Dragon Ball’s Most Important Super Saiyan Has Never Been Goku

Published Oct 10, 2026, 11:57 PM EDT

Casandra Ronning is a staff writer for Screen Rant's anime section. Since mid-2024, she has dedicated herself to expanding her knowledge and experience in the entertainment industry. She is most proud of conducting an exclusive interview with popular voice actor Stephanie Nadolny.
 

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One of Dragon Ball’s most iconic moments is the original Super Saiyan transformation on Namek. Goku’s legendary awakening against Frieza was not only a turning point for the franchise, but a major cultural moment that inspired countless fans and creators around the world. That said, as significant as it was, Dragon Ball Z would later go on to deliver an even greater moment that had nothing to do with Goku.

Another Super Saiyan transformation completely stole the spotlight and continues to stand as one of the franchise’s most defining moments. When Gohan transformed into Super Saiyan 2, the series delivered more than a stunningly thrilling sequence by crossing an important milestone in Dragon Ball’s overarching story. Even decades later, it stands as one of the series’ most impactful Super Saiyan transformations and it's unlikely anything could ever come close to matching it.

Gohan’s Super Saiyan Transformation Is More Meaningful Than Goku’s

While Goku’s Super Saiyan transformation remains one of Dragon Ball’s most iconic moments, especially as it fundamentally changed the series’ power scaling and set a new benchmark, much of its significance in the story stems from how it fulfilled a legend and allowed Goku to overcome a major universal threat. Gohan’s transformation, however, carried a much deeper narrative weight.

Unlike Goku, whose strength grew through years of relentless training and battles, Gohan repeatedly demonstrated that he had a well of extraordinary power simmering below the surface that would make itself known under extreme pressure. From his first outburst against Raditz to his transformation during the Cell Games, he has proven that he has the ability to surpass every one of the Z Fighters.

His transformation into Super Saiyan 2 brought his character arc full circle by allowing him and his immense potential to officially take over the spotlight.

Beyond that, his Super Saiyan 2 transformation stands as one of Dragon Ball’s greatest highlights to this day. After watching as his friends and family were pushed to the brink and the death of Android 16, Gohan unlocked the full extent of his hidden power and accepted his duty to fight, despite his earlier reluctance to cause harm. In short, it stood as the culmination of Gohan’s journey from a reluctant child warrior into Goku’s successor.

His transformation into Super Saiyan 2 brought his character arc full circle by allowing him and his immense potential to officially take over the spotlight. By overcoming Cell and achieving a higher level of power, Gohan finally became the warrior his father always knew he could be and fulfilled his role as the hero with the greatest potential.

Gohan Has Always Been Dragon Ball’s Future

1. Gohan’s transformation during the Cell Games was the first moment the series allowed a hero other than Goku to defeat a central villain. In that regard, Gohan’s ascension to Super Saiyan 2, paired with Goku’s departure, also marked a new chapter for the franchise. While in the end the story eventually returned its focus to Goku, Gohan momentarily stood as the franchise’s central hero and that’s a possibly that the franchise hasn’t entirely been abandoned.

Although Goku remains the primary protagonist, Gohan has continued to demonstrate his extraordinary potential in the Buu Saga with Ultimate Gohan and again in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero by introducing Gohan Beast. These moments throughout the franchise prove that Gohan still stands as a hero who could reach unprecedented heights when the situation called for it.

These continuing developments and ongoing speculation that Gohan will still inherit a central role all stem from his performance during the Cell Saga. His Super Saiyan 2 transformation created a benchmark that the series has yet to outshine and left behind a legacy that the franchise is continuing to build on, making it one of the most important and defining Super Saiyan transformations that Dragon Ball has to offer.