Read this ‘Power Rangers’ guide ahead of watching Netflix reunion special ‘Once & Always’

It’s been 30 years since Mighty Morphin Power Rangers debuted — and almost as many iterations of the Rangers have existed in the decades since five teenagers with attitude first accessed the Morphin Grid.

Here’s what you need to remember — or maybe never knew — about the Power Rangers universe before watching Once & Always.

Tommy and Kat got married — and have a son, J.J.

Tommy (Jason David Frank) is the longest-running Ranger in the franchise. After joining the cast in season 1 as an Angel Grove transfer student brainwashed by Rita Repulsa, Tommy went on to be the White Ranger, Zeo Ranger V Red, Red Turbo Ranger, and Black Dino Ranger. Tommy dated original Pink Ranger Kimberly (Amy Jo Johnson) until she left the series in season 2. Kimberly broke up with Tommy via a “Dear John” letter in season 4 and he began dating the second Pink Ranger, Kat (Catherine Sutherland). In 2018’s Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel, it’s revealed Tommy — now “Dr. Tommy” with a Doctorate in Paleontology — married Kat and they have have a son, J.J.

Billy moved to the planet Aquitar with his girlfriend, Cestrina

First the original Blue Ranger, then Blue Ninja Ranger, Billy (David Yost) served alongside Alpha 5 as a technical expert for the Zeo Rangers in season 4. At the end of Power Rangers Zeo, Billy begins suffering from accelerated aging and must travel to Aquitar and make use of their Eternal Falls. While on the planet, Billy falls for an Aquitian named Cestrina and chooses to stay with her instead of returning to the Rangers. (In reality, Yost says he was harassed on the Power Rangers set by some crew members because he is gay and ultimately chose to leave the franchise, though he is a main character in Once & Always.)

Trini, Zack, and Jason left the Power Rangers for a peace mission

Halfway through season 2, original Yellow Ranger Trini actress Thuy Trang, Black Ranger Zack actor Walter Emmanuel Jones, and Red Ranger Jason actor Austin St. John decided to leave the series. Their writers explained their departures by having their characters selected to attend a Peace Summit in Switzerland. In their final episode, their powers are transferred to Aisha (Karan Ashley), Adam (Johnny Yong Bosch), and Rocky (Steve Cardenas), respectively.

Off screen, Trang died at 27 in 2001 after being involved in a car accident. In the world of the Rangers, Trini has lived on, returning alongside other former Rangers to help in moments of great need (though always in her Yellow Power Ranger helmet and suit). In the Once & Always trailer, her death at the hands of Rita Repulsa appears to be the inciting incident for the anniversary special.

Zordon’s death

The galactic wizard served as mentor to the Mighty Morphin, Zeo, and the first set of Turbo Rangers. In the premiere of season 6, Power Rangers in Space, Zordon tells Red Space Ranger Andros to smash his energy tube in order to release a power energy wave that disintegrates the fleet of attacking monsters and “purifies” villains Rita, Zedd, Divatox, and Astronema.

Rita Repulsa’s fate

While the trailer for Once & Always shows a robot version of Rita back to her evil ways, the original Big Bad was last seen on 2006’s season 14, Mystic Force, using her powers for good. In fact, as the Empress of Good Magic and leader of the Mystic Ones, she is the one to give the Mystic Force Rangers their access to the Morphin Grid. In season 15, Operation Overdrive, viewers were introduced to Rita and Lord Zedd’s son, Thrax. Frustrated by his parents’ turn to goodness, Thrax aims to rebuild his family’s legacy by forming the Evil Alliance.

Yellow Ranger Aisha left the Power Rangers to stay in Africa

During Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers (a miniseries that played out during the third season of the show), the second Yellow Ranger was transformed into a younger version of herself and sent to Africa to find part of the Zeo Crystal. Aisha finds her Zeo Sub-Crystal, but ultimately decides to stay in Africa and sends Tanya (Nakia Burrise) back to take on the Yellow Ranger powers instead.

Apparently Aisha stayed active with the Rangers, as she will appear in Once & Always, though the trailer shows her not in a Ranger suit.

Adam’s and Rocky’s Ranger retirements were short-lived

Though Adam — the second Black Ranger and Green Turbo Ranger — stepped away from Morphin life after graduating from Angel Grove High in season 5, he returned to support future Ranger teams multiple times over the years. Most recently, he briefly stepped back into his Black Ranger suit in season 15 to fight Thrax. He appears out of a Ranger suit in the Once & Always trailer alongside Aisha.

And Rocky — the second Red Ranger and Blue Zeo Ranger — left the Rangers at the start of season 5 after a spinal injury kept him from becoming a Turbo Ranger. Rocky returned in 2018 for a 25th anniversary episode in which many past Rangers reunited to help the Ninja Steel Rangers battle Lord Draven. At the end of the episode, Rocky’s Tyrannosaurus Power Coin was restored, though that seems to have been re-envisioned for Once & Always, since a preview scene exclusive to EW showed that Alpha and Billy needed to create “proxy Dino Power coins” for Kat and Rocky to take on the Pink and Red Ranger powers.

Alpha 5 was succeeded by Alpha 6 and Alpha 7

Fans of the original Power Rangers will recall Alpha 5 was the robot charged with finding teenage saviors when Rita Repulsa emerged from that space dumpster on the moon. But, as Rangers lore states it, the Alpha robotic assistant was created by King Lexian on the planet Edenoi thousands of years ago, and Alpha 4 was actually the first to work with Zordon.

Alpha 5 worked with the Rangers for the first four seasons of the franchise, leaving to the planet Eltar with Zordon during season 5, Power Rangers Turbo. Before his departure, Alpha 5 programmed an Alpha 6 to take over his duties in the Command Center.

Alpha 6 transitioned off the show during season 7, Lost Galaxy, choosing to settle on planet Mirinoi with the Lost Galaxy Rangers. His successor, Alpha 7, was only seen briefly in season 10, Wild Force, assisting the team of Red Rangers. Though it’s important to note that canon states all Alpha units simply receive the memories of their predecessor. So while we may get an Alpha 8 or Alpha 9, they will all still recall finding those “five teenagers with attitude.”

“Ay yi yi,” this is a lot to keep track of.

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