Frieza Empire

Lore & Background

The Frieza Empire's origins are tied to the Saiyan race, who served as biological weapons for the empire, conquering worlds on behalf of their masters. Frieza destroyed Planet Vegeta out of fear of a potential uprising by the Saiyans due to their increasing power and the prophecy of the coming of the legendary Super Saiyan. He only knowingly spared Vegeta, Nappa, and Raditz, who were away on a mission. The empire's structure relies on a hierarchy of fear; lower-level soldiers follow orders without question because disobedience results in instant death. Frieza's forces are commanded by high-ranking officers like Zarbon and Dodoria, who possess immense power. Even after Frieza's defeat, the organization's influence did not vanish completely, as remnants remain active.

In Their Own Story

Frieza traveled to Planet Namek to find the seven Namekian Dragon Balls to wish for immortality. He and his men massacred Namekian villages one after another, until Gohan, Krillin, and Vegeta began to hamper his efforts. Though Frieza managed to gain the Dragon Balls, his inability to speak Namekian forced him to find the Great Elder of Namek. After his entire army was killed by Vegeta and the Ginyu Force defeated by Goku, Frieza intercepted Vegeta and the others personally. He fought Goku and the two seemed evenly matched, but Frieza powered up to 50% of his maximum power and brutally beat him. After Krillin's death, Goku assumed Super Saiyan form and viciously pummeled Frieza, who damaged the core of Namek in an act of desperation. Though Goku spared the crippled Frieza, Frieza attempted to blast Goku from behind, prompting Goku to retaliate with his own attack that apparently destroyed Frieza. However, Frieza survived both the attack and Namek's explosion and drifted through space until found by his father King Cold. Over the next year, Frieza was rebuilt with cybernetic prosthetics, increasing his strength significantly, and the two headed for Earth, but were confronted by Trunks, who sliced Frieza to pieces. Frieza's cells were later used as a catalyst for the future villain Cell. In Dragon Ball Super, Frieza was resurrected by Sorbet and Tagoma, underwent four months of intensive training, and achieved a new form called 'Golden Frieza' before setting off for Earth with his army.

Reader's Guide

The Frieza Empire's existence is rooted in the ancient power dynamics between the Saiyan race and their overlords. Frieza's decision to destroy Planet Vegeta was a calculated move to eliminate any threat to his absolute rule. The empire's structure relies on a meritocracy of violence, where power dictates rank. This system ensures that only the strongest survive, creating a force that is nearly unstoppable by conventional means. However, this reliance on individual strength also becomes its downfall when faced with warriors who can transcend their limits through sheer will and training. In the modern era, the remnants of the empire serve as a reminder of the galaxy's dark past.

Did You Know?

• Frieza was created around the time of the Japanese economic bubble and was inspired by real estate speculators, whom Toriyama called the 'worst kind of people.'
• Frieza's name is a pun on freezer, and his minions and the members of the Ginyu Force are named after fruits and dairy products, items one would normally put in a refrigerator.
• The Shenlong Times issue #2 says that Frieza was modeled after Toriyama's editor at the time, Yū Kondō.
• Toriyama had the idea to bring Frieza back while attending a concert by the metal band Maximum the Hormone, while watching them perform their 2008 song 'F', which is about the fictional character.
• Frieza's third and most intricate form is only shown for a short time because Toriyama finds it a pain to draw characters with too complex an appearance.