Usually the leader of the Power Rangers, the Red Ranger has a history of being the strongest, most capable member of the team. The Red Ranger is one of only two colors of Rangers to be included in every season and is often perceived as being the most important member of the team. Even when dubbed the red-hot rookie, the Red Ranger is often bestowed with the most powerful weapons of any Power Ranger, whether it’s the traditional sword or more contemporary blaster. The Battlitzer Armor, which is almost the Power Ranger version of the Mario super star, is even usually given to the Red Ranger. In short, the Red Ranger is often a capable, powerful leader who is able to go up against villains alone and whom many fans admire.
Some incarnations of the Red Ranger, however, have missed the mark, giving us Rangers who are not only weak to the point of embarrassment, but who even faded into the background. Some of these Rangers were obvious plot devices, and others were developed to change things up a bit. Too many awesome Red Rangers can make things dull and predictable, so while it’s understandable that there are almost as many weak Red Power Rangers as there are strong ones, that doesn’t stop some of the weak ones from being disappointing, especially after having witnessed the power and capabilities of previous Red Rangers.
Whether due to their attitudes or actions, their physical prowess (or lack thereof) or leadership skills, here are Power Rangers: 10 Strongest Red Rangers (And 10 Laughably Weak), Ranked.
20. Weak: Andros - Space Rangers
From telekinesis to masking his own voice to hand-to-hand combat, there’s not much that Power Rangers in Space’s Andros can’t do. His treatment of the Turbo Rangers, however, points at his greatest weakness as a leader: his inability to trust others. The Turbo Rangers, including his beloved Ashley, might not have ever become Space Rangers at all had Alpha 6 not convinced Andros to fork over the Astro Morphers.
Then there’s the fact that a lot of Andros’ supposed victories are pretty much flukes. When he took out Rita Repulsa, Lord Zedd, Divatox, and Astronema, it was simply by destroying his energy rube, which was, again, a decision he had to be pushed into making. With his great powers, Andros could be an excellent leader if he could make better decisions.
19. Strong: Wes - Time Force
Wesley Collins of Power Rangers Time Force played his role as second in command brilliantly. Although he was the Red Ranger, the real leader was the Pink Ranger, Jen. Wes was happy to take on the role during battle as a field commander, but it’s Jen who serves as leader of the group.
Wes has the qualities of a good leader, and they’re not limited to working well with Jen. He’s strong, brave, and self-sacrificing; willing to send his teammates back to the future in order to save their lives even if it risks his own. When he remains a Red Ranger in order to command the Silver Guardians, he even acknowledges his need to work with capable teammates, requesting Quantum Ranger Eric at his side. Leaders know when to ask for help.
18. Weak: Jack - Power Rangers SPD
Walking through walls and saving everybody from an incoming meteor are pretty cool bragging rights for a Red Ranger, but Jack Landors of Power Rangers SPD just isn’t leader material at the end of the day. Not only does Jack really lack the experience that most of the best Red Rangers have had, but he also lacks the desire to lead, which is just as crucial.
Fans also point out that Jack shouldn’t have been made a Red Ranger in the first place, especially given how the Blue Ranger was much more adept for the role during Power Rangers SPD. Jack seems to have existed to prove that no matter how brave, kind, and caring a person is, that doesn’t mean that he or she is cut from leadership cloth.
17. Strong: Leo - Lost Galaxy
Like several other Red Rangers, Leo Corbett wasn’t even supposed to be the leader of the team. His brother ensured that Leo took on the Red Ranger sword during his final moments in Power Rangers Lost Galaxy. He’s definitely not the perfect leader and he even finds himself a damsel in distress at times, but he’s a powerful and capable Red Ranger at the end of the day. What’s more, he demonstrates significant character growth throughout the season that makes him one of the most learned leaders who is willing to change.
Leo adapts to leadership quite well, becoming adept at creating and carrying out plans. He is even able to take out a major villain with his Battlizer before his time in red is through.
16. Weak: Scott - RPM
Power Rangers RPM’s Scott Truman isn’t all bad, but he does exemplify some of the worst qualities in a bad leader. Not only is he cocky and unforgiving, especially when it comes to disobedience, but he’s also obsessed with a lot of things that shouldn’t matter, like his dad’s approval and his vehicles. While most siblings have to live up to their older brothers and sisters, Scott has the opposite issue.
If Scott could focus on being an authoritative yet compassionate leader instead of one-upping his little brother who passed away, he could be a great leader. Some of Scott’s better moments, which include exhibitions of bravery worthy enough of one of his father’s medals, only serve to highlight that fact.
15. Strong: Mack - Operation Overdrive
If we judged Mackenzie Hartford of Power Rangers Operation Overdrive by first sight, he’d seem like one of the weakest Red Rangers. He stole his own father’s morpher to obtain the title, after all, which isn’t a particularly noble move.
Mack’s not an ordinary Power Ranger, though. As an android, Mack faces a lot of conflict about who he is and what he should be, but ultimately, his choices and actions make him one of the strongest Red Rangers. His ultimate sacrifice for the greater good proves that he’s willing to put others before himself, making him a brave and strong leader, even if he’s a bit boring at times.
14. Weak: Tyler - Dino Charge
While we can’t blame Dino Charge’s Tyler Navarro for wanting to search for his missing father, he should have followed this pursuit in his own time rather than during his job as a Power Ranger. Not only did he endanger his teammates by not being mindfully present as a leader, but he even unwittingly sabotaged a mission to take down Sludge through his own selfish actions.
It’s really too bad that Tyler was so focused on the recovery and avenging of his father rather than his job as the team leader. As a good fighter with a keen mind, he could have been an excellent leader.
13. Strong: Carter - Lightspeed Rescue
While he may not be the physically strongest or the number one Red Ranger, Carter Grayson has the most heart of any Red Ranger. Anyone who doubts that the Power Rangers are superheroes should look no further than Carter, whose heroism was inspired by his own hero; a firefighter who saved his life when he was a child. Carter’s ethics are of the admirable Superman variety, and he puts saving people’s lives first in his own life as a result.
Carter’s not without his faults, though. He’s not very good at dealing with teammates who don’t want to follow his orders, and his character is a little stagnant. He’s also lacking in creativity, but he’s still one of the strongest leaders the show has seen.
12. Weak: Casey - Jungle Fury
Casey Rhodes has spirit. He stands up to bullies, which is why he became the Red Ranger above more qualified students at Phi Zhua Academy. Unfortunately, his “cub” status is what makes him one of the weakest team leaders, as he was still very wet behind the ears when he took on the mantle. The fact that he failed his Master Stripes test because he followed what other students were doing, and the fact that he was the only student who failed for that very reason, proves that he’s just not leader material.
As a teacher, Casey spreads the philosophy of never asking questions and blindly following your Master, which is also disheartening.
11. Strong: Lauren - Super Samurai
Although we didn’t get to see Lauren Shiba as the rightful leader of the Super Samurai team at first, once she comes out of hiding and gives Jayden the boot, she proves that she’ll be a strong and capable leader. The first female Red Ranger (who didn’t turn evil), Lauren unfortunately doesn’t hold the position for long.
She is an accomplished fighter who is easily much more skilled than her brother was, and sacrificed her time in order to master the Sending Seal, wanting to be the leader the team needed that season. Upon witnessing Lauren’s skills, many fans felt cheated, especially as the first woman leader on the team was only there for a few episodes after her brother covered for her.
10. Weak: Rocky - MMPR
To be fair to Rocky DeSantos, replacing Jason after the first season of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers wasn’t going to be an easy task for any Ranger. Even so, it was a huge letdown, as not only was Tommy the leader of the team at the time, rendering the Red Ranger less important, but Rocky was just not a great Power Ranger.
He neglected his duties, had major self-esteem issues throughout his time on the show, and even sent in a 12-year-old kid to fight in his place after he’d injured himself. Rocky’s the only Red Ranger who wasn’t ever a leader on the team, and he was so weak that his 12-year-old stand-in took his place on the team for good.
9. Strong: Cole - Wild Force
Wild Force Red Ranger Cole Evans already had strong leadership skills from being raised in the jungle. He’s got cool powers like being able to communicate with Wild Zords, incredible agility, and almost superhuman senses. He’s physically one the strongest leaders, and he’s an adult, rather than the teen we’ve come to expect with Red Rangers.
Cole’s only drawback is that he wasn’t willing to take the advice of teammate, Taylor Earhardt, whom many believe should have been the actual Red Ranger. Cole brings an emotional awareness to the team, but he does lack the balance it takes to be the number one Red Ranger.
8. Weak: Jassssson - Meower Rangers
While not a canonical member of the actual Power Rangers, Jassssson, The Red Meower Ranger, was in the official web series cat parody of the show. When it’s Meowphin Time, Jassssson leads his team about as well as a cat can, and performs so admirably that he’s not even the weakest Red Ranger in the history of Red Rangers. Going up against Akita Rrrepulsa and Goldar Retrievar is no simple feat and with the help of his fellow Meower Rangers Billllly, Trrrini, Zzzzack, Kimpuuurly, and Tommmmy, Jassssson manages to pull through– or to do so as well as we’d expect a cat to do.
Played by both Franki and Maru the cats, Jassssson never looks all that comfortable in his uniform, so he gets points for being a trooper as well as for mastering the perfect cat glare.
7. Strong: Shane - Ninja Storm
Shane Clarke has trouble working with a team. He’s a strong and capable Power Ranger who has to learn to work as a unit rather than a lone wolf, but he serves the team well with more skills than many other Red Rangers have brought to the table. Shane’s resistance to mental attacks and manipulation coupled with his super speed, ability to control air, and array of other abilities learned at the Wind Ninja Academy make him a true force to be reckoned with.
One of Shane’s biggest weaknesses is his inability to trust, but his caution has helped to protect his team. He eventually earned his Battlizer armor, but retired from the team in order to teach at the Academy, still serving humankind.
6. Weak: Troy - Megaforce
Power Rangers Megaforce and its sequel, Power Rangers Super Megaforce, were interesting enough, but there were a few things that weighed both series down– including a pretty weak Red Ranger in Troy Burrows. He’s as basic as a Power Ranger can get. While he’s not particularly powerful physically, it’s his milquetoast personality and lack of character development that make him so weak.
Not only does Troy get all angsty for no apparent reason, he really has no driving force behind him. While he’s kind and caring, he doesn’t go anywhere or really take the team toward any higher level. Troy is what would happen if the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles stuck with the 1980s cartoon version of Leonardo forever.
5. Strong: Tommy - Zeo/Turbo
One of the most popular Power Rangers of all time, Tommy Oliver is among the best leaders a team has ever seen, even when he’s not the Red Ranger. He’s self-sacrificing without being stupid about it, he’s one of the best fighters, and when he struggles with the Red Battlezord he seeks wisdom within himself through a spiritual quest, rather than abandon ship or give up like we’ve seen other Red Rangers do.
Given that Tommy was a better leader when he was a Green, Black, and White Ranger, he’s not the number one Red Ranger, but he sure is close.
4. Weak: Nick - Mystic Force
What good is being the most powerful wizard if you’re just going to keep giving up, doubting yourself, and becoming such a trite, overused character that viewers get sick of you? That’s what happened to Power Rangers Mystic Force’s Red Ranger Nick Russell. When you’re the leader, you’re supposed to be a commanding and encouraging force behind your team. Seeing Nick’s team have to be his cheerleaders only made him appear weak.
From being a pooor leader who doesn’t think things through to going to the dark side for a while, Nick is everything we don’t want to see in a Red Ranger– and then some.
3. Strong: T.J. - Turbo
One of the strongest Red Rangers in history, T.J., or Theodore Jay Jarvis Johnson, was selected by Tommy to succeed the former Red Ranger. Not only is T.J. strong and brave, but he’s also got one of the best hearts of any Red Ranger.
T.J. is known to advocate for and rescue anyone, no matter what they’ve done to others, as was the case with Bulk and Skull. The self-sacrificing Ranger was given the short end of the stick, only serving as the Red Ranger for half a season before his demotion to Blue Ranger. He could have done a lot more good had he been kept in the leadership role.
2. Weak: Jayden - Samurai
Jayden Shiba’s heart is usually in the right place, but he just can’t seem to get things right a lot of the time. The Power Rangers Samurai and Power Rangers Super Samurai: Rise of the Bullzooka Red Ranger comes off as aloof and even cruel at times, particularly when he refuses to let the Gold Ranger, Antonio, on the team.
What makes Jayden the weakest Red Ranger isn’t just poor leadership skills, but the fact that he’s not even supposed to be the Red Ranger. Once Lauren returns, Jayden just tosses his hands in the air. He’s just not that impressive in terms of Red Rangers, especially given the standards the strongest Ranger first set.
1. Strong: Jason - MMPR
He’s the original Red Ranger from the groundbreaking Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, and he gave every subsequent Ranger enormous shoes to fill. Jason Lee Scott was such a popular Power Ranger that he returned as the Gold Ranger in Zeo Rangers. Ever since the accomplished martial artist said, “Zordon said these Power Morphers would give us power! Let’s do it!” Power Rangers fans have been hooked.
Jason is an excellent leader, correcting problems and working to create the best team. He’s also a teacher who both enjoys and excels at his job. The only thing that could make Jason weak is how deeply he cares, as he often feels as if he is to blame for anything and everything that goes wrong. Jason’s indomitable spirit and quest to be the best leader make him the most powerful Red Ranger.
Who’s your favorite Red Ranger in Power Rangers? Let us know in the comments!
