Before We Start…

It’s important to establish what’s being used here, as 21 being a non canon character doesn’t have a real “main” version to highlight and has been adapted in different mediums.

To keep it open and shut, this is going to be compositing DBFZ, Xenoverse, and Dragon Ball Heroes. DBFZ is basically the main source of a majority of 21’s lore and abilities, so a majority of her powers and story come from that game.

The reason why Xenoverse and DB Heroes are being included in this is because those stories are effectively offshoots of the DBFZ storyline and while no one to one, the general same core beats exist in those continuities and her abilities do not radically change between the three continuities. It helps that even the baseline DBFZ has three different routes that have three completely different endings that don’t fully line up with each other, so this isn’t new for 21.

Above all else I want this to be a comprehensive guide of 21’s appearances and cover my bases on her content and scaling and what not.

Background

“Heh Heh Heh. Now it’s your turn. I wonder how tasty you all will be”

21’s backstory is a bit messy due to 21 herself not knowing what her life was like prior to becoming an Android. Prior to her escapades, 21 was simply just a scientist by the name of Vomi. The wife of famous scientist Dr.Gero, the two of them would have a son named Gevo, the template for who would become Android 16.

Eventually Vomi would die through some unknown means, and from there it’s not clear what turned her into an Android. In one account 16 claims that Vomi was a template that would be used to create Android 21, but according to 21 she was converted into an Android in a similar vein to Android 17 and 18. In both cases, her creation involved the compilation of many of the universe's greatest fighters. Whether it was Goku, Piccolo, Frieza or Cell, 21 would become the ultimate Bio Android.

One of these cells however would present a major problem: Majin Buu. Due to possessing his cells, 21 would develop an immense hunger, taking shape as an alternate personality that desires nothing but to feed on powerful warriors. Eventually this personality would take over, and developed a special plan to ensure that she would be unopposed in her desires to feed.

Step 1: Use a wave suppression device to weaken fighters

Step 2: Pair the weakened fighters with artificial/human souls to strengthen them.

Step 3: Use Clones as a means of making both herself stronger and to grant the fighters a chance to make themselves more powerful.

Step 4: Consume and Profit.

A completely full proof plan right? Well maybe. There are many different routes 21’s journey goes through, usually ending in her failure. In one instance the heroes beat her by just…hitting her hard I guess? In another, the villains found flaws in her schemes and exploited them to regain their power.

But the most notable instance is when 21’s good half actually resurfaced, as it turns out the wave suppression device also weakened Evil 21, causing her other half to regain some control. In order to make sure she had someone to keep her in check, she recreated 16 and had him find a soul to link (AKA you the player) with her and suppress her urges. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough and after accidentally killing 16 the two halves of 21 split. In spite of her issues, the Z Fighters still stuck by Good 21 and proceeded to confront her evil half in one last battle. In a desperate attempt to fully finish her off once and for all, Good 21 would sacrifice herself and cause both halves to be destroyed by a Super Spirit Bomb. Seeing the good in her however, Goku would plan on going to King Yemma, in hopes of ensuring that 21 would reincarnate as a good guy, creating a possible future for the Android after everything she went through.

Experience & Skill

While only being chronologically 10 years old, 21 has been shown to keep up and even surpass some of the strongest warriors on the planet, in no small part due to her DNA. She has taken on the universe's most talented martial artists such as Goku, Piccolo, Gohan, and more. Even on the offset she was built to surpass Cell and Buu, the former of whom has shown to keep up with some of the aforementioned fighters in combat and the latter who has shown talent in copying techniques perfectly.

Even lower ranked martial artists like Grandpa Gohan have been stated to be a master of all martial arts in the world, and Goku himself not only surpassed him but has shown on the fly battle tactics like studying and figuring out Hit’s time skip despite having no prior knowledge of its mechanics. In spite of these talents, Goku still struggled to put 21 down, showcasing just how talented she is in combat.

Equipment

Wave Machine

A machine that was utilized throughout the main story of Dragon Ball Fighterz. This machine’s primary ability is to suppress the power levels (14:15-14:35) of fighters across the world. When active the waves can cause paralysis and knock out fighters. Most importantly, the waves seal off the soul of the main body. When in this “weakened” state, the fighters are reliant on outside resources, namely other souls to possess and draw out their latent power. Even when the waves were fully neutralized, the power was still dormant and required the fighters to use their souls to regain their lost power overtime.

In DragonBall Heroes World Mission, there is a skill known as “Wave Machine” that disables the special moves of an opponent. This can be undone however, by using the “Soul Link” skill within the game.

Cloning Technology

A series of replica fighters created by 21 to serve as training fodder for the linked warriors as well as free food to power herself up with. They have the same fighting styles and techniques as the originals and usually come in groups when attacking. She can even summon them in the midst of combat to assist her. They maintain none of the personality and are obedient soldiers save for Kid Buu, who maintains the same destructive impulses.

How strong the clones are isn’t fully clear. Piccolo notes that it’s power is the same as his and Gohan believes it has the same amount of power he has in his Ultimate state pre-TOP. However 21 claims the clones lack the strength of the originals, and other characters make claims that the clones aren’t very strong. In any case they are a valuable asset to 21, be it as fighters or a free source of energy.

Abilities

Ki Manipulation

Like many beings in Dragonball, Android 21 can manipulate her own life force to achieve numerous types of skills. She can utilize her life energy to fly, create energy blasts, enhance her own physicality, sense the presence of others, and utilize many destructive and unique techniques.

Bio Android Physiology

As an Bio Android similar to that of Cell, 21 has the experiences and data of all of the world’s greatest fighters, including Goku, Frieza, and most recently all variations of Majin Buu. (54:49-55:16). This grants her access to many biological traits inherent to many of these fighters, and allows her to copy techniques just from seeing them once.

Regeneration

Naturally as a part of DNA, 21 inherited the regenerative capabilities of Cell and Buu, capable of healing herself in an instant.(1:11:10-1:12:13). Her good half openly states that to destroy her would require destroying every last cell, which lines up with her data templates having shown to recover from just a cluster of cells and from tiny pieces of themselves.

Just like her counterpart, she can also receive a Zenkai Boost after approaching near death, increasing her power by extraordinary lengths

Candy Beam

Her most iconic ability, 21 has the terrifying ability to turn her opponent into any type of candy she desires. The range can be from a single person, to an entire city as displayed by Majin Buu. Beyond just simply being tasty, the opponents she devours add on to her overall strength, with the power jumps varying depending on the strength of the opponent she absorbs. (37:45-38:42)

Connoisseur Cut

A special technique where 21 summons an energy blade to stab through opponents. Techniques such as Savory Slicer and Appetizer Rush allow her to create special combo attacks with the blade. The most important aspect of this attack is the ability to copy techniques from the opponent, granting her numerous skills to utilize.

Kamehameha

The signature technique of the Turtle School was stolen from Goku. A giant energy beam formed from two hands, this continuous destructive wave has been used to overpower the most powerful foes, with some of the most powerful versions capable of shattering moons.

Solar Flare

A technique stolen from Krillin Tien that utilizes a flash of light to blind opponents and escape dire situations or distract characters in the midst of attacking.

Continuous Energy Blast

The Vegeta special. A stream of energy blasts that will be whipped out if you are in a dire situation and need to win.

Sticky Energy Blast

An attack that “sticks” an energy blast to an opponent and detonates it. Apparently originates from the “Vegeta” side of things but he’s never used this technique like ever.

Explosive Energy Blast

An attack supposedly taken from the Androids, this attack summons two giant energy spheres to attack the opponent.

Barrier Sphere

A classic Android technique, these barriers have the ability to nullify attacks both ranged and physical.

Homing Energy Blast

A technique taken from Piccolo, this energy attack as the name implies tracks the opponent before exploding on contact.

Instant Transmission

A technique stolen from Goku, Instant Transmission allows for one to track Ki signatures to teleport instantly to another location. 21 herself has used this to travel from Earth to the Supreme Kai planet, a distance of light years away. Alternate media such as the Return of Cooler Movie, the Budokai Tenkaichi game and DBZ Kakarot depict using instant transmission as fighting within a specific space where time around everyone else is frozen. Goku has even used this technique to…somehow teleport to the Crack Of Time, a space closed off from all of time.

Total Detonation Ball

A special move that takes 21’s absorbed techniques and places them into an energy blast that becomes larger with more techniques put into it. An even more potent version of this ability known as the Absolute Release Ball manifests as a Death Ball-esque attack, mostly used to kill 16.

Photon Swipe

A death beam like attack that has 21 swipe her finger, causing destruction all over the battlefield.

Excellent Full Course

A powerful combo attack which sees 21 blitz across the battlefield, ending with her pouncing on her opponent and unleashing a massive energy blast that can devastate large portions of the land.

Impending Doom

A giant explosion that can 21 charges up to unleash a wave of destruction amongst her enemies.

Resistances

NOTE: A fair amount of these resistances will come from scaling to other characters' accomplishments in DragonBall. Given the nature of Ki within the series, any feat performed by a weaker or comparable character, it's fair to say 21 would get.

Extreme Temperatures: Frieza and Buu can live in space with no issues, with temperatures being as low as -270.45 Celsius. Given she their DNA, this should apply to 21.

Possession/Corruption: 21 was able to block the linked soul from entering her body, and was able to resist Demon God Dabura’s magic corrupting her and bringing out her evil side, suppressing it.

Mind Manipulation: Characters like Vegeta are able to fend of mind control, and Demigra admitted he could not control Goku with his Dark Ki due to his God Ki, which is consistent with Beerus resisting Demigra’s control with ease. Being in a similar league to these characters, 21 should be able to resist.

BFR: Super Buu was able to scream his way out of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, and as Buuhan replicated the feat on a universal scale. Having Buu cells should make it obvious 21 can replicate the same feat.

Transmutation: Vegeta within Heroes could resist Lagss’s ability to turn people into glass, and Vegito when fully turned into a piece of candy maintained his strength. Given her greater power+cells 21 should be capable of the same.

Time Manipulation: In his fight with Hit, Goku through sheer power was able to break through his Time Skip. Given Hit’s abilities do not work on those who are stronger, and 21 could potentially keep up with SSB Goku post U6 arc, she should be capable of the same thing.

Erasure Existence: Characters such as Frieza, Goku, and Vegeta through sheer power have resisted the effects of Hakai. Hakai erases the physical body and the soul, removing them from the time stream. Being comparable in power to these characters makes it likely 21 can resist these effects.

Forms

Standard/Lab Coat

The normal state of Android 21. While in this state she has access to a fair amount of her poweset including the Candy Beam, barriers, energy swords, and typical ki abilities that come with the DragonBall kit.

Good Android 21

The side of Android 21 that represents her more caring and motherly nature. Without her hunger being nearly as ravenous, Good 21 is far more critical in her thinking and is and is less prone to unhealthy outbursts. While she does have access to most of the same powers, she’s far more unwilling to utilize her more dangerous powers such as the Candy Beam.

Evil Android 21

The gluttonous personality developed through the Buu cells that went berserk. Evil Android 21 is focused on doing whatever it takes to satisfy her cravings. Containing most of the actual power, Evil 21 is easily the most powerful version of the character, and only increased in power once she absorbed Cell. Even after Goku and the Z Fighters unlocked their full power and became stronger, they still failed to properly take down Evil 21.

Feats

Overall

One of the smartest characters in the whole series, surpassing Dr.Gero in intellect
Bested many of the series villains including Frieza, Cell, Cooler and Demon King Dabura
Conquered and suppressed her evil cells in multiple timelines
Saved the world once separated from her evil half

Power

Destroys 16 three separate times
Creates large explosions with her Excellent Full Course
Pushes back the Super Spirit Bomb

Weaker spirit bombs have created explosions visible from space and have been stated to destroy the Earth

Destroyed Cell Max with 16 and Gamma 1

Speed

Outsped Goku’s flight
Created sonic booms in a clash
Dodged Frieza’s energy blasts
Avoided the Super Spirit Bomb

The energy gathered for the Super Spirit bomb could move across the universe in seconds (100-489 quadrillion c)

Durability

Survived the Z Fighters all attacking her with maximum effort in all three routes

Scaling

Cell and Buu

Being designed to surpass both Cell and Majin Buu and having all of their DNA within her, it’s obvious that 21 should be able to scale to all of their feats.

Movie Villains

Naturally due to keeping up with fighters like Goku and the Player within the Xenoverse and Heroes timelines, it’s only natural 21 should scale to many of the villains who have been bested by them.

Goku and Vegeta (Semi Debatable)

Okay so this is a bit of a weird case.

In no uncertain terms 21 does scale to Goku and Vegeta. She battles all the Z Fighters in all three routes of DBFZ and often no sells their attacks. This is consistent in games like Xenoverse where Goku needed a Spirit Bomb to actually best her.

The question would be HOW far she scales. In every cutscene of DBFZ’s big battle Goku and Vegeta are in their Super Saiyan states and never tap into their God Ki power in the conflict, making it unclear if they ever regain that power heading into the final battle. Goku even notes his original power is back in the Android Arc and yet doesn’t ever seem to use Blue. So what gives?

Well one notable aspect is in DBFZ’s post game you unlock SSB forms for both Goku and Vegeta, and in both cases it’s heavily implied they are at the proper power they should be. Goku no sells Kid Buu’s attacks and Cell cannot sense Vegeta’s Ki due to not possessing God Ki. You also cannot have a team of SSJ and SSB when heading into the final battle, making it clear it’s not just a complete what if.

More notably, in Xenoverse 2’s DLC quest, there’s an ending where 21, 16, and Gamma 1 team up and destroy Cell Max. You know, the thing that Piccolo thinks Goku and Vegeta would struggle with and only Beast Gohan could beat?

Okay okay so maybe it might be a whole lot to claim 21 is Beast tier but at the very least it should be enough to prove that at her peaks 21 would be in the higher tier of DragonBall power levels.

Dark Empire (Debatable)

Another weird and wonky debate. In terms of narrative, 21 doesn't play a major role in any of the big storylines in either Xenoverse or DBH. It also doesn’t help that it’s not fully clear when these events are supposed to take place in the storyline of either XV or DBH.

That being said, there are some arguments to get her to scale. As mentioned prior she does put Goku on the back foot in Xenoverse 2. In the first game,Goku in just SSJ3 was able to team up with the Future Warrior and help defeat Demigra in that game. Naturally 21 would upscale.

As for DBH it’s even more nebulous but she does battle and fight Demon God Dabura throughout the story while suppressing her true power. She’s also a boss in multiple missions, where she clashes against your Avatar and the party. There’s a lot of scaling chains that can be made to get 21 to these levels but effectively it works something like this:

Dabura is generally equal to most of the base cast who can handle Demigra with his true power, which he gained from absorbing Toki Toki. The party can also fight bosses like Chamael who absorbed Demigras power after the fact.

The TLDR for this section is while 21’s fights are definitely not apart of the core story in either case, she does compete with most of the core cast in said fights leaving some room to argue that she can scale.

Demigra in both Xenoverse and Heroes absorbs Toki Toki

Chamael absorbs Demigra’s power in DBH and nearly collapses “everything” (Multiversal+)

Miscellaneous

Given her history of fighting some of the strongest beings in DragonBall, 21 should get scaling to plenty of feats across the franchise performed by either comparable or weaker characters.

Cosmology

Universe 7

The main universe of DragonBall is anything but normal. There are three main realms within its structure: the Mortal Universe, the Otherworld, and the Demon Realm, all being universe sized. The Otherworld in particular is larger than normal due to containing Heaven, a planet the size of an entire universe, and yet is still fairly small in the grand scope of the universe.

Guidebooks have made claims that the universe is “composed of innumerable stars, and there are ‘galaxies’ composed of innumerable nebulae.” Each of the four Kais govern a quadrant of the universe (North, East, South and West), with claims that there are infinite galaxies all over the universe. That being said, characters like Bulma have noted that the universe has an edge, bringing into question the validity of these statements.

Alternate Timelines

DragonBall contains multiple timelines across its wider universe, with the concept getting expanded more in the Xenoverse and DBH games. At the very minimum there are 74,434,925,761 timelines, with even more that we haven’t seen. No matter how far this goes however, there is a hard limit, as established by concepts like the Time Vault. This fits with the general goal of the Time Patrol in all Xeno/Heroes related media, which is to avoid a large amount of timelines being created as it distorts space and time.

Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaat being said, there exists many lesser timelines known as Parallax Quests which do not interfere with the “main branch” and are not stored in the Time Vault. These timelines have been heavily implied to be infinite in their number, with characters like Fu stating that history isn’t linear or finite, and is formed of a network of countless events.

This only leaves the Crack of Time, which sits outside of time and is closed off from the many timelines. Outside of a random V-Jump scan calling the space “Superdimensional”, there aren’t any major details given to the Crack of Time’s size.

Weaknesses

21’s hunger can be a massive problem in the way she approaches combat. Should she not be satiated enough, her intelligence is lost to berserker rampages that act on a pure need to feed herself. Even worse, her power can actually be lessened should her hunger be left unattended.

Character Analysis: Android 21