Power Rangers Dino Thunder
A dinosaur-themed Power Rangers season featuring Tommy Oliver's return.
Power Rangers Dino Thunder is a television series and the twelfth entry of the Power Rangers franchise. It is based on Bakuryū Sentai Abaranger, the 27th entry of Toei Company's Super Sentai franchise. The series is notable for featuring the return of Jason David Frank as Tommy Oliver as a main character and for its dinosaur-themed powers and abilities.
- entry_number
- 12
Lore & Background
The series follows Tommy Oliver, a paleontology professor in Reefside, California, who is pursued by the evil Mesogog. Three detention students—Conner McKnight, Ethan James, and Kira Ford—find Dino Gems and become the Dino Thunder Power Rangers. Tommy later bonds with the Black Dino Gem to become the Black Dino Ranger. They are joined by Trent Fernandez-Mercer, who struggles with good and evil after finding a White Dino Gem. Mesogog is revealed to be Anton Mercer, Trent's adoptive father, who mutated in a lab experiment. The Rangers ultimately sacrifice their zords and use their combined Dino Gem powers to destroy Mesogog, burning out the gems.
Reader's Guide
Power Rangers Dino Thunder is significant as the first Power Rangers season to air on ABC Family and as part of Jetix on Toon Disney. It marked the return of Jason David Frank, a legacy cast member from earlier Power Rangers series, as a series regular. The season also overtly acknowledged its Super Sentai roots in an episode featuring footage from Bakuryū Sentai Abaranger. The series introduced the concept of Dino Gems and featured a dinosaur theme throughout. Its production involved negotiations for Frank's time off, leading to plot devices such as Tommy being encased in amber. The season's 500th episode celebration, 'Legacy of Power,' retold the show's in-universe history. Two video games were released by THQ, and the series was released on home media by Buena Vista Home Entertainment and later by Shout! Factory.
Did You Know?
- The series was the first Power Rangers season to air on ABC Family and as part of Jetix on Toon Disney.
- Jason David Frank's return was initiated by a call from co-executive producers Ann Austen and Douglas Sloan.
- The episode 'Lost and Found in Translation' used footage from Bakuryū Sentai Abaranger dubbed in a comedic parody style.
- The home console video game was not the first Power Rangers game produced on a sixth generation console.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Power Rangers Dino Thunder?
It is the twelfth season in the American Power Rangers franchise, following a new team of heroes who draw their abilities from prehistoric creatures. The series adapts Toei's Super Sentai entry Bakuryū Sentai Abaranger, the 27th installment in that long-running Japanese line.
Who is Tommy Oliver in Dino Thunder and why is his return notable?
Jason David Frank reprises his iconic role as Tommy Oliver, the original Red Ranger from Mighty Morphin, now serving as a mentor figure to the new team. His presence as a main cast member made the season a major talking point for longtime franchise followers.
What powers do the Dino Thunder Rangers use?
Each Ranger channels the traits of a specific dinosaur—such as a T-Rex, Triceratops, or Velociraptor—through a Dino Gem that grants elemental combat abilities and a matching Zord. Together they combine their dinosaur mechs into a larger battle robot to face the alien Putrid invaders.
Where does Dino Thunder fit in the Power Rangers timeline?
As the twelfth entry in the series, it sits between the Samurai and Super Megaforce seasons in the franchise's broadcast order. It carries forward the shared continuity of the franchise, with returning characters linking earlier storylines to the new team's adventure.
Why do fans consider Dino Thunder important to the franchise?
It marked a high-profile return of one of the most beloved original cast members and reinvigorated the dinosaur motif that fans associate with the series' roots. The season also demonstrated that the franchise could successfully blend legacy characters with a fresh, self-contained team of heroes.
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