Warning: Contains spoilers for Dragon Ball Daima episode #18.Dragon Ball Daima has finally done what no one thought possible: it made Super Saiyan 4 canon. For decades, Super Saiyan 4 has been cited as one of the best parts of Dragon Ball GT, if not the best, and even with GT being non-canon, fans have always wanted at least Super Saiyan 4 to be worked into canon in some way.
People have wanted a canon Super Saiyan 4 for decades, and it’s finally come to fruition with Dragon Ball Daima. When it became clear that Dragon Ball Daima was remaking Dragon Ball GT, a common theory was that the series would make Super Saiyan 4 canon in some way, and sure enough, Dragon Ball Daima episode #18 finally made Super Saiyan 4 canon by having Goku use the form in the fight against Gomah. There are plenty of differences between the canon form and the original, but regardless, it’s still the most exciting development in Dragon Ball Daima, to date.
How Goku Obtained Super Saiyan 4 In Dragon Ball Daima
How Super Saiyan 4 Works In Canon
Dragon Ball Daima is the first canon appearance of Super Saiyan 4, and it, of course, has a different origin from Dragon Ball GT. In GT, Goku unlocked Super Saiyan 4 in the battle with Baby Vegeta, the form a result of Goku turning into a Golden Great Ape after using the Earth as a substitute for the moon. In Dragon Ball Daima, however, Goku obtained Super Saiyan 4 after Neva cast magic on him in the fight with Gomah to give him a power boost, although unlike in GT, Super Saiyan 4 doesn’t turn Goku back into an adult.
Dragon Ball Daima episode #18’s interpretation of Super Saiyan 4 is probably the most organic way that it could have been brought into canon. A common theory about Daima was that Goku would use magic to unlock a new form of Super Saiyan, and because of that, Dragon Ball Daima making Super Saiyan 4 Goku a product of Neva’s magic was the most organic way of making it canon within the confines of the story. That makes its appearance even better, and it’s bound to go down as the anime’s biggest highlight, by far.
Dragon Ball Daima’s Take On Super Saiyan 4 Is A Great Combo Of Super & GT
The Perfect Fusion Of Dragon Ball GT & Dragon Ball Super
What’s especially notable about Dragon Ball Daima’s take on Super Saiyan 4 is how it bridges the gap between Dragon Ball GT and Dragon Ball Super. In GT, Super Saiyan 4 was presented as the Super Saiyan form of the Legendary Super Saiyan, but that was retconned by Super with the creation of Super Saiyan God. The new version of Super Saiyan 4 has far more red compared to the original, however, meaning that Dragon Ball Daima’s version of Super Saiyan 4 can be seen as a visual fusion of GT and Super’s differing takes on the Legendary Super Saiyan.
That idea also works on a thematic level, of course. One problem with Super Saiyan God’s design in Dragon Ball Super is that it doesn’t do a great job of presenting itself as the pinnacle of Saiyan power with its simplistic design, something that, conversely, is perfectly conveyed in Dragon Ball GT with Super Saiyan 4’s wild and animalistic appearance. Because of that, Dragon Ball Daima’s take on Super Saiyan 4 works on a thematic level by adding the aesthetic of Super Saiyan 4 to Super Saiyan God; it’s unknown if that was intentional, but regardless, it works exceptionally well.
Why Does Goku Never Use Super Saiyan 4 In Dragon Ball Super?
Did Dragon Ball Daima Just Contradict Dragon Ball Super?
As great as it is for Super Saiyan 4 to be canon, it does create an issue with Dragon Ball Super. Much like Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta, Goku never uses Super Saiyan 4 during Dragon Ball Super, and in his fight with Beerus, Super Saiyan 3 is framed as the strongest form he has access to, even though Super Saiyan 4 should be far stronger. Because of that, Super Saiyan 4 Goku being canon creates a clear continuity issue with Dragon Ball Super, and it’s one that’s hard to ignore.
That being said, the issue is fairly easy to resolve. While Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta might be hard to explain, Goku obtained Super Saiyan 4 through Neva’s magic, thus making it a magical transformation in nature, so Goku probably never used Super Saiyan 4 in Dragon Ball Super because the canon interpretation can only be used when magic is involved. Ideally, the last few episodes of Dragon Ball Daima will clarify the issue, but whatever the case, it doesn’t make it any less exciting for a form as iconic as Super Saiyan 4 to finally be canon.
Dragon Ball Daima releases new episodes Fridays on Crunchyroll.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
