 This article is about a/an source of power in the Power Rangers franchise.
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The Morphing Grid damaged.
TV STORY-Once A Ranger
The universal Morphing Grid is an energy field which gives power to any Power Ranger, even if they are an alien, a little kid or an adult. It was first mentioned by Zordon, then assumed and proven in Once A Ranger that it gives power to every generation of Rangers, and each team of Rangers has a specific link to the Morphing Grid. When a Ranger morphs, they use their morpher to create an entryway, and pass through the Grid to gain their powers. Once a Ranger morphs, the powers that came with the morpher are instantaneously entered into their cellular make-up. TV STORY-Welcome to the Jungle
Nature
In Season 2 of MMPR, it was mentioned by Lord Zedd that the Grid is maintained by a balance between the major forces of good and evil, i.e. in that time period, Zordon and Lord Zedd. The Morphing Grid is mentioned and plays a major role again in Power Rangers Dino Thunder and Power Rangers Operation Overdrive.
In Power Rangers RPM, Doctor K explains that she discovered a Bio-Field of energy from which she was able to draw power for the RPM Ranger Series Operators and their subsequent weapons, morphers and Zords. Though it is never identified as such in the series, it is implied and assumed by many fans that what she calls the Bio Field is meant to be the Morphing Grid.
Physical form
The Grid's physical form was only shown once in the Dino Thunder wrap-up special leading into Power Rangers S.P.D., and it was a large boulder with a gem on top. This form functions like an absorbing device, allowing Rangers to add their memories to the Morphing Grid, in this form it also functions like a crystal ball, allowing Rangers a small glimpse of future Rangers and their battles. Once a Ranger's memories have been added to the grid, it will go into a stand-by mode so only future Rangers can insert their memories. However, certain objects can suppress memories, such as the Rock of Time in Rangers Back in Time.
Abilities and limitations
Morphing, Zords and life force connections
The Morphing Grid can only contain one bearer each of a certain power, meaning that two of the same Rangers cannot coexist very long, and when two Rangers of the same color and power type exist, that means one of them will have to go. This is shown in the Dino Thunder episode Strange Relations where the Grid suffers an imbalance from the existence of both Trent Fernandez-Mercer and his evil clone. This was also mentioned back in Wild West Rangers when Zordon forbade the use of the second Pink Pterodactyl Power Coin, stating "Too much pink energy is dangerous." Oddly enough, the Grid does not seem to fluctuate power erratically between users when Lauren Shiba is introduced as the true Red Samurai Ranger; this may have been due to the fact that Lauren used an older model of Samuraizer in comparison to the newer ones the rest of the Samurai Rangers, including her brother Jayden, had used at the time. In Power Rangers Super Megaforce, Gosei warns the Rangers that using the Legendary Ranger Keys for an extended period and in general would challenge their strength each time they unlocked new powers, and that it would be dangerous. Indeed, a well-placed shot during their first battle forces the team to return back from their Mystic Force Ranger forms, prompting them to do constant switches from then on.
Much of the grid is unknown or not explained in the series. Zordon has mentioned twice that the destruction of the Rangers's Zords would also mean the destruction of their powers, as it happened with the Thunderzords. This is most likely true only for teams such as the original Power Rangers, however, as many subsequent generations have lost their Zords and their powers remained intact, although in some cases this was only temporary.
When Lord Zedd first attempted to destroy the Zords in The Mutiny the Rangers did not lose their powers due to the loss of the Dinozords because Alpha 5 rescued whatever he could to create the Thunderzords (it is assumed that what remained of the original Dinozords were used to create new Zords since they are components of the Thunderzords).
With some Ranger teams, the source of their powers may somehow be tied to their well-being through the Grid, and if their energies are spread too far and too thin, the resulting consequences can be dangerous. Accordingly, when Kimberly Ann Hart had her Pink Ninja Crane Power Coin stolen by Katherine Hillard, who was under the control of Rita Repulsa, she began to weaken and her life-force slowly faded away, especially when exerting herself in battle and during gymnastics training, the latter of which landed her in the hospital; this was possibly amplified by the fact that her energy had been drained before when she was captured by Katherine and a group of Tenga Warriors after being lured into a trap, and both it and the technology of the Ninja Falconzord were also used to simultaneously tap into and drain Ninjor's powers to create and energize the Blue Globbor monster.
It should also be noted that Alpha 6 tells Adam Park in his guest appearance on Power Rangers in Space that his use of a damaged morpher (also mentioning that the Power Coins were destroyed, but it is assumed only the power, not the actual coins themselves were since Adam still had his) might kill him, and during the episode Adam starts to lose his powers after he morphs, which takes a physical toll on his body. In Dino Thunder, Tommy Oliver mentions that the only way to sever the Dino Gems' bonds with their hosts is to destroy the said hosts.
Earlier, in Power Rangers Ninja Storm, when the original Ninja Rangers faced Madtropolis, who drained the powers from their Wind Morphers and Thunder Morphers, they were left feeling weak and tired without their ninja energies until Cameron Watanabe helped restore them; later, when Motodrone seemingly siphoned off Hunter Bradley's Crimson Ranger energy, he was unable to move or even get up whatsoever, although Cam revealed that only an imprint of Hunter's powers had been drained. When Lothor used Cam's Samurai Amulet to steal their powers permanently, only the Wind Rangers' inner ninja civilian powers remained, which they subsequently used to seal Lothor away in the Abyss of Evil; although their Power Disks only had enough energy left for one last battle by the time of Thunder Storm.
In Super Megaforce, it is currently unknown how Gosei managed to link the Legendary Ranger Keys to the Morphing Grid to allow the Mega Rangers to transform into past Power Rangers. It is also unknown how past Rangers who lost their powers or had them destroyed were able to regain them for the events of Legendary Battle.
Matter manipulation
The Grid also has the power to manipulate matter, both organic and non-organic; in The Wedding, Alpha tapped into the Grid to produce flowers outside the Command Center and clothes for Bulk and Skull when the then-evil Alpha teleported them into the Australian outback to torture them. In Alpha's Magical Christmas, Alpha again taps into the Grid, this time to create some Christmas decorations, toys and Christmas gifts.
History
In Dino Thunder, it was revealed that Tommy Oliver found the Grid's physical form and used it to create the Ranger Archives with information of every generation of Power Rangers leading up to that point in time.
In the Operation Overdrive team-up episode Once A Ranger, the Grid was damaged by the combined powers of Thrax, Flurious, Moltor, Miratrix, Kamdor, Mig and Benglo. The Grid itself was shown to have massive electrical surges firing off inside. When Sentinel Knight restored the Retro Rangers' powers, it was shown that the only part of the grid that had been damaged was the section that connected to the Overdrive Rangers. Andrew Hartford managed to reinforce the Grid to prevent further damage, but it had to be repaired from the inside, which Alpha 6 did.
The Grid is also presumably where Noah Carver acquired the Legendary Ranger Database from, which would prove invaluable in the fight against the Armada.
The upcoming series Beast Morphers, will introduce a mysterious substance, known as "Morph-X", that has ties to the Grid, as well as an evil, sentient computer virus, as the main villain, that wishes to take over the Grid itself.