Tommy Oliver
Dr. Thomas "Tommy" Oliver is a fictional character in the American live-action television franchise Power Rangers. He is best known as being the original Green Ranger and the first evil Ranger who fought and nearly defeated the original Power Rangers while under the control of Rita Repulsa. He was eventually freed from Rita's spell and aligned himself with the other Power Rangers.
He is a main character in the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers TV series, as well as four of its successive incarnations Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers, Power Rangers Zeo, Power Rangers Turbo, and Power Rangers Dino Thunder. He also appeared in the Power Rangers Wild Force episode "Forever Red", the Power Rangers S.P.D. episode "Wormhole", the Power Rangers Super Megaforce episode "Legendary Battle", and in the Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel episode "Dimensions in Danger". He was portrayed by actor Jason David Frank in all of his appearances from the beginning of the franchise until his death in November 2022, with the exception of the episode "Wormhole", where he appeared only in Ranger form and was voiced by actor Jeffrey Parazzo. He was also infrequently portrayed by actor Michael Gotto in instances where the story required the character during childhood, such as in the series Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers.
According to the character's history, Tommy is a legend among the Power Rangers community and is considered to be the greatest Power Ranger of all time, having been six different Power Rangers — The Green Ranger, The White Ranger, The White Ninja Ranger, Zeo Ranger V – Red, The Red Turbo Ranger, and The Black Dino Ranger — and a part of four Ranger teams over the years. In addition, Tommy is a lifelong practitioner of the martial arts; during the first season of Power Rangers, he was referred to as having a third-degree black belt in karate. By Power Rangers Dino Thunder, he is a 6th degree black belt.. Tommy serves as a love interest to the original Pink Ranger Kimberly Hart before their separation. He later pursues a relationship with Kimberly's successor Kat Hillard.
Fictional character history
''[Mighty Morphin Power Rangers]''
As the Green Ranger
Tommy Oliver is first introduced in the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers five-part episode "Green With Evil" as a new student at Angel Grove High School. After he spars with Jason Lee Scott in a martial arts tournament, they begin to develop a friendship, and he catches the eye of both Kimberly Hart and the evil witch Rita Repulsa. Rita decides to enchant Tommy to be her loyal servant, granting him the Dragon Power Coin to give him the power to morph into the evil Green Power Ranger. Unlike the other Power Rangers, his outfit includes a golden chest shield, two golden armbands, triangles instead of diamonds on the gloves and boots, and his power morpher was golden instead of silver. Tommy was the only ranger to also lack a blade blaster and instead carry his main weapon, The Dragon Dagger or Dragon Flute in his holster, which was black instead of white, at all times which had the ability to call on his zord. While under Rita's spell, Tommy was completely under her control and followed every command given. He was also significantly stronger than the other Rangers and could fire powerful energy blasts from his hands. To ensure Tommy's loyalty, Rita granted him the Sword of Darkness which not only made him more powerful but also made her spell indefinite unless the sword was destroyed.She orders him to destroy the Power Rangers and their guardian Zordon so she may be able to conquer the Earth unopposed. He succeeds in his mission, dispatching Zordon, destroying the Power Rangers' Command Center, and infecting the robot Alpha 5 with a computer virus, leaving the Rangers defenseless against attacks, but they are still able to ward him off with the Megazord. With the return of Goldar's wife Scorpina, the two wreak havoc in Angel Grove, leading the Power Rangers to use the Megazord once more, only to be attacked by Goldar, Scorpina, and the Green Ranger at once, putting the Megazord out of commission when it is thrown into the Earth's core.
After this battle, the Power Rangers discover that their foe is none other than their classmate Tommy. After Tommy escapes, he is given the Dragon Dagger to summon the Dragonzord to attack the city. Zordon is revived and reveals the Power Rangers' Dinozords have been restored by the Earth's lava, allowing them to counter the Dragonzord's attack. The Red Ranger is then able to battle the Green Ranger one-on-one, and destroys the Sword of Darkness, freeing Tommy from Rita's spell. Zordon then offers Tommy a spot on the team to atone for his misdeeds, and he agrees.
In the original draft script for the Green Dream, Lord Zedd claims the Sword of Power was created from the remains of the Sword of Darkness. This is also stated by the announcer's intro to The Green Dream episode claiming it to be the Sword of Darkness.
During his time with the group, Tommy recognizes Kimberly's feelings, having broken her heart while he was under Rita's spell, and he now begins to show affections for her. However, Rita's plan to use the evil Green Candle to get revenge on Tommy for leaving her employ, weakening Tommy, just as Kimberly returns his affections. Tommy is captured by Goldar and kept imprisoned in the Dark Dimension as the Green Candle burns down, draining him of his strength, due to the fact that Tommy's presence within the proximity of the Candle accelerates the Candle's burning process. Tommy is ultimately freed, but not before the Green Candle burns through completely. His powers nearly gone, after using them in one final battle with a powerful monster, he decides to give the Dragon Coin to Jason, permanently preventing Rita from attaining its power once more while allowing Jason to use Tommy's weapons and the Dragonzord. Tommy then leaves Angel Grove to recover from the endeavour.
After Rita kidnaps all of the parents of the students of Angel Grove High School, the Power Rangers are forced to pay her ransom with their Power Coins, preventing them from using their powers. When they are double-crossed, and Rita acquires the Dragon Dagger by enchanting Billy Cranston, all seems hopeless, but Jason reveals he still has the Dragon Power Coin. The group finds Tommy once more, and with help from Zordon, Tommy is able to morph into the Green Ranger and retrieve the Power Coins and Dragon Dagger. However, his powers are now unstable and he requires constant energy boosts from Zordon in order to maintain his place as the Green Ranger.
With the arrival of the evil Lord Zedd in season 2, the other Power Rangers are given new Thunderzords to battle his stronger monsters, but because of Tommy's unstable power reserves, the Dragonzord cannot be empowered into a new form. While under a spell Tommy suggests that if he had the Sword of Power that might increase his powers. When the other rangers agree they summon the Sword of Power together and Tommy's evil spell was revealed. The spell wears off and Tommy fights Robogoat to recover the Sword of Power. With this knowledge in mind, Lord Zedd sends several energy draining monsters to steal the Green Ranger's powers to the point where Zordon can no longer safely maintain himself and the Green Ranger. This culminates in the attack of the monster Turbanshell, who drains Tommy of his Green Ranger powers, trapping everyone in the Otherworld dimension, while charging the Dark Crystal to power Lord Zedd's evil Dark Rangers to attack the Earth. Tommy uses the last of his powers to destroy the Dark Crystal, ending the reign of terror of the Dark Rangers and allowing the others to defeat Turbanshell. With his powers gone once again, Tommy leaves Angel Grove, again, spending time at his uncle's lakeside cabin.
As the White Ranger
In season 2's two-part "White Light" saga, Lord Zedd sends his monsters Nimrod, A.C., and D.C. to attack, who easily overpower the Power Rangers, leading Zordon and Alpha to come up with a plan to recruit a new Ranger. Initially the teens are put off at the idea of a newcomer out of their loyalty to Tommy, but are thrilled once they discover that it is actually Tommy himself, who has now become the White Power Ranger with his powers created by the Light of Goodness, which are unable to be stolen by the forces of evil. Unlike other Power Rangers, his costume includes a black and golden shield as well as a golden belt, golden bands instead of diamonds on the gloves and boots, a completely white suit without the diamond on the chest and the mouthpiece on his helmet lacks sculpted lips. After being installed as the team's new leader, Tommy goes into battle using his new powers to defeat the monsters, including summoning the Tigerzord with his talking saber Saba. Tommy then meets Rocky DeSantos, Adam Park and Aisha Campbell as they were trying to save a baby who belongs to their teacher.After Rocky, Adam and Aisha discover Tommy's identity as the White Ranger while Tommy and Kimberly were trying to save Billy by removing his helmet, Jason, Zack and Trini were called to the peace conference in Switzerland as Tommy transfers their powers to Rocky, Adam and Aisha and allows them to join the team. Tommy later contends with a clone of his named "Tom", created and controlled by Lord Zedd's Wizard of Deception, who is given the powers of the Green Ranger, restored by using portion of the White Ranger's powers. With his worst fear from his past brought to life in front of him, Tommy battles Tom, initially seeks to destroy his clone under distress but he later recognizes that Tom is actually not evil but under the Wizard's spell as he was under Rita's, and then fights to save him. After the Wizard of Deception is destroyed during a series of battles that sends everyone back to the colonial era, Tom is freed from the spell and given free will. Tommy persuades his clone to fight to save people, and Tom decides to remain in the past to protect colonial Angel Grove despite Tommy offering Tom to join the Power Rangers, while the others return to the present time. Tom also keeps the Green Ranger powers.