It doesn’t take a Dragon Ball scholar to know that Goku is the main character of the franchise. It also doesn’t take a lifelong anime aficionado to recognize that Goku is an absolute galactic powerhouse. Just ask Nappa, Frieza, Vegeta, and Broly — and those names don’t even scratch the surface!
With a protagonist as mighty as Goku, it’s natural for longtime Dragon Ball fans to always wonder who could potentially rival, or even surpass, the legendary Saiyan. Poor Vegeta has been trying for decades, and while there have been several cosmic beings introduced in recent years that have proven to be superior to Goku, one of the more interesting names to bring up in relation to Goku’s power level is his very own son: Gohan.
Gohan is one of the main characters in the Dragon Ball franchise, with his star shining especially bright during the Dragon Ball Z series. Owing to his half-Saiyan heritage, and his training under the likes of Piccolo, the Kais, and even his father, Gohan eventually becomes a colossal force in his own right. In fact, there are multiple moments in the Dragon Ball franchise where fans can even witness Gohan downright surpass his legendary father.
As a child, Gohan’s power level grew greater than Goku’s during the battle against Raditz
Goku’s brother and fellow Saiyan, Raditz, was the first villain introduced in Dragon Ball Z, and he immediately wrecks everyone, including the unstoppable juggernaut known as Krillin!
After kidnapping a four-year-old Gohan, it takes the combined might of Goku and Piccolo even to be semi-competitive with Raditz. Eventually, after getting the stuffing beaten out of them, the pair are shocked when Gohan emerges from captivity. Overcome with rage after seeing his father get beaten to a pulp, Gohan powers up and headbutts Raditz in the chest, seriously hurting him and cracking his Saiyan armor in the process.
Before the battle began, Raditz noted that Gohan’s power level — remember, power levels were a big thing earlier in the franchise — was over 700. Meanwhile, Goku and Piccolo’s combined power levels were a little over 600.
The Raditz fight is not just famous for being the first battle in the DBZ series, but also for foreshadowing just how powerful Gohan could become. From the very beginning of his storyline, Gohan proved he had the potential to surpass his dad.
Gohan proved his greatness against Cell
The Dragon Ball Z “Cell Saga” saw the Z fighters pushed to their absolute limits. Cell, a bio-android created by the sinister Dr. Gero, arrives from the future, and wreaks immediate havoc. After achieving his final form, “Perfect Cell,” it seems as if only Goku can stop the narcissistic menace.
However, despite training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber with Gohan, it’s shown that not even Goku is strong enough to stop Cell. Goku, in a shocking twist, pulls out of his fight with Cell, and turns things over to Gohan. This leaves the other Z fighters stunned. If Trunks, Android 16, Vegeta, and even Goku, could not put a stop to Perfect Cell, then how the heck could a child like Gohan?
Well, turns out the kid had an ace up his sleeve — he was able to turn Super Saiyan 2, something never done before. With this new form, and with the backup of his allies, Gohan was able to defeat one of the most iconic villains the Dragon Ball franchise has ever seen.
Gohan’s battle with Cell is seriously one of the most epic in the whole franchise — it almost equals Yamcha’s galactic duel with the Saibamen — and it showcased a rare moment where Goku was a step behind his son.
Mystic/Ultimate Gohan’s reign was short, but he might’ve been the top dog
During the “Buu Saga,” for a brief moment in time, Gohan was arguably the most powerful character in Dragon Ball Z. While training with the Kais, Gohan unlocked his full potential, and turned into “Mystic” or “Ultimate” Gohan. This essentially allowed Gohan to achieve all his Super Saiyan prowess while still in his base form. This meant he didn’t need to spend enormous amount of energy maintaining a form like Goku’s iconic Super Saiyan 3.
With this newfound power, Gohan was able to put a serious beatdown on the saga’s titular antagonist, Majin Buu. In fact, it wasn’t even close; he was playing around with the pink … blob … demon thing. To be honest, if it wasn’t for some clunky writing (sorry Mr. Toriyama) that saw Buu absorb Gotenks — Goten and Trunks’ fusion form — and Piccolo, Gohan was easily on the path to obliterate Buu.
Now, the question remains, was this version of Gohan stronger than Goku? Well, it’s possible. While Super Saiyan 3 Goku was a powerhouse in his own right, as stated previously, that form took a crazy amount of energy to maintain. Meanwhile, Mystic Gohan was free as a bird energy-wise, and didn’t need to focus his efforts in maintaining a radical transformation (per Dragon Ball Guru).
Fan debate continues to rage on about who would win in a fight between Mystic Gohan and his father. No matter which side of the fence you’re on, it has to be acknowledged, Ultimate Gohan was an absolute unit, and even if he did lose against his father’s Super Saiyan 3 form, he would’ve given Goku all the mystic smoke.
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero sees Gohan rise to new heights
In the ongoing series, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, fans get the opportunity to see Piccolo flat out confirm that Gohan’s potential is unreached and that he could be better than Goku. The only obstacle preventing Gohan is, well, Gohan.
According to Screen Rant, manga Chapter 91 of Dragon Ball Super sees Piccolo telling Gohan’s daughter, Pan, that Gohan can become stronger than his father if he truly cared to.
The latest feature film in the franchise, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, gives fans a taste of this hypothesis. In the movie, viewers take a break from Goku and Vegeta and witness Gohan and Piccolo team up when Earth is invaded by a returning Red Ribbon Army. It’s spectacular to see our favorite Namekian take the spotlight with his former star pupil. It can definitely tug on the fandom’s nostalgic heartstrings.
Aside from the joy of seeing these characters front and center, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero also offers up a long-awaited rematch between Gohan and Cell, who returns as a new iteration — “Cell Max.” Now, how does the film point toward Gohan becoming stronger than Goku? How is this possible? What does Gohan do to surpass his father once again? Well, the young fighter goes on a lengthy journey of self-reflection to fully understand his place in the world — nah, just kidding, he rages and unlocks a new form after seeing Piccolo almost die at the hands of Cell Max.
In the film’s climax, Gohan unlock a new power: the “Beast” form. In this state, Gohan gets a killer new look, while also leveling up to a whole new stratosphere. In this form, Gohan is able to defeat Cell Max and save the day. The best part of the victory? Gohan used Piccolo’s signature move, “Special Beam Cannon,” to seal the deal.
While it’s only Piccolo’s opinion that Gohan could surpass Goku, that type of praise can’t be ignored. Piccolo is a veteran combatant and is frequently lauded for his intelligence. He knows talent and power when he sees it. And if he starts talking about how Gohan can edge out his old man, well, we better be listening.
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