Dragon Ballis no stranger to retcons, or retroactive continuity, where a later part of the story changes something that was previously believed to be true. However, the franchise’s best retcon is, without a doubt, the reveal of Super Saiyan God and all that came with it.
Retcons have a bit of a bad reputation, but they don’t have to be bad things. Goku being a Saiyan was a retcon, but that reveal expandedDragon Ball’s world so massively and had such an impact that it’s now impossible to imagine the franchise without such a retcon. All it really means is that the author came up with a new or different explanation for something, and then changed it suddenly, as if it had always been that way. Goku always had a tail and could turn into a Great Ape? That’s because he’s a member of an alien race who all possess those abilities.
Dragon Ball’s Super Saiyan God Retcon Changed Everything Fans Thought They Knew
The Addition of Super Saiyan God to Canon Led to Many Changes
In an interviewtranslated by @herms98 on X (formerly Twitter), Toriyama was asked if the “Legendary Super Saiyan” that Frieza feared was the same as the Super Saiyan God. Toriyama confirms this, saying, “In a certain sense, they are the same person. That is to say, very long ago, before Planet Vegeta was the Saiyans' planet,there was a man named Yamoshiwho had a righteous heart despite being a Saiyan. He and his five comrades started a rebellion, buthe was cornered by rival warriors and unlocked Super Saiyan for the first time; however, his transformation and fearsome fighting style shocked the other Saiyans. Outnumbered,Yamoshi eventually wore himself out and was defeated, but this was only the beginning of his legend. Afterwards, Yamoshi’s spirit wandered in continuous search of six righteous-hearted Saiyans, seeking a new savior: Super Saiyan God.”
In this version of events relayed by Toriyama, the first person to become Super Saiyan was also the creator of Super Saiyan God. The ceremony required five Saiyans to hold hands around a sixth in honor of Yamoshi and his comrades, allowing them to channel the divine power ofSuper Saiyan God into Goku. Frieza was aware of this story and worried that such incredible power might one day return to the Saiyans, giving them the strength they needed to be free of his rule forever.
This is obviously not what Toriyama had in mind while writing the Frieza saga back in the 1990s, but as an explanation, it fits perfectly with both the established lore and the new information (Super Saiyan God) that Toriyama was trying to add to the series.
The Further Benefits of Super Saiyan God
Super Saiyan God Laid the Groundwork for New Power-ups
Super Saiyan God would become incredibly critical to the story asDragon Ball Superwas continuing to be written. Super Saiyan God is the necessary base form needed in order to achieve Super Saiyan Blue, also known as “Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan.” This provided Goku and Vegeta with an alternative avenue for growth,instead of just going to Super Saiyan 4, 5, etc. By providing them with God Ki, the new transformations also had good reason for being used so much, and eventually made it possible for Goku to start picking up Ultra Instinct as well.
Super Saiyan God laid the groundwork for the growth and new transformations seen inDragon Ball Super, offering them literally divine power.
Just as it’s hard to imagine whatDragon Ball Zwould be like without the retcon of Goku’s Saiyan heritage, it’s equally difficult to imagineDragon Ball Superwithout Super Saiyan God. It added depth to Frieza’s reasons for destroying the Saiyans, tying him in more deeply with Goku and Vegeta’s past. Super Saiyan God laid the groundwork for the growth and new transformations seen inDragon Ball Super, offering them literally divine power. As a result, it’s fair to say that Super Saiyan God is one of the most indispensable retcons in theDragon Ballfranchise.
