How Did Android 17 Get So Powerful In Dragon Ball Super? Reddit Has Some Ideas

Integral to the Tournament of Power story arc in "Dragon Ball Super" is the return of Android 17. While he's a major player during the Cell Games Saga in "Dragon Ball Z," he's almost entirely absent for a lengthy stretch afterward that spans the conclusion of "DBZ" and three full "DBS" story arcs. Nevertheless, when he returns for the Tournament of Power, his strength is at least somewhat comparable to Goku's, to the extent that he's ultimately crowned the tournament's winner. While it's not entirely clear how he became so powerful living a peaceful lifestyle — at least relative to Goku, who saved the universe from annihilation more than once during this same period — Reddit fans have theorized a few different theories explaining his growth.

The top comment in a Reddit thread questioning Android 17's "Dragon Ball Super" strength, by u/Alucard_117, simply argues that he needed to be stronger for plot reasons, regardless of whether any canonical justification makes sense. "Everyone pretty much had to be upgraded for the tournament in order to be relevant," they wrote.

This line of thinking also explains away how some of his Universe 7 teammates — most notably Master Roshi, who is far from one of the most powerful Dragon Ball characters — can hold their own in the Tournament of Power. Several other users, like u/Medium-Drivers, echoed this sentiment. However, some Reddit posters attempted to square away Android 17's power level with logical explanations nevertheless.

One fan, u/SSJRemuko, offers a top comment that provides an in-fiction justification for why Android 17 is so strong in "Dragon Ball Super." They explained that Androids 17 and 18's greatest strength is their unlimited energy — something outlined in the Android Saga that precedes the Cell Game Saga. "They dont need to eat, and only need to drink water and i dont think they even need to sleep. this means they can train a lot longer and harder than anyone else."

Meanwhile, a Reddit user whose account has since been deleted elaborated on this idea with an explanation for why Android 17 in particular is even more powerful than Android 18, citing a supplemental page from the "Dragon Ball Z" manga. "Dr. Gero gave android 17 enhanced power capabilities. He's massively stronger than 18 because his infinity generator isn't suppressed, and he was made to be excessively powerful," they wrote.

Fans looking to justify Android 17's immense power don't have to simply suspend their disbelief when he shows up in "Dragon Ball Super." Rather, there are, in fact, reasons he could have plausibly trained to become strong enough to hold his own in the Tournament of Power rooted in existing canon.