Within the captivating realm of Dragon Ball, where power clashes with virtue and chaos intermingle with heroism, some of the most intriguing characters have emerged from the darkest depths to embrace the light. These once formidable villains, whose malevolence once threatened the very fabric of the universe, have undergone profound transformations, evolving into unlikely saviors and defenders of righteousness.
These villains-turned-heroes have captivated Toriyama's fans for years, with some even becoming fan-favorite characters in the entire Dragon Ball franchise. Some of these characters have had deep character development, while others simply saw the benefits of associating themselves with the power of good.
10 Uub
Though Uub may not necessarily be Kid Buu turned good, Uub is the reincarnation of Kid Buu. Kid Buu was, of heavy debate, the most villainous character to touch Dragon Ball's canonical narrative. Kid Buu was out for blood in the Buu Saga and was having fun beating Vegeta and Goku while the latter fought for the universe.
As Goku got his wish for Kid Buu to be reincarnated, Uub first appeared in Dragon Ball GT. Uub, a much calmer, kinder, and more collected character, still matches Buu in terms of power with Goku's training.
9 Android 18
Android 18 was, at one point, one of the most feared villains on Earth, and one of the best female villains in Dragon Ball. That's because in Future Trunks' timeline, Android 18 aided in ridding the planet of humanity and taking the world for themselves.
When Android 18 was finally released into the present timeline, Cell stopped the androids in their tracks, which ultimately forced the Z Fighters to somewhat assist the androids with taking on Cell. After Krillin refrained from destroying 18, the android turned to good and went on to become a fan-favorite character.
8 Android 16
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Android 16 was another villain that Future Trunks' did not expect to arise with the invasion of the androids, but it was clear that Android 16 was in a different state of mind from Android 17 and 18. Upon his reveal, Android 16 was urgent and fixated on taking out Goku, which makes sense as it was what he was created for.
But, after Cell threatened the existence of the androids and life on Earth, Android 16 changed sides to fight for the better good. In the end, Android 16 helped Gohan push into his hidden potential, which became one of the most famous scenes in Dragon Ball Z.
7 Lord Beerus
Dragon Ball Super introduced dozens of new and colorful characters to the cast of Dragon Ball, with one of the newest main characters being Lord Beerus. Beerus, who takes the form of a purple, anthropomorphic cat-like being, is the Z-Fighter's Universe's God of Destruction.
When Lord Beerus' curiosity is piqued by the rumor of a Super Saiyan God, he finds Goku on Earth and threatens to destroy it. Though Goku fought as hard as possible, Lord Beerus won but then swapped sides before actually destroying the planet. Instead, Lord Beerus took an interest in Goku and ultimately became friends.
6 Majin Buu
Majin Buu was the first Buu character to be introduced into the Buu Saga in Dragon Ball Z. Majin Buu, a large, puffy, pink character, simply exists for fun. Majin Buu's innocence is ultimately what made him a villain, as he didn't see the bad in anything.
Instead, he was selfish, inconsiderate, and childish, which made him a threat, especially with his immense power that overpowered Super Saiyan 3. Luckily, Hercule, to everyone's surprise, made friends with Majin Buu, which brought him to the side of the Z-Fighters.
5 Frieza
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Though no one expected this villain to ever alliance themselves with Goku, Frieza eventually gave in to the luxuries of fighting side-by-side with the Saiyan hero. Frieza was the most famous villain to touch the Dragon Ball franchise since his debut in Dragon Ball Z. Frieza enslaved much of the universe, took out Planet Vegeta, killed Vegeta, killed Piccolo, and so much more.
After his death at the hands of Goku, Frieza is brought back to Dragon Ball Super by Goku to fight for their universe. Though Frieza will eventually walk the path of the villain once again, it was a delight seeing the two fight with one another against Jiren.
4 Android 17
Like Android 16 and 18, Android 17 was one of the few villains that left on a mission to take out Goku in Dragon Ball Z. Though once feared in the Future Timeline, Android 17 was quickly humbled as Cell overpowered him and absorbed him to reach his Perfect Form.
After a long wait, Android 17 was revealed to have been alive in Dragon Ball Super. Android 17 is said to have given up a life of aggression and villainy for a life of peace as a park ranger. Android 17 then went on to help achieve victory with Goku in the Tournament of Power.
3 Piccolo
Though many fans may not remember it, Piccolo was once a villain long, long ago in the Dragon Ball days. When Goku was just a small child with no clue about his true heritage, King Piccolo was a 'demon' who sought to take over Earth. What followed was an intense era of the early Dragon Ball timeline, as Piccolo plagued Goku's life.
Though it was a hard fight, Kid Goku eventually came out on top and took out King Piccolo, who spat out an egg containing Piccolo. It is of great debate whether Piccolo is the reincarnation of King Piccolo, or his son. Either way, Piccolo also acted as the antagonist in the later Dragon Ball era.
2 Super Broly
Dragon Ball Super gave way for Broly, an iconic villain from the Dragon Ball Z movies, to make his canonical debut. In Dragon Ball Super, Broly is a powerful Saiyan who was outcast onto a random planet with his father. The two survived off of the bare minimum requirements, as Broly was immensely powerful and able to take on all the planet's wildlife.
After their return to the universe, Broly was antagonized by Frieza to fight Goku and Vegeta. With such quick growth in power, Broly was able to overpower the two until they fused together. Then, Goku and Vegeta made friends with Broly and promised to help train him.
1 Prince Vegeta
Arguably the face of villains who turned to the side of good, is the famous character, Prince Vegeta. Vegeta is a Saiyan who survived the destruction of Planet Vegeta with his ally Nappa. When the two found out about another Saiyan who resided on Earth, they decided to "do what the Saiyan couldn't" and take the planet over.
After one of the most popular fights in Dragon Ball history, Vegeta left the planet beaten and humbled. After a second encounter on Planet Namek, Vegeta begged Goku to defeat Frieza after being fatally wounded, and since then, has joined Goku's side as his faithful rival.