Was Android 20 intended to be Dr. Gero?

[Streamer255]

After learning that Akira Toriyama originally planned for Androids 19 & 20 to be the main villains of the Android Saga, I was thinking: Did he also planned for Android 20 to be Dr. Gero or did he just make that up as he went along? Your thoughts?

[DB1984]

Yes, and it was later revealed that Gero turned into Android 20.

[90sDBZ]

That's a good question. It also makes me wonder why Android 20 denies being Gero when Piccolo asks him. What reason did he have to hide his identity?

[Kuririn Fan]

That's a good question. It also makes me wonder why Android 20 denies being Gero when Piccolo asks him. What reason did he have to hide his identity?

So it would be a plot twist when Bulma reveals it?

[trick007z]

I have no proof, but I think so. Dr. Gero was a never before seen character that we were hearing was the real mastermind behind the Red Ribbon army, who hated Goku enough to study him for years, and created Androids that would plunge the world into chaos. It makes very little sense to have that arc go by and never see the catalyst for not only that story, but retroactively the entire Red Ribbon arc.

[Vijay]

Toriyama is notorious for making things up. Android 19 & 20 built to be final villains. Only to reveal 17 & 18 as villains. NOPE!

Cell is da truest, real villain babee!!!

Goin by that notion, I believe firmly 20 was not intended to be Gero. Especially when he denied Piccolo's question.

[coola]

In manga, when Piccolo said "You talk like you are this Dr. Gero" in next panel, Gero have surprised look, lik "How he know?" and denny it next panel, sweating a little, so i think at that point already, 20 was supposed to be Gero

[Darkprince410]

Toriyama is notorious for making things up. Android 19 & 20 built to be final villains. Only to reveal 17 & 18 as villains. NOPE!

Cell is da truest, real villain babee!!!

This is due to one of the few legitimate examples of Toriyama being pushed to change things based on editor input. #19 and #20 were always intended to be the main villains, but the editor that he had for the manga up through the 23rd Budoukai arc, Kazuhiko Torishima, called them a "geezer and a fatso" and made it clear he didn't think they were suitable main villains. Then he created #17 and #18, only for Torishima to again put down the idea, this time saying they were "just some brats". That's when he created Cell.

Akira Toriyama: You’re terrible to say that, Torishima-san. Right around then was when the Androids No. 19 and No. 20 appeared. You weren’t my editor or anything anymore, but you specifically called me to say “I thought that the enemies had finally come, but aren’t these just a geezer and a fatso?” (laughs) In truth, I hadn’t had plans for anyone but No. 19 and No. 20 to appear. But there was no helping it, so I brought out No. 17 and No. 18. Then you called me up and said “What, this time it’s just some brats?” So I brought out Cell. (laughs)

Toriyama's then current editor, Yū Kondō, thought that Cell's first form was ugly, which is what prompted the ability for Cell to transform. However, the second form Kondō said made Cell "look like a moron", resulting in his final, Perfect form.

Fuyuto Takeda: So you hadn’t planned on Cell appearing at all?

Akira Toriyama: That’s right. I liked No. 19 and No. 20 just fine. And I liked the initial Cell fine as well.

Fuyuto Takeda: The bug-like one?

Akira Toriyama: But Kondō-san said “He looks ugly. Of course, he can transform.”, so I had no choice but to transform him into his second-form.

Yū Kondō: Was that how it was?

Akira Toriyama: And then you were really awful, Kondō-san. “This time he looks like a moron, doesn’t he? Hurry up and make him into his perfect-form.” you said.

Amidst all the rumors of Toriyama being forced to change things due to editorial interference, this is one of the few legitimate times that we know that his story was significantly altered due to editor/former editor critiques. If it hadn't been for Torishima, given everything said during the Shenlong Times #2 roundtable, we would have likely had #19 and #20 as the main villains, as was what Toriyama indicated he always intended.

[Kuririn Fan]

Not to be rude, man, but most of us know that.

[LuckyCat]

Toriyama could've planned for #20 to be the main villain and Dr. Gero, right? It just seems like making him Gero is the best explanation for having an old man robot.

[Darkprince410]

Not to be rude, man, but most of us know that.

The individual I was responding to seemingly didn't. His post suggested it was all just all Toriyama's idea to start with #19 and #20, change it to #17 and #18, and then change it to Cell.

[Marco Polo]

Not many time passed between Android 20's appearance and the revealing of his "true" identity, so I think it's likely it was intended.

[Kuririn Fan]

Not to be rude, man, but most of us know that.

The individual I was responding to seemingly didn't. His post suggested it was all just all Toriyama's idea to start with #19 and #20, change it to #17 and #18, and then change it to Cell.

Sorry, didn't see that.

[IDreamtIWasABee]

This is due to one of the few legitimate examples of Toriyama being pushed to change things based on editor input. #19 and #20 were always intended to be the main villains, but the editor that he had for the manga up through the 23rd Budoukai arc, Kazuhiko Torishima, called them a "geezer and a fatso" and made it clear he didn't think they were suitable main villains. Then he created #17 and #18, only for Torishima to again put down the idea, this time saying they were "just some brats". That's when he created Cell.

Is this the same guy who said on a talk show (?) decades later that the reason the Freeza saga should've been the end is because the Z fighters wound up fighting "old men and girls," or words to that effect?

Wonder how things would've gone with 18 and 20 as the villains. Absorbing energy through the nodes was a good idea, the one weakness in an otherwise overwhelming enemy.

Anyway, yeah, he was gonna be Dr. Gero in some sense, probably literally. Maybe 19 would've ended up rebelling and killing him, in a reversal of the old big tough hatchet man/short, small, overpowered leader thing.