Dragon Ball: Why The Current Power Hierarchy Makes No Sense

Dragon Ball: Why The Current Power Hierarchy Makes No Sense

Key Takeaways

  • Powerscaling in Dragon Ball Super has become inconsistent, with characters surpassing Goku and Vegeta’s divine forms with relative ease.
  • Characters like Gohan and Broly are portrayed as too powerful too quickly, undermining the significance of Goku and Vegeta’s training efforts.
  • To fix the power hierarchy issues, characters should achieve strength through intense training rather than sudden anger or wish fulfillment.

As a hardcore Dragon Ball fan since its early days, I’ve witnessed the incredible journey of our favorite Saiyan warriors grow stronger with each passing arc. However, it seems that the powerscaling in recent years has become a bit of a rollercoaster ride, leaving me feeling like a saiyan trying to keep up with the Kamehameha wave.


The Dragon Ball franchise focuses on personal growth and becoming stronger. Characters in this series are often driven by the desire to surpass their own limitations and achieve extraordinary transformations or abilities that significantly outmatch others within the storyline, be they antagonists or comrades, for a temporary period of time.

As a passionate gamer immersed in the Dragon Ball universe, I’ve noticed a troubling trend that seems to dilute the essence of this iconic series. This issue arises from the drive to make every main character equally powerful, which has led to a power hierarchy that feels flimsy and illogical. Let’s delve into the reasons behind this and explore potential solutions for the continuation of this beloved franchise.

Wild Powerscaling Of Characters

Some Characters Are Way Stronger Than They Should Be

Dragon Ball: Why The Current Power Hierarchy Makes No Sense

Since the start of “Dragon Ball Super,” the power levels within the series have shown some wild inconsistencies, particularly in ways that don’t seem to make sense within the broader narrative context. One character who exemplifies this peculiarity is Gohan. Despite being a beloved figure among fans and his recent Beast form receiving wide acclaim, the strength it embodies seems entirely illogical.

In essence, it’s common knowledge that among all the Saiyans, excluding Broly, Gohan possesses the most untapped potential. His unique blend of Saiyan and human genetics, combined with his virtually unbounded potential, made him a character who could outshine even the natural states of Goku and Vegeta, as demonstrated numerous times throughout the storyline. However, this wasn’t an issue until Dragon Ball Super Chapter 103.

I’m going to surpass you, dad.

It’s understandable that Gohan consistently outperformed others when it comes to Super Saiyan forms, but his ability to equal Ultra Instinct, given his minimal training for it, feels inconsistent and seems more like a plot device to reintroduce Gohan as a prominent character. While Goku and Vegeta have dedicated their entire lives to training rigorously and endured immense hardships to attain their Divine Transformations, Gohan achieves comparable strength merely by getting angrier than typical – this seems unrealistic compared to their journeys.

By having Goku and Vegeta access the powers of the Angels and Gods of Destruction, their ultimate forms become less crucial, raising the question: why should one strive for strength when there are characters who can match it with seemingly little effort? The truth is, Goku’s power source comes from the unique Angel technique, while Vegeta taps into the might of the Gods of Destruction. Given their association with the most powerful entities in the multiverse, these abilities shouldn’t be so easily surpassed.

In his very first fight against an opponent, Broly managed to overpower Super Saiyan Blue Goku and Vegeta in their normal states. However, it’s not entirely surprising given that Broly was significantly weaker than the Ultra Instinct and Ultra Ego forms. Yet, the idea that characters can attain the power of Goku and Vegeta’s Divine Forms solely by getting enraged is hard to swallow.

In addition, this applies equally to the antagonists, as demonstrated in the Granolah arc, where Granolah and the final villain, Gas, outperformed Goku and Vegeta by making a wish to the Dragon Balls. Despite the finale showing Frieza annihilating the Saiyans with his Black Frieza transformation, this was plausible because he underwent 10 years of intense training to harness his extraordinary potential, allowing him the capacity to accomplish such feats.

How To Fix This Problem

How Can This Power Hierarchy Be Fixed?

Dragon Ball: Why The Current Power Hierarchy Makes No Sense

Even though Goku and Vegeta’s most powerful forms possess abilities similar to those of the Angels and Destroyer Gods, it doesn’t automatically imply that no one can surpass them. The challenge is in finding a way to surpass them. It’s not realistic for someone to simply become enraged and achieve Divine Transformations based solely on their potential; such an approach would be simplistic storytelling. Instead, if a character is depicted as putting in rigorous training and dedication towards surpassing them, it would make for a much more compelling narrative.

The reason Beast Gohan’s matching of Ultra Instinct didn’t receive a warm response from fans, but the introduction of Black Frieza did, is because the latter seemed more realistic. In the Super Hero movie, it was depicted that Gohan had essentially stopped training for an extended period to focus on his work. Consequently, the sudden manifestation of such immense power during his transformation felt less plausible.

Instead of their current forms, Gohan Beast, Orange Piccolo, and Broly’s complete Super Saiyan should have equaled or surpassed Goku’s Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken and Vegeta’s Super Saiyan Blue Evolved. This would make these characters’ power levels comparable to Goku and Vegeta, who rely on God Ki for their immense strength. As it stands, the uniqueness of God Ki is diluted because other characters can reach such high levels of power without needing it.

One method for adjusting this idea is by introducing a kind of revision or “retcon.” While we can’t undo the strength these forms have been established as in the narrative, it might be possible that there are additional hindrances to these transformations that make them less enduring compared to Ultra Instinct or Ultra Ego. This would imply that the abilities of the Angels and Destroyer Gods remain the most powerful feats to aspire for.

Dragon Ball can be streamed on Crunchyroll.

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2024-10-11 22:36