Tommy Oliver’s Master Morpher is one of the most unique artifacts in the Power Rangers universe, having appeared in both the TV show and the comics. From the evil Green Ranger in Mighty Morphin to a legend who led and mentored multiple teams throughout the Power Rangers timeline, Tommy had an incredible character arc. The original Green Ranger’s journey into arguably the most important character in the franchise was perfectly summarized by the Master Morpher, which highlighted how special Tommy Oliver was.
All Power Rangers morphers are unique in their own way. That said, some morphers are particularly remarkable due to their design, such as Power Rangers Wild Force’s Growl Phone or Power Rangers Time Force’s Chrono Morpher. Others, such as Tommy’s Master Morpher, are special due to the lore behind them. While the Master Morpher looks similar to a regular Mighty Morphin Power Rangers’ Power Morpher, it is far more powerful than a regular Morphin device.
Tommy Oliver’s Complete Power Rangers Story: Green Ranger Origins & All Colors
Tommy Oliver’s full Power Rangers story begins with Mighty Morphin’s “Green With Evil” and includes some of the best episodes in the entire show.
The Master Morpher Allows Tommy To Use All His Ranger Forms
When using the Master Morpher, Tommy can transform into all his previous Ranger colors. This includes Mighty Morphin Green, Mighty Morphin White, Zeo Red, Turbo Red, and Dino Thunder Black. Tommy does not have to use his old morphers, nor does he need to carry all Power Coins or other power sources with him. Curiously, some of Tommy Oliver’s Power Rangers forms should not even exist anymore by the time the Master Morpher was introduced. For example, the original Green Ranger powers ceased to exist during Mighty Morphin season 2. Likewise, the original Power Coins became useless at the end of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
However, thanks to the Master Morpher, Tommy was able to reconnect with those previous powers. From a storyline standpoint, the Master Morpher eliminated potential plotholes that could appear anytime Tommy would return for a new series. Instead of having to explain how Tommy could morph into this or that Ranger, Power Rangers simply established that the Master Morpher worked differently from a regular Morpher and could “rescue” those lost powers. From a lore perspective, Tommy Oliver’s Master Morpher has a special connection to the Morphin Grid, which allows it to bring back all of those powers in the form of new Power Coins.
The Master Morpher’s Power Rangers Timeline Explained
Power Rangers’ Master Morpher was introduced during Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel’s “Dimensions in Danger” episode. The crossover celebrated Power Rangers‘ 25th anniversary and brought back Tommy Oliver for what would be, sadly, Jason David Frank’s final Power Rangers episode. Tommy had previously appeared in Power Rangers’ 20th anniversary special, during which he morphed into the original Green Ranger form with the help of the Morphin Masters. While “Dimensions in Danger” included several legacy Power Rangers, such as Turbo Red/In Space Blue Ranger T.J. and Time Force Red Wes, the episode was mainly about Tommy. Instead of focusing on the Green Ranger only, this crossover honored Tommy’s entire legacy.
Not much was explained about who created the Master Morpher or how exactly it works. That said, the BOOM! Power Ranger comics have since offered more context on Tommy’s unique Morpher. In Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 30th Anniversary Comic Special: Wedding Vows, it is revealed that Tommy had the Master Morpher since at least the day he married Kat, Mighty Morphin’s second Pink Ranger. Power Rangers: Soul of the Dragon, which takes place several years after “Dimensions in Danger,” revealed that the Master Morpher was not going to last forever. After being damaged in battle, Tommy’s Master Morpher could only be used a few more times.
Soul of the Dragon saw Tommy using each of his Power Rangers colors one last time to find and save his son, J.J. Oliver. In an emotional twist, Tommy never got to use the Green Ranger form one final time. Instead, Tommy handled his son the Master Morpher, and J.J. Oliver morphed into Mighty Morphin Green Ranger. This was a passage of torch moment, and the Master Morpher ceased to work forever. Tommy and Ket both retired from being Power Rangers, and J.J. Oliver became the new S.P.D. Green Ranger. The Power Rangers comics will likely explore the Master Morpher’s origins in the future.
Why Only Tommy Oliver Has A Master Morpher In Power Rangers
Tommy is the Power Rangers character with the most Ranger colors. Not only that, but Tommy has been part of four different Power Rangers teams and has used six different Ranger forms throughout the series. No other Ranger can compare to Tommy when it comes to legacy, even though many Power Rangers have changed colors before. In other words, there was no better character to receive a Master Morpher than Tommy. To put things in perspective, the original Red Ranger, Jason, only ever used two Ranger forms. From a narrative perspective, the Master Morpher is the symbol of Tommy Oliver’s Power Rangers history.
Power Rangers
- Created by
- Haim Saban , Shuki Levy
- First TV Show
- Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers
- Video Game(s)
- Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Mega Battle
