As some of you know, I already have a respect thread for Goku. That one (at least attempts) to categorize the actual feats and other such stuff. This, on the other hand, will be a place entirely devoted to theories and speculative thinking on my favorite fictional series of all time :3 So let's get cracking, shall we?

(Even in this thread will do its best to stay away from calculations of power levels and such)

Light speed? Dragon Ball? Preposterous!

Well, it may be so, but, let's...dwell on it.

As you may have seen on my feats thread, Mr. Popo trained Goku to strike faster than lightning - statement, I know, but that's what I had. However, as it was a flat statement, not a simile or obvious hyperbole. As Goku and Piccolo Jr. had both evaded Kami's eyesight (being the one who trained Mr. Popo), I presented that as a solid showing (as I was gonna get, anyway ^^;) that Goku could fight at faster than lightning speeds. This in of itself was dubious enough, but it was the best I could show.

However, there has been even less to suggest that anything is the speed of light. This is all we have to go on:

This is it. Another translation at MangaPanda has Piccolo say "There was...a little light!" The VizBig edition of DBZ at this point (which I will post a photo of later) says something along of the lines of "There was..a flash of light..."

EDIT: Here is what I was talking about. Piccolo says it was "like a flash of light"

Basically, my speculation on this is that Frieza's "Death Beam" (as it is called in the video games) is the actual speed of light.

Which would make this more impressive:

If the Death Beam is indeed lightspeed, this would give Goku FTL reactions and SSJ Goku FTL movement altogether:

I say that, as it is easier to move your hand than it is to move your entire body.

Again, the above is just my thoughts and opinion. In no way am I saying this stuff is "irrefutable" fact - so if you disagree with the above...go right on ahead. In fact, I expect you to disagree with me :D Just don't be hostile.

As with my actual feats thread, when stuff comes to me, I'll add and edit as I see fit. I'm saving as I go along because I don't want to lose my progress *lol*

An Honest Goku Respect Thread

I figured "Why the hell not? I'm a huge DB fan, so I guess it's my turn."

Now before you go away, let me be clear: I'm not going to use any calculations in this. I'm going to, to the best of my ability, show just on-panel stuff. But bear with me: a lot of this stuff is probably going to be statement - I can only work with what I've got :p.

After the on-panel stuff, I'll do an entire section on speculations and comparisons, but even then, it'll still be just on-panel stuff.

I will update this as I remember more stuff :p

Something else I want to clear up: power levels are just a number to let you know someone is stronger and (typically) faster than someone else. Just so Toriyama doesn't have to show what everything a character can do. Basically, character X with a PL 30,000 launched his Ki attack and destroyed a mountain. So when character Y is introduced with a PL of 55,000, it's generally assumed he should be able to replicate that - basically, Toriyama doesn't want to have to show char. Y also blowing up a mountain for you to have to wonder how strong Y is, considering, unlike western comics, it's just one linear story. But, that's neither here, nor there at the moment.

EDIT: I'm just going to go ahead and just get this out of the way. "This" of course being the physical lifting capacity of Goku. I've seen the arguments made for Kid Goku pushing a huge boulder and what not, but allow me to go ahead and make some distinctions here:

The beginning of Dragon Ball really reads more like fantasy than the sci-fi/action-thriller it became (or something to that effect). VERY early Dragon Ball actually had some toon-force element to it:

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By the time it became more serious, Toriyama kind of set a precedent with the gravity training at 100x Earth's normal gravity. Vegeta, who has a Napolean complex, who always wants to outdo "Kakarot" wanted to do 300x Earth's normal gravity:

Now, I said I won't be doing any calculations...and I mean it. You'll be the one doing the calcs. Now take 60 and multiply it by 300. Just use the calculator function on your computer or phone. What do you get? It should be 18,000 not...180,000 (I think the translator was being..optimistic). Once you get 18,000 kg, convert it to metric tons using Google. You'll end up getting 18 metric tons.

So, Vegeta, post-Namek I might add, trained under 300x Earth's gravity, thus making his resistance (because that's the actual kind of training these guys do, resistance training, not just lifting weights) 18 metric tons.

Here's the point: If you want to point out that Kid Goku was physically more capable than his adult counterpart, you go right ahead. Kid Goku was a slight toon-forcer anyways. But Adult Goku in his base form can only lift 40 tons. Deal with it.

Speed

This is quite possibly among the most dubious things to debate about in Dragon Ball, and even on paper it's still a little....annoying. But, here's what I got:

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Here we have (right to left) a few pages basically just flat-out stating Goku trained to "strike faster than lightning." Mr. Popo trained Goku to do this and to calm his spirit (hide his ki). Kami (ignore the "godly" bit, the guy's just an alien) couldn't follow the movements of Piccolo Jr and Goku at this time despite being the one who trained Mr. Popo (who trained Goku). Take this how you want, but that's all there is to go on.I know there's no lightning bolt here to reference anything, but I'm sorry, that's it. The rest of the manga just goes, "a is faster than b is faster than c etc, etc" and there's really not much reference otherwise - for Goku, anyway. Remember, we're talking about what Goku has done on-panel.

Here is an example of Goku flying fast enough to seeemingly disappear out of the air in a blur of motion:

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Here are a few examples of Goku's reaction abilities:

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This is relatively solid evidence of Goku's ability to dodge and reflect bullets. notice in the second one that Goku is actually looking at the bullets as he's dodging them, sort of implying that he can see them as they move. Now, considering just about every super-street leveler can do it (Cap. once said that he could see bullets in slo-mo), it may not be a "great point" to bring up, but I thought I'd cover it just as well.

Here we have an early-DBZ Goku (who is basically messing with Nappa) showing off his combat speed by standing on his head, then immediately appearing in front of him to punch him in the stomach:

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The movements are incredibly quick, as it was previously mentioned that Mr. Popo (at the end of Dragon Ball) trained Goku to "strike faster than lightning." Under King Kai, Goku became even faster, as everyone else in preparation for the Saiyans' arrival also trained, this time under Kami himself:

So, Nappa, who was making short work of Kami's pupils, was laughably outclassed by Goku at this point in just about everything.

Again, Goku shows that vanishing from one place and reappearing at another, far away distance, isn't a fluke with him, as he completely (calmly, I might add), dodges Recoome's attack and reappears right behind Burter and Jeice. In fact, the latter two didn't even realize it until their scouters let them know (read last, first, third, second. Not sure how it happened that way....) :

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After Goku returned to Earth and Trunks killed Frieza, some Androids came to terrorize the Earth. The thing about these Androids though - because they are technically non-living they don't have any Ki. So, it's not possible for them to be sensed:

However, despite that, SSJ Goku (who at this time is suffering from his heart virus, so he isn't even at full strength) still is able to keep up with Android 19:

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(I must also mention that Goku stupidly fired a Kamehameha and completely powered up Android 19 later while Goku was continuing to struggle with his heart virus, so he started to lose. But, the above is when the fight started).

Point being, Goku doesn't need to sense Ki in order to keep up with someone. Especially after transforming into a SSJ, his senses are still very superhuman. In fact, Goku, when not able to see, doesn't even mention using Ki to sense someone - just the currents on the air:

Power

What I'm talking about here is what kind of destructive capability his Ki has, Kamehameha wave and other such things.

Here we have Goku (at a trained SSJ1 level) charging up a Kamehameha powerful enough to destroy the Earth. Now, again, it's just statement. But, Goku, aside from fighting bad guys, typically isn't a really destructive person, so there isn't much to go off of. But, as a sort cementing point, we have Bobidi measuring Goku's power in kili's

There was a previous page where Dabura states 300 kilis is enough to destroy a planet before then stating Yakon had 800 kilis, but I can't find it :(

EDIT: Welp, I found the reason - it's in the anime, not the manga, where Dabura says that. However, on page 46 of Daizenshuu 7, it says 200-300 kili is enough to destroy "1-2 planets." Now, considering most stances on 'official' wikis as not really being the ultimate source for credibility, I suppose I'm forced to let you take it as you will. However, I don't think a lot of people will argue with SSJ1 Goku being able to destroy a planet - which is what I wanted to get across, really.

Goku, using 20x Kaioken, launches a Kamehameha at Frieza and creates a spectacular explosion, which creates quite a blow back:

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Now, this isn't really quantifiable and I would never try to quantify it either. But, I think it shows the kind of impact Goku's Kamehameha has and the fact that Goku can charge it "on the go," so to speak. This was a full-powered blast released after physically abusing his opponent.

Immediately after landing on Namek, Goku one-shots Recoome and then fights Burter and Jeice. The results of his training in 100x Earth's gravity are quite apparent as Goku handles his business. A portion of his power is displayed when Goku does a mere kiai (for those of you who don't know, feel free to look it up, but it's basically a sort-of-intimidating grunt one does in martial arts. In DBZ, 'ki'ais tend to also involve 'ki' as well):

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This kiai pushes them back quite a bit away, even shaking the air as if it was some sort of explosion.

With great power came great....control (expecting something else? eh he he..)

As plain as day, Goku, in instances where he completely outclasses someone, can control just how much power he needs to send out to deal with someone, and only that amount. Basically, he knows, and can control, his own strength. He wouldn't punch Daredevil with the same amount of strength as he would, say, Ben Grimm (after he gets a feel for what the Thing is capable of taking, that is).

Striking Ability

This is somewhat important as Dragon Ball's strength feats are fairly lack-luster in the grand scheme of things.

Goku double-kicks Frieza in the back of the head sending him quite aways through multiple (or perhaps one really large) plateau/mountainish thing:

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This is the extent of the environmental damage:

Durability

Ever since his beginning, Goku has shown superhuman durability.

This is from the first chapter. Goku takes a bullet and, while it hurts, it doesn't leave much of a mark.

Here we have another example of Goku's durability (getting smashed through a plateau)

In this instance, it wasn't getting smashed through the rock that hurt him, but the heat (or power) of Frieza's energy ball.

Same fight, Frieza kicked Goku in the head (lol) and sent him flying into the Namekian body of water with quite a large...explosion-ish reaction. Yet, Goku merely responds with "Ee-yow!" and wasn't completely fazed by it.

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Frieza mentions how Goku can't breathe in space

And here, Goku mentions how Frieza hesitated because he didn't want to "get caught in the planet's explosion."

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I mention this, because it is unclear whether or not either of them would survive Namek's explosion:

Skill/Various Techniques

As suggested (by @dratini1331 ) I'll leave this skill section here to...showcase some of the things he can do.

First off, Goku's signature technique is actually one he didn't even invent: The Kamehameha Wave

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This is a technique developed over 50 years by Master Roshi. It draws in all the latent energy in the body and releases it in a very large, destructive energy wave. What physical properties it takes (is it photons, electrons, pure energy?), I don't know. Neither do I care, really :p

Here are some extra instances of Goku using this technique, including the first time:

The next famous technique Goku uses is called the "Shukidan Idou" or "Instant Transmission" for the rest of us. It's a technique that allows the user to teleport 'instantly' to a particular person - contrary to popular belief, it is not to any place, you instantly teleport to that person, not necessarily the place.

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Here, Goku uses Instant Transmission (typically shortened to "IT") to appear right in front of Cell, not giving him any time to react (despite Cell shouting in fear lol)

It does, however take concentration to do. Above, he was already locked on as he charged up the Kamehameha, so it was easier to just to appear in front of Cell because of his closer proximity. As shown below, when trying to 'jump' much longer distances under extreme pressure, it gets...problematic:

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Here is another (and maybe the only other) instance of IT:

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While Goku is backflipping, Buu sends out a Ki wave after him. After realizing what has happened, Goku (in SSJ3 form) IT'd right behind him. See the trend?

Goku also has access to the Genki Dama, or Spirit Bomb. This is a technique where one gathers energy from the life of the planet (and other planets if they're nearby) and even the Sun itself.

Its biggest drawback is quite possibly the amount of time and concentration it takes to make one, leaving the user vulnerable (in this case, Goku):

The Genki-Dama's power has always been quite high, and Goku was actually worried that the one from Namek would destroy the planet. It was this technique that finally put down Majin Buu:

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So, as long as you can gather the energy, you could defeat potentially anyone.

Something else to consider. Goku stated, "as long as you don't have evil ki, you can bounce it back!"

So, perhaps you don't have to have a soul as crystal as Goku's, but certainly if you aren't a bad person (and have some level of ki control) you should be able to reflect it :3

Next we have the Kaioken. Yes it started out more as a technique than a transformation.

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Here we see Goku using it for "an instant" to multiply his powers in order to make up for the speed difference. Goku explains how the technique works and its downside:

Something that is a little puzzling is why Goku makes a distinction between Kaioken and Kaioken x2:

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Although my guess would be that both names mean the same thing. *shrugs*

He can go even further with the power multipliers:

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Showing - x3, x4, x10, x20

As he trained and grew more powerful, he could use higher multipliers for longer - i.e., using x10 Kaio-ken for the entire duration of the Frieza fight (until he transforms, that is....)

Speaking of transformations,

Saiyan Transformations

As a Saiyan, Goku has access (with enough training) to various transformations that all increase his power by quite a bit from his "normal" form. The first and foremost transformation is the Oozaru or Great Ape form.

Vegeta here gives a great expositional breakdown on the form:

It was depicted from pretty much the beginning of Dragon Ball:

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It causes the user to grow tremendously in size into a "giant ape" (kinda like King Kong...although probably not as big). Other than the obvious rise in strength, it also gives the user powerful blasts from the mouth:

This showcase here also brings me to another point: any half-Saiyan can transform into this (and the later ones). As long as you have Saiyan blood (and a tail for this one) you have access to these transformations. (Although Cell may be a little...different. We may get to him later :D)

It is possible (or at least Vegeta can) to control your emotions and be cognizant during the form.

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However, Goku has never trained this form in the manga, so if he ever transformed, it is likely that he wouldn't be in control. It's also a rather impractical anyways. The next one is more practical, however:

The Super Saiyan transformation is a huge boost in power to the user's ki and their physical abilities. For example, take the fight with Frieza. The entire time, Goku was struggling keeping up:

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Here we see a 50% power (by his own admission) Frieza just manhandling a Kaioken x10 Goku (see previous scans). Even when Goku powered up to 20x Kaioken, he still didn't seem....effective:

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However, after he transformed things were...a little bit different:

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Goku, previously unable to seriously damage Frieza with x20 Kaioken, completely takes Frieza by surprise with his speed and savagery:

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As evidenced above, Goku's speed and durability greatly increase to the point where Frieza's so-called Death Beam (from the video games, I believe) fails to even hit Goku and even when it does, Goku doesn't get a scratch (the force knocks his head back). [Please note that Goku is just spurring Frieza on with his dialogue. Frieza's Death Beam isn't the one that destroys planets]

Next is the Ascended Saiyan stage, or better known as Super Saiyan 2.

Notice the spikier hair as well as the amplified bio-electricity surrounding the body. It is a tremendous spike in energy from the Super Saiyan stage. So much so, that the first person to achieve this transformation, Gohan, completely overwhelmed Perfect Cell. Cell, at this point, was a point, was a perfect match for Goku while still having some power in reserve:

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They are pretty much dead even and later it's revealed that Cell could still rise in power. However, when Gohan (who at this point was as powerful as his father) turned SSJ2, things were....a little bit different.

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Here, since Gohan turned SSJ2, Cell couldn't even damage Gohan. He couldn't hit him, and even if Gohan let him, it didn't faze him. This is the kind of boost that SSJ2 packs.

Not to say that a Saiyan's power is permanent. While they have access to the transformation, if they don't continuously train, they drop severely in power from what they once were (not immediately mind you, but over a long period of time).

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But even at this state, Gohan, who hadn't trained for 7 years, was still practically even with Dabura, a being Goku and Vegeta estimated was around Perfect Cell's power.

As for what Goku has done with the transformation - mostly fight Vegeta:

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Here Vegeta states that Goku has surpassed what Gohan achieved 7 years ago. Then they start beatin the snot out of each other. It's kinda hard to show how powerful they are without any references to Cell, Frieza, and others earlier in the series - the best I can say is this: by their movements and melee alone they are causing quite a disturbance in the area as shown by the swirling winds and shaken environment. *shrugs* Hey, what's a guy to do, eh? As far as on-panel feats go, SSJ2 is kind of hard to show off. But, that doesn't prevent me from showing the next transformation :D

The SSJ3 transformation gives another jump in power just like every Super Saiyan transformation before it. In an attempt to show the difference, compare how Majin Vegeta, previously shown in a SSJ2 form being pretty much even with SSJ2 Goku fights Kid Majin Buu:

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Vegeta himself admitted that Kid Buu would make short work of him and that Goku, at this point, was fighting a monster:

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Here we see Goku fighting practically evenly with Kid Buu. Later, Vegeta mentions (see above) that Goku could potentially destroy Buu in a convincing fashion. We never get to see that however, as this form's drawbacks rear its ugly head:

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SSJ3 goes through a lot of ki. It is a very powerful boost, but untrained, it doesn't last long. Goku mentions that having a 'living' physical body actually makes it harder to maintain the transformation:

So, it's not something that, initially, could be used willy nilly. But, as far as powerups go, it's pretty strong.

Now, something that has intrigued me on this journey is the fact that the boosts from the Saiyan transformations were never...specified. For a long time growing up, I always heard that the boosts were as followed:

• Oozaru form: x10 base form (in addition to the strength the size grants)
• SSJ1: x50 base form
• SSJ2: x2 SSJ1 (x100 base)
• SSJ3: x4 SSJ2 (x400 base)

(I won't mention SSJ4 because it isn't in the manga, therefore it is non-canon :3)

These figures were never actually mentioned in the manga - only in the Daizenshuu Guides. So take them as you will. :D

EDIT: I originally had a block of text describing the typical stance on official wikis, but I felt it was too...I dunno. I didn't like it. So I removed it.

As I remember more stuff to put down (and when I'm not busy), I'll come back to this. Thoughts so far? Fair depiction? My goal for this is to make it so that it leaves out assumption (as much as I can, anyways).

IGNORE THIS, I SAVED IT ACCIDENTALLY