One major “What If?” moment created a whole newPower Rangersuniverse within the canon. Before the multiverse became all the rage across pop culture, thePower Rangersfranchise explored the concept in the BOOM! Studios comic series. The jumping off point for that exploration came from a a classic “What If?” scenario:What if Tommy Oliver stayed evil?
The answer to that question creates the World of the Coinless, which readers first catch a glimpse of inMighty Morphin Power Rangers#9 by Kyle Higgins, Hendry Prasetya, Matt Herms, and Ed Dukeshire. After destroyingthe epic Black Dragon Zord, the explosionsends Billy Cranston and Tommy Oliver to an alternate dimension, led by its dictator and Black Dragon’s creator, Lord Drakkon - otherwise known as an evil Tommy from an alternate future timeline.
The proceeding issues and years' worth of spin-offs and follow-ups would expand on the origins of the World of the Coinless, as well as the universe’s continuing lore.
What Caused the World of the Coinless to Form?
Tommy Oliver’s Turn to Evil Splintered a New Universe
Tommy’s introduction to Mighty Morphin Power Rangers saw him become brainwashed into joining Rita Repulsa’s side upon arriving in Angel Grove, becoming her Green Ranger. The conclusion of the “Green with Evil” five-part episode saw the Rangers break Rita’s spell, and a reformed Tommy then joined the team. However, as dictated by classic multiverse theories,every possible decision has its own alternate reality. An alternate retelling of the events is seen inMighty Morphin Power Rangers#12 by Higgins and Prasetya.
Tommy takes full dictatorship over the planet, rebranding himself as Lord Drakkon, the franchise’s best villain.
In the World of the Coinless, once regaining his free will, a confused Tommy flees back to the Moon Palace, where he decides to swear full allegiance to Rita Repulsa. Together,they conquer the world with nations falling at their feet.The beginning of the end comes when Tommy and his army storm the Commander Center, killing Zordon and Red Ranger Jason (though he was later retconned tohave been held prisoner for yearsrather than killed). Upon killing Rita, Tommy takes full dictatorship over the planet, rebranding himself asLord Drakkon, the franchise’s best villain.
Who Are the Coinless in Power Rangers Lore?
The Surviving Ranger Resistance
Drakkon defeats the Rangers while Zordon is in the middle of trying to restructure Jason into the White Ranger, but the process is interrupted. Tommy takes the powers for himself,creating the Lord Drakkon suit he’s known for having. He doesn’t stop there, as he picks the Rangers off one by one, taking their powers and Power Coins and saving their energy to build an army of Sentry henchmen loyal to his cause. Billy dies in the heat of Drakkon’s final assault.
The remaining Rangers and those who resisted Drakkon’s force align tocreate a resistance group called The Coinless. Those still alive include Trini Kwan, Zack Taylor, and Kimberly Ann Hart. Granted, Drakkon neutralizes the former Pink Ranger by using chaos magic he learned from Rita to mind-control Kimberly,turning her into his Ranger Slayerand right-hand woman. Bulk and Skull are also members, with Skull going undercover as one of Drakkon’s Red Sentries.
How Power Rangers Took Bulk & Skull from Joke Villains to Franchise Heroes
Bulk and Skull have come a long way from being the resident bullies of Angel Grove, thanks in large part to the Power Rangers comics that redeem them.
TheCoinless prove instrumental in helping Billy and Tommy get back to their world, then again when Lord Drakkon targets every Ranger in the multiverse. The adult version of Kimberly regains her free will from Drakkon and opts to become her own kind of hero, one who assembles theultimate Power Ranger dream teamas part of the Solar Rangers. When Drakkon is defeated by the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and trapped inside a broken pocket world inside the Morphin Grid, the World of the Coinless goes without its dictator.
The World of the Coinless in a Post-Drakkon World
Drakkon’s Absence and Return
One-shots and miniseries taking place after Drakkon’s defeat in theShattered Gridarc showcase what the Coinless are up to in a Drakkon-less world. TheRanger Slayer#1 one-shot by Ryan Parrott, Dan Mora, Raúl Angulo, and Dukeshire isthe first story to explore this world without Drakkon, as his legion of followers and Sentries continue pushing his order and narrative as they haven’t gotten the news yet that their master is not returning. In his place, one of his key henchwomen -the iconic villain known as Scorpina- asserts herself as the next in charge, reinventing herself as Commander Scorpina.
Unfortunately for everyone involved, evil always lurks around every corner of this franchise.
Scorpina takes over Drakkon’s army, with former Black Ranger Adam Park as her loyal servant. Meanwhile, Kimberly reunites with the resistance just in time to join forces with them to stop a returning Rita Repulsa, brought back to life by awell-meaning, but traitorous, Trini. After receiving help from Scorpina to stop Rita,Scorpina agrees to allow Kimberly to rule over Drakkon’s former empire to mend peace between the people of this world. With Kimberly in charge and having Scorpina and Trini as her right-hand women, it appears as if the World of the Coinless might finally achieve peace.
Unfortunately for everyone involved, evil always lurks around every corner of this franchise. When Drakkon is no longer a problem,the remaining Coinless then must deal with Dark Specter’s lieutenant, Eclipta(a genderbent Ecliptor fromPower Rangers in Space) under Kimberly’s new regime, seen in the three-partDrakkon: New Dawnminiseries by Anthony Burch, Simone Ragazzoni, Angulo, and Dukeshire. They eventually defeat Eclipta and finally free a long-dormant Jason. This also allows the Coinless to temporarily regain their Ranger powerswith dark new armor.
How Does the World of the Coinless Storyline End?
Does It Have a Future in Power Rangers Lore?
Of course, after defeating his lieutenant, Dark Specter does not trail far behind. InPower Rangers Unlimited: The Coinless#1 by Adam Cesare, Moisés Hidalgo, Arthur Hesli, and Dukeshire, an emerging Dark Specter is the next big threat that affects every part of the multiverse. Dark Specter’s influence spreads across this world, growing his zombie army in the process - eveninfecting the Coinless' leader, former Black Ranger Zack Taylor. Then, because timing is never great in the World of the Coinless,Dark Specter’s return also marks the return of Lord Drakkon to this universe.
Looking for more Power Rangers comics in 2024? Check outPower Rangers Prime#1 by Melissa Flores, Michael YG, Fabi Marques, and Ed Dukeshire, available November 13th, 2024 from BOOM! Studios.
Unsurprisingly, Drakkon has enemies, but with bigger things afoot, all his enemies are forced to band together under Drakkon’s leadership. With begrudging assistance from Bulk, Kimberly, Trini, Scorpina, and former Omega Blue Ranger Kiya, they form the Drakkon Rangers using shared power. There isn’t a true resolution to the World of the Coinless, as this storyline splinters off into thefinale of theMighty Morphin Power Rangerscomic series. Ultimately, the World of the Coinless is the perfect example of how thePower Rangersfranchise can spin off into new timelines in ways that are just as compelling as the main canon.
Check out theMighty Morphin Power Rangerscomics from BOOM! Studios, available now in collected editions!
Power Rangers
Power Rangersis a long-running multimedia franchise that debuted in 1993 with the TV seriesMighty Morphin Power Rangers. Created by Haim Saban and adapted from the JapaneseSuper Sentaiseries,Power Rangersbecame a cultural phenomenon by combining action-packed footage fromSuper Sentaiwith new scenes featuring American actors. The franchise follows teams of young heroes who transform into Power Rangers to battle various villains, using martial arts, special powers, and giant mechas called Zords. Over the decades, the franchise has expanded into multiple TV series, films, comics, video games, and merchandise, becoming one of the most successful children’s franchises in the world.
