Zarbon's Race

Zarbon's race consists of humanoid aliens with blue skin who possess a remarkable biological duality. In their default state, they present an elegant, almost beautiful humanoid appearance. Concealed beneath this exterior is their true form: a powerful, crocodile-like monster form that dramatically increases their combat capabilities.

This transformation is not merely cosmetic. The elegant form actually suppresses their power, meaning these aliens actively weaken themselves to maintain their attractive appearance. When they release the suppression and shift into their monster form, they become bulkier, more muscular, and significantly more lizard-like, gaining a substantial boost in strength at the cost of their refined looks.

Teal Blood and Royal Lineage

Members of the race appear to have teal-colored blood, as observed during Zarbon's battles. Zarbon himself was the prince of this species, suggesting their civilization maintained some form of monarchy before their homeworld was conquered by Frieza and its population absorbed into the Frieza Force.

Zarbon is by far the most prominent member of his race, serving as one of Frieza's top two lieutenants alongside Dodoria. His role during the Namek Saga established the species' defining characteristics in the eyes of Dragon Ball fans.

During his battle with Vegeta, Zarbon initially fought in his elegant form and lost. Desperate, he unleashed his monster transformation, overpowering the Saiyan prince and nearly killing him. This reveal, that the vain, beautiful warrior hid a monstrous true form, became one of the Namek Saga's most memorable moments.

Their rematch saw a healed and empowered Vegeta defeat Zarbon's monster form decisively, establishing the ceiling of the race's combat potential during that era of the story.

In the Dragon Ball Super manga's Galactic Patrol Prisoner Saga, another member of the race named Yuzun appeared as part of the Galactic Bandit Brigade. Yuzun wears a circlet and earrings identical to Zarbon's, suggesting these accessories may be culturally significant to the species rather than personal fashion choices.

The fact that Zarbon held the title of prince implies his race once had a sovereign civilization of its own. Frieza's conquest stripped that away, scattering the surviving population into the ranks of his army. The parallel to the Saiyans is notable: both races lost their royal lines to Frieza's empire, though while King Vegeta attempted resistance, Zarbon appears to have submitted and risen through the ranks on merit.

Other members of the race appear as palette-swapped enemies in video games like Dragon Ball Z II: Gekishin Freeza and Dragon Ball Z: Super Saiya Densetsu. In Dragon Ball Fusions, they are classified under the broad "Alien" racial category. The fusion warrior Dodobon, created from Zarbon and Dodoria, notably defaults to the monster form as his base state.

Zarbon's race embodies one of Dragon Ball's recurring themes: the tension between appearance and true nature. Their biological ability to suppress their own power for the sake of beauty creates a species defined by vanity, one that would literally rather be weaker than be ugly.