Half-Saiyan, half-Earthling hybrid

[Rocketman]

Genetics don't work that way.

Genetics also say that different species can't produce viable offspring, or any offspring at all in most cases.

[Xyex]

but my own personal memory tells me this statement comes from the GT Perfect Files, which Bird Studio/Toriyama had almost no influence over?

Yeah. It was Toei and the Perfect Files that claim the dilluted blood with Pan (then they turn around and make Goku Jr. an SSJ, oi). Toriyama just said he couldn't think of a way to draw them so he didn't.

The only way it can work is if the Super Saiyan trait is on the Y chromesome. But that doesn't make any sense, because you don't automatically get different genes when you ascend.

Says who? Do you know what SSJ is? Do you know how it works? Do you know what effects it has on the body (aside from the obvious). If their genes don't chage why does their eye and hair color change?

I look at SSJ as either an instant-mutation or auto-evolution mechanism. When the form is reached the body, due to stress placed on it (physical and or mental) mutates/evolves in response resulting in the SSJ form. A residual element, the 'trigger', remains behind after for reversion to normal. This 'trigger' then enables the Saiya-jin transform back and forth between states. If the 'trigger' is encoded into the genetic information that is then passed along any children of those in possesion of the 'trigger' will also have the power to transform.

[Ex-Dubbie369]

I look at SSJ as either an instant-mutation or auto-evolution mechanism. When the form is reached the body, due to stress placed on it (physical and or mental) mutates/evolves in response resulting in the SSJ form. A residual element, the 'trigger', remains behind after for reversion to normal. This 'trigger' then enables the Saiya-jin transform back and forth between states. If the 'trigger' is encoded into the genetic information that is then passed along any children of those in possesion of the 'trigger' will also have the power to transform.

This would be a good explanation of why a Saiya-jin doesn't have to get royally pissed off to transform every time.

[Onikage725]

I look at SSJ as either an instant-mutation or auto-evolution mechanism. When the form is reached the body, due to stress placed on it (physical and or mental) mutates/evolves in response resulting in the SSJ form. A residual element, the 'trigger', remains behind after for reversion to normal. This 'trigger' then enables the Saiya-jin transform back and forth between states. If the 'trigger' is encoded into the genetic information that is then passed along any children of those in possesion of the 'trigger' will also have the power to transform.

Technically, any children "may" have the power to transform. While I don't think this myself, it is possible that the SSJ gene was recessive and that Pan drew the short straw. But it would still be possible for her to pass it on, and if her kid married someone who had two recessive genes, the SSJ gene could have expressed itself again in Goku Jr. I'm over-simplifying that to a great deal, and probably screwing it up a bit, but that's one theory.

I don't personally like it because Vegeta Jr. having the same power would just be highly coincidental if it was that random.

Whatever the cause, the application seems, to me, to be about ki channeling. Eventually a warrior maxes out. The body can only channel so much. Though the characters do seem to keep improving even in lower states, that's over great spans of time. SSJ basically seems to be a Saiyan of sufficient power and mental clarity basically saying "screw the rules, I need more power." In response, the body is altered to be a more efficient machine.

Honestly, I think all Saiyans (including Pan) have the potential. I don't even think the pure of heart thing is right. I think that just refers to a state of mind and focus. A certain degree of power is required, which most Saiyans never achieved until the series began. Pan should have that power, since she put down Goten at the tournament (though one could argue that Goten likely held back against his little niece). Making the change seems to itself be a state of mind. Why else would Goku and Gohan spend so much effort trying to get rid of an "uneasy" feeling? It gets progressively easier, kind of like learning a complicated move in a fighting game. You either pull it off by accident in the heat of combat or after practice from reading the sequence. You screw it up at first. Then you do it, and it clicks, and soon the move is like second nature.