Zord
From Power Rangers Universe
In the universe of the television series Power Rangers, Zords are colossal mechanical or bio-mechanical robots. When monsters grow to incredible sizes, the only way the Power Rangers can fight them is by summoning and piloting these enormous war machines. Usually this will happen towards the end of every episode.
The Zords come in many different forms. Some take the form of animals, both current, mythical, and extinct. Some of them are humanoid in appearance, such as the Shogunzords and Super Zeo Zords. Others simply look like giant vehicles or other traditional machines (examples include the Turbozords, Time Flyers, and Delta Runners). When the individual Zords are inadequate for the task, they can join together into a more powerful, humanoid robot called a Megazord. Starting with season 2 and the Tigerzord, one ranger can possess a Zord that becomes its own Megazord. Examples include the Q-Rex and the Omegamax Cycle.
Every season of Power Rangers from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers onwards saw a new set of Zords being deployed by the current Power Rangers. Each set is based on the Mecha from the connected Super Sentai series. This change of Zords occurred even before the yearly costume change to match the equivalent Super Sentai series.
Although it is never stated in the series, it is assumed that the Zords are named after Zordon, the first mentor of the Power Rangers. This is seemingly evidenced in the pilot episode, where Zordon was named Zoltar, and the Zords were called "droids."
It's been a tradition for the primary Megazords to wield swords while the rest would have blasters or cannons to fight with.
[edit] Definition
Joe Rovang defines a zord as "a giant fighting machine (a.k.a. colossal assault vehicle) featuring the use of humanoid combination, whether through gestalt technology featuring an aggregate humanoid robot, or the internal manning of a non-combining humanoid robot by a humanoid pilot"
- one of a multi-piece team of similarly-themed giant fighting machines (vehicles, animals, or robots) which combine into a multi-piece giant humanoid robot (see #5) (Dinozords, Thunderzords, Ninjazords, Shogunzords, Zeozords, Super Zeozords, Turbozords, Rescuezords, Mega Vehicles, Galactabeasts, C-Zords, S-Zords, Lightspeed Rescuezords, Rail Rescues, Omegazords, Time Flyers, Wild Zords, Storm Ninjazords, Thunder Ninjazords, Biozords, Delta Runners, S.W.A.T. Flyers, Mystic Titans, Legend Zords, DriveMax Zords, Animal Spirits, Zord Attack Vehicles)
- a giant fighting machine (vehicle, animal, or robot) operated by a special Ranger; also may combine with some or all of the five-piece team from #1 to form an optional advanced robot (Dragonzord, Tigerzord, Falconzord, Mega Winger, Torozord, Max Solarzord, Quantasaurus Rex, Samurai Star Chopper, Omegamax Cycle, Solar Streak, Rescue Runners, Wolf Animal Spirit)
- Carrierzord: a giant fighting machine (vehicle, animal, or robot) capable of transporting five or six Zords (#1 or #'s 1 and 2); shared by a Ranger team; if a vehicle or robot, has a cockpit and limited automation; if an animal, has full automation (Titanus, Tor the Shuttlezord, Pyramidas, Artillatron, Zenith, Super Train, Mammothzord, Brachiozord, Delta Base, Sonic Streaker, Rhino Steel Zord)
- Battlezord: a humanoid giant fighting machine (robot or monster) controlled by a single pilot inside a cockpit; must also be capable of fighting (i.e. must not consistently suffer from lack of power) (Cyclopsis, Battle Borgs, Red Battlezord, Metallasaurus, Terrorzord, Divazords, Torozord, Dragontron, Doomtron, Zurganezords, Hyper Zurganezord, Marahzord, Kaprizord, Shimazuzord, Lothorzord, Zelzord, Broodwing's Giant Robots, A-Squad's Megazord, Catastros, Brightstar, Dragonizer, Various Operation Overdrive robots piloted by Moltor and the Fearcats)
- Megazord (a): a giant humanoid robot gestalt of multiple like Zords (#1) or non-Zord fighting machines (Dino Megazord, Thunder Megazord, Ninja Megazord, Shogun Megazord, Zeo Megazord, Super Zeo Megazord, Turbo Megazord, Rescue Megazord, Mega Voyager, Galaxy Megazord, Centaurus Megazord, Stratoforce Megazord, Lightspeed Megazord, Super Train Megazord, Omega Megazord, Time Force Megazord, Wild Force Megazord, Kongazord, Predazord, Isis Megazord, Animus, Pegasus Megazord, Storm Megazord, Thunder Megazord, Thundersaurus Megazord, Dino Stegazord, Triceramax Megazord, Blizzard Force Megazord, Delta Squad Megazord, S.W.A.T. Megazord, Titan Megazord, Centaurus Wolf Megazord, Manticore Megazord, DriveMax Megazord, DualDrive Megazord, Flash Point Megazord, Jungle Pride Megazord, Jungle Master Megazord, High Octane Megazord, ValveMax Megazord, Mach Megazord, PaleoMax Megazord)
- Megazord (b): a giant humanoid robot gestalt of some or all of a multi-piece team (#1) and all or part of a special Ranger's Zord (#2); name generally contains "Mega<?>zord," where <?> corresponds to the special Ranger's Zord (Dragonzord Battle Mode, Mega Dragonzord, Mega Tigerzord, Ninja Megafalconzord, Shogun Megafalconzord, Zeo Megabattlezord, Winged Mega Voyager, Lightspeed Solarzord, Centaurus Phoenix Megazord, Phoenix Unizord, Wolf Pride Megazord)
- Megazord (c): humanoid robot form of a transforming giant fighting machine or one that doesn't transform; must be piloted or controlled remotely by an independent humanoid; excludes Carrierzords (#3) (Astro Megaship/shuttle/zord, Delta Megaship/zord, Mega Winger, Defender Torozord, Lifeforce Megazord, Transwarp Megazord, Time Shadow, Samurai Star Megazord, Mezodon Megazord, Delta Command Megazord, Omegamax Megazord, Solar Streak Megazord, BattleFleet Megazord, Rhino Warrior Mode)
- Megazord (d): full or partial combination of two to three Megazords (a-c); name often includes references to both Megazords (Rescue Turbo Megazord, Astro Delta Megazord, Shadow Force Megazord, Thunderstorm Megazord, Samurai Storm Megazord, Samurai Thunder Megazord, Hurricane Megazord, Valkasaurus Megazord, Deltamax Megazord, Super DriveMax Megazord, Zenith Megazord, SkyRev Megazord)
- Ultrazord: combination of a Megazord (a, b) (or said Megazord's components) with a Carrierzord (#3) or another Megazord for battle purposes rather than transportation; has greater size and firepower than its components alone (Dino Ultrazord, Thunder Ultrazord, Ninja Ultrazord, Shogun Ultrazord, (Super) Zeo Ultrazord, Thunderstorm Ultrazord, Hurricane Ultrazord DriveMax Ultrazord, Jungle Pride Charge, Jungle Master Stampede, RPM Ultrazord)
- Demizord: Not quite a zord but may be used by a Megazord in a zord-like fashion (Time Jet, Soul Bird, Power Spheres)
