Power Rangers: Who is Goldar?

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers villains ride a charming line between intimidating and silly. The show aimed martial arts action at children and pre-teens with the perfect blend of punches and punch lines. The heroes are teenagers in absurd outfits, but the antagonists are hilarious cartoon characters who make the giant robots look modest. One of the funniest shouting monsters to face off against the Power Rangers is a golden, talking lion man named Goldar.

Power Rangers‘ unique design philosophy erupted from the 90s blend of Japanese Tokusatsu series and radical American teenagers with attitude. The fact that nothing flows together would make the show challenging to sell today, but it was the appeal of the original series. The American writers often redubbed their Japanese material for even more comedic effect.

Who is Goldar in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers?

Goldar is a central antagonist in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers‘ first three seasons. He first appeared in the first episode, “Day of the Dumpster,” in August 1993. He technically debuted in the 1992 pilot of the same name, which wouldn’t air until May 1999. The pilot dubbed him “Flydar,” but he was addressed as Goldar from then on. Goldar leads Rita Repulsa’s first invasion of Earth. He’s among the antagonists set free from the space dumpster by a pair of astronauts. Zordon realizes he can’t fight Rita alone, prompting him to summon five “overbearing and overemotional humans” to serve as his chosen warriors. The teens square off against a small army of putty patrollers led by the mighty Goldar. Rita uses magic to increase Goldar’s size when the Rangers defeat their henchmen. The Rangers activate their Dinozords, merge them into their Megazord, and force Goldar to retreat. His debut set the tone for most of his future appearances.

Goldar is the fourth most powerful villain in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. He occupies an unusual middle ground above henchmen like the putties but below Rita Repulsa, Zedd, or Master Vile. He is initially a substantial threat, able to beat the Rangers in a fair fight. He wields a flaming golden sword more skillfully than any other villain. He can teleport, shoot fire from his eyes, and damage building-sized robots with unarmed attacks. He pilots a mech called Cyclopsus, the first evil Zord in the franchise. Goldar’s considerable might often forced the Power Rangers to adopt new forms or enhance their abilities, resulting in his defeat. He isn’t a huge personality. Goldar has a frequent collaborator and potential love interest named Scorpina. Though he remained a fixture through the first three seasons, he gradually lost intelligence and impact after the second. Goldar died in a 2020 episode of Power Rangers Beast Morphers. He only appears in flashbacks and side-projects today.

Where else does Goldar appear?

Goldar is iconic enough to appear in several other mediums. He follows the Power Rangers through most adventures, even if he rarely enjoys a central role. He appears prominently in a few Power Rangers games. Power Rangers: Super Legends, released in 2007 for the Nintendo DS and PlayStation 2, depicted Goldar as a substantial early-game boss fight. Zedd orders him to poison Angel Grove’s water supply, prompting the Power Rangers to chase and defeat him. He’s a playable character in the 2019 fighting game Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid. He’s also available in the 2017 mobile game Power Rangers Legacy Wars. Goldar routinely appears in the Boom Studios Power Rangers comics. He becomes a feral zombie in that continuity but dies again after several struggles.

Who played Goldar?

Like many Power Rangers characters, several performers contributed to Goldar. Takashi Sakamoto was the in-suit actor for Goldar’s non-battle sequences, while Kazutoshi Yokoyama provided the physical work in action scenes. Danny Wayne Stallcup and David Wald donned the Goldar suit in American footage. Celebrated voice actor Kerrigan Mahan provided Goldar’s distinctive voice in almost every Power Rangers project. He changed the character’s sound several times to ease the strain it put on his throat. The only iteration not voiced by Mahan came in Power Rangers: Super Legends. Nolan North took on the role in that 2007 title, continuing his apparent quest to appear in every video game ever released.

Goldar is a classic Mighty Morphin Power Rangers villain. He’s been with the series since the beginning, and though the show killed him off recently, he’ll always live on in fans’ hearts. Though his character was never particularly complex, his design, powers, and over-the-top presentation made him an endlessly enjoyable presence in the show’s first three seasons. Goldar still appears in games, comics, and fan art. The golden-winged lion man remains as flawless a design as he was when he first appeared in Super Sentai. Sometimes, all a character needs to succeed is a cool look and a few fun fight scenes.