Who is turles

Overview

Turles is a fictional antagonist from the Dragon Ball universe, introduced in the 1990 animated film Dragon Ball Z: The Tree of Might. Created by Akira Toriyama, he appears as a Saiyan warrior who bears a striking resemblance to the series' protagonist, Goku, but serves as a dark counterpart with villainous intentions. The character was developed specifically for the movie to explore themes of nature versus nurture among Saiyans, highlighting how different life paths can shape individuals with similar origins.

Within Dragon Ball lore, Turles operates as a space pirate who leads the Crusher Corps, a group of mercenaries traveling across galaxies to exploit planetary resources. His story arc centers on arriving on Earth to plant the mystical Tree of Might, which drains a planet's life force to produce fruit that grants immense power. This narrative serves as a standalone adventure in the Dragon Ball Z film series, providing an alternative threat outside the main television storyline while expanding the Saiyan mythology.

How It Works

Turles functions as a narrative device and power system within the Dragon Ball universe through several key mechanisms.

• Character Design and Origins: Turles is explicitly designed as a visual duplicate of Goku, sharing identical facial features and basic Saiyan physiology, but with darker skin, spikier hair, and distinctive armor. He represents a "what if" scenario showing how Goku might have turned out if he hadn't hit his head as a baby and lost his violent Saiyan instincts. This parallel extends to their power sets, as both can achieve Super Saiyan transformations, though Turles' version manifests with green-tinted hair in some media.
• The Tree of Might Mechanism: Turles' primary weapon is the Tree of Might, a mystical plant that requires specific conditions to grow. When planted on a suitable planet, it rapidly extends roots that drain all life energy within approximately 48 hours. The tree then produces fruit that grants consumers temporary power increases of roughly 10-20 times their normal strength, though this comes at the cost of permanently destroying the host planet's ecosystem.
• Crusher Corps Organization: Turles leads a team of five elite warriors: Amond, Cacao, Daiz, Lakasei, and Rasin. Each member possesses unique abilities and power levels ranging from 10,000 to 30,000 on the Dragon Ball scouter scale. The corps operates as a hierarchical mercenary unit, with Turles maintaining command through a combination of fear, promised rewards, and demonstrated superiority in combat capability.
• Power Progression System: Unlike Goku who trains to achieve power increases, Turles relies on external sources like the Tree of Might fruit. After consuming the fruit in the film, his power level jumps from approximately 19,000 to over 200,000, enabling him to temporarily overpower Goku and the Z Fighters. This represents a shortcut to power that contrasts with the series' usual emphasis on hard work and training.

Key Comparisons

Why It Matters

• Narrative Impact: Turles introduced the concept of evil Saiyan doppelgängers to Dragon Ball, influencing later characters like Goku Black in Dragon Ball Super. His 1990 film grossed approximately $12 million in Japan and helped establish the pattern for future Dragon Ball movies featuring standalone villains with unique power systems outside the main continuity.
• Franchise Expansion: The Tree of Might storyline expanded Dragon Ball's cosmic mythology by introducing planetary-scale threats beyond individual fighters. This concept would later influence arcs like the Planet Trade Organization and Frieza's empire, showing how entire worlds could be exploited for power rather than just conquered through direct combat.
• Character Development Contrast: Turles serves as a crucial foil that highlights Goku's heroic qualities by showing what he could have become. This comparison reinforces themes of choice and morality in the series, demonstrating that biology (Saiyan heritage) doesn't determine destiny when free will and upbringing are considered.

Looking forward, Turles remains relevant as Dragon Ball continues exploring alternate timelines and character variations. His legacy persists in video games like Dragon Ball FighterZ where he appears as a playable character, and in fan discussions about Saiyan nature versus nurture. As the franchise expands with new media, the conceptual space Turles pioneered—of dark counterparts and planetary-scale energy systems—continues to influence storytelling approaches while providing a memorable example of how even minor characters can leave lasting impressions on a series' mythology and fan culture.