That Dangerous Game Involving Game-Changing Villains

While watching the first three episodes of Zyuohger and looking how the Deathgalien space mafia plays their deadly game of destroying planets, I thought of writing an article on game-changing villains. So what's with their dangerous game? Let's take a look at the types of game changing villains we'd like to see in Super Sentai. I might be missing something so feel free to comment below.


Replacement generals 

In the earlier Super Sentai, there was one formula used where a general gets destroyed early on then a new general arrives. Super Sentai seasons that used this formula as far as I can remember are Goranger, Gingaman, GoGoV, Hurricanger and Magiranger. This was also used in the earlier Kamen Rider series during the Showa era like the first Kamen Rider and Kamen Rider V3.

So what's the game-changing here? Now I've only seen Gingaman, GoGoV and Magiranger to understand this concept. In Gingaman, notice that Captain Zahab doesn't let the generals take turns but rather chooses to use them until he decides to get rid of them. The Gingamen would have to change their battle plans every time a new Balban field commander comes out to fight them. In GoGoV, Zylpheeza was destroyed mid-season and was replaced by the "they grow up so fast" villain Salamandes who started out as the infant Drop. In Magiranger, the three Infershia generals also had three different strategies such as brute force, deceit or playing a dangerous game with the human world.


Super Sentai villain as the "sixth ranger"

Times come when a villain becomes the "sixth ranger" of the villain factions way before Burai became the first official recurring sixth ranger of Super Sentai. These villains arrive and start changing some strategy though some of them don't really do much. But I can talk about some villains that arrive midseason. You might notice some of them are Salome (Battle Fever J), Bankiri Demon King (Denziman), Amazon Killer (Sun Vulcan), Deathmark (Goggle V), Zenobia (Denziman), Ahames (Changeman), Sir Kaura (Flashman), Dr. Ashura (Liveman), Chevalier (Fiveman, he was goofy but more aggressive though), Lami (Zyuranger), Gurail and later the Nezirangers (Megaranger), Mikoto Nakadai (Abaranger, and yes, he's a sixth ranger villain, literally), Akumaro (Shinkenger), Long (Gekiranger) and Escape (Go-Busters).

Some of these villains have ulterior motives of their own while others didn't. Most of the time these game-changing villains tend to serve the purpose of the organization. Others are in there with their ulterior motives such as taking over the world for themselves. Examples of villains with ulterior motives of their own where Bankiri Demon King, Amazon Killer (though it was to help restore the Vader Clan's glory), Zenobia wanted to overthrow Aton and rule the Earth for herself, Ahames was trying to get her planet restored to its former glory, Mikoto Nakadai was some cruel villain who loves playing with other people's lives and even became the Big Bad for Abaranger for a good portion of the series, Akumaro intended to take over Doukoku's place with the plan to raise Hell on Earth and Long became the final villain of Gekiranger.

Super Sentai villains who are on their own side

Some game-changing villains were neutrally aligned with their own motives. These villains are like Silver, Kiros and Basco who had their own motives. In Bioman, Silver arrives opposing both the Biomen and Gear continuing the concept of the Anti-Bio Particles. Kiros later arrived in Maskman as a deadly bounty hunter (he even destroyed the Shot Bomber the first time he arrived) who offered to defeat the Maskmen so he could have Princess Ial. Basco was after the Greatest Treasure in the Universe while making the Gokaigers suffer miserably with his cruel tactics. These villains had no intention to help either which side ending up in a three-way conflict. They also prove that the enemy of your enemy may also be your enemy.


Replacement Big Bads

Sometimes the Big Bad you see at the beginning doesn't become the Big Bad towards the end of the series. Queen Hedrian was soon replaced by Bankiri Demon King as the Big Bad. In Ohranger, the Big Bad Bacchushund was soon replaced by Bomber the Great and later his force-grown son Kaiser Buldont who became the final villain. Gaoranger's three highnesses Shuten, Ura and Rasetsu replaced each other in succession due to the death of the other. Abaranger had Mikoto taking over the Evorian making more and more of his cruel games against the Abarangers. Goseiger featured replacing the main villain group while the recurring villain Buredoran successfully manipulated them for his own selfish purposes. Long and Buredoran ended up becoming the final Big Bad in their respective series.


They grow up... SO FAST?!

This one also happens with some villains who are force-grown into adult form by some supernatural method. While watching Jetman, I really found it weird that Tran managed to force-grow himself into Emperor Tranza where he managed to force the mighty Radiguet and the others to bow down to him. Prince Buldont was later given his father's remaining energy just so he can become Kaiser Buldont in time. the infant Prince Drop was given an upgrade by his mother Grand Witch Grandienne so he can become Prince Salamandes. Lije was transformed into Lijewel while all along, she was an unborn infant force-grown into a child by the Evorian God Dezumozyrla. These villains who grew up so fast tend to be that deadly when they are first introduced.