The Dragon Ball Super universe has a plethora of overpowered characters, and two new androids, Gamma 1 and Gamma 2, recently joined that cast. However, the debut of these ultra-powerful androids, who have been described as on par with Goku and Vegeta, actually shines the spotlight on their predecessors, 17 and 18, who have the potential to be even stronger.
Androids 17 and 18 were created by the Red Ribbon Army’s chief scientist, Dr. Gero, to torment and ultimately kill Goku. Unlike some of his other creations, it’s implied that Dr. Gero kidnapped two humans and then fused them with various high-tech features to create the androids they are now. The pair aren’t fully automated constructs like a robot nor bioengineered beings, like Cell. After being antagonists during the Androids Saga, Androids 17 and 18 fought side by side with Goku and his friends many times, especially in Dragon Ball Super. What fans may not be considering, however, is that neither of them has reached their full potential.
The Debut Of The Androids Gamma Makes 17 And 18 Look Even More Impressive
In Dragon Ball Z, the androids are present as artificial beings – thus unable to produce ki. However, Dr. Gero gave them an “infinite energy reactor” with the means to produce limitless energy, meaning they never get tired and always fight at full power. However, their power level was quickly surpassed by the Saiyans, Cell, and Majin Bu. There was also the impression that – as artificial beings – the androids could not grow stronger even if they trained, but that is not true. Because androids are partly human, they can indeed train and become stronger, as confirmed by Toriyama himself. In fact, in Dragon Ball Super, Android 17 has become a lot stronger. During his first meeting with Goku in the manga, the two briefly fight and Goku has to go Super Saiyan 3 to keep up, and even then he has trouble. Probably 18 is weaker because she focused on family and did not have as many chances to train.
As seen in the Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero movie, Dr. Gero’s nephew, Dr. Hedo, has created a new generation of androids. Their base power is surely greater than that of 17 and 18, as they are described as strong as Goku and Vegeta Blue. These androids also possess the ability to learn and grow stronger during fights, which puts them among the strongest villains in Dragon Ball Super, however, they’re actually inferior to 17 and 18. Despite having an incredibly large energy reserve (after fighting against Potential Unleashed Gohan, Gamma 1 still has 83% of his energy left) they do not, in fact, possess the infinite energy reactor. Also, it seems that they are more artificial than humans, both from their looks and from the fact they can’t fire ki blasts but have to use a special gun, meaning that their capacity to grow stronger through training should be somewhat inferior to 17 and 18.
17 And 18 Have The Potential To Be The Strongest Heroes In Dragon Ball Super
Judging by these factors, 17 and 18 have, in part, superior technology to the Gammas. Infinite energy means they literally never tire and can always fight at full power. Regardless of their strength, most characters in Dragon Ball share one key vulnerability – they get tired, and eventually run out of energy. Androids 17 and 18 don’t have this problem, but it would be useless if they didn’t have the ability to win a fight. Fortunately, their human ability to learn allows them to constantly improve themselves. Since they never get tired, they could literally practice a technique as long as they want, until they have mastered it, and this incredible growth potential was showcased by 17’s new power level. Putting all this together, it’s possible to conclude that 17 and 18 have the potential to be stronger than not just the Androids Gamma (some of the strongest characters seen until now), but also the rest of the heroes in Dragon Ball Super, including the Saiyans.
Sources: kanzenshuu.com