Android 17

"What?! You're looking at it, I am the ultimate Android!"

Android 17 is a secondary antagonist turned on-and-off protagonist in Dragon Ball Z. He is an android created by Dr. Gero. He has long dark hair and wears a red scarf on his neck. Unlike Androids 1, 2, 8, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 19, 17 and his twin sister 18 were originally humans turned into androids by Dr. Gero. It was later revealed by Akira Toriyama that his true name is Lapis.

He and 18 were promoted as the main villains of the Android arc. However, this was a misinformation campaign to hide the arc's true main villain.

He is voiced by Shigeru Nakahara in the Japanese version of the anime and Chuck Huber in the English version, the latter of whom also voices Hiei.

Dragon Ball Z
Android 17 did not like being controlled by Dr. Gero, so when he awakened 17 and 18 to fight the Z Fighters, 17 took Dr. Gero's remote and crushed it. As Dr. Gero tried to stop 17 and 18 from activating Android 16, 17 impaled Dr. Gero with his hand. He then kicked his head off and crushed it. After awakening 16, 17 and 18 left with him. Vegeta followed them and challenged them to a battle. 18 fought him and soon gained the advantage, so Trunks jumped into the battle. 17 also entered the battle, beating up Tien and Piccolo. However, 17 and 18 had no interest in killing the Z Fighters, only Goku (as it is like a game to them), so they headed off in search of Goku.

17, who wanted to have some fun, drove a food truck they stole, though 18 thought driving was a waste of time and flying would be quicker. They did not find Goku at his house or at Kame House, where Piccolo challenged 17 to a battle and gained a slight advantage over him, before Cell arrived with the intent of absorbing 17 and 18. Piccolo saved 17 from being absorbed by Cell, and together they fought him, but powered up from absorbing several humans, he easily gained the advantage. After supposedly killing Piccolo, Cell beat up 17 before opening his tail up to absorb him. However, 16 punched Cell off 17 and fought him. When 17 believed that 16 had defeated Cell, Cell snuck up on 17, opened his tail up, and absorbed him, sucking him in and transforming to his semi-perfect form.

17 was killed when Cell selfdestructed, however Cell survived and returned in his perfect form despite losing 17, and 18, whom he had lost during his fight with Gohan. He was wished back along with the rest of Cell's victims using the Dragonballs. From here, he lived a peaceful life on Earth until his death at the hands of Kid Buu, who blew up the earth during the Kid Buu Saga. Toriyama revealed he has since married and is the protector of a game reserve, and he has two children. He was wished back along with the rest of Earth's inhabitants, and gave up energy for Goku's Spirit Bomb. He also aimed a gun at people to make them raise their hands (to give up energy for the Spirit Bomb), thinking he was trying to rob them.

In the alternate timeline, Android 17 and 18 are complete monsters and ruthlessly murdered several innocent people with no remorse including all of the Z fighters. When Gohan and Trunks were the last remaining fighters, they tried to fight the Androids but they end up destroying Gohan with multiple blasts. After he died, Trunks completely lost it and was able to turn Super Saiyan for the first time. It's one of the main reasons he chose to go back in time via the time machine to warn Goku and the Z Fighters about the possible future outcomes. After returning from the fight with Cell, Trunks was easily able to defeat 17 of his timeline, destroying him with an energy wave.

Dragon Ball GT (Non-Canon)
Android 17 appears as the main antagonist of the Super 17 Saga',' where he was brainwashed by Dr. Gero and Dr. Myuu, who created another 17, Hell Fighter 17, whom 17 fused with to become Super 17. He was destroyed by Goku's Dragon Fist. It is said that the real 17's influence caused him to turn on Dr. Myuu, and help Goku destroy him. He was wished back along with all the other victims with Shenron's final wish.

Techniques and Abilities
Android 17's signature move is the Photon Flash - which is a large energy blast emitted from his hand. As Super 17 his ultimate move is the Shocking Death Ball, and when he absorbs Cell he gains the Electric Hell Ball as his ultimate move. He can also perform many team attacks with 18, including the Accel Dance.

Super 17

 * Main Article: Super 17

Super 17 is the Super Android form of 17, he transforms into this state when he merges with his copy - Hell Fighter 17, the form greatly increases his power to be equal to or stronger than Super Saiyan 4 Goku and gives him the ability to absorb energy attacks by taking a T-stance.

w/ Cell absorbed
Super 17 with Cell absorbed is a special form of Super 17 which appears in Dragon Ball Heroes, this form increases 17's power even more and gives him the facial markings and shoulders of Cell, he also gets more bulky and muscular.

Trivia

 * Both times 17 of the main timeline is killed (not counting GT), his death is relatively offscreen and at the hands of a main villain (Cell, when he selfdestructs, and Kid Buu, when he blows up the earth), is destroyed along with a planet, and is revived. Also of note, both Cell and Buu are nearly destroyed in the explosion that kills him, but regnerate.