Dragon Ball's Strongest Hero Actually Created Super's Next Major Villain

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Published Aug 2, 2026, 9:00 AM EDT

Zach joined the ScreenRant Anime team as a contributor in June 2024, before taking on a Senior Writer role in November. Since then, he has covered breaking news and produced features and lists about the most popular anime titles.

Dragon Ball has no shortage of iconic villains. From the original King Piccolo Saga to the defeat of Majin Buu and beyond, the franchise's villains have managed to become just as recognizable as its heroes. Many of them have found recurring roles in the franchise, though none have managed to remain as popular or relevant to the series as Frieza.

The star antagonist of the iconic Planet Namek Saga, Frieza has remained popular not just because he's simply the most evil villain Dragon Ball has ever introduced, he's also inextricably tied to Goku's first Super Saiyan transformation, a moment that forever changed the course of shōnen anime and manga. That status made him the perfect candidate for a modern day revival, and Dragon Ball Super did just that in the 2010s.

Frieza has become a mainstay in modern Dragon Ball, and before it entered its ongoing hiatus, Dragon Ball Super teased his return as the series' next major villain. Black Frieza received minimal time in the story, but he didn't need many pages to prove he was going to be a major problem, knocking out Goku and Vegeta with a singular blow. Whenever Dragon Ball Super returns, Frieza is going to be a problem, and his latest power-up was only possible because of Gogeta.

Black Frieza Is Terrifying, and Gogeta Could Have Stopped Him

Dragon Ball's Strongest Hero Helped to Create Its Next Villain

Black Frieza as seen in Dragon Ball Super manga

Frieza's last major appearance in the Dragon Ball anime came during the 2018 full-length theatrical movie, Dragon Ball Super: Broly, during which the evil space tyrant stopped for the Dragon Balls while on his way to further spread terror and catastrophe throughout the universe. It was then that his path intersected with that of Broly, which kicked off the showdown between the Saiyans. Frieza wasn't able to do much damage to Earth's heroes or the rampaging Super Saiyan throughout the movie, and was left to scurry away back into space when the fighting was done.

However, there was a moment when Gogeta, at full power, stood alone with Frieza after the battle ended. The fused fighter stopped him from destroying Cheelai's ship, but presumably let Frieza go off-screen. During the first half of the film, Vegeta directly criticized Goku for bringing Frieza back from the dead, yet when Gogeta was offered the opportunity to put an end to the villain's reign of terror, he did nothing. That choice likely led to the destruction of countless planets and the eradication of even more lifeforms.

Dragon Ball · Character Profile Which Dragon Ball Character Are You? “Power comes in response to a need, not a desire.”

👊 Goku The Fighter

👑 Vegeta The Prince

🧘 Piccolo The Mentor

POWER UP →

A powerful new enemy appears. What’s your first reaction?

AThis is amazing! I can’t wait to fight them and see how strong they are! BI’ll defeat them myself. No one else is worthy of the challenge. CWe need a plan. Rushing in blindly is how people get killed.

How do you train for an upcoming battle?

AFind the strongest sparring partner I can and push myself past my limits every day BTrain alone in isolation — I don’t need anyone holding me back CMeditate, study the enemy’s weaknesses, and train the younger fighters so they’re ready too

Your team is losing a fight. What do you do?

AJump in front of everyone — I’ll take the hits so my friends can regroup BGet angry. I refuse to lose — my pride won’t allow it. I’ll surpass my limits right here. CFall back and coordinate — someone needs to think clearly while everyone else is panicking

A rival challenges you to a one-on-one fight. How do you respond?

AAbsolutely! Let’s go right now — no holding back! BFinally, a chance to prove I am the strongest. I accept — and I will crush you. CIf it serves a purpose, fine. But pointless fighting is a waste of energy.

An old enemy offers to join your side. What do you do?

AI don’t trust them — once an enemy, always an enemy. They’ll betray us. BSure! Everyone deserves a second chance. The more friends the better! CI’ll allow it, but I’m watching them closely. Trust is earned, not given.

What’s your biggest weakness?

AI’m too trusting and sometimes let enemies power up just for the thrill of the fight BMy pride — I’d rather die than accept help from someone else CI keep everyone at arm’s length — caring about people is a liability I struggle with

You sense a massive power level approaching Earth. What’s your move?

AFly straight toward it — I want to meet them first and see what they’re made of BPrepare myself — if this threat is real, I’ll be the one to destroy it CGather the fighters, assess the threat, and make sure the people I protect are safe first

What drives you more than anything?

AProtecting those who can’t protect themselves — someone has to be the responsible one BThe thrill of getting stronger — there’s always a new level to reach, a new challenge to find CProving my worth — I am the Prince of all Saiyans, and I will surpass everyone

REVEAL MY CHARACTER →

Power Level Scanned Your Dragon Ball Identity

👊

Goku

“I am the hope of the universe. I am the answer to all living things that cry out for peace.” You’re a pure-hearted warrior who lives for the thrill of the fight. Every challenge is an opportunity, every enemy a potential friend, and every defeat just fuel to come back stronger. People are drawn to your infectious optimism and unbreakable spirit, even when your naivety drives them crazy. You’d give your last Senzu Bean to a stranger and charge headfirst into a battle you can’t win — not because you’re reckless, but because you genuinely believe that pushing past your limits is the only way to grow. Like Goku, your greatest power isn’t your ki — it’s your ability to inspire everyone around you to be better.

Pure-Hearted Fearless Limitless Inspiring

👑

Vegeta

“I do not fear this new challenge. Rather like a true warrior, I will rise to meet it.” You carry yourself with the pride of royalty and the ferocity of a born warrior. Second place is not in your vocabulary, and you’d rather break your body than your spirit. People might call you arrogant, but beneath that iron exterior lies someone who has learned to fight not just for themselves, but for the people they’ve quietly grown to love. Your journey is one of evolution — from cold-blooded conqueror to Earth’s fiercest protector — and every scar you carry is proof that pride and love can coexist. Like Vegeta, you don’t just want to be the strongest — you need to earn it on your own terms.

Proud Relentless Fierce Evolving

🧘

Piccolo

“Sometimes, we have to look beyond what we want and do what’s best.” You’re the one everyone depends on when things fall apart — the calm center in the middle of chaos. While others charge in recklessly or let their ego do the talking, you see the bigger picture and make the hard calls that need making. You didn’t choose to care about people, but somewhere along the way it happened, and now you’d sacrifice everything for those you’ve taken under your wing. Stoic on the surface, deeply loyal underneath, you’re the mentor, the strategist, and the last line of defense all in one. Like Piccolo, your true strength is wisdom — and the courage to do what’s right even when no one is watching.

Wise Tactical Protective Stoic

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It also allowed Frieza to reach his Black form, a manga-exclusive transformation for the time being that was able to crush Goku and Vegeta at their strongest with a single blow. Unfortunately, Dragon Ball Super has remained on hiatus since Akira Toriyama's sudden and unexpected passing in 2024, so fans will have to wait to find out just what Frieza is planning for the future.

Dragon Ball Super Is Back, But the Manga Needs to Return Before Its New Era Begins

Earlier this year, it was announced that Dragon Ball Super would return to TV for the first time since the conclusion of the Tournament of Power in 2018, a reveal that kicked off the franchise's post-Toriyama era. Fans will finally have the chance to witness Moro in the anime, with the next arc currently in production and scheduled to air after the completion of 2026's Dragon Ball Super: Beerus.

However, this new era of Dragon Ball cannot truly begin until the Dragon Ball Super manga resumes. The franchise, though it's set to become far more active than it's been in some time, is still reliant on Toriyama's published work, and such source material will not allow for new projects forever. Until the manga returns and Black Frieza's story continues, the series is limiting itself in what can be produced and released to the public.

Release Date 2015 - 2018

Network Fuji TV

Directors Ryota Nakamura, Masanori Sato, Kenichi Takeshita, Takao Iwai, Hideki Hiroshima, Masato Mitsuka, Kazuya Karasawa, Ayumu Ono, Takahiro Imamura, Tatsuya Nagamine, Kôjiro Kawasaki, Kouji Ogawa

Writers Ryu King, Hiroshi Yamaguchi