Unleashing the True Power: Dragon Ball's Most Formidable Non-Saiyan Transformations Demystified

Dragon Ball is a widely adored franchise, known for its iconic elements. One of the most prominent aspects is the transformations that different characters undergo throughout the series. When faced with formidable new adversaries, the heroes tap into their inner strength to unlock new forms that can effectively combat the threat. However, it is the Saiyan transformations that receive the most attention, even though other characters also undergo powerful transformations in their battles. Regardless of whether these transformations are exhibited by heroes or villains, let's explore the strongest non-Saiyan transformations in the series.

Super Buu

In the initial introduction of Super Buu during the Buu Saga in Dragon Ball Super, his strength was overshadowed. However, he proved to be an absolute menace with two main abilities: cellular regeneration, which allowed him to completely restore his body even from the tiniest remaining part, and absorption. Through absorption, Buu could continually increase his power by assimilating Gotenks and Piccolo, not only retaining his own strength but also enhancing it with theirs. Furthermore, this absorption granted him increased intelligence, eventually enabling him to absorb Ultimate Gohan and become the most formidable form witnessed up to that point in the series.

Gohan, after being absorbed by Super Buu, became so powerful that even Super Saiyan 3 Goku knew he couldn't harm him, as Buu now possessed the destructive power of Gotenks, Piccolo, and Ultimate Gohan. This forced Goku and Vegeta to merge into the ultimate warrior, Vegito, who effortlessly dominated Super Buu. However, Super Buu remained the most horrifying transformation seen thus far, with the potential to continually grow stronger, securing a prominent position on this list.

Golden Frieza

Despite training for only four months, Frieza achieved an immensely powerful form comparable to Super Saiyan Blue. Since his return, he has consistently proven to be stronger than the standard Super Saiyan God, prompting Goku to tap into an unprecedented power. However, at the end of Dragon Ball Super: Resurrection F, it became evident that Frieza's Golden Form required more honing and caused him to lose power, leaving him outclassed by Super Saiyan Blue Vegeta.

During his time in hell following the events of Resurrection F, Frieza perfected his Golden Form. This was evident when Goku recruited him for the Tournament of Power and they had an evenly matched sparring session. While both fighters managed to knock each other out with a single punch, it is worth noting that Goku reverted from his Super Saiyan Blue transformation while Frieza remained in his Golden Form. In the Tournament of Power, Frieza demonstrated remarkable strength and selectively utilized his Golden Form to eliminate characters from other universes and hold his own against Toppo in his God of Destruction mode.

God of Destruction Toppo

Prior to the Tournament of Power, it was already known that Toppo, a warrior from Universe 11, was being groomed to succeed Belmod as the next God of Destruction. This knowledge hinted at his formidable strength, but it wasn't until the actual tournament that his true potential was revealed. When Frieza defeated him, Toppo abandoned his principles of justice and embraced the power of a Destroyer, undergoing a transformative process.

With this newfound power, Toppo mercilessly defeated Frieza, even when Frieza was in his second-strongest form. He then went on to overpower Golden Frieza. In his Destroyer form, Toppo is able to utilize the Hakai, or 'Destruction,' ability possessed by the Gods of Destruction. This ability has the power to erase almost anything from existence, a technique that even Goku struggled to master. Despite eventually being eliminated by Super Saiyan Blue Evolution Vegeta, Toppo proved to be a formidable and significant force in the tournament.

Burning Ultimate Warrior

Jiren's Burning Ultimate Warrior transformation almost matched the power of Ultra Instinct, allowing him to hold his own against Goku for a substantial period of time. Throughout the tournament, Jiren had been hinted at as an overwhelmingly powerful force, capable of defeating opponents with just his stare. Despite his engagements in fights, Jiren had never fully revealed his true capabilities. However, when Goku achieved mastery of Ultra Instinct, he managed to defeat Jiren and surpass his strength.

In response, Jiren unleashed his full power. Although it was not enough to pose a significant threat to Ultra Instinct, it became evident that his Ultimate Burning Warrior form was unmatched by any other character. This form enabled Jiren to unleash Ki blasts capable of annihilating the entire tournament stage, solidifying his reputation as a mortal more powerful than even his God of Destruction. Regrettably, Jiren and his transformation have not been explored further since the Tournament of Power. However, it is reasonable to assume that he is honing his skills to perfect the transformation, thereby surpassing his previous strength.

Ultra Instinct and Planet Moro

After absorbing Merus, Moro replicated his skills with the Ultra Instinct technique, granting him an equal footing in his battle against Ultra Instinct Goku. Moro managed to severely injure Goku by thrusting his arm through his chest, seemingly killing him. Nonetheless, Moro's eventual defeat came about through Goku's Ultra Instinct and Vegeta's Forced Spirit Fission technique, greatly weakening Moro and rendering him powerless against the heroes.

However, Moro took a drastic measure by merging with the Earth itself, emerging as a formidable threat to the entire planet. With this transformation, Moro initially overwhelmed the heroes and posed a potential destruction of the world as he descended into madness. Nevertheless, Goku's discovery of a new technique, unlocking the ability to create a colossal Ki avatar, proved to be the solution. Vegeta modified his Spirit Fission technique to grant power instead of extracting it, allowing Goku to gather the combined strength of the Z-Fighters and ultimately defeat Moro once and for all.

Berserker Gas

In the Granolah arc, a new character emerged, surpassing even Ultra Instinct Goku in power and promptly defeating him in a single strike. This led fans to believe that Granolah would indeed be the strongest enemy in this arc. However, this assumption was proven wrong not once, but twice.

The first character to demonstrate superior strength was Gas, who, much like Granolah, had acquired unimaginable power at the cost of sacrificing years of his life. Gas possessed a unique ability to create Ki-based weapons but when this proved ineffective against Goku and Vegeta, he resorted to more conventional techniques relying on Ki, strength, and speed. As Goku increased his power, Gas matched him and ultimately transformed into a dominant Berserker form. Despite his overwhelming strength, Gas was defeated when all three heroes joined forces. Remarkably, Gas continued to grow in power until he was eventually taken down by the series' strongest transformation.

Orange Piccolo

Piccolo's return to prominence within the Dragon Ball franchise came with the introduction of the formidable "Orange Piccolo" form. Fans had eagerly awaited this moment, as Piccolo had long been a beloved character since the early days of Dragon Ball Z. In the Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero movie, Piccolo found himself outmatched in a battle against Gamma #2, leading him to make a wish to Shenron to unlock his full potential. Shenron granted his wish and bestowed upon him additional power.

When facing overwhelming odds, Piccolo tapped into the extra power granted by Shenron, unveiling his incredible new transformation known as "Orange Piccolo." This new form endowed Piccolo with an extensive range of abilities, surpassing even the Gamma Androids who had previously battled Ultimate Gohan. With a single punch, Piccolo dispatched Gamma #2 and became impervious to both physical and Ki attacks. Furthermore, he briefly engaged in a balanced fight with Cell Max. These accomplishments elevated Piccolo to the level of both Ultra Instinct Goku and Ultra Ego Vegeta.

Black Frieza

The return of everyone's beloved galactic dictator is a force to be reckoned with. In the epic finale of the Granolah arc, the meaning behind the Oracle Fish's prophecy of the universe's mightiest warrior finally became clearer. Gas, whose body had undergone a remarkable evolution to match the relentless attacks from Granolah, Goku, and Vegeta, began to show signs of decay and deterioration. Desperate to eliminate the heroes, Elec aimed to have Gas swiftly vanquish them before Frieza's arrival on Planet Cereal.

Yet, Elec underestimated Frieza's newfound power. In a shocking revelation, Frieza effortlessly defeated the formidable Gas with a single blow. This display of strength marked the unveiling of Frieza's ultimate form, known as 'Black Frieza.' With a single punch, he overpowered Goku and Vegeta, even as they utilized their most powerful techniques, drawing from the techniques of Angels and Gods of Destruction respectively. The fandom's consensus is that Frieza's mastery of the time chamber has enabled him to fully unleash his potential, solidifying his position as the most formidable mortal in the series and placing him on par with Beerus in terms of power.

Dragon Ball Super is available to stream on Crunchyroll and Funimation.