The Veteran Red Rangers were the coolest Power Rangers team, yet this term was never actually used on the show. Red Rangers are usually the leaders of their respective Power Rangers teams, although there are exceptions to this rule. Regardless, it’s safe to say Red is the most iconic of the Power Rangers colors. Being a Red Ranger comes with an extra amount of responsibility, which is something the show has explored in seasons like S.P.D. and Cosmic Fury.

While the list of best Power Rangers characters varies from person to person, Red Rangers are most often not at the top of the list of fan-favorite characters. This is particularly true for the ones that first appeared in the 1990s or the early 2000s, two eras of Power Rangers that still define the show due to nostalgia and how popular they were. The Veteran Red Rangers team-up from 2002 perfectly summarized the impact of the Red Rangers on the first decade of Power Rangers, delivering an instant classic crossover episode.

The Veteran Red Rangers Were Power Rangers’ Forever Red Team

10 Red Rangers for Power Rangers’ 10th anniversary.

“The Veteran Red Rangers” is a term used to describe the characters who participated in the Forever Red crossover, particularly the Red Rangers who fought on the moon against the Five Generals. The Veteran Red Rangers are among the most iconic Legendary Rangers, which refer to every single Power Ranger that came before the Mega Force team. The name “Veteran Red Rangers” was never used on the show but was incorporated by fans and serves as a way to summarize the 10-men group that went to the moon in “Forever Red.”

The “Forever Red” crossover was meant to celebrate Power Rangers’ 10th anniversary. The episode was loosely based on Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai, a Super Sentai movie released during the Japanese franchise’s 25th anniversary. The idea was to bring together every Red Ranger in the franchise up until that point, from Mighty Morphin’s Jason to Wild Force’s Cole. Most Red Rangers in question had also been the respective leaders of their teams, with the only exception being the Quantum Ranger. This was Power Rangers’ first crossover to include characters from more than just two shows.

How Power Rangers’ Forever Red Team Was Put Together

Andros and Tommy assembled an impressive team.

From an in-universe perspective, Tommy Oliver and Andros were responsible for putting together the Veteran Red Rangers. Andros, leader of the In Space Rangers, was investigating something on the moon when he found out that the Five Generals of the Machine Empire were trying to reactive Lord Zedd’s Serpentera. Andros immediately reached out to Tommy Oliver, who by that point had been the MMPR Green Ranger, the MMPR White Ranger, the Zeo Red Ranger, and the Turbo Red Ranger. It is unclear when and how Tommy and Andros first met, but they had a lot of friends in common.

A call was sent to all other Red Rangers, with the team later gathering in the hangar where Astro Megaship was staying. Lightspeed Rescue Red Ranger’s Carter Grayson recruited Cole, the main character of Power Rangers’ 2002 season Wild Force. Tommy called Jason, the original Red Ranger, but was not sure whether his former teammate was going to show up. Fortunately, Power Rangers’ first Red Ranger did not miss out on the fun. From a behind-the-scenes standpoint, the lineup of “Forever Red” worked perfectly. There were 10 Red Rangers excluding Rocky, a number that matched the franchise’s anniversary.

Power Rangers’ Veteran Red Rangers Remain The Show’s Most Iconic

Power Rangers may never have a crossover that cool again.

Nostalgia always comes into play in Power Rangers, and it is no different for “Forever Red.” While there continued to be a lot of great Red Rangers after “Forever Red,” including but not limited to names like Dino Thunder’s Connor and S.P.D.’s Jack Landors, the Veteran Red Rangers will always remain the show’s most iconic. The Zordon Era, which includes shows like Mighty Morphin, Zeo, and In Space, still defines the franchise all those years later. As such, seeing Jason, Tommy, Andros, and others fighting side by side could not have been more exciting.

Additionally, following the death of Zordon, the Power Rangers season began to be more standalone. Apart from the annual crossovers, there was little to no connection between shows like Lightspeed Rescue and Time Force, for example. This made “Forever Red” even more special, as it brought together different corners of the franchise and made it all feel like part of one cohesive Power Rangers chronology. Sadly, there was never another “Forever Red” in Power Rangers. It would have been interesting to see what an updated lineup of Red Rangers would have looked like in the 2010s or 2020s.