The Untold Mystery Behind the Limited Screen Time of Super Saiyan 3 in Dragon Ball

Highlights

Super Saiyan 3 is a powerful transformation in Dragon Ball Z, but its use was limited and it did not live up to the hype it created.

The form consumes an immense amount of energy, posing a potential threat of destruction to the user. It is a move that carries both great risk and great potential reward. As the series advanced, newer transformations such as Super Saiyan God and Super Saiyan Blue outshone Super Saiyan 3, resulting in its diminished significance.

Goku's initial transformation into the Super Saiyan 3 form, a remarkable moment in Dragon Ball Z's Majin Buu Saga, is still cherished by many fans. This transformation, preceded by displaying the sequence of Super Saiyan forms to Babidi and Buu, was accompanied by a powerful roar that outshone any previous moments in the series. The impact was immense, causing the seas to split, buildings to crumble, and the ground to crack, as shockwaves reverberated outward. Goku pushed beyond his limits to achieve the ultimate power of the original Super Saiyan forms in Dragon Ball Z.

Despite being a memorable moment, the Super Saiyan 3 transformation was only briefly utilized during the battles against the various versions of Buu. In Dragon Ball Super, it was nearly discarded in favor of a new set of transformations that harnessed divine ki while retaining aspects of the original Super Saiyan forms. Although the Super Saiyan 3 form has made sporadic appearances since then, it has failed to live up to the initial hype it generated. So, what caused this powerful form to be disregarded so boldly?

What Is Super Saiyan 3?

In the progression of Super Saiyan forms, Super Saiyan 3 takes the energy extracted from a Saiyan's blood to increase their power to an extraordinary level. This leads to significant improvements in speed, strength, reflexes, and durability, allowing it to surpass even the mighty Kid Buu. In fact, this form played a crucial role in weakening Kid Buu until the final push with the Super Spirit Bomb to defeat him. Additionally, this transformation results in the absence of eyebrows, a more pronounced brow ridge, enhanced muscles, and long flowing hair that extends past the user's waist.

Goku was the only character who achieved this transformation independently, while Goten and Trunks obtained it through the Fusion Dance to become Gotenks. The transformation has only been achieved through exceptional circumstances. For example, Goku achieved it while training in Other World, and Goten and Trunks accessed this form through fusion, despite being unable to do so individually. Essentially, Super Saiyan 3 maximizes the use of ki, pushing the user's potential beyond their normal limits.

Additionally, the act of transforming into Super Saiyan 3 not only drains an immense amount of energy but also poses the risk of potentially destroying the user. This transformation can lead to widespread devastation on the user's planet, unleashing a violent explosion of power that surpasses even that of Super Saiyan 2. Consequently, those who achieve Super Saiyan 3 can effortlessly defeat any opponent they previously struggled against in Super Saiyan 2. The scale of ki released when Goku first utilized this form was so tremendous that its effects could be felt even as far as the Sacred World of the Kai, which is truly astonishing, to say the least.

The Pitfalls Of Overwhelming Power

It has been proven on numerous occasions that Super Saiyan 3 requires an exorbitant amount of energy. Maintaining this form for extended periods is incredibly challenging and leaves users completely drained and on the brink of death once the transformation wears off. This makes it a perilous but potentially rewarding maneuver. The only instances in which Goku faced no consequences from using this form were when he was in the Other World or when the limitations of a mortal body didn't apply.

Apart from this, maintaining the form proved to be a challenge for him during his battle against Kid Buu after being resurrected. Despite initially having the advantage, his opponent's rapid recovery rate overwhelmed him as the form rapidly drained his energy. Conversely, when Gotenks utilized the form, their fusion time of half an hour was significantly reduced due to the immense amount of ki consumed. Thus, while Super Saiyan 3 can serve as a powerful trump card to swiftly end a fight against a vastly stronger adversary, its energy consumption becomes a hindrance in prolonged tests of endurance and resilience.

A Shift Towards New Transformations

As Goku faced increasingly formidable opponents, the practicality of this form diminished. The form's complex appearance made it particularly challenging to depict, with each transformation introducing a drastic change. Notably, the absence of eyebrows for emotional expression and the intricate hairstyle further contributed to its decreased prominence.

In Dragon Ball Z: Battle of the Gods, it became evident that Super Saiyan 3 paled in comparison to beings like Beerus who possessed divine ki. This led to a departure from the typical line of Super Saiyan transformations. Instead, the series introduced the more streamlined Super Saiyan God form and its subsequent evolution, Super Saiyan Blue. These new transformations set a new path for the series' transformations, which was further expanded with the addition of character-specific forms like Ultra Instinct, Ultra Ego, and Gohan Beast. Dragon Ball Z can now be streamed on Crunchyroll.