Dragon Ball: 8 Strongest Next-Gen Saiyans Who Can Surpass Goku & Vegeta

Passing the torch onto the next generation is one of the main things that defines Dragon Ball as a franchise. From as early as the World Tournament Saga, Master Roshi was stressing the importance of the next generation surpassing the last, and training Goku and Krillin to one day take over as Earth's greatest martial artists. This theme gets explored even deeper when Dragon Ball Z eventually introduces Gohan, and the series even ends with Goku training Uub to become his successor, bringing Master Roshi's teachings full circle.

Although Goku and Vegeta have reclaimed their spots as two of the strongest warriors in the multiverse in Dragon Ball Super, the idea of the next generation being better than the last still rings true – especially when it comes to the Saiyans. Goku, Vegeta, and Broly's generation is absurdly powerful, but the Saiyans who have come after have even greater potential. The Next Generation Saiyans in Dragon Ball are destined to one day surpass Goku and Vegeta thanks to their incredible power and potential – some are already even stronger.

8 Pan Has the Potential to Become Dragon Ball's Strongest Character

Of all the next generation Saiyans, Pan has far and away the most potential. At three years old, Pan is already stronger and more skilled then Gohan was at four years old at the start of Dragon Ball Z. She takes her training with Piccolo very seriously, as seen in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, and has more than enough power to take on Earth’s strongest soldiers.

With just a bit more training, Pan will not only catch up to the Z-Fighters, but end up surpassing the Earthlings (if she hasn't already). As a baby, Pan’s Ki was so immense, she naturally knew how to fly. In Dragon Ball Z’s Peaceful World Saga, she ends up being strong enough to defeat Goten during the 28th Tenkaichi Budokai, making it clear she's stronger than even some Hybrid Saiyans.

7 Goten Was the Youngest Super Saiyan in History

Like his brother Gohan, Goten has so much natural talent and potential, but he fails to live up to it. In the Majin Buu Saga, Goten was introduced as the youngest Super Saiyan in history, and had a Power Level that already rivaled Gohan’s. Unfortunately, Goten grows up not particularly caring about martial arts.

By Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, Goten can't even turn Super Saiyan anymore. Fortunately, the Dragon Ball Super manga retcons this detail. The fact Goten is as strong as he is without training is still a testament to his natural strength. He could be stronger than Goku if he wanted to, but at this point, Goten is more interested in going on dates and playing superheroes with Trunks.

6 Teen Trunks is Falling Behind His Future Counterpart

Trunks and Goten very briefly represented the potential of the next generation in Dragon Ball Z. During the Majin Buu Saga, Goku ultimately bets on Goten and Trunks fusing into Gotenks to stop Majin Buu, but this backfires horribly. While the duo are naturally strong, they're undisciplined and just aren't natural fighters like Goku or Vegeta.

Trunks used to be slightly stronger than Goten, but he's fallen to around his best friend’s level as a teenager. Teen Trunks is by no means weak, but based on how powerful Future Trunks has gotten, Trunks could become a God Tier Saiyan if he trained seriously. Unfortunately, he's just not motivated by martial arts, having grown up in a peaceful timeline.

5 Cabba Was Universe 6's First Super Saiyan

Cabba may not stack up to the full Godly might of Goku and Vegeta, but his base form is extremely powerful. Without ever unlocking any transformations of his own, Cabba could have defeated virtually every single villain from Dragon Ball Z himself. Upon becoming a Super Saiyan, Cabba's Power Level shoots up to around a version of Super Saiyan Vegeta who's fresh off training with Whis to master God Ki.

In the Dragon Ball Super anime's Tournament of Power, Cabba even unlocks Super Saiyan 2, making him that much stronger. Given how relative Cabba's Power Level already is to Goku and Vegeta, unlocking God Ki would allow him to actually surpass the Universe 7 Saiyans. Right down to Vegeta taking him on as his disciple, Cabba is living proof of the next generation's potential in Dragon Ball.

4 Caulifla is Basically Universe 6's Version of Goku

Champa may have selected Cabba to fight for Universe 6 during the Tournament of Destroyers, but that's only because Caulifla wasn't on his radar. Caulifla is a lower class Universe 6 Saiyan who shares a lot in common with Goku. Both are prodigies, both love martial arts, and both can instinctively learn just about any technique just by observing it. Case in point: Caulifla effortlessly learns how to turn Super Saiyan thanks to Cabba's intrusions.

During the Dragon Ball Super anime's Tournament of Power, Goku even takes Caulifla under his wing and starts coaching her on how to unlock new forms. By the end of the tournament, Caulifla has already triggered Super Saiyan Grade 3 and Super Saiyan 2, and is well on her way to unlocking Super Saiyan 3. Like Vegeta, Caulifla has the potential to tap into God Ki without the God Ritual, so if she ever appears again, she'll be stronger than ever.

3 Future Trunks Has Trained His Whole Life to Protect His Timeline

Future Trunks has spent his entire life fighting and training to stop any threats to his timeline. He, alongside Gohan, represent the next generation's potential during the Cell Saga, but Future Trunks really comes into his own during Dragon Ball Super. In-between the end of DBZ and start of Dragon Ball Super, Future Trunks not only unlocks Super Saiyan 2, but masters it so well, his Power Level ends up rivaling Super Saiyan 3 Goku's.

At the end of the Dragon Ball Super anime's version of the Goku Black Saga, Future Trunks unlocks Super Saiyan Rage, a version of Super Saiyan Blue he gains access to after absorbing some of Vegeta's God Ki when the two trained together. Super Saiyan Rage Future Trunks is fast and strong enough to cut Fused Zamasu in two. The only reason he doesn't save his timeline right then and there is because of Zamasu's immortality, but power-wise, Future Trunks becomes a God Tier warrior on his own merit.

2 Kale's Power is Limitless

Kale is Universe 6's Legendary Super Saiyan and their version of Broly. Naturally, she is extremely powerful regardless of the continuity. In the Dragon Ball Super anime, only Jiren was actually powerful enough to stop Kale's rampage. She even manages to defeat Super Saiyan Blue Goku in a fight. In the Dragon Ball Super manga, nobody actually beats Kale, and she's only stopped thanks to Cabba putting a Potara Earring on her.

Even then, Manga Kale ends up eliminating most of the Tournament of Power's fighters all by herself. Kale isn't as ferociously powerful as Broly is, but she's still a Legendary Super Saiyan. By training and eventually mastering her form, she has the potential to become the single most powerful being in Universe 6. A big reason Kefla is so strong is specifically because of just how astronomically high Kale's Power Level is.

1 Gohan is the Most Powerful Z-Fighter in the Series

Like other next generation Saiyans from Dragon Ball Z, Gohan had a bit of a fall from grace in Dragon Ball Super. Unlike his fellow Saiyans, however, Gohan has since reclaimed his spot as the strongest Z-Fighter. By unlocking his Beast transformation at the end of Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, Gohan finally surpassed both Goku and Vegeta for the first time since the Cell Games.

Gohan Beast is a warrior unlike any other. On top of killing Cell Max, Gohan Beast also defeated both Perfected Ultra Instinct Goku and True Legendary Super Saiyan Broly in a fight. Whis is so impressed with Gohan's power, that he even suggests to Beerus that he one day replace him as Universe 7's God of Destruction. With Gohan once again on top, Dragon Ball has firmly embraced the notion that the next generation will always surpass the last.