Zord
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In the universe of the television series Power Rangers, Zords are colossal mechanical or bio-mechanical robotic vehicles. When monsters grow to incredible sizes, the only way the Power Rangers can fight them is by summoning and piloting these robots. Usually this will happen towards the end of every episode.
The Zords are often in the shape of animals - sometimes living creatures, sometimes dinosaurs and sometimes mythical beings. When the individual Zords are inadequate for the task, they can join together into a more powerful, humanoid robot called a Megazord.
Often, one ranger has a Zord that becomes its own Megazord. Examples include the Q-Rex, the Samurai Star 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.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
The Zords used in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers were based on several subjects. They were originally themed after prehistoric creatures, then later after mythical beasts. The final group consisted of Zords based on various ninja-related animals. All of them were created by the sage warrior Ninjor, though this was only revealed in the third season.
Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers
Template:Main In Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers at the end of the third season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, the Alien Rangers of Aquitar brought their own "Zords" to help them battle evil. These Battle Borgs very much resembled the Shogunzords (and may have helped inspire the Shogunzords construction, or vice versa), however rather than being piloted, they were controlled by telepathy. The Battle Borgs, when activated, would copy any movement performed by the Aquitian Rangers.
Power Rangers: Zeo
The Zords used in Power Rangers: Zeo were created and controlled by the Zeo Sub-Crystals and Super Zeo Gems, as well as by the Gold Ranger of Triforia. They were kept in a secret hangar until the need for their use.
Power Rangers: Turbo
The Zords used in Power Rangers: Turbo are a collection of giant cars and trucks built or brought to Earth.
Power Rangers: In Space
The Zords used in Power Rangers: In Space are an assortment of spacecraft. Some were created by the scientists of KO-35, and others were left by Zordon to be found.
Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy
The "Zords" used during Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy were in fact sentient creatures called Galactabeasts.
Power Rangers: Lightspeed Rescue
The Zords used in Power Rangers: Lightspeed Rescue were colossal machines (initially emergency vehicles) constructed by Operation Lightspeed and maintained by Angela Fairweather, then piloted by the Lightspeed Rescue Rangers.
Power Rangers: Time Force
The Zords in Power Rangers: Time Force are highly advanced machines sent from the future that the Time Force Rangers can pilot.
Power Rangers: Wild Force
The Wild Zords from Power Rangers: Wild Force are living creatures of Animaria which share a bond with a Power Ranger. These could be summoned through the use of special orbs and their Crystal Sabers and the Lunar Wolf Ranger's Lunar Cue. Although each Ranger has its own set of orbs, it was not uncommon for them to share these orbs with each other. Should a Wild Zord die, its orb would instantly shatter, and the ranger bearer would lose his/her powers if his/her powers were given by that particular zord.
Each Wild Zord is, in effect, a replaceable part, and many combinations of Megazords could arise from the use of certain parts as the head, arms, and legs. Criticisms of this series often cite that there were too many combinations of zords, and thus it was difficult to ascertain what each Megazord could do.
Power Rangers: Ninja Storm
The Zords of Power Rangers: Ninja Storm, like the similarly-titled Ninja Zords of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, were giant mechanical animals, piloted by the Power Rangers. They were maintained, at least originally, by Cameron Watanabe, and then by his virtual duplicate, Cyber Cam.
Power Rangers: Dino Thunder
The Zords of Power Rangers: Dino Thunder were dinosaur-like robots, created by Thomas Oliver and Anton Mercer during their collaboration. They were mostly maintained by Tommy's friend Hayley.
Power Rangers: SPD
The Zords featured in Power Rangers: SPD were law-enforcement vehicles in use by the Space Patrol Delta and its allies.
Power Rangers: Mystic Force
The Zords used in Power Rangers: Mystic Force are mostly magical entities. The main five Rangers become the Mystic Titans, while the Solar Knight Ranger pilots a six-part train called Solar Streak. Koragg the Knight Wolf also happens to control Catastros, a horse Zord that can combine with himself. Red Mystic Ranger will later on in the series control Steedergon, a Unicorn- like Zord that like Catastros can combine with himself.
Zords used by enemies
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 Time Ranger (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.
List of evil Zords
- 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 Kapri. Destroyed by the Hurricane Megazord, Mighty Mammothzord and lots of Power Spheres.
- Marahzord - Beevil-lookalike Zord piloted by Marah. Destroyed by the Samurai Storm Megazord.
- Shimazuzord - Piloted by Shimazu. Destroyed by the Samurai Thunder Megazord.
- Lothorzord - Piloted by Lothor. Destroyed along with Storm Megazord.
- Replicantzord - Evil clone of Thundersaurus Megazord created by Mesogog. Destroyed by the Thundersaurus Megazord & Mezodon Megazord.
- Zelzord - Zord built and piloted by Zeltrax. Destroyed along with the Thundersaurus Megazord & Mezodon Megazord.
- A-Squad's Megazord - This Zord was used by the SPD A-Squad Rangers when they kidnapped Cruger. Destroyed by the SWAT Megazord. (interestlingly, if you pay attention to the image of the A-Squad Zord assembling, you will see it is actually Broodwing's drill vehicle)
Misconceptions
One of the more comical situations that involves the term Zord is that it is used to call other mecha from various games, movies, and TV shows. The side that gets the worst of it is tokusatsu because a majority of their "ROBO"/"TETSUJIN" have been associated with Power Rangers and the fandom starts hypothesizing what the name of "Zord" will be the following year after watching the current Super Sentai series. Other mecha that have been referred as "ZORDS" include Mechagodzilla (due to it's similarities to Dragonzord), Evangelions, Gundams, even the mechs from the MechWarrior series have been called "Zords" for reasons unknown. While it's possible people mistakenly call various mechs/mecha a "zord" because many aren't familiar with the vast array of mech/mecha types; usually, it is done intentionally. Other issues is the depiction of villains as "ZORDS," the most notable was turning the main Hurricanger villain, Tao Zanto, into Lothor's "zord."
Trivia
- 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.
- In the original "Day of the Dumpster" pilot, the Zords were referred to as "Droids".
- It has been tradition for the primary Megazords to wield swords while the other Zords would have blasters or cannons.