A Guide to the Red Ribbon Army

A Dark Future and the Android Menace (Dragon Ball Z)

Several years in the future, Goku learns that he is part of an alien race known as the Saiyans, powerful warriors that destroy all life on planets before selling them. After an attack by his brother Raditz, Goku is killed and spends time in the afterlife, attempting to return to the world of the living before the arrival of two more Saiyans: Nappa and Vegeta, the Prince of All Saiyans.The aftermath of the battle with the Saiyans leaves many of Goku’s friends dead, including the warrior Piccolo. As one half of the creator of Earth’s Dragon Balls, Piccolo’s death caused them to turn to stone. Goku travels to Piccolo’s home planet of Namek, where he hoped to use the planet’s Dragon Balls to wish his friends back to life. On Namek, Goku encounters Vegeta once again, as well as the bloodthirsty galactic tyrant Frieza, who seeks to use the Dragon Balls to gain immortality. Chaos ensues, and Frieza’s immeasurable cruelty devastates the kind-hearted hero. After Frieza murders Goku’s close friend Killin, Goku transforms into a Super Saiyan, the golden-haired Saiyan warrior of legend. The battle between Goku and Frieza rages on, with Goku ultimately killing Frieza and escaping Namek right before its destruction.As Goku began the return trip home, a cybernetically rebuilt Frieza arrives on Earth hell-bent on exacting revenge. However, a mysterious youth arrives, transforming into a Super Saiyan and obliterating Frieza. This warrior’s name is Trunks, and he informed Goku upon his arrival as to why he was there. Trunks is the son of Bulma and Vegeta, hailing from a timeline where the Red Ribbon Army had returned. Dr. Gero survived the downfall of the organization and built two androids to destroy the Earth. Even worse, Goku had died from a heart virus before the androids’ rampage. The defenders of Earth fell one by one until the only fighter left was Trunks, who used a time machine built by his mother to escape to the past.To change the future, Trunks provides Goku with medicine for the heart virus. As he returns to his timeline, the Saiyan youth also provides the date of the androids’ arrival, giving the Z Warriors time to prepare. Two androids did appear, but not quite as expected. The two resemble an old man and a mime. These villains, Android 19 and 20, are not the pair who destroyed Trunks’ timeline. Even stranger, Android 19 is in fact a cybernetic Dr. Gero, who had converted his body into a machine to prolong his life.As the battle begins, Goku falls to his knees in agony, forgetting to take the heart medicine provided to him. He is whisked away to safety in the hope the medicine can still save his life. The remaining fighters may have all perished if not for Vegeta, who arrives as a newly-formed Super Saiyan, crushing Android 20. Dr. Gero flees to his lab, where he seeks to activate Androids 17 and 18, the murderous machines who devastated Trunks’ future. A third unit, Android 16, is also put into action, programmed specifically to kill Goku at any cost. Scoffing at the notion of following orders, Androids 17 and 18 murder Dr. Gero and set out to cause mayhem on their own terms.As the androids wrought havoc and Goku recovered, another threat emerges: Dr. Gero created and released one final android. This creature is named Cell, and he possesses the cells of the opponents Goku had encountered on Earth, assuming their powers. Cell seeks to consume Android 17 and 18 in order to reach his perfect form, and despite the best efforts of the androids, Cell succeeds. Without direction, Android 16 joins the struggle to defend Earth. Cell, ever the dramatist, decides to challenge Earth’s warriors to a tournament he dubs “The Cell Games”. The first bout of the tournament takes place between Goku and Cell, with Goku ultimately bowing out during the fight. The hero states to Cell he can’t defeat the hyper-powered android. In his place, Goku looks to his son Gohan, assuring him that the power hidden within him can defeat Cell. Taking no joy in fighting, Gohan hesitates to use his full strength. However, Cell wishes to goad the boy’s potential out.Attempting to destroy Cell, Android 16 grapples him and planned to self-destruct, killing them both. Unfortunately, Cell breaks free of his grip and blasts 16 into pieces. Cell then creates miniature versions of himself to set loose on the rest of the Z Warriors. Gohan’s rage builds at the sight of the violence, and the disembodied head of 16 speaks to him. The android begs Gohan to unleash his full power and protect the planet he had come to love.[EMBED_YT]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xs-t6lGMdXU[/EMBED_YT]Cell crushes 16’s head underfoot, which becomes the breaking point. In an explosion of energy, a tearful Gohan emerges as a Super Saiyan 2. Cell proves to be no match for this new transformation, being hit so hard that he regurgitates the body of Android 18. In desperation, Cell threatens to blow himself up and take the entire planet with him. When all seems lost, Goku uses his Instant Transmission technique and teleports himself and Cell to the planet of King Kai, a deity residing in the afterlife. Cell explodes, killing everyone on the small planet.From a single cell, the monstrous android regenerates himself and returns to Earth with Instant Transmission. The empowered villain cripples one of Gohan’s arms, severely reducing his strength. Gohan loses hope until his father reaches out to him telepathically. Goku believes that Gohan still has enough power to win, and Cell begins charging a solar system-shattering Kamehameha Wave. In response, Gohan fires one of his own. The two energy waves clash, but Cell begins to gain ground. Gohan doubts himself but is assured by Goku to not give up. As the struggle continues, a weakened Vegeta surprises Cell with an energy blast, allowing Gohan to gain the upper hand. Expelling the rest of his energy, Gohan’s Kamehameha annihilates Cell.Using the Dragon Balls, Gohan and the remaining Z Warriors resurrect those who had been killed by Cell. Furthermore, Androids 17 and 18’s detonation devices are removed, allowing them to live as they wish as long as they did so peacefully. Though the Z Warriors wish to resurrect Goku, he elects to remain in the Other World for a time. The kind-hearted Saiyan believes by staying in the afterlife, Earth will finally know peace.Though Androids 17 and 18 return as characters in the sequel
Dragon Ball Super
, the Red Ribbon Army seemingly fades into memory. However, it seems these villains never say die. At the start of
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero
, the group is resurrected by Magenta, the son of Commander Red. Enlisting the aid of Dr. Gero’s grandson Dr. Hedo, the Red Ribbon Army emerges once more with two new androids named Gamma 1 and 2, unleashing them on Earth. Once more, Goku and his family and friends must stand tall against the resurgent threat that began so many years ago.