Dragon Ball 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Frieza’s Army

They may just seem like hired help, but there’s quite a bit of history behind Frieza’s army.

One of the reasons Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball has become such an iconic series is because it’s comfortable indulging in many different sensibilities to entertain a broad audience. Dragon Ball’s focus pits Goku and Earth’s strongest against malevolent and powerful villains, but there’s so much personality added to the series that makes Dragon Ball more than endless fights.

There are some extremely intimidating villains that have appeared in Dragon Ball over the years, but the evil tyrant Frieza is frequently positioned as the franchise's ultimate threat. Frieza possesses deadly strength and can handle himself, but the character has institutionalized a notorious army that frequently fights by his side. They may just seem like hired help, but there’s quite a bit of history behind Frieza’s army.

10 They’ve Been Wiped Out On Multiple Occasions

There’s certainly strength in numbers and one of the reasons that Frieza’s army has such a revered reputation is because they’ve assembled massive numbers that are in the hundreds, if not thousands. This army can usually get what they want through brute force alone, but Frieza has also proven that he holds very little allegiance to those that serve him. Goku and company have helped radically thin Frieza’s army over the years, but Frieza himself has even wiped the slate clean out of frustration. He’s not at all opposed to just starting from scratch.

9 They Have Supremacy Over Saiyans

There are some wildly diverse individuals among the ranks of Frieza’s army and he doesn’t seem to discriminate when it comes to who is able to join. Eclectic species of aliens make up Frieza’s army. However, the Frieza Force has learned to periodically lean on the Saiyans for extra help. The Saiyans aren’t officially members of Frieza’s army, but he’s incredibly comfortable giving them orders and treating them like a separate faction of his galactic empire. Frieza also has a heavy disdain for Saiyans, which seems to play a major factor in his army’s treatment of the warriors.

8 The Heeter Force Are Their Primary Competition

Dragon Ball Super has expanded upon the lore in enlightening ways. Super’s manga is still going strong and there have been some important revelations in response to the different factions that run the galaxy.

Frieza’s army is also known as the Planet Trade Organization or the World Trade Organization, in reference to their monopoly over weaker planets. It turns out that there’s a rival organization, the Heeter Force, who have similar goals of conquest that clash with those of the Frieza army.

7 They Have Advanced Technology And Weaponry

Dragon Ball has done an effective job at highlighting the assets of different planets and their corresponding races throughout the galaxy. Admittedly, Frieza’s army has been able to acquire much of their power through conquest, but it’s left them very well equipped. Frieza and his forces make prominent use of the efficient Attack Ball transport pods, as well as spacecrafts and hover cars. In terms of weaponry, they have ray guns, arm cannons, and even Mecha Frieza gets rebuilt with a rocket launcher. Their scouters, which are originally Tuffle technology, also get updated from scouter scopes to their modern designs.

6 They Continued To Function Even During Frieza’s Absence

It’s not ridiculous to presume that a faction that’s known as Frieza’s army might end up disbanding after the death of their leader, but the resilience of the continued efforts of the Frieza Force is quite compelling. Goku’s defeat of Frieza leaves his army in an uncertain place and many members are either eliminated or disbanded, but there are still small remnants of Frieza’s army that continue to fight in his honor and keep the dream alive. Frieza isn’t often highlighted for his compassion or loyalty, so it’s surprising to see this level of dedication by his team.

5 They’re Sometimes Overlooked In Favor Of Outsourced Mercenaries

Frieza’s army has such large numbers that they’re often able to handle whatever gets thrown at them. Frieza even has extra confidence in his right hand men, Zarbon and Dodoria. However, it’s significant that Frieza still has backup plans when his own team isn't enough to get the job done.

Frieza turns to the Ginyu Force for his more important missions and there’s a strong relationship that exists between the tyrant and the feared group. It makes sense that Frieza has reinforcements at the ready when his typical A-team falls short.

4 They've Passed Through Generations Of Frieza's Lineage

Most of the time whenever Frieza’s army is shown, it’s under the rule of Frieza himself. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but what’s more fascinating is that the army seems to be a generational privilege that’s passed through Frieza’s family. Before Frieza’s tenure, the army was run by King Cold, under the title of the Cold Force. Cooler’s vengeance over his brother also puts him in charge of a competent team. Finally, even Frieza’s distant ancestor, Chilled, held control over his own version of all of this, Chilled’s Army.

3 Some Members Defected To Join The New Saiyan Empire

The Dragon Ball Z movies feature some incredible conflicts and popular villains, but they can also mess around with the series’ canon in a way that’s confusing. Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan is the eighth Dragon Ball Z movie and functions as the introduction for both Broly, and his father, Paragus. This movie fosters a fascinating relationship where the lingering remnants of Frieza’s army actually join Paragus’ invasive New Saiyan Empire. It’s a rare occasion where the power dynamic between Frieza’s army and the Saiyans gets flipped, but still speaks to how they’re all disposable.

2 They Use A Form Of Cylindrical Rods As Currency

Dragon Ball is so often focused on matters of life and death, or the erasure of the entire universe, that simple luxuries like money often go overlooked. On Earth, Dragon Ball’s resident currency is Zeni, which is most frequently represented through the cash prize winnings for the Tenkaichi Budokai. Evidently, Zeni is far from universal currency and Dragon Ball Super: Broly highlights that Frieza’s army uses a strange form of cylindrical rods as payment. Frieza pays Cheelai and Lemo with these rods, but not much more about them, including their conversion rate to other galactic currencies, is known.

1 They Align Themselves With The Time Breaker Alliance

Dragon Ball’s anime and manga have returned to new, exciting content, but there were years where fans had to turn to various Dragon Ball video games to experience any kind of new content. Dragon Ball Online was a breakthrough title for its time and it really explores the series’ mythology in some creative ways. The game details how Frieza’s army goes into hiding, only to align themselves with the Time Breakers for the purpose of Frieza’s revival. Frieza’s army carries out many Time Breaker tasks, while they also travel to the past to recover remains of Frieza for his rebirth.