What if Super Saiyan 4 replaced Ultra Instinct in Super?

[t0ffe3m4n]

Had this random thought earlier.

Assume for a second that GT, and therefore Super Saiyan 4, never happened.

If we were given a scenario similar to the events in GT that lead up to the transformation taking place (Old Kai's idea about 'forcing' Goku's tail to grow back > Goku gets his tail back in the lead up to the ToP > Goku gets stronger but is still whomped on by Jiren > Just as things get desperate Goku goes Oozaru > Eventually regains control and goes Super Saiyan 4) what would people's thoughts on that be given the benefit of hindsight and how it would potentially fit into Super's narrative?

I personally think it would've been a far more hype moment than Ultra Instinct, but that's trying my best to apply as much ignorance as possible to the scenario. I know Super has largely revolved around the whole 'gods and mortals' narrative and therefore UI would probably make more sense from that perspective, but when you consider that a narrative also exists around the presence of the U6 Saiyans it wouldn't come entirely out of left-field either. It could've even opened up the possibly of diving deeper into it's origins at some point.

[Chuquita]

Only if there's no furry arms/chests. Ssj4's wild black hair and yellow (or blue) irises are cool, but I am not a fan of those fuzzy red arms/chests.

[SupremeKai25]

I know Super has largely revolved around the whole 'gods and mortals' narrative and therefore UI would probably make more sense from that perspective

Yes, i would say that this is the main reason behind the choice of Ultra Instinct over Super Saiyan 4. Every single arc of Super revolves somehow around the Gods. This is blatant in the Battle of Gods and Future Trunks arcs, where the main antagonists are, respectively, a God of Destruction and a God of Creation. Therefore, Ultra Instinct makes a lot of sense; it is a technique even Gods fail to attain and master, so Goku unlocking that divine technique is yet another progress in the mortals' struggle to reach the realm of the deities.

Whereas Super Saiyan 4... i mean, it would not have had a lot of foreshadowing throughout the series like Ultra Instinct did (think of the extensive training of Goku and Vegeta with Whis), it wouldn't revolve around the recurring theme of 'mortals trying to reach the realm of the Gods' that has defined Super since the beginning.

Although the implications of your scenario would be quite fascinating. For example, if Goku grew his tail back before his body is taken by Zamasu using the Super Dragon Balls, then Goku Black would also have access to the Oozaru form and Super Saiyan 4... and there are also several fan-arts that depict Goku Black and Fused Zamasu either as an Oozaru or as a Super Saiyan 4. So it would be an interesting scenario. But i still think it wouldn't make a lot of sense in the ongoing storyline of Dragon Ball Super.

[buutenks]

IDk, ssj4 is basically more powahhh!!!!! Like all ssj forms. UI is more power but with auto dodge and soon proly perfect auto attack, which makes it awesome IMO.

[Black Hawk]

I love GT way too much to think of any other response than absolute affirmation and a repressed fangirl squeal merely at the thought of that having happened.

It also would have been nice to see a purely mortal form match these deity level and above deity level characters. Plus, with the size boost that Super Saiyajin 4 gives, Gokū and Jiren might have been exactly the same height (minus Gokū's hair). A face-to-face staredown between SSJ4 Gokū and Jiren would have been sorry I had to repress another squeal.