 This article is about a/an villain in Power Rangers in Space, the last installment in the Zordon Era.
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Dark Specter, from the world Infernus, known throughout the universe as the Grand Monarch of Evil, was the head of the United Alliance of Evil and the the over-arching main antagonist of Power Rangers in Space. He is a massive alien monster of uncertain but immense power.
Contents
History
| This article contains content in reference to the main TV series, as well as supplemental material, such as the comics. A sliding/floating timeline applies. Story instances for TV and other media will be clearly marked. |
Little is known about Dark Specter or how he came to become the Grand Monarch of Evil. What is known is that he was responsible for the attack on Eltar and the capture of Zordon. 
TV STORY-Chase into Space
Heir to Darkness
In the one-shot "Heir To Darkness" it is revealed that he had Darkonda and Ecliptor both train new students to become his heir. Most notable among them were a young Divatox, Maligore and Astronema. It was also revealed that he had Darkonda kill Astronema's family for being too dangerous and he led her to falsly believe the Power Rangers were responsible. During a final death match, young Astronema won from Divatox and was named as his heir.
COMIC STORY- Power Rangers Unlimited: Heir to Darkness
The Psycho Path
At an unknown point, Dark Specter made contact with Trek, the Supersonic Green Ranger, and started to fill his head with the idea that in the eyes of his team, he was worthless and they never considered him one of them, this idea eventually drew the Ranger to follow Dark Specter's commands.
Dark Specter formulated a plan in which they could use Trek's Sonic Morpher in order to project false images to the Supersonic Red Ranger, leading the team to a trap where the building they were occupying exploded, killing all of the Rangers and leaving Trek to report his success to him.
Dark Specter in the shadows
With this victory and his new ally, the villain finally had access to the Morphin Grid, now making him an equal to his enemies on Eltar, he made Trek step forward and mixing his Dark Energy with his ally's Morpher, Dark Specter created his first very own Ranger, Psycho Green. He then commanded his lackey to find Rita Repulsa and bring her to him, as she stole a Power Coin and he couldn't let Zordon retrieve it.
As Psycho Green leaves his planet, Dark Specter reflects on his creation, believing that he will eventually find more Rangers that can be swayed by the dark, adding more soldiers that will crush his enemies, as the Psycho Rangers will make the universe scream COMIC STORY- The Psycho Path
In Space
According to Andros, Dark Specter was also behind the attack on KO-35. TV STORY-From Out of Nowhere
Dark Specter can be seen as the main antagonist of the Zordon Era since as he led the alliance which served as the Power Rangers' final challenge and included the villains and armies of 5 different seasons.
Dark Specter was first (indirectly) mentioned at the beginning of Zeo when Zordon referenced the United Alliance of Evil after the Machine Empire had broken away from it. TV STORY-A Zeo Beginning
The first time that he was directly mentioned was when his messenger told Divatox to come to the Cimmerian Planet. TV STORY-Chase into Space
Dark Specter brought forth a union of villains known as the United Alliance of Evil, including Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd, the Machine Empire, Divatox, and Astronema. Selecting Astronema to battle the Space Rangers, Dark Specter schemed to ensure that the Rangers never rescue Zordon from his clutches. TV STORY-From Out of Nowhere
Despite his position of authority, he was usually a background character during Power Rangers in Space, leaving it to his underlings - particularly Astronema - to crush the Rangers.
The only time Dark Specter personally confronted the Rangers was during one of their later attempts to rescue Zordon. A reformed Astronema led her brother and his teammates to Zordon's alleged prison, only for it to be revealed that Dark Specter was posing as Zordon. After taunting Andros and reaffirming his faith in Astronema's evil, he teleported away, leaving Astronema and Darkonda to deal with the captive Rangers. However, Astronema freed the Rangers and they escaped, with the help of Ecliptor. TV STORY-The Rangers' Leap of Faith
Refusing to let Astronema leave the side of evil so easily, Dark Specter temporarily handed control of the Dark Fortress to Darkonda and commissioned him to reprogram Ecliptor. He then sent an asteroid on a collision course with Earth, which lured Karone into a trap. She was then tragically reprogrammed by Darkonda with cybernetic implants, suppressing her emotions and returning her to the side of evil. TV STORY-Dark Specter's Revenge
Darkonda's technology worked a little too well, however, and the even more villainous Astronema decided to overthrow Dark Specter. To this end she created the Psycho Rangers, whose power was channelled directly from Dark Specter. TV STORY-Rangers Gone Psycho
Dark Specter's energy drained with each fight by the Psychos, and he called on Astronema to find the cause, a situation that she relished. Eventually, the Rangers would destroy the Psychos, and Dark Specter recovered, never discovering that his trusted lieutenant had betrayed him. TV STORY-The Enemy Within
Eventually, Dark Specter finally initiated his master plan and launched an all-out invasion of the entire universe, assaulting worlds including Earth, Gratha, the Vica Galaxy, KO-35, and the homeworld of the Phantom Ranger, in an attempt to destroy the forces of good. Though the attack was going well, Dark Specter was attacked by Darkonda, who turned a planet-destroying missile on the monarch. Though the attack succeeded in destroying Dark Specter, the Grand Monarch of Evil was able to hang on long enough to swallow Darkonda's fighter jet whole, taking the traitorous bounty hunter with him. TV STORY-Countdown to Destruction
Personality
Destructive, brutal, cruel, arrogant, and sadistic, Dark Specter is a vicious tyrant and a power-mad monster all rolled into one. He desires control, and uses intimidation, violence, and domination on his own minions. He despises humanity and compassion, and routinely threatens and abuses Astronema/Karone whenever she strays from her path of evil. Despite this, he seems to value her over his other allies, treating her with an almost fatherly concern. He never considers that she might have betrayed him and expends both effort and good will among his minions in his attempts to guide her, despite his many powerful underlings. Indeed, his affection for Astronema seemingly emboldens Darkonda's grudge against both of them. Dark Specter also fails to perceive Darkonda's aspirations for his throne, demonstrating a continual blindness to the treacherous nature of his allies, though whether it stems from faith or arrogance is unclear.
Known Powers and Abilities
- Power: Although he is never shown fighting, and the full extent of his powers is completely unknown, Dark Specter was the most powerful villain of the entire Zordon Era and the most powerful villain up to that point. Rita, Zedd, King Mondo, and Divatox were all terrified by him, his mere name convincing Divatox to stop her search for the Turbo Rangers in the Command Center/Power Chamber ruins and immediately stopping her row with Rita.
- Durability: Dark Specter took multiple shots from Darkonda's star fighter without injury. It took a missile with the power to destroy the Earth to kill him.
- Teleportation: He can appear from blue lightning bolts and vanish at will.
- Fireball Generation: Dark Specter can shoot fireballs from his mouth.
- Face Projection: In episodes such as "The Delta Discovery" and "Astronema Thinks Twice", Dark Specter was able to make his face appear in a sky.
- Shape Shifting: In the episode "The Rangers' Leap of Faith" he posed as Zordon to trick the Rangers into a trap.
- Size Changing: Whilst posing as Zordon, Dark Specter was human sized despite being the size of a planet otherwise. It is unclear if he can do this normally when he isn't assuming a specific planet.
Notes
- In Power Rangers: Lightspeed Rescue, Olympius reveals a rock that resembles Dark Specter's hide that could decimate Mariner Bay in seconds.
- Dark Specter is mentioned as a direct rival to Lord Zedd in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Annual #1 (2016). Goldar's brother Silverback wanted to join Dark Specter instead of Zedd but made the mistake of insulting the emperor to his face and was destroyed.
- Dark Specter is one of the four villains who are larger than a Megazord. The second would be Omni from Power Rangers S.P.D., the third would be Imperious from Power Rangers Mystic Force, and the fourth would be Evox from Power Rangers Beast Morphers.
- Dark Specter's costume is recycled from Maligore in Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie. This was lamp-shaded in "From Out of Nowhere, Part 1", where Divatox mentions how much Dark Specter reminds her of her fiancé. Aside from this, any further connection between Maligore and Dark Specter was never elaborated upon.
- In the Japanese dub of Power Rangers In Space, Dark Specter is voiced by Yūji Kishi, who also dubbed T.J. Johnson and originally played Kyosuke Jinnai (Red Racer) in Gekisou Sentai Carranger.
- Dark Specter is similar to four major villains in Super Sentai:
- As a ruler who rules by fear and is moving forward to conquering the entire universe, he is similar to Star King Bazoo, the final villain of Dengeki Sentai Changeman. Unlike Bazoo, his treatment toward his subordinates isn't as psychologically torturous and he does not threaten the other villains homeworlds for their failures or consume planets.
- Being the ultimate evil that all other villains answer to makes him similar to Dai-Satan from Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger. Dai-Satan was the master of Witch Bandora (Rita Repulsa's Sentai counterpart) and eventually got adapted as Lokar.
- His appearance as a giant being in space is similar to Reckless Dash Emperor Exhaus from Gekisou Sentai Carranger (previously used for Goldgoyle). His death is likewise similar to Exhaus' demise, with another villain delivering what would be his final blow. Unlike Gynamo, Darkonda's betrayal is not out of a change of heart, but so he can rule the universe for himself.
- His connection in empowering the Psycho Ranger and being weakened as a cost is adapted directly from Evil Electro-King Javious I of Denji Sentai Megaranger. There are 2 differences however; the destruction of the Psycho Rangers released Dark Specter's energy and he recovered, unlike Javious who perished when his power, channelled by the Nezirangers, died with them.
Appearances
Power Rangers in Space
- Episode 1: From Out of Nowhere (1)
- Episode 4: Shell Shocked
- Episode 11: The Delta Discovery
- Episode 19: Invasion of the Body Switcher
- Episode 24: Zhane's Destiny
- Episode 26: The Secret of the Locket
- Episode 27: Astronema Thinks Twice
- Episode 28: The Rangers' Leap of Faith
- Episode 29: Dark Specter's Revenge (1)
- Episode 30: Dark Specter's Revenge (2)
- Episode 33: A Rift in the Rangers
- Episode 34: Five of a Kind
- Episode 35: Silence is Golden
- Episode 36: The Enemy Within
- Episode 42: Countdown to Destruction (1)
See Also
- Evil Electro-King Javious I - Super Sentai counterpart in Megaranger. See comparison page.
- Star King Bazoo - Sentai equivalent who likewise wished to conquer the entire universe under his own alliance.
- Maligore: The previous use of his costume.
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