‘Dragon Ball Z’ and ‘Super’ can’t agree on the strongest android: 16, 17, or 18?
The answer depends on where you are in the timeline: Z or Super tell two different stories.
Androids 16, 17, and 18 are among the most powerful threats the Z Fighters face in ‘Dragon Ball Z’, but each arc, and each timeline, offers a different answer as to who is truly the strongest. And while 17 and 18 have similar builds and personalities, the balance of power shifts significantly as the story progresses into ‘Dragon Ball Super’.
Who’s the strongest android in ‘Dragon Ball Z’?
In the Android Saga of 'Dragon Ball Z’ and 'Z Kai’, 17 and 18 are deadly enough to wipe out most of the Z Fighters and a good chunk of humanity in Trunks’ future. In the altered present timeline, both are introduced as unstoppable forces. Despite Trunks achieving Super Saiyan, he’s still no match for them.
While there’s no formal power scaling system at this stage of the story, context gives us clues:
- Android 18 defeats Super Saiyan Vegeta effortlessly.
- Android 17 goes toe-to-toe with a fused Kami-Piccolo, who is significantly stronger than Vegeta at this point.
That implies Android 17 has a slight edge over his twin sister.
Then comes Android 16, a fully mechanical model based on Dr. Gero’s deceased son, Gevo. He’s unlike the human-based androids 17 and 18 and was created with one goal: eliminate Goku. Though he rarely fights early on, he shocks everyone when he tells 17 and 18 to flee from Imperfect Cell, warning them they aren’t strong enough to stop him.
His claim isn’t empty. In 'Dragon Ball Z Kai’, 16 says his power is “comparable to that of Cell’s imperfect form.” His signature move, Hell’s Flash, can obliterate an entire island. Yet even that isn’t enough to stop Cell, whose regenerative abilities render the attack ineffective. Still, at that point in Z, Android 16 is clearly the strongest of the trio.
Who’s the strongest in ‘Dragon Ball Super’?
Android 16 doesn’t return in ‘Super’, so it’s down to 17 and 18 again. Although they were nearly equal in Z, Super changes the game.
- Android 18 is eliminated during the Tournament of Power by Ribrianne (Universe 2).
- Android 17, meanwhile, becomes the MVP of the arc—literally the last fighter standing for Universe 7.
This comes down to training and life choices. After the Cell Saga, 17 lives in isolation as a wildlife ranger and trains consistently. 18 settles into family life with Krillin and daughter Marron—not necessarily weakening, but clearly less combat-focused.
So by the end of Super, Android 17 is undeniably the strongest: skilled, powerful, and mentally focused. And with his wish to restore all erased universes, he also becomes one of the franchise’s most unexpectedly noble heroes. As of now, you can watch 'Dragon Ball Z Kai’ on Hulu.
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