Will 'Dragon Ball Super' Revive Android 17?

It looks like things just got a bit tricky with Dragon Ball's continuity. Last weekend, the franchise welcomed a new episode of Dragon Ball Super, and it saw one of Goku's comrades sacrifice their life. Now, fans are asking how the guy will return or risk messing up Dragon Ball's canon.

Well, maybe. It depends on whether you consider Dragon Ball GT canon or not.

The latest episode of Dragon Ball Super put the series' canon up in the air. The show saw Android 17 go up against Jiren after the Pride Trooper incapacitated Goku and Vegeta. The fighter learned a bit about Jiren's backstory before making the decision to sacrifice his life for his comrades. With a final bow, Android 17 self-destructed to divert an attack from Jiren that would have killed Goku and Vegeta.

The selfless act was touching, but his death has bigger ramifications than you may realize. Characters die fairly often in Dragon Ball, but the franchise's latest series is not a self-contained one; It has to answer to Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT.

By the end of Dragon Ball Z, Android 17 is alive as fans already know. He was revived after the whole Cell debacle, and his resurrection made him eligible to join the Dragon Ball Super. However, the timeline of the latter show sets it before Dragon Ball Z's epilogue. From the looks of it, Android 17 was still alive when that epilogue went down, and he was definitely around during Dragon Ball GT. After all, the 'Super 17' saga is named after the fighter.

Unless Dragon Ball Super chooses to retcon Dragon Ball GT, the show will have to revive the hero. The series does not have much time left before it ends, so there is only one sure-fire way to revive Android 17 and that is with the Super Dragon Balls. If Universe 7 wins as expected, its MVP will get to make a wish using the powerful relics, but lots of wishes have been promised to the Super Dragon Balls. There's no guarantee Android 17's revival will be wished for specifically, so Universe 7 may have to make a more drastic wish such as a retcon to bring him back to life.

Do you think Android 17 is going to be revived? Hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to let me know and talk all things comics, k-pop, and anime!