Rocky DeSantos

Rocky DeSantos

Series	Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Power Rangers Zeo Power Rangers Turbo
Title(s)	Red Power Ranger Red Ninja Ranger Blue Zeo Ranger
Color(s)	Red (MMPR S2-3)      Blue (Zeo)
First appearance	The Ninja Encounter, Part 1 (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers)
Last appearance	Shift Into Turbo, Part 2 (Power Rangers Turbo)
Status	Retired due to injury
Homeworld	Earth
Zords	Red Dragon Thunderzord, Ape Ninjazord, Red Shogunzord, Zeozord III, Super Zeozord III
Portrayed by	Steve Cardenas (teenager and adult) Michael O.Laskey II (child)

Rocky DeSantos is a fictional character in the Power Rangers universe, played by Steve Cardenas.^[1] In the second season of the television show Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, he joins the team as the second Red Ranger replacing Jason Lee Scott (Austin St. John). He later becomes the Blue Ranger during Power Rangers Zeo and retires before Power Rangers Turbo.

Rocky likes to challenge his mind. He attempted to teach a chemistry class, took a computer science course and a botany class, and likes going to museums.

He enjoys practicing karate, playing volleyball, football, baseball, snowboarding, and other various sports. Rocky also channels his energy by becoming a volunteer lifeguard at Angel Grove Beach.

Character history

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

Rocky first met the Ranger teens when saving a baby along with his friends Adam Park and Aisha Campbell. The three of them lived in Stone Canyon (a fictional city in California) and were visiting Angel Grove to represent Stone Canyon in the Team Ninja Competition. Because of his skill as a martial artist, Rocky became an immediate target of Lord Zedd, and along with Adam and Aisha, ended up kidnapped by Goldar and thrown in the Dimension of Despair, along with their favorite Stone Canyon teacher, Mr. Anderson. Luckily, the Power Rangers came to rescue them just in time, but not before Rocky, Adam, and Aisha discovered the Rangers' identities when Tommy Oliver and Kimberly Hart had to take off Billy Cranston's helmet after Billy fought with the Serpent of Darkness. Rocky, Adam, and Aisha were later taken to the Command Center to meet Zordon and were sworn to secrecy. Rocky (along with Adam and Aisha) eventually moved to Angel Grove permanently.

Rocky was chosen to replace Jason Lee Scott as the Red Power Ranger after Jason and his fellow Rangers Trini Kwan, and Zack Taylor were selected to attend the peace conference in Geneva, Switzerland. Rocky was entrusted with the powers of the Tyrannosaurus Power Coin and the Red Dragon Thunderzord. Unknowingly at the time, his great-great-great-grandfather had already wielded the power of the Red Ranger when Kimberly travelled back in time accidentally. He was the first Red Ranger to not be the leader of his team (as leadership had already been passed on to Tommy in "White Light" before Rocky's arrival)

In Season 3 of MMPR, Rocky went through one of the most disastrous events for a Red Ranger (despite him not being the leader) when the Thunderzords were destroyed by Rito Revolto and his band of monsters, thus also destroying the original Dinozords and damaging the Power Coins beyond use. Rocky later gained new Ninja powers of the Ape, becoming the Red Ninja Ranger. As a Ninja Ranger, he could perform slide-teleportation, the decoy suit trick, and other Ninja powers. Rocky's Ninja power was enhanced strength and the ability to quickly climb up surfaces. Rocky also gained the ability to pilot the Ape Ninjazord, as well as the Red Shogunzord. He was also later granted the power of the Metallic Armor.

The Rangers managed to get the Zeo Crystal, but wanted to make sure that Master Vile could not get it again, so the Rangers split it into five sub-crystals and sent them to different points in history.

Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers

Vile then turned back time using the Orb of Doom, turning the Rangers back into children. The Rangers soon recruited the Aquitian Rangers to fight in their stead. Billy had then created a device which would restore their them to their old selves. He used the Ninja Coins as a power source, testing it on himself. This worked, but it allowed Goldar and Rito to capture the coins and Rita & Zedd destroyed them.

Rocky had to travel to Mexico to recover the Blue Zeo Sub-Crystal. He bravely scaled down an active volcano and retrieved the subcrystal, and thus helped save a village. Rocky assumedly met the younger version of his grandfather, Pablo DeSantos, at this time as well.

Power Rangers Zeo

Rocky as Zeo Ranger III Blue

When Rocky's fragment of the Zeo Crystal was reunited with the four other fragments, he is suited up to as the Zeo Ranger III Blue for Power Rangers Zeo. He piloted the Zeozord III (based on the Sphinx) and the Super Zeozord III. His Zeo Battle Helmet (from Zeozord III) accessed the Zeo Pyramid Power.

During Zeo, Jason returned as the Gold Ranger and became second-in-command, Rocky was left feeling unneeded for a time, even attempting to take on King Mondo himself. In the end, he realized that he was an important member of the team, and would always be needed.

Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie

Accompanied by an unmatched enthusiasm towards everything in life, Rocky threw himself into a spin kick and wound up landing out of the ring on the floor, hurting his back during a practice match (which, despite rumors, did not happen to Cardenas in real life; Cardenas left to focus on his Karate school).^[2] The injury forced him to retire from his Ranger duties. While he recuperated in the hospital, his friends were facing a new danger and Zordon had to recruit a new Ranger. Unable to join the other Power Rangers on their trip to Murianthias, he sent a 12-year-old freshman and friend, Justin Stewart (who had learned of the Rangers' identities by accident), in his place. Rocky never begrudged the fact that he was unable to become the Blue Turbo Ranger.^[3]

Power Rangers Turbo

During the Turbo episode "Shift Into Turbo, Part 2", Rocky was seen still recovering from his back injury, and declined rejoining the Rangers, confident that the powers were in good hands with Justin, and relieved that his era of being a Ranger was over, though he was touched by the fact that he would "always remain a Power Ranger in spirit." Later on he is seen walking into the youth center and someone says "Thanks Rocky".

See also

• Yamato Tribe Prince Geki
• Jason Lee Scott

References