Highlights

Gohan's "Ultimate" form taps into latent power, surpassing Super Saiyan 3, with a clear aura and subtle design changes.
The unique ritual involving Old Kai unlocked Gohan's dormant potential, leading to a game-changing power-up against Super Buu.
Gohan's "Ultimate" form symbolizes his growth as a character, blending his human and Saiyan heritage, culminating in the powerful "Beast" form.

As one of the first transformations that diverged from the line of Super Saiyan forms that defined most power-ups in Dragon Ball Z, Gohan's "Ultimate" form, otherwise known as "Ultimate Gohan," was a game changer when it debuted. Despite the limited changes to Gohan's appearance in the design of this form, it has become one of the character's most memorable transformations, and a critical catalyst in his progression later on in the franchise.

In essence, the state taps into Gohan's latent potential to its fullest, transcending the constraints of Super Saiyan forms, which had dominated much of Dragon Ball Z. When introduced in the series, it was a major step up in Gohan's development, and gave him the strength to outclass Super Buu for a time. Later on in Dragon Ball Super, Gohan reawakened the state and evolved it further, culminating in "Beast," the most powerful form in his arsenal at the moment.

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An Ultimate Form For Unleashed Potential

Looking at it on a conceptual level, the Ultimate form, or "Potential Unleashed," as it is sometimes referred to, draws out an individual's latent power through one of several methods. In Gohan's case, he achieved this state through Old Kai's unlock ability after being transported to the Sacred World of the Kai by the Supreme Kai, Shin. Alternatively, Piccolo attained it through a wish from Shenron.

Once activated, the transformation is said to surpass even Super Saiyan 3, which is quite an impressive feat. Appearance wise, Gohan is almost unchanged from his base state, save for a few minor details which help distinguish this form. For instance, Gohan's expression is a lot more stern and focused, resembling the intensity of his gaze in the two Super Saiyan forms he achieved.Moreover, his hair also stands on end, taking on a spikier profile, with a single bang falling down over his forehead.

There are obvious nods to the iconic Super Saiyan 2 form he triggered in the Cell Games Saga, but the similarities end there. Unlike the golden aura of Super Saiyan, Ultimate Gohan is shrouded in a clear aura of ki when he powers up. He also has a more self-assured and confident air about him, which is one of the form's more faint changes. Unfortunately, the subtleties of this transformation have been criticized for their lack of visual impact, especially when compared to the raw power conveyed in the majestic visage of Super Saiyan and its evolutions.

Old Kai's Unlock Ability

Dragon Ball Z Old Kai Unlock Ability Gohan Potential Unleashed

Considering the complex set of circumstances that led to Gohan accessing this form, it is unique in how it represents the divergent path that Gohan's journey as a warrior took, in relation to his father's Saiyan roots. Instead of striving to reach the heights of Super Saiyan 3, Gohan was able to attain this state after encountering Old Kai following his first defeat against Majin Buu, which left him in a near-death state.

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The road to becoming Ultimate Gohan involved an odd and, at times, confusing ritual, which served the purpose of releasing Gohan's latent potential through Old Kai's Unlock Ability. Due to Gohan's immense dormant power, the ritual took far longer than it would have for a normal person. To perform it, Old Kai had to dance around a seated Gohan for more than 5 hours, and then spend over 20 hours sitting with him in a meditative pose.

Gohan's Peak In Dragon Ball Z

With regard to his character arc in Dragon Ball Z, Ultimate Gohan was the culmination of the half-Saiyan's growth, surpassing every other form that came before it. When facing Super Buu, Ultimate Gohan overpowered his adversary by some margin, forcing Buu to retreat for a time and form a strategy to defeat him. It was only after absorbing Piccolo and Gotenks that Buu was able to gain some ground in the battle.

During the Majin Buu Saga, it was stated that Ultimate Gohan was comparable, if not superior in strength, to Super Saiyan 3. After powering up in this state for the first time, Gohan sent shock waves throughout the Sacred World of the Kai, and his transformation alone was powerful enough to split the heavens. Moreover, this form also wrapped up the narrative thread of Gohan's dormant potential, which had made appearances in every story arc since the start of the Saiyan Saga.

There is no doubt that Gohan's Ultimate form might not have been as effective as Super Saiyan 2 from a narrative standpoint. However, there are a lot of merits to this transformation which illustrate how Gohan came into his own as a character in the time between the Cell Games Saga and the end of the Majin Buu Saga. First off, this powered up his base state to such an extent that he did not need Super Saiyan transformations anymore, although he can still use them if he desires.

By taking a route that differs from Goku and Vegeta, Ultimate Gohan acknowledges Gohan's dual heritage, as the child of a human and one of the last remaining Saiyans in Universe 7. Additionally, the divine power that granted him this form also adds to the symbolism behind it, where Gohan was a being of almost unparalleled power at the time of the Majin Buu Saga. Unfortunately, Gohan's neglect of his training saw him lose access to the form for a time, until he finally reawakened it in Dragon Ball Super.

A New Line Of Transformations With Beast

In Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, Gohan's anguish at the apparent death of Piccolo during the fight against Cell Max, sent him over the edge towards a new transformation which is now known as "Beast." From its initial appearances, the form appears to be able to keep up with Goku's Perfected Ultra Instinct, and even Super Saiyan Blue.

While this transformation is an evolution of the Ultimate form and is unique to Gohan, its design is far more menacing, with long, spiky light gray hair, red irises, and a dual aura of blue and magenta, with sparks of red electricity around it. Once again, there are a lot of similarities here to Gohan's Super Saiyan 2 form as a kid, but there is no mistaking the fact that this is another step in his quest to truly harness his potential and tread his own path.

Dragon Ball Z is available to stream on Crunchyroll.