Dragon Ball’s Goku is often hailed as one of the most formidable characters in the franchise. However, despite his unparalleled strength, a handful of characters possess the potential to eclipse the Saiyan warrior. Notably, Goku’s son, Gohan, was shown to surpass his father during critical moments in the Cell and Buu Sagas. Gohan is not alone in this realm of latent power, but he remains among the few who have tapped into it fully.
As a half-Saiyan, Gohan embodies a unique blend of human and Saiyan traits, which enhances his inherent potential. This concept suggests that characters with mixed bloodlines may have an advantage in reaching exceptional heights. Beyond the Saiyans, several other beings in the Dragon Ball universe exhibit extraordinary strength that may one day allow them to overshadow Goku.
7 Trunks
Vegeta’s Son Achieved Super Saiyan Three Through Fusion
Trunks, hailing from the main timeline, shares a genetic heritage similar to Gohan but with different parental influences. As a half-Saiyan half-human, Trunks possesses significant potential that might surpass that of his father’s primary rival, Goku. Having been raised in a largely peaceful society, Trunks’s experiences differ from those of Goku and Vegeta. Nevertheless, he stood ready to face challenges like Buu when necessary.
His fusion with Goten, forming the powerful Gotenks, results in one of the strongest combinations in Dragon Ball. Remarkably, Gotenks achieved the Super Saiyan 3 transformation at a tender age, making his feats even more impressive—he reached this form before Gohan even transformed into Super Saiyan at his age. Trunks is not afraid of battle. In the recent Dragon Ball Super: Super Heroes, he willingly confronted Cell MAX, allowing Gohan to channel energy for a decisive attack.
6 Goten
Goku’s Second Son is the Youngest Saiyan to Transform into Super Saiyan
Goten remains one of the more underutilized characters within the Dragon Ball series. He is notably the youngest character to achieve the Super Saiyan transformation, surpassing Goku, Trunks, and even Gohan in this feat. Gohan’s astonishment at Goten’s power suggests a remarkable potential that parallels his own.
Raised in a time of relative tranquility, Goten lacks the battle prowess that comes from constant conflict. Nonetheless, he is a crucial part of the Gotenks fusion and is capable of transforming into Super Saiyan independently. In Dragon Ball Super, he takes the role of a high school student yet remains eager to confront evil threats he encounters.
With lineage directly tied to Gohan, whose potential is legendary, Goten may very well possess the capability to reach similar heights as his brother. Although Goten does not harbor the same obsession for fighting as Goku and Vegeta, his latent abilities create a pathway through which he could eventually surpass Goku.
5 Future Trunks
Future Trunks’ Rage Mode Provides an Unmatched Power Surge
Though Trunks and Future Trunks share a name, their lives have unfolded in drastically different circumstances. Trunks experienced a life of peace, while Future Trunks faced unrelenting despair in a dystopian world. This brutal upbringing forged him into a powerful warrior.
Upon his introduction, Future Trunks emerged as one of the most powerful characters in Dragon Ball, quickly eclipsing established foes like Mecha Frieza with little effort. During the events of Dragon Ball Super, he undergoes substantial character development and gains greater strength.
After thwarting the Android threat in his timeline, Future Trunks encounters Zamasu, a villain with powers beyond his expectations. Despite this, he managed to unlock a form reminiscent of Goku’s Spirit Saiyan, making him a formidable opponent for Zamasu.
4 Gohan
Gohan’s Potential is Limitless, But Will He Harness It?
Gohan has consistently been portrayed as the character with the highest potential in the Dragon Ball universe. His ability to rise to new heights, particularly in critical moments, underscores this notion. Unlike Goku, who thrives on battle, Gohan’s strength peaks when he’s compelled to fight.
Historically, Gohan has reached remarkable power levels; during the Cell Saga, he was on the verge of becoming the strongest character in Dragon Ball, culminating in the ascension to Super Saiyan 2. At an age far younger than many others, he proved to be a relentless force against Cell.
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Despite his enormous potential, Gohan’s reluctance to battle may prevent him from surpassing Goku in strength. He does not savor fighting and may shy away from it due to his experiences with life and death from a young age. Yet when he does choose to fight, he transforms into an extraordinary force. Gohan Beast represents one of Dragon Ball’s strongest forms, untainted by divine energy.
3 Jiren
Jiren Prompted Goku to Collaborate with Allies to Overcome Him
Jiren stands as one of the few adversaries that Goku has never truly triumphed over. Throughout his battles, Goku has faced numerous powerful foes, yet Jiren seemed to exist in a class of his own during the Tournament of Power. Initial encounters revealed that Goku was no match for Jiren’s overwhelming strength.
Even when Goku and Vegeta united their efforts against Jiren, they struggled to make a dent. The pair utilized their strongest Super Saiyan Blue forms: Goku combined it with Kaio-Ken while Vegeta unleashed Super Saiyan Blue Evolved. However, Jiren remained untouchable until Goku attained the divine Ultra Instinct form, enabling him to rival Jiren.
Despite his dominance, much about Jiren’s potential—his training regimen and any latent abilities—remains shrouded in mystery. He is among the few villains who hasn’t evolved to a new transformation during combat, prompting speculation about the depths of his power yet to be revealed.
2 Broly
Broly Compelled Goku and Vegeta to Fuse for Survival
Broly embodies raw, untamed power within the anime realm—his strength is a unique expression of his rage. While Goku and Vegeta are undoubtedly powerful, even they are eclipsed by the true Legendary Super Saiyan, Broly. His return to the Dragon Ball universe in Dragon Ball Super: Broly illustrates just how formidable he has become.
In one of the most iconic battles, Broly fought against both Goku and Vegeta, showcasing an extraordinary level of strength that forced them to fuse using their Potara earrings to have a chance at victory. Their struggle emphasizes Broly’s astounding capabilities, highlighting that he is on a level that could rival even the strongest of warriors.
With continued training to harness his incredible might, Broly could easily ascend to the highest echelons among Saiyans. If he can gain control over his rage under the guidance of warriors like Gohan, he could present a serious challenge to Goku in the future.
1 Frieza
Black Frieza Already Surpassed Goku, But Can He Maintain His Dominance?
Frieza stands out as one of the most notorious villains in the Dragon Ball universe. His villainy is captivating, posing a grave threat every time he returns. Historically, Frieza has always been a top-tier contender, and following his defeat at the hands of Goku, he embarked on intense training, unlocking his Golden form in just four months.
As his journey progressed, Frieza discovered a Hyperbolic Time Chamber on a conquered world, allowing him to train for an astounding ten years. This grueling regimen led to his ultimate transformation: Black Frieza. In this form, he demonstrated superiority over Goku—capable of knocking out both Ultra Instinct Goku and Ultra Ego Vegeta with a single strike.
As Goku often seeks to overcome his foes, the gap between him and Black Frieza has expanded significantly. Currently, Goku’s ability to surpass Frieza appears challenging, particularly since Black Frieza represents the strongest version of the villain to date. As the Dragon Ball Super series advances, audiences will witness the extent of Frieza’s newfound power.