Warning: Spoilers for Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero
After Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, Android 21 is officially Dragon Ball canon. An easy-to-miss Easter egg confirmed her existence in the continuity of the anime. Before the film, it was generally understood that 21 would continue to be exclusive to Dragon Ball video games.
Android 21 was first conceived in 2018 as the main villain of the 2018 fighting game, Dragon Ball FighterZ. Unlike list most games in the franchise, FighterZ told an original story. At the heart of it was Android 21, a secret creation of the Red Ribbon Army whose insanely high powerful level forced a team-up between the main characters. Driven by a hunger to consume her enemies, 21 grew in power as the story progressed and eventually acquired her very own Majin form. Following the game’s release, 21 emerged as a fan favorite and eventually earned appearances in other games as well. Due in large part to her growing popularity, there were hopes that 21 would eventually play a role in a movie or show.
SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY
A surprising moment in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero opened the door for 21 to finally show up in Dragon Ball's future. During an overview of Dr. Gero’s family history, photographs were shown of his relatives. One photo revealed Vomi, Dr. Gero’s wife and the human who was used as the model for Android 21 in the Dragon Ball games. The inclusion of Vomi (who naturally looks identical to Dragon Ball FighterZ’s Android 21) raises questions about what ultimately happened to her in the anime’s canon. If she – like her video game counterpart – was the inspiration for Android 21, then it’s worth wondering why the villain hasn’t made herself known yet. The most likely answer to that question is that she simply hasn’t been activated yet.
Will Android 21 Appear In A Dragon Ball Movie Or Show?
The Android 21 reference will easily enable the Dragon Ball franchise to formally introduce the character with a backstory that’s accurate to the games, but whether or not that will actually happen remains to be seen. It could be that the plan was for it to always be just an Easter egg and nothing more. After all, there is no precedent for the anime to use a character created by the video games. That being said, 21 has reached such a high level of popularity with the fans that the anime using her anyway isn’t unfathomable. Not only that, but Super Hero helped prove that the franchise hasn’t reached a point where the Red Ribbon Army is no longer relevant. Clearly, they can be still worthwhile antagonists.
As for how Android 21 would work in a Dragon Ball movie or show, the most plausible scenario is that she would be the driving force of the story. Perhaps in a sequel to Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, the remnants of the Red Ribbon Army could rise up and activate Android 21. If that were to happen, she could stand revealed as the next major threat for the Z-Warriors to face.