Dragon Ball Z Theory: Android 16 Is Still Alive - Screen Rant

Dragon Ball Z famously killed off Android 16, and never brought him back, but could it be that he's still alive, thanks to the Dragon Balls. Android 16 is the only member of the Cell Saga's android trio who has yet to return. Prior to Cell's defeat, Android 18 was released from his body, and Android 17 - who was resurrected with the Dragon Balls - became a main character in Dragon Ball Super.

Android 16's situation, on the other hand, is a different story. Introduced in the Cell Saga as a robotic warrior created by Dr. Gero for the purpose of killing Goku, Android 16 accompanied 17 and 18 on their mission to fight the Z-Warriors. His peaceful nature made him unique to the other two androids, who quickly caused trouble after being awakened. He was a key character during this story arc, as he was the only one of the three who wasn't absorbed by Cell. Android 16 battled Cell but was defeated. At the Cell Games, 16 interfered with Gohan and Cell's battle, and was subsequently destroyed. All that was left of him was his head.

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Android 16 was still able to communicate with the Z-Warriors, but this ended once Cell stepped on his head, killing him instantly. Angered by what Cell had done, Gohan became more powerful than ever. After a grueling battle, Gohan finally killed the villain. Following Cell's demise, the Dragon Balls were used to wish back everyone that Cell had killed, including Future Trunks, Android 17, and more. The most obvious omission from this wish was Android 16, who seemingly remained dead. But it's possible that despite appearances, Android 16 actually was brought back by the Dragon Balls.

The Dragon Balls Could Have Restored Android 16

Why would Android 16 be excluded from the wish that resurrected Cell's victims? Many fans believe the reason is linked to Android 16 being a robot. Androids 7 and 18 are humans who were turned into androids after being cybernetically enhanced by Dr. Gero. Android 16, though, was never human; he was created entirely with mechanical parts. Since Android 16 is more robot than human, numerous fans share the opinion that even though 16 clearly had thoughts and emotions, he wasn't really "alive". If he was never alive in the first place, then he couldn't have been brought back by the Dragon Balls.

The problem with this idea is that the Buu Saga confirmed that purely robotic characters can indeed be restored through the power of the Dragon Balls. A cameo appearance from Dragon Ball's Android 8 - the android who was based on Frankenstein's monster - revealed that he was brought back after the Z-Warriors wished back all the good people killed by the destruction of the Earth. If Android 16 wasn't "human" enough to be counted as alive, then Android 8 should have remained dead as well. So when taking Android 8's fate into consideration, it makes sense that 16 could have been revived all those years ago.

Why Android 16's Resurrection May Have Been A Secret

If Android 16 was resurrected, why didn't Dragon Ball Z reveal his return? He was an important character at the time, so it could seem odd that the anime wouldn't show him. But, Dragon Ball Z could have had a good reason for not addressing him. Android 16's death was a key moment for the show, and especially so for Gohan; he told Gohan that he could see within him the potential to beat Cell. Android 16's plea for Gohan to "let it go", put aside his restraints and fight back against Cell to protect human life, was one of the most memorable speeches from the Cell Saga. His words - uttered seconds before Cell stomped on his head - inspired Gohan, and his death is what pushed him to become a Super Saiyan 2. If this hadn't happened, Gohan may have never achieved the level of power necessary to take down Cell and save the world.

Related: How Dragon Ball Super Recreated Piccolo's Best DBZ Moment

If Dragon Ball Z resurrected Android 16 on-screen, it would have happened only a few episodes after this scene. A potential problem with this is that it may have lessened the emotional impact of his death. What happened to Android 16 was a transformative moment for Gohan, so bringing him back right away could have been deemed a mistake, and perhaps rightly so. Also, 16's story was finished. Dragon Ball Z didn't let Future Trunks stay dead for long, but that was because he was important to the narrative. He still had to go back to the future and put things right in his timeline, whereas with Android 16, there was no real reason why 16 had to be shown again. Though a character who fans have grown to love, Android 16 wasn't a member of the Z-Warriors and not someone who had to be around for the next arc. Also, Android 16 wasn't friends with the Z-Warriors, so if he was brought back, he may have felt no need to make his presence known.

How Android 16 Can Return

After a long absence, Dragon Ball Super brought Android 17 back into the fold and made him a hero for its Tournament of Power story. Could the franchise eventually do the same for Android 16? So many years have passed since his death in the Cell Saga that bringing him back may no longer be the problem that it once was.

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That being said, there is at least one possible issue with his return, and that would be his similarities with Android 17, who is more like Android 16 than he was before. Both are characterized by their love for nature. But while they do have a lot in common, they are different enough for both to be used. Android 16 is best-remembered for unique, gentle side, as he was generally opposed to violence. This isn't a quality that 17 shares. 16 brought something interesting to the table on Dragon Ball Z, and he could do so  again, if the next anime did choose to utilize him in one way or another. He could have a role in the next story, which could reunite the original trio with Androids 16, 17, and 18 together for the first time since the Cell Saga.

Alternatively, the Dragon Ball franchise can find another way to address the Android 16 situation. Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super had a habit of giving forgotten characters brief but fun cameos. In case Android 16 isn't physically capable of keeping up with Goku and the Z-Warriors, this could be the best way for him to be used in the future. An Android 16 cameo could confirm once and for all that the benevolent android is out there somewhere, still watching over the plants and animals of the Earth.

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