Super Saiyan Krillin is not real. I’ve come to terms with that fact. But if he was, I’m confident he would defeat Goku.
In this post, I’ll break down how SSJK could be possible and why he’d be stronger than Goku.
- How I First Heard About Super Saiyan Krillin
- How Could Saiyan Krillin Be Possible?
- Saiyan Krillin Personality and Abilities
- What Triggers Him to Become Super Saiyan Krillin?
- Could Super Saiyan Krillin Become a Villain?
- How He Would Beat Goku
- Conclusion
How I First Heard About Super Saiyan Krillin
When I was about eight years old, my cousin from Ecuador came to visit us in the United States. While here, we went to a lot of shopping malls, where they bought designer brand clothes that are ordinarily very expensive in Ecuador.
While at one of the malls, we came across Suncoast. If you don’t remember Suncoast, it had tons of movies and TV shows on VHS and DVD. It went out of business around the same time as Blockbuster. Anyways, one of the reasons we loved going to Suncoast was because of all the Dragon Ball Z videos.
At the time, the only exposure we had to DBZ was through Toonami, so anytime we saw DBZ in a store was like uncovering some forbidden knowledge. The videos at the store had movies and uncut episodes that hadn’t aired, so it would blow our minds just thinking about what kinds of DBZ content we didn’t even know existed.
That’s why, on that day we visited Suncoast, I believed what my cousin told me:
That Super Saiyan Krillin was real, and he had seen it in a VHS back home in Ecuador.
I questioned him endlessly about it. When does it happen? Will we see it on TV soon? Does he grow hair? Who does he fight?
My cousin said he didn’t remember or wasn’t sure, but he assured me that SSJKrillin was definitely real.
Not only that, but he said something that blew my mind:
Super Saiyan Krillin was stronger than Goku.
My mind was blown, and the course of my childhood was altered by this knowledge. When I went to school that following Monday, I told all of my friends about Super Saiyan Krillin. I filled in the gaps and told fantastic stories about how he beat Freeza, Cell, and eventually Goku.
For a few days, I was the most popular kid at school. All the kids would gather around me at the corner of the playground to ask me all about my knowledge of Super Saiyan Krillin. My crush, who looked just like Bulma but without blue hair, finally started talking to me. Everything was going great.
But then one day, my boasting came to an end. A kid that I never liked named Randall Simmons approached me and my posse of SSJK believers. He held up a piece of paper and read the contents.
That piece of paper was none other than the transcript of an email. Randall had emailed Funimation and asked if it were true that Super Saiyan Krillin was real. They told him something to the effect that fanart of such a character may exist, but the truth was that Super Saiyan Krillin did not exist in any official media.
Needless to say, I was ruined. I was made a laughingstock. That single email lost me my friends, my new girlfriend, and I even had to transfer to a new school.
Super Saiyan Krillin ruined my life. But at the same time, he was also what motivated me to continue living. “What would Krillin do?” I would ask myself at my lowest moments.
Now that I’m an adult and have finally picked up all the pieces, I know that Super Saiyan Krillin is not real…
But if he was, he’d totally beat Goku, and here’s how:
How Could Saiyan Krillin Be Possible?
Before we can see Super Saiyan Krillin, we first have to see a Saiyan Krillin. This roadblock alone is enough for most to say that SSJK is impossible, but I would argue they haven’t looked at all the possibilities.
In my research, I’ve found a lot of terrible theories for how a Saiyan Krillin could be possible. But I’ve also devised a very plausible theory for how it could work.
But first, I’ll debunk the worst theories.
A few possibilities that are too flawed to actually work
“Krillin could use the Dragon Balls to wish himself into becoming a Saiyan.”
This is the most obvious idea, and while it’s technically possible, there’s very little chance it could plausibly happen in the Dragon Ball universe:
- Earth’s and Namek’s Dragon Balls are likely not strong enough to change a person’s entire biology
- The Super Dragon Balls could definitely have the power to make the wish, but attaining them is so difficult that no one would want to waste the wish on something this small
- Krillin wouldn’t willingly want to make himself into a Saiyan, so the wish would never cross his mind, let alone anyone else
“Trunks could go back in time and become Krillin’s father.”
This argument doesn’t even deserve to be acknowledged, but I hear it surprisingly often, so I have to mention it here just to call out how ridiculous it is. Toriyama in his heyday might have been able to pull off this raunchy plotline, but the subject matter is entirely inappropriate for the series.
“Goku could ask for it as a favor from Zeno.”
Again, why? While technically possible, once again, neither Goku nor Krillin would never even think to make this wish.
“He could wish for Captain Ginyu’s body swapping ability and switch places with a saiyan!”
He could, but Krillin would never want to be like Captain Ginyu, nor would he have it in him to steal a saiyan’s body. After all, he’s friends with all of the saiyans he knows!
The Only Scenario Where Saiyan Krillin is Possible
The only way Super Saiyan Krillin could be possible is if the Red Ribbon Army came back for the tenth time. They would have the ability to create an android that is Krillin spliced with Saiyan DNA.
Why would they ever do this?
The answer is control.
The Red Ribbon Army would never be able to tame a full-blooded Saiyan.
But imagine a Saiyan with the temperament and easily suggestible nature of Krillin. Plus, as their own creation, they would be present to train him as a loyal soldier of the Red Ribbon Army since birth.
Would their plan work?
Not really. The reality, as we know, is that half-human Saiyan hybrids are actually the most unhinged and have insane fighting potential.
There could even be a plot point where Saiyan Krillin is gaslit into believing he has no potential beyond his creator’s purpose. After fighting with the Z Fighters and awakening his desire for battle, he realizes that his potential is unlimited, and he turns on his creators.
What about the real Krillin?
Since this theoretical Krillin is an android, the real Krillin would still exist. They would likely battle, and Earthling Krillin would lose.
However, this scenario is a win for Krillin fans:
Earthling Krillin can continue to live his life as a family man and police officer. Saiyan Krillin, on the other hand, could fulfill the fan’s desires for a version of Krillin that can keep up with Goku and the others.
Saiyan Krillin Personality and Abilities
What would a Saiyan Krillin look like? AndwWhat would his abilities be?
- He is smarter than Goku, so he could likely outsmart him in battle
- He would be able to unlock all of the forms that Goku has, and due to his training with Master Roshi, he could potentially take a very similar path of growth
- Because his genetics contain suppressed memories of being Earthling Krillin, Saiyan Krillin would be able to have greater appreciation of his Saiyan blood and be able to progress faster than Vegeta and Goku did
- He would not have hair, but he would have a tail. It would likely be removed by the Red Ribbon army.
What Triggers Him to Become Super Saiyan Krillin?
Contrary to popular belief, Saiyans do not become Super Saiyans just because they get angry.
In order for a Saiyan to shift into Super, they have to undergo a mental shift. This shift must push them so far to the opposite end that something “snaps” and they become Super.
For example, Goku sees the potential for change in even his worst enemies. When Freeza’s cruelty shattered his morals, he let go of his good nature and became a Super Saiyan. In essence, he was adapting some of Vegeta’s mindset.
In turn, when Vegeta became Super Saiyan, he had to adapt some of Goku’s mindset. Once Vegeta lets go of his desire to be better than Goku, and therefore stops using others for validation, he ironically becomes the strongest version of himself.
What would Krillin’s breaking point be?
Let’s first look at some ideas that definitely won’t work:
- Goku dies: Goku has died in front of Krillin several times, and Krillin just cries, so this is not the right response.
- Android 18 cheats on him with Yamcha: Although humiliating, this would not be enough. Sadly, Krillin would most likely accept these circumstances.
- Killing Marron: We’ve seen Krillin get mad for his friends before, but it’s never enough to give him a significant boost of power. Even if his own daughter were to die in front of him, anger is not the right emotion to propel Saiyan Krillin into becoming Super.
Sadness and anger are not the emotions that brings out Krillin’s best strengths.
Fortunately, we do have an example of Krillin becoming stronger when pushed to the edge.
We can take this insight from the Dragon Ball Super episode “Conquer the Terrifying Foes! Krillin’s Fighting Spirit Rebounds!”
In this episode, Krillin has to confront illusions of the Z Fighters’ past enemies. While initially scared stiff and unable to stop comparing himself to Goku, he eventually learns to calm down. He even has to save Goku, further proving to himself that he is able to be useful to his best friend.
In order for Krillin to unlock new powers, he had to come to a major realization about himself.
Therefore, using our Red Ribbon Army scenario, here’s how a Super Saiyan Krillin could be possible:
- For his whole life, the Red Ribbon Army has told Saiyan Krillin that he is weak and must become stronger than Goku
- He fights Goku, determined to beat him, but unable
- Goku offers his friendship
- Krillin learns that the Red Ribbon Army has been lying to him. His mission to defeat Goku is a lie.
- Furthermore, he realizes that he has been deprived of friendship his entire life
- Realizing all this, and angered that he has been a tool for the Red Ribbon Army, his anger causes him to power up
- Goku coaches him on how to transform into Super Saiyan
Could Super Saiyan Krillin Become a Villain?
Ever since the very first time Krillin met Goku, he has always had a bit of a jealousy-streak for those who are better than him. Even Earthling Krillin becoming a cop is just cope for him not being able to keep up with Goku and the other fighters.
So, if Krillin had Saiyan blood, he would develop an ego just as every Saiyan does when they become Super. And that ego can be very destructive. When Gohan became SSJ2, his ego created his downfall—his actions got his father killed, and Gohan didn’t allow himself to become that strong ever again.
When Krillin becomes Super Saiyan, his ego would most likely be fueled by comparing himself to stronger Saiyans. In a way, Krillin as a Saiyan would become a lot like Vegeta, but for different reasons.
If Krillin became a villain, it would likely look a lot like how it did when Majin Vageta was fighting Goku.
How He Would Beat Goku
Shortly after Super Saiyan Krillin awakens, he would destroy his creators at the Red Ribbon Army. Then, with his Super Saiyan ego controlling his behavior, he would turn his aggression toward Goku.
It would begin as just a sparring match between friends, but as the tensions rise and Krillin’s desire to win takes over, he would become more ruthless. Krillin would eventually use his skills as a tactician to blindside Goku in a nearly fatal move, thus defeating him.
The only way to defeat Super Saiyan Krillin would actually be with the help of Vegeta. Krillin can be cunning, but Vegeta is much more intelligent. He has much more experience using his ego to win battles, even without Ultra Ego. Krillin wouldn’t be able to compete. Vegeta would call him a fake Saiyan the whole time and it would be epic.
How the rest of the battle goes would be up in the air. Since Goku can’t truly ever be defeated, it might turn out that Krillin manages to defeat Vegeta at the last minute, forcing Goku to intervene after recovering. Otherwise, I could easily see Vegeta as being the one to put Krillin in his place.
Conclusion
So there you have it!
Super Saiyan Krillin is entirely plausible, and it’s only a matter of time until he appears in an episode of Dragon Ball Heroes to defeat Goku.
Although my cousin from Ecuador may have been lying to me, the power of Super Saiyan Krillin is real.
Think I’m wrong? Let me know in the comments section and I’ll battle you.
About the author
Chad Davis is a fiction writer and author of the satirical novel, The Kimochi Warui Diary. You can find him on the internet writing absolute horseshit for laughs and trying to sell jpegs for way more than they’re worth.