The Big Picture
- Astronema is the best Power Rangers villain, with layered character development and an impeccable style.
- She goes beyond just being a villain by showing the ability to love and having a tragic backstory.
- Astronema’s reign ends with a redemptive arc, transitioning from villain to hero and becoming the Pink Ranger in Power Rangers Lost Galaxy.
When thinking about Power Rangers villains, the most memorable ones come to mind. A common misconception is relating their icon status to them being the best villains in the franchise. Sure, Rita Repulsa (Machiko Soga and Carla Perez) – with her maniacal cackle and her gray hair tied up in knot-horns – is one of the greatest villains, but the best? No. Perhaps Lord Zedd (Ed Neil) with his skinless menacing look and fierceness could be the prime villain? Wrong. Or maybe even Paul Freeman’s purpley and gooey Ivan Ooze from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie could fill the spot? Wrong again. For purist fans, this might be blasphemy, but the number one Power Rangers villain came a bit later than all those previously mentioned.
During the show’s sixth season, dubbed Power Rangers in Space, a mysterious new villain was introduced. At first thought to be just another nemesis for the newest iteration of the super-powered team, Melody Perkins’ Astronema proved eventually that she was so much more. While Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa were forces to be reckoned with, Astronema had what no Power Rangers villain showed before: layers. She became a hands-on foe, with ambitions that went past ruining the Rangers’ lives, as she also aimed to take the top spot and dominate the universe. But, as the season progressed, she showed human traits through her backstory and by showing her ability to love as well. Besides, she did all of this while rocking an impeccable style, making her a delight to watch week by week.
Who Is Astronema in ‘Power Rangers in Space’?
Honoring Power Rangers in Space’s first episode title, Astronema basically comes “From Out of Nowhere.” A villain gathering led by Dark Specter – the villain of villains – shows her awing Lord Zedd, Rita Repulsa, and Divatox (Hilary Shepard), the latest foe who had just defeated the team in the Power Rangers Turbo finale. With only her introduction, she puts the other villains to shame, showing how hilariously useless they are. And, since the Rangers are never really over, when the newest iteration soon arises, Astronema is tasked by Dark Specter to hunt down and finish them once and for all. Taking this task to heart, she puts the Rangers through hell, living up to her title as Princess of Evil.
While monsters of the week are part of Astronema’s modus operandi, the occasions she goes the extra mile are still astonishing feats. In one of the greatest franchise crossovers, she brainwashes the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles into going against the Rangers. Astronema is also responsible for executing one of the most ambitious plans to defeat the Rangers: creating the Psycho Rangers. The team is an evil mirror version of the Power Rangers, and wreaks havoc for several episodes of the season, plus an encore during Power Rangers Lost Galaxy. The Psycho Ranger scheme not only torments the Rangers — it’s also a plot in which their existence weakened Dark Specter’s, in an attempt of her taking over the throne. By evaluating her ambitions, Astronema is one of the greatest Power Rangers’ villains. When adding her backstory into the mix, she becomes the best of them.
Why Is Astronema the Best Power Rangers Villain?
Astronema has layers. Halfway through the season, her conflicted persona shows up when she has a brief infatuation with Zhane (Justin Nimmo), the Silver Ranger. For a brief moment, she becomes vulnerable and open to having a connection with someone else. She eventually becomes fixated again on defeating him and the rest of the Rangers, but showing her capacity and willingness to fall in love, starts to show another side of her besides being just a villain. Her looks, particularly her hairstyles, are a reflection of her ever-changing self-discovery. With every new episode, there are high expectations of what wig she will wear. Wavy purple, straight black, messy gray, and a red bob are just some of Astronema’s iconic appearances.
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In addition to being ruthless, ambitious, and layered, Astronema’s backstory is an epic tragedy. A confrontation with Andros (Christopher Khayman Lee), the Red Ranger, reveals her true identity as his long-lost sister Karone. After being kidnapped when she was little, Karone was then brainwashed and turned into Astronema. Fellow villain Ecliptor (Lex Lang) took her under his wing and became her father figure. Even when being a robot, his guidance lets her keep a part of her humanity, and comes into play for the brief time she regains her memory and becomes Karone again. Astronema’s tragedy continues when Dark Specter gets ahold of her, turning her evil once again and (for what appears to be) forever.
Astronema Becomes the Pink Ranger
Astronema’s reign ends on a high but bittersweet note. Just when she’s about to take over Earth and the whole universe, Andros finds the key to saving everything: Zordon, who’s being kept prisoner by Astronema. Smashing Zordon’s tube frees an energy wave throughout the cosmos that ends with all evil. This makes Astronema indirectly responsible for ending the unofficially named “Zordon Era” and thus the entire shift of the status quo in Power Rangers lore. Astronema reverts to Karone again and is saved by this action, but is left repentant and with a need to right her wrongs.
Karone makes her triumphant comeback in the following season, Power Rangers Lost Galaxy, after Pink Ranger Kendrix (Valerie Vernon) dies at the hands of none other than the Pink Psycho Ranger. She takes the mantle of the Pink Ranger and, in the Rangers, finds a new home and family. Ghosts of the past arise when Karone confronts a vision of Astronema, with her learning to let go of her guilt while atoning for her sins during her stint as a Power Ranger.
Astronema’s introduction during one of the Power Rangers’ most critical creative impasses was a breath of fresh air. Her status as a conflicted three-dimensional villain makes her one of the most fully-developed characters in the Power Rangers universe. She is the best Power Rangers villain, and should be recognized as such. Stakes were raised and more mature storylines started to be incorporated into the plot of Power Rangers with Astronema. She marked many things: the transition of eras, the generational shift in target audience, and one of the best seasons the Power Rangers (and their fans) have seen.
Power Rangers in Space is available to stream on Pluto TV.
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