Dragon Ball's creative characters, exaggerated battle sequences, and life-or-death stakes have kept audiences coming back for nearly forty years. At this point, most Dragon Ball characters could demolish the planet with minimal effort, but there's still debate over just who's the strongest.
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Gohan Beast becomes the climax of Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero and Black Frieza functions as a last-minute surprise in the manga's prolonged fight against Gas. These two threatening transformations have yet to meet, but there's some interesting evidence that indicates who might be the strongest.
10 Gohan Beast: He's The Only One Strong Enough To Defeat Cell Max
The biggest discrepancy that currently exists between the Gohan Beast and Black Frieza transformations is that they both show up in contrasting takes on Dragon Ball Super. Gohan Beast turns into the centerpiece of the newest feature film event, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
Cell Max emerges as a destructive danger that's apparently on par with the unbridled strength of Broly. Goku and Vegeta don't face Cell Max. Instead, Gohan Beast annihilates the artificial menace. Black Frieza never meets Cell Max, but it's still a point in Gohan Beast's favor that he's currently the only character who's defeated him.
9 Black Frieza: He's Put In The Equivalent Of Ten Years Of Training
Frieza's return is a true surprise and a power boost beyond his previous Golden Frieza peak would normally seem somewhat manipulative. However, this new transformation justifies itself since Frieza reveals that he's put in the equivalent of ten years of training through the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
No character has taken advantage of this luxury to such a degree, and it's a smart scheme from Frieza. Gohan Beast's power is undeniable, but it's a spontaneous transformation as opposed to the product of a decade of strenuous training.
8 Gohan Beast: He's Supposedly Stronger Than Goku & Vegeta
One of the most celebrated aspects of Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero is that the story gives audiences a much-needed break from Goku and Vegeta. Accordingly, the film's events have Gohan and Piccolo do the heavy lifting, both of which receive new transformations by the time their adventure is over.
Goku and Vegeta continue to grow stronger in the manga with their Ultra Instinct and Ultra Ego transformations. These powers don't show up in Super Hero, but Akira Toriyama has candidly stated that Gohan Beast's battle power is at least equal to that of Goku and Vegeta at this point in time.
7 Black Frieza: He Takes Out Both Ultra Instinct Goku & Ultra Ego Vegeta At Once
Dragon Ball Super's manga creates considerable suspense over whether it will be Ultra Instinct Goku or Ultra Ego Vegeta that finishes off Gas. These new forms push the famous Saiyans to unprecedented heights, all of which gets undercut by Black Frieza's superior power.
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Black Frieza is so strong that he's able to simultaneously take out Ultra Ego Vegeta and Ultra Instinct Goku with a single punch. Admittedly, he catches them by surprise, but this feat is still seismic and indicates that it's more intense power than what Gohan Beast possesses.
6 Gohan Beast: He Has More Allies To Assist Him
Gohan Beast and Black Frieza may be comparable in strength, but an important advantage that Gohan holds over Frieza is that he has a lot more support in his corner. Decades of villainy have turned Black Frieza into a lone wolf, and he doesn't have any allies beyond his disposable army and past enemies who have defected to the Frieza Force.
A one-on-one battle might see Gohan Beast get overwhelmed by Black Frieza, but there's no need to handle things in this manner. Gohan's selfless ways have made him endless friends who, as a team, could take out Black Frieza.
5 Black Frieza: It Can Potentially Be Pushed Even Further
Much like with the new Gohan Beast transformation, very little has been shown of Black Frieza. The new form gets revealed in the second half of a recent manga chapter, goes on to intimidate everyone in question, and then disappears.
It certainly looks like this is the apex of Frieza's strength, but the franchise has shown that Cooler, Frieza's brother, has a fifth transformation that Frieza's never utilized. It stands to reason that Black Frieza could potentially grow stronger if it built upon Cooler's fifth transformation instead of Frieza's final state.
4 Gohan Beast: It Could Have More Tiers To Unlock
Gohan Beast is the exciting transformation that his fans have been waiting for, but it's still a very fresh development in the series. There's so much about Gohan's new form that remains a mystery, all of which points towards even more powerful possibilities. Gohan Beast may be his ultimate culmination of strength.
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However, Gohan Beast might also just be the first stage in a whole new series of transformations. There could be multiple levels of Gohan Beast, just like there are with Ultra Instinct. Gohan's latest transformation may be just the beginning.
3 Black Frieza: He Successfully Defeats The Heeter Force's Gas & Eyes Multiversal Domination
The latest story arc in Dragon Ball Super's manga pushes the characters past their limits when it comes to Gas, a Heeter Force member who's artificially acquired maximum power. Ultra Instinct Goku, Ultra Ego Vegeta, and Granolah are collectively no match for Gas' strength, which paints a bleak picture for the heroes.
Black Frieza makes his momentous debut when he abruptly arrives and immediately eradicates Gas with zero difficulties. Following Gas' defeat, Black Frieza ominously exits and seems to have his sights set on controlling the entire multiverse. Extreme strength is necessary to plan such a coup.
2 Gohan Beast: There's The Potential For Him To Fuse & Grow Stronger
The heights that Gohan reaches in his new form are nothing short of incredible, but the victories in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero are the result of his cooperation with Orange Piccolo. Black Frieza, on the other hand, has only fought by himself and seems to consciously alienate others.
Gohan hasn't experimented with fusion in the anime or manga, but it's a process that he's open to exploring. On his own, Gohan Beast might not be as strong as Black Frieza, but there'd be no question over the Saiyan's supremacy if he were to fuse and combine his strength with Goku, Vegeta, Broly, or even Piccolo.
1 Black Frieza: The Oracle Fish Acknowledges His Prophecy Could Refer to Frieza
Hypothetical power rankings from the Dragon Ball community can only go so far. However, it's significant when Toriyama himself confirms a detail or expresses it through a revered character in the series. The Oracle Fish is a rare individual who may not look like much but is actually one of the most prophetic characters in the Dragon Ball universe.
The Oracle Fish coyly implies that his recent prophecy where a new individual emerges as the strongest fighter in Universe 7 might actually refer to Black Frieza. It was initially thought to be a reference to Granolah, but not anymore.
NEXT: Dragon Ball: 10 Underwhelming Transformations
