Dragon Ball: Shenron’s Wish Denied by Technology

In the world of Dragon Ball, anything is possible and nothing is out of reach. As devoted followers have seen, even the passing of a character holds no significance, thanks to the presence of the Eternal Dragon Shenron who has the power to grant any desire, including the resurrection of the deceased.

Using the dragon balls, the main protagonist of the series has been resurrected multiple times, along with numerous other characters. Despite this, Shenron’s power to grant wishes is not without its restrictions, which were evident during the Cell Saga’s conclusion. Following this, Gohan emerged as the victor over Perfect Cell, and Future Trunks departed for his own time.

After the Z fighters’ unsuccessful attempt to bring Goku back to life, Krillin took the opportunity to make a wish to Shenron. He hoped for the andriods 17 and 18 to be transformed into humans, as he had developed feelings for Android 18. However, this wish could not be granted as fans believe that Shenron is unable to turn a robot (android) into a human.

Exploring the Limitations of Shenron: The Androids’ Inability to Transform into Humans

Androids standing alongside Dr. Gero (Image via Toei Animation)
Androids standing alongside Dr. Gero (Image via Toei Animation)

Dr. Gero created two androids, Android 18 and 17, who were introduced during the Android Saga of Dragon Ball Z. These two were among Dr. Gero’s most impressive creations, and he activated them following the defeat of Android 19 by the Z fighters.

Upon being activated in his laboratory, the Androids remained composed, fully aware that Dr. Gero held the power to terminate them at any given moment. As time passed, the Z fighters arrived at the laboratory and attempted to gain entry. In a state of panic, Gero accidentally dropped the button that could destroy the newly awakened Androids. Seizing the opportunity, Android 17 swiftly took hold of the button and destroyed it.

The group revealed their true intentions and confronted Dr. Gero regarding the androids. In response, Gero became angry and began reprimanding Android 18, causing Android 17 to take action and decapitate him. With Dr. Gero now deceased, the androids were set free.

During the Cell Saga, these Androids were also involved in the Cell Games and were ultimately absorbed by Cell. As the Saga came to a close and Goku emerged victorious against Perfect Cell, both of them were brought back to life. However, Goku tragically passed away during the battle with Cell, leading the Z fighters to make the decision to revive him after the conclusion of the Cell Games.

Shenlong as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)
Shenlong as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

As planned, they collected the dragon balls and called upon Shenron. However, before making their wish, Goku stepped in and advised against reviving him. He explained that he tended to attract trouble and wanted Earth to remain peaceful without him. Shenron agreed and inquired if they had any other wishes. Krillin then used his wish to transform both Android 17 and 18 back into their human selves.

According to Akira Toriyama, the creator of the series, it was disclosed that Android 17 and 18 were originally human siblings named Lapis and Lazuli who were abducted by Dr. Gero and modified into Androids. However, many fans speculated that Shenron was incapable of fulfilling this wish due to its highly advanced technology.

The Real Reason and Speculation

Shenron revealed the reason why he couldn't turn the androids back to humans (Image via Shueisha)
Shenron revealed the reason why he couldn’t turn the androids back to humans (Image via Shueisha)

Despite advances in technology, Shenron was unable to turn the Androids back into their human selves. In the anime/manga, it was revealed that Shenlong declared the Androids’ powers to be too immense and enigmatic for him to comprehend, thus preventing their revival.

The unique abilities possessed by the Androids may be attributed to their cyborg nature, distinguishing them from both humans and robots. As a result, Shenlong was unable to comprehend Krillin’s request.

If Krillin had requested for Shenron to return their bodies to their state before being abducted by Dr. Gero, his wish could have been fulfilled. However, this would have caused them to revert back into children.

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