Namekian Assimilation and certain power-ups restructuring Chi

Evil Vegeta

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Something else I stumbled across recently that I'd like to talk about.

During the Namek saga, we see our first example of assimilation:

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According to Nail, this was nothing more than a power-up. He didn't have an effect on his personality or anything like that.

Despite that, his Chi-signature seemed to have a significant change as well:

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I'm not sure if this was because he was vastly more powerful or because assimilating Nail made him into a somewhat different being. Possibly both. Goku's first thought was that it was Piccolo, but seemed to think it was unlikely because of how powerful he was. I'll just say Piccolo's extreme power-up might be why his Chi was unknown to Goku.

Goku's an interesting one here. The power-up he experienced seemed to change his Chi entirely:

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It doesn't sound like a typical "you have much more power than before" kinda quote. Krillin basically speaks about Goku as if his Chi-signature changed to the point where he seemed like a different being.

Vegeta's quote seems more typical in this instance, though he knows Goku is way more powerful than before:

qpGdAkj.png


Seems like acquiring a huge power-up alone can completely alter one's Chi.

Now fast-forward to the Android saga. Assimilation returns again. This time, however, it's a more significant type of assimilation. Piccolo and Kami were returning whole again, which was more than just a simple boost in power.

Once Piccolo unleashed his power:

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As we can see, Piccolo's Chi appeared to be unknown to everyone after merging with Kami. Krillin was able to put 2 and 2 together once he realized there was no one else that could've been at that level. Trunks, Vegeta, and even #16 were unable to recognize Piccolo's Chi.

#16 in particular puts further emphasis on Piccolo's change before the fight with #17:

7oqi6QP.jpg


Instead of just noting Piccolo's change in power like he did with Post-Rosat Vegeta, #16 considers him a different entity altogether. This is an instance where his radar seemed like actual Chi-sensing. So unlike the Nail assimilation, the Kami assimilation appeared to be far more significant than power alone. Piccolo basically transformed into a new being.

Gohan's another example of this. Old Kaioshin's ritual brought his dormant power to its limits and took it far beyond that. The end result was a ridiculously powerful Gohan that had all of his power available in Base. The ritual also altered his Chi:

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Like Piccolo's assimilation with Kami, the power-up seemed to have a much deeper effect than power. Piccolo knew Gohan since he was a little kid and even he could barely tell it was him. Goten didn't seem to react to this change, but he's just a kid. Everything about the ritual seemed non-serious and hilarious when it was taking place, so it's kinda funny seeing how the end result created a more serious Gohan.

I like the concept of a character's Chi changing through unique processes like assimilations, rituals, zenkais, and transformations. Most of the time the emphasis is on power alone, but we can see that this isn't always the main focus.
 

GreatSaiyaman123

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http://www.dbzeta.net/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=11998 :troll

But i agree overall. Merging seems to not only power up Piccolo, but change him as well. Piccolo's character even changed a lot after his fusions, along with his ki signature. I think #16 saying Kamiccolo wasn't Piccolo because of how strong he got in such a small portion of time.
 

The_Authority

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The whole ki thing (which Viz uses as chi for some unknown reason) is confusing, but I don't like overthinking it. I think that there is something to a ki signature, but I think when they talk about, "Whoa, that's impossible!" and whatnot, they're just saying that there was a rapid increase that they're surprised about. I don't put too much stock in any of these quotes and look at them as pretty much fluff dialog that demonstrates that there was a power increase.

By the by, where'd you come up on such clean scans of Viz?
 

ahill1

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Man, this is a rather good breakdown... your breakdown/analysis on a certain situation is one of the best things ever. I also really like how you always use the images/scans from the manga and not just quotes... it makes up for a nicer and more comprehensible post imo. You and KP should take the awards as better analystis (is that even a word?).


BTW, to sum up my thoughts on this, I think the Nail-similation was a situation where there was just a power increase (as far as Chi goes, since Piccolo inherited some of Nail's knowledge) and that the characters reacted based on that -- the sudden power increase. The same applies to Goku's power up post healing up as well, the power up was so huge that they didn't even recognize him as well. Also, I haven't recently checked, but iirc Kuririn also seemingly commented something like this when Goku defeated the three members of the Ginyu Tokusentai, wondering if he were really Goku. You can actually check it though.

But, like you also said, I think the Nail's assimilation as well as Gohan's power unlock had a deeper change on his chi... granted that, regarding post Kami Piccolo, Trunks' comment, as well as Vegeta's comment could be chalked up to Piccolo simply getting a lot more powerful in that brief time frame, but #16 also stating that wasn't Piccolo when this latter was right in front of him -- despite not stating anything of the sort when Vegeta showcased a way more considerable increase in an also short amount of time -- tells me there was also kind of a change in how Piccolo's chi was felt in general and that #16's radar was built in a way it could get a feeling for a change in a chi signature, just like how Kuririn knew a mysterious being approaching wasn't Vegeta because it didn't feel like an evil chi.

Either that, or #16 simply didn't fathom Piccolo getting that much of an increase whereas Vegeta doing so wasn't that much strange to him (it was strange, but maybe not to the point of wondering if he were Vegeta) because Vegeta was likely to get a way more considerable increase by virtue of being a Saiyajin... *Shrugs*.


And shush!! The_Authority , Chi is way cooler than Ki.
 

Evil Vegeta

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Thanks bro. I try to make these topics that aren't really discussed too often. Those are usually my fav things to talk about.

Also, you're right. Krillin does say something similar to Goku after thrashing Butta:

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