If Gohan was SS1 against Dabra...

[Future Warrior]

Chapter: 471 (DBZ 277), P10.2-4
Kaioshin: “I want Gohan to use the Z Sword to defeat Majin Boo. Knowing him, he should definitely be able to use it.”
Kibito: “A-are you serious, Lord Kaioshin…?!! There’s no way that some human would be able to use the Z Sword!! That legendary sword which not merely myself, but numerous Kaioshins were utterly unable to handle…”
Kaioshin: “You were dead, Kibito, so you didn’t get to see Gohan here’s unbelievably tremendous power.”

How would you explain this?

 

[GreatSaiyaman123]

Kaioshin saw Gohan going toe to toe with the King Demon, launching a powerful beam on Buu's shell and kicking Buu's fat face. Damn, it's possible the Kamehameha was even stronger than Gohan's SSJ2.
Kibito saw Gohan standing still.

 

[Future Warrior]

So SS1 Gohan > SS2 Gohan (Standing still)?

 

[Evil Vegeta]

I know a lot of people don't care for Super, but the Trunks/Dabra clash actually goes a long way in proving why Super Saiyan 2 Gohan makes more sense than Super Saiyan.

 

[GreatSaiyaman123]

@FW - Kind of. Most times you can't estimate someone's full power when they are just standing. Take Cold for an example: The Z Fighters grouped him with suppressed Cyborg Freeza who's implied to be weaker than his Organic 50%, but Freeza treats him as a big deal to help on the fight. It's way harder to measure someone's power when they are doing jack. The reputation of the guys Gohan faced also gives the feats a lot of weight.
It's possible SSjin 2 at the Budokai was retconed, but i really doubt.

@EV - Couldn't it just be future shenanigans making Dabura stronger? Only by traveling in time Trunks delayed Goku's illness, created 19 and 20 and powered up 17 and 18. I think the butterfly effect extented to Buu Arc, considering how he arrived earlier in the present as well.

 

[Future Warrior]

@FW - Kind of. Most times you can't estimate someone's full power when they are just standing. Take Cold for an example: The Z Fighters grouped him with suppressed Cyborg Freeza who's implied to be weaker than his Organic 50%, but Freeza treats him as a big deal to help on the fight. It's way harder to measure someone's power when they are doing jack. The reputation of the guys Gohan faced also gives the feats a lot of weight.
It's possible SSjin 2 at the Budokai was retconed, but i really doubt.

Why does he have to be weaker than 50% Freeza?

 

[ahill1]

Well, maybe even if Gohan's chi while standing still at the Budokai was bigger, Kaioshin couldn't get a sense of his power until he used it on battle. Maybe his chi sensing abilities were somewhat shitty and he had to see them in battle to better grasp what they are capable of. Kaioshin was also staggered at base Vegeta's power, even though [logically], base Vegeta should be <<< SSJ2 Gohan... so I think it's normal for him to see Gohan's SSJ1 power in a different way than his reaction at SSJ2's.

Either that, or there was a retcon... which also could explain Kaioshin's change of reaction... which was visible, unless he was surprised at Vegeta being strong in BASE, and wouldn't show this surprise if Vegeta showcased such power in SSJ2... meh.

 

[Let's Go Fearless!]

The story clearly pointed out that Gohan was a SSjin2 against Dabura and the fact that he needs to unleash his true power says it all.

 

[GreatSaiyaman123]

Why does he have to be weaker than 50% Freeza?

The best Gohan has seem of Freeza was his 50% but he was able to tell Cyborg Freeza was holding back.
A way better example that came to my mind right now about standing ki =/= battle ki is Saiyan Arc Vegeta. Piccolo didn't realize he was the stronger one until he yelled at Nappa, despire Vegeta not being able to supress at time.

Either that, or there was a retcon... which also could explain Kaioshin's change of reaction... which was visible, unless he was surprised at Vegeta being strong in BASE, and wouldn't show this surprise if Vegeta showcased such power in SSJ2... meh.

He does mention holding Gohan at the Budokai after Yakon is killed, though.

 

[Let's Go Fearless!]

I know a lot of people don't care for Super, but the Trunks/Dabra clash actually goes a long way in proving why Super Saiyan 2 Gohan makes more sense than Super Saiyan.

Agreed, it also makes sense that Trunks need SSjin2 to beat Dabura as well.

 

[Evil Vegeta]

You can chalk it up to time traveling shenanigans, but I feel like there's already too much hinting at Gohan being a Super Saiyan 2.

Gohan and Dabra are around the same level, but Goku seemed to think Gohan was at a disadvantage. Before Gohan and Kaioshin leave, Goku urges Gohan to get angry and tap into his dormant power like he did against Cell so he wouldn't lose. Statement makes no sense if he still has Super Saiyan 2 available to use. It only makes sense if Gohan absolutely had to pull that off in order to win. Super Saiyan 2 itself apparently isn't enough if Gohan needs to become enraged.

Like I always say: Gohan was drawn as a Super Saiyan, but written as a Super Saiyan 2.

 

[withheldforprivacy]

Does anybody like my SSJ1.5 theory?

 

[ahill1]

Does anybody like my SSJ1.5 theory?

Spill the beans.

 

[withheldforprivacy]

Does anybody like my SSJ1.5 theory?

Spill the beans.

Because of his slacking off, Gohan couldn't fully access SSJ2. He was something
between SSJ1 and SSJ2, an SSJ1.5

 

[sei'taer]

Chapter: 471 (DBZ 277), P10.2-4
Kaioshin: “I want Gohan to use the Z Sword to defeat Majin Boo. Knowing him, he should definitely be able to use it.”
Kibito: “A-are you serious, Lord Kaioshin…?!! There’s no way that some human would be able to use the Z Sword!! That legendary sword which not merely myself, but numerous Kaioshins were utterly unable to handle…”
Kaioshin: “You were dead, Kibito, so you didn’t get to see Gohan here’s unbelievably tremendous power.”

How would you explain this?

Kaioshin was absolutely flabbergasted with buu's power when he hatched. None of the saiyans were impressed, even gohan.

It's just kaioshin being kaioshin.

 

[Captain Cadaver]

Regardless of what form Gohan was using, Kibito's statements kill make no sense. He'd already seen SS2 Gohan and was shocked at his power, so acting as though he was a trash mortal in any way was absurd and hard to refute as a retcon or CIS.

 

[Future Warrior]

The fact that Kaioshin directly mentioned Gohan's power from the tournament as being just the tip of the iceberg proves it wasn't a retcon.

 

[Let's Go Fearless!]

Not only it was not retcon but it proved that Gohan needs to get angry to achieve his CG SSjin2 counterpart in order to defeat Dabura something that his ordinary SSjin2 couldn't do.

 

[GreatSaiyaman123]

Why he can't get angry as a SSJ2?

 

[Let's Go Fearless!]

Why he can't get angry as a SSJ2?

My bad, edited.