I Really Wanted to See Super Saiyan 4 Become Canon, But Dragon Ball Did It Wrong
Ever since Dragon Ball Daima's first trailer, I was one of the foolish few who felt convinced that the series would bring back Super Saiayn 4. Ieven wrote a few articles exploring how Daima could connect Super Saiyan 4 to Dragon Ball Super. It was just too much of a coincidence for me that Daima was exploring Dragon Ball GT's ubiquitous plot line where Goku transforms into a kid. But now that it has finally happened, I feel very underwhelmed and would actually have preferred it if we didn't even get a Super Saiyan 4.
The majority of my criticism is based on how Daima did not do a thorough enough job of setting up such a transformation, especially in relation to Dragon Ball GT. Although controversial for its tone, GT had a very strong overall structure, especially in how it led up to what would be one of the most iconic transformations in the entire Dragon Ball franchise, despite not being canon. By comparison, the Super Saiyan 4 transformation in Daima really did come out of nowhere, and, therefore, feels half-baked and hasty.
Dragon Ball Daima Bases Everything on One Character We Just Learned About
Neva Is Currently The Main Reason Why Goku Transforms in Super Saiyan 4
As of Daima episode #18, the catalyzing moment derives completely from the mysterious Namekian Neva. After the villain Gomah ostensibly defeats Goku, Neva summons a ball of white light that engulfs Goku, which eventually culminates in Goku's transformation. The only explanation for this is based on Neva's incredible feats in earlier episodes. Daima portrayed Neva as a genius, having successfully circumvented certain seemingly unbreakable rules that have served as the cornerstone for entire sagas. Much later, he even removed barriers separating entire worlds in the Demon Realm, the immensity of which was captured in Piccolo's shocked expression.
Although Daima will likely and should explain what Neva did in later episodes, I feel like whatever it does will be too little, too late, since it would have come at the expense of minimizing the initial transformation. Although Neva is a compelling character, he isn't important enough to make him the basis of a transformation like Super Saiyan 4 that fans have been waiting to see canonized for decades. It would have been much more effective if Daima had laid the foundations for Super Saiyan 4 by including Neva but didn't position him as the only catalyst.
Dragon Ball GT Chose a Better Character to Help Goku
Elder Kai's Role Was Also Used as Foreshadowing
The basis for my reasoning comes from how effectively Dragon Ball GT foreshadowed Super Saiyan 4. In fact, GT even included a magical elder like Neva in its build up, but this character had actually been part of the story since DBZ: Elder Kai. What Daima has done with Neva is akin to GT using Sugoro, who was introduced in the Baby Saga, and making him the key to Goku achieving Super Saiyan 4. But GT did so much more than just involve a more established character like Elder Kai. GT immediately connected Elder Kai's strategy to Saiyan lore, which is pivotal in understanding GT's genius.
GT's solution was for Elder Kai to help regrow Goku's tail, a methodology that was also effective because it built upon the absurdity of how he awakened Gohan's latent powers and helped him transform into Ultimate Gohan in DBZ. As fans know now, a Saiyan's tail is a critical step in achieving Super Saiyan 4, which was an effective use of foreshadowing to help justify such a transformation. More importantly, it was one of many instances where GT used pre-established aspects of Saiyan lore, making Super Saiyan 4, in essence, an amalgamation of everything fans love about the Saiyan race.
Dragon Ball GT Used Many Instances of Foreshadowing to Set Up Super Saiyan 4
Super Saiyan 4 Also Incorporates So Many Aspects of Saiyan Lore
During the course of Goku's battle against Baby, GT slowly began introducing new aspects of Saiyan lore that would eventually lead to the ultimate addition, Super Saiyan 4. First, there was the concept of a Golden Great Ape, which was essentially a Super Saiyan Great Ape, where the prerequisite to transform was for the user to be able to go Super Saiyan. But because Goku had lost all control when he achieved that form, the next goal was to have him regain his humanity. Once this plan was enacted, it was then that Elder Kai revealed that Goku gaining control would result in him achieving a new level of Super Saiyan.
By comparison, Daima's build up to Super Saiyan 4 is incredibly lackluster. In fact, GT's strategy also better replicates Dragon Ball's effective pre-established strategy in how the franchise has introduced new forms. Even before Goku became Super Saiyan for the first time, DBZ foreshadowed his eventual transformation, with Frieza articulating his fear of the Legendary Super Saiyan and Vegeta's obsession with ascending and defeating Frieza. Then in the Cell Saga, the Z Fighters' main strategy was to use the Hyperbolic Time Chamber to help them unlock the secrets of going beyond Super Saiyan.
The only divergence at the time was how DBZ debuted Super Saiyan 3, but Goku put on such a show that the moment immediately became iconic. For Babidi and Buu, it was a major boast and an effective form of intimidation. For fans, it was an exciting buildup, where we got to witness every level in quick succession to clearly see how the form had progressed over the years before witnessing history. Super later tried to do the same with Super Saiyan Rose. Although the explanation was fun, the moment felt completely random, like in Daima.
Making the Case For Dragon Ball Daima's Choice
It's Important to Take the History of Dragon Ball Into Account, But Was It Worth It?
To play devil's advocate for Daima, I can understand why creators would have wanted Super Saiyan 4 to come out of nowhere. As I mentioned earlier, many fans, including myself, had hoped that Daima would replicate more of GT beyond making Goku a kid. Since we wanted Daima to canonize Super Saiyan 4 so badly, the creators kept it from us as long as possible until literally the last second for a surprise factor. But, in the end, was this really worth it? In return for a big surprise, what we're left with is a less complex and nuanced version of what Dragon Ball GT did.
The effect is very similar to Daima's entire puzzling delivery of introducing random elements that would have benefited from a more effective lead-in. Even if Dragon Ball Daima's version of Super Saiyan 4 ends up being incredible, it will have come at the expense of good storytelling, and that's not worth it.
