Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

I have made no secret over the years that this is where I think Tommy jumped the shark. He was a great character the first season and half. He had to overcome all the guilt for what he did under Rita's spell. The power loss storyline was epic. It was a rollar coaster ride with him getting them back and losing them for good.

I feel they ruined what would have been the perfect exit Green No More was and brought him back for White Light. And what was worse he suddenly became this perfect character who could do no wrong. And he became the sole focus for the series for the rest of his run. Until perhaps Turbo, but that was only because JDF was leaving the show.

And they couldn't live well enough a lone and had to shoehorn Tommy back into PR with DinoThunder. Thats not even mentioning Forever Red and all the other team ups we had to watch him come back for.

So in short my answer is no! lol

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

I agree that he wasn't the same after MMPR but he was great as White Ranger. In my personal canon none of the other stuff exists anyway. Ninja Steel is even in another universe.

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

Tommy was a great character. I know he couldn't last forever on the series. But it would have been a bad decision not to bring him back as White Ranger. I am glad he stayed as Zeo Red and Turbo Red. And I loved his returns after this. He made DT great.

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

Power Rangers wouldn't be the same without Tommy. He had to come back as White Ranger. And needed to be kept around as long as JDF wanted. Even though the newer seasons aren't always as good, it was great when Tommy came back. I just wish Kimberly came back too.

It also would have been wrong to leave him after Green No More. Since Tommy and Kim were happy and in love. We needed to see more of their relationship.

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

Tommy's always been overrated. But given the history of the show, having Tommy remain as White Ranger...Was the best decision for the series.

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

Tommy had to come back as White Ranger. The endings for Green Candle and Green No More were too sad. White Light gave us a happy ending we needed. It would have been too sad otherwise.

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

From a writing stand point it would have been better to have his character arch end with Green No More. But I can't blame them for wanting to keep Tommy around as White Ranger. The show was so hot, why risk its popularity? Tommy didn't get overfocused on in Zeo, Turbo, and DinoThunder anyway.

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

I don't think Tommy should have been on the show from the beginning. He always was a horrible character. The whole show became about him. If he would have just been an antagonist that was defeated at the end of Green With Evil, maybe it would have been different. But as soon as he joined the team he jumped the shark. The power loss storyline just dragged the show down. And was meaningless since he came back as White Ranger. And this is where things got worst.

He single handly ruined Forever Red, DinoThunder, and all the other episodes he has appeared in. I wouldn't even watch the hyper force where Drakkon showed up.

This is nothing against JDF. If he was on the show as a different character, things would have been different.

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

I don't know how anyone could hate Tommy. Especially with how great he was in his relationship with Kimberly.

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

No, it was ridiculous they changed Kibaranger the way they did. Don't even get me started out season 2 and 3 bastardized the source material.Tommy should have died all the way back in Green Candle, just like Burai. The Zyu 2 footage episodes were a disgrace. Absolultely the worst of American Sentai. At least they never took so many liberties with the Sentai ever again.

I always thought it was dumb how the MMAS Rangers stayed around for more then a season. Same goes true for American Sentai Zeo and Turbo ( at least they changed casts midway through).

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

There was a rumor that Jonathon Tzachor wanted Tommy to die in Jason's arms. It was something that was just talked about and never made any drafts. But its very unclear whether there is any truth to this. I don't see anyway Fox Kids would let Tommy die. The whole thing could be bs anyway.

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

I remember hearing that. But can't say if it was true or not. If it did happen it was more just discussion in the writers room. Since like you said it was never written in any first drafts.

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

Yeah its total hearsay that can't be reported as fact. Its just something interesting that I heard a long time ago. But like I said could be false.

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

Tommy couldn't die. That would have been rediculius. I would have stopped watching the show if that happened. Besides Tommy had a dance to take Kim too. The writers new that romance needed to survive. And it wouldn't have even begun if Tommy didn't actually ask her on a date. lol

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

Didn't you put this up at PRO back in the day? In the backstage pass section?

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

Yeah, it was a bad decision on my part. Since there wasn't enough evidence to really speculate that it was true. Which is why I am being so careful about even mentioning it here. I think I did edit the page to make it more clear it might not be true. I can't remember, anyway the main site was taken down anyway.

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

I could see Tzachor wanting to follow the Sentai closely and do that. But like you said, it could not be true.

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

Yes b,ut that was years later. Tzachor might not of thought that way at the time. And he didn't have the power he would have later anyway. I don't think he would have pushed to have Tommy killed off.

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

Didn't it come out that the idea he wanted to copy Sentai was over stated? It was more about keeping things under budget. He felt using more of the Sentai was more efficient. Not because he wanted to adapt Super Sentai personally.

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

Yeah, that sounds more realistic. Tzachor more likely believed in adapting Sentai for efficiency and not because he had some mad love for Sentai...Like some fans used to accuse him of. The guy is a proffessional after all. Whether you like his work on the show or not. If he really thought that way Space and Galaxy would have been much different.

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

Tzachor was right regardless of his true motives. Power Rangers is at its best when it sticks to Sentai.

I don't believe he pushed for Tommy to die in Green Candle. That just sounds too whack. Tommy losing his powers enough was close enough. They didn't need to literally have Tommy be Burai. Space and Galaxy just gave us the best of both worlds. Since they had original premises that fit and still had Sentai heavy episodes.

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

I think Space and Lost Galaxy were different largely because of Judd Lynn.

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

But at the end of the day Tzachor was his boss and could have vetoed him. You have to give him credit for Space and Galaxy. Not that Lynn doesn't deserve plenty of credit.

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

Yes, as the number 1 pr fan I say it had to happen. The show would have been cancelled otherwise.

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

Not as long as there was more Super Sentai for American Sentai to butcher!

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

Yes Sentai Envy! Your back too! The Snobs can come back!

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

I don't think the show would have been cancelled. But it would have been a mistake to get rid of their leading man so soon. Tommy was important in season 3 too.

Re: Should Tommy have come back as White Ranger?
 

I can't see any other alternative better then bringing back Tommy as White Ranger. It was a no brainer.