What Does Madōshi Babidi’s Dark Magic Do To Someone Exactly?

[Steven Bloodriver]

Within the Babidi Saga of Dragon Ball Z, the likes of Madōshi Babidi was shown to be capable of using his Wicked Sorcerery to brainwash, and enslave those with cold black souls, but what does the diminutive Wizard exactly do? For preparing and getting people to become his followers?

[Grand Marshal 1]

That is an excellent question. Unfortunately, Dragon Ball hasn't elaborated enough on the term "magic" or "sorcery".

While in the current state of Dragon Ball (even more in Z) magic seems like something far-fetched without much significance, I think that beings like Babidi and Moro are essential in order to maintain the feel of danger, without the need for a simply, absolutely powerful being like Jiren.

That said, I kinda doubt that Babidi's abilities were 100% thought-out in the production of the Manga. He was a new villain. Someone who wasn't simply powerful. Unfortunately, he would only act as a tool to unvail the Saga's main antagonist, that being another powerful being (yet again).

Of course, Majin Buu has a long history and he is a product of magic, but he doesn't really stand up to that role. Being an entity related to sorcery with a deep bond. If you ask me, Babidi was wasted in an essense. Moro, is in my belief, Babidi's redo, if he was the main threat.

I went too far though.

Babidi is like the Devil. Once he gets into your head, he doesn't really brainwash you via promises. He instead gives you exactly what you want. For just a letter on your forehead, he will give you power. Power with which you will make your "dreams" come true. It is like (as I said) sealing a deal with the Devil. Kinda ironic if you ask me, as Dabura was Babidi's victim. And he was a Demon King.

So yeah. I don't know how magic works, but Babidi gives you power (I suspect power that he drained from all of his previous followers) in exchange for your services. He is a smart man though. It makes you think that you are in control. That you are doing what you want to do. It isn't brainwashing. It is the greatest plan.

If you have extreme will power, you can break free from his persuasionn, while still having the powers that he granted to you. This further proves that his magic isn't like a spell that can be broken.

[Lionel]

Do you mean to ask how Babidi's magic manipulation biologically compels the person to serve his whims? The Daizenshuu described how the manipulation element works by penetrating into the "heart crevices" of the person and then enslaving them. Neurologically, my first guess is that it has something to do with the neurotransmitter responsible for motivation, dopamine. Maybe Babidi's magic allows him to distort and manipulate that transmitter and the synaptic pathway so that dopamine inversely is released when the being in question serves Babidi instead of opposing him.

Dabura somehow was able to overcome his programming and take a firm stance against relying on Buu, however. It could be that the rational side of his brain, for however rational he was, was able to recognise the danger posed by Buu and sought to nip it in the bud before it ended up dooming them all; in the process overriding the neurotransmitter distortion to an extent.

[TobyS]

Yeah I'm kinda interested in the mechanics I forgot about Dabra flat out attacking Fat Buu and talking shit about him to babidi.

I guess it's like a body guard where you can overrule the person you are protecting if you are certain it's in their best interests...