Super's Biggest Wasted Potential

[Captain Cadaver]

It goes without saying Super had plenty of ideas that were bad from the start such as stripping permanent repercussions away from all arcs but the Future Trunks Arc by taking place prior to Z's ending or future timelines making it apparent the Moro Arc was a story that should be impossible to happen. However, there were some elements that may have appeared good on paper and were only held back by poor execution. What would you say is the idea that could've been the greatest addition had it not been for shoddy writing?

My choice is quite fitting as it was also the biggest in scope - the multiverse. Specifically, this is in the disappointing way the Tournament of Power presented them. Having alternate universes and establishing that only certain pairings such as 6 and 7 were similar to each other gave Toriyama and co. the reins to be as creative as they wanted and for Toriyama to let his random ideas and interests as a writer flow in a manner to how he did in early DB and the Boo Arc. Instead, we get teams far less varied in abilities than the U7 team and most of which are all just part of one big gimmick such as Universe 2 being all about the power of love or Universe 3 being Machine Mutant wannabes. Universe 9's Trio De Dangers had the most unique aspects going for them compared to the others, and even that's not saying much when that only amounts to growing YUGE, literally being toxic and...shooting Ki blasts from the feet as though everybody forgot Goku could do that.

The 12 Universes could've been an interesting experiment in world building that'd result in a far more consistent method of power escalation if paced evenly in their exploration than the plot holes and contrivances that came from Zamasu, DBS Broly and Moro's existences. Just goes to show how Old Meng 's run out of ways to keep his ideas interesting.

 

[Pocket-Gog~]

Its literally just the 12 universes that were good. Even dumb shit like Spirit Control would've made more sense if it was an ability in another universe.

 

[Southern Gothic]

For me, it's Fukatsu no F. The idea of bringing Freeza back is something you are either going to love or hate. Good writing won't change much in that regard. I was personally OK with it. Freeza is the staple villain of the series so going back to the well one more time isn't really that surprising, though I do admit the move was a cheap and uninspired one, as it is in most areas of fiction where a character is recycled do to popularity rather than inspiration.

The part where I thought the ball was really dropped was in exploring Freeza's power and the idea of him training. We really could have had a chance to see him struggle with pushing himself, having spent his whole life being spoiled, entitled, and having been born with that sort of enormous power. Having Freeza forcing himself to train when he doesn't feel like it, experience pain when he isn't use to it, could have brought a new dynamic to his character.

Admittedly, this would have been borrowing from Vegeta's character a bit, although Vegeta did fight and train so laziness was never a problem for him. Freeza, however, was pampered, so us as the audience getting to watch him blast away at an asteroid field or actually figuring out his new form had a lot of potential.

Instead, we got Freeza just assuming he needed for months to train and seeing nothing of it. All we saw was him nonchalantly picking on Togama, who ended up having a better reason for growing in power by the end of it than Freeza did.

 

[Captain Cadaver]

Its literally just the 12 universes that were good. Even dumb shit like Spirit Control would've made more sense if it was an ability in another universe.

Yeah, I was going to make mention of how varied the power system could've become. Might have alleviated the contrivances of things such as the God ritual, teamwork/skill suddenly meaning so much, etc. yet all this goes to waste almost immediately when it's made apparent in the Goku VS Hit fight that you just need to power up to overcome any sort of hax technique. Who needs strategy or any sort of critical thinking when you can just scream until the plot gives you the reverse uno card?

 

[Future Warrior]

Divine Ki. It's a good concept that I'd say had held off well during the Battle of Gods arc by giving it it's own identity. However, as time went on it's apparent that there's practically no difference between God Ki users and normal Ki users besides the former not being sensed (which never plays a role in a battle), and is instead used an excuse for Goku and Vegeta to gain new colorful Super Saiyan forms.

The concept of an Evil Kaioshin is a pretty damn cool, but unfortunately is bogged down by the Future Trunks arc lackluster writing. I'd say it'd be a lot better if we just had the story taking place in the main timeline. No Future Trunks means no timeline shenanigans.

 

[Pocket-Gog~]

The part where I thought the ball was really dropped was in exploring Freeza's power and the idea of him training. We really could have had a chance to see him struggle with pushing himself, having spent his whole life being spoiled, entitled, and having been born with that sort of enormous power. Having Freeza forcing himself to train when he doesn't feel like it, experience pain when he isn't use to it, could have brought a new dynamic to his character.

I'd actually argue that might've been a retcon. Because Freeza implied in his fight against Goku on Namek that he might've trained with his father.

 

[Fantastische Hure]

King Cold disciplined him.

 

[Southern Gothic]

The part where I thought the ball was really dropped was in exploring Freeza's power and the idea of him training. We really could have had a chance to see him struggle with pushing himself, having spent his whole life being spoiled, entitled, and having been born with that sort of enormous power. Having Freeza forcing himself to train when he doesn't feel like it, experience pain when he isn't use to it, could have brought a new dynamic to his character.

I'd actually argue that might've been a retcon. Because Freeza implied in his fight against Goku on Namek that he might've trained with his father.

Even if he did, I don't think a quote serves as a worthy substitution for getting a glimpse into what unfolded during that four month period. Even if Freeza outright and plainly stated that he trained with his father, that's not enough to reform our existing perception of his character. Watching him do serious training against his better instincts would have added a lot for me.

 

[Captain Cadaver]

Divine Ki. It's a good concept that I'd say had held off well during the Battle of Gods arc by giving it it's own identity. However, as time went on it's apparent that there's practically no difference between God Ki users and normal Ki users besides the former not being sensed (which never plays a role in a battle), and is instead used an excuse for Goku and Vegeta to gain new colorful Super Saiyan forms.

It also doesn't help that in its own arc, it damages a lot of aspects of the series power system.

Comparing it to GT's implementation of a new Super Saiyan form, SS4, it doesn't work that well. SS4 was the combination of two elements of the power system being combined and the unique conditions for it made it apparent why it'd never been used prior, not to mention a Saiyan need to be rational in their most primitive form making it seem more earned. Compare this to Super Saiyan God, of which brings in a new system that only had very slight retroactive foreshadowing through the Boo Arc and is utilised through such a cheap method as holding hands that would make anyone question why Gohan, Goten and Trunks didn't give themselves a power buff through it.

 

[Papasmurf]

The whole god tier bullshit is probably its biggest wasted potential (or rather, a misused plot point). It's introduced as a tier nobody can reach on their own in the Beerus arc, only to turn into nothing special when Freeza surpasses SSJG just by training for a few months, followed by other fighters like Gohan reaching it through pretty run of the mill training/improvements. Really lackluster for what was originally perceived as an entirely different realm of power. That and the fact that SSJG is so easily available should they have the right number of Saiyans, yet we never see anyone but Goku (and probably Vegeta) benefit from the ritual. Why couldn't they just make it so that someone who's already become Super Saiyan God/Blue can't partake in the ritual to explain why the half-Saiyans never turned SSJG?