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Super Hero sees the return of the Red Ribbon Army with Commander Red and Dr. Gero's successors taking the lead. Though the Red Ribbon Army remains an evil force, the androids this time around are much different from before.
Androids 1-7 And 9-15 Were Destroyed As Failures
There were various reasons as to why exactly each android was seen as a failure, but Dr. Gero wanted them to have a fitting personality that obeyed every command.
The closest he reached to his goal was androids 13, 14, and 15; however, they weren't close enough and were destroyed. It's likely that 1-7 weren't different than Eighter, also known as Android 8. And while he was not destroyed, he too was seen as a failure due to his kind nature and his unwillingness to fight.
Androids 17 And 18 Were Also Supposed Failures
Much like the previous androids, 17 and 18 were both seen as failures by Dr. Gero. This can seem confusing initially as they seem to be near-perfect creations with their unstoppable strength, lack of aging, and unlimited energy.
However, due to their rebellious personalities, Gero couldn't trust them and saw them as failures. They were the last real humans that Gero used in his experiments as he seemed to make no progress in their creations.
Dr. Gero Wasn't The Leader
A common misconception about Dr. Gero is that he was actually the leader or mastermind behind the Red Ribbon Army. This confusion seems to have been caused by the English dubs that state Gero as such.
However, in the original Japanese and manga, Gero is just the head scientist and the mastermind behind the many technological creations in the army. The true leader was, of course Commander Red, though it isn't far from the truth to say that after his death and the fall of the Red Ribbon Army that Dr. Gero became the new leader.
Super Hero Parallels The Cell Saga
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero ultimately parallels the Cell Saga in numerous ways. This alone is obvious with how Piccolo and Gohan are used in the film, the latter originally the main protagonist of the Cell Games. But, the Red Ribbon Army similarities are with its characters.
Magenta is the new leader of the Red Ribbon Army, who also happens to be the son of Commander Red. He recruits Dr. Hedo, the grandson of Dr. Gero, to create more androids. He successfully does so and produces two iconic androids known as Gamma 1 and Gamma 2. Though their personalities are quite different, they fulfill a similar role to Androids 17 and 18. The last similarity is Cell and Cell Max, the ultimate machine comprised of powerful cells from the heroes of Dragon Ball.
Android 21
Most fans will know Android 21 from Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot. Android 21 is a complex and interesting character because not even she knows the truth about who she is.
She is either an android modeled after Dr. Gero's deceased wife, Vomi, or she is actually Vomi, which is what she believes. Beyond being a powerful android, she is also a brilliant scientist, possibly suring even Gero. Vomi is briefly mentioned in a Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero callback, and many fans hope to see Android 21 become canon in the main series.
Colors For Names
The major-named characters in the Red Ribbon Army all possess a name with a color attached to it. In some cases, this may be their literal name, but in others, it can be a code name.
Some of the biggest names are Commander Red, Officer Black, General Blue, General White, Colonel Silver, Sergeant Major Murasaki, etc. This trend continues even into Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero with Magenta, the son of Red.
Real-World Influence
Much of the Red Ribbon Army was inspired by real-world militaries and comprises a rather diverse force. Many of the characters possess different notable races and nationalities from the real world, with the English dub giving these characters accents based on these nationalities.
One of the biggest influences on the RRA was the Nazis and how the obsession Hitler had with magical objects. General Blue himself, alongside his corps, also heavily resembles the uniforms of Nazi .
The Terminator
The film titled Dragon Ball Z, as well as Major Metallitron's design in Dragon Ball who was a robot that looked nearly identical to Arnold Schwarzenegger in the role.
The plot of a man coming from the future to stop an android threat that will send the world into a terrible timeline was also copied from the Terminator with Future Trunks representing Kyle Reese and Androids 17, 18, and one of Dragon Ball Z's best villains, Cell who represent T-1000.
Android 16 Was Modeled After Gero's Son
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, interestingly enough, revealed that Gero had more than one child. However, as some fans may know, Dr. Gero did have a son named Gevo. Gevo was a soldier in the Red Ribbon army with the code name "Gold." He was a ruthless and violent man and also brash. This eventually saw him his death.
The death clearly had an impact on Gero, so much so that he modeled Android 16 after Gevo. Likely as a way to bring back his son in some way. He purposely programmed Android 16 to be non-violent and less aggressive, the opposite of his son's personality. This was likely done to prevent his son from dying, though it clearly didn't work as his death was the trigger of one of the best transformations in Dragon Ball.
Not All Androids Are Androids
While the term "androids" is used in Dragon Ball to refer to all the numbered creations of Gero, they're not all actually androids. Some are, while others are cyborgs. Android 16 and 19, for instance, are androids, whereas Androids 17 and 18 are actually cyborgs.
This distinction is important because Gero never successfully creates a cyborg matching all of his desires. The only creations he finds himself pleased with are 16 and 19, who are actual androids, though the former was not yet complete.