Dragon Ball Fans Rejoice for Android 16's Revival

Shenron is unable to bring back Android 16, but even if he had the power to do so, his storyline in Dragon Ball Z has already reached a conclusion, making any further appearances pointless.

The protagonists and antagonists of the different Dragon Ball anime and manga series have experienced both triumphs and losses, with the latter sometimes resulting in unfortunate consequences. Resurrecting dead individuals with the help of Dragon Balls has become a common practice, even for the franchise’s main character, Goku. Nonetheless, fans are hoping to witness the return of another character, but it may not be as crucial as they perceive.

Despite being designed as a deadly weapon, Android 16 displayed unexpected qualities of compassion and tenderness. He played a crucial role in helping Gohan maximize his physical abilities, but his storyline ended in Dragon Ball. While there may be a possibility of resurrecting him, it would serve no meaningful purpose since he would likely have a minimal role and be reduced to insignificant background material. This outcome has been the fate of many previous Z Fighters, and it would be a shame to revive a former adversary and have him meet the same underwhelming end.

For one reason, Shenron can’t revive Android 16

The Android series, created by Dr. Gero, is somewhat inaccurately named since only a small number of them are actually robotic androids. Two of the Androids, 17 and 18, are humans that underwent cybernetic modifications. This is evident when 18 marries Krillin and has a child with him, indicating that her biological makeup remained largely unchanged. However, the remaining Android, 16, was entirely mechanical and was not a human before his creation. Therefore, he has not been revived by Shenron, the eternal dragon, which is the principal explanation for this.

Shenron cannot revive inorganic entities like Android 16 as they were never truly alive. It’s like reconstructing a building with new parts, it may look the same, but it won’t be the same. Thus, the idea of resurrecting 16 has never been explored, and the Z Fighters disregarded his existence. However, the eternal dragons have numerous loopholes in their rules. For instance, Namekian Porunga does not have the same limitations as Shenron. Perhaps, this could be a way to bring 16 back to life in Dragon Ball Super, but it may seem pointless.

Dragon Ball Super Doesn’t Need to Resurrect Android 16

Android 16 had a specific role in the storyline of Dragon Ball – his death was crucial in triggering Gohan’s transformation into Super Saiyan 2 and defeating the villainous Cell. Beyond this, he was mainly a companion to Androids 17 and 18, who have since moved on to different stages in their lives. 18 has become a wife and mother, while 17 has taken on some of 16’s nature-loving traits. If Android 16 were to return, he would have to start over and find a new purpose for himself, all while grappling with the possibility of not truly being alive. However, given the continued focus on Goku and Vegeta in the Dragon Ball series, it’s highly unlikely that this would happen.

In Dragon Ball Super, characters like Krillin, Yamcha, and Tien are no longer significant, and even characters like Goten and Trunks are only now starting to receive attention. Therefore, there is no room for Android 16, even if he were to somehow come back. His ancestor, Android 8, who fought and became friends with Goku as a child, is now as unimportant to the current narrative as characters like Launch or Puar. Since Android 16 has already fulfilled his goals of protecting nature and making friends, it’s better for him to remain as a hero and not return as an insignificant character.