Dragon Ball Daima Confirms Goku's Best Character Arc Began Way Before We Knew

Warning: Contains spoilers for Dragon Ball Daima episode five.Dragon Ball Daimais only a few episodes into its run, but it’s already retconning plot points fromDragon Ball Superand other parts of the franchise. Some have been small, like the reveal of Namekians being demons, which was already teased in theDragon Ball Supermanga, but others have had much larger implications for the story, like completely changing how Kibito Kai separated back into Shin and Kibito.

Dragon Ball Daima’s retcons have ranged greatly in severity, and Goku is similarly unexempt from that. While Goku’s character has largely been static sinceDragon Ball Z, the late stages ofDragon Ball Superdid give Goku an ongoing character arc for the first time in decades, but in a surprise twist,Dragon Ball Daimaepisodefive revealed that Goku’s character arc chronologically began well beforeDragon Ball Super. As unexpected a change as it is, though, it’s one that only helps makeDragon Ball’s story better, and that makes it great to see.

Panzy talks to Goku as they walk.

Dragon Ball Daima Is The True Beginning Of Goku’s Best Character Arc

At the end ofDragon Ball Super: Broly, when Goku finally had a chance to formally introduce himself to Broly, he introduced himself as both Goku and Kakarot. Goku had always rejected his Saiyan heritage up to that point, so just that brief line implied a lot about his potential growth, and the Granolah the Survivor saga followed that up with Goku finally learning about Bardock and accepting the few positives about being a Saiyan.Dragon Ball Supergave Goku an arc about accepting his Saiyan heritage, and it was a great way to give Goku some much-needed depth.

Dragon Ball Daima Just Gave Us One of Goku’s' Best Solo Battles in the Anime’s History

Goku has had to display his strength to large groups of goons before, but his showing in Daima could be the greatest instance in the franchise.

Goku’s arc about accepting his Saiyan heritage is a great one, but surprisingly, it didn’t begin inDragon Ball Super: Broly. InDragon Ball Daimaepisode #5, when Panzy said that Goku’s name was weird, his next response was that his other name was Kakarot;Dragon Ball Daima’s official timelineputs it three years beforeDragon Ball Super, so if Goku is already willing to call himself Kakarot, that meansDragon Ball Daimais stating that Goku’s arc of accepting his Saiyan heritage actually began years before he met Broly, likely sometime after defeating Kid Buu.

Goku takes a battle stance as he prepares to face a small army of foes.

Why Dragon Ball Daima’s Latest Super Retcon Makes Sense

Dragon Ball Daima’s Latest Retcon Is Good For The Franchise

A common criticism of Goku telling Broly to call him Kakarot was that it felt abrupt for him to say something like that, but if Goku had been coming around on his Saiyan heritage years before that, then Broly and everything in theDragon Ball Supermanga is an extension of what Goku was already working through as opposed to something that came out of nowhere.Goku already learning to accept his Saiyan heritage inDragon Ball Daimamakes his arc inDragon Ball Superfeel more organic, so as far as retcons go, it’s a great one to have.

Dragon Ball Super’s Big Goku “Retcon” Never Actually Happened, & The Original Manga Proves It

Though some were angry about Dragon Ball Super’s anime ostensibly retconned Goku during the Tournament of Power, but earlier events prove otherwise.

The retcon isn’t without its issues, of course. Originally, it could have been assumed that meeting Broly made Goku want to embrace his Saiyan heritage, but there wasn’t anything relative toDaima’s timeline that would make Goku do that, soGoku showing signs of embracing his Saiyan heritage inDragon Ball Daimastill has a problem of feeling rather abrupt. That bit of clunkiness doesn’t stop it from being a good change, however, and asDragon Ball Daimacontinues, this surely won’t be the last time it changesDragon Ball Superand other parts of the franchise for the better.

Embarrassed adult Goku and kid Goku