Dino Thunder was a near flashback to the old MMPR days, same chemistry, high school students, normal lives. Plus
the return of one of the best-loved rangers ever.
Dino Thunder begins with three high school students, Kira, Conner and Ethan, who are in trouble, and get detention.
Their new science teacher, Dr. Tommy Oliver, is given responsibility for them and takes them to a museum instead. So begins
the time of their lives.
Through circumstance and curiosity, they come across Tommy's underground headquarters, and the dino gems. Tommy isn't
happy with them, but the gems choose them and they become the rangers under his guidance. A few episodes later, Tommy himself
joins the team.
Their enemy, Mesogog, turns out to be Anton Mercer, an old aquaintance of Tommy's, mutated by an experimental drug.
One of his generals, Zeltrax, turns out to be Tommy's friend Smitty. Along with Elsa, who is disguised as the principal, they
are a big threat to the earth and the rangers.
A while later, an evil white ranger comes to battle them, and a newcomer comes to Reefside, Trent Fernandez. It doesn't
take long to find the connection. The storyline that follows is intense, but takes up the greater part of the series.
Betrayal, friendships, and attractions circulate and change, as the rangers try to decide what to do about the white
ranger. After betraying their trust over and over, they have enough and say no more. Which breaks Kira's heart, as she likes
Trent and knows it isn't really him.
But eventually Trent does join the team, and after some major conflicts the group of five gets along fairly well.
The finale shows them to be happy at the Prom, everything solved and the earth at peace again.