The moment Goku transformed into a Super Saiyan is one of the defining moments in manga history, let alone Dragon Ball lore. Now, Dragon Ball’s legacy has become intertwined with the concept of continual transformation. Super Saiyan was such an incredibly popular form that even though it was never given one inside of the manga itself, it received an official power level in Dragon Ball‘s official guidebook, but this number may not tell the whole story.
Goku officially transformed into a Super Saiyan in Dragon Ball chapter 317. This sudden transformation was brought about because of the intense emotional turmoil he experienced after the death of his best friend Krillin. This sudden bout of rage alongside his prior power increases (due to Zenkai boosts) allowed him to tap into an almost primal power, drawing out more strength than ever before. Goku, who previously used the Kaioken x 20 and didn’t stand a chance, was now far beyond Frieza’s power.
The Daizenshuu 7 guidebook lists Goku’s Super Saiyan power level as exactly 150,000,000. Compared to his base form power level of 3,000,000, it would be reasonable to conclude that Super Saiyan’s power multiplier is 50x base power. This, however, cannot be the case. Time and time again, power levels are shown to fluctuate based on emotional state or injury. This was first seen with Gohan’s unstable power as a child, which would drop massively when disheartened or injured. In the battle with Vegeta on Earth, this was shown again when Goku’s Kaioken x 3 Kamehameha was only enough to equal Vegeta’s Galick Gun, not outclass it, despite Goku being stated to have a power level over 8,000 and Vegeta having one of 18,000. There is no working around the fact that power levels drop with exhaustion, injury, and consistent exertion.
If power levels remained constant despite injury, then Goku’s Kaioken x3 Kamehameha would have easily blown away Vegeta’s attack, since his power level would have exceeded at least 24,000 were he at full strength. Using this logic, Goku’s Super Saiyan transformation on Namek had to have given him well over a 50x power increase in order to reach a power level of 150,000,000 due to the massive injuries he had already sustained. Goku may have begun to master higher levels of the Kaioken by the time he arrived on Namek, but it’s clear the effects of a Kaioken x 20 were severely detrimental to his body. In order to close the gap between his severely weakened power level and Frieza’s, Super Saiyan could have granted Goku a power increase closer to 100x base.
While it’s considered “common knowledge” that Goku’s Super Saiyan form grants a 50x increase, the actual multiplier is never stated in the series. The only number shown was Goku’s actual power level once in the Super Saiyan state on Namek in the Daizenshuu 7. Given Goku’s incredible power boost despite major injuries, it’s more than likely that the Super Saiyan form is much stronger than Dragon Ball fans ever imagined.
