History of characters considered the strongest

[Polyphase Avatron]

I'm trying to put together a timeline/list of characters who, at one point in the progression of the series, were considered the strongest character known. This is what I have so far:

1. Goku (initial few chapters)
2. Roshi (after he is introduced)
3. Taopaipai (solidly defeated Goku when Roshi had to struggle to do so)
4. Karin (Clearly superior to Goku and Taopaipai)
5. Tenshinhan (beat the now-stronger Goku, although I'm not sure if there was any clear indication he was stronger than Karin)
6. Piccolo Daimao (pretty clearly the strongest villain so far)
7. Mr. Popo (Goku needed help to beat Piccolo Daimao but still managed to do well against him, but Mr. Popo defeated him easily)
8. Kami (Mr. Popo said he was stronger than him and he finger-flicked Goku)
9. Piccolo Jr. (defeated Kami)
10. Goku (defeated Piccolo Jr.)
11. Raditz (defeated Goku and Piccolo)
12. King Yemma (defeated Raditz)
13. Kaio (stronger than King Yemma)
14. Vegeta (stronger than Nappa and Kaio)
15. Freeza (Goku needed a lot of help to beat Vegeta and never overpowered his Oozaru form, so Freeza is the next one known to be definitely stronger)
16. SSJ1 Goku (beat Freeza)
17. SSJ1 Vegeta (Goku was doing fine against 19 and 20 until his disease, Vegeta was stated to be stronger)
18. Android 17 (stated to be stronger than 18 who beat SSJ1 Vegeta, also equal to Kami/Piccolo)
19. Imperfect Cell after absorbing humans (much stronger than 17 and Piccolo, equal to but beat 16)
20. Semi-Perfect Cell (Much stronger than 16 and 18)
21. USSJ Vegeta (clearly above Semi-Perfect Cell)
22. USSJ Trunks (stronger than Vegeta)
23. Perfect Cell (beat Vegeta and Trunks)
24. SSJ2 Gohan (stronger than Perfect and Super Perfect Cell)
25. SSJ2 Goku (Vegeta stated that he was stronger than his son was against Cell, had this power before Vegeta gained the Majin boost to match him)
26. Fat Buu (beat SSJ2 Majin Vegeta)
27. SSJ3 Goku (had the advantage over Fat Buu)
28. Super Buu (Clearly above SSJ3 Goku)
29. SSJ3 Gotenks (had the advantage over Super Buu until his transformation and fusion wore off)
30. Chou Gohan (beat Super Buu, stated to be stronger than SSJ3 Gotenks)
31. Buutenks (stronger than Chou Gohan)
32. Buuhan (stronger than Buutenks)
33. Vegito (stronger than Buuhan)

After here it splits into separate continuities.

GT Continuity:

34. SSJ4 Goku (I believe he was stated to be as strong or stronger than Vegito somewhere)
35. Super 17 (beat SSJ4 Goku)
36. Syn Shenron (beat a stronger SSJ4 Goku)
37. Omega Shenron (stronger than Syn Shenron)
38. SSJ4 Gogeta (stronger than Omega Shenron)

BoG/RoF/Super continuity:

34. Beerus (Goku said that even fusing with Vegeta wouldn't let him win, pretty clearly above Vegito)
35. Whis (revealed to be stronger than Beerus)
36. Vados (stated to possibly be stronger than Whis)
37. Omni-King (stated to be the strongest in all of the universes)
38. Omni-King/Future Omni-King (tie)

[theherodjl]

5. Tenshinhan (beat the now-stronger Goku, although I'm not sure if there was any clear indication he was stronger than Karin)

Tenshinhan wasn't stronger than Goku, he only won their match because Goku had the misfortune of hitting a van and then the ground before he did. Up until that point the only advantage Tenshinhan had was the Kikoho and Goku dodged it, prior to that Goku put him on the ropes even when Ten used the Shiyoken.

[nickzambuto]

Goku and Ten went back and forth pretty on par. Ten was stronger and knew more techniques, but Goku was quicker both physically and mentally and came up with ways to counter all of Ten's techniques.

But the list is solid. I like seeing Goku's progression in this way.

[Michelle91]

GT Continuity:

34. SSJ4 Goku (I believe he was stated to be as strong or stronger than Vegito somewhere)

I remember reading that it was mention that the DBGT animanga said "After the two strongest people merge, they become the greatest master in the universe! Perhaps even stronger than Super Saiyan 4!".

[Jinzoningen MULE]

GT Continuity:

34. SSJ4 Goku (I believe he was stated to be as strong or stronger than Vegito somewhere)

Pretty sure that was the guide, I forget what the GT books were called. So take it with however much salt you will.

[Lord Beerus]

Man, this just further emphasises how terrible the power creep got once the Saiyan arc went into full swing.

[Lord Frieza]

Man, this just further emphasises how terrible the power creep got once the Saiyan arc went into full swing.

"Creep"! Its more like a marathon. I think it started to nose dive once we really go to see how strong Frieza was. At the start he's already ridiculously strong strong at 530'00, that fact alone is mind boggling when you considered the last final boss was only 18'000. Then you find out that his first forms power level is just a drop of water in the ocean that is his final forms power level! It at this point, when your heroes are so out classed that you need to invent zenkai, that all hope for the humans and to a lesser extent Piccolo was lost.

[apex_pretador]

I'm trying to put together a timeline/list of characters who, at one point in the progression of the series, were considered the strongest character known. This is what I have so far:
6. Piccolo Daimao (pretty clearly the strongest villain so far)
7. Mr. Popo (Goku needed help to beat Piccolo Daimao but still managed to do well against him, but Mr. Popo defeated him easily)

I once did a thread on the strongest characters on every planet at various points of time, included earth, namek etc. Maybe you want to check out.

Where in the blue hell is post god water goku?

Man, this just further emphasises how terrible the power creep got once the Saiyan arc went into full swing.

TBH power creep is full on beast mode in every arc, just remove the numbers from your mind, and you will realize.

[Lord Beerus]

Man, this just further emphasises how terrible the power creep got once the Saiyan arc went into full swing.

TBH power creep is full on beast mode in every arc, just remove the numbers from your mind, and you will realize.

But the Saiyan arc was responsible for introducing two things which fucked over many characters in the power hierarchy: Battle Powers and Multiplier Techniques/Attacks/Forms. It was game over for the human cast once it was revealed that Saiyans and other alien races could transform.

[apex_pretador]

Man, this just further emphasises how terrible the power creep got once the Saiyan arc went into full swing.

TBH power creep is full on beast mode in every arc, just remove the numbers from your mind, and you will realize.

But the Saiyan arc was responsible for introducing two things which fucked over many characters in the power hierarchy: Battle Powers and Multiplier Techniques/Attacks/Forms. It was game over for the human cast once it was revealed that Saiyans and other alien races could transform.

The only multiplier techniques were Kaioken and Ape form (introduced in as early as 1st arc).
Yeah, transformation made it game over, but TBH humans were never in the game, as seen in nappa vs humans, piccolo & Gohan, or Highly injured piccolo backhanding all humans and Kami.

[Michelle91]

For GT, I remember it was like this:

General Rildo (Goku mention him being stronger than Buu and Goku comment on how he was holding off his true power in his base form)
Bebi Vegeta (Goku said that his ki is the strongest that he has ever felt)
Ubb after fusing with Buu (Beat down Bebi Vegeta and only lost to PIS)
Golden Oozaru (Over power Bebi Vegeta)
SSj4 Goku (Took down Bebi Vegeta)
Golden Oozaru Bebi Vegeta (He was strong enough to defeat SSj4 Goku and Goku would have died if it was not for the help from others)
Super 17 (Absorbed Goku's 10x Kamehameha like it was nothing)
Yi Xing Long (Survived Full Power SSj4 Goku's Kamehameha. Super 17 would have died from it if it was not for his ki absorption)
Super Yi Xing Long (Goku said that he was the strongest person that he has ever met. Even Gohan said his ki is above any villain that they have fought)
SSj4 Gogeta (Stronger than Super Yi Xing Long)

[MaxZ]

only thing I'd really change is I'd put SSJ1 Gotenks on the list between SSJ3 Goku and Super Buu.

[Polyphase Avatron]

Updated following the most recent developments

[Gog]

I'm trying to put together a timeline/list of characters who, at one point in the progression of the series, were considered the strongest character known. This is what I have so far:

1. Goku (initial few chapters)
2. Roshi (after he is introduced)
3. Taopaipai (solidly defeated Goku when Roshi had to struggle to do so)
4. Karin (Clearly superior to Goku and Taopaipai)
5. Tenshinhan (beat the now-stronger Goku, although I'm not sure if there was any clear indication he was stronger than Karin)
6. Piccolo Daimao (pretty clearly the strongest villain so far)
7. Mr. Popo (Goku needed help to beat Piccolo Daimao but still managed to do well against him, but Mr. Popo defeated him easily)
8. Kami (Mr. Popo said he was stronger than him and he finger-flicked Goku)
9. Piccolo Jr. (defeated Kami)
10. Goku (defeated Piccolo Jr.)
11. Raditz (defeated Goku and Piccolo)
12. King Yemma (defeated Raditz)
13. Kaio (stronger than King Yemma)
14. Vegeta (stronger than Nappa and Kaio)
15. Freeza (Goku needed a lot of help to beat Vegeta and never overpowered his Oozaru form, so Freeza is the next one known to be definitely stronger)
16. SSJ1 Goku (beat Freeza)
17. SSJ1 Vegeta (Goku was doing fine against 19 and 20 until his disease, Vegeta was stated to be stronger)
18. Android 17 (stated to be stronger than 18 who beat SSJ1 Vegeta, also equal to Kami/Piccolo)
19. Imperfect Cell after absorbing humans (much stronger than 17 and Piccolo, equal to but beat 16)
20. Semi-Perfect Cell (Much stronger than 16 and 18)
21. USSJ Vegeta (clearly above Semi-Perfect Cell)
22. USSJ Trunks (stronger than Vegeta)
23. Perfect Cell (beat Vegeta and Trunks)
24. SSJ2 Gohan (stronger than Perfect and Super Perfect Cell)
25. SSJ2 Goku (Vegeta stated that he was stronger than his son was against Cell, had this power before Vegeta gained the Majin boost to match him)
26. Fat Buu (beat SSJ2 Majin Vegeta)
27. SSJ3 Goku (had the advantage over Fat Buu)
28. Super Buu (Clearly above SSJ3 Goku)
29. SSJ3 Gotenks (had the advantage over Super Buu until his transformation and fusion wore off)
30. Chou Gohan (beat Super Buu, stated to be stronger than SSJ3 Gotenks)
31. Buutenks (stronger than Chou Gohan)
32. Buuhan (stronger than Buutenks)
33. Vegito (stronger than Buuhan)

After here it splits into separate continuities.

GT Continuity:

34. SSJ4 Goku (I believe he was stated to be as strong or stronger than Vegito somewhere)
35. Super 17 (beat SSJ4 Goku)
36. Syn Shenron (beat a stronger SSJ4 Goku)
37. Omega Shenron (stronger than Syn Shenron)
38. SSJ4 Gogeta (stronger than Omega Shenron)

BoG/RoF/Super continuity:

34. Beerus (Goku said that even fusing with Vegeta wouldn't let him win, pretty clearly above Vegito)
35. Whis (revealed to be stronger than Beerus)
36. Vados (stated to possibly be stronger than Whis)
37. Omni-King (stated to be the strongest in all of the universes)
38. Omni-King/Future Omni-King (tie)

I'm annoyed that dbz had So. Much. Super sayians, were's the human, eh I guess Buu counts kinda?