Dragon Ball Z’sFrieza is undoubtedly one of the most iconic villains in anime. From the moment he entered the scene on Namek, he radiated arrogance, cruelty, and terrifying power. Prior to the start of the series, he wiped out the Saiyan race and destroyed countless other planets, including Namek. His evil acts drove Goku to become a Super Saiyan, and he has made several returns to the series since.
Frieza is more than a villain in theDragon Ballfranchise —he’s the gold standard of evil in the series. However, what some fans don’t know is that his darkest moment didn’t come in the anime at all. It takes place much later in theDragon Ball Supermanga and is both an intense and horrific comeback.
Frieza Proved His Evil Long Before His Return to the Series
Frieza Never Received a Redemption Arc and Most Likely Never Will
Frieza built his reputation as one ofDragon Ball Z’s most feared villainsdue to his cold-hearted brutality. He annihilated planets without remorse, often simply for his own entertainment. His destruction of Planet Vegeta wiped out nearly every Saiyan in the universe, both due to an order by Beerus the Destroyer and because he feared their potential. On Namek, he killed anyone who dared cross his path, including Krillin and Dende, in cold blood.Frieza thrived on dominance and humiliating his opponents, making him a chilling foe to encounter.
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Frieza’s presence alone had the power toraise the stakes, heighten the tension, and change the series’ tone. While manyDragon Ballvillains eventually find redemption, Frieza actively resists that growth, despite receiving numerous chances to change his ways.Freiza’s return inResurrection ‘F’and later arcs inSuperprove that he hadn’t changed and instead continued to grow more powerful and fearsome. His cruelest moment in the series, however, comes long after where the anime left off.
Frieza’s Darkest Moment Was One of His Coldest Kills Yet
Gas Wished To Become the Strongest in the Universe, and Yet Was Instantly Killed by Frieza
During theGranolah the Survivor Saga, Gas is introduced as part of the Heeter family and is the central antagonist. Gas becomes the strongest warrior in Universe 7 and proves to be a challenging enemy for Goku and Vegeta. However, once Frieza abruptly arrives on the sceneinDragon Ball SuperChapter 87, he kills Gas with a single blow to the chest,ending the most powerful warrior in an instant. It doesn’t stop there. Frieza then goes on to crush Gas’ skull under his feet without hesitation, demanding to know why he was summoned to the battlefield.
Crushing Gas’ skull was essentially Frieza telling the world that he is the same merciless tyrant.
In that one moment, Frieza solidifies himself with sickening finality. His actions had nothing to do with strategy or necessity — it was just pure, cold-hearted dominance. The scene wasbrutal and symbolic of how powerful Frieza had grown. While Goku and Vegeta spent the entire arc unlocking new transformations and training under gods, Frieza completely skipped all that and still managed to one-shot the villain the Saiyans couldn’t beat. Crushing Gas’ skull was essentially Frieza telling the world that he is the same merciless tyrant who struck fear in the hearts of many.
Dragon Ball’s Most Iconic Villain Grows Stronger and More Threatening
Frieza Is and Always Has Been Dragon Ball’s Most Formidable Antagonist
After brutally killing Gas,Frieza then transforms into Black Frieza, marking a major turning point for the series. While Goku and Vegeta trained with divine beings, Frieza quietly vanished into another dimension, much like the Room of Spirit and Time, for 10 years and returned with a formpowerful enough to take down the strongest being in the universe with a single blow. The fact that Frieza achieved this level of power off-screen adds to how terrifying he has become. Frieza was secretly playing the long game, striking only when it was least expected.
Frieza evolved far past just another tyrant. He proved himself to be a strategic villain with cosmic-level strength and zero moral code. He doesn’t waste any time fighting Goku or Vegeta and instead proves how much he has grown by taking them out with a single hit. Frieza sized up the situation, eliminated the greatest threat, and walked away completely unscathed whilemaking the statement that he is still Goku and Vegeta’s greatest enemy. He surpassed them, and he knows it. That confidence, combined with his cruelty, cements him asDragon Ball’smost dangerous villain.
