Why Did Goku Never Use Super Saiyan 4 In DB Super?

WARNING: This post contains SPOILERS for Dragon Ball DAIMA.

Dragon Ball Daima surprised the community in many ways, but the biggest surprise for Dragon Ball fans was surely Goku’s Super Saiyan 4. When Daima premiered last year, no one really imagined that the original anime series would one day make Super Saiyan 4 canon to the main Dragon Ball timeline.

Witnessing Goku’s SSJ4 in Daima has surely been a treat for fans, but this latest transformation has sparked a series of questions among fans. And, well, the biggest question of all is: If Goku tapped into SSJ4 after the events of Dragon Ball Z, why didn’t he use it in the Super series? Of course, everyone thought that the final episode of the anime series would answer this very question for fans. However, even though the finale was everything that we expected in terms of animation and the fight, it didn’t clarify anything about Super Saiyan 4. Instead, Daima made Dragon Ball continuity rather confusing by giving us a bizarre explanation for Goku’s SSJ4.

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Goku Trained For Super Saiyan 4 After Defeating Majin Buu

No, It Wasn’t Neva Who Gave Goku This Transformation

Goku transforms into Super Saiyan 4 for the first time when he is in the Demon Realm. At first, everyone thought that it was Neva’s magic that gave Goku this incredible transformation. However, the final episode made it clear Goku trained for SSJ4 before Daima, and Neva only helped Goku transform into SSJ4 by sending an energy surge into the Saiyan’s body. That is precisely why, after getting back into adulthood, Goku unlocks SSJ4 without any help from Neva.

SSJ4 Goku gives a tough fight to Gomah, and the power of the Evil Third Eye proves ineffective against the new transformation. Ultimately, Goku unleashes the most iconic Kamehameha that not only pierces a hole in Gomah’s stomach but also breaks the barriers between the three Demon worlds. It was a great fight and surely a treat for every Dragon Ball fan. However, the community was looking for more than just great animation. The loyal fans of Dragon Ball wanted some answers about Super Saiyan 4.

One possible explanation for this phenomenon could have been that Goku was able to unlock this new transformation by using the Demon Realm’s different and harsh atmospheric conditions. So, SSJ4 could have been Goku’s “Majin” or demonic form, which he could only access in the Demon Realm. Perhaps Goku tried transforming into SSJ4 once he got out of the Demon Realm and realized that he couldn’t access it on Earth or in any other atmosphere except for the Demon Realm.

If not the atmosphere, then the creators could have used Neva to explain why Goku didn’t use this transformation in Dragon Ball Super. The idea of Neva putting a binding spell on Goku’s Super Saiyan 4 transformation was totally conceivable. The legendary Namekian was responsible for a lot of things within the Demon Realm, including the creation of Tamagami and the Dragon Balls. More than that, he’s a secretive and mischievous individual who doesn’t reveal his motives to anyone. So, he was capable enough to put a simple binding spell on SSJ4, preventing the Saiyan from ever using that form or binding it only to the Demon Realm.

However, instead of using any of the above explanations, Daima decided to give us a rather bizarre reason for Goku’s latest transformation. In the final episode, Goku reveals to Vegeta that he was training for SSJ4 after defeating Majin Buu. He realized that Buu was incredibly strong and there could be more powerful enemies out there, so he wanted to be prepared. He wasn’t sure if the transformation could work, but fortunately, he was able to unlock it during his fight with Gomah. This explanation doesn’t clear any confusion for fans; instead, it brings us back to the same question: why didn’t Goku use SSJ4 in Dragon Ball Super if he tapped into it years ago during the events in Daima? What does this mean for Dragon Ball continuity, and is Daima really canon to Super? Well, we may still get an answer to this question if Dragon Ball Daima returns with a second season.

Dragon Ball Daima Should Get A Second Season

Maybe Season 2 Could Answer This Burning Question

Toei Animation didn’t officially announce Season 2 of Daima, but the door is definitely open for a second season. The Demon Realm is vast, and the Saiyans haven’t explored half of it. There could be more powerful enemies in the Demon world, and maybe someone will force Goku and Vegeta to return to the world of Majins. If that happens, the creators will have more opportunities to connect Daima‘s story to Dragon Ball Super effectively.

Season 2 Could Still Explore The ‘Memory Wipe’ Option

Apart from the Binding spell or atmospheric restrictions, the memory wipe is another plausible explanation for why Goku never used Super Saiyan 4 after Daima. Of course, Season 1 of Daima didn’t use this explanation in Season 1. However, this idea may still exist on the table if, of course, the series returns with more seasons.

Neva was clearly surprised to see the powers of Goku and Vegeta, and like Gomah, he might have also wondered if these Saiyans could ever become a threat to the Demon Realm. However, unlike Gomah, Neva is a kind individual who wants to protect the Demon Realm without harming anyone from the outside world. So, the best way for him to protect the Demon Realm is by keeping its existence hidden from everyone, including Goku and Vegeta. So, he may use his magic to wipe out everyone’s memory of the Demon Realm in Season 2.

Of course, it could very well be someone else who does the memory wipe. But regardless of how it happens, it would make perfect sense if Goku in Super had no memory of being turned into a kid and achieving Super Saiyan 4.

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The Super Saiyan 4 from Dragon Ball Daima has left many fans scratching their heads about how it works, so let’s take a look!

Dragon Ball Super manga is ongoing, and so far, the manga series hasn’t even mentioned Super Saiyan 4. But now, since the transformation has appeared in Daima, the creators would obviously want to bring it into DBS. They clearly can’t write Goku achieving SSJ4 without a proper explanation. However, if Daima gets further seasons, and they actually go by the memory-wipe explanation, all the writers have to do is write a section where Goku remembers everything that transpired in the Demon Realm. However, if none of this happens, the Dragon Ball continuity will forever stay broken, and we’ll be forced to assume that, despite everything that was officially said, Daima is, in fact, a different timeline than Super.

Dragon Ball Daima is now streaming on Crunchyroll.

Dragon Ball DAIMA

Release Date

October 11, 2024

Writers

Akira Toriyama