangers Cosmic Fury is the sequel to the Dino Fury series and marks the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Power Rangers franchise. The show follows a new team of Rangers, joined by old heroes, to chase Lord Zedd into the depths of space and stop him once and for all.