since the '90s. Throughout the different shows, the teams have had help from samurai warriors, jungle spirits, secret government organizations, and, of course, aliens. But there’s one person, or rather, robot, that nearly anyone familiar with the franchise will recognize: Alpha-5

Alpha-5 debuted in the very first episode of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. The talking robot was Zordon’s right hand, and an instrumental presence in aiding the Power Rangers in their fight against the forces of evil. He stuck around for all three seasons of the original series, and even provided assistance and guidance to the Power Rangers Zeo and Turbo teams. Outside of Alpha-5 using high-tech equipment to help save the day -- and employing the catchphrase “Ay yi yi yi yi!” during times of stress, of course -- there’s quite a bit to learn about one of the most trusted confidantes of the Power Rangers.

Here are 17 Things You Didn’t Know About Alpha-5.

17. Six Actors Have Played Alpha-5

Over the years, several actors have stepped into Apha-5’s robotic shoes, though the actual voice of the character was played by Richard Steven Horvitz throughout the series. He even developed Alpha’s signature catchphrase when the series was in development, making “ay yi yi yi yi” a staple of the series every time things got a little nutty. While Horvitz provided the voice during all of Alpha’s run, he wasn’t the actor who actually dressed up in costume and interacted with the Power Rangers on set.

Romy J. Sharf wore the costume for 89 episodes of the series, including “Alpha’s Magical Christmas,” a holiday special that put Zordon's BFF in the spotlight for once. Sandi Sellner then took over the role for 19 episodes when the Power Rangers gained “ninja powers.” Peta-Marie Rixon played the role for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie, though the first big screen venture isn’t part of series canon. Donene Kistler, who also worked as a production assistant on the series, took on the role for a handful of episodes in the original series before playing the part during bits of the Power Rangers Zeo run and Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie. Kistler would also go on to play Alpha-6.

Bill Hader is the most recent actor to take on the role, providing his voice for the robot’s new design in Saban’s Power Rangers movie. He even throws out an “ay yi yi!” at one point!

16. Richard Steven Horvitz Also Voiced Alpha-7

Though there were more Alphas who came before the original that audiences never met (hence the "5" designation), the only two that came after him on the series were Alpha-6 and 7. Alpha-6 takes over for Alpha-5 during Power Rangers Turbo and appears in the In Space and Lost Galaxy seasons, serving as an assistant to the Rangers on the Astro Megaship. While Alpha-6 was voiced by three different actors over the course of the character’s appearances, Richard Steven Horvitz returned to the series to voice Alpha-7.

Alpha-7 made his appearance in Power Rangers: Wild Force assisting the team of Red Rangers for the “Forever Red” team up episode. Alpha-7 appeared to physically have components of both of his predecessors in addition to Alpha-5’s voice and mannerisms, giving the audience an homage to the original character.

Horvitz also provided voice work for other various franchise installments. He voiced Smogger in Lightspeed Rescue and Mantamobile in Time Force. Horvitz has gone on to provide vocal work for series like The Angry Beavers, Invader Zim, and more.

15. Alpha-5 Sleeps With A Teddy Bear

Despite Alpha-5 being thousands of years old and an advisor to the Power Rangers, he also has a childlike quality. Alpha-5 is a little naive, often not realizing when brainwashed Power Rangers come into the Command Center. He also has a token that kids everywhere will recognize: a teddy bear.

In quite a few episodes, Alpha-5 is seen carrying the teddy bear around the Command Center. There’s no telling who gave him the teddy bear or how long he’s had it, but its first appearance is actually in the pilot episode of the series, just after Jason David Frank) makes a visit to the Command Center in the middle of the night after having a recurring dream that’s been making him lose focus. When he enters, Alpha-5 emerges from what is likely his bedroom in a sleeping cap, clutching his teddy bear and checking for the intruder. Not only does Alpha-5 shut down for the night, but he even sleeps with his teddy!

14. He’s Programmed to Feel Pain

Most science fiction stories feature robots who can take a hit and just keep going. They’re machines, so they don’t feel any pain, which makes them more efficient. Alpha-5, on the other hand, has been programmed to experience pain, making him more human. The season one episode “Clean-Up Club,” in which the Rangers organize a city-wide effort to clean up pollution, is the first time audience see this. As Alpha is rolled up in paper from a computer readout, he falls over, and cries out in pain.

While that instance could be a programmed response specific to falling over, he also responds to painful experiences in other episodes. He’s electrocuted in the episodes “Island of Illusion” and “Ninja Quest,” which also cause him to cry out. He might not experience pain in the exact same way a human being does, but he is programmed to understand it and learn from it (more on the latter in a bit).

13. King Lexian of Edenoi Created Alpha-5

Much of what the audience knows about King Lexian is a result of the “A Friend In Need” story arc on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Lexian, grandfather to Masked Rider Dex, ruled the planet of Edenoi. Residents of the planet Edenoi were primarily scholars. They experimented and created art, but didn’t typically create weapons to fight wars against evil. Lexian created Alpha-5 and the others who came before him, but only Alpha-4 and Alpha-5 worked with Zordon.

Alpha-5 had very fond memories of King Lexian, as well as a sense of loyalty to the people of Edenoi. When he and Zordon learned that the inhabitants were in trouble, as Count Dregon had forced the Edenites into slavery, he asked to send the Power Rangers to help them. The arc of episodes in which the Power Rangers traveled to Edenoi and fought Count Dregon’s forces provided the introduction for the Masked Rider spinoff series. Despite the popularity of Power Rangers, the spinoff only ran for a single, largely forgotten season.

12. Alpha-5 Helped Create the Power Rangers and Command Center

While it is mentioned briefly that Alpha-4 worked with Zordon before Alpha-5, it's the latter bot who's been with him since his fight with Rita Repulsa that left him imprisoned in a tube. 10,000 years prior to the events of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series, Zordon was a “champion for good” who was often found in the thick of the fight against Rita and her minions. Rita was sent by Lord Zedd to conquer Earth and it was Zordon who stood in her way when he discovered the power coins. After 2,000 years of fighting one another, Zordon sealed Rita in a space dumpster, while she used magic to catch him in a time warp.

With Zordon existing outside of time, presumably, it is Alpha-5 who helped find a way to contain him in the giant plastic tube in the Command Center. After the battle with Rita, it was Alpha who, with Zordon’s instructions, designed and built the Command Center and used the power coins to created the weapons that the Power Rangers would one day use. Because Zordon prepared for the coming battle with Rita by scattering weapons throughout the galaxy as well, it’s likely that it was Alpha who was sent to put those weapons in place, like the Megaship that was used in Power Rangers in Space.

11. Fully Sentient, Alpha-5 Is Capable of Learning

Even though Alpha-5 calls himself a robot, that might be a bit of a misnomer, as robots are limited by their own programming. Alpha-5 can be reprogrammed, of course, as is seen during multiple episodes where a baddie plants software within him to make him evil, but he isn’t solely reliant on his programming. Instead, Alpha-5 is always evolving and learning from those around him.

Early on in the series, he adopted the lingo of the teenagers that were chosen to become the Power Rangers, referring to them as “dudes” and “dudettes” until eventually dropping that particular lingo to refer to them by name, or collectively, just “Rangers.” He’s also been shown on more than one occasion attempting to learn new skills by practice, the way a human being would, instead of by programming. Black Ranger Zack taught him dance moves, and the other Rangers taught him a few self-defense moves.

10. He Likes To Party

Because of his appearance, Alpha didn’t get out of the Command Center much. A robotic individual walking around Angel Grove is just as attention catching as the monsters sent to town by the big bads of the series. Alpha winds up incredibly sheltered, with just Zordon and the Power Rangers as friends. There is the rare occasion where he leaves the Command Center to help save the day, but it’s also revealed throughout the show that he enjoys a good party.

In addition to his holiday special in which he actually gave children presents and sang Christmas carols, he also decorated the Command Center with twinkling lights and gave Zordon a Santa hat to wear in another holiday themed episode. For Halloween, though, he could leave the Command Center, since Angel Grove residents would think he was simply a person in a well-designed costume. In “Life’s A Masquerade,” Alpha-5 ed the Rangers at a costume party at the Youth Center, where he got to interact with other residents and even win the costume contest!

9. He Wished For More Time With The Rangers

Living in the Command Center with Zordon had to be a pretty lonely existence. While Alpha-5 must have stayed in with a few of the people he knows on other planets, it’s unlikely that he saw them very often, since he’s constantly preparing for going up against the forces of evil or helping the Power Rangers with different missions. The Rangers provided the only human interaction Alpha-5 had, and considering that they’re busy running around and saving the world (but otherwise, went about their regular lives without him), it’s no wonder that Alpha wished that he got to hang out with them more.

In fact, when Alpha was slipped some software that made him evil when Rita conspired to marry Lord Zedd, it’s that very wish that seemed to fuel his evil actions. The software specifically encouraged Alpha to be angry at the Power Rangers for ignoring him and abandoning him. While the software was installed, he tried to get rid of Zordon and become the one running the Command Center. Eventually, the Power Rangers discovered the malicious software and managed to remove it, but not much is made of Alpha’s desire to get to spend more time with people.

8. Lerigot Was One of Alpha-5’s Best Friends

We don’t see him very much in the series, but Lerigot was one of Alpha-5’s dearest friends. While we don’t know when or how the two met, since Lerigot is from Liaria and Alpha is from Edenoi, we do know that they have been pals since the days when Alpha lived on Edenoi. Lerigot makes his first appearance in the movie Power Rangers: Turbo, where he's revealed to be a wizard of immense power who Divatox wants to use for her own nefarious purposes. She kidnaps his wife and child in the movie, telling the Power Rangers she’s willing to exchange them for Lerigot.

Following the movie -- which is the only big screen venture considered part of the TV series canon -- he returned for episodes of Power Rangers: Turbo as well when the Power Rangers needed a magical boost to free Zordon. It was Lerigot who was able to get Zordon out of the time warp he was stuck in so that Zordon could return to Eltar. Given that Lerigot’s chief ability is opening portals between places, it’s a little strange that Zordon never had Alpha-5’s friend help him out before then, but in the world of Power Rangers, there are many characters who pop up and never return, just like Lerigot, who never comes back to Earth after helping Zordon escape.