All of Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers is dear to our hearts, but there are certain moments that stand out. Moments in which we found ourselves captivated, or even surprised. Moments that made us laugh, or choked us up. Moments that changed the route of Power Rangers, altering our perception of our heroes, their abilities, and their motivations. I have selected ten moments that I felt were the most memorable. The moments that really got to the heart of what the series represents... in my opinion, of course.

Moment #10: Tommy vs. Jason
Episode: Gung Ho!
Zack: "Guys, this is supposed to be a team competition. Team!"

Tommy and Jason were on the mats, engaged in a brisk practice session that kept degrading into a heated duel. Sometimes they were sparring bare-handed. Other times with practice weapons. Their intention was to hone their skills for the upcoming Team Ninja Finals, and the key to success was to tune into the fighting style of the partner. They even tried synchrony drills. However, their collaborative efforts seemed to fizzle on every occasion. Each exercise became a competition, each young man intent to one-up the other. Billy and Zack became frustrated at the continual face-off, and tried their best to keep cohesion. Finally, Trini calmly informed the two that they needed to learn gung ho, or in other words, teamwork. This moment is memorable because it marked one of the very few times in which the Rangers weren't acting like saints. There was genuine animosity, and for a change it wasn't caused by Rita or Zedd's magic. This competition was, in my opinion, just below the surface ever since their first confrontation ended with a tie in "Green With Evil, Part I." Neither young man was satisfied with a tie. Both wanted to know... which was better? It was perfectly natural for Jason and Tommy to explore this question by means of a confrontation. Finally, that spark of competition was quenched when the Green and Red Rangers learned that it didn't matter who could do what. What mattered was what they could do together... and it can't be denied that when they work together, they accomplish far more than either could do alone.

Moment #9: Jason's Vision
Episode: Island of Illusion, Part II
Jason: "No! They're gone! They were depending on me and I let them down!"

"Island of Illusion" was a powerful episode in its entirety, with each Ranger facing what is supposedly their worst fear, and conquering it. Frankly, I was disappointed with the fears selected for some of the Rangers, but when we finally peeked into the psyche of the strong, confident Red Ranger, we caught a glimpse of something memorable. The magic of the island was to bring the greatest fears of the Rangers to life, and in Jason's case, all five of his companions faded away into nothingness. His knees buckled when he concluded that Rita had succeeded in destroying his team. Jason had always been ready to face any danger for his team. However, his confidence and strength masked the burden of leadership. Since he made the decisions, whenever the Rangers fail, it was his fault. The lives of his best friends hung in the balance day to day. In this chilling snapshot, we saw Jason with his barriers down, insecurities exposed. Being the Red Ranger may be thrilling, but there was a great responsibility on his shoulders. After all, he was the one who got the others involved with Zordon in the first place. For an instant, the darker side of leadership was brought to the screen.

Moment #8: Bulk's Lunch
Episode: A Bad Reflection on You
Bulk: "I wonder what Mom made me for detention today?"

Most of the moments I've selected for this list are pivotal, in either the emotional development of the Rangers, or the direction of the series. However, this one was selected simply for the charm in it. In this episode, the Rangers were framed by Rita's look-alikes for sabotaging a drinking fountain. The five upstanding students were punished with detention. The detention room was foreign territory to the Rangers, and in this entire sequence Bulk and Skull emphasized their domination of the empty classroom. After an amusing territorial dispute with Jason over his favorite seat, Bulk placed a small lunchbox on the table, and proceeded to pull out enough food for an army. He even retrieved an enormous napkin, and cheerfully tucked it into his collar. The looks of sheer amazement on the Rangers' faces as they witness this display were priceless. This little "bottomless bag gag" is a refreshing shift from the often predictable humor Bulk and Skull offered in Season One. I mean please... how many desserts can wind up in their faces anyway?

Moment #7: Billy Unmasked
Episode: The Ninja Encounter, Part III
Aisha: "You guys are the Power Rangers? Unbelievable!"

Here's the scenario: the Blue Ranger struggled with a magical snake, which was sent by Lord Zedd to bite the Stone Canyon's champion martial artists Rocky, Adam, and Aisha, and thereby turn them evil. The three teens escaped the cave while the Blue Ranger tried to destroy the creature. Unfortunately, the hero couldn't overpower the venomous creature, as the snake coiled around his neck and slowly choked him. The Pink and White Rangers rushed to the aid of their teammate and destroyed the snake, but the Blue Ranger had difficulty breathing. At a loss for other options, the Pink and White Rangers pulled the helmet off Billy, making it easier for him to gasp for breath. In this momentous instant, the identities of the Power Rangers were compromised. Billy Cranston rose from the mist-shrouded ground, to the astonishment of the three onlookers. This moment is memorable in that the Rangers broke one of Zordon's initial rules. The six original Power Rangers vowed never to use their power for personal gain, never to escalate a battle, and never to reveal their identities. Fortunately, they weren't punished for breaking this rule. Instead, they gained three useful allies, whose eager efforts pulled the Rangers out of more than one bind in the episodes that followed, and even resulted in their being selected to become Power Rangers themselves. This moment was the first step in the transition from Trini, Jason, and Zack to Aisha, Rocky, and Adam. Civilians were put in danger to help out the Rangers. For once, the six teens had someone on their side to back them up.

Moment #6: The White Ranger vs. Lord Zedd
Episode: The Changing of the Zords, Part III
Lord Zedd: "I'm far more powerful than you can ever handle, White Ranger."

Using Billy's handy Portal-Com, Tommy raced blindly into Lord Zedd's magical dimension in order to find the captive Pink Ranger. The stakes had never been higher: if the Rangers didn't surrender to Lord Zedd and pilot the new and awe-inspiring Shogun Zords in his name, Kimberly would die. Of course, I wouldn't think the life of one person is worth the entire planet, but the loyalty of the Power Rangers to one another speaks volumes. The Rangers agreed to Zedd's terms... but of course, they'd never give up without a fight. So Tommy took the chance that the Portal-Com could transport him to where Kimberly was being held. Once in this dimension, he found Kimberly lying unconscious on some contraption that slowly drained her of her life energy. He prepared to free her, but before he could save the damsel in distress, he had to slay the dragon: Lord Zedd himself. While I think the battle itself could have been better, it truly is memorable that for once, the mighty Emperor of Evil went toe-to-toe with a Power Ranger. And frankly, he was quite effective, considering Tommy was all but unbeatable in his White Ranger days. Throughout the confrontation Zedd continued to mock the proud Ranger, tossing aside powerful kicks and firing well-timed bursts of energy to keep the hero on his knees. The only way Tommy was able to defeat Zedd was to break the Z-staff, the focus of Zedd's magical power. In my opinion... he got lucky.

Moment #5: Destruction of the Thunderzords
Episode: The Ninja Quest, Part I and II
Tommy: "It looks like we've lost more than just our zords. We've lost our powers. Completely."

This moment is, in my opinion, the Power Rangers first major defeat. The moment when things really seemed completely hopeless. In one amazing battle, against Rito Revolto no less, the Power Rangers and their mighty Thunderzords were completely outmatched. After sustaining an intense barrage of attacks from Rita and Zedd's forces, the Power Rangers were ejected from the Megazord and Tigerzord, crashing to the grass and automatically unmorphing. Then, after they collected their bearings, they watched in helpless astonishment as their Zords exploded in a shower of sparks and fire. All the teens could do was scream in denial as their powers were destroyed. Although it's true that the Rangers had lost their Zords before, I found this moment to be far more dramatic than when Zedd crippled the Dinozords. Watching the invincible Zords explode, with arms and heads falling from incredible heights to shake the earth with the impact, was more than memorable. After this traumatic loss, the Rangers were stripped bare of all their powers. Their Zords weren't simply frozen, like in "The Mutiny." They were completely and utterly destroyed... beyond salvation. For once, the Rangers were simply outclassed.

Moment #4: March of Evil
Episode: Rangers in Reverse
Lord Zedd: "Without those Power Rangers in the way, this world is ours for the taking!"

Here it is, ladies and gentlemen: the end of Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers... and wow, did it go out with a bang! Well, I consider this episode to be the last true MMPR episode, as it was followed by the Alien Ranger mini-series, immediately followed by Zeo. But, just because this marked the end of an era, isn't the only reason why this particular moment is so memorable. This is also quite symbolic. As the Rangers were transformed into helpless children, Rita, Zedd, Goldar, and Rito do some "morphin" themselves, transforming into gargantuan monsters to Angel Grove. This illustrates what the world is to them without the Power Rangers: a playground. The park is merely a stepping stone, and the tallest trees are nothing but harmless shrubs. Any retaliation humanity could develop would be like bothersome flies to these heavy-hitters. For a few moments, the forces of evil enjoyed a thorough victory. And boy, do they know how to celebrate.

Moment #3: Revelation of the White Ranger
Episode: White Light, Part II
Tommy: "Hey everybody... guess who's back?"

Okay, I wasn't shocked when the identity of the White Ranger was revealed. True, the writers threw us decoys like Richie and Curtis, but they totally gave it away when Tommy vanished from a woodsy retreat early in the episode. Still, while it wasn't jaw-dropping to me, it probably was to younger viewers, and it certainly was a poignant moment. Why? Because the White Ranger is probably the most influential Power Ranger ever. Tommy was at his peak, thriving as the newly-appointed leader. As the Green Ranger, Tommy was the back-up, often called when the Rangers were already outmatched and needed additional firepower. He didn't really fit into the group. As the White Ranger, he was more powerful and confident. He went from being the outsider to the center of the Power Rangers, and as the Rangers changed around him, he changed too. There are conflicting opinions about Tommy's transition to the White Ranger, some saying he suddenly transmogrified from the flawed, self-conscious Green Ranger into the daring White Knight out of the blue. I like to think of Tommy as someone who conquered his feelings of inadequacy. After his leave of absence, Tommy was welcomed back to the Rangers, fully prepared to lead them through their coming challenges. Finally, we stopped feeling sorry for Tommy, and came to appreciate him as the dedicated soul of the team he will always be remembered as.

Moment #2: Jason's Battle
Episode: Green With Evil, Part III
Goldar: "Understand this, you pathetic little human: I can finish you off any time I choose!"

While Moment #2 is another face-off between good and evil, this one is just so incredibly powerful, it pulls way ahead of the Tommy/Zedd one. Jason was completely unprepared as the evil Tommy teleported him from the school to Rita's Dark Dimension. In the mist-shrouded chamber, Jason was forced to confront Goldar... without his powers. Since the beginning there had been some competition between the leader of the Rangers and the evil's champion, but you must admit, Goldar was a lean, mean, fighting machine early in Season One. He even fought the Megazord! So, obviously his inhuman strength and speed outclassed any unmorphed Ranger, as he made quite clear to Jason. Throughout this exciting match, Jason tried to fight Goldar back. But he always ended up with his back on the floor. The look of terror in Jason's eyes, as he crawled along the floor and hid behind the veil of mist, spoke volumes. Jason nearly died in that confrontation. Every trick he had up his sleeve failed. Goldar was just too much for him to handle. He lifted Jason off the ground with one hand, and tossed him around like a rag doll. If the Green Ranger didn't stall Goldar's killing blow, and if Billy didn't manage to rescue Jason right before Tommy dug the Sword of Darkness through Jason's gut, there's no doubt in my mind that would've been the end of the first Red Ranger.

Moment #1: First Kiss
Episode: The Green Candle, Part II
Tommy: "I've been wanting to do that for a long time."
Kimberly: "Me too."

Granted, my adoration of this moment is influenced heavily by the fact that I love Kimberly and Tommy, but I personally don't think you have to be big on this particular couple to appreciate this moment. Kim and Tommy had been flirting for months, since Tommy's introduction as a matter of fact. They traded tons of shy smiles and sidelong glances, thinking they were subtle. Of course, everybody knew they liked each other before they finally got the picture. Remember Jason's near-constant knowing smile? Or Zack's teasing? And of course, it was more than obvious to viewers; we got the strum of the harp to clue us in. With every dash to the door Tommy made, just so he could open the door for her, we smiled. Every time Kim bit her lip to hide a smile, we smiled too. At least, I did. And while it sometimes annoyed me at how long the series took before they finally brought Kim and Tommy together officially, I'm glad the writers waited for a perfect moment. A sunny afternoon, with flowers and a beautiful lake. Both Rangers hurting after a devastating loss. Tommy, alone and depressed. Kimberly, worried sick for her dear friend. That sweet kiss, completely unexpected by yours truly, ended a dark, powerful, and sad episode on a high note. It's such a poignant image, that the kiss was shown on several PR specials, including the fan club video, and Austin St. John's brief History of the Power Rangers (shown with the previously unaired pilot episode). I know one kiss didn't rock the world, or bring villains to their knees. But it did touch the hearts of many Power Rangers fans, and marked the beginning of a relationship that, in my opinion, added depth and complexity to Kim's more shallow character, and brought some sunlight to Tommy's angsty solitude. As a result, they remain two of the most loved Rangers to ever wear the armor in any incarnation.

That's the list! I think I should emphasize the fact that this list is based entirely on my own opinion. I didn't open a poll anywhere, nor did I take advice from others. As a consequence, I'm sure many of you may not agree with the moments that I've selected. My opinions may appear somewhat biased, but even if you don't think these are the most memorable moments, you have to agree that they do stand out.