T5W#410-Top 5 Worst Power Rangers Crossover Events

Over the course of most of the franchises 30 year history, each season of Power Rangers has focused solely on one new team of teenagers with attitude.  However, it seems to be almost a tradition for the previous team to pay the newbies a visit close to the end of their series for a special team up event.  There’s nothing wrong with this at all, the more the merrier.  Plus, if the previous seasons Rangers are awesome, it’s equally awesome to see them kicking ass again.  But not every team up is gold and not every crossover works as well as planned.  On today’s Top 5 Wednesday continuing our celebratory look at the Power Rangers franchise, I’m counting down the Top 5 Worst Power Rangers Crossover Events.  Trust me, these all could have been better (and one maybe shouldntve happened at all).

 
#5-Clash of the Red Rangers (Power Rangers Samurai)

Aired as a special movie between Samurai and Super Samurai, this crossover saw Scott of the RPM Rangers chasing an enemy from his dimension and into another, where he meets the Samurai Rangers.  This special is plagued with behind the scenes issues, including the RPM Red Ranger Scott only providing voice over since he couldn’t actually film anything due to reasons.  It kind of sucks that the full team from from one of the franchises best seasons cant make an appearance to strengthen a rather lackluster outing.  All we’re left with is a forced plot that pits two Red Rangers against each other and a special billed as a movie that really isn’t anything more special than a so-so two part episode.

 
#4-Trakeena’s Revenge (Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue)

Following up the immensely successful team up between the Space and Galaxy Rangers in Power Rangers Lost Galaxy cant be easy.  But it’s like Lightspeed Rescue didn’t even try.  Which sucks because these are two widely celebrated teams of Rangers.  But the team up isn’t even the central focus of this two parter.  Most of the story centers on Red Ranger Carter aiding a lost girl whose parents have been captured by Lost Galaxy Villainess Trakeena.  Everything else feels like a tacked on after thought, like they had to find time to fit in the Galaxy Rangers before the season was out and the end result is pretty disappointing.  Also, just like with aforementioned entry, Trakeena’s original actress declined to return for the special, meaning they had to craft a reason why she looked and sounded so different.

 
#3-Once a Ranger (Power Rangers Operation Overdrive)

Oh Operation Overdrive.  Until a certain pair of seasons we’ll get to later, this was the lowest point for the Power Rangers franchise.  And one need look no further than this two parter meant to celebrate the franchises 15^th Anniversary.  When the Operation Overdrive Rangers are cut off from their powers, five Rangers from previous seasons step in to back them up.  And while it is cool to see fan favorite like Dino Thunder’s Kira and Ninja Storm’s Tori, not to mention the always welcome return of Johnny Yong Bosch as Adam the Black Mighty Morphin Power Ranger, it’s the Overdrive Rangers who weigh everything down.  After they lose their powers, the current team just decides to leave, feeling like theyre no longer needed.  Look back at 15 years of Power Rangers prior.  Every teams hit this point and guess what?  They never gave up the fight.  It certainly cements the Operation Overdrive team as one of the worst in Ranger history.
 

#2-Legendary Battle (Power Rangers Super Megaforce)

This was supposed to be the biggest moment in Ranger history, a scene that would bring together every team from the last 20 years for one titanic battle of the ages…and what a massive disappointment it was to cap off the worst series of the franchise.  The logic behind all of the teams showing up makes no sense (particularly when many Rangers would have doubles of themselves on the field like Adam, Kat and especially Tommy).  And what Ranger actors do show up only appear for less than a minute of screentime at the very end of the battle.  This is something that should have taken years to plan out properly but instead it feels so rushed and half assed just to meet the celebratory 20 year mark of the franshiche…which it didn’t because Super Megaforce is the 21^st season…so double the fail.
 

#1-Shell Shocked (Power Rangers In Space)

For me personally, Friday afternoons after school was the most exciting time of the week for me.  Power Rangers In Space and Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation were my reward for a hard school week and I enjoyed both.  But even I had to go “Wait what?” when the Turtles were dragged from their series into a crossover with Power Rangers In Space.  In the episode, Astronema brainwashes Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo and Venus (their long lost female sibling, just go with it), into trying to bring down the Rangers.  Everything about this just feels wrong and it doesn’t help that the Next Mutation versions of the Turtles aren’t exactly the most fondly remembered and they just look awkward with the Space Rangers.  A future comic crossover with the Turtles and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers would fare way better than this live action nightmare that should have been a dream come true.