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| “ | I cleared the area of innocents, in accordance with your wishes. Do you disagree with my methods? | „ |
| ~ Dr. Gero after destroying half of a city. |
Dr. Maki Gero, also known as Android 20, is a major antagonist in the Dragon Ball franchise.
He is an evil genius scientist and a brilliant weapons designer behind the criminal organization known as the Red Ribbon Army. As an android, he can drain energy from people through a device on his hand. He was single-handedly responsible for creating the androids and Cell, as well as creating Super 17. His Future Counterpart also created both identical versions of Future Android 18 and Future Android 17, until they caused his death.
He was also the the husband of Vomi (AKA Android 21), the father of Gevo (AKA Android 16) and an unnamed child (Dr. Hedo's parent), and the grandfather of Dr. Hedo. He is also the archenemy of Bulma (primarily her Future Counterpart).
He was voiced by the late Kōji Yada, and Ikuya Sawaki in Dragon Ball Legends in Japanese and Kent Williams in Funimation dub, Brian Dobson in Ocean Group dub, and Ed Marcus in AB Groupe dub in English.
Biography[]
Dragon Ball[]
Maki Gero was the chief scientist of the Red Ribbon Army (though he is never seen or even mentioned at the time) that created the first androids in the service of the Red Ribbon Army. In the anime, Dr. Flappe (who looks nothing like Dr. Gero) is named as Android 8's creator.
A possible explanation is that Flappe and Gero were partners and constructed the first androids together (most likely including Android 8) or that Flappe merely constructed Android 8 while Gero produced the blueprints and forced him to create him (most likely the latter as Flappe was hinted at being a Red Ribbon member against his own will). Akira confirmed them to be partners and he modeled Gevo as Android 16 after his late son who was a high-ranking member who died in a gunfight.
After the Red Ribbon Army was defeated by Son Goku, Gero went into hiding in a mountain area that was north of North City where his laboratory was located. In this lab, he strived to create the ultimate fighting machine. Using an extremely intelligent tracking device disguised as a ladybug, he studied Goku and the Z Warriors for years on end while gathering their cells in many events: the fights Goku had with Tenshinhan, King Piccolo, Piccolo, the Saiyans (Raditz, Nappa and Vegeta), and the invasion of Frieza and his father King Cold. He used the collection of cells of the world's greatest fighters to create his ultimate android, Cell.
Dr. Gero ceased the study of Goku's power when the Saiyan left for Planet Namek, believing he had already compiled enough information and no more need to study Goku while in space; so he simply adjusted the androids' power levels to accommodate to Goku's expected power increase, not accounting for the power level of Goku's Super Saiyan form. Believing he had created the ultimate fighting machines, he finalized his plans and constructed a series of Artificial Humans (Androids). At one point, he met 17 and 18 by complete chance and kidnapped them making them into cyborgs, with their purpose being to complete Cell's design to become Perfect.
Dragon Ball Z[]
Dr. Gero now as Android 20, arrives with another of his creations, Android 19.
| “ | Dr. Gero/Android 20: Yes, of couse. As you wish. Though I doubt it will matter much to you after a few moments... when you have been ground into a pulp. But if it's the last thing you wished to hear to her before you die, I will tell you. You have been close observation for some time by a highly sophisticated remote tracking device. This device was caliberated to hold in your very distinct energy patern and was planted on you during the World Martial Arts Tournament when you were still a boy. From that day forward, your every movement was monitored. Your fighting techniques studied. The secrets of your Kamehameha wave revealed. Over the years, Dr. Gero followed your many battles. He witnessed your skills development and remarkable rate. He watched as your power soared to outstanding new height and by watching, he learned. You were studied until Dr. Gero has gathered enough informations to create the perfect fighting machines. Powerful machines. Machines fully capable of destroying you the way you destroyed the Red Ribbon Army. Goku: This is just a grudge? |
„ |
| ~ Android 20 revealing to the Z-Fighter. |
Dr. Gero sought revenge on Son Goku, so he studied Goku and all his fights on Earth, including his fight with Nappa and Vegeta. He built androids with as much power as an army so they could defeat Goku. It is said by Trunks that the androids killed Dr. Gero when they awakened (as this was what happened in his timeline). However, this did not immediately happen, as Gero awakened Android 19, who made him into Android 20. They attacked a city where Goku and the other Z Fighters (minus Vegeta, Future Trunks and Chiaotzu) were waiting for them. #20 destroyed a city to prevent the people from getting in the way of their fight. In a deserted area, #20 sent #19 after Goku, who then became crippled with a heart virus, and was forced to leave with Yamcha as Goku needs the heart medicine to cure the heart virus (as informed by Gohan).
After Vegeta arrived and destroyed #19, #20 ran, deciding to steal energy from the other Z Fighters so he would be strong enough to defeat Vegeta. He targeted Piccolo first, but Son Gohan stopped him, and Piccolo beat up #20, cutting off his hand. However, Trunks showed up and revealed that #19 and #20 were not the androids from his timeline, but Artificial Humans 17 and 18 were. #20 retreated to his lab, but attacked a man along the way who shot at him mistaking him for a deer, leading Kuririn to fight him. They followed him to his lab where he awakened #17 and #18, who disliked being controlled and took his remote and crushed it. #20 tried to stop #17 and #18 awakening Android 16, saying it was too dangerous to awaken him. #17 then impaled him with his hand surprising everyone, and kicked his head off. He survived, so #17 stomped on his head, crushing it.
Dr. Gero's master computer was creating an ultimate android Cell from the cells of Goku, Son Gohan, Piccolo, Yamcha, Tenshinhan, Chaozu, Vegeta, Nappa, Frieza, and King Cold, which Gero had extracted using an insect-like device. In Cell's timeline (and possibly Trunks' timeline as well), Gero was killed when #17 cut his head off and #18 destroyed his head after he said Cell would swallow them up. In the regular timeline, the master computer and Cell in his larval form were destroyed by Krillin and Trunks.
He later appeared in Hell alongside several other dead villains during the Pure Boo Saga, watching Goku's fight with Pure Majin Boo.
He also appeared in the movie Super Android 13, during his death at the hands of Android 17 (though the dialogue is changed), with his master computer programmed to think it was Dr. Gero, and it finished building Androids 13, 14, and 15. In the anime (as most of the movies are non-canon) it is said by 18 that all androids up to 15 were destroyed by Gero (excluding Android 8, as Gero never built him).
Dragon Ball GT[]
Dr. Gero now partners with the alien scientist and fellow mad genius Dr. Myuu.
Dr. Gero found the recently deceased Dr. Myuu and offered an alliance of their intelligence, getting him to join by promising revenge on their common enemy: Goku. The two scientists worked together to build another Android 17 in Hell, brainwashing the original #17 (who was no longer evil) to open up a portal from Hell which most of the dead villains escaped. They also lured Goku to Hell, before leaving him trapped there to handle Frieza and Cell, while they invaded Earth.
The two 17s fused together into Super 17, the perfect android. Gero was pleased as 17 made quick work of the Z-fighters and voiced how taking over the world would be possible once they were slaughtered. However, Gero was betrayed by Myuu who secretly reprogrammed Super 17 to only obey him. Gero then noted that he would be killed by 17 again, just as he was killed by Super 17 with an energy wave.
Legacy[]
Despite his death, Gero actually impacts the story due to his line of creations. one of which was Android 16 was based on his son and Android 21 implied to have been his wife and the mother of his son was turned into a bio android for unknown reasons who served as the main villain of the video game Dragon Ball Fighterz. He also notably created Cell, who was purely more dangerous than his previous predecessors and was the main villain of the android saga through his supercomputer. Cell also fulfilled Gero's desire to kill Goku when he self-destructed on King Kai's planet though he was resurrected years later. Android 17 and 18 also caused devastation in Future Trunks' timeline.
Even in non-canon material Gero's supercomputer managed to unleash Android 13, Android 14 and Android 15. His influence also caused Zamasu to invade Future Trunks's timeline in Super and in GT teamed up with Dr. Myuu to unleashed Super 17. The only villains who more impact on the story than Gero are Frieza and Zamasu/Goku Black. He assisted the rise of the red Ribbon Army and created Android 8. Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero reveals that Commander Maganetta who leads the Red Pharmaceuticals the front of the Red Ribbon army was providing him funds for his androids and later hires Gero's grandson Hedo to help him build Gamma 1 and 2 along with Cell Max a clone of Cell. After the defeat of the Red Ribbon army Hedo and Gamma 1 join Capsule Corp.
Personality[]
Dr. Gero is a cold-hearted and merciless man who is willing to stop at nothing to achieve his goals, he doesn't let people get in his way, and even kidnaps other people to use for his experiments. He also holds a strong grudge against Goku due to him destroyed the entire Red Ribbon Army. He has the utmost confidence in his technological skills and intellect, as he believes, even when the odds are against him, that he, or his creations, will succeed somehow. Gero also trusts his creations with his life, believing now that he has "improved" them, they will respect him as their master. However despite his cold heart, he is capable of some affection, as he modeled Android 16 after his deceased son and deliberately made 16 gentle in order to avoid the risk of him being destroyed in battle. As he is unable to bear the thought of that happening.
However, he had trouble with his creations, Android 17 and 18, for disobeying him due to them being arrogant and rude. Arguably, he can also be quite hypocritical and self-righteous, because even if he despised Son Goku for destroying the Red Ribbon Army for 20 years he used Goku's DNA to create Cell, whether this occurred before or after Son Goku destroyed the Red Ribbon is debatable.
Appearance[]
Dr. Gero's appearance includes light tan skin, blue eyes, a large, bushy white mustache, and long hair. He also has the Red Ribbon Army emblem located on his hat that hides his visible brain after turning into an android. Dr. Gero's mechanical body also doesn't have eyebrows in their old organic form, with pronounced brows instead. His clothes are black, with orange parts on his upper arms and pale yellow sleeves on his forearms. His pants are dark brown and his shoes are black and white.
Powers and Notable Techniques[]
Before his conversion into an Android, Dr. Gero had no real fighting attributes. However, he has seemingly superhuman intelligence as he used a remote tracking device to study Goku's fights as well collecting informations to create androids (although didn't spy on Goku at Planet Namek when believed there was no more need) and collecting cells from the world's greatest fighters to create his ultimate android, Cell. After becoming Android #20, Gero can now fly, is superhumanly strong and fast, and can both manipulate and absorb Ki Energy.
He does seem to have at least above average tactical prowess, as he made a plan to eliminate all his opponents by steadily killing them through absorption. Along with that, he took advantage of Bulma's unexpected arrival to escape through blasting her aircraft.
Bionic Punisher[]
An extremely powerful eye laser fired from both eyes. Capable of easily eliminating a city in several shots.
Full Power Energy Cannon[]
Full Power Energy Waves fired from the energy absorbing pads on Android #20's hands.
Energy Discharge Blast[]
A variation of the Full Power Energy Cannon in the form of a purple Energy Wave.
Pesky Fly[]
Android #20 claws the opponent up into the air. Then, he jumps up to grab the opponent by their leg and throws them away. Finally, Dr. Gero teleports behind the opponent to knee the opponent twice down to the ground, inflicting a great deal of damage.
Quotes[]
| “ | Yes, of course...as you wish. Though I doubt it will matter much to you after a few moments, when you have been ground to a pulp. But if this is the last thing you wish to hear before you die, I will tell you. | „ |
| ~ Dr Gero. |
| “ | It is too crowded here. I agree. Many people could get in our way. I will see to it that they do not. | „ |
| ~ Dr. Gero to Goku before destroying most of the city he and Android 19 arrived to. |
| “ | Goku's new abilities greatly exceed anything I had anticipated. If the opportunity does not soon arise for 19 to steal some energy, he will drain his power reservoir and begin to malfunction. | „ |
| ~ Dr. Gero as he is watching Goku and Android #19 battling each other. |
| “ | Enough of this nonsense, fool! You may have become a Super Saiyan but your newfound powers are still no match for us. Please demonstrate 19. | „ |
| ~ Dr. Gero to Vegeta before ordering Android 19 to fight the Super Saiyan. |
| “ | You are a bit stronger than I anticipated. But it is nothing I cannot handle. Your defeat is imminent. | „ |
| ~ Dr. Gero to Vegeta. |
| “ | Ah yes. This is invigorating. We should have done this sooner! | „ |
| ~ Dr. Gero as to Piccolo as he absorbs the latter's energy. |
| “ | Yes. Now I have eternal life like you. But we have pressing matters at hand. In the past, the two of you have displayed an unacceptable tendency to disobey my orders. I blame myself for this and the way I programmed you. I have since modified your programming however and I will no longer tolerate insubordination. | „ |
| ~ Dr. Gero to Androids #17 and #18 after they had been activated and see that the doctor has become an Android like them. |
| “ | What have you done? How dare you? Don't you know...I gave you life...and I can take it away! | „ |
| ~ Dr. Gero |
| “ | Grr.. Now that does it, now I am mad. | „ |
| ~ Dr. Gero's last words before being killed by #17. |
| “ | Idiot! You won't even tread water against what I've created, because unlike you he won't rely on gears or Computer chips, He'll be biomechanics. Now unless if you want me to push the Button again, you go back to your capsules and sleep. | „ |
| ~ Future Dr. Gero to Android 17 upon his plans on creating the "Ultimate Android" as well as threatening them. |
| “ | You will see.. some..day.. will swallow you up, and then you will become a part of their action. | „ |
| ~ Future Dr Gero's last remarks towards Android 18 and 17, hoping his latest creation will avenge him before being blasted by 18. |
| “ | No, not like this. Aaah! | „ |
| ~ Dr Gero's last words in GT before being betrayed and blasted by Super 17. |
Trivia[]
- Despite being the main antagonist of the Android saga, He is the only villain that never fought Goku, due to being unaware of his Super Saiyan Form.
- Dr. Gero is one of the few Dragon Ball Z villains to be killed by their own allies.
- Its worth noting every single thing he every created to kill Goku never does the job by choice, even Cell managing to do it is because he decided to rage quit and try taking Earth with him.
- It would take a flow chart to explain in detail just how badly he messes up, due to the involvement of time travel to undo his mistakes.
- Cell didn't really care to follow the directive due to the DNA from Vegeta, Goku and Frieza making him arrogant and only caring about proving hia strength.
- Dragon Ball Abridged gave him a much more reasonable and sympathetic reason to hate Goku. When Goku attacked Red Ribbon HQ, a stray Kamehameha blast hit Gevo's bunk room and killed him.
External Links[]
- Dr. Gero on the Dragon Ball Wiki
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 Villains
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Saiyan Army Galactic Frieza Army Garlic Jr.'s Clan Red Ribbon Androids Babidi's Majins Majin Buu’s Forms Other Video Game Exclusive | ||
 Villains
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Machine Mutants Army of Hell Shadow Dragons Pilaf Gang Other | ||