Dino Thunder Power Rangers

The Dino Rangers are fictional characters and heroes in the Power Rangers universe, appearing in the television series Power Rangers Dino Thunder.^[1]

The Dino Rangers got their powers from special Dino Gems of their respective colors, which gave them superhuman abilities and allowed them to transform into Power Rangers. They used their abilities to battle the evil mastermind Mesogog.

When they say, "Super Dino Mode", the Power Rangers tap into the power of the dinosaurs, gaining spikes on their suits and, in the case of Kira, wings.

Conner McKnight

Conner McKnight is a main character in the television series Power Rangers Dino Thunder. He was played by James Napier.

Conner's main interest is playing soccer and he aspires to be a famous soccer star. He also revealed himself to Ethan that he is a womanizer. He is constantly labeled a 'dumb jock' by his fellow Ranger, Ethan James, with whom he shared a mild rivalry earlier on in the season. At first, he appeared to fit the stereotype as he comes off as arrogant and self-centered. However, he is actually a very well meaning and honest person who always does the right thing in the end, despite his faults. Around the time his relationship with Ethan became more friendly, Trent Fernandez gained the White Ranger powers. Conner quickly developed a very intense rivalry with Trent. At first, the two were on opposing sides and engaged in raging fights with each other. Even after Trent joined the team, Conner was still very distrusting and uncomfortable around him, until Trent saved his life during a battle with a monster.

Conner occasionally doubted himself as a Ranger and thought about quitting on two occasions. Tommy Oliver was the only one who appeared to see Conner's potential and seemingly tried to groom him into a leadership role throughout the series. Conner shared the leadership role with the Black Dino Ranger (Tommy Oliver). Tommy, being the mentor and most skilled, took on a leadership role sometimes but also held back on some occasions to allow Conner to shine. When Tommy was not in battle, Conner naturally assumed the leadership role.

In the Power Rangers continuity, Conner has an identical twin brother called Eric (also played by Napier) who was once a student at the Wind Ninja Academy (as seen in the finale of Power Rangers Ninja Storm), but later flunked out. His relationship to General McKnight (a character featured in the Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue episode "Cyborg Rangers"), if any, is unknown.

Conner was a soccer player at Reefside High School. He also played on a local club team. He found the Red Dino gem when Kira Ford, Ethan James, and himself were in detention. Dr. O told them that if they found anything prehistoric that he would cancel detention for the rest of the week. He picked up the Red Dino Gem, while Kira and Ethan picked up the yellow and blue ones. The Red Dino Gem bonded with his DNA, giving him the ability of super-speed. After that, Kira was kidnapped by Mesogog, which forced Conner and Ethan to tell Tommy that they had taken the Dino Gems. Kira escaped from Mesogog's lab and met up with Conner, Ethan, and Tommy. Later, the Dinozords were wreaking havoc on the city. Tommy then gave the Red Dino Morpher to Conner, while he gave the yellow and blue morphers to Kira and Ethan. He became the Red Dino Ranger and tamed the Tyrannozord. As the Red Ranger, he controlled the Tyrannozord, as well as wielding the Tyrannostaff and Thundermax Saber during combat.

Conner once thought of quitting because his duties as a Ranger conflicted with his tryouts for a professional soccer team. Conner decided to do one last mission as a Ranger. In this mission, Conner saved a little girl from a Tyrannodrone. After the battle, she gave him a hug and told him "thank you." This inspired Conner to continue his duties as a Ranger.

Conner was arguably the most powerful Red Ranger of the past or present; receiving a high number of personal upgrades throughout the series. Conner was the first Dino Ranger to activate the Super Dino Mode enhancements on his suit during a fierce battle with the then-evil White Dino Ranger. It was Conner's sheer determination to win against the White Ranger that allowed him the ability to unlock the Super Dino Mode. When he first unlocked the Super Dino Mode, he could only use it for a short amount of time, but as he grew stronger as a Ranger, his abilities with that enhancement increased and the limitations decreased.

In Leader Of The Whack, a strange meteor crashed into Earth. The meteor had the power to unleash a side of yourself you usually didn't show. For Conner, it was a side of intelligence, giving the viewers a clue that Conner isn't as boneheaded as he appears.

In Lost and Found in Translation, Conner and Kira find Ethan watching TV late at night in the Cyberspace Cafe, and come across a Japanese show about their exploits. While Kira and Ethan are excited by Japan's portrayal of the Power Rangers, Conner is disgusted. Later though, he warms up to it, learning not to be so stereotypical. He also used the theme for his class paper, as he said he compared the way they see us to the way we see ourselves.

Due to a brutal defeat from the Terrorsaurus and the White Dino Ranger Clone, Tommy and Trent began to unleash the Shield of Triumph, which was hidden in a waterfall. Conner kept feeling a calling from the shield. Conner showed up just in time to claim the Shield of Triumph. For the Shield to assume full power, each Dino Ranger had to contribute a part of themselves. After Trent made his contribution to the shield, Tommy then made his, followed by Kira and Ethan (who would sometimes have to keep contributing their power to Conner). Conner then used it to become the Triassic Ranger. After morphing, this shield acts as the Triassic Ranger's weapon and gives him the ability to travel into another dimension known as "The Triassic Dimension". After Conner gained his Triassic powers, Hayley discovered the Mezodon Dinozord and then created the Triassic Megarover. The Mezodon pulls the Triassic Megarover as its chariot. Together, they are called Mezodon Rover. The two can also combine to create the Mezodon Megazord.

After meeting his love interest Krista, Conner was able to unlock the final stage of his Dino Powers. Conner begins to doubt his dedication when Krista is willing to do whatever it takes to fight for her cause. Krista was kidnapped by Zeltrax and her life was in danger. Conner remembered a speech from Tommy Oliver, about passion, and then, after unleashing Super Dino Mode and morphing into the Triassic Ranger on his own, he unlocked the Battlizer and became the Battlized Triassic Ranger through sheer force of will. The Battlized Mode gives Conner super-stretch arms and legs, a small Mezodon-faced shield, another shield-like armor piece for his opposite arm which looks like a tail, lightning fast agility, a dragon yo-yo attack, and shoulder cannons which can fire massive amounts of energy at his enemies, often destroying them. He defeated Zeltrax, sending the villain into hiding.

In the episode Thunder Struck, Part 2, Conner, like his fellow Rangers, sacrificed his Dino Gem powers to save the Earth from the Mesomonster. After this, he lost all of his powers except his superspeed abilities, which were bonded with his DNA.

At the end of Dino Thunder, Conner finally hooks up with Krista and takes her to the High School prom. He later goes on to start his own soccer camp. In 20 years, he will have become famous for his soccer camps located all over the country.

In the year 2025, a criminal named Broodwing purchased the Red, Yellow, and Blue Dino Gems on the planet Onyx. At his one year High School reunion, in the year 2005, Conner, Ethan, and Kira were brought to the future by Broodwing, in the hopes that Broodwing and the Dino Rangers would form an alliance against Space Patrol Delta and Emperor Gruumm. Ethan, Kira, and himself met up with the S.P.D. Rangers. Though their battles are legendary, they had to prove to Anubis Cruger and the other S.P.D. Rangers their true courage. Conner and the other Dino Rangers helped the B-Squad Rangers defeat Emperor Gruumm's large Krybot army. Conner and the other Dino Thunder Rangers used the Z-Rex Blaster on Gruumm, which forced him to retreat. Conner took a liking to Syd, but she wasn't very receptive. The Dino Rangers offer to stay but can't due to them having to continue their lives in the past. They are told that Conner established a large chain of soccer camps across the country, Kira became a huge singing sensation, and Ethan ended up developing some software that they still use at Space Patrol Delta. After this, they were returned to the year 2005, having forgotten the whole incident, because Doggie Cruger erased their memories of it. Later (or earlier, to the Dino Rangers), right after Conner gained his Triassic powers and before Zeltrax disappeared again (during the course of the Dino Thunder series) S.P.D. came back in time to 2004, following Grumm who decided to destroy Earth there. The Dino Rangers teamed up with S.P.D. to defeat Zeltrax and Mora's monsters. Conner again teamed up with Jack, after which, their memories were erased once again (even S.P.D.'s memories were erased).

Preceded by Shane Clarke

Red Ranger 2004

Succeeded by Jack Landors

Ethan James

Ethan James is a fictional character featured in the American television program Power Rangers Dino Thunder, the tenth series produced as part of the Power Rangers franchise. The character, portrayed by Kevin Duhaney, is the Blue Dino Ranger.

Ethan is the group geek, often found online or playing video games. But he is also very smart and sarcastic and isn't afraid to stand up for himself when pushed. During the season finale, he asks out Angela, a pretty girl he meets in line for the latest sci-fi film and takes her to the school dance. He shares some similarities with former Power Ranger Billy Cranston, they are both Blue Rangers, they are both considered geeks and they both have Zords modelled after Triceratops.

Ethan was a skilled hacker and computer expert at Reefside High School, whose pranks got him in trouble with Principal Randall. While serving detention with two other students (Conner McKnight and Kira Ford) under the new science teacher, Dr. Thomas Oliver, Ethan found a Dino Gem and gained superhuman powers. He found that he could make his skin impenetrable and possess superhuman strength.

Eventually, he also learned how to morph into the Blue Dino Ranger. He controlled the Tricerazord (and for a short time the Stegazord), and used the Tricera Shield. He also piloted the Mezodon Megazord in its final battle.

Ethan is an avid gamer. On one occasion, he was cheating at a game by trying to get the secret code, and a monster zapped him into it. There he met Beldorf, a wizard in the game. Ethan escaped from the game and learned that you have to be cautious at all times when you're a Power Ranger.

Ethan was the third Dino Ranger to unlock his Super Dino Mode. He unlocked it during a battle with the White Drago Ranger, Trent Fernandez. Trent had defeated Kira and was on the verge of killing her, when Ethan and Conner went into Super Dino Mode and defeated him.

In another episode, a strange meteor crashed on Earth. The meteor had the power to release a side of yourself that was usually hidden. For Ethan, it was a competitive side that came out, as he was seen being a workfiend and acting like an airhead (much like Conner McKnight.) Giving the viewers a clue that Ethan isn't as much of a geek as he appears.

Ethan also had trouble with a bully at school, Derrick, who was frustrated about his abilities in soccer, so he took out his frustrations on Ethan. Ethan wasn't afraid to stand up for himself, but he also knew that there were better ways to deal with a bully. Ethan used his computer to show the bully what was wrong with his kicking, it worked and the issue was resolved.

When Trent returned to the side of good, Ethan had a little trouble trusting him, but eventually learned to trust him.

Ethan also developed a relationship with Cassidy Cornell, using an internet on-line dating service. Ethan learned that while Cassidy was a good person, she was also insecureand helped her to be nicer to people. In the end, Ethan and Cassidy decided to be friends.

Ethan was visiting a museum one day, when he saw Egyptian hieroglyphics. He decided to translate them and ended up being cursed. Though he didn't believe it at first, after a series of unfortunate events, he learned it was real. Kira went to the museum to get the rest of the hieroglyphics in order to break the curse. This brought Tutenhawken to life and he attacked the city. Kira brought the writings back and they learned that only in the air Tutenhawken could be defeated and the curse broken. Ethan used his brand new Hovercraft Cycle to defeat him.

Ethan also learned to be humble. There was a video game competition going on at Hayley's Cyberspace, and Ethan wasn't practicing. He won the tournament from last year and believed that he didn't need to practice. In the end Ethan's cockiness cost him the tournament title though, as he took second place to Cassidy's friend, Devin Del Valle.

Ethan, Conner, and Kira reflected on their first year as Power Rangers. They were talking about Ethan, and they decided that Ethan's reputation was definitely a lot better than it was before.^[2]

Ethan lost his powers except for his dino skin, and goes to the prom with a girl named Angela. 20 years later, Ethan will have created new technological equipment that is used by S.P.D.

In the year 2025, a criminal named Broodwing purchased the Red, Yellow, and Blue Dino Gems on the planet Onyx. At his one year High School reunion, in the year 2005, Conner, Ethan, and Kira were brought to the future by Broodwing, in the hopes that Broodwing and the Dino Rangers would form an alliance against Space Patrol Delta and Emperor Gruumm. Conner, Kira, and himself met up with the S.P.D. Rangers. Though their battles are legendary, they had to prove to Anubis Cruger and the other S.P.D. Rangers their true courage. Conner and the other Dino Rangers helped the B-Squad Rangers defeat Emperor Gruumm's largest Krybot army. Ethan and the other Dino Rangers used the Z-Rex Blaster on Gruumm, which forced him to retreat. The Dino Rangers offered to stay but can't due to them having to continue their lives in the past. They are told that Conner established a large chain of soccer camps across the country, Kira became a huge singing sensation, and Ethan ended up developing some software that they still use at Space Patrol Delta After this, they were returned to the year 2005, having forgotten the whole incident, because Dr. Kat Manx erased their memories of it. Later, Ethan appears again when Gruumm comes to the past and teams up with Zeltrax. After helping his teammates and the SPD Rangers defeat Zeltrax, his memory is once again erased.

Preceded by Tori Hanson

Blue Ranger 2004

Succeeded by Sky Tate

Kira Ford

Kira Ford, played by Emma Lahana, is the main female protagonist and the Yellow Dino Ranger in the television program Power Rangers Dino Thunder.

Kira hides her pretty femininity behind a tough facade full of attitude and fire. Yet she's determined to prove she is an individual. She dresses in her own, carefully cultivated neo punk style. She's an amazing singer and plays the guitar as the front person to her own band. Kira uses her biting wit to hide her real emotions, except in her music, which reveals her passion and sensitivity. She keeps well hidden the fact that she is struggling with adolescence along with everyone else. At times she can be insecure, hidden behind a "I'm a tough and don't care" attitude, but she also has a great capacity for caring about others. She is intelligent, but does not always apply herself to her schoolwork, except in creative writing, at which she excels.

A romance between Kira Ford and fellow Dino Ranger Trent Mercer was hinted at during the series, but never fully realized.

Kira was a musician at Reefside High School. She found the Yellow Dino Gem when Conner McKnight, Ethan James, and herself were in detention. Professor Tommy Oliver told them that if they found anything prehistoric that he would cancel detention for the rest of the week. She picked up the Yellow Dino Gem, while Conner and Ethan picked up the red and blue ones. The Yellow Dino Gem bonded with her DNA, giving her the ability of sonic screams, similar to Black Canary's Canary Cry. After that, Kira was kidnapped by Mesogog, which forced Conner and Ethan to tell Tommy that they had taken the Dino Gems. Kira escaped from Mesogog's lab and met up with Conner, Ethan, and Tommy. Later, the Dinozords were wreaking havoc on the city. Tommy then gave the Yellow Dino Morpher to Kira, while he gave the red and blue morphers to Conner and Ethan. She morphed into the Yellow Dino Ranger and tamed the Pterazord. As the Yellow Dino Ranger, she controlled the Pterazord, as well as wielding the Ptera Grips and Thundermax Saber in combat.

Kira was the second Dino Ranger to activate the Super Dino Mode enhancements on her suit during a battle with the then-evil White Dino Ranger. When she first unlocked the Super Dino Mode during the battle against the White Ranger, she was able to escape his grasp but was defeated when he demorphed her by shooting multiple arrows into her stomach. But as she grew stronger as a Ranger, her abilities with that enhancement increased as the limitations decreased.

In "Leader Of The Whack", a strange meteor crashed on Earth. The meteor had the power to unleash a side of yourself you usually didn't show. For Kira, it was a valley girl persona, giving the viewers a clue that she has a side of her that enjoys doing girly things.

In the episode "Thunder Struck, Part 2", Kira, like her fellow Rangers, sacrificed her Dino Gem powers to save the Earth from the Mesomonster. After this, she lost all of her powers except for her sonic screams, because it had bonded with her DNA.

At the end of Dino Thunder, Kira is shown to be playing at her High School prom. She later goes on to become a professional singer. In 20 years, she will have become a famous celebrity, as told in the episode "History" a DinoThunder/SPD team-up episode.

In the year 2025, a criminal named Broodwing purchased the Red, Yellow, and Blue Dino Gems on the planet Onyx. At her one year High School reunion, in the year 2005, Conner, Ethan, and Kira were brought to the future by Broodwing, in the hopes that Broodwing and the Dino Rangers would form an alliance against Space Patrol Delta and Emperor Gruumm. Ethan, Conner, and herself met up with the S.P.D. Rangers. Though their battles are legendary, they had to prove to Anubis Cruger and the other S.P.D. Rangers their true courage. Kira and the other Dino Rangers helped the B-Squad Rangers defeat Emperor Gruumm's largest Krybot army. Kira and the other Dino Rangers used the Z-Rex Blaster on Gruumm, which forced him to retreat. The Dino Rangers offered to stay but can't due to them having to continue their lives in the past. They are told that Conner established a large chain of soccer camps across the country, Kira became a huge singing sensation, and Ethan ended up developing some software that they still use at Space Patrol Delta After this, they were returned to the year 2005, having forgotten the whole incident, because Dr. Kat Manx erased their memories of it. Later, Kira again appeared in "Wormhole" to defeat Zeltrax and Gruumm, but her memory of the event was erased by Cruger.

In the Operation Overdrive episodes "Once a Ranger", the new villain Thrax temporarily unites Moltor, Flurious, Kamdor, and the Fearcats. Together they defeat the Overdrive Rangers and disable their link to the Morphing Grid, causing them to lose their powers. Kira is one of five Rangers, along with Adam Park, Bridge Carson, Tori Hanson, and Xander Bly, summoned by the Sentinel Knight to defend Earth in their absence. Her powers are fully restored by the Sentinel Knight so that she can fight. She makes her return debut at Stonehenge, along with the other returning Rangers. She and the other former Rangers later retrieve Alpha 6 from a crate in Angel Grove so that he can repair the Operation Overdrive link to the Morphing Grid. After the link is repaired, she, along with the former and Overdrive Rangers, destroy Thrax and defeat the other villains. It is implied from this episode that her powers still remained intact.

Preceded by Dustin Brooks

Yellow Ranger 2004

Succeeded by Elizabeth "Z" Delgado

Dr. Thomas "Tommy" Oliver

Main article: Tommy Oliver

Tommy Oliver, played by Jason David Frank, is the mentor of the Ranger team and also the Black Dino Ranger.^[3] He was a former Power Ranger from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers through Power Rangers Turbo, serving as Green Ranger, White Ranger, White Ninja Ranger, Zeo Ranger V, and the first Red Turbo Ranger. His Dino Gem grants him the power of invisibility. He also had a relationship with Kimberly Hart and Kat Hillard from Zeo.

Preceded by Danny Delgado

Black Ranger 2004 - 2005

Succeeded by Will Aston

Trent Fernandez-Mercer

Trent Fernandez (commonly referred to as Trent Mercer) is a fictional character in the Power Rangers universe, appearing in the television series Power Rangers Dino Thunder as the White Dino Ranger. He was played by Jeffrey Parazzo.

Trent was adopted by Dr. Anton Mercer when his biological parents were killed in an archeological cave-in, and though he considers Dr. Mercer his father, he kept his original surname. He works at Hayley's Cyberspace as a waiter and draws in his spare time, though he keeps this secret because his father "is in no way supportive of his artistic endeavors." A romance was hinted at between Trent and fellow Dino Ranger, Kira Ford, but was never fully explored.

Trent became suspicious of his father's bizarre comings and goings. While attempting to investigate, he was taken through an invisi-portal into Mesogog's lab. He found a Dino Gem that was intended to be bonded with Mesogog; however, Trent became bonded to it instead. Trent found himself uncontrollably morphing into the White Dino Ranger. As the White Dino Ranger, he controls the Dragozord and the Stegazord, rides the White Thunder ATV, uses the Drago Sword and his Gem Power is Camouflage.

Soon, the evil power of the Dino Gem he had found took control, and turned him completely evil. He worked solo for a while, trying to destroy both the Dino Rangers and Mesogog's forces. He even made a deal with Zeltrax, saying that if he helped Zeltrax destroy Tommy Oliver, Zeltrax said he would help him destroy Mesogog. This plan failed though and Zeltrax told Mesogog of the deal. He was given an ultimatum by Mesogog saying that if he did not join him, he would be destroyed. After he served Mesogog, knowing that his father was Mesogog's alter-ego, for a time. He and Zeltrax frequently clashed over who was second-in-command, which ended when Zeltrax ruined Mesogog's lab, framing Trent for it.

Mesogog drained the White Ranger's powers once he believed that Trent had betrayed him. During the draining process Mesogog turned back into Dr. Anton Mercer, and moved the drain device causing the energy to reflect off of things in the lab and land back into the morpher, causing an explosion forcing the evil in the Dino Gem to be destroyed and leaving the White Ranger power still active. Trent helped the other Dino Rangers per his father's request. He became the fourth Dino Ranger to unlock the Super Dino Mode during a fight with the Copyotter. He proved his trueness as Zeltrax was about to kill Tommy, Trent stepped in and saved his life. After this the other Rangers began to trust Trent.

After this, Zeltrax created a clone of the White Ranger, saying "he has no trace of Trent Mercer in him." This clone had control of the Dragozord and Stegozord during this time, and he frequently used them against the Rangers. When Zeltrax created the clone it caused a glitch in the Morphing Grid; an exact clone of a Ranger can't exist. Because of this glitch, the White Ranger clone lost control of the Dragozord, so he frantically hunted down Trent, until he found him. The clone challenged him and a 1 on 1 battle ensued, with the clone using Super Dino Mode. Trent fought honorably, until he became the victor and restored his powers to normalcy.

Trent kept his father's secret, even from the other Rangers, which eventually led to them mistrusting him again when they found out. He gained their trust back after telling them why he kept it from them and after he saved Conner from a monster.

Trent spied on Mesogog, to learn that he had split himself from Dr. Mercer. With the revelation of this, the Rangers sped up their plans to destroy Mesogog's lab. Trent had made a deal with Mesogog that if he gave him the Dino Gems, then he would release his father. He told the other Rangers that if he gave him the Gems, he could open up an invisi-portal for them so that they could destroy his lab. The plan worked out exactly as planned and Trent saved his father.

In the episode Thunder Struck, Part 2, Trent, like his fellow Rangers, sacrificed his Dino Gem powers to save the Earth from the Mesomonster. After this, he lost all of his powers except for his camouflage abilities.

At the end of Dino Thunder, Trent is revealed to be going to art school in the fall, and his father is perfectly happy with it.

In the Power Rangers S.P.D. episode "Wormhole", Trent and the other Dino Rangers team up with the SPD Rangers to battle the united forces of Zeltrax and Emperor Gruumm. He teamed up with the Omega Ranger, but following their victory had his memory of the battle erased.

Preceded by Alyssa Enrilé

White Ranger 2004

Succeeded by Udonna

References

1. ^ "Power Rangers Dino Thunder - Day of the Dino". DVD Talk. http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/11007/power-rangers-dino-thunder-day-of-the-dino/. Retrieved 2010-08-22. 
2. ^ Power Rangers episode "A Test of Trust"
3. ^ Sisario, Ben (2004-02-29). "FOR YOUNG VIEWERS; Those Mighty Power Rangers Just Keep On Morphing". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/29/tv/for-young-viewers-those-mighty-power-rangers-just-keep-on-morphing.html?scp=9&sq=Mighty%20Morphin%20Power%20Rangers&st=cse. Retrieved 2010-08-20.