If Not Us, Then Who?
If Not Us, Then Who?
There is no tale more compelling than a group of kids from disparate backgrounds coming together to confront a threat against overwhelming odds. Once you mix that with spandex, helmets, and giant robots—what more does a story need!?
Power Rangers, Animorphs, Sailor Moon, She-Ra and similar shows have always resonated with me because they are about coming together and doing the right thing. When in the face of danger, these characters don’t run, but instead ask “If Not Us, Then Who?”
We are at our best when we fight together; when we fall together; when we work together; and when we collectively gather to fight against a villainous force that threatens everyone.
We also have giant robots and matching suits—and that shreds.
To play this game, you will need nothing more than a deck of cards, goofy ideas, and friends.
Create the characters together and then draw one card to begin the game. Each card drawn is an episode. Each player will take a turn reading out one of the Narrative Beats of an episode and describing what happens. When you reach the conclusion, the episode is complete. After each episode, as a group, you will choose an Episode MVP and a Best Moment.
You can address the episodes as precise or as broad as you would like. You may think of gameplay as playing out each line of an original script or as a recap podcast for that show—either way, together with your friends, you will make your way through a full season until the End Game is drawn. When this card is drawn, you will wrap up loose ends, find out if the heroes win this one, and then press on to the next season.
Even between seasons, it is key to remember that when the heroes put their morphers back and relax in a time of peace, they are still out there protecting others and working to improve the lives of the people around them. Because it was never the morphing that made you a ranger, a scout, a vandal, or a princess. There is a hero inside each person, and once they tap into it, it doesn’t switch off. Once a Ranger, Always a Ranger.