Bulk and Skull: the True Heroes

L-R: Jason Narvy as Skull and Paul Schrier as Bulk

Who are the heroes of Power Rangers? Most people would say the teenagers who transform into color coded spandex suits and use giant robots to blow up monsters. Sure, that’s the easy answer, but one thing to consider is that Power Rangers was a show targeted at a very young audience. This leaves very little room for subtle characterization. The Power Rangers were identified as the role models. They had to be respectful, well-adjusted, great students. It’s hard to have relatable characters who can improve and grow when your characters have nothing to improve on. Sure, there was the odd flaw like Tommy being forgetful or Kimberly being jealous, but those were usually introduced and overcome within one episode. This is what makes Farkas “Bulk” Bulkmeier and Eugene “Skull” Skullovitch so intriguing. They’re the comic relief, not the role models. This opens up opportunities for them to start with messed up morals and gradually grow as people.

Bulk falls into a cake

Bulk and Skull started out as cookie-cutter bullies. They were always hanging around mocking everyone around them, especially the Power Rangers. The routine was pretty much the same. They would either brag about being the best at everything or just be a nuisance in general. This would lead to them getting their public comeuppance, usually while getting some kind of goop or liquid splashed on their faces. They were just there to provide contrast to the capable, dependable Power Rangers. In the second season, Bulk and Skull set off on a mission to uncover the true identities of the Power Rangers. This did tone down their bullying, but they were motivated by fame and greed, so of course karma continued to punish them with goop on their faces.

Bulk and Skull on the Police Force with Lt. Stone

The biggest shift for Bulk and Skull came in the third season when the duo joined the Angel Grove Junior Police Force. Although they initially joined to meet girls, it was a big change to see these guys clean cut in uniforms. What made the difference was Lt. Jerome Stone, who started out as an overbearing boss who eventually evolved into a father-figure for Bulk and Skull. They still continued to get themselves into wacky predicaments, but we saw a change in their motivations. They wanted to make Lt. Stone proud and I found myself strangely starting to root for these guys. They were so loyal to him that they helped him start his own detective agency. We basically reached a point where Bulk and Skull had their own mini sitcom within Power Rangers.

Bulk and Skull as Monkeys with Lt. Stone

Along the way, even as they matured, there was still plenty of bizarre Bulk and Skull plots. At one point they find Goldar and Rito who had lost their memories, and hired them as servants. It was quite a sight to see Goldar, the first monster to ever grow giant and fight the megazord, wearing a maids outfit being summoned by the village idiots of Angel Grove. If that weren’t weird enough, they actually got turned into monkeys for the first half of Power Rangers Turbo. The funny thing is, their role in the show was basically the same. They continued to get themselves into wacky situations, and they were even looked after by Lt. Stone.

Bulk and Skull with Professor Phenomenus

Bulk and Skull eventually became human again and tried to find their place in the world. They began taking a variety of odd jobs, such as park rangers, road construction workers, and delivery men. Of course, being Bulk and Skull meant they’d find a way to mess it up, but they were trying. Than they ended up working for Professor Phenomenus, a quirky scientist in search of aliens. This was the perfect gig for them, because they found a boss as weird as they were. By now, Bulk and Skull have completely shed their identities as bullies. They didn’t care about mocking anyone or bragging, they were just two wacky best friends doing their own thing.

Bulk and Skull stand up to Astronema

Both in real life and in television, you often find someone’s true character in how they react to stressful situations. In ”Countdown to Destruction”, the epic finale of Power Rangers in Space, it looked like the all hope was lost. The city had been under attack and the Power Rangers were nowhere to be found. People started to think the Power Rangers abandoned them, but Bulk was the first one to come to their defense. Later, when Astronema, the season’s villain, demanded that the citizens turn over the Rangers or be destroyed. Bulk and Skull stepped up and declared themselves to be Power Rangers. They took a stand, joined the fight and led the civilian charge against the villains.

Compare this to how Bulk and Skull were first introduced in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. They were a couple delinquent kids with no moral compass. Over time we watched as they went through different phases of life. They learned, grew, failed, and tried. If you ask me, they are the most compelling characters to watch, and are the true heroes if you look closely.