Modern Dragon Ball has introduced multiple new iterations for a Super Saiyan to reach. First appearing in Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F', Super Saiyan Blue has become one of the dominant new forms in the anime franchise, crafting a non-linear transformation that stacks multiple separate forms together into one epic standard of power.
While being relatively new, Super Saiyan Blue has revealed some enigmatic elements to the Saiyan race's power potential. When looking at its history, we find that it not only behaves surprisingly similar to prior Super Saiyan states but also represents a sort of rebirth for the Saiyans as a whole. Here are five of Super Saiyan Blue's lesser-known facts.
Super Saiyan Blue Ki is Easier to Control than Super Saiyan 3
Ki control is an abstract concept in the Dragon Ball universe. Rather than being the raw power one can generate, it refers to how much energy is lost while maintaining a certain level of power. It's also determined by how much energy is expended with attacks and techniques. Super Saiyan 3 has fairly weak ki control, as the form unleashes a ton of energy and drains the Saiyan of strength.
Super Saiyan Blue is far stronger than Super Saiyan 3, yet somehow maintains a higher degree of ki control. This means a Super Saiyan Blue can more easily unleash short bursts of full power while using reduced strength, thus maximizing the form's potential.
A Saiyan Can Become Super Saiyan Blue Without Super Saiyan God
The Dragon Ball Super manga reveals that one can transform into a Super Saiyan Blue without ever unlocking the power of a Super Saiyan God. The secret: hardcore training. Much like other Super Saiyan transformations, this can be unlocked through sheer willpower. In this case, if a Saiyan trains until their abilities surpass that of a Super Saiyan God's raw power, they can enter into the Super Saiyan Blue state. This is how Goku Black achieves his transformation.
In this sense, Super Saiyan Blue becomes a very nonlinear form, allowing Saiyans to break the boundaries of Super Saiyan God-hood. It also indicates Super Saiyan God is an optional form that Saiyans seeking to unlock their true potential do not need to take. There is no indication, however, that either method of reaching Super Saiyan Blue makes the warrior inherently stronger. At the same time, it's almost impossible to do this without assistance from an outside force, making Super Saiyan Blue one of the most difficult forms to achieve.
Super Saiyan Blue and Super Saiyan Rosé are The Same Form
Super Saiyan Rosé is the exact same form as Super Saiyan Blue, just manifested differently. While many realize this while watching the Goku Black arc in Dragon Ball Super, the concept also suggests that Super Saiyan Blue is an inherently malleable form. Prior Super Saiyan transformations had variations, but none had alternate hair colors like this.
It begs the question: what makes Super Saiyan Blue so prone to variations? As we see, Super Saiyan Rosé is achieved by Goku Black training until he transforms into a new form. This indicates that, without the Super Saiyan God transformation, the blue coloring in the hair doesn't materialize properly.
Super Saiyan Blue Perfected State Goes Beyond The Base Form
The Dragon Ball Super manga shows the Super Saiyan Blue form perfected. The Perfected State is a point at which a Saiyan can control their Super Saiyan transformation perfectly. We first saw a variation of this during the Cell Saga where Goku and Gohan made Super Saiyan their base power level, which granted them power on par with Cell.
The same concept applies to Super Saiyan Blue. Perfected State is the form's fully mastered version, though it has not appeared yet in the Dragon Ball Super anime. In the manga, however, we see a more detailed exploration into Goku and Vegeta's training with the Super Saiyan Blue form. Not only that, but Goku achieves it fairly early on during the fight against Zamasu.
Then there's Super Saiyan Blue Evolved, a state even beyond Super Saiyan Blue that's more akin to Vegeta's Super Saiyan Second Grade transformation. Muscle mass increases and his aura becomes a shade darker. All of this shows that the Super Saiyan Blue form behaves similarly to prior transformations, with elevated forms and alternate states of being. There might be a Super Saiyan Blue 2 state down the road, though achieving that might be as challenging as it was for Gohan to become a Super Saiyan 2.
Super Saiyan Blue Hatches Upon First Activation
Unlike many other transformations in Dragon Ball, we never see a Saiyan become a Super Saiyan Blue on screen. That's reserved for the Dragon Ball Super manga, where the breakthrough appears in all its glory. First, white energy swallows up the Saiyan. Blue ki materializes around them like a shell -- and it must be splintered away for the Super Saiyan Blue to emerge fully formed.
This imagery is highly suggestive. In some ways, it serves as a parallel to the Saiyan coming into a new plateau of power, with non-linear transformation and ability. More than that, it illustrates the Super Saiyan being reborn in an intangible way. It's unknown if Super Saiyan Blue has a history in Universe 7 or not. Goku and Vegeta might very well be the first Super Saiyan Blues, making their emergence the birth of a new era.
While Super Saiyan Gods might exist and the Legendary Super Saiyan Broly demonstrates superior power to the Super Saiyan Blue, the emergence of the Super Saiyan Blue does harbor the next stage of Saiyan development and culture. If so, this egg imagery may contain far deeper meaning than initially believed.