Evil Zords
From Power Rangers Universe
Several times during the Power Rangers' series, certain villains have piloted Zords of their own or overridingly taken control of the Zords belonging to the Power Rangers themselves. In truth, there is little to differentiate these machines from any other giant robot, however the word 'Zord' summons a feeling that the Rangers are now facing beings in some way like themselves. This motif has been used in many mediums to introduce increased tension and drama.
The first instance of this occurring was during the first season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, in the Green With Evil arc, in which the Rangers first fought the evil Green Ranger and his Dragonzord. In this first instance, the Zord (and the Ranger) was soon turned to the side of good - although the Dragonzord would later be used for evil again, by Goldar and by the clone of the Green Ranger. The same idea was reused at the 'culmination' of the first season of Mighty Morphin, when Goldar piloted the Zord Cyclopsis against the Rangers. Lord Zedd also piloted a Zord called Serpentera, which was hugely powerful but never able to defeat the Rangers due to the fact that it was continually running out of fuel. Serpentera reappeared in the Red Ranger team-up episode, Forever Red.
The idea of "evil Zords" was reused several times in later seasons, for example Power Rangers: Turbo, in which Divatox and her minions pilot several machines called Zords, and Power Rangers: In Space, in which Psycho Yellow takes control of the Mega Voyager while the Rangers are in it.
In Power Rangers: Time Force there are several giant robots that are used by Frax and are not addressed as Zords, although in Mirai Sentai Timeranger (the Sentai Show that Power Rangers: Time Force came from) one of the giant robots was named the G-Zord. This was the first and only time that the Zord term was ever used on a Sentai Program. The G-Zord was adapted into the Dragontron robot when the footage was used on Power Rangers: Time Force.
In Power Rangers: SPD, a large assortment of giant robots are used by the monsters of the series. While not referred to as Zords, these robots are Zord-like in operation.
There is one villain Zord in the US version which wasn't really a giant robot in the Sentai version. The one made-up Zord is the Zord Lothor piloted at the end of Power Rangers: Ninja Storm. This was done in order to use the final battle footage from Ninpu Sentai Hurricanger, the Sentai Series that Ninja Storm is based on, and since Lothor is an American-made Power Ranger villain.
[edit] List of evil Zords
- Cyclopsis - Goldar's War Zord. Destroyed by Ultrazord, twice.
- Serpentera - See Serpentera. Destroyed by Cole and his Wild Force Rider.
- Metallosaurus - A Zord developed by General Havoc. Destroyed by the Rescue Megazord
- Terrorzord - A Zord used by Elgar. Turned into a camel by one of Divatox's monsters by accident.
- Divazords - Three Zords piloted by Divatox, Rygog, and Porto. Destroyed by the Rescue Megazord & Turbo Megazord.
- Dragontron - Remote control robot created by Frax. Destroyed by the Time Force Megazord & the Q-Rex.
- Doomtron - Zord-like robot created and piloted by Frax. Destroyed by Wesley Collins & the Q-Rex
- Zurganezords 1, 2, and 3 - A trio of Zords created and piloted by Zurgane. Zurganezord 2 has a Lightning Mode, while Zurganzord 3 can scan data of the Rangers' Megazords. All destroyed.
- Hyper Zurganezord - Evil Zord created by Zurgane from data collected by Zurganezord 3 on the Storm Megazord. Also has a Power Sphere, the Hyper Sword. Destroyed by the Hurricane Megazord, Mighty Mammothzord and lots of Power Spheres
- Kaprizord - Zord piloted by Marah and Kapri. Destroyed by the Hurricane Megazord, Mighty Mammothzord and lots of Power Spheres.
- Marahzord - Beevil-lookalike Zord piloted by Marah and Kapri. Destroyed by the Samurai Storm Megazord.
- Shimazuzord - Piloted by Shimazu. Destroyed by the Samurai Thunder Megazord.
- Replicantzord - Evil clone of Thundersaurus Megazord created by Mesogog. Destroyed by the Thundersaurus Megazord & Mezodon Megazord.
- Zelzord - Zord built and piloted by Zeltrax and the Triptoids. Destroyed along with the Thundersaurus Megazord & Mezodon Megazord.
- A-Squad's Megazord - This Zord was used by the SPD A-Squad Power Rangers when they kidnapped Cruger. Destroyed by the S.W.A.T. Megazord
- Centaurus Wolf Megazord - This Zord is used by Koragg against the Mystic Rangers. First seen in Whispering Lies. Fusion of Koragg and Catastros
