Blade Blaster

The Blade Blaster was the personal sidearm of each Mighty Morphin Power Ranger, capable of being used as a pistol or small sword.
First seen	Day of the Dumpster
Last seen	Master Vile And The Metallic Armor, Part III (used) Grid Connection (seen)
Series	Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Power Rangers in Space Power Rangers Wild Force Power Rangers Operation Overdrive Power Rangers Super Megaforce Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel Power Rangers Beast Morphers

Receiving the Blade Blasters

When the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers first morphed following an attack by a platoon of Putty Patrollers, they each received a Blade Blaster in sword mode in their hands. Upon teleporting to the city, each of the Blade Blasters were secured in white holsters located on the left hip of each Ranger. [MMPR1: “Day of the Dumpster“] Fighting against the Skeleton Putties and Bones inside the Time Warp dimension, the Rangers used their Blade Blasters in combat for the first time. Each Blade Blaster took the form of a pistol with a white barrel and red handle. The handle featured the stylised design of a dinosaur, with silver teeth and claws. The barrel of each weapon included a blue strip and the word “Zyuranger” printed on each side.

Blade Blaster modes

The weapon could alternate between various modes. The handle of the pistol could be pivoted 90° to align with the barrel, which itself possessed a top section that could retract to lock the handle in place. This appeared to be the default mode of the Blade Blaster as it was in this mode that it appeared when holstered. Pressing the trigger of the Blade Blaster would cause a small blade to slide out from the bottom side of the barrel, forming a small sword, whilst the hand was protected by the barrel guard. The blade was normally silver with red highlights but in some occasions, appeared as a fully red translucent blade. This sword was strong enough to destroy Bone’s Skeleton Putties. When in pistol mode, the gun could fire red laser beams of questionable strength. While four beams shot at Bones were enough to temporarily knock his skeleton body to pieces [MMPR1: “High Five“], a single shot would reflect off of the Minotaur’s shield harmlessly [MMPR1: “Teamwork“] The Blade Blaster proved to be ineffective against the enhanced protection offered by the Green Ranger’s Dragon Shield. [MMPR1: “Green With Evil, Part V“]

Tower Formation attack

The Rangers could combine the energy from their Blade Blasters to create a stronger attack in the form of the Tower Formation. In this formation, the Pink and Yellow Rangers would stand atop the shoulders of the Blue, Red and Black Rangers. Each holding their Blade Blasters in the default mode, they would aim them together to generate a wave of destructive energy that could be cast towards an enemy. However, this wave of energy could be caught and even reflected back towards the Rangers. [MMPR1: “Happy Birthday, Zack“] The Rangers could direct the Tower Formation attack with a degree of precision. When attempting to recapture the Power Eggs, the Rangers were able to blast the ground beneath Squatt and Baboo, forcing them to throw the casket containing the eggs up in the air without damaging it. [MMPR1: “Big Sisters“] Just like the shields of the Minotaur and Knasty Knight, when curled in its ball form, the Soccadillo monster was unharmed by the Tower Formation attack. [MMPR1: “Second Chance“]

Blade Blaster modifications

The laser beam of the Blade Blaster was strong enough to destroy the Green Ranger’s Sword of Darkness. As the Red Ranger aimed the laser beam at the red jewel in the hilt of the sword, the energy of the beam spread throughout the sword and it was vaporised. [MMPR1: “Green With Evil, Part V“] When trapped in the cocoon of the Silkworm monster, the Red Ranger instructed the others to set the Blade Blasters to low power and shoot through the cocoon. As their laser blasts broke through, the accumulation of energy from each Ranger matched their Ranger color. [MMPR1: “A Star is Born“] At some point in 1994, the functionality of the Blade Blasters was either revised or updated to include new attacks. Not only were the traditionally red laser beams now changed to reflect the respective Ranger color, but the pistols could fire individual energy bolts rather than only single beams. [MMPR2: “Welcome to Venus Island“]

Effectiveness

The Blade Blasters were not invulnerable to outside interference. When facing Lord Zedd’s Magnetbrain monster, the weapons backfired on both the Red and Black Rangers due to the monsters energy funnel. [MMPR2: “Opposites Attract“] While the Blade Blasters were able to easily destroy magically conjured items like Goldar’s manacles and the Serpent of Darkness [MMPR2: “The Ninja Encounter, Part III“], their combined efforts were not enough to release the Sword of Light from the enchanted statue on the Deserted Planet. [MMPR2: “The Power Transfer, Part II“] However, the Weldo monster was able to be destroyed by the Blue Ranger’s blaster alone. [MMPR2: “The Great Bookala Escape“] Additionally, the combined efforts of the Rangers’ Blade Blasters were able to vaporise the morphed Billy replica created by Rita Repulsa [MMPR2: “Blue Ranger Gone Bad“] The combined beams of the five Rangers was enough to piece through the rusted exterior of the Shogun Megazord, allowing them to access the big toe emergency exit. [MMPR3: “Master Vile and the Metallic Armor, Part III“]

Wild West Weapons

When Kimberley actions in 1880 caused Zordon to activate the Power Rangers early, the Blade Blasters of that era were observed to be radically different from those of the 1990s. The pistols maintained the same color scheme and basic design, but appeared to lack any sword modes. The pistols themselves appeared to be based on contemporary (for the era) revolver weapons, with the exception that they could fire energy blasts. The combined efforts of these blasts were enough to knock Goldar and the Needlenose monster back into a time-hole. [MMPR2: “Wild West Rangers, Part II“]

Future of the Blade Blasters

With the Rangers now using the Power of the Zeo Crystal, their Mighty Morphin suits now adorned the rear wall of the Power Chamber, which featured six display cases. Attached to each of the original Rangers was a Blade Blaster, however, it is unclear if these were or replicas. [PRZ: “A Zeo Beginning, Part II”] When Adam morphed with his damaged Mastodon Power Coin, he once again possessed a Blade Blaster. [PRiS: “Always a Chance“] When Jason joined the Forever Red team to stop General Venjix, his morphed form included his Blade Blaster. [PRWF: “Forever Red“] When Sentinel Knight assembled a team of veteran Rangers to support the Overdrive Rangers, he channelled some of his own energy to restore the powers of the Black Mighty Mighty Power Ranger, complete with Blade Blaster. [PROO: “Once a Ranger, Part I”]

Legendary Power

The Super Megaforce Rangers were able to use the Mighty Morphin Ranger Keys to transform into the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, including their Blade Blasters. [PRSM: “Samurai Surprise”] During Prince Vekar’s invasion of Earth, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers returned to join the Legendary Battle and were once again equipped with their Blade Blasters. [PRSM: “Legendary Battle”] Five years after the events of Vekar’s invasion, Rocky DeSantos returned as the Red Mighty Morphin Power Ranger, again carrying his Blade Blaster. [PRSNSt: “Dimensions in Danger”]