Dragon Ball Super is the latest main entry in the world-famous and beloved Dragon Ball franchise.

Created by Akira Toriyama with his initial manga, Dragon Ball, the series flourished and was given an even more popular sequel, Dragon Ball Z, which was followed up with the unloved Dragon Ball GT.

After going relatively dormant for years, the series was still popular but had no major new material until the ground-breaking movie Battle of Gods, which would then be followed up with Resurrection F.

These two movies ushered in Dragon Ball Super, a brand new animated series, and one that has recently ended (at least for the time being). Despite a satisfying conclusion to is final arc, the series has a ton of unanswered questions and remains a source of intriguing fan theories.

With our list, we’re going to be looking at some of the wildest (and best) of these theories that the passionate fans of the series have created and debated over.

Some of the ones we will be discussing have actually been confirmed in one way or another, while others are still up in the air waiting to be fleshed out with further evidence.

Once the upcoming Dragon Ball Super movie, Dragon Ball Super: Broly, is released, along with another season of Dragon Ball Super, we’re sure that even more fuel will be added to the fan theory fires, along with some answers to our burning questions.

Until then, though, here are the 20 Wild Dragon Ball Super Fan Theories (That Actually Make Sense)!

We Are Universe 6

When the existence of the multiverse within Dragon Ball Super was revealed, it created an incredible amount of fan discussion.

The Saiyans existed but were noble warriors, unlike Universe 7, Frieza’s doppëlganger was a good guy (well, not really, but still), and then there was the question of Universe 6’s Earth, which existed at one point but was merely a burnt out husk by the time we learned of it.

The theory goes that our Earth (as opposed to the Dragon World’s Earth) is the one that existed in Universe 6, but was destroyed due to our penchant for “idiotic wars.”

This would be a great twist if it were true, and we think it might be, especially considering how different Goku’s Earth is compared to ours.

Android 17’s Family Is A Lie

The return of Android 17 in the main plot of Dragon Ball Super was something that his devout fanbase had long been awaiting (especially after Dragon Ball GT’s comparatively lame Super 17 Saga).

Not only was he super-powerful and relevant, but apparently he settled down and had a family, much like his sister, Android 18.

The thing is, though, that we never once see them, even after he supposedly takes them on a cruise during the finale of the season.

This has caused fans on the internet to claim that 17 may have made up his family in order to keep himself sane while on the nature preserve, and we’re inclined to agree, no matter how depressing it sounds.

The Saiyan Connection

When it was revealed that Universe 6 was Universe 7’s counterpart, fans were ecstatic to see that the Namekians, Saiyans, and even Frieza’s race were part of it.

The Saiyans (Cabba, Kale, and Caulifla) became almost instant favorites, thanks in particular to how Vegeta was able to connect with them on a nostalgic level.

Fan theorized that the connection between the familiar Saiyans of Universe 7 and those of Universe 6 might be a little more meta than it seemed, and it turns out that they were right.

Cabba is based on Vegeta (even down to similar attacks and poses), Caulifla is inspired by Goku, and Kale is Broly.

Frieza Is Actually A Child

Frieza remains one of the most iconic villains in the entire realm of anime, and with good reason. His cruelty, malice, and general evilness, along with his transformations, have made him a staple of the Dragon Ball series, and we’re happy he was able to return in Super (and make up for Ressurrection F).

However, long-time fans have speculated that Frieza is only a mere child, hence his spoiled brat tendencies, incessant whining, and violent tantrums.

This theory seems about right in our book, since his father, King Cold, is clearly a grown man in both stature and personality, and his brother, Cooler, while not enormous, seems far older and mature.

Frieza, on the other hand, seems to be the young brat.

The Tournament Of Power’s “Erasures” And True Purpose

While the Tournament of Power was raging during the (as-of-yet) final arc of Dragon Ball Super, fans were speculating about its every facet at a fever pitch.

We’ll be addressing some of these theories further down the list, but the first one we want to tackle is what exactly is going on with the “erased” Universes and Zen-Oh’s true goal.

According to some fans, they believed that no one was actually being deleted, but rather stored in each Angel’s staff or some other dimension, only giving off the illusion of erasure and making each universe despise Goku and push him to his limits.

While this seems less likely given the conclusion of the Tournament, Zen-Oh’s friendship with Goku (and the “moral” of not actually wanting to destroy everything) makes this still plausible.

Future Zen-Oh Is Zamasu

This one seems like it’s increasingly less likely, but there are enough interesting tidbits to make us hope that it pans out.

When the immortal Zamasu is seemingly defeated by Trunks the villain re-emerges as the universe itself, and the Omni-King from that future was needed to erase Zamasu from existence.

This Zen-Oh then spends time with the Zen-Oh from the present, but something seems off about him: present Zen-Oh will say something or strike a pose, and future Zen-Oh will do it slightly off and then correct himself.

If they are the same being, why does one of them continually mess up his own, unique idiosyncrasies?

The belief is that the all-powerful Zamasu somehow infested the future Omni-King, and is merely hiding until the time is right…

Gohan Gave Up Fighting Due To Childhood Trauma

While this theory is a little too dark and emotionally realistic for Dragon Ball, it does seem like it has some believable weight to it.

During Dragon Ball Z, from the time Gohan was only a four year-old, he was thrust into awful situations, such as fatal fights, abusive training, space travel, and battling against the cruel and ruthless tyrant Frieza.

HE also eventually had to save the Earth from the diabolically evil and malicious Cell, all the while watching his friends and family be slaughtered.

Being exposed to that kind of trauma would have had a tremendous effect on the youth, leading to his future life as a peaceful scholar, and one who had more-or-less totally given up fighting or even training.

The Reason Why Kaio-Ken Wasn’t Used With Super Saiyan

For years, people had wondered what happened to one of Goku’s most powerful and iconic techniques, the Kaio-Ken. This instrumental move would bathe Goku in a flame-red aura, and would exponentially increase his power.

However, once Goku became a Super Saiyan, the attack seemed to be forgotten about entirely.

While achieving the golden form was certainly a more powerful boost, fans wondered why Goku didn’t combine it with Kaio-Ken, assuming there was some underlying issue, which is something Super directly addressed.

Apparently, if Goku used the technique as a Super Saiyan, the overflowing energy would quickly destroy his body.

However, when used with the powers of Super Saiyan Blue, it’s far easier to control (although still dangerous), which finally explained the long-time absence.

Gine Will Be In The Movie

One of the most remarkable aspects of the upcoming movie, Dragon Ball Super: Broly, is that it’s taking a non-canon (although popular) character, reimagining him, and thrusting him straight into the main series timeline.

This inclusion sent fans imaginations on fire, making them wonder if we’d be getting any more non-canon inclusions, or further confirmations about the Saiyan race that were either developed without Toriyama, or added by the main man himself later on.

One of the main theories is that Gine, Goku’s mother, might make an appearance in a flashback, which would then fundamentally alter the origin story we first saw in Bardock: Father of Goku.

Only time will tell if Gine, or even Bardock, will make an appearance, but after Broly, anything seems possible.

Jiren Is Gearing Up For A Divine War

Jiren stirred up a lot of discussion during the Tournament of Power. Fans wondered how he was so powerful and what motivated him.

We’d eventually learn his paper-thin backstory involving the doom of his friends and family fueling his quest for strength.

However, one fan theory predicted that Jiren was secretly gearing up for a war against divinity.

While what we currently know about him doesn’t seem to jive with the theory, Jiren will likely be making another appearance in the series, and the theory may eventually pan out.

Further down this list, we’ll be discussing why Jiren might be suspicious of the various gods and angels, and there’s certainly a good reason for him to want to prepare himself for a conflict involving them.

Kale Is (Essentially) Broly

While the Saiyans of Universe 7 may have more-or-less been wiped out aside from Goku and Vegeta and a few others, Universe 6’s Saiyans are going strong.

Among them is the skinny and shy Kale, who doesn’t seem to pose much of a threat or have much power… until she is provoked during the Tournament of Power.

When she achieves her Super Saiyan state, it’s more like Broly’s Legendary Super Saiyan form, and just as berserk.

Fans were quick to point out the visual similarities of Kale’s transformed state and Broly’s, along with her overflowing rage.

While it’s theorized that the Universe 6 Saiyans are meant to be reflections of Universe 7, Kale’s connection goes deeper, as official production design documents for the Tournament of Power refer to Kale as “turning into Broly.”

The Reason Behind The Horrible Animation

Dragon Ball is one of the most popular anime franchises in history, and has had tremendous relevancy, influence, and longevity. For those reasons, many found it mind-blowing how awful much of the show’s early episodes featured hideous animation errors and clunky, sub-par visual quality.

The majority of those issues would eventually be ironed out by the visually stellar Tournament of Power saga, but it still confounded loyal fans as to why the quality was so mediocre at the start.

Theories ranged from an unskilled staff or a rushed production, and surprisingly enough, these theories were actually confirmed.

According to the producer, Norihiro Hayashida, the animators were all “newbies” and that the production time is limited.

While it’s satisfying to hear some explanation, maybe Toei should use more skilled animators for their flagship franchise.

The Secret Romance Between A God Of Destruction And His Angel

One of the coolest aspects of the Tournament of Power is seeing the varied collection of characters that span the Dragon Ball multi-verse coming together, especially the curious variety of Gods of Destruction, along with their attendant Angels.

Among others, we saw a machine god, a Cleopatra look-alike and, most importantly, a clown named Belmod.

This funny-looking (or scary, depending on who you ask) clown destructor captured the imagination of fans, but so did his attendant known as Marcarita, who just happened to look somewhat like DC Comic’s Harley Quinn.

With a Joker-like Clown and a Harley Quinn-styled Angel, fans wondered if these two might have been an item.

According to the manga author, Toyotaro, the fans were right: the two characters in question were indeed meant to be lovers, but Toriyama shot the rather interesting idea down.

Trunks’ Hair Color

Future Trunks is insanely popular. He was the second Super Saiyan we ever saw, he obliterated Frieza like it was nothing, and he had a sword (which is reason enough to be the coolest dude around.)

The hype for his return in Super was unimaginable, and it almost totally paid off. There was one element that baffled fans of the character, though: the blue hair.

In DBZ, his hair is purple, but in Super, it’s inexplicably blue. To make matters worse, it seems that it was an intentional retcon, since Bulma, his own mother, mentions his blue hair.

Why did his hair change? There are theories about alternate dimensions, genetics, and more, but the one that seems best is the most simple: Toriyama simply changed his mind about the look of the character, and everyone has to deal with it.

The character of Yamoshi is something of an enigma in the world of Dragon Ball. Considered to be a myth, he was supposedly one of, if not the first, Super Saiyans in history.

Later on, Yamoshi would end up becoming the very first Super Saiyan God, at least according to the Namekian Book of Legends.

Both of these stories are bizarre and seemingly incapable of simultaneously existing (especially since Bardock might be the very first Super Saiyan), but the main fan theory regarding this character is the reason why Vegeta bears a striking resemblance to him.

We know that Saiyans don’t have as much variety as humans, and considering that Vegeta looks nearly identical to his father, fans postulate that Vegeta’s ancestor might be Yamoshi.

This seems pretty plausible, so hopefully we’ll get some more info on this in Broly.

GT Might Still Be Canon

Dragon Ball GT is, by far, the least popular mainline entry in the Dragon Ball franchise. The original sequel series, long before Super, was a dream in Toriyama’s head.

GT continued the story of Z, and ended up with a bad reputation.

The series had many great concepts, particularly for villains and transformations, but almost nothing seemed to be executed properly.

Considering the low popularity and the impending release of Super, fans soon considered GT to no longer be part of the main canon, but that might not end up being true.

Throughout Super, multiple seeds for GT’s plot have been planted, including the births of Bulla and Pan, so it’s possible that GT is still very much part of the timeline.

Broly’s Backstory Will Change

Broly, despite his popularity, has pretty lame elements, like hating Goku for crying ad that being the fuel for his rage.

From what little we know of the rebooted Broly in the upcoming Dragon Ball Super movie, it seems like he still has an enormous level of power, but that his threadbare backstory might have (finally) been cut.

With no instances of screaming “Kakarot!” or mentions of crying in the trailer, the imagery we were shown seems to imply that Broly may have a more noble cause, such as restoring the Saiyan race, or that he still has a relationship with Frieza in some capacity.

Whatever the final movie reveals, though, we just hope it’s closer to the fan theories than the original movies.

Frieza Will Become A God Of Destruction

While Resurrection F was nothing more than a mediocre cash-in of Frieza’s popularity, the character’s second appearance on Dragon Ball Super was nothing short of totally awesome.

Recruited from the afterlife in order to fight for Universe 7 in the Tournament of Power, Frieza proved himself to be insanely powerful, even to the point of resisting the Energy of Destruction.

What’s also clear is that Frieza has no intention of cleaning up his act and, after being restored to life, it appears that he has restarted his armies and is causing chaos throughout the cosmos once more.

More critically, though, it’s believed that Frieza’s ultimate goal is to become a God of Destruction and/or eliminating the gods so that he can be the supreme ruler of existence.

Only time will tell, but these theories are a safe bet.

The Angels Are Part Of A Conspiracy

We mentioned earlier that fans have theorized that Jiren might be secretly recruiting for a future war against the divine beings of the multiverse, but we didn’t mention why.

One theorized reason is that the mysterious Angels seem to be up to something.

With Whis seemingly the only outlier, the rest of the Angels during the Tournament of Power appeared to be unfazed by the destructions of the universes and their Gods of Destruction.

Universe 9’s Mojito actually appeared to smirk sinisterly after the erasure of his flock.

This has sparked countless theories and discussion that the Angels might be hoping for the erasure of their realms or that they are part of a takeover conspiracy against Zen-Oh.

There’s another major theory that points to this, as well…

The Grand Priest Is Evil

Perhaps the most discussed fan theory on this list, there is something about the Grand Priest (and father of the Angels) that has rubbed generally every fan the wrong way.

The Grand Priest’s commanding Zen-Oh to erase the universes in the Tournament of Power, along with his cruel satisfaction during the act (even glaring at Goku with a look of amusement on his mug), made fan theorists scramble to discover what exactly the Grand Priest had planned.

Some have even postulated that the Grand Priest is the one truly in control of the Multiverse, and the childlike Zen-Oh is only under the illusion of power.

While nothing seemed to come of this during the finale of the final arc, there’s still a whole new season that might address this clandestine takeover.

Can you think of any other Dragon Ball Super fan theories? Sound off in the comments!