The Power Ranger franchise has always been the favorite superhero series of kids and teens. The original series was Mighty Morphin Power Rangers which was released in 1993. This franchise always had a concept of having five superheroes in the lead, and other superheroes were more powerful and used to appear when these leads were in danger.
From Power Ranger SPD, the franchise started gaining immense popularity. Thus, the franchise hasn’t stopped making more and more series. The Latest Power Ranger series, Power Ranger Dino Fury, is available on Netflix.
All the Rangers used to have their own fan following, and so did The Yellow Ranger. Thuy Trang was the original Yellow Ranger who appeared in 80+ episodes of the first series, which is the whole season. She also appeared in a few episodes of the second series, but she disappeared from the show. Unfortunately, the humble, strong Kung Fu expert Thuy Trang died in 2001. She was just 27, so what happened to the original Yellow Ranger, Thuy Trang? Read On.
Who Was The Original Yellow Ranger, Thuy Trang?
Thuy Trang was a Vietnamese actress who was the original yellow ranger of the original power ranger show – Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. She was playing the lead role of Trini Kwan, a fictional character. The show was an American Superhero television series and the very first series in the power rangers franchise. In 1993, Thuy won her first major role as the Yellow Ranger in the audition against 500 other applicants.
She was too nervous when it was her audition, but gradually she grew more confident, and her skills in martial arts were amazing. The pool of finalists was narrowed, and after many auditions, the board selected Thuy saying that she was incredibly fearless and perfect for becoming the Yellow Ranger.
Every Power Ranger had their own specialties, and Yellow Ranger was a peaceful soul with quick actions. Basically, speed was her best ability. Thuy was always grateful for getting a role as a superhero because she was an Asian, and Westerners never had a good image of an Asian in their head.
She said that her character was very inspiring for the Viewers. She further elaborated that people from the East are not presented in a good way on TV. There are not many roles, especially the lead roles, for Asians. They are either presented as a gangster or hookers, and this is what hurts Asians. It even results in bullying Asians in the West.
Also Read: Top 10 Best Yellow Power Rangers of All Time Ranked
What Happened To The Original Yellow Ranger?
It was September 3, 2001, when the young Vietnamese actress, along with her friend Angela Rockwood, was traveling back at night from San Jose. Angela was about to get married to Dustin Nguyen, and Thuy was to be the bridesmaid. Therefore, they went to San Jose to meet the maid of honor. While getting back, a horrible accident happened, and everything changed. It was definitely a black night for these cheerful girls!
The car swerved hard and hit a rock on the shoulder of the road. It flipped several times, throwing Rockwood out of the car. She survived, but her spine was damaged, and she lost control over her limbs. Thuy Trang was rescued by a helicopter, but she couldn’t make it, and we lost her. Thuy Trang died, and her body was cremated on September 10.
Also Read: Top 10 Best Black Power Rangers Of All Time
More About Kids’ Favourite, Thuy Trang
Thuy Trang was born in 1973 in Saigon, South Vietnam, and unfortunately, died in 2001 in a car crash accident. She was born to a South Vietnamese Army Officer who was then given the heavy task of protecting Saigon. The city had threats from the communist North Vietnamese Army, and when they overpowered Saigon, the Army officers were the first who were in danger. Her father fled to the US and left his family behind in the detention camp by the US.
Later, the family decided to run away from the country too. After this decision, nothing was easy for the family, and they struggled to arrive in the US. In 1980, the family reunited with the officer (Thuy’s father), and they finally settled in California. Thuy Trang learned English and received a black belt in Kung Fu. After that, she tried hard to get into the entertainment industry, she was selected, and she changed her family’s condition.
