Dragon Ball Super How Strong Android 17 Really Is

Dragon Ball Super gave Android 17 a massive upgrade, but just how strong is the character now, and how does he compare to the other Z-Warriors?

Thanks to Dragon Ball Super, Android 17 is now a powerhouse in the anime. Several years after his stint as a villain in Dragon Ball Z, 17 returned in Dragon Ball Super as an animal-loving ranger who protects an island from poachers. After meeting Goku, he became a member of the Universe 7 team for the Tournament of Power.

Android 17 proved to be a formidable addition to the Universe 7 roster. Often seen as one half of a duo with Android 18, the character spent a great deal of his time battling fighters like the ones from Universe 2. Through his skills, he earned the animosity of its team leader, Ribrianne, by getting an early knockout on one of her strongest allies. 17 fought hard throughout the tournament and played a vital role in the final battle that played out in its final minutes against Universe 11’s Jiren, Top, and Dyspo. After outlasting Vegeta and Gohan, Android 17 was one of the last three Universe 7 members standing against Jiren. After Goku and Frieza eliminated themselves to take out Jiren, Android 17 was crowned the winner of the Tournament of Power.

Android 17 came a long way to become the Tournament of Power’s breakout star. He was previously on par with Piccolo during the timeframe of the Cell Saga, but it’s become apparent that though both characters have improved a lot since then, 17 is several levels above him. Prior to the tournament, 17 forced Goku to go Super Saiyan Blue, which is a strong indication of just how powerful he is. Apparently, he has enough power to rival someone who possesses divine energy.

This feat means that 17’s strength eclipses that of most Z-Warriors and even Majin Buu. In the past, it was believed that he’s either equal to or near the might of his sister, Android 17, but that’s not true anymore. 18 hasn’t come close to the gains that 17 made. Android 18 is closer to the level of the weaker Z-Warriors like Tien, Krillin, and Master Roshi.

The only Z-Warriors in front of 17 in terms of power are Goku, Vegeta, and Gohan, who is confirmed to be Dragon Ball’s third strongest hero. 17 isn’t far behind though, and would likely give Gohan a tough fight if the two were to come to blows. Due to his Ultimate upgrade, Gohan was able to push Goku to using his Super Saiyan Blue Kaoi-ken, and it’s possible that 17 could have done the same, but both characters held back in their fight. Exactly what would happen if Gohan and 17 fought is hard to determine, but it could be that the half-Saiyan wouldn’t have much more than a slight edge over 17.

17 now lags behind Goku and Vegeta, who both attained new forms fighting Jiren in the Tournament of Power. The distance between him and the anime’s top two heroes was evident in the tournament’ last few fights. Similar to Frieza and Gohan, 17 was able to fight with characters like Top, but was unable to defeat him. Regardless, Android 17 has evolved into a powerful ally who Goku may have to rely on if and when a new threat emerges in the next Dragon Ball anime.