The only thing more surprising than Android 17‘s return in Dragon Ball Super was how powerful he had become. MIA since the end of the Cell Games in Dragon Ball Z, his sparring match with Goku, as well as his performance in the Tournament of Power, established that the android hadn’t been twiddling his thumbs on the sidelines. The extent of his power in DBS, while surprising, was actually set up in the DBZ manga long ago.
Goku has spent his time in Dragon Ball Super reaching new power levels that rival the gods. So naturally, fans were caught off guard when Android 17 could keep up with Goku even while the mighty warrior was using Super Saiyan Blue. Android 17 even held his own against God of Destruction Toppo, who had just beaten Frieza as close to death as a dead person can be beaten. Most impressively, Android 17 brought Jiren to his knees with the hardest hit on the Universe 11 fighter by anyone not using Ultra Instinct.
Power scaling has always been an issue in Dragon Ball Super, but the reason for Android 17’s dramatic increase in strength is the same as Goku’s and Vegeta’s: training. It also doesn’t hurt that he has limitless energy, meaning that he never runs out of ki and is not susceptible to physical exhaustion. While 17 lacks the raw power of warriors like Goku or Jiren, he more than makes up the difference with his infinite stamina and clever maneuvering in battle.
Android 17’s reappearance as one of Universe Seven‘s most powerful warriors was not the simple plot convenience it initially appears to be. His potential for incredible power was established in the Dragon Ball Z manga directly after the Cell Games. In the manga, when Shenron declares he cannot return Android 17 and Android 18 to human form, he says it’s because their power is too great and strange for him to tamper with them.
In the anime, Shenron declines to elaborate, simply stating that it is beyond his power. Either way, the idea that a magical, wish-granting dragon that can resurrect the dead and restore entire planets can’t undo Dr. Gero’s work is astounding. Android 17’s innate power helped him reach levels of strength that Goku needed literal divine intervention to achieve. Dr. Gero would be rolling in his grave if he knew that Android 17 used his power to help Goku save the Multiverse.
Android 17 was the clear MVP of the Tournament of Power even before he actually won. Recruiting former villains has a long history of working out for the best in Dragon Ball, but never more so than with Android 17. As the only fighter with the good sense to attack someone who is mid-powerup, Android 17 proved once and for all that you don’t have to be a Saiyan to save the day. And unlike a certain Saiyan, Android 17 wasn’t even responsible for the danger in the first place.
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