The Lightspeed Rangers are fictional characters and heroes in the Power Rangers universe, and are the primary protagonists in the television series Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue. Their counterparts in Kyuukyuu Sentai GoGoFive are the Tatsumi Family.
The Lightspeed Rescue Rangers were recruited by the U.S. Government under Operation Lightspeed, in order to fight ancient Demons that were attacking the fictional town of Mariner Bay, California. They were the first team of Power Rangers to be granted powers entirely through Earth human technology, and not through mystic forces, wild beasts, or by alien technology. They were also the first Power Ranger team whose identities were known to the public.
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Carter Grayson is a firefighter and the Red Lightspeed Ranger. He is the serious and devoted leader of the Lightspeed team, played by Sean Cw Johnson. He risked his life with his daredevil maneuvers, but always saved those in danger.
When he was a child, Carter was saved from a burning building by a mystery firefighter (Captain Bill Mitchell). It was because of the firefighter that Carter decided he wanted to be a firefighter as well.
He was the first to accept his role as a Lightspeed Power Ranger. He was also chosen to utilize the powers of the Titanium Morpher, but was unable to, as it proved too powerful for a normal human. He bravely took down Queen Bansheera in the final battle with the Demons, hurling her into the Shadow World for good. Carter returned to Firefighting after his time at Lightspeed Rescue.
During the series, he develops feelings for Dana, the Pink Ranger, and it appeared to be mutual. It is unknown if they became a couple afterwards.
When Vypra returned from the dead and began terrorizing Silver Hills, Carter reunited the Lightspeed Rescue Rangers, who helped the Time Force Rangers defeat her. When the Machine Empire's forces unearthed Zedd's Serpentera to destroy Earth, Carter teamed up with nine other Red Rangers and traveled to the moon to stop them in the Wild Force episode "Forever Red."
Chad Lee (played by Michael Chaturantabut) is the Blue Lightspeed Ranger, known for his aquatic skills. He often spends time scuba diving, feeling connected to the marine life. Chad brings to the team his exceptional martial arts ability, and water rescue skills. Chad studied under a karate master named Tomashiro, who felt that Chad's true destiny was as a martial arts master and not a Ranger. Tomashiro then helped train a monster named Cyclopter, hoping to replace Chad as his best student (Cyclopter even defeated Chad in battle), until Cyclopter turned on him. Chad remembers everything Tomashiro taught him then and defeats Cyclopter, and Tomashiro even comes to ask Chad for a tour of the Aqua Base. Chad also temporarily had a relationship with the mermaid Marina, but they parted ways eventually. Chad becomes close with Yellow Ranger Kelsey during the series.
After leaving Lightspeed, Chad became a lifeguard, but returned to help his team fight an undead Vypra with the Time Force Rangers.
Joel Rawlings is an aerial stuntman (a.k.a. the Sky Cowboy) and is recruited by Captain Mitchell to be the Green Lightspeed Ranger. He is played by Keith Robinson.
He is extremely reluctant to become a Power Ranger at first, not believing in Lightspeed or what it has to offer, but when he sees his beloved Mariner Bay in danger, he decides to take them up on their offer.
He shows interest in the Rangers' assistant, Ms. Angela Fairweather. In the epilogue of the finale episode, Rawlings and Ms. Fairweather are about to go out on their first date when he is called away on Ranger business, unable to let his duties end with the Demons. He eventually marries Ms. Fairweather, and the two are seen heading off on their honeymoon right before he returns to the team to help battle Vypra with the Time Force Power Rangers.
In the Power Rangers Time Force team up episode, it is revealed that he is now married to Ms. Fairweather.
Kelsey Winslow is the Yellow Lightspeed Ranger, and is extremely active physically, being a professional mountain climber. She takes the job because it is the most exciting thing of which she's ever heard. Kelsey recently reconciled with her grandmother, whose preoccupation with wealth and indifference towards Kelsey drove the two apart. Kelsey returned to extreme sports following the collapse of Lightspeed, but returned with the others to fight Vypra and Quargenon with Time Force. She was played by Sasha Williams making her the first muscularly fit girl to be a Ranger. She also is often seen with a set of yellow headphones around her neck.
Dana Mitchell is the daughter of Captain Mitchell and sister to Ryan Mitchell. She is a nurse and the Pink Lightspeed Ranger, played by Alison MacInnis.
Dana is intellectual and level-headed. She gathers the team together from all over Mariner Bay, and is a valuable asset to the team as one of the Rangers. Dana has a very brief stint as a model, but she resigns when it starts to interfere in her Ranger duties. She is later reconciled with her long-lost brother, Ryan.
During the series, she develops feelings for Carter, the Red Ranger, and it appeared to be mutual. It is unknown if they became a couple afterwards.
After Lightspeed Rescue Dana fulfilled her dream of becoming a doctor, and practices as a pediatrician. She was called into duty once more when Vypra returned and teamed with the Time Force Power Rangers.
Ryan Mitchell is the son to Captain Mitchell and brother to Pink Lightspeed Ranger, Dana Mitchell. He is the Titanium Ranger, portrayed by Rhett Fisher.
When Ryan was very young, he was involved in an accident along with his father, Captain Mitchell, and his sister, Dana, and all three were suspended over a cliff. Captain Mitchell had a secure grasp of Dana, but Ryan was hanging on by Mitchell's shoe. The spirit of Diabolico appeared and offered a deal to Captain Mitchell: Diabolico would save the child, but in payment he would raise the child himself, and Captain Mitchell would not see him again until his 20th birthday. Captain Mitchell at first refused, but relented when Ryan began to fall. Mitchell later said that it was the hardest decision he had ever made.
Ryan was thus raised by the demon Diabolico, and taught him that his father had rejected him, favoring Dana. Diabolico instructed Ryan to steal the prototype Titanium Morpher from the Lightspeed Base and destroy the other Power Rangers (including his sister Dana) with the Titanium Ranger power. He nearly succeeded, but Ms. Fairweather brought out the V-Lancers, which overpowered Ryan. Just as the Power Rangers were about to destroy Ryan, however, Captain Mitchell (recognizing Ryan's visible eyes) called them back and told them the back story. After some soul-searching, Ryan turns on Diabolico and joins the Lightspeed Rescue Rangers. However, his betrayal of Diabolico came with a price, as Diabolico placed a curse on him in the form of a cobra tattoo, which would get closer to his neck every time he morphed until it destroys him, but Ryan found the statue that was the source of the curse and destroyed it, breaking the curse.
After a while, Ryan left to find more information about the demons and find a way to defeat them. This was because of the lack of a storyline in the Sentai footage.
Ryan shows up again to help the Lightspeed and Time Force Rangers to battle Vypra.
Originally the Titanium Ranger suit was going to be used in GoGoV as Go Silver, but was cut because of budget problems. This makes him the first non-Super Sentai Ranger, followed by the A-Squad Rangers in SPD and the Spirit Rangers in Jungle Fury. The Titanium Ranger's design is also noticeably different from the original GoGoV uniforms. The uniform is based on the suit designs of Turboranger, with minor tweaks such as a Lightspeed belt, gloves and boots. The helmet is modeled after the Lightspeed helmet (single color and no mouthpiece) and its visor is modeled after the V from the original Sentai title.
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