Zord
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In the universe of the television series Power Rangers, Zords are colossal mechanical or bio-mechanical robotic vehicles. When monsters grow to incredible sizes, the only way the Power Rangers can fight them is by summoning and piloting these robots. Usually this will happen towards the end of every episode.
The Zords are often in the shape of animals - sometimes living creatures, sometimes dinosaurs and sometimes mythical beings - as well as vehicles. When the individual Zords are inadequate for the task, they can join together into a more powerful, humanoid robot called a Megazord.
Often, the sixth Ranger has a Zord that becomes its own Megazord. Examples include the White Tigerzord, the Warrior Wheel, the Robo Racer, the Mega Winger, the Max Solarzord, the Q-Rex, the Samurai Star, the Delta Command Megazord, Omegamax Megazord and the Solar Streak Megazord.
Every season of Power Rangers from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers onwards saw a new set of Zords being deployed by the current Power Rangers. Each set is based on the Mecha from the connected Super Sentai series. This change of Zords occurred even before the yearly costume change to match the equivalent Super Sentai series.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
The Zords used in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers were based on several subjects. They were originally themed after prehistoric creatures, then later after mythical beasts. The final group consisted of Zords based on various ninja-related animals. All of them were created by the sage warrior Ninjor, though this was only revealed in the third season. The real reason behind the multiple themes of Zords is due to the fact that three different Super Sentai series were used as the Zord fighting footage for each season. These series are Zyuranger, Dairanger, and Kakuranger.
Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers
In Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers at the end of the third season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, the Alien Rangers of Aquitar brought their own "Zords" to help them battle evil. These Battle Borgs very much resembled the Shogunzords (and may have helped inspire the Shogunzords construction, or vice versa), however rather than being piloted, they were controlled by telepathy. The Battle Borgs, when activated, would copy any movement performed by the Aquitian Rangers.
Power Rangers: Zeo
The Zords used in Power Rangers: Zeo were created and controlled by the Zeo Sub-Crystals and Super Zeo Gems, as well as by the Gold Ranger of Triforia. The first set of Zords were all based on mythological creatures or objects. The Red Ranger also received his own humanoid zord. The Gold Ranger had a giant pyramid Zord, and gave the other Rangers smaller humanoid Zords as well as a quarterback-like humanoid wheel Zord.
Power Rangers: Turbo
The Zords used in Power Rangers: Turbo are a collection of giant cars and trucks built on Earth. These are the first set of zords created by the rangers themselves. Also present are two sentient automobiles, Stormblaster and Lightning Cruiser. Later in the season the rangers receive new zords from the Phantom Ranger (a fire truck, an abulance, a dumptruck, a police car, and a racecar/scooper.)
Power Rangers in Space
The Zords used in Power Rangers in Space are an assortment of spacecraft. Some were created by the scientists of KO-35, and others were left by Zordon to be found.
Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy
The "Zords" used during Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy were in fact sentient creatures called Galactabeasts, the first living Zords (this had happened in Zyuranger, Dairanger, and Kakuranger, but it had never happened in Power Rangers before).
Power Rangers: Lightspeed Rescue
The Zords used in Power Rangers: Lightspeed Rescue were colossal machines (initially emergency vehicles) constructed by Operation Lightspeed and maintained by Angela Fairweather, then piloted by the Lightspeed Rescue Rangers.
Power Rangers: Time Force
The Zords in Power Rangers: Time Force are highly advanced machines sent from the future that the Time Force Rangers can pilot.
Power Rangers: Wild Force
The Wild Zords from Power Rangers: Wild Force are living creatures of Animaria which share a bond with a Power Ranger. These could be summoned through the use of special orbs and their Crystal Sabers and the Lunar Wolf Ranger's Lunar Cue. Although each Ranger has its own set of orbs, it was not uncommon for them to share these orbs with each other. Should a Wild Zord die, its orb would instantly shatter, and the Ranger bearer would lose his/her powers if his/her powers were given by that particular zord.
Each Wild Zord is, in effect, a replaceable part, and many combinations of Megazords could arise from the use of certain parts as the head, arms, and legs. Criticisms of this series often cite that there were too many combinations of zords, and thus it was difficult to ascertain what each Megazord could do.
Power Rangers: Ninja Storm
The Zords of Power Rangers: Ninja Storm, like the similarly-titled Ninja Zords of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, were giant mechanical animals, piloted by the Power Rangers. They were maintained, at least originally, by Cameron Watanabe, and then by his virtual duplicate, Cyber Cam.
The Thunder Zords, similarly named to the zords of season two of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, were a cross between insects and assault vehicles.
The Green Samurai Ranger's Samurai Star Chopper/Megazord was based on a helicopter, though it did have a decal on the front, bearing resemblance to a bird's eyes and beak.
Power Rangers: Dino Thunder
Since Dinozord and Thunderzord were used in the first two original seasons of Power Rangers the zords were called thus called, Bio-Zords. The Zords of Power Rangers: Dino Thunder were dinosaur-like robots, called by fans "Thunder Dino Zords:, created by Tommy Oliver and Anton Mercer during their collaboration. During the run of the show the name Bio-Zords was not used and was just replaced by Dinozords. They were mostly maintained by Tommy's friend Hayley.
Power Rangers: S.P.D.
The Zords featured in Power Rangers: S.P.D. were law-enforcement vehicles in use by the Space Patrol Delta and its allies.
Power Rangers: Mystic Force
The Zords used in Power Rangers: Mystic Force are mostly magical entities. However, the Zords of the core Ranger team are actually the Rangers magically transformed into forms called the Mystic Titans. The White Mystic Ranger does not have a Mystic Titan form, but instead grows to the size of the Mystic Titans. The Solaris Knight is the only Ranger who actually pilots a Zord, a six-part train called Solar Streak that transforms into the Solar Streak Megazord. Koragg the Knight Wolf also happens to control Catastros, a living horse Zord that can combine with himself. The Red Mystic Ranger now also has control of Brightstar, a Unicorn-like Zord that, like Catastros, can combine with himself.there is also a legendry mode for the rangers in which they can convert into mystic legends, mystic firebird - the red ranger, and the other four rangers combine to form the mystic lion. They form the manticore megazord.
Power Rangers: Operation Overdrive
The Zords used in Power Rangers: Operation Overdrive are called the DriveMax Zords and are all based off of real world vehicles. Based on what has happened in GoGo Sentai Boukenger, the source of all of the original footage for Operation Overdrive, there will be upwards of eighteen DriveMax Zords to be used among six Rangers, exactly three Zords for each Ranger. These will become a core Megazord for the team, known as the DriveMax Megazord, which can combine with the five auxiliary Zords to become various other forms, as well as two more powerful Megazords, a Megazord formed from only the five auxiliary Zords, Megazord for the sixth Ranger, and a taller Megazord that transforms from an amphibious battleship Zord made up of five other Zords.
Zords used by enemies
Several times during the Power Rangers' series, certain villains have piloted Zords of their own or overridingly taken control of the Zords belonging to the Power Rangers themselves. In truth, there is little to differentiate these machines from any other giant robot, however the word 'Zord' summons a feeling that the Rangers are now facing beings in some way like themselves. This motif has been used in many mediums to introduce increased tension and drama.
The first instance of this occurring was during the first season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, in the Green With Evil arc, in which the Rangers first fought the evil Green Ranger and his Dragonzord. In this first instance, the Zord (and the Ranger) was soon turned to the side of good - although the Dragonzord would later be used for evil again, by Goldar and by the clone of the Green Ranger. The same idea was reused at the 'culmination' of the first season of Mighty Morphin, when Goldar piloted the Zord Cyclopsis against the Rangers. Lord Zedd also piloted a Zord called Serpentera, which was hugely powerful but never able to defeat the Rangers due to the fact that it was continually running out of fuel. Serpentera reappeared in the Red Ranger team-up episode, Forever Red where it was finally destroyed by the red Wild Force ranger.
The idea of "evil Zords" was reused several times in later seasons, for example Power Rangers: Turbo, in which Divatox and her minions pilot several machines called DivaZords, and Power Rangers in Space, in which Psycho Yellow takes control of the Mega Voyager while the Rangers are in it.
In Power Rangers: Time Force there are several giant robots that are used by Frax and are not addressed as Zords, although in Mirai Sentai Timeranger (the Sentai Show that Power Rangers: Time Force came from) one of the giant robots was named the G-Zord. This was the first and only time that the Zord term was ever used on a Sentai Program. The G-Zord was adapted into the Dragontron robot when the footage was used on Power Rangers: Time Force.
In Power Rangers: S.P.D., a large assortment of giant robots are used by the monsters of the series. While not referred to as Zords, these robots are Zord-like in operation.
There is one villain Zord in the US version which wasn't really a giant robot in the Sentai version. The one made-up Zord is the Zord Lothor piloted at the end of Power Rangers: Ninja Storm. This was done in order to use the final battle footage from Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger, the Sentai Series that Ninja Storm is based on, since Lothor is an American-made Power Ranger villain.
List of evil Zords
- Serpentera: Destroyed by Cole and his Wild Force Rider.
- Metallosaurus: A Zord developed by General Havoc. Destroyed by the Rescue Megazord.
- Terrorzord: A Zord used by Elgar. Turned into a camel by one of Divatox's monsters by accident.
- Divazord: A bird Zord piloted by Divatox, and destroyed by the Rescue Megazord & Turbo Megazord.
- Sharkzord: A shark Zord piloted by Porto and destroyed by the Artillery Power.
- Catzord: A ferocious big cat Zord piloted by Rygog. During his battle with the Rangers, Rygog also piloted the Divazord and Sharkzord by remote control. The Catzord, just like the other two Zords, was destroyed by the Rescue Megazord's Artillery Power.
- Dragontron: Remote control robot created by Frax. Destroyed by the Time Force Megazord & the Q-Rex.
- Doomtron: Zord-like robot created and piloted by Frax. Both Doomtron and Frax were destroyed by Wesley Collins & the Q-Rex.
- "Zurganezords" 1, 2, and 3: A trio of Zords created and piloted by Zurgane. Zurganezord 2 has a Lightning Mode, while Zurganzord 3 can scan data of the Rangers' Megazords. All destroyed.
- Hyper Zurganezord: Evil Zord created by Zurgane from data collected by Zurganezord 3 on the Storm Megazord. Also had a Power Sphere, the Hyper Sword. Destroyed by the Hurricane Megazord, Mighty Mammothzord and lots of Power Spheres.
- "Kaprizord": Zord piloted by Kapri. Destroyed by the Hurricane Megazord, Mighty Mammothzord and lots of Power Spheres.
- "Marahzord": Beevil-lookalike Zord piloted by Marah. Destroyed by the Samurai Storm Megazord.
- "Shimazuzord": Piloted by Shimazu. Destroyed by the Samurai Thunder Megazord.
- "Lothorzord": Piloted by Lothor. Destroyed along with Storm Megazord.
- Replicantzord: Evil clone of Thundersaurus Megazord created by Mesogog. Destroyed by the Thundersaurus Megazord & Mezodon Megazord.
- Zelzord: Zord built and piloted by Zeltrax. Destroyed along with the Thundersaurus Megazord & Mezodon Megazord.
- A-Squad's Megazord: This Zord was used by the SPD A-Squad Rangers when they kidnapped Cruger. Destroyed by the SWAT Megazord. (interestlingly, if you pay attention to the image of the A-Squad Zord assembling, you will see it is actually Broodwing's drill vehicle)
- Catastros/Centaurus Wolf Megazord: See Zords in Power Rangers: Mystic Force.
Trivia
- Although it is never stated in the series, it is assumed that the Zords are named after Zordon, the first mentor of the Power Rangers.
- In the original "Day of the Dumpster" pilot, the Zords were referred to as "Droids".
- It has been tradition for the primary Megazords to wield swords while the other Zords would have blasters or cannons (Although the Ninja Megazord used it's fists, the Thundersaurus Megazord used several items like a drill or saw blade).
- Dragonzord's appearance is based on the King of Monsters, Godzilla, wearing a suit of samurai armor.
- The only Super Sentai robot to officially use the Zord surname is G-Zord from Mirai Sentai Timeranger, which was ironically, a machine used by the villains. Ironically, it was renamed Dragontron for Power Rangers: Time Force.
External links
| Power Rangers |
|---|
| Television series |
| Mighty Morphin Power Rangers • Alien Rangers • Zeo • Turbo • Space • Lost Galaxy • Lightspeed Rescue • Time Force |
| Wild Force • Ninja Storm • Dino Thunder • S.P.D. • Mystic Force • Operation Overdrive |
| Movies |
| Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie • Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie |
| Characters |
| Rangers • Zords • Villains • Enemy grunts • Monsters • Other Characters |
| Related series from Saban Entertainment |
| VR Troopers • Masked Rider • Big Bad Beetleborgs • The Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog • Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation |
| Other related series |
| Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad • Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills |
| See also |
| Fox Kids • ABC Kids • ABC Family • Toon Disney • Jetix • Saban • Disney • Super Sentai |
