Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball features some of the most popular and powerful shonen heroes of all time, but Goku and company’s altruistic exploits don’t mean anything if there aren’t equally compelling villains. Dragon Ball goes above and beyond with its villains, who tend to encapsulate a saga’s worth of development by showing the heroes to unprecedented places.
The nature of Dragon Ball ’s storytelling means that many villains are given second chances, either through putting in the work or convenient Dragon Ball resurrections. At this point, Dragon Ball fans have gotten used to return appearances from Frieza, Android 17, Hit, and Broly. There’s certainly plenty of value in a familiar foe who comes back when it’s least expected, but there are also particular Dragon Ball villains who fans are pretty sure are gone for good.
Mercenary Tao Is One of Dragon Ball’s Most Irredeemable Humans
There’s an intense energy that surrounds Mercenary Tao when he first appears in the original Dragon Ball . He’s a character who kills without hesitation and is committed to his mission, no matter what the cost. Beyond Mercenary Tao’s cutthroat attitude, he possesses impressive powers that rival those of Goku, whether it’s his Dodon Ray or his Dark Nimbus. Tao makes a surprising return during the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament, where it’s revealed that he’s survived courtesy of cybernetic upgrades.
Cyborg Tao returns in two anime-only Cell Games Saga filler episodes, and he conceivably dies offscreen during Buu’s apocalyptic strikes. Tao’s purpose has been served, and it’s hard to imagine someone this unabashedly wicked making a comeback. If Dragon Ball were ever so inclined to revive an evil human from the original series, then it’s much likelier that Master Shen would return. Shen shares a greater connection to more characters and doesn’t explicitly have as much blood on his hands as his brother, Tao.
Nappa Is a Relic of Dragon Ball’s Past
Nappa is a villain from an early point in Dragon Ball Z ’s run, when Super Saiyans weren’t even a concept that anybody had heard about yet. Nappa makes a tremendous impression when he culls the Z-Fighters’ herd and besets them with casualties that they never fully recover from. Nappa’s brute Saiyan strength is enough to kill Chiaotzu, Tien, and Piccolo, yet it also represents an important turning point in the franchise. Goku easily clears Nappa’s power, which reflects Dragon Ball ’s new status quo.
Nappa worked well in the Saiyan Saga, but he’s unfortunately not that interesting of a character. Dragon Ball GT briefly brought Nappa back from Hell, only for him to be immediately taken out again by Vegeta. There’s nothing more to explore with this character, and it’s more likely for Raditz or Bardock to get revived than Nappa. It would also just be extremely awkward for Nappa to make a return now and come across as a truly desperate attempt to draw in old fans.
Babidi’s Malevolent Manipulation Sorcery Has Run Its Course
Dragon Ball Z ’s Buu Saga introduces a wide range of evil individuals. Majin Buu becomes the main event, but his reign of terror wouldn’t be possible without Babidi first pulling the strings and assembling enough energy for Buu’s awakening. What Babidi lacks in physical strength, he makes up for with powerful magical abilities. These powers help him control Buu for an extended period until his annoying, ungrateful behavior catches up with him.
Someone like Babidi could potentially be a dangerous villain to bring back. However, this villain’s reputation has been retroactively deflated. Dragon Ball DAIMA explains that Babidi and Bibidi were largely riding the coattails of superior magic users, like Great Witch Marba. This provides even less incentive to bring back Babidi in a proper capacity. There are more advantageous magic users who aren’t nearly as annoying and entitled. Babidi is not worth the headache that he causes.
Only the Super Dragon Balls Could Restore Zamasu
One of the greatest struggles that Dragon Ball ’s heroes have ever faced is the committed efforts of a disgruntled God, Zamasu. Zamasu, the Supreme Kai apprentice of Universe 10, hatches a plan together with his future self that involves stealing Goku’s body, acquiring immortality from the Super Dragon Balls, and wiping out all mortals from existence. Zamasu’s plan is so thorough that it requires intervention from Future Zeno himself, who needs to erase the entire timeline and just wipe his hands clean of the colossal fumble.
Zamasu is too far gone to ever be plausibly redeemed, and his image is permanently ruined in the eyes of the multiverse. Gowasu, Universe 10’s Supreme Kai, is still dealing with the consequences of Zamasu’s fallout. Additionally, the circumstances behind Zamasu’s erasure mean that he ceases to exist and that there’s no longer a soul left to revive. The only power strong enough to supersede Zamasu’s erasure is the Super Dragon Balls, and there would no doubt be a heavy punishment for anyone who resurrects a chaos agent like Zamasu.
Android 19 Is Outdated Tech That Deserves To Stay In Dragon Ball’s Past
Evil Androids are one of Dragon Ball ’s longest-running traditions and territories that facilitate the plausible return of destroyed enemies. It’s possible, in theory, to simply rebuild an improved version of past Androids, rather than bring back the same model from the past. Dragon Ball Super ’s Super Hero Saga reckons with Cell Max, as well as the invention of the state-of-the-art Gamma model Androids. Dragon Ball GT also gets additional mileage out of Android 17 when he’s co-opted and upgraded into Super 17.
It’s not hard to imagine a similar approach being taken in Dragon Ball ’s future, but not with Android 19. Android 19, enquanto um dos designs mais distintos da série, também é fraco e ultrapassado. Ele é o pior Android para trazer de volta e uma decisão que não faria sentido além de uma nostalgia vazia. Alternativamente, um Android 16 reconstruído e melhorado é uma ideia que faz muito sentido como algo que os fãs gostariam de ver. Mesmo os Androids 13, 14 e 15 têm maior valor e são mais prováveis de retornar do que o Android 19.
The Demon Realm’s Gomah Has Nothing Left to Offer
Dragon Ball DAIMA’ s ultimate instigator, Demon King Gomah, doesn’t actually become dangerous until he activates the power of the Evil Third Eye. Not only does Giant Gomah’s strength surpass that of Super Saiyan 4 Goku and Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta, but he’s also able to regenerate from seemingly fatal attacks. King Gomah becomes an impossibly strong enemy who can’t be defeated until the Evil Third Eye is knocked loose.
Without any actual power of his own, there’s no reason for Gomah to return. Dragon Ball DAIMA could create a narrative in which Gomah resorts to other Demon Realm relics to se tornar mais forte. However, it seems like it’d be a better idea to explore mais do Demon Realm e apresentar um vilão que seja realmente intimidador. Há mais interesse em uma aparição canônica de Mira, Towa e Mechikabura do que em mais Gomah.
Captain Ginyu’s Dragon Ball Super Comeback Was a Complete Waste
Dragon Ball Z’ s Ginyu Force isn’t in the series for a particularmente long time, yet the team’s unique personalities have made them fan favorites. The Ginyu Force has received expanded appearances in filler episodes, flashbacks, and video games, the latter of which even gave the Force a new member. Captain Ginyu, the leader and strongest member of the bunch, makes a long-overdue return in Dragon Ball Super ’s Golden Frieza Saga.
After decades trapped in a frog’s body, Ginyu finally returns to cause some trouble as Tagoma. This was Captain Ginyu’s one chance to make a viable return, and he blew it. There’s no point in bringing him back yet again when there are already diminishing returns for him. The same would be true for any other Ginyu Force member to inexplicavelmente voltar. It would just feel reductive of Ginyu’s failed revenge.
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