Frieza Will Always Be Dragon Ball's Greatest Villain for One Very Specific Reason

Dragon Ball has had plenty of villains over the years, but few of them have returned for a rematch more often than Frieza. There's a very special reason why Frieza gets to do this and other villains don't, however, and that ties in with Frieza's past and his twisted connection to the Saiyan race.

Frieza will always be Dragon Ball's greatest villain. While other villains may have been more destructive or more dangerous at various points, Frieza has been a consistent threat. Unlike most villains, Frieza never seems to rest on his laurels; he's always after more power, and has taken to training like Goku and Vegeta to achieve that power. And Frieza's efforts have paid off, first unlocking the Golden Frieza transformation, and then in Super, the Black Frieza transformation. Frieza's willingness to train for strength does set him apart, but it's far from the most important thing. With Frieza, it's personal.

Frieza Isn't Just Another Villain to Defeat

Frieza Represents More Than a Simple Adversary

A key part of what makes Frieza Dragon Ball's best villain is his backstory. Frieza not only enslaved the proud Saiyan people, forcing them into servitude, but ultimately was the one responsible for killing them all out of his fear of the Super Saiyan legend. Even after his people were wiped out, Vegeta and the few survivors (like Nappa and Raditz) were made to continue working for Frieza, performing evil acts all across the galaxy. All the while, Vegeta was plotting against Frieza, hoping to have his revenge, making the connection between these two a deeply personal one.

While Goku doesn't know much of his Saiyan heritage when he first encounters Frieza, he's had plenty of opportunities to learn about them by the present day of Super. Vegeta's words to Goku before Goku goes to fight Frieza are a painful plea to avenge their people, to make Frieza pay for what he's done to the Saiyans, and so many others. In an ironic twist, Frieza's fear of the Super Saiyan legend caused it to become a reality, as Goku's fury over Frieza's evil deeds is key to making him awaken the Super Saiyan transformation. Without Frieza's villainy, fans might never have seen Super Saiyan.

Other Dragon Ball Z villains simply can't make the same claim. While Cell and the Androids are very personal to Future Trunks, in the main timeline they're just villains who emerged and need to be defeated. Buu is even more disconnected, as the Buu Saga doesn't really tie in to any character's past. Even going back to the original Dragon Ball, King Piccolo is just a cackling, evil villain with no real reason to target Goku in particular. Only Frieza really stands out as an antagonist worthy of a return.

Frieza's Connection to the Saiyans Makes Things Personal

Frieza Is Inextricably Tied to Goku and Vegeta

Frieza is thoroughly ingrained into Goku and Vegeta's pasts, and their lives would no doubt look very different if Frieza hadn't been there. It's a classic example of a villain creating his own worst enemy, and that's a big part of what makes the Frieza/Goku/Vegeta dynamic work so well. Frieza possesses an extreme sense of racism against the Saiyans, believing them to be far beneath him, and it infuriates him to lose to them. Where Goku trains to gain strength for the sake of self-improvement, Frieza seeks strength to crush those he sees as beneath him.

Frieza develops a grudge against Goku and Vegeta after his defeat at Namek, and hopes for nothing more than to make them pay for his humiliation. His newfound obsession with Goku and Vegeta leads to Frieza's ultimate return in Resurrection F, and the first thing he does upon being revived is target his nemeses, aiming to hit them where it hurts most. Frieza's ruthlessness and complete lack of morality make him a dangerous opponent, because he'll target noncombatants and bystanders, or even destroy the entire world if it suits him. For Frieza, it's all about hurting his foes in whatever way possible.

His personality also makes him a great foil to Goku. Frieza's pettiness highlights Goku's magnanimous nature, as even after everything Frieza has done to him, Goku is still willing to make a deal with him when it comes to the Tournament of Power. Goku sees it as a necessary evil for the greater good, but Frieza simply sees this as an opportunity to return to his villainy and perhaps even pull one over on Goku. The Broly movie proves that Frieza just can't help but try to mess with his adversaries, as it takes place shortly after the Tournament of Power, meaning he went straight from working with them to against them at the earliest opportunity.

Frieza Makes the Perfect Final Boss for Goku and Vegeta

Frieza's Personal Connection to the Saiyans Makes Him the Ultimate Nemesis of Dragon Ball

With Dragon Ball Super's manga now returning, it's looking increasingly likely that the story is moving into its final phase, and this final phase will have to deal with the new threat of Black Frieza. If Dragon Ball Super is to end after the next arc (as many rumors suggest), then it would make perfect sense for this arc to deal with Frieza one last time. Frieza is so deeply tied to Goku and Vegeta that he's the only enemy who could ever become the final challenge at the pinnacle of the story.

Ultimately, Frieza is the kind of nemesis every good hero needs--a ruthless villain tied to the hero's past, inextricably linking them together for the rest of their lives. The only ones who can ever truly destroy Frieza are Goku and Vegeta, who have crystal clear motivations for doing so. For their people, their fathers, and the other lives that Frieza has ruined, Goku and Vegeta must destroy Frieza and all that he represents. One last face-off between the Saiyans and Frieza is the perfect note for Dragon Ball to end on, and Super is set to deliver an epic final battle some day.