Power Rangers has a long rich history, dating back to the early 90s and being the US counterpart to Super Sentai. Over the course of this history, there have been many legendary Red Rangers in many different teams.
I grew up on Power Rangers and collected all the toys and games (which were not all great). I watched it up until Mystic Force and then moved away from Power Rangers, although the 2017 movie brought me right back and I loved that movie.
Of course, reading comics is a passion, and that has helped me with depression over the last 7 years, one central comic being the Boom! Studios Power Rangers comics which is a slightly darker story, although with the great Mighty Morphin Rangers.
I feel like my top 3 Red Rangers might be controversial, but it could be agreed upon. Now I will say this, my list is based on the character, the Red Ranger, what they brought to the team, and more. I will keep outside issues separate although I don’t condone the actions.
3. Cole Evans the Red Lion Wild Force Ranger
The leader of the Wild Force Rangers. As a kid growing up, I didn’t truly understand Coles’s story. This man was living in a jungle with monkeys and all of a sudden heads to America and gets thrown into this super weird situation where he is the leader. Cole’s story would become clear to me as time went on and just how great he is as a leader, especially in the Forever Red episode.
2. Leo Corbett the Red Galaxy Ranger
As a kid, my favorite season of Power Rangers was and still is In Space, although Lost Galaxy is a very close second. I loved the Ranger team, I loved that this story had sort of a dark story to the season, delivering us the first true Ranger death. One of the major reasons I love this show is the Red Ranger, Leo. A sort of down-bad type of character that sneaks aboard a shuttle and gets thrown into the role. One of the big standouts for this season was his final battle with the villain. He went by himself to defeat the villain, and seeing him use his battlizer to explode the villain while he was holding onto her was insane as a kid.
Honorable Mentions
There are honorable mentions like the last Jason David Frank as Tommy, Austin St John as Jason, Christopher Khayman Lee as Andros, and more. I might do a bigger list and see how it fairs against a friend of mine.
1. Wes Collins as the Time Force Red Ranger
The GOAT of the Red Rangers in my eyes. Jason Faunt brought life to this role. He played this character incredibly well. The whole premise of this season of Power Rangers is arguably the best of the best. Great story, great villains, and a fantastic Ranger team, and truly delivered a spectacular season. Why is Wes my favorite Red Ranger? He isn’t one to sit back and let his future be written in stone for himself.
He had a fantastic life and could have had an easy ride but he chose to go out, he chose to be his own man and not a man his father wanted. He went out and fought along with Rangers from the future. That whole end of the season where the future Rangers went back to the year 3000 and he and Eric stayed behind the fight the villains with Eric being injured and Wes ultimately going on alone and dying until the Rangers from the future return to help him is such fantastic and truly great writing.
Jason Faunt will forever be the greatest Red Ranger in my personal opinion. I don’t think there is anything changing that unless I sit and watch every season of Power Rangers.
