Dragon Ball’s immense popularity extends beyond its heroes to encompass its compelling villains. Frieza, a formidable antagonist from Dragon Ball Z, remains relevant due to his resilience and transformations, like the game-changing Black Frieza. However, Frieza’s older brother, Cooler, introduced in the movie Cooler’s Revenge, has also garnered significant attention. This article delves into the power dynamic between these two iconic villains, examining evidence suggesting Cooler might surpass Frieza in strength and overall capabilities.
Cooler’s Formidable Fifth Form
Dragon Ball consistently raises the stakes, so it’s fitting that Cooler, introduced after Frieza’s demise, boasts an extra transformation. While Frieza’s fourth form was initially terrifying, Cooler effortlessly utilizes this state. Cooler’s Revenge culminates in Cooler’s fifth form, a significantly more intimidating design than anything Frieza has displayed. This spiky, utilitarian form suggests a natural progression of their species, hinting at Cooler’s inherent superiority. The Daizenshuu 7 guidebook even confirms Cooler’s final form surpasses Frieza’s in power. Although Frieza has achieved new forms in Dragon Ball Super, he’s never reached this fifth form, making it a unique advantage for Cooler.
Cooler’s Broader Ambition
Frieza’s reign of terror across the universe should foster a wider perspective. Yet, he remains fixated on the Saiyans, driven by revenge for their defiance and the destruction of Planet Vegeta. This obsession often clouds his judgment. Conversely, Cooler prioritizes universal conquest and control, less concerned with specific races. While aware of the Super Saiyan threat, Cooler doesn’t let it consume him like Frieza. Instead, he prepares for a potential confrontation with cautious excitement, demonstrating a more strategic and less emotionally driven mindset.
The Superiority of the Armored Squadron
Powerful teams often support Dragon Ball’s villains. Frieza relies on the Frieza Force, with Zarbon and Dodoria as his strongest soldiers. While formidable, they pale in comparison to Cooler’s Armored Squadron: Dore, Neiz, and Salza. This trio demonstrably outclasses Frieza’s elite. Notably, Captain Ginyu, leader of the formidable Ginyu Force, lost his bid to lead Cooler’s Armored Squadron to Salza, further highlighting the squad’s exceptional strength.
Cooler’s Intimidating Conquest Strategy
Both Frieza and Cooler conquer planets, but their approaches differ significantly. While Frieza boasts control over more planets, Cooler’s methods are more impactful. Frieza maintains conquered planets’ names and often trades them. Cooler, however, renames every conquered planet after himself, instilling fear and asserting dominance across star systems. This blatant display of power surpasses Frieza’s less personal approach.
A Sibling Rivalry Fueling Ambition
Cooler harbors open animosity and jealousy towards Frieza, explicitly stating he intended to kill his brother himself. This intense sibling rivalry, coupled with his resentment towards King Cold, showcases Cooler’s independence and ambition to surpass his family. This complex dynamic differentiates him from Frieza and fuels speculation about his potential role as an unexpected ally against Black Frieza in Dragon Ball Super’s manga.
Golden Cooler and Golden Meta-Cooler: Surpassing Frieza’s Golden Form
While Frieza gained an advantage with his Golden Frieza form in Dragon Ball Super, Cooler has since achieved this transformation in both his fifth form and his Meta-Cooler state within the Super Dragon Ball Heroes continuity. The existence of Golden Cooler and Golden Meta-Cooler as distinct entities effectively surpasses Frieza’s achievement. This development positions Cooler as a significant threat and raises anticipation for potential Black Cooler and Black Meta-Cooler forms.
The Overwhelming Metal Cooler Corps
Meta-Cooler, introduced in The Return of Cooler, possesses a significant advantage: the ability to mass-produce himself thanks to the Big Gete Star. This results in the Metal Cooler Corps, an army of Meta-Cooler duplicates and Cyclopian Guards that far surpasses Frieza’s forces in sheer numbers and power. Whether hundreds, thousands, or even ten billion strong, the Metal Cooler Corps represents an overwhelming force Frieza can’t match.
Cooler’s Enhanced Attack Arsenal
Both Frieza and Cooler possess devastating attacks. However, Cooler elevates Frieza’s signature techniques to new levels of destruction. While Frieza’s Supernova is potent, Cooler’s Supernova Cooler, Golden Supernova, and Golden Metal Supernova are demonstrably more destructive. Furthermore, Cooler’s unique attacks like Death Flash, Darkness Eye Beam, and Death Chaser showcase greater creativity and lethality compared to Frieza’s arsenal.
Meta-Cooler Core: A Giant Telepathic Threat
The Return of Cooler transforms Cooler into the Meta-Cooler Core, a gigantic being fused with the Big Gete Star’s central computer. This form grants him immense size, strength, and telepathic abilities, allowing him to communicate with and psychologically dominate opponents. This terrifying transformation dwarfs anything Frieza can achieve, solidifying Cooler’s superior power in this state.
Cooler’s Unbridled Brutality
While Frieza is undeniably cruel, Cooler embodies a more vicious nature. He revels in violence, believing it solves any problem. His sadistic tendencies are evident in his Meta-Cooler form, where he takes pleasure in his enemies’ suffering. This inherent brutality, coupled with his immense ego and self-proclaimed title of “supreme master of the universe,” paints Cooler as a more ruthless and terrifying villain than his brother.
The cast of Dragon Ball Z, including characters such as Son Goku, Vegeta and Piccolo, among others, leaps towards the camera in the poster for the show.
In conclusion, while Frieza remains a significant threat, Cooler consistently demonstrates greater potential for power and ruthlessness. His additional transformations, superior army, enhanced techniques, and inherent brutality paint a picture of a villain who surpasses his brother in many aspects. The evidence suggests Cooler is not just stronger, but a more formidable and terrifying force in the Dragon Ball universe.
