Theories on why Androids not as evil?

[SegaSaturnGamer]

This is one thing that has been fascinating to me.

As you recall from History of Trunks, the Androids were pure evil. They delighted on causing chaos and suffering. Having no thoughts on anyone but themselves, they destroyed cities and killed entire populations. They killed so much people that half of Earth's population was wiped out. And they seemed to delight in toying with Gohan and Trunks and seeing them suffer from injuries and blows they caused on them.Not to mention they killed all the Z Fighters on their first encounter except Gohan.

However in the alternate timeline Trunks created, the Androids were not evil like their Future counterparts were. As shown in the Z Fighters first encounter with them, the Androids did not kill them outright they simply knocked the Z Fighters out unconscious. In fact when Krillan was left standing scared, Android 18 found him cute and gave him a kiss on the face then leaving Krillan unharmed! Android 16 told the Z Fighters that neither Android 17 nor Android 18 evil in nature.

And of course Android 17 and 18 did not go on rampage after the Cell Games. 17 lived somewhere in the peacefully world in solitary whiel 18 married Krillian years later and had a child with him.

Considering Android 17 and Android 18 are complete opposites in personalites to their counterparts in Future Trunk's timeline, what theories do you have for why they are so different?

[dbgtFO]

Considering Android 17 and Android 18 are complete opposites in personalites to their counterparts in Future Trunk's timeline, what theories do you have for why they are so different?

In Trunks' timeline Gero didn't have the heroes following him. When they wake up they kill Gero anyways. Since they somehow have the knowledge of Goku being dead, they find themselves lacking a purpose in life with all that power. Because they think they are the strongest beings in existence, they don't care about much anymore and starts rampaging a city. They then kill Vegeta & Co and think nothing can threaten them now.
Because they have already done several bad things, they just don't care anymore and become full fledged mass murderers.

[Piccolo Daimao]

The future Androids were just as evil as their present counterparts. We just didn't see it because, in the present timeline, the Androids actually had a mission, but in the future, Goku was already dead and they were left without a purpose with all that power.

[cpd12589]

^ Agreed. In Future Trunks's timeline C17 and C18 didn't have the mission to go destroy Goku since he was already dead. Also with virtually everyone else dead they were just left to go do whatever they wanted. C17 made everything into a game and just messed with people as he pleased. So the world just became tormented and destroyed.

[hleV]

Maybe Dr. Gero didn't manage to make them so evil since he decided to work on himself and #19 more.

[the_abberration]

The power source Dr Gero used on #17 & #18

When Dr. Gero built #17 & #18, the reason they were uncontrollable was due to their power source. In the manga timeline, it simply made them disobedient and they only kill Dr. Gero out of self preservation. In the original timeline however the power source made them so uncontrollable, they killed as soon as they were activated. Also, if Trunks’ claim were true, #17 & #18 are stronger in his time. So something happened in the original timeline that might have made Dr. Gero increase their power source to cause this.

Freeza was a possible catalyst

Although Dr. Gero did not spy on Goku when they went to Namek, he doesn’t seem surprised that Goku did leave Earth. Also Cell points out that “We were lucky that Freeza came to Earth” At first read, Cell was referring to the computer. But given that there is no definite timeline as to when Dr. Gero turned Cell’s completion over to the computer, maybe he was aware of Freeza as well.

Also, if Cell could only achieve his perfect form by absorbing #17 & #18, it would make sense if they were at least more powerful than Freeza to begin with. In the manga timeline, Freeza underestimated Trunks’ power. Because of this, Trunks’ was able to make short work of him. This could mean that Freeza was taken out, before he had a chance to go all out. In the original timeline, I believe that since Freeza is already aware of Goku’s power and with the power boost he may have gotten by being a cyborg, that version of Freeza would have went all out against Goku. Thereby he would have exhibited more power compared to his counterpart.

In both cases, Dr. Gero may have used Freeza’s power level as a guide when working on the power source for #17 & #18. Using the power level the computer may have read as a base and then calculating a maximum increase to make the androids stronger. Since the Freeza of the manga timeline would have shown a weaker power level compared to his counterpart (for the rerasons theorized earlier), the Dr. Gero of each timeline adjusted the power source accordingly, with the respective results occurring.

In turn the Freeza of X timeline inspired Gero to go cyborg

Another thought that comes to mind. Up until #17 & #18, Dr. Gero has made all of his previous anidroids from scratch. What if Freeza or rather “mecha” Freeza was the inspiration for Dr. Gero to move to cyborgs? Goku theorizes that Dr. Gero hadn’t started building them yet. This also could have been Mr. Toriyama’s intent as well, since that point is brought up in a recap of the events in one of the manga volumes. If there is some credibility to this and Dr. Gero was building android #17 & #18 during the three year period, then he could have gotten the idea of making cyborgs from mecha Freeza.

Ultimate power corrupts ultimately

Freeza states earlier during his fight with Goku that he has to conceal his power to control himself. Also, when Goku goes SSJ for the first time, King Kai relates that the new power is clouding his judgment making him give into his blood lust. So there seems to be subtle hints to a character's nature and their power. Quite literally absolute power corrupts absolutely. So if the power level of Freeza or the fact that Freeza was a cyborg was an influence on Gero when working on #17 & #18 during their creation and adjustment of the power source, the differences in power may have played a part in their attitudes being so different.

[Rocketman]

The Androids weren't any different, it's just that in the alternate world, with no-one who could even begin to challenge them, they grew bored and started fucking shit up for the hell of it. They never got to that stage in the 'main' world.

[Kaboom]

The Androids weren't any different, it's just that in the alternate world, with no-one who could even begin to challenge them, they grew bored and started fucking shit up for the hell of it. They never got to that stage in the 'main' world.

Seconded. There's no inherent difference in the Androids themselves; just the circumstances.

What's the source for that "Goku let some of Freeza's soldiers live and one of them killed 17 and 18's parents so they're meaner in Trunks' time" idea?

[Piccolo Daimao]

In the manga timeline, it simply made them disobedient and they only kill Dr. Gero out of self preservation. In the original timeline however the power source made them so uncontrollable, they killed as soon as they were activated. Also, if Trunks’ claim were true, #17 & #18 are stronger in his time.

No, it's the other way round. After being defeated by the present Androids, Trunks says that his Androids "weren't that terribly strong...I could put up a fight, at least...", then later clarifies his statement when he says that the present Androids are even stronger than the ones in his time.

But whatever. I still believe the Androids in both times were exactly the same. The circumstances were just different.

Present Androids: They had a purpose in life,which they saw as a game: to kill Son Goku, which is why they never turned Earth into a wasteland.

Future Androids: Since Goku had already died, they lacked a purpose in life with all that power, so they started destroying Earth for fun.

The future Androids aren't any more evil than the present ones. The future Androids saw destroying Earth as a game; the present Androids saw killing Goku as a game. Both sets purposely played with their opponents. We don't know exactly when the Androids killed the Z-Warriors (as in, whether it was in their first battle with them or they had more battles before being killed), but remember #17 revealed that he wasn't even using half his power in their last fight. And Trunks barely survived the Androids' attack, and before #18 says "He's getting annoying. Can I kill him?", #17 says "That'll make one less toy for us".

That's the same with the present Androids. They could've gone for the kill with the Z-Warriors, yet they didn't. They told Kuririn that he was still alive, and #17 said they're free to play with them again.

To sum it up: both sets of Androids played with their opponents, both sets of Androids saw destroying Earth/killing Goku as a game and the only reason the present Androids were seen as less evil was because they had a mission to fulfil, unlike the future ones.

And about the present Androids killing for self-preservation and the future ones doing it (it wasn't said it was as soon as they were activated in the manga, btw)...IMO, that's wrong. In the present, #17 killed Dr. Gero because he was telling #18 to not activate #16. They were not at harm or risk, because #17 had the control and the two of them were far stronger than Dr. Gero anyway. #17 just did it because he was pissed off with Gero, and it could've easily happened in the same way in the future. #17 takes Gero's remote control, so Gero starts shouting at him and #17 kills him to shut him up.

[B]

I always chocked it up to the cop-out "You went back in time, thus you've changed everything" excuse, but I guess Rocketman's theory works.

[Puto]

What's the source for that "Goku let some of Freeza's soldiers live and one of them killed 17 and 18's parents so they're meaner in Trunks' time" idea?

I dunno. I remember reading it somewhere and thinking it made sense (and it still does, imo).

[lash]

I always chocked it up to the cop-out "You went back in time, thus you've changed everything" excuse

I still like that idea better. Butterfly effect.

[Fox666]

Trunks states that Cell changed the past, not him, doesn't?


Either way, the future androids ARE difference. Two things have been stated:
- The present androids are more powerfull: As Trunks stated, in the future he is on par with at least one of these androids, however in the present he has no chance against them. Even Vegeta who is stronger than him don't stand a chance.
- The present androids are less of a menace: For me the manga is clear on this. Of course you could say that in 20 years #18 might have changed. But from the beggining #17 and #18 do not kill humans like they future psychopath counterparts does.

And the explanation is simply: Dr. Gero worked more on the androids of the future. He supressed their power more (which was his objective) and made them follow his mission, which leads to the world destruction.

[Super Saiyan Turlast x4]

While it's never stated in the Manga, I like the idea of Gero changing the Androids mission to world conquest, as #17 mentions in the special. If Gero likely found out that Goku was no longer alive, it would make sense for him to make those changes instead of scrapping the Androids, anyway.

[Fox666]

I wouldn't say they have the mission of world domination. They simply were made to kill. The present androids refuse to kill Goku's friends as much as ordinary humans.

[Chibi Mystic Gohan]

They killed so much people that half of Earth's population was wiped out

Actually, I'm pretty sure Trunks said that the population in his time is only in the tens of thousands (or was it hundreds of thousands?). They killed a lot more than half.

What's the source for that "Goku let some of Freeza's soldiers live and one of them killed 17 and 18's parents so they're meaner in Trunks' time" idea?

Olivier Hague read it on Japanese Wikipedia. Said it was supposedly from a Toriyama interview, but no one has been able to confirm. I'm very skeptical about it.

[CatouttaHell]

The fact that the present Jinzoningen spared the Z-Senshi while the ones in the future killed them makes me disagree with the theory that they just gradually turned evil out of boredom. I'm guessing that since Dr. Gero could do anything BUT make any of his creations follow his orders, he did some different things with the present and future Jinzoningen due to the different events that transpired before they were unleashed. Whatever he did also had the side-effects of altering their personalities.

[Super Saiyan Turlast x4]

You got it right, Chibi. It was ten thousands.

[Rocketman]

The fact that the present Jinzoningen spared the Z-Senshi while the ones in the future killed them makes me disagree with the theory that they just gradually turned evil out of boredom.

If Krillin didn't have Senzu (which he wouldn't because they wouldn't be expecting a fight)
If Krillin joined in the fight (which he would if he wasn't forewarned of his death)

Then everybody but Gohan would've died there.

[NUDEoctopus]

Personal theory on the matter:

Main timeline:
#17 and #18 weren't all that evil because they were created from humans. Thus, they had reason, compassion, (?) and feeling. They were just average Joes with power. Would you have any desire to go kill random people if you suddenly gained that power? I know I wouldn't. They were not technically "completed" by Gero, and he was forced to activate them early.

Future timeline:
Gero was not rushed and had time to perfect his creations. He made them far more cybernetic than the ones of the main timeline and took away any humanity they had left, making them heartless killing machines.

I made all that up, but I think it makes sense.