Machine Empire
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The Machine Empire is a group of fictional robotic villains in the Power Rangers universe, who first appeared in the television show Power Rangers: Zeo and were later mentioned in Power Rangers in Space and Power Rangers: Wild Force.
The Machine Empire was a massive alien race and galactic empire of mechanical beings, led by the Royal House of Gadgetry. Possessing countless Cogs, Quadra Fighters, and monsters, the Machine Empire had already conquered an entire chain of galaxies before reaching Earth. It was when the Empire arrived on Earth that they finally encountered a foe capable of repelling their forces, the Zeo Rangers. Numerous monsters from the Empire perished at the Rangers' hands before King Mondo himself took to the battlefield and was destroyed by the Super Zeo Megazord.
It was during Mondo's absence that the Empire was led by Louie Kaboom, a renegade robot created by Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa. Louie meant well, but squandered the Empire's forces, and was eventually overthrown by Mondo and Machina's eldest son, Prince Gasket, and his wife, Archerina. The two led the Machine Empire against the Zeo Rangers rather well, initiating a massive, all-out invasion on Angel Grove. After this invasion failed, King Mondo returned, causing Gasket and Archerina to flee. When the Royal House of Gadgetry were later destroyed by Rita and Zedd, the Machine Empire went into a period of inactivity, useless without the Royal House to lead it.
The Royal House of Gadgetry was later rebuilt by forces unknown, and the Machine Empire joined the United Alliance of Evil under the command of Dark Specter, the Grand Monarch of Evil. When Dark Specter initiated his universal invasion, the Machine Empire invaded KO-35 and the Phantom Ranger's homeworld, conquering both planets and defeating the Karovan rebels, the Phantom Ranger, and the Blue Senturion. When Zordon's energy wave struck these planets (during Countdown to Destruction), much of the Machine Empire (including King Mondo) was destroyed, every member of it reduced to a pile of sand.
Years later, in an episode of Power Rangers: Wild Force called Forever Red, the remnants of the Machine Empire, led by General Venjix, gathered on the moon to make a final strike against the Power Rangers and the Earth. Unearthing Zedd's Serpentera, they brought the massive Zord to full power, but were foiled by a team of ten Red Rangers. The other generals destroyed, General Venjix and Serpentera were destroyed by the Red Lion Ranger, permanently ending the reign of the Machine Empire.
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[edit] Royal House of Gadgetry
The Royal House was the ruling body of the Machine Empire at the beginning of Power Rangers: Zeo. It consisted of King Mondo and Queen Machina, Prince Sprocket, and their top servants, Klank and Orbus.
[edit] King Mondo
King Mondo, also known as the Machine King, was the ruler of the Machine Empire and the main antagonist in Power Rangers Zeo. Driving Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd off the moon, Mondo believed the Earth would be an easy conquest, but was shocked when his army of Cogs was repelled by the Zeo Rangers. He was intrigued by the Rangers, as his other conquests had been far too easy, and the Rangers proved to be formidable enemies. However, Mondo soon grew tired of the Rangers, and just as it seemed he would defeat them, the Gold Ranger arrived and foiled Mondo again. Mondo, tired of fooling around, unearthed the ancient Sword of Damocles. He grew and battled the Rangers, grown with the help of Trey, the original Gold Ranger, and was defeated and destroyed.
King Mondo was later rebuilt and returned to the throne, chasing away Prince Gasket and Archerina. After a failed attempt to steal the Gold Ranger powers, Mondo was destroyed by a bomb from Zedd and Rita.
He then returned in Power Rangers in Space as part of the invasion in Countdown to Destruction. Zordon's energy wave destroyed Mondo for good.
King Mondo was voiced by David Stenstrom.
[edit] Queen Machina
Queen Machina is King Mondo's wife, mother of Prince Sprocket and Prince Gasket, and queen of the Machine Empire. She usually carries a metal fan with her. She loves her husband and son dearly. She was destroyed at the end of the Zeo arc, but was rebuilt by the United Alliance of Evil and destroyed again by Zordon's energy wave, she is one of two (possibly four) female characters to be destroyed by Zordon's Wave.
Queen Machina was originally voiced by Alex Borstein, later of MADtv, The Lizzie McGuire Movie and Family Guy fame. However, in Power Rangers in Space, she was voiced by Brianne Siddall.
[edit] Prince Sprocket
Prince Sprocket was the younger son of King Mondo and Queen Machina. He was spoiled by his parents and liked to play, often with the Rangers. He was destroyed at the end of Power Rangers: Zeo, rebuilt, and destroyed again in Countdown to Destruction.
Sprocket was voiced by Barbara Goodson, and was the first child-like villain of Power Rangers.
[edit] Klank and Orbus
Klank is one of the top two robots that serve the Royal House of Gadgetry. Klank is a humanoid robot, while Orbus is more of a module. They serve as the monster enlargers of the Zeo arc, and are often kicked around by their masters. Klank has a rather thick Scottish brogue for a mechanical background. He is also quite pompous and thinks highly of himself. He serves his masters with fierce loyalty, but never inserted himself physically into battle. Both Klank and Orbus are eventually destroyed by Zordon's energy wave in Countdown to Destruction.
Orbus is one of the top two robots that serve the Royal House of Gadgetry. Orbus is a mini module. They serve as the monster enlargers of the Zeo arc, and are often kicked around by their masters. Klank would swing Orbus on a thread and throw him at monsters, and Orbus would then make the monster grow. Orbus has a high-pitched voice. Both Klank and Orbus are eventually destroyed by Zordon's energy wave in Countdown to Destruction.
Klank was voiced by Oliver Page using a Scottish accent.
Orbus was voiced by Barbara Goodson.
[edit] Usurpation
Towards the end of the Power Rangers: Zeo series, King Mondo was seemingly destroyed, and control of the Machine Empire was left to several usurpers to the throne - first Louie Kaboom and later Prince Gasket and Archerina. Their voice actors, however, were all uncredited.
[edit] Louie Kaboom
Louie Kaboom was sent by Rita and Lord Zedd in an attempt to take command of the Machine Empire once King Mondo had been destroyed. However, Goldar and Rito lost the remote control they were using to control Louie. He spoke with a rather thick Brooklyn accent. After a failed attempt by the Power Rangers to use the remote to shut Louie down, Louie had himself rewired so that the remote no longer affected him.
Louie did his best at leading the Empire, trying to win Queen Machina's affections in the process, but was met with failure each and every time. Meanwhile, Zedd and Rita were trying to regain control of Louie, but were less than successful.
When Prince Gasket and Archerina arrived on the moon, Archerina took control of Louie with one of her love arrows. She had him attack Angel Grove and battle the Power Rangers, but he was destroyed by the Rangers' strongest weapon: the Super Zeo Ultrazord.
Louie Kaboom was voiced by Lex Lang.
[edit] Prince Gasket
Prince Gasket was the first-built son of King Mondo and Queen Machina and older brother of Prince Sprocket. He fell in love with Archerina, daughter of Mondo's archnemesis, King Aradon. Knowing their marriage would never be approved of, the two of them eloped.
When news of Mondo's death reached him, Gasket returned to take care of his mother, depose of the interloper Louie Kaboom and take his rightful place as the Machine King. Gasket notably brainwashed Tommy Oliver, Zeo Ranger V, into temporarily thinking that he was the King of the Machine Empire and that the other Rangers were his enemies. Another time, he trapped the people of Earth in a time loop, forcing them to relive the same day over and over so that he could observe the best way to attack them. Unfortunately for Gasket, Tommy knew there was a time loop thanks to Gasket's earlier tampering with his brain and was able to use that knowledge to put a stop to the plan.
When Mondo was rebuilt and returned, Gasket and Archerina fled temporarily, but then they came back in the episode "Hawaii Zeo," where they grew into giants and ultimately became overwhelmed by the Zeo Ultrazord. But the two survived the blast (though they shrank back to normal size), and just as they were about to face Prince Sprocket, King Mondo arrived to confront them. With that, Gasket and Archerina fled, this time for good. He was possibly destroyed in Countdown to Destruction since all the members of the Machine Empire met this fate as well, and he does not make another appearance in the series.
Prince Gasket was voiced by Douglas Sloan.
[edit] Princess Archerina
Princess Archerina is a robot princess with the appearance of a female archer, and she is the wife of Prince Gasket. Archerina is the daughter of King Aradon, King Mondo's archnemesis. Archerina and Gasket eloped and fled from their parents.
She can fire arrows of energy which she can use to make others fall in love with her. Archerina is also capable of firing arrows of destructive energy from her bow. Archerina can teleport with a fiery aura, turning herself into a living missile. Her bow can also transform into a sword to be used in close combat.
She and Gasket returned when King Mondo was destroyed by the Zeo Rangers, and took over in his absence. When the tyrant Louie Kaboom tried to take over, Archerina used her love arrows to make him her slave, forcing him to obey her, which later led to his destruction.
Archerina's jealousy of Katherine Hillard led to the formation of a strong grudge against her.
Upon King Mondo's return, Archerina fled the Earth with her husband, but came back in "Hawaii Zeo" to confront the Rangers once more. After becoming a giant alongside Gasket, both Gasket and Archerina were defeated by the Zeo Ultrazord, but they survived. However, King Mondo arrived to confront the two of them, and they quickly escaped, never to be seen again. She was possibly destroyed in Countdown to Destruction since all the members of the Machine Empire met this fate as well, and she does not make another appearance in the series.
Archerina was voiced by Melora Harte.
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