Zarbon
Zarbon is a high-ranking commander in the Frieza Force who serves as one of Frieza's primary aides alongside Dodoria in the Dragon Ball series. Characterized by his emerald-green skin and refined appearance, he operates as a polished villain during the Planet Namek arc. Beneath his elegant exterior, Zarbon belongs to a transforming alien species capable of shapeshifting into a monstrous form to unleash his true combat power.
Overview
Zarbon is a high-ranking commander in the Frieza Force who serves as one of Frieza's primary aides alongside Dodoria in the Dragon Ball series. Characterized by his emerald-green skin and refined appearance, he operates as a polished villain during the Planet Namek arc. Beneath his elegant exterior, Zarbon belongs to a transforming alien species capable of shapeshifting into a monstrous form to unleash his true combat power.
Appearance
In his base form, Zarbon has emerald-green skin, yellow eyes, and long green hair tied in a single braid. He wears jewelry including a tiara circlet and earrings, paired with a Frieza Force battle armor featuring a cape, dark trunks, arm covers, leg warmers, and a blue scouter. Upon transforming, his body expands significantly, turning into a warty, crocodile-like monster.
Personality
Zarbon is an extreme narcissist who takes great pride in his handsome features and refined taste. Unlike the brute Dodoria, he presents a calm and polite mannerism, though beneath this lies a ruthless and coldhearted nature. He harbors an intense hatred for his own ugly transformed shape, avoiding it whenever possible. His obsession with maintaining elegance can create critical oversights, such as avoiding getting wet to confirm a kill.
Abilities
Zarbon has a base power level of around 23,000. By transforming into his monstrous state, his power level rises to approximately 30,000—and up to 55,000 in certain game depictions—substantially boosting his physical strength and endurance. He utilizes destructive energy blasts from his hands alongside formidable martial arts techniques.
Background
Serving as Frieza's aide during galactic conquests, Zarbon traveled to Planet Namek to gather the Dragon Balls. When Prince Vegeta rebelled, Zarbon was forced to transform and defeated him, throwing him into a lake. However, Zarbon failed to verify Vegeta's death to avoid dirtying himself in the water. After Frieza ordered him to recapture Vegeta under threat of execution, Zarbon fought him again, but was overwhelmed by Vegeta's increased power, failing his plea for mercy before being killed.
Relationships
Zarbon serves Frieza obediently, though fear of execution breeds underlying distrust when under pressure. He holds a quiet disdain for his colleague Dodoria due to his crude appearance, and similarly dislikes the Ginyu Force. On Planet Namek, he engages in a violent struggle with Prince Vegeta that ends in his death. He treats lower-ranking soldiers with complete apathy, ruthlessly killing his subordinate Cranberry.
Trivia
His name comes from the pomelo, a citrus fruit known as zabon in Japanese. Although no other members of his species appear in the original series, a character named Yuzun belonging to the same race later appears in the Dragon Ball Super manga. Zarbon also makes brief cameo appearances escaping from Hell in animated feature films such as Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn.
