Summary
- Most Dragon Ball antagonists have the same generic reactions to the Z-Fighters because they don't know anything about them.
- The Androids are unique in how much they know about the Z-Fighters and how that informs their interactions with them.
- The nature of the Androids' relationship with the Z-Fighters makes it nearly impossible to replicate for modern Dragon Ball antagonists.
The antagonists of Dragon Ball have fallen into a sameness. They may come in different forms and come from various places, but there's one thing they all have in common. They all have the same kinds of interactions with Goku and his friends. It's a near-endless cycle of unfamiliarity, condescension, surprise, and anger. In this sense, the fighters coming from beyond Earth work against them. They can't get to know the Z-Fighters without battling them, so all their reactions are variations of one another's.
This is what makes the Androids so exceptional to the Dragon Ball lore. As human-made machines designed to kill the Z-Fighters, they have a unique familiarity with them. The interactions generated by this dynamic are unlike anything else in the franchise. No other antagonists have this initial relationship with the Z-Fighters, nor can they form it. The dynamic is a byproduct of the context in which the Androids were introduced to the story. The only chance of recreating their dynamic would be if there were more powerful warriors from Earth targeting Goku and his friends, which is becoming harder to justify. If such warriors bring such refreshing chemistry with them, that will be great. Until then, the Androids should be appreciated for their spin on the Dragon Ball narrative.
How Most Dragon Ball Villains Interact With the Z-Fighters
Most Dragon Ball villains fall into a formula. They have the same reactions to meeting, fighting, and losing to them. One could argue this dynamic is one of many ways Dragon Ball shaped modern battle shonen, but that only makes it feel more played out in hindsight.
The first thing the villains will do is act like jerks. This can mean terrorizing civilians or antagonizing the Z-Fighters directly. Either way, they're practically asking to be put in their place.
The villains also tend to underestimate the Z-Fighters. Part of it is not knowing who they're up against. The rest is confidence in their overwhelming power. Many also don't know how to sense energy for whatever reason. Whatever it is, they'll continue to trash-talk their opponents like they're the ones who don't know what they're getting into.
The Z-Fighters powering up can have one of two effects. In one scenario, the villains are shocked by how strong their opponent has become and furiously deny it. Other times, they won't understand why changing one's hair color or length matters until they take their first blow. And then they'll furiously deny it.
This form of interaction is all that most Dragon Ball antagonists need. Dragon Ball generally turns its conflicts into simple matters of good versus evil. It sets them up as villains the audience wants to see beaten without raising questions of who's in the right. These story beats are the minimum requirements for turning any given enemy into someone the audience wants to see defeated.
That said, this formula for antagonists is employed too often. In Dragon Ball Z alone, it can be applied to the Saiyans, the Frieza Force, Frieza, and Babidi and Majin Buu ("Ho-hum. What a useless transformation. You changed your hair. So what?"). Dragon Ball Super compounded the problem further through Frieza (again), Champa, Zamasu, Moro, and many fighters in the Tournament of Porer. There are plenty more examples throughout the franchise, and the number will likely continue to increase.
How the Androids Separate Themselves from Other Villains
The Androids look at the Z-Fighters a little differently from the average villain. For one thing, they're all readily familiar with Earth's greatest warriors. After all, they were designed with the express purpose of killing them. To that end, they were programmed with information about his and the other Z-Fighters' most significant battles between the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament and the Saiyan invasion. Thus, when the Androids met Goku and the gang for what should have been the first time, they acted like old friends.
The Z-Fighters had a similar response to the Androids. Thanks to Future Trunks, they were made aware of these "new" foes three years in advance, so they had plenty of time to mentally prepare for them. That said, both sides were initially surprised by how much they knew about each other when they first met.
There were a few subtle differences in how each Android acted toward the Z-Fighters. Android 20, who turned out to be Dr. Gero, was consistently hostile toward Goku and his friends. Android 19 shifted from an emotionless robot to one of the Z-Fighters' more generic villains (save for knowing all about them. Android 16 was calm and gentle, but he did warn Goku to keep his distance. Androids 17 and 18 acted the most chummy, which may come from a mix of confidence and having the most human personalities.
Cell had a unique form of respect for the Z-Fighters. He was a biomechanical Android with parts of their DNA, memories, and fighting techniques in him. He had a greater appreciation for Goku and his friends' powers than anyone, including Dr. Gero. It's why when he battles Goku in the Cell Games, his look isn't condescension but eagerness to battle someone he knows will make a worthy opponent; Goku gives him a similar look, which adds to the dynamic.
Why the Androids' Interactions Are So Difficult to Recreate
The Androids' dynamic with the Z-Fighters has not been recreated in the series before or since. Most antagonists interact with Goku and the gang while knowing nothing or little about them. Familiarity and respect will only come after they've fought if then.
The only antagonists who have had anything resembling this relationship are those existing beyond the main series canon. These include some of Dr. Gero's non-canon Androids, like 13 through 15 and 21. The Time Breakers are also familiar with Goku's exploits, though they hardly make time to chat.
It's also worth noting how attuned to Earth culture the Androids are. Most modern Dragon Ball antagonists come from other planets, universes, and planes of existence. Some of them have customs or concepts that mirror Earth's, and others recreate Earth's culture for gag purposes. Beyond that, they experience Earth as fish out of water. Since the Androids come from Earth, they're as familiar with it as they are with the Z-Fighters.
Even Dr. Hedo's Androids can't quite recapture the magic of Dr. Gero's. They understand Earth culture, but they deliberately narrow their focus on the concept of old-fashioned superheroes. Their information on the Z-Fighters is also dated and flawed. For example, Gamma 2 mistakes Piccolo Jr. for his father, King Piccolo. This is to say nothing of Cell Max being a mindless monster or whether completing him would have changed anything. They could become better versed in time, but what was great about Dr. Gero's Androids was their understanding of everything they displayed from the start.
It's not impossible to replicate what the Androids did, but making it equally unique and believable could prove tricky. As the series progresses to distant worlds, realms, and universes, the likelihood of finding antagonists like the Androids will continually grow slimmer. Even if enemies like the Androids showed up, they could only cheaply imitate what came before them.