Power Rangers’ Best 1990s Song Secretly Predicted The Franchise’s Future After It Was Almost Canceled

The best Power Rangers intro song secretly predicted the show’s future 25 years ago. Considering how big of a franchise Power Rangers became, it is difficult to imagine that the show was once almost canceled. While the Mighty Morphin era was extremely successful, from ratings to merchandising, the first few seasons that came after it in Power Rangers chronological order struggled to keep viewers engaged.

Every Power Rangers TV show includes a similar set of tropes, but the saga was still trying to find its tone in the first few years after Mighty Morphin ended. Zeo had the advantage of featuring most of the Mighty Morphin cast, including franchise legends like Jason David Frank’s Tommy Oliver. The latter half of Turbo, however, did not have that luxury, and Power Rangers in Space could have been Power Rangers’ final season.

Power Rangers In Space Intro’s Lyrics Predicted The Show’s Future

The full lyrics of Power Rangers in Space’s theme song, some of which were not included in the reduced version that played at the beginning of every episode, include the line “Save the future, long live the Power Rangers.” Coincidentally or not, this is exactly what In Space did for Power Rangers. Power Rangers’ viewership numbers were at an all-time low coming off of Power Rangers Turbo, and it seemed like the franchise was coming to an end. Not even starting fresh with a mostly brand new cast midway through Turbo was helping, and Power Rangers in Space was designed to be the show’s final season.

For example, previous Power Rangers villains joined forces under Dark Spector, legacy characters like the Zeo Gold Ranger returned for the epic-scale final battle that involved multiple planets, and Zordon died. In Space had all the ingredients to be Power Rangers’ final season, but its surprising success proved viewers were still interested in Power Rangers. Viewership numbers increased, and the show was not canceled after all. While In Space closed the Zordon Era, it made sure Power Rangers continued, thus confirming the “save the future, long live the Power Rangers” lyrics in the most meta way possible.

How Power Rangers In Space Saved The Future Of The Franchise

While increasing the viewership numbers was obviously the most important thing Power Rangers in Space had to do, the show also succeeded in showing different ways Power Rangers could continue. While In Space was technically a direct sequel to Turbo and the conclusion to the story that began with Mighty Morphin, it was very different from previous Power Rangers seasons. For the first time since the inception of the franchise, Power Rangers was no longer about the same group of teenagers from Angel Grove fighting a different monster every week. The Rangers were now adults, their adventures were happening in space, and the episodes were often building to something bigger.

By wrapping up the Zordon Era while still proving Power Rangers could work without names like Tommy and Jason, In Space expanded the scope of the franchise. For example, the first Power Rangers season after In Space, while tied to the previous one through the Astro Megaship and Zordon, was a mostly self-contained story. Power Rangers Lost Galaxy followed a group of adult Rangers who had nothing to do with Zordon or Rita Repulsa, a strategy that would continue to be used in every new Power Rangers series. Had In Space not concluded the Zordon Era so well, this new approach would never have worked.

Why In Space Is Still One Of Power Rangers’ Best Seasons 25 Years Later

Not only is In Space the season that saved Power Rangers, but it is also one of the best Power Rangers seasons to this day. The space setting, which would continue to serve Power Rangers well in seasons like Lost Galaxy and Cosmic Fury, was a much-needed change of pace for a show that had spent hundreds of episodes on Angel Grove’s Youth Center. The second generation of Turbo Rangers, now more experienced and well-developed characters, were made even better by the addition of Andros. A slightly arrogant Red Ranger, Andros brought something fresh and exciting. to the previous lineup.

Andros’ search for his sister, Karone, who was actually In Space villain Astronema, was also a highlight of the season. Unlike Rita Repulsa or Divatox, Astronema actually felt like a dangerous and complex villain. The evil shadow of Dark Specter, and the idea of an intergalactic alliance of Power Rangers, were very cool concepts. Each Power Rangers in Space felt special, which is difficult considering Power Rangers’ history of filler, monster-of-the-week episodes. The show’s finale, “Countdown to Destruction,” is not only the best In Space episode but also one of the best Power Rangers episodes ever made.