Mack Hartford

 

Mackenzie "Mack" Hartford is the main protagonist of Power Rangers: Operation Overdrive. He is the Red Overdrive Ranger and the son of Andrew Hartford. He initially started his existence as an android, until being turned into a human by the Corona Aurora.

 

Early Life

 

A man named Andrew Hartford wanted a son and, due to his work, was never able to meet the right woman. He then built an android and named him Mack. Mack was programmed with memories of his father's own childhood, so he could live as a normal teenager. Andrew and his butler, Spencer, then photoshopped old photographs to include pictures of Mack when he was a "child." Mack continued his existence not knowing of his true origins. Outgoing and enthusiastic, he was sheltered by his father and had the desire to prove himself. Mack is heavily into adventure novels and other escapist fantasies. He was the only Ranger not deliberately recruited, being involved in Operation Overdrive by accident and against his father's initial wishes.

 

Kick Into Overdrive

 

Two years after his activation his father had found the Corona Aurora, and it had released Moltor and Flurious from their imprisonment. The Sentinel Knight then appeared to Andrew Hartford to convince him it was now his responsibility to protect the crown and its jewels from evil. Andrew then went to work building the Overdrive Rangers' powers, zords, and weapons.

 

Andrew then recruited Will Aston, Dax Lo, Ronny Robinson, and Rose Ortiz to be Power Rangers, as it was his intention to become the Red Ranger. After convincing that group to become Rangers, he altered their DNA to have genetic powers. As Mr. Hartford was about to get his enhancement, Mack walked in, interrupting the procedure. This caused an impromptu meeting between Mack and Andrew. Moltor's Lava Lizards then came to the Hartford estate, causing the Rangers to have to take off. Andrew gave the Rangers their morphers, and had them go ahead. Andrew was about to morph, but was captured by some Lava Lizards, causing his morpher to break free. Mack picked up the morpher and morphed into the Red Overdrive Ranger. He led the other Rangers to a victory over the Chillers and Lava Lizards. He showed bravery and quick tactical thinking in his first battle and was quickly accepted and trusted as leader by the other Rangers.

 

After returning to base, Moltor captured Mr. Hartford and the Corona Aurora. Mack led the other Rangers to Moltor's lair and saved him, but couldn't get the crown. After defeating one of Moltor's giant monsters, Andrew gave his blessing to Mack to become the Red Ranger. He was given a suit and what was assumed to be a genetic power - super strength.

 

Mack was finally revealed to be an android when he was affected by the same computer virus created by Kamdor's monster that infected the BattleFleet Zords and the base's computers and he awoke to find his head not attached to his body. He was shaken by the revelation to the extent of not thinking he was needed in battle, and Spencer had to snap him out of it by reminding him that, despite his origins and the identity crisis, he was loved. The other Rangers showed support when they found out - as Tyzonn stated, they'd accepted him and he was an alien - but Mack seemed unwilling to forgive his father for keeping it a secret, refusing to talk with him.

 

In "Way Back When", the other Rangers plug Mack in the main computer to see his memories, so they could find more info about the Jewels of the Corona Aurora.

 

In the final episode "Crown and Punishment", Mack realized his father cared for him when Flurious threatened to destroy Mack for the jewels, causing Andrew to trade the jewels for Mack. After this, Mack began calling him "Dad" again. Mack uses up all his power in the final battle with Flurious to destroy the villain, but unfortunately, depleting his own power and causing severe internal damage. The other Overdrive Rangers rushed him back to Andrew, who sadly informed the Rangers that the damage to Mack's systems was too severe to be repaired, and while another android could be built - that android, while it would look like Mack, would not be the Mack they knew.

 

Moments later, the Sentinel Knight arrived to offer his congratulations, and was perplexed by the Rangers' reactions; using the power of the Corona Aurora (placed upon Mack's head) to not only revive Mack, but to turn him into an actual human being. With Operation Overdrive succeeding in its mission to find the Jewels of the Corona Aurora, and the other Rangers leaving to return to their pre-Ranger lives, Mack is living his fondest wish, and is currently travelling on adventures with his father overseas.