Who Is the Legendary Super Saiyan in Dragon Ball?
Fans of the Dragon Ball anime and manga are aware that the series focuses a lot on the Saiyan race because Goku and Vegeta, the main characters of the series, are members of that race. Of course, Goku and the other Saiyans are capable of surpassing their limits by turning into Super Saiyans. However, the Super Saiyan has always been a legend among the Saiyans, and Vegeta himself was quite particular about the fact that there is a being called the Legendary Super Saiyan. So, who is the Legendary Super Saiyan in Dragon Ball?
Broly and Kale are the Legendary Super Saiyans in Dragon Ball. Originally introduced as a non-canon character in a Dragon Ball Z movie, Broly became canon and got retconned in Dragon Ball Super: Broly. Meanwhile, Kale was introduced earlier during the Tournament of Power as Universe 6’s Legendary Super Saiyan.
The fact that Broly was given new life in the form of a new character in Dragon Ball Super proves just how popular this character is to the fans of the original version of Broly. Nevertheless, his status as the Legendary Super Saiyan was never truly explored in Dragon Ball Super. But that is something that we will try to make sense of in this article.
What Is The Legendary Super Saiyan In Dragon Ball?
One of the things that people love about Dragon Ball is the fact that the members of the Saiyan race are capable of transforming into much stronger versions that allow them to exceed and break their limits. Enveloped in a golden aura, the Saiyans’ hair turns yellow and protrudes upward as they turn into Super Saiyans, a transformation that allows the Saiyans to become stronger than they originally were.
The Super Saiyan form was long hinted at by Vegeta during the Namek Saga, as he mentioned the legend of a Saiyan that was so strong that he could turn into something called the Super Saiyan, which used to be a legend among the Saiyan people. When Vegeta saw how Goku was able to fight Frieza on par while he was in his base form, Vegeta believed that Goku could be the legendary Super Saiyan that his people had always talked about. And it was also revealed that one of the reasons why Frieza hated the Saiyan race so much was due to his fears of having to one day face a Super Saiyan.
However, as the series proceeded, it became clear that the Super Saiyan was not just one person but was actually a transformation that all Saiyans can achieve if they trained hard enough to break their limits and when they learn how to channel their rage and emotions. As such, after Goku, other Saiyans like Vegeta, Gohan, Trunks, and Goten were able to achieve the form.
Then again, the Dragon Ball Z movie entitled Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan added a twist to the Super Saiyan story. When Goku and Vegeta met Broly on an alien planet, the Saiyan Prince was surprised by Broly’s power that he believed that this man could be the Legendary Super Saiyan that the Saiyan race has always passed down from one generation to another. But what exactly is the Legendary Super Saiyan?
The Legendary Super Saiyan is a Saiyan that only appears once every one thousand years and is a being of immense power and potential. In Dragon Ball Z movie, this form is believed to be the true form of a Saiyan because it was able to force the Saiyan into a state that allows it to relish chaos and destruction, which are two of the things that are engrained into the very fabric of what a Saiyan is. As such, Vegeta believed that this is the true appearance and state of a Saiyan.
Nevertheless, the Dragon Ball Z movie that we spoke about was never canon. As such, as far as Akira Toriyama was concerned, the concept of the Legendary Super Saiyan never existed in the Dragon Ball continuity.
Meanwhile, in Dragon Ball Super, the Legendary Super Saiyan was never really explored, but the introduction of Kale during the Tournament of Power and the emergence of Broly in the Broly movie suggest that Toriyama has flirted with the idea that the Legendary Super Saiyan is a concept that now exists in the canon.
When Vegeta saw Kale’s transformation, he referred to this state as the Legendary Super Saiyan in the dub, although he described her as the “true form” of a Saiyan in the original Japanese version. As such, it was never really explored whether or not the Legendary Super Saiyan is a concept that exists in the Dragon Ball canon but what we do know is the fact that those who achieved the forms that are akin to what the Legendary Super Saiyan is in Dragon Ball Z are powerful enough to be called Legendary Super Saiyans in their own right.
Who Is The Legendary Super Saiyan?
At first, Toriyama hinted at the possibility that Goku could be the Super Saiyan of legend because that was what Vegeta thought when he saw how Goku was able to fight Frieza on par while he was in his base form. But when it became clear that any Saiyan can turn into a Super Saiyan, the Legendary Super Saiyan story was pushed to the background.
When Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan was released, it was apparent that the titular character named Broly was a being called the Legendary Super Saiyan because he was able to unlock a state that allowed him to become much stronger than Goku and Vegeta while they were in their own Super Saiyan transformations.
While Broly, in his base form, was actually quite gentle and silent, he was able to tap into his inner rage when he met Goku, who reminded him of his past traumas. As such, Broly’s hatred for Goku allowed him to tap into his inner rage, which transformed him into the Legendary Super Saiyan, a state Vegeta believed was the true Super Saiyan that Saiyan stories passed on from one generation to another for centuries.
Of course, none of the Dragon Ball Z movies was canon because Akira Toriyama never had a hand in their conceptualization and creation. As such, as far as the continuity was concerned, the Dragon Ball Z version of Broly never existed. That means that the Legendary Super Saiyan never existed as well.
Nevertheless, during the Dragon Ball Super storyline, a character named Kale was introduced. She was a Saiyan from Universe 6, which is the twin universe of Universe 7. And when Kale was able to tap into her inner jealousy when Caulifla and Kabba were having fun in their sparring match, she turned into a hulking Super Saiyan that resembled the original Broly that was never canon to the storyline.
Meanwhile, when Vegeta saw this transformation during the Tournament of Power, he referred to it as the “true form” of the Saiyan race due to the fact that this hulking beast was a berserker that only loved to destroy and was so powerful that it could tank a direct hit from Goku’s Kamehameha while he was in his Super Saiyan Blue transformation. As such, Kale’s power while she was in this state meant that she could be the Legendary Super Saiyan of Universe 6.
When Kale was introduced, people began believing that she had a counterpart in Universe 7 as well because these two universes are twins and have counterparts. Frost was Frieza’s counterpart, while Goku and Vegeta had their own counterparts in Caulifla and Cabba, respectively. That means that Kale also had a counterpart in Universe 7.
This counterpart was introduced during the Dragon Ball Super: Broly movie when Broly was retconned and reintroduced as a canon character during the events of the movie. While none of the characters ever mentioned anything about him being the Legendary Super Saiyan, it was worth noting that both Goku and Vegeta were aware of how powerful Broly was.
Of course, Broly eventually transformed into a Super Saiyan state that was similar to Kale’s own form during the Tournament of Power. This suggests that he was Kale’s Universe 7 counterpart, and that means that they both share the same transformation. As such, it is safe to assume that Kale and Broly are the Legendary Super Saiyans of their respective universes in Dragon Ball Super.
Can Goku Go Legendary Super Saiyan?
The thing about the Legendary Super Saiyan transformation is that it seems to be something that doesn’t have an exact definition as far as what it is. Of course, it was defined in Dragon Ball Z, but this transformation was never canon.
Meanwhile, it is widely believed that the Legendary Super Saiyan is simply the true form of the first Super Saiyan transformation, and that explains why it looks so similar to Super Saiyan Third Grade but without the downside of being slower. Nevertheless, the fact of the matter is that the Legendary Super Saiyan transformation seems to be unique. But can Goku go Legendary Super Saiyan?
At this point, we do believe that the Legendary Super Saiyan transformation is innate in the sense that a Saiyan has to be born with the capability of using it. In that regard, Broly was described to be a mutant Saiyan because he was born with a power level that far surpassed what a child should have at his age. It could be that very mutation that allowed him to access the Legendary Super Saiyan form.
On the other hand, Goku was born a regular low-class Saiyan. It was only through his work ethic that he was able to achieve even more powerful Super Saiyan forms. But, as far as his genetics are concerned, he probably doesn’t have access to the Legendary Super Saiyan transformation.
