WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always.
Rita Repulsa returned in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always, but with a twist. The first Power Rangers villain, Rita Repulsa, was the reason Zordon asked Alpha to find five teenagers with attitude. Rita Repulsa served as Power Rangers’ antagonist for most of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, even though Lord Zedd eventually took over things. A slightly different version of the original Power Rangers villain now appeared in Once & Always.
Power Rangers: Once & Always jumped right into the action as Billy, the original Blue Ranger, battled Robot Rita Repulsa and her Putty Patrollers. Barbara Goodson, who voiced Rita Repulsa based on Machiko Soga’s Witch Bandora, voiced Robot Rita in Once & Always. Compared to Rita Repulsa’s last appearances in Mighty Morphin, Zeo, and Power Rangers in Space, Robot Rita was much more menacing.
Rita Repulsa Was Defeated (& Redeemed) In Power Rangers In Space
Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd ran away from the Bandora Palace after the Machine Empire announced their plans of taking over Earth. Rita and Zedd, who had become Power Rangers’ comic relief by that point, feared the Machine Empire’s power and preferred to walk away from the fight. Rita and Zedd later joined the Alliance of Evil, a gathering of the most dangerous villains in the galaxy. The Alliance of Evil answered directly to Dark Specter, one of the most powerful beings in the Power Rangers universe. Rita and Zedd were not directly involved in Power Rangers in Space, yet they appeared in the finale.
Power Rangers in Space’s “Countdown to Destruction Part II” saw Andros destroying Zordon’s tube at his request so that Zordon’s good energy could end the Alliance of Evil. Zordon sacrificed himself to save the universe. As a result, multiple Power Rangers villains were redeemed. The “Z-Wave,” which Billy mentioned a few times in Power Rangers: Once & Always, removed evil from a significant part of the universe. Divatox, Lord Zedd, and Rita Repulsa were all redeemed and received human forms. Rita would return in Power Rangers Mystic Force as the Mystic Mother, an ally to the Power Rangers.
Why Evil Rita Repulsa Is Back As A Robot In Power Rangers: Once & Always
The Z-Wave removed the evilness from Rita Repulsa, but it did not destroy it for good. Billy was trying to access what was left of the Z-Wave to bring Zordon back, but his plan backfired. Instead of bringing Zordon back to life, Billy restored the evil essence of Rita Repulsa. Still, evil Rita’s spirit needed a physical body. Alpha 5, the Power Rangers’ oldest friend, was taken over by the villain’s essence. This is why Rita came back as Robot Rita; she was using Alpha 5’s body. Therefore, the Rita who became Empress of All Good Magic in Mystic Force and Once & Always’ Robot Rita are entirely different characters.
Power Rangers: Once & Always found a clever way to bring the original Power Rangers villain back without retconning Rita’s redemption. Robot Rita still had all of Rita Repulsa’s memories up until Power Rangers in Space. Therefore, Robot Rita’s quest against the Power Rangers was personal. Zack destroyed Robot Rita during Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always’ ending battle after the Power Rangers prevented the villain from going back in time. Unfortunately, Robot Rita Repulsa’s death means that Alpha 5 was destroyed too.
