How were Android 17 and Android 18 really created in Dragon Ball Z? Originally introduced as major villains, the characters are among the most powerful creations of the Red Ribbon Army and their chief scientist, Dr. Gero. Though they look and sometimes even act human, the two possess astounding strength and unique properties that none of the organic Z-Warriors share.
Built for the purpose of killing Goku, 17 and 18 started out as enemies of the heroes but eventually evolved into allies and ceased following their original programming. After Dragon Ball Super, both are counted as members of the Z-Warriors. But though they’re no longer committed to fulfilling their mission, their android natures have remained relevant to their stories. During Dragon Ball Super’s Tournament of Power, their android powers made them a major asset to Goku’s Universe 7 team. As androids, 17 and 18 have unlimited energy. In other words, they can fight without fear of fatigue. That was how 17 was able to be the last fighter standing.
The vast power shared by these characters and their continued popularity in the Dragon Ball franchise has led to a number of questions about their origin stories and how they were actually brought into existence. The primary difference between them and most of the other Red Ribbon Army androids is that they weren’t robots or genetically-engineered beings created in a lab. Unlike Android 8, Android 16, Android 19, and Cell, the brother-and-sister duo of 17 and 18 were once normal humans. Through comments made on the subject, Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama expanded on what’s known about their pasts. According to him, 17 and 18 once lived as Lapis and Lazuli respectively [via Crunchyroll].
Though Dragon Ball Z was light on the details, their introductions gave the implication that the two siblings were kidnapped by the Red Ribbon Army, who used their technology to transform them into formidable cyborgs against their will. Based on their interactions with each other and with the other characters, it’s quite clear that neither android has any knowledge of their previous lives. It’s possible (but not confirmed) that Dr. Gero tampered with their memories to ensure that they didn’t have anything holding them back from completing their directive.
Their lack of awareness or interest in their human backstories makes sense of why their true names have never been spoken in the anime. They’ve had absolutely no impact on their decision-making in any of Dragon Ball’s stories. The lives they led as Lapis and Lazuli before Dragon Ball Z no longer matter – they’re simply Android 17 and Android 18 now. But while they’ve certainly embraced their android identities, their human elements are still integral to who they are as characters. Because of their capacity for emotion, they now have families and are forging their own paths in the franchise.