Baby is the fan-favorite antagonist during the contested era of the Dragon Ball GT anime. This character has the distinction of particularly advancing the mythology and universe of the Saiyans. From his place in Toriyama's work to his role in the series and the expanded universe, here's a look back at 9 facts you (maybe) didn't know about Baby.
#9 Baby is a King (Dragon Ball GT)
Baby is the last survivor of the Tuffle population, a civilization destroyed by the Saiyans. Rebuilt by Dr. Myuu as a Machine Mutant, Baby is on a mission to exterminate the Saiyans and restore his people by controlling all life on Earth. In reality, Baby embodies the soul and DNA of King Tuffle, the last ruler of the Tuffles, who merged with him using advanced technology to pursue his revenge. Born from a genetically engineered parasite, Baby vowed to avenge the Tuffles' annihilation by King Vegeta and his Saiyans in the war that devastated their galaxy. As his name suggests, Baby is a powerful but immature being, often prone to fits of anger. His ultimate goal is to carry out the "Universal Tuffleization Plan" to dominate the universe in the name of his lost people, which, in a way, would make him a king of these "neo-Tuffles".
#8 The Baby saga is inspired by a little-known episode of the saga (making of)
Few viewers know this, but the Baby saga in Dragon Ball GTdraws its inspiration largely from a little-known episode of the license: the OVA Dragon Ball Z: The Saiyan Eradication Plan. Released in Japan in 1993 as a promotional piece for a Famicom video game, this story made a lasting impression on Japanese audiences thanks to its original animated sequences produced by Toei. These segments, once assembled, formed an original medium-length film that was never broadcast on television. The similarities between the two stories are striking, right down to the scientific origin and the theme of the Tuffle people's revenge.
The story featured Dr. Lychee, the last survivor of the Tuffle people, exterminated by the Saiyans and King Vegeta (as we explained in detail here). Driven by deep hatred, Lychee released a destructive gas on Earth and summoned ghost warriors to trap the last Saiyans on a dark planet. There, his "machine warrior" Hatchiyack, fueled by hatred of the Tuffles, threatened to annihilate them all. This plot resonates strongly with that of Baby, also the last vestige of the Tuffles, created to take revenge on the Saiyans.
#7 The Baby saga inspired a canonical Dragon Ball saga (making of)
Although the Baby saga in Dragon Ball GT is largely inspired by the storyline of the OVA The Saiyan Eradication Plan, it itself influenced a canonical Dragon Ball saga Dragon Ball Super. Indeed, Baby bears many similarities to Goku Black, the main antagonist of this latest saga. Both harbor a deep hatred for the Saiyans—Black also hating all mortals—and use the new Dragon Balls to further their ambitious plans. They harness Saiyan bodies to increase their power and master altered forms of the Super Saiyan, surpassing even Goku. Ironically, they embody what they hated: Baby becomes a Saiyan, Black a mortal. Each also controls the body of a protagonist (Vegeta for Baby, Goku for Black) and harms a version of Bulma.
#6 Baby revealed Bra's potential (Canon and Dragon Ball G.T.)
Akira Toriyama had a clear idea of the potential of Bra, Vegeta and Bulma's daughter. Although she doesn't train seriously and prefers shopping, Bra quickly became very strong. Unlike Trunks and Pan, who are seasoned fighters, she grew up in an era of peace and wasn't pushed to train intensively. However, the Baby Saga in Dragon Ball GT revealed an unexpected side of Bra: contaminated by evil cells, she fights alongside her brother Trunks, showing that she can fly and launch ranged attacks. This surprised many fans by revealing her true warrior potential. Additionally, the lore suggests that she might one day transform into a Super Saiyan, which opens the door to a future where Bra could fully express her hidden power.
#5 Baby is stuck in Hell (Dragon Ball GT and Expanded Universe)
In Dragon Ball GT, after Baby's defeat, one might think he's gone for good. However, his absence in the Super C-17 arc, where most of the villains escape from Hell, is intriguing. Iconic enemies like Cell and Nappa or even non-canonical characters like Cooler escape, but not Baby. There are no clues in either the anime or the spin-offs to explain this absence, raising the question: Is Baby really dead? As a Tuffle parasite, he has demonstrated a great capacity for survival, suggesting he could still be alive, lurking somewhere, ready to return. However, the video game Scouter Battle Taikan Kamehameha, released exclusively in Japan and Mexico (where Dragon Ball is a religion and Dragon Ball merchandise is plentiful), provides a different answer. The game reveals that Baby was indeed in Hell and that he too took advantage of the opportunity created by Super 17. He even retained his Baby Vegeta form. He eventually returned to challenge the Saiyans, this time as Super Baby 2, before transforming into the Giant Golden Ape. Obviously, he is defeated again and sent back to Hell, where he would still languish, in all likelihood.
#4 Baby could, perhaps, return in Dragon Ball Super (fan theory)
What if the iconic enemy of Dragon Ball GT, Baby, returned in Dragon Ball Super ? The Planet Potaufeu arc introduces Commeson, an entity capable of copying both the body and powers of its targets, as seen with Duplicate Vegeta. This ability is strangely reminiscent of Baby, who possessed bodies to harness their power. Commeson even absorbs the minds of its victims, completely draining them—a mechanic similar to Baby's parasitic control. What if this duplication technology was a primitive version or derivative of the Tuffle research that led to Baby's creation? Nothing prevents Baby from being reborn through an improvement of Commeson. This theory would revive the Saiyan vs. Tuffle conflict in a canonical version and would offer a modern reinterpretation of one of the rare cult elements of Dragon Ball GT, as happened with Broly or Tarble in Dragon Ball Super.
Janemba is the main villain of the film Dragon Ball Z: Fusion. To put it simply, Janemba is the result of the transformation of a young demon named Saike, possessed by the fused souls of thousands of demons who escaped from Hell. It is ultimately Gogeta who manages to defeat him and free Saike. But since the character was so popular with fans, he inevitably returned many times in different video games and spin-off series. In the spin-off series Super Dragon Ball Heroes, we discover a plot where the sorcerer Babidi puts his mark on Janemba's forehead. In short, we have here a demon possessed by a demon, himself manipulated by a sorcerer who makes him even more demonic! And that's not all: Janemba ends up taking on even more forms. One of them is a fusion with Baby. This very dangerous transformation was illustrated by Toyotarō in a new sketch: Baby Janemba, Masked King of Destruction.
#2 Baby Teamed Up with Another Tuffle Creation (Expanded Universe)
As mentioned earlier, Baby is partly inspired by another Tuffle creature, Hatchiyack, a powerful robot created by Dr. Lychee to eradicate the Saiyans. Aware of this obvious parallel, the writers and creators of the spin-off series Super Dragon Ball Heroes regularly brought these two Tuffle entities together in their battles against the Saiyans. Baby and Hatchiyack first appear together in the Supreme Kai of Time Saga arc, where Baby, in his Great Golden Ape form, is freed by the demon Demigra. He then confronts Jiren alongside Hatchiyack, who has also reached a giant form.
Later, in the Dark Demon Realm Saga, the fusion between Baby and Hatchiyack becomes central. Thus, just before being defeated by Super Saiyan 4 Goku, Baby is joined by Hatchiyack, summoned by the demon Dabura's sister, Towa. Baby and Hatchiyack then fuse to become Baby Hatchiyack, a formidable opponent who faces the Z Fighters, the Time Patrol, and the heroes of Dragon Ball Heroes. Baby Hatchiyack even briefly incapacitates Goku. However, the dimensional variants of Trunks and Goten, aided by the heroes of the series Beat and Notes, stand up to this threat. The Saiyans eventually gain the upper hand thanks to Trunks and Goten fusing into Gotenks.
#1 Baby infected Hirudegarn (Expanded Universe)
Hildegarn, the antagonist of the film Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon (and discussed in detail here), makes an unexpected return in the video game Dragon Ball Fusions, a spin-off of the Dragon Ball universe. In this alternate universe where eras blend, Baby manages to infect Hirudegarn, as he did with Vegeta in Dragon Ball GT. This nightmarish fusion gives birth to Baby Hirudegarn, a giant monster combining the savage brutality of the demon and the malevolent intelligence of the parasite. Tekka's team (the hero of this game), including Goten, Trunks, young Goku, and Pan, must then face this new threat in an intense battle. With their combined power, they finally manage to defeat Baby Hirudegarn. Baby is then expelled from the demon's body and flees, leaving Hirudegarn free from his grasp.
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