Dragon Ball Z is celebrated as one of the greatest anime series of all time, often being the first taste of anime and Japanese culture for many viewers. But like any long-running show, it has its fair share of plot holes and unanswered questions. One such mystery involves a character named Icarus, the friendly dragon.
Who Is Icarus, the Forgotten Dragon Ball Z Character?
Icarus is a dragon introduced exclusively in the Tree of Might movie, which is part of the Dragon Ball Z film series. Unlike the main story, these movies often feature original plots and characters that aren’t part of the original manga, so they’re not considered part of the official storyline.
When we first meet Icarus, he’s a small, light purple dragon with green eyes and tiny wings. Gohan discovers him when he rescues Icarus from a falling tree in the Tree of Might movie. After Gohan uses the Dragon Balls to save Icarus’s forest from burning down, the two quickly become close friends. Goku, seeing how much his son enjoys the dragon’s company, even sets up a cozy cave for Icarus so Gohan can spend time with him.
Icarus pops up in several other episodes and movies, including the Lord Slug and Cooler’s Revenge films, as well as the Garlic Jr. Saga and the Trunks Saga. He even appears in a fan-favorite filler episode where Goku and Piccolo learn to drive. But after this, Icarus disappears from the anime.
What Happened to Icarus?
Fans have long wondered what became of Icarus after his last appearance. The most recent mention of him was in the Great Saiyaman Saga, where Goten mentions a dinosaur he was playing with reminded him of Icarus. This suggests that Icarus was still around and remembered fondly by Gohan and his family.
The prevailing theory is that Icarus is off living his own life somewhere, with happy memories of his time with Gohan. Icarus makes a brief comeback in the manga with an illustration by Toyotarou for Dragon Ball Super. In this drawing, Gohan is shown petting a fully-grown Icarus. Toyotarou’s notes express hope that Icarus is thriving on Mount Paozu, where Gohan’s family lives.
So, while Icarus may not be featured prominently in the series anymore, fans can take comfort in the idea that he’s out there, living his best dragon life.
