Can Trunks Go Super Saiyan 4? The Truth Revealed
The answer, based on established canon and lore, is no, Trunks cannot go Super Saiyan 4. While the article extract you provided initially suggests he might have been considered for it, the final decision was to grant him the power of Super Saiyan God instead. Let’s delve deeper into why, and explore the surrounding context of Super Saiyan 4 and its requirements.
Super Saiyan 4: The Requirements
The Super Saiyan 4 transformation, introduced in Dragon Ball GT, isn’t simply about raw power. It’s a specific process involving these key elements:
- A Saiyan Tail: The Saiyan must possess a tail. This harkens back to their Oozaru (Great Ape) form.
- Achieving Golden Oozaru: The Saiyan must first transform into a Golden Oozaru, a powered-up version of the Great Ape.
- Regaining Control: After achieving Golden Oozaru, the Saiyan needs to regain conscious control over the form, suppressing the primal rage and tapping into their Saiyan heritage on a deeper level. This act of self-mastery is what unlocks the Super Saiyan 4 transformation.
Future Trunks doesn’t have a tail and has never demonstrated an Oozaru transformation. Goten doesn’t have a tail either. This is the primary reason why Trunks, despite his power and potential, cannot access Super Saiyan 4. The requirement for a tail is a biological constraint he doesn’t meet.
Super Saiyan God vs. Super Saiyan 4
The decision to give Trunks Super Saiyan God instead of Super Saiyan 4 highlights a crucial difference in power scaling and narrative direction. Dragon Ball Super established God Ki as a higher plane of existence than anything seen in Dragon Ball GT. While Super Saiyan 4 is powerful, Super Saiyan God and its subsequent forms, like Super Saiyan Blue, operate on an entirely different level, making them more relevant to the current storyline.
Trunks’ Potential and Power
Even without Super Saiyan 4, Trunks remains a formidable character. His access to Super Saiyan God in some storylines, along with his inherent Saiyan-Earthling hybrid potential, allows him to achieve incredible feats. Focusing on these strengths, rather than trying to force him into a form he biologically can’t achieve, is ultimately a better narrative choice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Super Saiyan 4
1. Who can do Super Saiyan 4?
Currently, the only confirmed Saiyans to achieve Super Saiyan 4 in the main timeline are Goku and Vegeta. However, alternate versions of Gohan & Xeno Gohan have been depicted in other media like Dragonball Heroes.
2. Is Super Saiyan 5 a thing?
Super Saiyan 5 is primarily a fan-made creation and doesn’t exist in the official canon. While some fan works explore the concept, it hasn’t been recognized by Akira Toriyama or Toei Animation.
3. Why is Super Saiyan 4 never used in Dragon Ball Super?
Dragon Ball Super focuses on a power scaling system based on God Ki, which is generally considered superior to Super Saiyan 4. Therefore, it’s narratively unnecessary and potentially power-inconsistent to reintroduce the form.
4. Will Super Saiyan 4 ever be canon?
As of now, there are no plans to make Super Saiyan 4 canon. Dragon Ball Super has established its own continuity, which diverges significantly from Dragon Ball GT.
5. Is Super Saiyan Blue stronger than Super Saiyan 4?
Yes, Super Saiyan Blue is generally considered stronger than Super Saiyan 4. Super Saiyan Blue is a form achieved through God Ki, which puts it on a higher level of power compared to the more primal Super Saiyan 4.
6. Is there a Super Saiyan 6?
Super Saiyan 6 is another fan-made transformation and isn’t part of the official Dragon Ball canon.
7. Why does Goku barely use SSJ4 in GT?
Even in Dragon Ball GT, Goku often relies on other strategies, such as fusion, to overcome powerful opponents. Also, sometimes using the super dragonballs granted greater power-ups. The narrative was inconsistent at times, and Super Saiyan 4 was not always the go-to solution, likely for storytelling variety.
8. Why can Vegeta go SSJ4 but not SSJ3 initially?
Vegeta’s inability to reach Super Saiyan 3 during the Buu Saga was a narrative choice to emphasize Goku’s superior power at that time. Regarding Super Saiyan 4, Vegeta needed Bulma’s Blutz Waves Generator to artificially replicate the conditions needed for the transformation.
9. How did Goku get SSJ5?
As mentioned before, Super Saiyan 5 is not a canon form. Any depictions of Goku achieving it are fan-made creations.
10. Is Super Saiyan 100 real?
No, Super Saiyan 100 is purely a fan creation, born from the imaginative desire to push the boundaries of Saiyan power.
11. Is SSJ4 a God form?
While Super Saiyan 4 draws on the Saiyan’s primal connection to the Oozaru (which some consider a god-like form), it’s not technically a “God form” in the same way as Super Saiyan God or Super Saiyan Blue, which utilize God Ki. Many argue its more akin to a primal god.
12. Is there an ultra Saiyan?
“Ultra Super Saiyan” refers to the Ascended Super Saiyan form that Future Trunks achieved during the Cell Saga. It prioritizes raw power over speed and is ultimately an inefficient transformation.
13. Why can’t Vegeta use SSJ4 without help?
Vegeta initially needed Bulma’s Blutz Waves Generator because he lacked a tail. The machine simulated the effects of the moon, allowing him to transform into a Golden Oozaru and eventually achieve Super Saiyan 4.
14. Can Gohan achieve SSJ4?
In some non-canon media, Gohan has been depicted as achieving Super Saiyan 4. In Dragon Ball Heroes, it does happen. However, the only way for Gohan to achieve this form in Canon is if he regrows his Saiyan tail.
15. What form is stronger than Super Saiyan 4?
Forms based on God Ki, such as Super Saiyan God, Super Saiyan Blue, Ultra Instinct, and Ultra Ego, are considered stronger than Super Saiyan 4.
Understanding these distinctions helps clarify the power scaling and narrative choices within the Dragon Ball universe. To further explore the dynamics of learning and adaptation, consider exploring the resources available at the Games Learning Society, found at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/. This organization studies how games and interactive media foster cognitive skills, strategic thinking, and problem-solving abilities, mirroring the challenges faced by characters in the Dragon Ball universe as they strive to achieve new levels of power. The GamesLearningSociety.org fosters a collaborative research community focused on the intersection of games and learning.