Power Rangers Wild Force (often abbreviated as "PRWF") was the tenth incarnation of the Power Rangers series, based on the Super Sentai series Hyakujuu Sentai GaoRanger (100 Beasts Task Force Growl Ranger)
Power Rangers Wild Force takes place in 2002, continuing the tradition of having the incarnation taking place the year it was released. The first part of the series was originally broadcast on the Fox Kids children's television block, but was later moved to the ABC Kids children's television block in mid-season following the buyout of the Power Rangers franchise by Disney.
Despite the presence of various references to the Power Rangers fandom, and episodes that were considered to be the best-written at the time, the series is unpopular with some fans, with many believing it stuck too closely to the storyline from Gaoranger (the only completely U.S. character being Master Org). Other fans believe that there were too many Zords on the show when compared to previous incarnations of the Power Rangers. In addition, many hated the Cole Evans character because his overall personality is best described as being a "blockhead".
Synopsis
The series follows the adventure of Cole Evans, who had been staying with a tribe for many years, as he tries to find his destiny in the fictitious town of Turtle Cove. He encounters the Animarium, a place that many believed to be a fairy tale. He joins four others who had a common path to become the new leader of the Wild Force Power Rangers.
The Power Rangers use their powers to defeat the forces of the Orgs, led by one Master Org. As Cole was fond of animals, he was shocked to discover that the Orgs were heartless creatures. As the series continues, he finds the truth about his real parents: his parents, Richard and Elizabeth Evans, were professors at Turtle Cove University, along with a family friend, Viktor Adler. When they were sent to the jungle for research, they discover the remains of Master Org, in which a jealous Adler consumes in order to exact revenge on Richard, who had proposed to Elizabeth before he could. However, Adler goes insane, and kills both Richard and Elizabeth. For a while, their newborn son, Cole, was also presumed dead.
The annual team-up episodes saw the Wild Force Rangers team up with the Time Force Rangers in order to stop three mutant Orgs (the Mut-Orgs) from polluting the Earth. It also featured the first time (and to date only time) when a former villain teamed up with the Rangers to face the enemy. These episodes are special as it contained numerous references to various longtime fans of Power Rangers. Fans generally consider this teamup one of the best, due to the fact that the episode was written by a member of the fandom who was later hired to write for Wild Force, and the fact that the teamup brought closure to several plotholes in Time Force.
In addition to the annual team-up episodes, Power Rangers: Wild Force also had a special episode commemorating it as the tenth incarnation, by having Cole team up with the nine Red Rangers before him, (in order of incarnations, Jason Lee Scott, Aurico, Tommy Oliver, Theodore J. Jarvis Johnson, Andros, Leo Corbett, Carter Grayson, Wesley Collins and Eric Myers), in order to defeat the Machine Empire one final time. This was known as Forever Red.
Characters
Rangers
Allies
- Princess Shayla: guardian of the Animarium (portrayed by Ann Marie Crouch).
- Animus: the ancient ruler of Animaria, appears to aid the Rangers several times.
- Time Force Power Rangers
- Red Rangers: nine other Red Rangers from the past team up with Cole to battle the Machine Empire.
- Kite: the human incarnation of Animus.
Villains
Arsenal
- Growl Phone: Morpher of the Wild Force Rangers; with miniature robot or animal modes.
- Lunar Caller: Morpher of the Lunar Wolf Ranger.
- Crystal Saber & Power Animal Orbs
- Weapons: Personal weapons used by the Rangers (White Tiger Baton, Golden Eagle Sword, Black Bison Axe, Blue Shark Fighting Fins, Red Lion Fang); can combine into Jungle Sword for the "Savage Slash" attack.
- Animarium Armor: The Red Ranger's Battlizer granted to him by the Falcon Zord. It allows him to fly, form a shield from the wings, and fire energy blasts.
- Savage Cycles: Motorcycles given to the Wild Force Rangers by their Wild Zords.
- Wild Force Rider: Motorcycle given to the Red Ranger by Animus to replace his destroyed Savage Cycle.
Zords
- Wild Zords
- Red Lion (Cole)
- Eagle Zord (Taylor)
- Shark Zord (Max)
- Bison Zord (Danny)
- White Tiger Zord (Alyssa)
- Elephant Zord (Alyssa)
- Giraffe Zord (Max)
- Black & Polar Bear Zords (Taylor)
- Gorilla Zord (Cole)
- Soul Bird
- Wolf, Hammerhead & Alligator Zords (Merrick)
- Rhino & Armadillo Zords (Danny)
- Deer Zord (Alyssa)
- Falcon Zord (Cole)
- Wild Force Megazord (combination of Lion, Eagle, Shark, Bison & Tiger, sometimes w/t Elephant, Black and Polar Bear, Giraffe, Rhino & Armadillo, Wolf, and Hammerhead Shark zords)
- Kongazord (combination of Gorilla, Black & Polar Bear, Bison & Eagle, sometimes w/t Rhino & Armadillo, Deer,and Giraffe)
- Predazord (combination of Wolf, Hammerhead & Alligator)
- Isis Megazord (combination of Falcon, Armadillo, Giraffe, Rhino & Deer sometimes w/t Wolf & Hammerhead Shark)
- Animus Megazord
- Pegasus Megazord (combination of Falcon, Lion, Elephant, Shark & Tiger)
Episodes
- Lionheart
- Darkness Awakening
- Click, Click, Zoom
- Never Give Up!
- Ancient Awakening
- Wishes On The Water
- The Bear Necessities
- Soul Searching
- Soul Bird Salvation
- Curse of the Wolf
- Battle Of The Zords
- Predazord, Awaken
- Revenge Of Zen-Aku
- Identity Crisis
- The Ancient Warrior
- The Lone Wolf
- Power Play
- Secrets And Lies
- The Tornado Spin
- Three's a Crowd
- A Father's Footsteps
- Sing Song
- The Wings of Animaria
- Reinforcements from the Future Part 1
- Reinforcements from the Future Part 2
- The Master's Last Stand
- Unfinished Business
- Homecoming
- The Flute
- Team Carnival
- Taming Of The Zords
- Monitoring Earth
- The Soul of Humanity
- Forever Red
- The Master's Herald Part 1
- The Master's Herald Part 2
- Fishing for a Friend
- Sealing the Nexus
- The End of the Power Rangers Part 1
- The End of the Power Rangers Part 2
Trivia
- In the first Wild Force promo (the one that aired after Time Force ended), the full faces of the Japanese actors from Gaoranger as they begin to transform can be seen.
- First time Power Rangers actually copied a sentai tranformation sequence in every detail. Incarnations like Zeo and In Space, were similar, but not quite the same because it made modifications to the transformations; such as Zeo using gridlines and In Space having "Morphing Complete."
- It should be noted that Alyssa Enrilé (the White Wild Force Ranger) was the first Power Ranger known to attend college and serve as a Ranger simultaneously.
- It was the first Power Rangers team to start off with an even number of individuals as rangers (four). In Power Rangers in Space technically there were two rangers, however Zhane was incapacited at the time so only one ranger (Andros) remained. Likewise, in Power Rangers Time Force, only one individual, Alex the original Red Time Force Ranger was shown to have the ability to morph at the start of the season. All other seasons have began with an odd number with either three Power Rangers Ninja Storm, Power Rangers Dino Thunder and Power Rangers: SPD or five individuals receiving their powers simultaneously. (Note: You cannot count Power Rangers Turbo as starting off with four because of the fact if Rocky would not have hurt himself, he would have received the Blue Turbo powers, and also the fact when the Turbo Rangers morphed for the very first time, Justin had already offically joined the team to become the Blue Turbo Ranger.
- It was the first series where the Red Ranger (the leader) has been the last individual to join a Power Rangers team, the second was in Power Rangers: SPD.
- It should also be noted that before the arrival of Cole (the Red Wild Force Ranger), Taylor was the leader, thus making her the first known Yellow Ranger ever to lead a Power Ranger team.
- This was the first regular Power Ranger series not to feature a Pink Ranger. Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers did so first, although this one is not considered to be a complete season.
- The series was unique in the fact that the villains are called 'Orgs', much like in Gaoranger. Even the monsters the Power Rangers had to defeat mostly had no name changes in the transition.
- Power Rangers Wild Force has the distiction of featuring the oldest known Power Ranger (Merrick the Howling Wolf Wild Force Ranger was 3,000 years old at the time of his release).
- Merrick also has the distinction of being the first Power Ranger to sport facial hair (a goatee), (Dr. Thomas Oliver of Power Rangers Dino Thunder who also had a goatee was the second), (Leanbow of Power Rangers Mystic Force also had a small beard and a mustache), generally male Power Rangers are clean shaven.
- It was the second series to feature villains who truly reformed and renounced their evil ways (The first were Ransik and Nadira in Power Rangers Time Force. Jindrax and Toxica aided the rangers in defeating Master Org and left to find their place in the world in the finale.)
- This season holds the record of the highest number of Zords featured: 22 (including the pieces of Animus) (Baby Soul Bird is not counted, because it is not a Zord itself; it was stated to work as a cockpit) (Adult Soul Bird and the last identified Zords don't count, since their appearances were nothing but cameos).
- Although Master Org is an American-made villain, the costume used for him was recycled from Gorma, the main villain in Gosei Sentai Dairanger.
- Princess Shayla is the second Female Mentor.
