Android 17
- "This thunderstorm is a perfect backdrop for your demise."
-The History of Trunks Future Android 17 (人造人間17号, Jinzōningen Jū Nana), is the alternate timeline version of Android 17 seen in the special, The History of Trunks, in various flashbacks during Dragon Ball Z, and in the episode "Free the Future". This version of Android 17 is seemingly more cruel than the one seen in the main timeline, and is bent on doing nothing but destroying and killing.
Biography[]
The first attack[]
#17 takes on Super Saiyan Gohan
Six months after the death of Goku due to a deadly heart virus, Androids #17 and #18 were released by the evil scientist Dr. Gero to Goku as part of his revenge on him for destroying the Red Ribbon Army. Upon their release, they proceeded to kill the doctor and headed off to the nearest city. Upon arrival to a small island city 9 miles south-west of South City, and they began their reign of destruction. Soon after, coming to the defense of the inhabitants, the Z Fighters challenged the ruthless killing machines. Piccolo was the first to try, but also the first to die from a powerful kick to the abdomen by #18. Despite his Super Saiyan power, Vegeta falls to #17's power. Tien Shinhan is killed by #18's punch to his gut and Yamcha is then killed by #17 from a kick to the neck. The androids then kill Krillin, Yajirobe and Chiaotzu as well and only Gohan survives, who just narrowly escapes with his life, transforming into a Super Saiyan due to the rage of his friends' deaths.
Reign of terror[]
Thirteen years later, the androids still continue to cause havoc across the Earth, eventually killing off more than half of the planet's population. There is only one Z Fighter still alive and with enough power to challenge them, and that is Gohan, who is now a 23 year old man and a Super Saiyan. However, Trunks, the 14 year old son of the late Vegeta and Bulma proves to show enough courage and commitment to possibly be the earth's final hope. After hearing Trunks' plea to fight, Gohan eventually takes him under his wing.
#17 and #18 attack Gohan
During a day of training, Gohan and Trunks fly over an amusement part being attacked by the androids. Gohan instructs Trunks to stay out of the fight, and proceeds to battle #17. With his Super Saiyan power, Gohan seemingly gains the upper hand, and #18 is forced to step in and help her brother in battle. Trunks, who sees Gohan getting trashed around by the androids, rushes in only to be quickly defeated by #18. However, before she can deliver the finishing attack to Trunks, #18 is attacked by Gohan, who saves Trunks and attempts to hide in the ruins of the park. In an attempt to draw them out of hiding, the androids bomb the entire area. Gohan and Trunks remain hidden, but at the cost of Gohan's left arm, which is blown off in the bombing.
The murder of Gohan[]
The androids prepare to kill Gohan
Gohan and Trunks survive the battle, and continue to train, with Trunks pushing closer to unlocking his Super Saiyan power day by day. One day, during a day of relaxation, the androids attack a city close to where Gohan and Trunks are resting. Gohan transforms and prepares to fly into the city, however Trunks does not permit this unless he is able to come too. Gohan seemingly accepts, only for him to swiftly knock Trunks out from behind. After a short good bye to the unconscious Trunks, Gohan seals his final fate when he flies down into the city alone. He ambushes the androids and the battle begins. Despite his handicap, Gohan is able to fight off both of the androids for a short time. However, he is soon quickly overwhelmed, and is knocked down into the street. The androids then proceed to launch a barrage of energy blasts like machine guns from the sky, which kills Gohan. The two fly off, and Trunks awakes when his mentor's life force disappears. Trunks finds Gohan's corpse in a pool of bloody water. The loss of his best friend causes his anger to explode, and he transforms into a Super Saiyan.
The terror continues[]
#17 (left) and #18 smile at Trunks' pathetic attack
Three more years pass, and Trunks now finds himself the only warrior left capable of defeating the androids. One day, in a fit of rage, Trunks decides to head off and attempt to defeat the androids. However, upon his arrival, the androids quickly dominate him. They then begin to toy with the young warrior, swatting and kicking him around effortlessly. To finish him off, #17 watches as #18 prepares a large energy blast which she launches at Trunks. However, he survives, and is somehow found by his mother Bulma, who treats his wounds and tells him more about the time machine. Trunks accepts the fact that the time machine would be the only way to break the crypt the androids have on his time, so around six months to a year later, Trunks heads off 20 years into the past to warn Goku and the others of the impending android threat.
End of the Androids[]
The resulting explosion after Trunks' blows up #17
After the defeat of Perfect Cell in the main timeline, Trunks finally returns to his own time, and with his training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, knows he has more than enough power to finally kill the androids. While the androids are attacking a city, Trunks arrives boasting on how he is going to cause their end. #17 insists on just playing with Trunks instead of killing him, but #18 furiously attacks him, only to prove no match for his new found power. #17 soon joins the fight, and the two attempt to attack the mighty Super Saiyan. Trunks effortlessly dodges and blocks both of their hits, and eventually singles out #18, who he obliterates with a powerful attack. #17, infuriated, rushes in for revenge, only to be knocked down and also blown up with a powerful energy blast. Sometime later, Trunks also kills Imperfect Cell, thus finally bringing peace to his time.
Another Future Android 17[]
In the second alternate timeline to merge with the mainstream one, Trunks successfully destroys androids #18 and #17, but is killed by Imperfect Cell, who then uses Trunks' time machine to travel to the past, where he sheds his larval exoskeleton leaving it to be discovered at the end of the Androids Saga. This alternate timeline is never seen, but apparently played out very similarly to the timeline the Trunks we see knows.
Power[]
Trunks states to the Z Fighters that the androids he knows in his time, while much stronger than him, are not nearly as strong as the ones released in the main timeline. It is safe to assume that power wise the future androids are not to much weaker, as they are still strong enough to kill a Super Saiyan. However, Future Gohan is seemingly able to overtake each of them separately, but when they team up, he becomes quickly overwhelmed (important to note that in the original manga, #17 states that they didn't even use half of their power to fight Gohan, but this is removed in the anime). The androids of the main timeline are seen being able to easily overtake a single Super Saiyan separately, as seen when #18 defeats Vegeta and knocks out Trunks with one hit, something the androids of the future could not do to Trunks.
Special Abilities[]
- Accel Dance, a technique where he and his twin, 18, double team with a combo of punches and kicks, ending with a barrage of energy attacks.
- Android Barrier, a technique where energy is thrust out from the body in the form of a barrier with great force. The barrier can be used to both defend against oncoming projectiles and to expand and damage its surroundings, although only the former appears in Dragon Ball Z.
- Energy Attack, the most basic form of energy wave used by androids.
- Finger Beam, a barrage of narrow rays emitted from the index finger of its user, similar in execution to the Death Beam, which Future Android 17 and his sister use in The History of Trunks special.
- Flight, the ability to fly without the use of ki.
- Photon Flash, a technique Future Android 17 uses against Future Trunks in The History of Trunks special. It is a ball of energy similar to the Big Bang Attack, which is charged until it reaches a size larger than its user's body, where it is then emitted from the hand of its user. Future Android 17 prepares to kill Future Trunks using this technique, but is stopped at the intervention of his sister.
- Power Blitz, a strong energy wave fired from the palm of his hand. It can be launched as a single energy wave, concentrated into a ball of ki or volleyed in a rapid barrage of energy waves called the Infinity Bullet. This is the signature finishing move for androids 18 and 17 in the Budokai video game series. A similar technique called the Photon Blitz also appears in the video game Supersonic Warriors 2.
Voice Actors[]
- Japanese dub: Shigeru Nakahara
- Ocean Group dub: Ted Cole
- Funimation dub: Chuck Huber
- Latin American dub: Genaro Vásquez