Tommy Oliver, from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers to Power Rangers Turbo fame, returns as a paleontology professor in Reefside, California, following an incident several years prior on an island where he is pursued by Mesogog, an evil dinosauric who wishes to eradicate all human life and return Earth to the age of the dinosaurs, along with his henchmen Elsa, Zeltrax, and an army of Tyrannodrones and Tiptoids, as well as their mutation monsters. When Tommy is assigned three detention students by Principal Randall (the human disguise of Elsa); athlete Conner McKnight, computer expert Ethan James and singer Kira Ford, they end up finding three Dino Gems - one for each teen, paving the way for their destiny as the Dino Thunder Power Rangers. Conner gains the powers of both the Tyrannozord and super running speed, Ethan gains the powers of both the Tricerazord and energy-formed skin-shield defense and Kira gains the powers of both the Pterazord and sonic screams.