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Dark Specter known throughout the universe as the Grand Monarch of Evil, was the head of the United Alliance of Evil and a major antagonist in the Power Rangers franchise. He served as the over-arching antagonist of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Power Rangers Zeo and Power Rangers Turbo as well as the true main antagonist of Power Rangers in Space.
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. |
Past
Little is known about Dark Specter or how he came to become the Grand Monarch of Evil. Though he was once trapped outside the main dimension at one point, as a disembodied spirit. Using his influence, he united the Evil Space Aliens, Machine Empire and Divatox's Crew into the United Alliance of Evil which he ruled with fear.
Around 1983, Dark Specter hired the bounty hunter Darkonda to travel to the planet KO-35 in the Karova System to capture a random child. The victim turned out to be Karone who was given to Ecliptor so he could turn her into Astronema. TV STORY-Never Stop Searching
Dark Specter eventually launched an attack on KO-35 with his army but his forces were stopped by Andros and Zhane. TV STORY-From Out of Nowhere
The two Rangers fought against the army but they were relentless and too many, this caused Zhane to be mortally wounded. Due to him being the one who ordered the attack, Dark Specter was also responsible for leaving the Silver Space Ranger out of commission as Andros kept him alive by freezing him in a cryogenic tube inside the Astro Megaship. TV STORY-Survival of the Silver
Zeo
Dark Specter is indirectly mentioned when Zordon references the United Alliance of Evil after the Machine Empire had broken away from it to attack Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd in an attempt to conquer Earth. TV STORY-A Zeo Beginning
After the Royal House of Gadgetry is blown up Lord Zedd's bomb, Dark Specter has them rebuilt with their loyalty to him restored. TV STORY-Good as Gold
Turbo
Originally, Dark Specter is supposed to lead his forces in a successful conquering the universe in 2000. However, after the Blue Senturion travels back in time to 1997, it causes the future to change so that Dark Specter leads his forces in 1998. TV STORY-The Millennium Message
Dark Specter and most of the United Alliance of Evil forces then Eltar, Zordon's home planet. They capture Zordon and resign Alpha 5 and Dimitria to an unknown fate. Later, Dark Specter sends his messenger to tell Divatox to come to the Cimmerian Planet just after she defeats the Turbo Rangers. Although she initially refuses TV STORY-Chase into Space
In Space
Dark Specter brings together forth the entire United Alliance of Evil on the Cimmerian Planet for a conference to celebrate the conquest of Eltar. After it is revealed that he has Zordon captive to drain his powers, Andros is revealed to be at the meating and escapes after destroying two Velocifighters. He then selects Astronema to persue him even though Rita and Divatox compete to be chosen instead. TV STORY-From Out of Nowhere
Dark Specter then remains mostly in the background, leaving it to Astronema to crush the Rangers.

Dark Specter posing as Zordon.
The only time where Dark Specter personally confronts the Rangers is during one of their later attempts to rescue Zordon. A reformed Astronema leads her brother and his teammates to Zordon's alleged prison only for it to be revealed that Dark Specter is posing as Zordon. After taunting Andros and reaffirming his faith in Astronema's evil, he teleports away to leave Astronema and Darkonda to deal with the captive Rangers. However, Astronema frees the Rangers and they escape with the help of Ecliptor. TV STORY-The Rangers' Leap of Faith

Dark Specter's decaying state.
Refusing to let Astronema leave the side of evil so easily, Dark Specter temporarily hands control of the Dark Fortress to Darkonda and commissions him to reprogram Ecliptor. He then sends an asteroid on a collision course with Earth which lures Karone into a trap who us 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 works a little too well though as the even more villainous Astronema decides to overthrow Dark Specter. To this end she creates the Psycho Rangers whose power is channelled directly from Dark Specter. TV STORY-Rangers Gone Psycho
Dark Specter's energy drains with each fight by the Psychos, and he calls on Astronema to find the cause, a situation that she relishes. Eventually, the Rangers destroy the Psychos, and Dark Specter recovers although he never discovers that his trusted lieutenant had betrayed him. TV STORY-The Enemy Within

Dark Specter is destroyed.
Eventually, Dark Specter finally initiates his master plan and launches an all-out invasion of the entire universe, assaulting worlds including Earth, Gratha, the Vica Galaxy, KO-35, and the home-world of the Phantom Ranger, in an attempt to destroy the forces of good. Though the attack goes well and the United Alliance of Evil, whilst Astronema reports to Dark Specter, Darkonda decides to destroy the Dark Fortress with a missile designed to destroy Earth. Dark Specter is destroyed with the missile but also swallows Darkonda's Velocifighter in his death throes, killing them both. TV STORY-Countdown to Destruction
Split History
Seeing Eldin using the Morphin Masters' artifacts to peer into time, Dark Specter corrupted him into Master Vile and gave him the task of preparing a vessel for him to manifest in the world.

Dark Specter was behind the training of Astronema.
Dark Specter eventually had Darkonda and Ecliptor both train new students to become his heir. Most notable among them were the young D-32897, Mal and Astronema, Dark Specter also had Darkonda kill Astronema's parents for being too dangerous and he led her falsely believe that the Power Rangers were responsible. During a final death match, the young Astronema won against D-32897 and was named as the heir of Dark Specter. COMIC STORY- Power Rangers Unlimited: Heir to Darkness
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 the Supersonic Rangers, 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. Unfortunately Trek never could complete his mission. COMIC STORY- The Psycho Path
Personality
Destructive, brutal, cruel, arrogant, and sadistic, Dark Specter was a vicious tyrant and a power-mad monster all rolled into one. He desired control, and used intimidation, violence, and domination on his own minions. He despised humanity and compassion, and routinely threatens and abused Astronema whenever she strayed from her path of evil. Despite this, he seemed to value her over his other allies, treating her with an almost fatherly concern. He never considered that she might have betrayed him and expended both effort and good will among his minions in his attempts to guide her despite his many powerful underlings. Dark Specter also failed to perceive Darkonda's aspirations for his throne, demonstrating a continual blindness to the treacherous nature of his allies, though whether it stemed from faith or arrogance is unclear.
Forms
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- 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, Queen Machina and Divatox were all terrified by him, his mere name convincing Divatox to stop her search for the Turbo Rangers in the Power Chamber ruins and immediately stop her row with Rita.
- Lightning Teleportation: Dark Specter could appear from blue lightning bolts and vanish at will.
- Mouth Fireballs: Dark Specter could 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", Dark Specter 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.
Abilities
- 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.
Weaknesses
to be added
Arsenal
- Claws: Dark Specter had massive, razor sharp brown claws though he never used them.

Phantom Ranger
Dark Specter gained this form by possessing The Morphinaut.
Appearance: Power Rangers Universe Issues 5-6Behind the Scenes
Portrayal
- Dark Specter was played by Terence J. Rotolo and voiced by Christopher Grey although the latter was created under his pseudonym Christopher Cho. Grey is most well known as the voice of Nukus in Big Bad Beetleborgs whereas Rotolo was the voice of Frank West in the Dead Rising series.
- In the Japanese dub of Power Rangers In Space, Dark Specter was voiced by Yūji Kishi who also dubbed T.J. Johnson and originally played Kyosuke Jinnai/Red Racer in Gekisou Sentai Carranger.
Design
- Dark Specter's costume was recycled from Maligore in Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie to save money. This was lampshaded when Divatox mentioned how much Dark Specter reminded her of her fiancé.
Etymology
to be added
Notes
to be added
Appearances
Power Rangers Zeo
- Episode 2: A Zeo Beginning, Part II (indirect mentioned only)
Power Rangers Turbo
- Episode 45/Finale: Chase into Space, Part II (mentioned only)
Power Rangers in Space
- Episode 1: From Out of Nowhere, Part 1 (first appearance)
- Episode 2: From Out of Nowhere, Part 2 (mentioned only)
- Episode 3: Save Our Ship (mentioned only)
- Episode 4: Shell Shocked
- Episode 11: The Delta Discovery
- Episode 12: The Great Evilyzer (mentioned only)
- Episode 15: T.J.'s Identity Crisis (mentioned only)
- Episode 19: Invasion of the Body Switcher
- Episode 20: Survival of the Silver (mentioned only)
- 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, Part 1
- Episode 31: Rangers Gone Psycho (mentioned only)
- Episode 33: A Rift in the Rangers
- Episode 34: Five of a Kind
- Episode 35: Silence is Golden
- Episode 36: The Enemy Within
- Episode 37: Andros and the Stowaway (mentioned only)
- Episode 41: A Line in the Sand (mentioned only)
- Episode 42: Countdown to Destruction, Part 1 (final appearance and death)
Power Rangers HyperForce
- Episode 24: Finale (Part 1)
Power Rangers (Boom! Studios)
- Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (Boom! Studios)
- Power Rangers (Boom! Studios comic title)
- Power Rangers (Boom! Studios) Issue 4 (mentioned)
- Power Rangers (Boom! Studios) Issue 6 (flashback)
- Power Rangers Unlimited
- Mighty Morphin (Boom! Studios)
- Mighty Morphin (Boom! Studios) Issue 2 (mentioned)
- Mighty Morphin (Boom! Studios) Issue 19 (flashback)
- Power Rangers Universe
Power Rangers: The Psycho Path (mentioned)
See Also
- Evil Electro-King Javious I - Super Sentai counterpart in Megaranger. See comparison page.