The Potara (ポタラPotara) are earrings worn by Supreme Kais and their apprentices. Despite being worn so casually, they have incredible properties, allowing two individuals to fuse or permitting the wearer to use the Time Rings.
Contents
- 1 Concept and creation
- 2 Overview
- 3 Usage and Power
- 4 List of Potara Fusion entities
- 5 Potara Owners
- 6 Video Game Appearances
- 7 Trivia
- 8 Gallery
- 9 References
- 10 Site Navigation
Concept and creation
The Potara Earrings were originally nothing but decoration, however, when Akira Toriyama wanted to introduce a fusion for Goku and Vegeta without taking away from Toei's upcoming movie at the time, he decided to introduce the concept that the Potaras were fusion items into the story.[3]
Overview
These earrings are worn by all Supreme Kais as part of their standard outfits, coming in various colors. The earrings can grant the wearer certain privileges, such as using the Time Rings that are exclusive to Supreme Kais.[4] The earrings also have the ability to fuse two people into a single entity for an hour, although it is permanent if a Supreme Kai is involved.[5] Only Supreme Kai are supposed to possess Potara earrings, which are signified by their distinct green color (though the anime, colored manga and games incorrectly depict them with a variety of colors).
Old Kai gives his pair to Goku as a trump card for defeating Super Buu. Shin and his attendant Kibito accidentally merge without knowing about the fusion being permanent.[6]
In Dragon Ball Super, Goku Black wears a green Potara earring in order to use the Time Ring in his position. The Potara Fusion is mentioned again by Gowasu and Zamasu, as Gowasu appoints him briefly to the rank of Supreme Kai by giving one of his Potara so that Zamasu could use the Time Ring. Gowasu suggests that they could fuse permanently if they wish so, but Zamasu rejects the offer. It is also revealed that if two Potara earrings are worn on the same ear, the two beings will not fuse.[4]
Later, Future Zamasu and Goku Black fuse into Fused Zamasu using the Potara as their final trump card. Goku offers to fuse with Vegeta again, but Vegeta is initially hesitant. Gowasu then reveals that the reason why Goku and Vegeta did not stay fused the previous time is that neither of them are Supreme Kais and that fusion without a Supreme Kai would only last an hour. Vegito is born once again, but defuses before even forty minutes has passed. Gowasu speculates that Vegito Blue is simply too powerful for the fusion to sustain. In the manga Fused Zamasu also defuses, as per Akira Toriyama's outline.
In the anime, before the start of the Tournament of Power, Champa and Fuwa give the Universe 6 Saiyans a pair of Potara earrings as a last resort to use. Caulifla and Kale put them on in the tournament after getting overwhelmed by Goku. They fuse and become Kefla, who then proceeds to combat Goku.[7] Kefla pushes Goku to the state of Ultra Instinct Sign and is defeated as a result.[8] Rabanra and Zarbuto of Team Universe 2 attempted to perform Potara fusion as well but failed when Kefla ran over them and destroyed their earrings.
In the manga before the start of the Tournament of Power, Caulifla snatches the Potara earrings from Fuwa. Under Champa's suggestion, Caulifla fuses with Kale to stop her rampage and save her before getting eliminated by the Pride Troopers. In her new form, she easily eliminates most of them and is about to challenge both Goku and Jiren to a fight until Gohan intervenes and fights her on his own.
Interestingly, upon Good Buu awaking Grand Supreme Kai's memories and gaining the ability to transform into Grand Supreme Kai, the Grand Supreme Kai's Potara were also restored presumably by the magical properties of Good Buu's Majin body as they had been previously absorbed with Grand Supreme Kai.
During the Universe Creation Saga, Salsa provides Potara earrings to Goku & Vegeta, indicating that Salsa is a Demon Supreme Kai. Additionally, Salsa wears them on his outfit instead of his ears, with one pair attached to his hoodie while the other two are attached to the armlets he wears.
Usage and Power
Potara Fusion (ポタラの合体 is a powerful Fusion technique using the Potara earrings. To perform it, two nearby individuals must be wearing a single earring, but on opposite ears. They will be automatically drawn to each other until they connect, then fuse. As shown with Shin and Kibito, the earrings do not have to be from the same set in order for this to work. Interestingly, Kibito's earring (blue in the anime) becomes the color of Shin's earring (yellow) after the fusion.[9]
If a living and a dead person fuse, the result will be living.[10] If a fused being dies, he or she will remain fused.[9] If the earrings are removed or destroyed, nothing will happen if the fusion is permanent,[9] but the fused being will defuse if it is temporary.[8] If a fused being defuses, both individuals will retain the memories of the fusion, as well as some memories from the other individual.[11]
A fusion using the Potara earrings yields greater power than the Fusion Dance.[10][12][13] In the anime, according to Vados, the fusion creates a new body and personality greater than the sum of the two individuals and increases their power by "tens of times."[7] When Goku Black and Future Zamasu fused, Gowasu stated that their power did not just merge, but expanded to no end.[14] Even without transforming, Kale and Caulifla's fusion, Kefla, was capable of completely outclassing the tired Super Saiyan God Goku, who stated that her energy is so massive that he could not even feel a limit.[7] One guide referred to Vegito's power as being that of Goku and Vegeta's multiplied.[12]
It is implied by Beerus that compatibility between the two individuals is a factor in the fusion, though it is unspecified how and to what extent; he claims Android 17 and 18 should be perfectly compatible with each other because they are twins.[15]
Unlike the Fusion Dance technique, the Potara Fusion does not require the individuals to have equal power levels; the fusion lasts an hour instead of thirty minutes (unless one of the fused is a Supreme Kai, in which case the fusion is permanent);[5] and it also fuses clothing, whereas the Fusion Dance gives the newly fused being the native dress of the people of Planet Metamor.[6]
In some cases, such as Old Kai and Kibito Kai, one of the two fused individuals takes over the fusion's voice. In other cases, such as Vegito or Kefla, the two individuals' voices are overlaid, similar to the Fusion Dance. Fused Zamasu has two Zamasu voices on top of each other, despite one of the Zamases, Goku Black, having Goku's body and voice at the time of the fusion.
Weaknesses
If fusion occurs without a Supreme Kai, the fusion only lasts an hour; this is further reduced if the fused being is so powerful that the power sustaining the fusion gets used up.[5][11] In the manga, Fused Zamasu overcame this weakness by being the fusion of two of the same person.[16]
If an individual is transformed while fusing, the fused being will not be able to power down from that transformation. As a result, certain transformations, such as Super Saiyan, can put a significant strain on the user's body and shorten his or her lifespan.[17] Fused Zamasu is permanently in the state of Super Saiyan Rosé due to Goku Black using it when he fused.
In the anime, if an immortal and a mortal were to fuse, the regeneration of the fused being from the immortality will be impaired. If the damage is sufficient enough, the body will not heal properly and will become corrupted; it is even possible for the body to be completely destroyed, as shown when Fused Zamasu destroyed his own body after Future Trunks cut it in half with his Final Hope Slash. Despite this, Fused Zamasu did not actually die and continued to exist without a body. In the manga, this does not exist.
A user of Forced Spirit Fission technique can defuse a Potara fused being by splitting and tearing apart it's fusees individual spirits into their separate original selves.
In World Mission, Super Saiyan Xeno Vegeks defuses prematurely just as he is about to face a deranged Legendary Super Saiyan Broly. Xeno Trunks suggests it is due to his body having not fully recovered (due to him having his energy drained previously by Yamu & Spopovich's Majin Buu Resurrection technique).[18] However it should be noted that Xeno Vegeta was in his Super Saiyan 3 form when he fused with Xeno Trunks (Base) which resulted in Super Saiyan Xeno Vegeks which along with Xeno Trunks' body not being fully recovered presumably contributed to the fusion time being shortened (as his seemingly permanent Super Saiyan form may have put a strain on his body which would likely be further hampered by his fusee Xeno Trunks having yet to fully recover).
Other abilities
Wearing even a single Potara earring that belongs to a Supreme Kai enables one to use the Time Rings.[4]
List of Potara Fusion entities
- Old Kai: Young Elder Kai and an Old Witch fuse into Old Kai. The witch had stolen one of the earrings and put it on.
- Kibito Kai: Shin and Kibito fuse into Kibito Kai. They voluntarily tested the fusion, not knowing it would be permanent. They later defused using the Namekian Dragon Balls.
- Den-Goku: The hypothetical fusion of Goku and Dende. Goku thought about fusing with Dende to combat Super Buu, but decided against it, thinking Dendes small size would hurt more than help and didn't want to risk losing the Dragon Balls.
- Gokule: The hypothetical fusion of Goku and Mr. Satan. Goku planned to fuse with Mr. Satan to combat Super Buu as he didn't have a better option at the time. However, he changed his mind once Vegeta showed up.
- Vegito: Goku and Vegeta first fuse into Vegito to defeat Super Buu. They defused an hour later inside Super Buu's body. Goku and Vegeta fuse into Vegito to combat Fused Zamasu. They defused prematurely due to the sheer power of the fusion. On the Prison Planet Goku and Vegeta fuse into Vegito once more to combat Cunber. They defused prematurely due to the Super Saiyan Blue Kaio-ken.Xeno Vegito: Xeno Goku and Xeno Vegeta first fused into Xeno Vegito to combat Xeno Majin Buu. They defused after time was up. On the Prison Planet Xeno Goku and Xeno Vegeta fuse into Xeno Vegito once more to combat Cunber. In the anime, they defused prematurely due to Super Saiyan 4.
- Fused Zamasu: Future Zamasu and Goku Black fuse into Fused Zamasu. In the manga, because neither of them were officially promoted to Supreme Kai, they began to defuse an hour later; however, this due to them both being the same person, they uniquely fused into a new entity: Infinite Zamasu.[16]
- Kefla: Caulifla and Kale fuse into Kefla. Their earrings were obtained prior to the Tournament of Power and used during it. They defused after they were knocked out of the arena. In the Universal Conflict Saga of the manga, they fuse to battle Kamin and Oren.
- Android 35: The hypothetical fusion of Android 17 and Android 18. Shin and Beerus thought about having the androids fuse during the Tournament of Power, but ultimately decided against the idea after Whis reminded them of the risk of losing two fighters at once.
- Xeno Vegeks: Xeno Trunks fused with the unconscious Xeno Vegeta to create Xeno Vegeks in order to combat Gravy and Cell-X. Defused after time was up.
Potara Owners
- Anato: The Supreme Kai of Universe 1.
- Pell: The Supreme Kai of Universe 2.
- Eyre: The Supreme Kai of Universe 3.
- Kuru: The Supreme Kai of Universe 4.
- Ogma: The Supreme Kai of Universe 5.
- Fuwa: The Supreme Kai of Universe 6.
- Fuwa's Attendant: The Attendant Supreme Kai of Universe 6.
- Shin: The Supreme Kai of Universe 7.
- Old Kai: The Supreme Kai of Universe 7.
- Grand Supreme Kai: The former Supreme Kai of Universe 7.
- North Supreme Kai: The former Supreme Kai of Universe 7.
- South Supreme Kai: The former Supreme Kai of Universe 7.
- West Supreme Kai: The former Supreme Kai of Universe 7.
- Kibito: The Attendant Supreme Kai of Universe 7.
- Gohan: The former Supreme Kai Disciple of Universe 7.
- Iru: The Supreme Kai of Universe 8.
- Roh: The Supreme Kai of Universe 9.
- Gowasu: The Supreme Kai of Universe 10.
- Zamasu: The former Apprentice Supreme Kai of Universe 10.
- Khai: The Supreme Kai of Universe 11.
- Agu: The Supreme Kai of Universe 12.
- Chronoa: The Supreme Kai of Time.
- Mechikabura: The The former Apprentice Supreme Kai of Time.
- Salsa: The Demon Supreme Kai of Demon Realm.
- Kibeer Kai: The EX-Fusion of Kibito Kai and Beerus in Dragon Ball Fusions.
Video Game Appearances
In both Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2 and Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3, Shin can use the Potara Fusion and fuse with Kibito to become Kibito Kai. Goku and Vegeta both can use the Potara Fusion and fuse together to become Vegito. Also in Budokai 2, Goku and Hercule can use the Potara Fusion and fuse together to become Gokule. In the Budokai series, Potara Fusions lack the timer seen with Fusions produced by Fusion Dance, because at the time the games were released it was believed that Potara Fusion was permanent regardless of who used them. The Potara also appears in gameplay when Goku and Vegeta are about to fuse in Dragon Ball Heroes.
In Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2, it features a character upgrade system that uses different "Potaras" to add special attributes to characters. These Potaras are known as "Z-Items" in the English release. A wide variety of different upgrade types are available, ranging from simple stat upgrades to powerful special abilities.[19] Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3, features the same system as Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi and Budokai Tenkaichi 2, with a new Z-Item type: the Red Potara Z-Item, which substantially increase the powers of the fighters. They have the same abilities as the other Potara Z-Items, only compacted into one usage, such as maximum damage, inflicting neutral damage with Blast 2 and Ultimate Blast attacks, recovering health quickly, surpassing limits, using half the amount of energy for ki consumption usage, and others. Characters with all "Red Potaras" equipped are also called "GOD Characters." Red Potaras can only be accessed by the player through cheat devices or by entering passwords to allow access to these characters in Duel mode, though computer-controlled characters will have Red Potaras equipped during certain matches in Story Mode or Dragon Sim mode. In the Raging Blast series, Potara are used in the same way as in the Budokai Tenkaichi series.
In the Potara Fusion ending of Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai: using the Potara earrings (which Kibito Kai had Shenron repair), Goku and Vegeta use this to fuse back into Vegito in order to defeat Janemba and Buu before going to train in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
Potaras also appear in Jump Super Stars.
In Super Dragon Ball Heroes, during the Demon God Towa Saga, Xeno Vegeta and Xeno Trunks use Potara earrings given to them by Chronoa to fuse into Xeno Vegeksin order to take on Demon God Towa.
In Dragon Ball Xenoverse, like most Supreme Kai, Chronoa wears a pair of Potara earrings, though they are never used to initiate Potara Fusion. Additionally, despite Vegito's appearance in the game, Goku and Vegeta use of the Potara Earring to fuse into him is not shown as he only appears in Parallel Quests and not in the game's main story (unlike Gotenks and Gogeta who use the Fusion Dance during the Majin Buu Saga and the 2nd half of the GT Saga). Despite Vegito's Clothes appearing as an obtainable outfit for the Future Warrior, it lacks Vegito's Potara Earrings entirely.
In Dragon Ball Fusions, male & female Offworlder characters will wear Potara Earrings if custom Face Options 1, 2, 3, or 4 (which are based on the Core Person) are selected. Additionally, some non-Offworlder characters such as the Namekian Moolin wear Potara-like Earrings. Additionally, certain EX-Fusion characters like Kibeer Kai and Kibicollo Kai may wear Potara Earrings if one of fusee wears them (as Kibeer Kai is the fusion of Beerus and Kibito Kai while Kibicollo Kai is the fusion of Kibito Kai and Piccolo).
In Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, in addition to the Potara worn by Vegito, Chronoa, and Elder Kai, Goku Black wears one Potara earring his left ear. As part of the Super Pack 4, Vegito Blue and Fused Zamasu appear as DLC characters.
In Dragon Ball FighterZ, the Potara earring fusion features in both Vegito and Kefla's intros, showing the fusers in both cases (Goku and Vegeta in the former, and Kale and Caulifla in the latter) with earrings equipped before the fusion occurs, though only in Kefla's victory animation is a Potara fusion seen wearing off, as Kefla runs out of fusion time mid victory jump, causing Kale and Caulifla to crash to the ground.
In Super Dragon Ball Heroes: World Mission during Chapter 3, Sub Chapter 4: "Legendary Super Saiyan Awakened", Chronoa gives Xeno Goku Potara earrings should he, Xeno Vegeta, and the Dragon Ball Heroes team encounter serious resistance while protecting Hero Town. After the Dragon Ball Heroes defeat the Metal Cooler Corps, they encounter Xeno Janemba who's power proves to great for the Heroes and Time Patrol to handle. Xeno Goku suggests to Vegeta that they fuse into Xeno Vegito, but Xeno Vegeta refuses to fuse with Kakarot, though after Xeno Goku insists that it is necessary to win, Xeno Vegeta suggests that he fuse with Xeno Trunks' instead as a way to spare him some dignity. Xeno Vegeta tells Xeno Trunks this will be the first and final time they fuse. Xeno Trunks fused with Super Saiyan 3 Xeno Vegeta to create Super Saiyan Xeno Vegeks who makes quick work of Xeno Janemba. When Legendary Super Saiyan Broly targets Great Saiyaman 4 Beat due to him mistaking him for Kakarot, Super Saiyan Xeno Vegeks tries to step in but he suddenly defuses with Xeno Goku noting they should still have plenty of fusion time left. Xeno Trunks attributes the premature de-fusion to him haven't yet fully recovered (though it may also be due to the fact that SSJ3 Xeno Vegeta fused with Base Xeno Trunks). However Xeno Vegeta is pleased to no longer be fused even stating he sees it as fortunate given how much he detests fusion. Additionally Potara are used to represent certain types of Accessories such as CAA/TAA Special Ability and Ultimate Units which can be equipped to any card's (official or custom) Potara Accessory slot in a Custom Deck. Only one Potara Accessory can be equipped to the slot. Equipping a CAA/TAA Ability Accessory will replace the card's default CAA/TAA Ability with that of the Accessory in question. Additionally any Accessory that grants Fuse type Special Abilities (Absorption, Fusion Dance, Potara Fusion, Infestation, etc.) can only be equipped via the Custom Deck (as they cannot be equipped to custom cards created via Card Creation) and the Accessory must be equipped to at least two cards to use in battle, which requires the player to have at least two of every Fuse-type Accessory.
Trivia
- Several characters in the franchise wear earrings similar in style to the Potara. Among them are Zarbon, a man bearing the same symbols as Nok in the audience of the 28th World Martial Arts Tournament, Don Kee, and the Demons Towa from Dragon Ball Online and Dragon Ball Xenoverse, and Demigra from Xenoverse and Dragon Ball Heroes.In Dragon Ball Fusions, certain characters like Moolin wear Potara-like earrings.In the Victory Mission manga, Beat's Mother wears Potara-like earrings.
- In Dragon Ball Fusions, it is shown that it is possible for a Shinjin-based Potara fusion like Kibito Kai to perform EX-Fusion. Presumably, this is due to the normally permanent nature of said fusion.Additionally, both Kibito Kai and Vegito can perform Five-Way Fusion as well.
- Prior to the explanation of its hour time limit in Dragon Ball Super, the Potara Fusion was referred to in some media as supposedly[20] being permanent for anyone, barring circumstances which would result in the negation of the energies involved in maintaining the fusion such as the inner atmosphere of Majin Buu.[6]
- Kefla is the first female Potara Fusion to appear in the entire Dragon Ball franchise. She is also the first female Potara Fusion who is pure Saiyan and the second pure Saiyan Potara fusion after Vegito.
- It seems likely the case that most of the time, the seen and hypothetical Potara Fusions display more of the physically weaker fusee's appearance and personality over that of the physically stronger fusee. This is true for:Vegito being predominantly Vegeta over Goku.Gokule being predominantly Mr. Satan over Goku.Den-Goku being predominantly Dende over Goku.Fused Zamasu being predominantly Future Zamasu over Goku Black.Kefla being predominantly Caulifla over Kale.One exception is Old Kai whose Fusion has retained more of the Supreme Kai from 15 generations ago appearance over that of the Old Witch. Another possibility may be that Kibito as Shin's bodyguard may be stronger than him to some degree, which would tie in with Kibito Kai displaying more of Shin's traits than Kibito's. Old Kai and Shin being dominant is likely due to them being Supreme Kais who make the fusion permanent.
- Beerus' assertion that twins like Android 17 & 18 are perfectly compatible for Potara Fusion is interesting and ironic as Beerus himself has a twin, his brother Champa.Conversely, the same could be said of Beerus & Champa as they would likely have similar compatibility as both are twin brothers & Gods of Destruction.
Gallery
References
- ↑ Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2, 2003
- ↑ Dragon Ball Heroes, 2010
- ↑ Tori Daiz6 interview. kanzenshuu.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Dragon Ball Super episode 54, "He Who is of Saiyan Blood Trunks's Resolve"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Dragon Ball Super episode 66, "Showdown! The Miraculous Power of Unyielding Warriors"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Daizenshuu 4, 1995
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Dragon Ball Super episode 114, "Bloodcurdling! The Explosive Birth of a New Super Warrior!"
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Dragon Ball Super episode 116, "Signs of a Turnabout! The Autonomous Ultra Instinct Erupts!"
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Dragon Ball Z episode 266, "The Old Kai's Weapon"
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Dragon Ball Z episode 268, "Union of Rivals"
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Dragon Ball Super chapter 24, "Son Goku's Evolution"
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Dragon Ball: Super Exciting Guide, 2009
- ↑ "Item Dictionary", Daizenshuu #7: "To use [the Potara], the two people who will merge simply have to each take one of the two earrings and put in on their left or right ear, respectively. Furthermore, after merging, the power is greater than with Fusion".
- ↑ Dragon Ball Super episode 55, "Final Judgement? The Ultimate Power of an Absolute God"
- ↑ Dragon Ball Super episode 115, "Goku vs. Kefla! Super Saiyan Blue Beaten?"
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Dragon Ball Super chapter 25, "Will it be Goku?! or Zamas?!"
- ↑ Dragon Ball Z episode 267, Ready to Fuse?
- ↑ Super Dragon Ball Heroes: World Mission, 2019
- ↑ Z-Item FAQ. gamesfaqs (May 2, 2007).
- ↑ Daizenshuu 7, 1996
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