Spoilers for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #101 ahead!When it comes to the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, few characters are as iconic as the Ranger’s mentor, Zordon, and now BOOM! Studios has revealed how the galactic wizard lost his body. Known for his booming voice and looming presence, Zordon has guided countless Teenagers With Attitude toward fighting the good fight for the fate of the universe. But his interesting appearance has also raised countless questions.
For pretty much the entirety of the Power Rangers’ history, Zordon himself has been portrayed as little more than a giant protoplasmic head floating in a giant tube within the Power Rangers’ headquarters. Though the Rangers’ mentor has never been the star of the franchise, the mysterious origin of Zordon’s disembodied state has long been a point of interest among diehard fans. And now, thanks to Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #101 by Melisa Flores and Simona De Gianfelice, readers finally know just how Zordon lost his body.
Beginning with a flashback set on Earth 10,000 years ago, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #101 features none other than Zordon himself in his original body as he sentences the iconic Power Rangers villain Rita Repulsa to a lifetime of imprisonment for her treacherous misdeeds. While Zordon treats Rita with respect and remorse, the appropriately repulsive Rita scorns his hopes, vowing to destroy Zordon and eventually his Power Rangers. Using her dark powers, Rita unleashes a curse on Zordon by speaking the words, “For though my downfall has drawn near, your very form will disappear. And while my body rots in this place, yours will be lost in time and space.” True to her word, the spell eats away at Zordon’s very form, disintegrating the iconic guardian of light into the being fans have known for decades.
The Power Rangers’ War Is More Personal Than They Know
That Zordon once had a body of his own has never been a secret. But tying his disembodied origin so closely to Rita’s own repulsions makes the Power Rangers’ rivalry with one of their most famous foes more personal than ever before. After all, this issue makes it clear that Zordon is still deeply traumatized by the classic Power Rangers villain and fears the repercussions of their war thousands of years later. And thanks to this reveal, the dichotomy between Zordon and Rita has never been stronger.
In fighting their eternal war between good and evil, both were left in their own personal hell. Rita maintained her body, but for thousands of years she was left without the agency she needed to enact her fiendish plans. Meanwhile, Zordon maintained his agency, to the extent that he was able to influence and lead other beings like the Power Rangers, but without a physical form he was almost entirely dependent on those beings to really make a difference.
Rita Repulsa may not be the Rangers’ only enemy, but she’s clearly Zordon’s most personal. And with everything the Power Rangers have been through lately, that’s no small feat. But with any luck, BOOM! Studios’ Mighty Morphin Power Rangers will manage to avoid the fate of their mentor Zordon and defeat Rita Repulsa once again – hopefully keeping their heads in the process.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #101 is available now from BOOM! Studios.
