As a kid, chances are that all of us wanted to be something completely different to escape our painfully ordinary lives. Some of us wanted to become Pokémon trainers and catch 'em all, ultimately becoming the best of the best. Other people wanted to live in a well-realized world populated with shinobi as we learned how to manipulate elements using our own chakra. Speaking of elements, who could forget the art of bending and how enticing it would've been to live in a world that allowed you to basically master a hybrid mix of martial arts and wizardry?
However, the world we're going to focus on is a fantasy we've all wanted to live at one point in our lives — living out our lives as a super-powered Saiyan.
It doesn't take an expert to state that Dragon Ball Z has been one of the most impactful anime series of all time, featuring a story and cast that has stuck with us since time immemorial. The series itself generated such a hardcore fanbase that it even stayed strong for almost two decades after the original show ended its run. The fact that Dragon Ball Super ended up being a major success even after such a substantial gap speaks volumes when it comes to the popularity of the series.
While the idea of being a Saiyan might sound enticing, there are actually several plausible theories about this race that you need to be aware of before seriously going through with this fantasy. Here are 25 such theories about the Saiyans that actually got confirmed... well, for the most part.
25 The Concept Of Zenkai Is Non-Existent Now
For the uninitiated — or for those who simply don't remember — Zenkai is a power boost that further bolsters a Saiyan's power after they're beaten to within an inch of their lives.
However, as the show progressed, Zenkai lost its prominence.
There's a theory as to why the concept of Zenkai is non-existent now — with the advent of the Super Saiyan transformation and immense power levels, the boost that's provided by Zenkai is pretty much negligible at this point.
24 Saiyans Are Extremely Adept At Learning Techniques
The techniques that Saiyans sport have proven to be the stuff of legends. As a kid, pretty much all of us have mimicked the signature Kamehameha pose at one point in our lives. However, one thing that we definitely did notice was that this repertoire of skills kept on increasing at a rapid pace.
This is because Saiyans can learn skills with the greatest of ease.
Take the Kaio-ken as a viable example — not only was Goku able to learn the skill in the short time that he spent at King Kai's place, but he was able to further hone it and combine it with his Super Saiyan Blue transformation as well!
23 Combining The Kaio-ken With The Regular Super Saiyan Transformation Isn’t Recommended
Speaking of the Kaio-ken and its various uses, it must be said that the moment when Goku pulls off this classic technique against Hit is nothing short of extraordinary. This also happened to confirm a fan theory that was making the rounds at that point.
Combining the Kaio-ken with the regular Super Saiyan transformation will lead to a person's demise.
This is exactly what Goku says as well, stating that the combination of both these powerups would've torn all the muscles in his body and rendered him unable to move (and maybe even live), let alone fight.
22 Goku And Chi-Chi's Marriage Is Devoid Of Any Love
Time to delve into the marriage of Goku and Chi-Chi — a pairing that might seem natural yet is anything but. This statement might perplex the majority of Dragon Ball fans, who feel that this couple actually manages to make it work even after all the hurdles that come in their way.
However, a closer look at the series will place some doubts in the minds of people who genuinely wish to believe this statement. Goku's rarely around his wife and family, and the moments where he's available are littered with fights and arguments.
21 Chi-Chi Might've Fathered Goten With Someone Else
Isn't this something?
Now, far be from it for us to accuse Chi-Chi of wrong-doing. However, if the fan theory we've mentioned prior to this one is true, then the fact of the matter is that Chi-Chi would not even want to think about having another son with Goku after Gohan's birth.
So, it's highly possible that — while Goku was in heaven for what seemed like the umpteenth time — Chi-Chi ended up having Goten with another Saiyan altogether.
There's only one name that comes to mind, and we'll leave that to your imagination.
20 Gohan Was Supposed To Be The Main Character After The Cell Saga
Speaking of Goku and Chi-Chi's kids, it's time to talk about the character that had a ton of potential but ultimately fizzled out and did nothing extraordinary. Yep, we're talking about Gohan — a character who's power level peaked during the Cell Saga, before ultimately fizzling out into nothingness.
Well, things might've proven to be entirely different for the Saiyan extraordinaire — after achieving the Ascended Super Saiyan transformation, it was planned that Gohan would become the main character of Dragon Ball Z as the successor to Goku.
It was a great idea, but it was ultimately shelved and things remained normal for the most part.
19 Gohan Was Supposed To Fuse With His Own Dad During The Buu Saga
The previous entry is not the only time when a plan involving Gohan was shelved. While he did have his fair share of focal moments in the Buu Saga, it was painfully evident that the main focus was on Goku and — to some extent — Vegeta.
Namely, we're talking about the time when both these Saiyans fused by using the Potara earrings into a powerful entity by the name of Vegito. This could've been completely different, with the role of Vegeta being replaced by that of Gohan.
However, the creators that fusing a dad and his son might not sit well with other people and thankfully decided to shelve this hare-brained plan.
18 Gohan's Destiny Was Linked With Defeating Cell
However, regardless of how badly Gohan might've been treated throughout the course of Dragon Ball Z, his impact during the Cell Saga was nothing short of spectacular. Achieving a new level of power and laying waste to the powerhouse that was Cell is no easy feat, and the fact that a person who was just entering his teens managed to do so is amazing in every sense of the word.
In fact, his destiny was linked with defeating Cell, to begin with. Before the villain even managed to achieve his perfect form, Gohan already saw a silhouette of said form in his dreams, when he was training in the hyperbolic time chamber.
17 Gohan Has The Potential To Become The Strongest Saiyan Of All Time
We've already mentioned before as to how irrelevant Gohan became over the course of the series. From achieving new heights of power to becoming a low-powered scholar is a downgrade, unlike anything we've seen before.
However, the fact of the matter is that the dormant potential in Gohan is still very much palpable. His unlocked potential, coupled with his quick mind, means that he has both the brains and brawn that a lot of Saiyans lack.
So, if he decides to get serious and build himself up as a serious threat, then he might just give the other warriors a run for their money.
16 Saiyans And Humans Are Distant Relatives
The alien races in the Dragon Ball universe look visibly notable in every sense of the word. However, one reaches a snag of sorts after they look at the similarities between humans and Saiyans. Save for one freakish tail, Saiyans and humans look virtually identical for the most part.
There's a reason why this has come to be — at one point in time, it was suspected that Saiyans and humans actually used to be one and the same. However, due to certain circumstances, the species split into two, forming the reality as we know it to be today.
15 The Saiyans Of Universe 6 Might Be Peaceful Because The Species Mingled With Humans
Dragon Ball Super introduced the concept of multiverses, which brought with it a universe similar to the one Goku resides in. Thus, a new batch of Saiyans exists on this Universe 6, with a major distinction being that these Saiyans are actually quite peaceful, as compared to their war-hungry counterparts in Universe 7.
This is an extension of the previous theory, with the sole distinction being that these Saiyans actually mingled with a certain batch of humans and became somewhat of a mixed race in the process. Meanwhile, the other section of humans slowly perished on Earth because of internal conflicts.
Sounds like the roles were reversed this time.
14 Cabba, Caulifla, And Kale Are Counterparts Of Vegeta, Goku, And Broly
Speaking of the Saiyans of Universe 6, here's another thing that's sure to pique your interest.
The trio of Cabba, Caulifla, and Kale is certainly a group to be feared in every sense of the word. They truly give Goku and Vegeta a run for their money indeed.
However, these Saiyans are more familiar that you might've assumed at first glance. This can be seen in the fact that Cabba, Caulifla, and Kale are nothing more than the Universe 6 counterparts of Vegeta, Goku, and Kale!
Even their personalities are direct opposites of the people they're based on — well, for the most part.
13 A Wish By Bulma For The Perfect Boyfriend Triggered The Saiyan Saga
Bulma is generally considered to be a hit-or-miss character by the majority of fans. Even though it's her relentless hunt for the Dragon Balls that kickstarts the entire series as we know it, there are times when her character is anything but endearing.
For starters, she's known to abuse the powers of the Dragon Balls for her own selfish gains. So, for all we know, there's a chance that she might've wished for the perfect boyfriend, which led to the arrival of Vegeta on Earth.
So, in a way, her wish triggered the entire Saiyan Saga.
12 Half-Blooded Saiyans Are More Powerful Than Purebloods
This theory has been making the rounds ever since Gohan, Goten, and Trunks showcased just how powerful they could be if given the chance. We say this because all three of these individuals managed to reach immense levels of power in a short span of time — something that pure-blooded Saiyans like Goku and Vegeta found hard to achieve.
It might also explain why the Saiyans of Universe 6 were able to match the godlike power of their Universe 7 counterparts with ease — if the theory mentioned above is to be believed, they also have the half-blooded advantage.
11 Fans Coined The Name "Super Saiyan Blue"
Talk about an influential fanbase indeed.
When the Super Saiyan Blue transformation was introduced for the first time, the official name of this transformation was a "Super Saiyan God Ascended Super Saiyan." Do we really need to explain why this name never really caught on?
Instead, fans decided to call the name Super Saiyan Blue, with an obvious inspiration being the hue of the Saiyan's aura. This name was quite well-received and became the official name of the transformation.
10 Achieving The Super Saiyan Transformation Was Never About Emotions
Dragon Ball Super also laid the debate surrounding another fan theory to test — namely, the fact that achieving the power of a Super Saiyan was never about experiencing certain emotions. Instead, it was more about — and we hate to say it but this stuff's canon — genetics.
Basically, Saiyans have S-Cells at the back of their neck that they can tap into so that they can unlock the Super Saiyan transformation. While this might sound somewhat lame, it certainly explains why the sons of Goku and Vegeta managed to unlock this transformation after it was touted to be incredibly unique.
9 Goku And Vegeta Might Usurp Beerus’ Title As The God Of Destruction
Dragon Ball Super introduced us to the God Of Destruction, Beerus. His unparalleled power is something that no fan can even imagine, and the fact that he didn't even go all out on Goku is a testament to just how powerful he actually is.
Well, it seems that the fight that Beerus had against Goku actually compelled the latter to become as powerful as this glorious adversary — if not reach a higher level altogether. Of course, if Goku wants to achieve immense power, then Vegeta wouldn't be far behind. Hence, both of them have decided to reach a level of power that will allow them to usurp Beerus' title as the God of Destruction.
8 Vegeta Plays Second Fiddle To Goku Because Toriyama Dislikes The Former
Speaking of Vegeta, it must be said that there are times when he simply isn't able to match up with Goku's level of power. There are certain exceptions — when he was introduced, after he became Majin Vegeta, and when he unlocked the Perfect Super Saiyan Blue transformation.
However, for the most part, Goku is simply a step ahead of him at all times. This is surmised to be because of the fact that Vegeta was not exactly a favorite of Toriyama's meaning that he would never really obtain an opportunity to succeed his Saiyan rival in terms of power.
7 The Future Trunks Timeline Is The Original Timeline
Future Trunks is definitely one of the coolest characters of all time. Only he could make the act of holding a sword in a super-powered fistfight seem practical, as opposed to the ridiculous sight it actually is.
Anyway, the point of this entry is that Future Trunks' timeline is not an alternate timeline — it's the actual timeline that Earth would've been a part of, had it not been for the invention of the time machine and the creation of a divergent pathway that led to the defeat of the Androids and Cell.
6 Raditz Might Not Be A Full-Blooded Saiyan
A minor detail that people have noticed in Saiyans is that the pure-blooded ones have a hairstyle that replicates their father. This is in stark contrast to their half-blooded counterparts, where this rule doesn't apply to anyone with the sole exception of Goten.
So, this makes Raditz's claim of being a pure-blooded Saiyan and the brother of Goku somewhat suspect. The fact that his hairstyle is nothing like Bardock's means that he might just be a half-blooded Saiyan as well.