Ryan Steele is the son of Tyler Steele. Ryan learns the nature of his father's mysterious disappearance when he, Kaitlin Star and J.B. Reese are all recruited by Professor Hart to become V.R. Troopers. Ryan's responsibilities sometimes take a backseat to an obsession with finding his father. Ryan is the principal character of the series, directly linked through blood to the unfolding agenda of Grimlord who uses Tyler in areas to increase his evil hold on virtual reality, and to continue his war against the Troopers to conquer their universe. Most episodes begin and ends with Ryan reflecting on his father's teachings at a Buddhist Temple where Tyler trained young Ryan in martial arts and in other lessons in life. Ryan's obsessive quest to locate his dad is mellowed by a desire not to see his friends, or their world, suffer. Ryan remains hopeful of ultimately reuniting with Tyler.
Ryan's old VR armor
Such indeed occurred in the series' first season, but only briefly. Ryan discovered that Dark Heart, one of Grimlord's deadliest cyborg-warriors, was actually Tyler...whose mind had been wiped, as in the case of Darth Vader in Star Wars. Ryan freed his father (who became human again), but Tyler was recaptured by Grimlord.
Ryan's new VR armor
Ryan's virtual reality powers in the first season include the Laser Fist Command, Lightning Hand Command (his patented finisher), and Internal Gyro Command. His VR vehicles-arsenal includes a "Turbo Cycle." Whenever a "Battle Grid" emergency arises, Ryan and his fellow Troopers employ alternate costumes to fight invading Skugs. His signature color is blue.
Ryan's outfit for Battle Grid
Despite being a team player, Ryan typically fights his VR battles alone; due to the differing Japanese series used to create V.R. Troopers, Ryan's Japanese counterpart was only one warrior against a mutant army. In the "linking" U.S. footage, Ryan's joint battles (alongside his fellow Troopers) are limited to the Battle Grid and the Skybase cockpit. As footage of one loner Metal Hero series, Choujinki Metalder ran out, Saban Entertainment replaced it with another: Uchuu Keiji Shaider. In the five-part story "Quest For Power", Ryan's powers are depleted after rescuing his father and the other two Troopers from Grimlord's cavernous dungeon in reality. Ryan is then given new armor, powers, vehicles (including the Drill Tank, Blue Hawk, and Nitro Cycle) and weapons (including a laser pistol and his new finisher, the Laser Saber, which, like JB's Laser Lance, only functioned as a regular sword in combat). He would also use a Shoulder Cannon similar to JB's Technobazooka (always used on Grimlord's air forces, never on any monsters). His reunion with Tyler would be brief, as Tyler branched out globally to find a way of destroying Grimlord. Ryan was charged with "holding the fort" until his father returned, which happened in the Christmas episode "Santa's Secret Trooper".
As the leader of the VR Troopers, Ryan was the only character to have two different uniforms...since there was not enough stock footage of his Red/Blue uniform for the second season.
We Are VR Troopers![]
Ryan was one of the main guys for the Virtual Reality War; his main Mutant sidekick is Razor Kidd, the quarterback of the Screaming Evils who has been recruited by the General for his special team in the War Slammers. Ryan had been extra wary of the Mutants' welfare, even when they investigated Asteroid 66 in search of the Turbo Techies and/or the war effort. Even when he found out that Tyler has returned to Cross World City to design Chita's new armor, even training her in the Battle Grid. He has missed out Tyler's confession on how Razor Kidd and the General discovered Grimlord's true identity. Though he grew extra anxious, and vengeful, after Prof. Hart and his lab were destroyed by Col. Icebot and Gen. Ivar. So much so that after seeing them in ruins, he hurriedly transformed and wound up in the Virtual Cave again, only this time Razor Kidd was there to assist him, even minimalizing his sapping of his Virtual powers. After they destroyed Tran Shooter, he offered Kidd to pilot his Blue Hawk to which he was ecstatic for. Thanks to them, they saved Kaitlin, JB, Blood Clot and Snake from the devastating Sky Castle and took the fight directly onto Grimlord's foot soldiers.
He struggled with the Vixens, though Snake and her undead cohorts came to his aide; Snake saying he has done enough, especially convincing Kaitlin's double on working for Grimlord. While she stormed to Despera, he witnessed the double's sacrifice, and soon took the fight to Grimlord directly. Only to find his dad captured! He took on the fight, only to have himself be hypnotized by the same white silk Amphibador used on him, in order to warp his circuits and kill his father after abandoning him for a decade! Luckily, his memories brought him out of it, only to be at Grimlord's mercy! By the time the Pyramid of Empowerment was assimilated by Galileo, it fired, disabling the shields and revealed as Karl Ziktor!! Kidd shot thru and fired him dead, and Ryan fell out while the Dark Fortress was collapsing! He was rendered unconscious then Kidd carried him to a rip in the Reality barrier. Only to wind up outside another Buddhist temple.
He was taken in by a female named Ling Yu who nursed him back to health. About a week later, they began to fall for each other, although Ryan admitted begrudgingly. According to Clot it was the Florence Nightingale Effect, and the General pointed out he must fight the demons that were inherited by Tyler, including his PTSD from Grimlord! He was successful, even accepted his old VR armor as himself. They went back to Tao's Dojo and he reunited with his friends, even Kaitlin and JB accepted Ryan's relationship with Ling. Tyler advised him he had the same feelings with his mom, and he must use his heart to guide him and never ignore his feelings.
The story begins and ends with Tyler's last and most promising lesson, humanity. Soon, he was the team captain of the special team and helped the General win the Mayhem Bowl! 15 years later, he reunited with Chita and caught up on lost time: Jeb passed after 13 years hence he got one of his puppies named Jeb Jr., after a year meeting Ling he married her and bared 2 kids, Taylor and Suri! When Chita moved to Hill Valley he kept her VR equipment as memos till she returned. After Tao's untimely passing, his brother took over the business, and Ryan and Tyler became the new owners advancing the Dojo and allowing all kinds of martial arts! Several months later, Ryan enlisted his own son as a future VR Trooper along with Chita as a mentor, Katie and Jerome!!
Trivia[]
- Ryan was originally going to appear as a Power Ranger twice, one in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers as the White Ranger and in Power Rangers Zeo as the Gold Ranger.
- Even after losing his original VR powers and gaining his second set, Ryan's battle grid uniform didn't change from its original two-toned appearance, and his Video Transmitter colors also matched the two-toned appearance from both the battle grid and original armor.
- Ryan has been a huge part of Ikran's life and obsession during her childhood! Even being her first crush. And since she loves the Aliens so much in Mutant League Football, they were enlisted as Ryan's partners, mainly Razor Kidd, the quarterback of the Screaming Evils.
- Ryan dealing with his demons, along with Taylor, were inspired by FFIV: The After Years and even Dragon: A Bruce Lee Story. With him having kids, was inspired from Back to the Future, Part III like Doc having kids of his own! Ling Yu was an OC made up by Ikran, as she wanted Kaitlin and JB to themselves as they shared screen time, so Ling was chosen for him.