The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers characters are like something out of a fairy tale. They are as kind as they can be to others, they fight against evil, and they seek out their happy endings. That's why the Power Rangers can find a lot in common with characters from beloved animated Disney movies.
With the Rangers being heroes and heroines of their world, it's probably no surprise that they have the most in common with the princes and princesses of Disney's stories. Noble, searching for the truth, and always ready to protect others, the Power Rangers could be Disney royalty.
As the original leader of the Rangers for the series, Jason spends a lot of time getting his team in fighting shape. He works with them at the youth center, helping them learn new skills to use in battle. His sense of duty means he's as much someone who delegates tasks to his team as he enters the fight himself.
Li Shang is duty-bound to his country, but Jason is duty-bound to the entire world. They both feel an enormous amount of pressure to succeed, but also an enormous amount of pressure to make sure their team - or soldiers - succeed as well.
Zack is the fun-loving center of the party as the Black Ranger. He loves to dance so much that he makes it a part of his fighting style. Sometimes, he loses focus on the fight in favor of pursuing a pretty girl as well.
That's not unlike Aladdin who is one of the most likable of Disney princes, but spends most of his story in pursuit of Jasmine. In fact, much like Zack, Aladdin loses sight of himself when he attempts to impress Jasmine with the help of the genie. Zack does the same with Angela. Both characters have a lot to learn in their journeys.
Billy is the brains behind the Power Rangers. As The Blue Ranger, he isn't often at the front of the fight, but at the command center augmenting technology and learning about alien species.
Billy also, eventually, in the sequel series, travels to a whole new world and makes it his home. Billy is as much a scholar as he is an explorer, just like Milo Thatch. Milo has a fascination with new worlds, technology, and history. They lead him to Atlantis in the same way Billy is eventually led to leave the Power Rangers.
Trini is quiet, and someone who always plays by the rules, so some fans might find it strange that the rebellious Moana, who goes against her family's wishes to save them, is her Disney princess counterpart. What Moana and Trini share, however, is a deep respect for their family's history and a desire to see the environment protected.
One of Trini's defining traits in the Power Rangers series is that she is always finding ways to help clean up Angel Grove. She runs beach cleanups, gives talks about recycling, and circulates petitions to get her classmates engaged in environmental concerns. Moana might not be doing exactly the same things, but her chief reason for setting out across the sea is because she sees the plants on her island dying and the number of fish in the water dwindling.
Belle is often seen as one of the smartest Disney princesses thanks to her love of books. Her love for books, however, isn't always about learning, but more of a longing for the adventures she reads about. Belle is smart, but she's also a bit of a romantic who just wants a little more than her small town has to offer.
She and Kimberly actually have a lot in common. Kimberly is a big fan of stories of adventure - especially those involving princesses getting their happy ending. She isn't the first of the teens to jump at the chance to be a Power Ranger, but once she's in the suit, she's all in, and ready to put herself in danger for others. Kimberly only leaves the team to pursue her own dreams of being a gymnast.
When first introduced, Adam is the quiet one in his group of friends. He's content to be a team player without putting himself in the spotlight. Over the course of the series, as well as the Zeo and Turbo seasons, Adam proves himself to be an incredibly hard worker and creative person. He plays just about every sport, coaches kids in soccer, takes creative writing courses, and learns to play the piano. He's a jack of all trades while spending time saving the day.
That's very much in line with Disney prince Eric. Though he could be content to throw balls and hold court, Eric goes out with his subjects on the sea, takes on the threat of the sea witch himself, and even plays an instrument. Like Adam, he follows every pursuit he's interested in instead of sticking to his place on the throne.
Rocky has more in common with the recent princesses of Disney animation than he does the princes. Specifically, Anna of Frozen.
Both characters are incredibly kind, wanting to see the best in everyone around them. They also tend to be very impulsive. While Rocky rushes into battles without thinking, Anna rushes into a relationship with a prince she just met. Both are also extremely loyal to those they care about and want to prove it. While Rocky does that by rushing into battle ahead of his friends, Anna does it by pursuing her sister across a frozen landscape.
A Stone Canyon transplant like Rocky and Adam, Aisha spends her time in Angel Grove with a lot of different pursuits. She's creative: interested in music and fashion. She cares about the people around her: taking on bad guys before becoming a Power Ranger and becoming the fire safety representative for her school.
Like Rapunzel, however, Aisha pursues all of these different things because she's stuck in a place that's too small for her big dreams. Aisha might not have been locked in a tower, but she's definitely limited by what Angel Grove High has to offer. When she sees her chance to explore the world and to help sick animals, she takes it and leaves the team.
Kat doesn't appear to have a wicked stepmother or selfish stepsisters. She does, however, end up in over her head, finds her own version of a handsome prince, and demonstrates a serious work ethic.
Kat is initially under Rita Repulsa's spell when introduced in the series. She doesn't mean to be the bad guy, and her own good heart eventually overpowers the spell. Kat spends a lot of her time trying to make up for the things she did, and that involves working as hard as Cinderella to clean up the community and protect it. She also falls hard for Tommy but doesn't end up with him right away. That's not because of midnight expiration or a glass slipper, but because of them both avoiding their feelings.
"Zero To Hero" might have been Hercules' song, but it does apply to Tommy to a degree. Tommy is certainly a fighter without his Power Ranger abilities, but when he loses his Green Ranger powers, he certainly feels like a zero and drops out of the fight.
Tommy proves time and again in the series, however, that a true hero doesn't need magical abilities, just sheer determination to keep going. No matter how many times his power is depleted, his coin is stolen, or the entire team ends up unable to morph, Tommy encourages them to keep up the fight - just as Hercules perseveres without his godly gifts when he has to.
