Tommy definitely stole the show after this. Before, Jason was the boss with his awesome commanding voice, but now Tommy's around and half the plotlines revolve around his rivalry with Jason or romance with Kim or forgetting his communicator in his locker/gym bag. You see, Tommy was forgetful because the Green Ranger rarely fought. Remember the Green Candle Saga? The Green Candle was a spell of Rita's that would drain Tommy's powers every time he used them until they were all gone? Then in his last minutes as a Ranger, he handed off his flute and armor to Jason? Well, that Green Candle was around since the beginning in Zyuranger and it drains life force. Dragonranger only showed up to call in the Dragonzord or else the candle will burn quickly. And when the candel burned out? that scene where Tommy transfers the shield over to Jason? He really dies. They unmorph and he dies like a minute later. And Jason only uses the Dragon Shield like twice.
Looking over the episodes from the end of "Green With Evil" (episode 21) through "The Green Candle Saga" (34/35) and then to "Return of an Old Friend" (49/50), it's almost crazy how popular Tommy is! Between the two Green Ranger multi-parters, he really ONLY shows up to call in the Dragonzord when the other rangers are in a jam. He never fights, he never morphs with the others, he has that one moment. And between Candle and parents' night, he only shows up at the end of "Doomsday" (episode 40) which was easily the biggest fight of the original season with Goldar commanding his own zord and even Titanus and the power of the Ultrazord got decimated. Maybe the love for him is because he was such a solo act. He would often be featured doing other things to explain why he couldn't get to this communicator. Training, homework, studying, fighting with putties, swimming... While the Power Rangers were getting their asses kicked, you just knew Tommy would show up at the last second and save the day because he was that awesome. And then after the Candle, he's gone again for fifteen episodes.
At least now I finally realize why the last ten episodes of Season 1 are the ones always replayed. They're the only episodes where Tommy fights morphed thanks to Zyu2 footage. Power Rangers was so popular that Saban got the people who do Sentai to make ten or twenty more costumed fights for the Rangers. Ten of these are used in Season 1, and five of them (the last five... football, Zack's pearls, the shark, the Lizzinator, and the lobster that commanded a group of fake rangers) are the only episodes ever replayed, I swear.
There was more footage to use, though. Season 2 began with an Angel Grove charity race on ATVs. Then, lightning struck! The earth shook! Rita's master has arrived because she sucked at conquering earth! A throne appears! It swivels around. Buh buh buh budda buh buh buh. Lord Zedd has arrived!