Warning: Spoilers for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return #3
The daughter of Tommy Olilver finally fulfills his prophecy, by joining the Power Rangers. In anticipation of the release of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return, it was teased that the daughter of Kimberly and Tommy – Olivia Hart – would replace her late father as the new Green Ranger, based on an unproduced TV pilot pitch from series co-writer Amy Jo Johnson.
Olivia finally, officially dons the colors of Tommy Oliver in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return #3, after making her debut at the conclusion of the previous issue. By the end of issue #3, she is suited up as the Green Ranger and ready to confront the Rangers’ newest enemy, Selena Repulsa, in a generational conflict for the ages.
Most notably. the issue gives readers vital context as to how Olivia came into possession of Tommy’s Dragon Coin, as well as how her assumption of the Green Ranger mantle fulfills his final wish.
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Olivia Hart Officially Becomes The Latest, Greatest Green Ranger
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return #3 – Written By Amy Jo Johnson & Matt Hotson; Art by Nico Leon, Dono Sanchez-Alamara, and Ed Dukeshire
Previous issues of The Return have featured Kimberly Hart reflecting upon her past with the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, after being visited by a relative of the late Yellow Ranger. Among these reflections is recalling how, in this version of the Rangers timeline, her husband Tommy gave up his life to save the world. However, amidst her reminiscing, Kimberly’s mysterious visitor reveals who she really is: Selena Repulsa, daughter to Rita. She takes the opportunity to kidnap Kimberly, and steal the rest of the original team’s morphers, seeking to use their power to give her mother a portal to return to Earth.
As The Return #3 reveals, Selena neglected that she needed a sixth morpher to complete her plan, one she thought was lost at the time of. An additional flashback reveals that moments before his sacrifice in the Moon Palace, Tommy gave his morpher to his wife. Ultimately, Tommy told Kimberly that if he didn’t survive this moment: “…you know who to give it to … when they’re ready.” Tommy said this with the knowledge that Kimberly had found out she was pregnant not long before their final mission – and right after the flashback is when Olivia appears.
The New Green Ranger Fulfills Tommy Oliver’s Dying Wish
A Perfect Tribute To Both Character & Actor
With Tommy’s death hanging over the Power Rangers throughout The Return, it is impossible not to think about the death of the actor who played him, Jason David Frank. That is intentional, as writer Amy Jo Johnson has spoken in-depth about how she drew inspiration from the actors when writing these characters and that she wanted to help the franchise heal from Frank’s tragic passing. Tommy gifting his morpher to the next generation of Power Ranger as his dying wish reads as much as a tribute to Jason David Frank as it does to the character.
It’s well-documented that Jason David Frank was wholly passionate about the Power Rangers franchise, long after he stopped playing the character in front of the camera. In the story, Tommy had his own passions that contributed to his legacy as one of the more prominent mentors of the franchise. In their own ways, both men worked hard to ensure that the future of Power Rangers was in good hands. The best way to pay homage to that philosophy is by Tommy Oliver entrusting the future of the Power Rangers to his daughter.
