Karone

Infobox Power Rangers
Color = #FF6699
Series =
Series2 =
Name = Karone


First appearance = From Out of Nowhere
Last appearance = Journey's End, Part 3
Status = Retired as a Power Ranger
Affiliation = United Alliance of Evil; Galaxy Rangers; Andros
Homeworld = KO-35
Weapons = Trans Morpher
Quasar Saber
Transdagger
Quasar Launcher
Orion Power-Up Mode
Zords = Pink Wildcat Galactabeast/zord
Title = Princess of Evil; Purple Space Ranger (briefly);Pink Galaxy Ranger
Fate = Turned back into Karone (only Astronema)
Portrayed by = Melody Perkins

Karone, also known as Astronema, is a fictional character from the Power Rangers universe, first appearing in the television series "Power Rangers in Space". She is known to be the only character in the Power Rangers universe to "evolve" from being the Power Rangers' archnemesis ("Power Rangers in Space") to a Power Ranger (Pink Ranger) herself ("").

Fictional history

In Power Rangers in Space

Karone was born on the planet KO-35, and is also the twin sister of Andros, the Red Space Ranger. Along with Andros, she had dreamed of being a Power Ranger. However, she was unable to realize her dream when she was kidnapped as a child by the evil bounty hunter, Darkonda while she and Andros were practicing telekinesis. Darkonda took her to be raised by Ecliptor to be evil, and she was named Astronema.

As Astronema

Astronema was left in the care of Ecliptor, who became a fatherly figure to her and trained her to be an evil warrior. The memories of being Karone faded away. When she's Astronema she uses a lot of wigs. Ecliptor had told her lies of the Power Rangers destroying her parents and her brother. After years of training and competing against other evil warriors, Astronema was later tutored in the dark arts of magic. She was awarded the Wrath Staff, which she uses to manipulate others and battle her opponents. With Dark Specter's help, she gained the space station, the Dark Fortress, and an army of robotic soldiers called Quantrons. During her time attempted to defeat the Power Rangers, Astronema was shown be extremely ruthless, but also had a comical side her (such as her complaining about having to wait for things to happen even if the wait was short). Astronema is known to change her hairstyle and color at will (which was never acknowledged by any character). She wore her locket that had the same pictures of her and Andros as children; however, she refused to acknowledge that she and Andros were siblings until later. It is possible that she knew, as she would viciously assault anyone who touched the locket.

As Astronema roamed the universe, conquering and destroying all those who would not serve her or Dark Specter, she would destroy them or turn them into his slaves. She met a warrior that carried the Armor Keys, magical talismans that would grant him great armor. To prevent the warrior from using the keys, she turned him into a stone figure.

Astronema shows a soft side during a plot when she becomes romantically involved with Zhane, the Silver Space Ranger. This "star-cross" occurred as a result of Zhane's deep conditioning of compassion, which influenced him to heal her when she had not died of a wound inflicted in battle. Grateful to him, Astronema engaged in a mutual courtship for several weeks. However, their relationship ended when Ecliptor sent a monster called Horror Bull to destroy the Power Rangers, distracting Zhane from his meeting with Astronema. Disappointed, Astronema shot Zhane with an energy bolt, destroying his gift of flowers, and turned her back on him.

When Andros discovered Astronema's true identity, he did everything in his powers to reform her. He very nearly succeeded, even making her an honorary Power Ranger, and based on upon her clothing, she was to be the first purple ranger. However, she was captured by Ecliptor, who was brainwashed, and was condemned to the same fate as he. Her emotions were removed by cybernetic implants that later controlled her. During this time she was depicted as completely evil, but also maintained a calm persona, even when punishing her minions. However, the implants resulted her also gaining a desire to overthrow Dark Specter himself (though she kept this a secret from him and pretended to loyal). Her plan for this consisted of sending out the Psycho Rangers, whose battles with the Power Rangers would drain Dark Specter's power until he died. Astronema's desire to make sure that they completely drained Dark Specter caused her to sometimes pull out the Psychos during a battle, even when they were on verge of killing the Power Rangers. Eventually the Psycho Rangers were all killed by the Power Rangers, putting an end to her plan. Despite that, the tide her battle against the rangers started to turn in her favor when a powered Elicptor destroy the Delta Megazord, and when the MegaVoyager was destroyed stopping a monster she sent out called Tankenstein. After the MegaVoyager's destruction Dark Specter ordered an all attack by all of the villains under her command on the whole universe with Astronema controlling the attack. In the final battle in "Countdown to Destruction," she battled Andros and appeared to be killed when he deflected an energy blast back at her. After Andros destroyed the energy tube of Zordon, it released a wave of purifying energy that eradicated all evil but left Astronema's body unchanged. Leaning over her, Andros cried, and two tears ran off his nose and landed on her cheek. These removed Astronema's programming, reverting her back to Karone. Restored, she returned to Earth with Andros and the other Rangers.

In

Some time later in the Lost Galaxy series, Karone, disguised once again as Astronema, was present on the planet Onyx when the Pink Quasar Saber was on auction. The Quasar Saber had previously been lost when its previous owner, Kendrix Morgan, was killed. Despite Trakeena revealing her real identity, Karone stole the Quasar Saber and sought to return it to the space colony Terra Venture, where the Galaxy Power Rangers were stationed. When Karone quickly lost a battle with Trakeena over the Quasar Saber, taking many hits to her stomach, leaving her disoriented, Trakeena pushed her off the cliff they were fighting on to her apparent death, but then the spirit of Kendrix appeared to her and saved her. Kendrix passed on her Galaxy Morpher, allowing Karone to become the new Pink Galaxy Ranger. Karone then turned the tables on Trakeena, forcing her to relinquish the Quasar Saber. Karone had finally achieved her dream of becoming a Power Ranger.

Karone also helped free the warrior that she turned to stone previously as Astronema, who passed his powers on to the Red Ranger, Leo. Karone later battled a manifestation of Astronema, who nearly killed Leo in the process.

Karone remained the Pink Ranger until Terra Venture crashed on Mirinoi. She returned the Pink Quasar Saber to its altar, which resurrected Kendrix, and passed the inheritance of the powers back to her.