Goku and Vegeta might have proven to be the strongest Saiyans for the majority of Dragon Ball‘s run, but this new-gen Saiyan is easily overtaking them both. The Saiyan who will be discussed today is none other than Gohan, Goku’s own son who has the potential to surpass his father by leagues.
And the reason why Gohan will reach Goku’s greatness and more is because his genetic makeup is not the same as that of a purebred Saiyan. It turns out that when the blood of weak Earthlings mixes with that of the super-powerful Saiyan race, it gives rise to a monster of a fighter.
Akira Toriyama Gave Gohan Something That Pure-Bred Saiyans Don’t Possess
Gohan is a mixed Saiyan and was born on Earth. While that might seem like a disadvantage at face value, it is actually a boon. Every Saiyan who was raised or born on Earth has proven to be an extremely talented fighter. But how are the results so consistent?
A theory claims that it is the lack of engagement of the adrenal gland that makes the difference. Gohan has more adrenaline pumping through him than any Saiyans and it is not only because of their genetic make-up but also their upbringing.
Saiyans, as a species, rarely came across anyone who could pose a threat to their existence. Thus, their adrenaline rush was limited and their flight or fight response was rarely ever triggered. They do possess the Zenkai Boost ability that helps them renew their power and gives them a boost whenever they return from a near-death situation.
However, Zenkai boosts are extremely rare and never occur until a precarious equilibrium is maintained. Thus, Saiyans were deprived of the precious adrenaline rush that Gohan experienced every other day of his life.
How Gohan’s Birth on Earth Helped Him Develop in Dragon Ball
Gohan was not only born with an adrenal gland, as a human he made full use of it since birth. If your father is Son Goku, there is no way on Earth that you would be spared life-ending battles. Goku was indeed an absent father for some time, but beyond that, Gohan had plenty of training from the top villains of the universe.
Since Gohan has been battling against other species in life-threatening battles, his flight or fight response is always triggered. Thus, he has profited more from it, in comparison to Saiyan, who rarely ever triggers it.
If adrenaline and Zenkai Boosts are the two main ingredients behind a Saiyan’s development then it would explain why Vegeta became stronger after befriending (or getting slightly better at tolerating) Goku.
Every Saiyan on Earth battled opponents continuously, and they were shown no mercy, which gave them the opportunity to grow.
Of course, you can’t forget that the Earth’s environment itself is conducive to the Saiyan development. The gentler nature that Earth offers helps Saiyans develop far more than what they could have on their own hostile planet. Akira Toriyama himself admitted so in an interview.
You can read Dragon Ball on Viz Media and watch the anime on Crunchyroll.
