Could Gohan REALLY Beat Buutenks? Let’s Settle This Dragon Ball Z Debate!
Ah, Gohan. The eternal Dragon Ball ‘what if’. Could he have protected Earth? Was he secretly stronger than anyone? Specifically, could our scholarly Saiyan defeat Buutenks? It’s a question bouncing around the fandom for decades. Let’s explore power levels and transformations.
Gohan’s Power Surge in the Buu Saga: Strongest Saiyan on the Block?
For a moment in the Buu Saga, Ultimate Gohan, or Mystic Gohan, stood tall. Forget Goku, forget Vegeta. Gohan was the new powerhouse. Was he the strongest? It’s complicated. While Ultimate Gohan shined in the arc, Goku and Vegeta eventually surpassed him, especially with Super Saiyan 3. Classic Saiyan power creep.
Mystic Gohan was strong. He was more powerful than Super Buu. Could he handle Kid Buu? Probably. If he could overpower Super Buu, Kid Buu would be easier. Kid Buu relied on unpredictable energy, not calculated power. Think of a toddler throwing a tantrum versus a skilled martial artist.
Some may ask, “Why was Gohan weak?” Remember early DBZ? Gohan’s strength tied to protecting someone he loved. Toriyama used this to explain Gohan’s fluctuating strength. He becomes strong when he NEEDS to. It’s less about training and more about emotion. It’s dramatic, but unreliable.
If Gohan was strong, why did he lose to Buu? Ah, Buu, the pink blob of chaos. Super Buu absorbed Gotenks and Piccolo to gain an edge. Buutenks emerged, and Gohan’s ‘ultimate’ form fell short. It’s like bringing a knife to a gunfight, but the gun is a sentient wad of bubblegum.
Gohan Versus the Buu-ffet of Forms: Could He Conquer Them All?
Let’s discuss Gohan and the different forms of Buu. Could Gohan beat Buu with the Z Sword? Probably not. The sword was not a weapon of power; it released the Elder Kai, unlocking Gohan’s potential. It was just a heavy key.
We already touched on Kid Buu, and yes, Ultimate Gohan likely wins that fight. Legends tell of Adult Gohan beating Super Buu (prior to the absorptions). The issue? Gohan hesitated. He didn’t finish Buu off, allowing Gotenks’ absorption. Classic hero mistake: monologuing instead of blasting.
How did Buu fuse with Gohan? Goku wanted to fuse with Gohan in desperation. But Gotenks defused, weakening Super Buu just enough for him to absorb Gohan. Suddenly, Buuhan terrorized, and Gohan was… inside him. Talk about a bad day.
Now, is Kid Buu stronger than Gohan Buu (Buuhan)? Nope. Kid Buu is weaker than Super Buu, and Buuhan is Super Buu with Gohan’s power. Kid Buu is dangerous due to chaos. But raw power gives Buuhan the edge. Chaos versus control.
Gohan’s Power Compared to the Dragon Ball Universe: Where Does He Stack Up?
Let’s see how Gohan measures up in the Dragon Ball universe.
Could Gohan defeat Dabura? Likely yes. Dabura was at Cell Games level, and Gohan surpassed that before his Ultimate form. Gohan’s rusty skills made the fight closer. If at peak condition, Dabura would have faced his end.
Could Gohan beat Frieza? Base form Gohan *obliterated* Frieza’s final form. He dusted him. It shows how far Gohan’s base power progressed, surpassing even Super Saiyan Goku from the Frieza Saga. Major power creep!
Is Ultimate Gohan stronger than Vegito? Yes, in base form. Ultimate Gohan’s potential is insane, unlocked by Elder Kai to levels above base Saiyan fusion like Vegito. But Super Vegito? That’s a different story.
Does Gohan surpass Ultra Instinct? Beast Gohan is shown to match or surpass Goku’s Perfected Ultra Instinct. In their match, Beast Gohan knocked Goku out of Ultra Instinct. The student might have become the master, at least for today.
Is Majin Vegeta stronger than Ultimate Gohan? Absolutely not. Ultimate Gohan dwarfs Super Saiyan 2 Majin Vegeta. It’s no contest. Think ant versus elephant. Or a less dramatic analogy, but you understand.
Is Ultimate Gohan as strong as SSB Goku? In the anime, they are equal. Manga shows Ultimate Gohan stronger, especially after defeating Kefla while Goku struggled in the anime. Manga Gohan is built different.
Can Beast Gohan beat Zeno? No. Zeno is the king of everything. Erasure powers included. Beast Gohan is strong, but Zeno operates on a cosmic scale beyond Saiyans’ reach. Asking if a cat can beat a black hole seems cute but absurd.
Could Beast Gohan defeat Jiren? Probably. Beast Gohan is on par with Ultra Instinct Goku and Ultra Ego Vegeta. Jiren fell in the Tournament of Power. Beast Gohan defeated Cell Max, a threat to even Orange Piccolo, suggesting he’s a step above Jiren.
Can Beast Gohan beat Whis? Likely no. Whis is an Angel. Angels are in a realm above even Gods of Destruction. Whis easily toys with Goku and Vegeta in their strongest forms. While mighty, Beast Gohan remains mortal.
Is Beast Gohan stronger than Universal Blue Goku? Yes, according to Akira Toriyama. He stated Gohan is the strongest Z fighter, surpassing even UI Goku and UE Vegeta. When the creator speaks, it’s nearly law in Dragon Ball.
Is Gohan Beast stronger than Broly? It’s debatable but often considered true. Beast Gohan has better control and experience. He defeated Cell Max. Broly possesses raw power but Gohan holds the edge currently. Controlled power versus untamed fury.
Can Gohan Beast beat Beerus? Highly unlikely. Beerus is a God of Destruction. Beast Gohan may be the strongest mortal, but Beerus has Hakai and eons of experience. They exist on different scales.
Is Gohan canonically stronger than Goku? According to Toriyama, yes. But power scaling in Dragon Ball is fluid. Don’t be shocked if Goku finds a new transformation and takes the top spot back soon.
Is Gohan the strongest unfused character in DBZ? In the Buu Saga, Ultimate Gohan ranks high. Whether he’s *the* strongest is debatable, especially against Goku’s Super Saiyan 3. But he certainly belongs in the top tier of unfused Z fighters.
Buu’s Power Trip: A Pink and Powerful Problem
To understand Buutenks, we need a grasp on Buu in general. Is Buu stronger than Goku Blue? No. Super Saiyan 3 Goku slightly surpassed Kid Buu, and Super Saiyan Blue is greater than Super Saiyan 3 by far. Buu cannot match that power level.
as SSB Goku.
Who is stronger, Kid Buu or Buuhan? Buuhan is stronger. Kid Buu is weaker than Super Buu. Buuhan combines the powers of Super Buu and Gohan. The power hierarchy is: Buuhan > Super Buu > Kid Buu.
Why is Buu so childish? Kid Buu’s childishness is due to absorbing the Grand Supreme Kai. This absorption aimed to weaken Buu, leading to Innocent Buu. He seems childlike, yet still has immense power, similar to Super Saiyan 3.
What’s the weakest Buu form? The order from strongest to weakest is Buuhan, Buutenks, Super Buu, Kid Buu, Innocent Buu (Mr. Buu), Evil Buu, Ultra Buu, and Majuub. Kid Buu is actually in the middle, not the weakest.
Why is Majin Buu immortal-ish? Buu’s body can regenerate from many forms of harm. He is not truly immortal. He can be destroyed but is very hard to kill permanently. Think of him like a cockroach in the Dragon Ball universe – hard to eliminate.
The Z Sword Saga: More Than Just a Big Stick
Was Gohan supposed to beat Buu? Initially, Toriyama wanted Gohan to defeat Buu. This would complete his arc as the future protector. However, Goku’s popularity was too strong. Fans wished for Goku to save the day. Sometimes, creators bow to popular demand.
Why was Gohan able to pull the Z Sword? Gohan is strong even in his base form. Super Saiyan 2 Gohan pulled the Z Sword. It required more than just strength; he tapped into his Saiyan power to manage the weight. Saiyan pride can also motivate – can’t allow a sword to defeat you.
Was the Z Sword actually powerful? Not really. It offered a slight power increase when trained with it. Its main purpose was to break and free the Elder Kai. The true boost came from the Elder Kai’s potential unlock, not the sword itself. The sword was a heavy tool for a greater goal.
Why did Beerus trap Elder Kai in the Z Sword? Beerus and Elder Kai had an argument over something trivial, like galactic parking spots or dessert. Beerus, the God of Destruction, sealed Elder Kai as punishment. Destroying the Sacred World of the Kais was too much, even for him.
Did Trunks have the Z Sword? In *Dragon Ball Super*, Future Trunks uses the Z Sword after training with Future Shin and Kibito. Trunks’s Z Sword turns to stone and breaks due to Dabura’s Stone Spit. Broken Z Swords seem common.
Final Verdict: Gohan vs. Buutenks – Could He Have Won?
Could Gohan defeat Buutenks in his Ultimate form before Buutenks? Probably not consistently. Buutenks was made to surpass Ultimate Gohan. However, if Gohan had attacked quickly against Super Buu, it may have been different. Hesitation can be deadly in Dragon Ball, much like a well-aimed Destructo Disc.
Ultimately, Buutenks was too powerful for Ultimate Gohan at that time. It required fusion (Gogeta) and Goku’s Saiyan grit to stop Buu’s terror. Gohan had his chance to shine, but against Buutenks, he fell just short of that ultimate win.
