The Dragon Ball movies have introduced a wide variety of interesting villains to the series. The majority of these films aren’t canon, making these film-only characters nothing more than fanfare for the most part. Some of these characters have become extremely well-liked among the Dragon Ball fan base, with the incredibly popular Broly being reworked into the series through the Dragon Ball Super: Broly film.
Cooler stands as another beloved film-exclusive villain, and just like the original Broly, Bojack, Janemba, and many more, it’s fair to assume that Frieza’s older brother isn’t part of Toriyama’s canon universe. What’s most interesting about Cooler isn’t the character himself, but the introduction of his fifth form. In the manga and anime series, Frieza’s race is established as having four forms total. Fans get to see each one on display throughout the Frieza Saga on Namek, but Cooler’s Revenge introduces a newer form that could very well be canon.
Final Form Cooler
Cooler is introduced while in his Fourth Form, looking incredibly similar to his brother though he seems to be a good deal taller and has a different color scheme than the maniacal tyrant. There’s been some confusion as to what this form should actually be referred to, as there are some contradictory statements made in various pieces of Dragon Ball media.
The Dragon Ball Collectible Card Game refers to it as his 3rd Form, while Xenoverse 2 calls it the Fourth Form. The movie-original form seen in Cooler’s Revenge is referred to by most as Final Form Cooler, with Xenoverse 2 and the English localization of Super Dragon Ball Heroes: World Mission. This new form looks similar to the Fourth Form, but with a sharper design and bulkier appearance.
Cooler’s Final Form stands as his most powerful. While his Fourth Form was less effective compared to his brother’s, Cooler’s Final Form allows him to make the most of his strength and fighting ability in the same way that Frieza’s Final Form did. In the film, it is implied that Cooler had only recently achieved the transformation, meaning that he would have still had plenty of room to grow and improve had he not been defeated by Goku.
This Fifth Form is referred to as a Super Evolution, and while it’s mostly associated with Cooler, Frieza has used it in Dragon Ball media as well. This seems to be a natural progression from the Fourth Form, as even King Cold is said to have the potential to acquire it. The means by which members of the Frieza Clan achieve this form is still unknown. It’s likely just a power-up that they can capitalize on once they reach a certain milestone, though the conditions might still be expanded upon as the transformation is explored in other Dragon Ball media.
Is it Canon?
With so much attention paid to it in different Dragon Ball media, it’s natural for fans to assume that Cooler’s Fifth Form overall series canon. But with Cooler himself not an official part of Toriyama‘s original universe, what does it mean for the fan-favorite form?
It isn't the first transformation introduced outside the manga to catch on with the fan base. Broly’s Legendary Super Saiyan and GT’s Super Saiyan 4 might have not been part of the official canon, but captured the attention of Dragon Ball fans with their incredible designs. Broly eventually became part of the series canon, so it’s still possible that Cooler and his Fifth Form are officially introduced into the series at some point.
Cooler achieves his Golden Form while in his Fifth form in Dragon Ball Heroes’ Prison Planet Saga, further tying it to the actual canon. But Heroes’ place within the canon is contentious at best, and many view it as a side story akin to GT rather than an official part of the narrative.
Though memorable, Cooler’s Fifth Form can’t be considered part of the series canon as it has yet to appear in any piece of official material crafted by Toriyama. That hasn’t stopped the people working on the various spin-offs and related pieces of extended universe material from incorporating the memorable transformation and character into the series. While it seems like a long shot for now, Cooler could always get the Broly treatment, and longtime fans might once again see a favorite character re-imagined for the better.
