Forget Super Saiyan God: Dragon Ball Could Make Super Saiyan 4 the Anime's Ultimate Form

Warning: Contains spoilers for Dragon Ball Daima episode #18Super Saiyan 4 has returned in Dragon Ball Daima nearly 30 years after its initial reveal, shocking the anime's worldwide fan base, and sparking debate about how the form could possibly exist in the established Dragon Ball Super timeline. Questions regarding Daima's status in the series' canon arose early in the anime's weekly release schedule, and were effectively answered when the Gods of Destruction appeared on-screen during a lore dump in episode #10, "Ocean".

Now that Goku has been given access to Super Saiyan 4 well before the introduction of Super Saiyan God, fans are scrambling to make sense of how the two forms can coexist, and why Goku never acknowledged the former at any time during the events of Super. An official explanation has yet to be given, though a few interesting theories have begun to form around Daima's latest plot progression. If Goku achieved the transformation due to a potential unlock from Neva, it's likely both normal Saiyan and god transformations play a role in Daima's Super Saiyan 4.

Daima's Super Saiyan 4 Has Created Confusion

The Anime Is Part of the Dragon Ball Super Timeline, In Which the Form Never Appears

Super Saiyan 4 Goku from Dragon Ball Daima in front of Super Saiyan 4 Goku from Dragon Ball GT.

There isn't much else beside Super Saiyan 4 that Dragon Ball Daima could have done to generate the sort of excitement episode #18, "Awakening", has brought to the fan base. The transformation is Dragon Ball GT's greatest contribution to the franchise, and has been sorely missed since becoming non-canon with the premiere of 2013's Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods. Dragon Ball had been on an extended hiatus before the film's release, and was steered into the Dragon Ball Super timeline a short time later.

Image contrasting Super Saiyan 4 in Daima, Super Saiyan 4 in GT, and the Legendary Super Saiyan

Admit It, Dragon Ball's New Take on Super Saiyan 4 Is the Perfect Blend of GT and Super

Dragon Ball Daima episode #18 finally made Super Saiyan 4 canon, and the new take is a perfect fusion between Dragon Ball GT and Dragon Ball Super.

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Super Saiyan 4's return, however, has now created confusion among the many dedicated Dragon Ball fans, who have long operated under the impression that Super Saiyan God had officially replaced it. The two forms can coexist, though, and Dragon Ball Daima dropped some subtle and not-so-subtle hints at how. The most obvious comes in how Super Saiyan 4 has changed from its original design.

The New-Look Super Saiyan 4 May Take Elements From Super Saiyan God

Daima's Super Saiyan 4 Might Be the Combination of Normal Super Saiyan and God Forms

Dragon Ball Daima's Super Saiyan 4 design is not an identical recreation of GT's, and there may be a reason for that. Instead of its usual black, Goku's hair and eyes change to red, much like his Super Saiyan God form. During the transformation sequence, the series dives into the Saiyan's DNA, and gives a visual of two distinct paths, colored red and blue respectively. This may be a subtle nod to two paths Saiyans can take, one being towards the Super Saiyan God forms, and the other being normal Super Saiyan transformations.

Super Saiyan 4 Goku fires a Kamehameha — Dragon-Ball-Daima-Episode-18-Super-Saiyan-4-Goku-Kamehameha

When those paths converged, Goku emerged as a Super Saiyan 4. Daima's version of the transformation may not be just another step-up in power, like the many variations of Super Saiyan that have come before. Instead, it may represent the pinnacle of a Saiyan's power, or the combination of both traditional Saiyan and god forms, resulting in the highest point a Saiyan can reach. If Neva's unlocking of this power isn't permanent, Super Saiyan 4 could very well be the final transformation Goku and Vegeta are still working toward and haven't reached in Dragon Ball Super.

Super Saiyan 4 Still Isn't Enough Power to Beat Gomah

Goku Was Not Able to Take Down Daima's Main Villain In His New Form

Even after unlocking Super Saiyan 4, Goku still didn't have the power he needed to take down Gomah. The evil ruler of the Demon Realm can take on one Super Saiyan 4, though two might give him trouble. There's no better time for the series to give the form to Vegeta as well, and feature the first Super Saiyan 4 tag-team since GT's battle with Omega Shenron. And if needed, the Saiyans can always utilize the first Super Saiyan 4 fusion since Gogeta.

Gogeta elbows Omega Shenron in the face in Dragon Ball GT

Dragon Ball Daima's finale is quickly approaching, and the action to come is guaranteed to be highly energetic and incredibly exciting. Countless fans have had their wishes come true now that Super Saiyan 4 is once again officially canon, and they won't want to miss out on how the ultimate transformation is used in the climactic final battle.