It's True: One of Dragon Ball Z's Biggest Mysteries Just Got Answered With a Surprising Retcon

For many decades, the Dragon Ball franchise has been known for its amazing characters, epic battles, and engaging plot. Although the series has, occasionally, made mistakes when telling the story of Goku’s exciting adventure, it has done its best to resolve them as soon as possible. One of the most recent examples of this practice comes from the Dragon Ball Daima anime, which just explained a mystery that had confused fans for many years.

Dabura, the previous Demon King who joined forces with Babidi to revive Majin Buu, was said to be the warrior with the highest ever recorded power level. Yet, he was defeated in an almost comically simple way. The reason behind this is that he had no access to the Evil Third Eye, a tool used by ancient Demon Kings to increase their powers.

Dabura Was Robbed of His True Power

The Former Demon King Did Not Have Access to His Best Tool

When Dabura was first introduced to the Dragon Ball franchise during the Majin Buu saga, often considered one of the best in the series, he was depicted as a cruel and powerful villain. As the Demon King, this imposing warrior was supposed to be the ultimate obstacle in the heroes’ quest to stop Babidi from succeeding. Adding to that, he was supposed to be the most powerful villain ever introduced, as hinted by his power level, which was the highest ever recorded in the franchise. Still, when the time came for Dabura to prove himself, he died almost instantly.

For many years, fans have been wondering why the ruler of the Demon Realm, supposed to be the most powerful among all its inhabitants, was depicted as weak. After he was defeated, fans began wondering if the series had truly wasted the potential of such an interesting character. Decades after this debate began, Daima finally revealed the reason behind Dabura’s lacking performance, as he was far from his full power during the Majin Buu Saga.

Goku and Vegeta are surprised as Dabura radiates

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Unlike all other Demon Kings before him, Babidi’s lackey did not have the Evil Third Eye, the Demon Realm’s most powerful treasure. This artifact gives any demon who wears it access to a monstrous magical power, as well as a boost in physical abilities. His backstory reveals that Dabura suddenly attacked his father, trying to take the third eye from him and causing it to become lost. If he had used the power of the Third Eye during the Buu Saga, his mark on the series would have been far more impressive.

Gomah Proves How Mighty Dabura Could Have Been

The Previous Demon King Would Have Been a Major Threat

Dabura’s successor, Gomah, is by far one of the oddest characters in DAIMA. Despite being the current Demon King, he was shown time and time as someone incompetent in terms of fighting ability. He was so worried about his power being taken from him that he used Earth’s Dragon Balls to transform his enemies into children, hoping that they would be easier to defeat. After acquiring the Evil Third Eye in episode #17 and using it, Gomah gained the power needed to fight the Z warriors and their allies without any effort in one of the show's most awaited moments.

Gomah’s base form is several times weaker than Dabura, who could fight hand-to-hand against Super Saiyan 2 Gohan. By that logic, if the previous Demon King had been able to obtain the Evil Trhid Eye before arriving at Earth, there is no telling the amount of destruction he could have caused. A full-power Dabura could have easily rivaled the strength of Majin Buu, judging from Gomah being able to defeat the new versions of this beloved character, Kuu and Duu.

Kid Buu and Frieza posing in front of a still of Goku from Dragon Ball Daima.

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Goku and Vegeta themselves confirmed this as being the case, as the Saiyans stated during Gohan’s fight against Dabura that he was on the same level as Perfect Cell. Fans of the series are aware that reaching the level of Dr. Gero’s creation is no easy task, as he was one of the strongest villains ever. Knowing that Dabura would have been able to fight against Cell even without the Evil Third Eye shows just how terrifying he could have been with it in his possession.

Dabura Might Have Been Z’s Strongest Villain Ever

He Was Likely Powered Down Not To Take the Spotlight From Buu

Buu kills Dabura by turning him into a piece of chocolate.

When thinking about the power Dabura might have boasted during the Buu Saga, it becomes clear that he could have been the biggest threat to the universe. Bibidi’s creation was proven to be powerful enough to fight without issues against a Super Saiyan 3, as demonstrated during his fight against Goku. Gomah, with the Evil Third Eye, surpassed the power of Buu, fighting against Kakarot using this technique without issues. If the current Demon King is any indication of how much stronger this treasure can make its wielder, Dabura could have been a true monster.

If Gomah, being far weaker than his predecessor, had the power to defeat a Super Saiyan 3 with ease, Dabura would have been much stronger. His power level might have been enough to defeat Buu when he was first released from his cocoon. The previous Demon King would have become the main villain of this saga, making all the efforts of the heroes to prevent his success irrelevant to the plot. Akira Toriyama might have noticed this issue, which is why he made Dabura weaker than Buu.

Full-Power Dabura Might Never Be Introduced

The Demon King Redeemed Himself Years Ago

Dabura in heaven, after being turned into a good person.

Even though the idea of having Dabura demonstrate his true power, the reality is that the Dragon Ball series will likely never give the villain another chance, at least not in canon. After his death, the Demon King was sent to heaven and forced to become a good person, going as far as to depict him enjoying a picnic with Bulma and her friends. Even if the demon manages to be revived one day, the truth is that he would never want to become an evil tyrant again. Woefully, Dabura’s true power will likely never be revealed to the fans.

Dragon Ball Daima has been an amazing addition to the franchise, with its plot and characters helping the series resolve decades-long issues. Many of its amazing and interesting retcons, such as Dabura’s power or the origins of the Namekian race, have changed the story of the franchise for good and will continue to inspire future entries.