My Top 10 Female Power Rangers (Reposted)

This is an updated version of an old blog post from The Uncanny Fox. Check out the original and much more here.

One of the truly great things about Power Rangers is that it does a great job with representation, especially in regards to its female characters. The girls kick just as much butt as the guys (and in some cases even more so), and though there are some issues with stereotyping on occasion, this can be more chalked up to bad writing than anything as the boys in those seasons are often just as flat. Still, it’s really impressive for what was thought of as a “boy’s show” in the early ’90s, and this inspiring trend has continued to the present.

The rules for this list are the same as before, with me focusing on the show for the most part even in instances where there are multiple versions of a given character. Also, there are plenty of characters that I like that won’t be in here because of the ten slots. With that out of the way, here are some of the best, bravest, and most memorable ladies that have strapped on a Ranger helmet over the past 27 years.

New Honorable Mentions: Izzy Garcia And Amelia Jones (Dino Fury and Cosmic Fury)

Dino Fury hadn’t aired yet when I first made this list back in 2020, but I would be remiss not to include them in this update. Both are great characters in their own right, and quite groundbreaking to boot.

Green is my favorite color, and Izzy made a strong impression right out of the gate as the first female Ranger to wear the color. I already included her now-iconic skirt-rip in my “Favorite Moments” list, and that was just the tip of the iceberg for Izzy’s run as the Green Dino/Cosmic Fury Ranger. From her strong showings against Boomtower and Void Knight’s other forces to her genuinely amusing and heartwarming relationship with her brother Javi, Izzy was a pleasure to watch most of the time thanks to Tessa Rao’s great performance. Not to mention making history as the first official LGBT+ Ranger in the show continuity, proving that anyone can be a Ranger.

As for Amelia, I found myself relating to her from the jump thanks to her job as a reporter for BuzzBlast (I was still writing for ScreenRant at the time the show aired). Amelia found her way into Dinohenge due to her devotion to uncovering the supernatural, which in turn was fueled by her desire to find her missing parents. Said parents were eventually revealed to be Tarrick and Santaura, the Void Knight/King and Queen who she opposed as the Pink Dino Fury Ranger. This was a surprisingly well-done twist, and cemented Amelia as one of the main characters of the Dino Fury era.

Amelia’s journey wasn’t done yet, as she was quickly thrust into the role of leader when Zayto disapeared at the begining of Cosmic Fury. She did quite well under the cercumstances, rallying the team against Lord Zedd’s forces while coming to terms with her boyfriend Ollie being brainwashed into the Evil Blue Ranger. Even the Morphin Grid itself seemed to think so, as it made her the Red Cosmic Fury Ranger, only the third Female Red in the show’s continuity and the only heroic one to be a part of her team for the entire season.

Honorable Mention: Gia Moran (Megaforce)

Oh Gia, you deserved a much better season than the disaster that was Megaforce. While Gia’s actual characterization was only slightly above Troy’s (we get that she’s the popular girl in Harwood County and that she was best friends with Emma most of her life), Ciara Hanna managed to infuse some personality into the (Super)Megaforce Yellow Ranger through her acting and body language, with a standout moment begin her confidently leading Jake and Noah into battle against Dizchord. Seriously, why couldn’t she be the Red Ranger instead of Troy? (I know, I know, Sentai footage).

Still, Gia received the short end of the stick when it came to character focus (Hanna herself would later express disappointment with how Megaforce turned out), although she would later return in Battle For The Grid (and she’s one of my favorite characters to play as), “Dimensions in Danger” and a couple of non-cannon web videos to make up for it. It makes one wonder what Ciara Hanna could have done in a good season…

10. Lauren Shiba (Samurai)

And while we’re on the subject of Rangers getting the short end of the stick, Lauren only had five episodes to win fans over as the first heroic female Red Ranger (Charlie from the SPD A-Squad doesn’t count because she was, you know, evil), but she made it work. The true heir to the Shiba Family, Lauren was hidden away at a young age to train herself in using her father’s Sealing Symbol power to lock the evil Nighlocks away forever, with her younger brother Jayden serving as a decoy leader in her place. Not that there was any reason to keep all this from the other Rangers, but still…

Lauren arrived toward the end of Super Samurai and proved herself to be a capable leader despite most of her team either complaining about how much they miss Jayden or passive-aggressively cutting her down. Nonetheless, Lauren was well-acted by Kimberly Crossman, took part in a few great fight scenes, and had a nice backstory about wanting to carry on her father’s legacy, making me wish that she got to be the leader for the whole season. At least Shattered Grid gave her more to do.

9. Zoey Reeves (Beast Morphers)

Zoey’s not afraid of big problems, she solves big problems. The Yellow Beast Morphers Ranger started out on the Grid Battleforce laundry staff before tragic events lead her to take up the mantle that was originally meant for Roxy. The fact that she stepped up to do what was right even when she wasn’t the one that was chosen for it makes her prime Ranger material, but she also gives off such energy and optimism that it’s hard not to root for her. She kind of reminds me of Melissa Benoist from Supergirl, just being this perky, idealistic person that always pulls through even in the darkest times.

Whether she’s trying to save a wildlife preserve from being cut down or trying to get more people to use Morph-X, Zoey throws herself into any situation to help others, and even when she makes mistakes she always works to set things right. Her idealism is set off by her humility, as during the first season she would insist that she was only holding Roxy’s place on the team, although she ultimately remained the Yellow Ranger throughout the entire Beast Morphers run. She’s definitely earned it.

8. Shelby Watkins (Dino Charge)

Shelby made history by being the first-ever African American Pink Ranger and managed to top that off by being one of the best Pinks we’ve gotten in quite some time. Working as a waitress at the Amber Beach Dinosaur Museum when the Pink Energem was uncovered, Shelby took a refreshingly proactive approach in trying to get a job as a dinosaur researcher, to the point where the first episode of the season is pretty much hers as much as Tyler’s.

She wound up with more than she bargained for when she was chosen as the Pink Dino Charge Ranger, but she still gave it her all and her knowledge of dinosaurs proved invaluable. Incredibly smart and tough-willed, with a sassy streak for good measure, Shelby held her own on the team pretty well, even finding time to help Tyler with uncovering the secret of his missing father. Plus, she actually got to create a Zord once. How many Rangers can claim that?

7. Taylor Earhardt (Wild Force)

Late-era OG Saban had no shortage of badass female leader figures, did it? A former Air Force pilot, Taylor crash-landed on the Animarium one day and was chosen by the Yellow Eagle Zord, which she had previously seen as a child. From that point on she served as the Yellow Wild Force Ranger, leading the team before Cole came along. Despite being demoted (honestly, that didn’t really make sense. Was it just because he’s Red?) Taylor still lent her experience and skill with a sword to the battle against the Orgs, even managing to score a couple of side Zords with the Polar and Black Bears in the process.

But the real magic came in the two-part crossover, “Reinforcements From The Future,” where she and Eric shared an amusing Han-And-Leia dynamic (even Alyson Kiperman herself ships it) and bonded over their shared backgrounds and loyalty to their friends. But even aside from that, Taylor was tough-as-nails, no-nonsense and all around ready to kick evil pollution monster butt.

6. Summer Landsdown (RPM)

Another tough-yet-compassionate figure, Summer went through a great deal of growth even before the events of RPM. A wealthy heiress, Summer lived a pampered life before the Venjix Virus declared war on humanity. She only escaped the resulting devastation with the help of her faithful butler Andrews, who told her that he wished to see who she was beneath all the money and jewelry before giving his life to help her get to Corinth. Looking to honor his dying words, Summer eventually joined the efforts to protect her new home as Ranger Operator Series Yellow and even turned down her parents when they tried to pressure her into marrying some other rich socialite.

No, Summer had her eyes on fellow ranger Dillion, who she helped try to uncover the secrets of his past. But aside from that, it was the striking contrast between Summer in her backstory and the character she is now, working fearlessly to protect the people of Corinth with her Energy Blast attack and Bear Crawler Zord, that earn her a spot on this list. Not to mention her actress, Rose Mclver, has since made a name for herself on such shows as Once Upon A Time and IZombie.

5. Karone (In Space And Lost Galaxy)

Karone’s story is one of the best in the series, and it actually served as a connecting tissue between In Space and the follow-up season, Lost Galaxy. As a young girl, Karone used to enjoy playing with her older brother Andros outside their home on the planet K-O35, until one terrible day when she was kidnaped by the evil Darkonda to become the next Queen of Evil. Raised to be a villain, she would soon rise under the name of Astronema during the final months of the battle between Zordon’s Power Rangers and the United Alliance of Evil.

It was here that she found herself reunited with Andros, who just so happened to be the Red Space Ranger and thus the leader of her sworn enemies. Not remembering who she really was, Karone waged a vicious battle against the Rangers, eventually taking Dark Specter’s place as the ruler of all that was evil in the final battle to determine the fate of the universe. Luckily, Zordon’s energy wave managed to undo the brainwashing Specter inflicted on Karone, allowing her to resume her life with her brother.

The story wouldn’t stop there, as one year later the Lost Galaxy Rangers found themselves without a Pink Ranger for reasons I’m about to get into in the next entry. Looking to redeem herself for her past misdeeds as Astronema, Karone gained possession of the Pink Quasar saber and became the Pink Galaxy Ranger. During this time, she faced a number of demons from her past, such as a warrior she once sealed in a cave. We also got to see more of her true personality, a sweet girl with a bit of a sassy streak who nonetheless remained a steadfast ally in the battle to protect Terra Venture. She would return in “The Legendary Battle,” coming full circle in fighting to protect Earth from the sort of large-scale evil invasion she once led in one of the few things that episode did right. And it was all thanks to…

4. Kendrix Morgan (Lost Galaxy)

Every Ranger puts their life on the line every time they strap on the helmet, but Kendrix was the first one to actually make the ultimate sacrifice to protect the universe. Before that, she was a scientist on the space colony Terra Venture, which sought out a new planet for humanity to call home. It was at this point that she drew the Pink Quasar Saber from its stone on the forest world of Mirinoi, becoming the Pink Galaxy Ranger.

Kendrix was a different kind of Pink that the ones that came before her, using her scientific knowledge and keen intellect to help her team in battling the forces of the evil Scorpius. A kind-hearted and selfless individual, she would give her absolute all in the fights ahead, despite not really being the combat type.

This would come to a head during the two-part crossover with *In Space*, where Treekina revived the deadly Psycho Rangers. Psycho Pink would get wind of the all-powerful Savage Sword, using Cassie’s Astro Morpher to power the evil blade in order to take over the universe. With Cassie’s life in jeopardy, Kendrix didn’t hesitate in destroying the sword at the cost of her own life, assuring her grieving friends that she would always be with them.

The real-life reason for Kendrix’s sacrifice was that her actress, Valerie Vernon, was about to enter a battle of her own against leukemia, which she thankfully won. Kendrix herself would be revived at the end of the season and would return with the other Galaxy Rangers during the crossover with Lightspeed Rescue the following year. A true hero on and off the screen.

3. Jen Scotts (Time Force)

Jen was the first (and so far only) Pink Ranger to serve as the leader of her given team, but that’s just the starting point of her strength as a character. Serving as an officer for the titular Time Force in the year 3000, Jen’s happy life was shattered when her fiancé Alex (aka the Red Time Force Ranger) was seemingly killed by the mutant crime boss Ransik (spoiler: he’s okay. Nobody ever really stays dead in this show). Looking to avenge the love of her life and bring his killer to justice, Jen and a group of other Time Force officers stole a time-traveling spaceship and followed the villain to the year 2001, where they would battle him and his minions as the Time Force Rangers. At first, Jen was cold and by-the-book, seemingly focusing solely on her mission and getting into many arguments with the team’s newest recruit, Wes (Alex’s genetic ancestor).

While she couldn’t stand him at first, over time Wes’s nice guy charm began to work on Jen, and she soon found herself falling in love with him just as she had with Alex. The relationship was cemented when Alex revealed himself to be alive, as well as a bit of a douche, and Jen realized that she preferred Wes. In the end, Jen succeeded in bringing Ransik back to the future, but she had to do so separated from Wes in a bittersweet ending. At least until the following year’s crossover with Wild Force, where she returned to the past to hunt down a trio of Mutant/Org hybrids (with a giant laser gun, I love this show). Aside from her romantic arc, Jen never lost her steadfast devotion to justice, and her character development is yet another strong point in one of the show’s best seasons.

2. Kimberly Ann Hart (MMPR)

Of course, no list of the greatest female Rangers would be complete without one of the first female Rangers. Trini was great too (RIP to the late Thuy Trang), I have to give the nod to Kim due to her surprisingly deep character. A talented gymnast, Kimberly seems like your typical stuck-up valley girl on the surface, but her very first focus episode, titled “A Different Drum,” demonstrated her kind and compassionate nature as she helped teach a deaf girl how to dance and encouraged her to never give up on her dreams.

This helped to show that there was more to Kim than just her talk about shopping and hair, and this tendency to reach out to people who needed it continued throughout the series, as she never gave up on Tommy when he was under Rita’s control, even after he spent the entirety of the arc begin a colossal jerkbag to her. Even when she came down with the flu that one time, even when her powers were threatened, she still pulled through for her team and refused to give up.

Kimberly would continue to serve as the Pink Ranger for most of the Mighty Morphin run, only leaving to pursue her dream of competing in the Pan Global Olympics in Season 3. Up to that point, Kimberly set the standard for the strong female characters to come in Power Rangers, balancing a tough edge with feminine grace and serving as an icon to girls (and everyone else) of the 90s.

1. Kira Ford (Dino Thunder)

And now we’ve finally reached my all-time favorite female Ranger, Dino Thunder’s Kira. Kira was just your average high schooler with dreams of becoming a singer when she found herself caught in dentition and chosen by veteran Ranger Tommy Oliver to become the Yellow Dino Ranger. From there, she helped the team battle the evil Mesogog with her Pterazord and Black Canary-esqe Ptera Scream ability, while still finding time to play at the group’s designated hangout spot, Hayley’s Cyberspace Cafe. She actually has quite a few parallels with Kimberly, like her Zord motif and even having a romantic relationship with the Sixth Ranger who started out as a bad guy, but there are still plenty of differences to help her stand out.

As a rocker, Kira puts up the persona of a tough girl who doesn’t care about much, but she reveals her inner empathy and passion through her songs, which are all masterfully performed by Emma Lahana. While feisty and headstrong, deep down Kira bares the same doubts and insecurities that everyone does at her age, which in turn makes her all the more relatable.

Her experiences as a Ranger helped her to grow as a person, as she found herself making friends with the jock Conner and the nerd Ethan, with the shy loner kid Trent joining in later on. She even had to deal with heartache when she discovered that Trent, who she had formed a strong friendship with early on, was in fact the evil White Dino Ranger that was trying to kill them. Through it all, Kira proved herself a worthy Yellow Ranger, and even managed to come back as one of the better parts of Operation Overdrive’s “Once A Ranger.”