Super Saiyan

Lore & Background

The legend of the Super Saiyan was a source of deep fear for King Vegeta. Paragus reveals that his son, Broly, was born with a power level of 10,000, causing King Vegeta to order his execution immediately. Paragus failed to persuade the king to spare the child and was instead stabbed in the abdomen, left for dead alongside his infant son on their home planet. Coincidentally, Frieza destroyed that same planet on that very day while Bardock attempted a futile defense. Broly's survival instincts triggered a protective shield around him and his father, allowing them to escape into space. Over time, the trauma and isolation caused Broly to grow increasingly unstable and sadistic. Paragus eventually had to use a specialized mind-control device synced to Broly's headband to keep him pacified, fearing that Broly's violent Saiyan instincts were merely waiting for the right trigger to emerge.

In Their Own Story

On New Vegeta, the truth of the Legendary Super Saiyan unfolds when Broly recognizes Goku as Bardock's son. Paragus attempts to control his son with a device, but Broly's aggression toward Goku swells, causing him to break free from the mind-control mechanism and transform into the Legendary Super Saiyan. The resulting battle sees Goku, Gohan, and Trunks completely dominated by Broly's overwhelming power. Even Piccolo arrives with Senzu Beans to heal them, yet they remain severely outmatched. Vegeta, initially paralyzed by fear, is scolded by Piccolo before his pride returns, only for him to be quickly incapacitated upon confronting Broly. The climax occurs when Goku, despite being mercilessly beaten, asks his allies to lend their ki. Reluctantly, Vegeta contributes his energy, allowing Goku to strike a piercing blow that destabilizes Broly's power, causing the Legendary Super Saiyan to explode just as a comet strikes and destroys New Vegeta.

Reader's Guide

Controlling the Legendary Super Saiyan form requires external intervention or immense internal discipline. In the case of Broly, his father Paragus was forced to utilize a specific control device on his bracelet that synced with Broly's headband to suppress his violent instincts. Without this technology, the power becomes uncontrollable. The transformation is triggered by intense emotional responses; specifically, Broly's aggression spiked simply at the sight and presence of Goku. Paragus theorized these violent instincts were awakening due to Goku's power and their shared birth date, suggesting a fated encounter. Furthermore, the form is described as inherently unstable, with the user's power continuing to increase uncontrollably until the energy eventually becomes too volatile, leading to self-destruction when struck by a concentrated ki attack.

Did You Know?

• The character Broly was created by Takao Koyama but designed by series creator Akira Toriyama.
• Broly was born with a verified power level of 10,000, which caused King Vegeta to order his execution on the day Frieza destroyed Planet Vegeta.
• The film Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan grossed ¥2.33 billion ($21 million) in Japan and had a limited US release in 2018 that added $658,982 to its total.
• A third English dub of the film was produced exclusively for Malaysia by Speedy Video with an unknown voice cast.
• The opening theme 'Cha-La Head-Cha-La' and ending theme 'Burning Fight —A Close, Intense, Super-Fierce Battle—' were both performed by Hironobu Kageyama.