Carter Grayson

Carter Grayson was a Mariner Bay firefighter and the Red Lightspeed Ranger and the leader of the Lightspeed Rangers. He would also go on to become the first Red Ranger and leader of Space Patrol Delta's Earth branch.

He was killed in action in 2014, shortly after the Legendary War, which would have an effect on his son, Sky, for the rest of his life.

Background
As a child, Carter was saved from a burning building by a mystery firefighter. This encounter led him to follow in his savior's footsteps and become a firefighter himself. He later found this mystery firefighter to be none other than Captain Mitchell. Over the years, Captain Mitchell kept a close eye on Carter, watching him become a fireman and saw he had the potential to be a great Power Ranger and leader.

Lightspeed Rescue
Carter Grayson was one of Mariner Bay's best firefighters. His daredevil maneuvers risked his life, but saved those in danger. Carter is brave, headstrong, and quick thinking. Carter was the first to accept his role and took up the position of team leader as the Red Lightspeed Ranger, and courageously led the Rangers against Diabolico's forces. As the Red Ranger, Carter is a strong leader, however he is strict and by-the-book.

During the series, he develops feelings for Dana Mitchell, the Pink Ranger, but it's unknown if he has expressed them yet, though the feelings seems to be mutual. An example is in the episode "The Last Ranger", when the Rangers, save Dana, lose their memories, Carter sees Dana get hurt and it restores his memories.

Carter bravely took down Queen Bansheera in a final battle, tossing her into the shadow world for good.

Time Force
When Vypra returned from the dead and began terrorizing Silver Hills, Carter reunited the Lightspeed Rescue Rangers, who helped the Time Force Rangers defeat the undead demon princess.

Forever Red
When remnants of the Machine Empire's forces unearthed Serpentera to destroy Earth, Carter teamed up with 9 other Red Rangers and traveled to the moon to stop them. He teamed up with Red Space Ranger Andros against Steelon.

Extended Universe
Shortly after the events of Forever Red, Carter (along with Wesley Collins, Eric Myers, Taylor Earhardt, the Space Rangers and the rest of the Lightspeed Rangers) formed the Earth branch of Space Patrol Delta. Carter was chosen by the other Rangers and Commander Cruger as the leader of the main team and as such, served as the Red Ranger. Carter's Red Ranger suit was almost identical to that formerly worn by Wes during his tenure as the Time Force Red Ranger (this is because the SPD Morphers were made by studying the Time Force & Quantum Morphers.)

Carter married former Lightspeed team mate, Dana Mitchell. together they had a son: Schuyler Tate Grayson, who would serve as both the B-Squad Blue and Red Rangers and who went on to marry team mate Sydney Drew Collins.

Super Megaforce
Carter and Dana investigate the aftermath of Emperor Mavro's Armada attacks. Then later, he, Dana and the other Lightspeed regained their Lightspeed powers for a short time and joined every Legendary Ranger legion in defeating the final Armada foot soldiers.

Death
Carter was killed during a battle with intergalactic criminal Mirloc, in 2014, shortly following the Legendary War.

Personality
As a career fireman, Carter's priority was always the well-being of others, refusing to leaving a burning building that was about to collapse without retrieving the civilians trapped inside. At the end of Lightspeed Rescue, he even urged his friends to close the lid of the tomb to the Shadow World and sacrifice himself to stop the demons from being unleashed. Carter's dutifulness to protect others is somewhat misguided. He never took a day off, even when Captain Mitchell gave the rangers crystal clear orders to take a day off and relax. This was because he believed to help others, he must put himself through intense training, even if he isn't happy with it. It wasn't until a pep talk from Captain Mitchell did Carter finally realized even selfless people need time to themselves once and a while.

Carter is shown to be a brave individual with a warrior's pride. He refuses to retreat even when it was clear the resurrected and empowered Trifire and Magmavore were overpowering their Lightspeed Megazord and would rather die fighting. He could also be impulsive, sometimes performing actions that would result in more casualties if not for Captain Mitchel's guidance. He eventually learns to listen to Captain Mitchel's orders to retreat, realizing it's better to live to fight another day than to die for nothing. Carter also has a sharp battle instinct, shown when the Lightspeed Solarzord seemingly destroyed Diabolico and again when the Lightspeed Megazord seemingly destroyed Queen Bansheera, he concluded it was way too easy and accurately deducted during the second time that Queen Bansheera escaped, rather than being destroyed.