INTRO:
Adapted from Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger. Actors are chosen to what I see fits, and the story is original since the Sentai is still airing. Each chapter represents one episode.
SYNOPSIS:
When the Dino Gems were sacrificed by the Dino Rangers many years ago, former ranger Adam Park discovered their remnants and experimented with them in order to squeeze out the last bit of power left inside of them. Once he had figured it out, he created new ranger powers just in case a threat came around. When the evil Cambrian Alliance threatened the earth, he knew it was time to recruit a new team of rangers to defend the planet: the Power Rangers Paleo Strike!
STORY NOTES:
My goal with Paleo Strike is to make a season that is very character-driven, a little deeper than usual, and very progressive. Every character is unique in their own way, and have more of a backstory than most other rangers in the franchise. It will still contain the signature Rangers elements, but it will also contain emotion, a slightly greater focus on the rangers' normal lives, more human villains, and a few much darker elements. I really put my time and heart into this, and I would be okay with constructive criticism to see what I'm doing wrong.
MAIN RANGERS:
Lewis Hamilton (Red Ranger), played by Kyle Kaplan
Lewis is a young man with one goal in life: to make a name for himself. He was always the underdog when growing up, being an outsider who never cared much for socializing with people, which led him to be a frequent victim of bullying in high school. Despite this, he was a very smart kid, although he used his intelligence for his personal reasons rather than strong academic performance, in turn leading people to believe he wasn't as capable as he really was. Lewis was a grad student studying to become a paleontologist before becoming a ranger. He often uses his spare time continuing to expand his knowledge of dinosaurs, which helps out his team members on certain missions. He is 23 years old, making him the second oldest main member of the team.
Although he is a bit of an introvert, Lewis is always willing to accept a challenge when the situation calls for it, as well as interact and negotiate with others, both in and out of his team. He sometimes can come off as cold due to his independence, especially when he first began his tenure as Red Ranger, because he didn't know how to cope with being a hero at first nor interact with his teammates properly. But beneath his independent personality, he proves to be empathetic, brash, dependable, courageous, and a strong leader as he gets to know his fellow rangers better. He also has a sense of humor, and can be very funny at times.
Unlike most other Red Rangers, Lewis is not the hotshot, eye candy, and/or considered superior to the rest of the team. Lewis' character takes a more fleshed out, less shallow, less flat, funnier, more unique approach to the role of the Red Ranger. But I can't give away too much; you'll have to read for yourself.
Chris Granger (Blue Ranger), played by Rick Gonzalez
Although Chris is a man of few words, he is definitely a man with experience. Before he became a ranger, Chris came from a poor family growing up. He lived in a very low-class neighborhood and wasn't very well-educated as a kid. But he was always open and willing to step out of his comfort zone, which in turn lead to him discovering new possibilities for him. When he was called upon to be a ranger, he immediately accepted his role as second-in-command. At age 26, he is the oldest member of the team.
Because of his age and experience, he often serves as the team's key strategist. Despite his many strengths, one of his weaknesses is his over-analysis; he is able to find the negative in just about anything, and rarely steps forward in a situation without closely analyzing whoever he sees is behind it. This sometimes leads to him getting carried away with his plans, leaving his fellow rangers powerless in his strategy. But as a whole, Chris is a confident, suave, personable guy who would do anything for his fellow rangers.
Chris is a different type of character than many other Blue Rangers, partially because he carries the characteristics of a mentor without actually being a mentor. In order to learn more about Chris, stay tuned!
Reese O'Brien (Green Ranger), played by Chase Ellison
Reese is a kid who has always dreamed of being a superhero. Before he became a ranger, he had no idea that they existed, and initially refused to believe the situation he was placed in. Unlike the rest of the rangers save for Valerie, he is not yet an adult and has very little experience in the world. He is 16 years old, making him the youngest member of the team. Reese is a skateboarder and an avid video gamer, and knows quite a bit about technology.
Reese is considered to be the "kid" of the team due to his youth, and constantly feels the need to prove himself to feel like he belongs. He is often blind to see his own immaturity, and often gets in the way of Parker on and off the battlefield (the reason why will be revealed in the story). Despite his youth, Reese is very intellectual and analytical beneath his occasional cockiness and ignorance. Eventually, however, he grows to become a more reasonable and mature person.
Reese goes through development and growth unlike any other Green in the franchise. I think a lot of younger readers will be able to relate to Reese, and he is one of the characters I am most proud of creating.
Parker Chen-Reed (Black Ranger), played by Osric Chau
Parker is a 20-year-old college student who has not quite chosen his path in life yet, exploring different subjects to major in and roads to wander. He was born to an immigrant Chinese-Filipino mother and a Floridian father, but unfortunately, he never met either of them; both of his parents were very young when he was born, and they didn't think they could handle raising a child, so they ended up putting him up for adoption. Until he became a ranger, he didn't know about his real parents, and, feeling betrayed, he eventually tries to track them down and discover their fate. Growing up, Parker felt very isolated despite being a well-liked kid in school, because he never found his life to be interesting, and always felt like he was going nowhere, like something was missing. Parker is a guitar player and singer, and he eventually develops a friendship with Valerie over their common interest.
Parker is tense, protective, and uptight at times, but deep down, he's actually one of the most caring and well-rounded members of the team. Because of his situation with his parents and his various difficulties finding his purpose, he is the most troubled member of the team and has much more on his plate than one can expect from a ranger. He develops a friendship with the younger members of the team overtime.
I didn't go into to much detail about Parker because of how much of a mystery he proves to be. With his troubled past and uncertain future, he is a character that is rarely found in a Black Ranger. I will expand upon him as the story progresses, because Parker is one of the most recent characters I've made.
Valerie Johns (Pink Ranger), played by Carleigh Beverly
Valerie, in some ways, is your every-day 17-year-old girl. She loves to hang out with her girlfriends, has to worry about her schoolwork, gets caught up in drama sometimes, and has a hard time waking up in the morning. She loves music, and plays drums in a metal/hard rock band, though she loves to listen to music as well as play it. While she loves playing in her band, she has always felt really lonely because she doesn't have any friends in her band, and she doesn't know anyone at her school who loves music as much as she does.
Valerie is just as beautiful a person on the inside as she is on the outside, but she has a tough side that she unleashes when she's threatened, annoyed, or in command. She often has a hard time expressing herself, and can get very emotional, lost, and insecure when she isn't able to let her feelings out in her music. After she becomes a ranger, she finds a good friend in Parker, not only due to their both being into music, but because of their similar situations and personalities. She is able to find the positive in most people she meets, no matter how much she may dislike them at times.
Valerie is personally my favorite character that I've created, mainly because I love the actress I picked for her so much. She goes through a lot compared to almost every other female ranger, and I hope the readers will enjoy her emotional, action-packed journey as a Pink Ranger; there is no character I am more proud of than her.
EXTRA NOTES:
Soon, you will all be treated to the first episode of Paleo Strike. 3 parts (or chapters), one part coming every week or so. I'm sorry if my character descriptions were too long, too short, or not good enough, but I really don't want to give anything away.
Also, before you start to rant about how the actors I picked (especially Gonzalez) are "too good" or "not fit" for Power Rangers, allow me to explain why I picked them. I am sick of the Rangers casting formula. I need some variation, and instead of the typical early-twenties-ish model-looking motherfuckers playing the male rangers, I wanted to have some actors who went against that stereotype. Rick Gonzalez is a man who can do whatever, and for some reason I think he'll do good as a ranger. So just go with it, purists.
Anyways, hope you enjoyed this introduction, first part of the "premiere" coming soon!