Warning: Spoilers for Dragon Ball Daima, episode #4
Dragon Ball Daimahas made a startling revelation about the Demon Realm’s dragon balls, and it could be impacting the series' lore from here on out. It all comes down to one line from Glorio, suggesting that the Demon Realm dragon balls are the first.
InDaimaepisode #4, Goku asks Glorio about the Demon Realm dragon balls, recalling that Piccolo mentioned them. Glorio responds by saying, “You could say the Demon Realm dragon balls are the originals.” Glorio then describes the process of obtaining them by fighting the Tamagami, powerful guardians who protect each dragon ball. Goku gets sidetracked by the idea of challenging these guardians, always looking for a good fight even in his tiny current body. The story moves on rather quickly, but this is actually a very important piece of lore that shouldn’t be ignored.
The Demon Realm Dragon Balls Are the Originals
The First Set of Dragon Balls Could Offer Insight Into Their Existence
If Glorio is correct and the Demon Realm’s dragon balls are the first to have been created,Daimacould be setting up to finally explain the existence of dragon balls and why they were created in the first place. It’s interesting to note that despite having existed the longest, seemingly no one has ever managed to make a wish onthe Demon Realm’s dragon balls, as the Tamagami are simply that strong. But then, why create the dragon balls at all if no one is meant to use them?
It certainly makes some degree of sense for the Demon Realm dragon balls to be the originals. If the Namekians were originally from the Demon Realm before heading out into space and settling across various universes, then the dragon balls of the Demon Realm would logically be the first that they created.This would presumably exclude the super dragon balls seen inDragon Ball Super, as these were instead created by the Dragon God Zalama, not the Namekians, and it’s said that the Namekians created their own dragon balls using the pieces chipped off of the super dragon balls.
The Demon Realm dragon balls being the original set might also explain why there are only three of them, rather than the set of seven that seems to be standard for most varieties of dragon balls that exist. The idea of creating seven dragon balls simply didn’t exist yet, and Neva, as their creator, made however many dragon balls he could with the material that he had. Given that the super dragon balls were spreadacross both universes 6 and 7, it would be nearly impossible for any mortal, even a Namekian, to know how many there truly were.
The Reason for the Dragon Balls' Existence Could Finally Be Explained
Learning the “Why” of the Dragon Balls
If Neva is the creator of the Demon Realm dragon balls, and those are the originals, then Neva may well be the one to have come up with the idea of creating dragon balls in the first place.Why the dragon balls exist has never really been addressed within the franchise; they simply do.There must, however, be a reason why the Namekians have a tendency to create a set of dragon balls wherever they go, and if Neva originally created the idea of dragon balls, he’d be the one to know what that reason is.
Neva certainly doesn’t seem to be a typical Namekian in his behavior, acting a bit more selfishly than the likes of Guru or Kami. He seems to enjoy the fact that no one has successfully challenged the Tamagami, praising one of them when he goes to meet King Gomah. To have existed sincebefore the other Namekians left the Demon Realm, Neva must be unbelievably old, even for a Namekian, and judging by Gomah’s bribery of extending his life, Neva still desires to keep living. If his existence is tied to the dragon balls like Kami or Dende, that may well be why.
Depending on the nature of the explanation, learning the true origins and reasons for the dragon balls existing could be a major turning point for the franchise. It could be anything, from incentivizing strength to acting as an emergency tool to be used in dire situations. Neva’s trickster-like ways suggest that the reason is probably not something straightforward. It could be as simple as creating a challenge with which to amuse himself, as he watches warriors struggle to obtain the dragon balls in hopes of having their wish granted.
Are the Demon Realm Dragon Balls the Most Powerful?
Could the “Original” Dragon Balls Be More Powerful than Namek’s?
When Goku learned of the Namekian dragon balls, he discovered they were more powerful than Earth’s, allowing for three wishes to Earth’s one (at the time). While Earth’s dragon balls were upgraded by Dende, there’s an implication that the first dragon balls to be created are the most powerful ones. There’s an interesting line in the first episode ofDragon Ball Daima, where Gomah and Degesu discuss what wish they could make on the Earth’s dragon balls. They decide that they can’t ask for a dark wish, like killing Goku and friends, because the Earth’s dragon balls are made with “white” energy.
The implication seems to be that the dragon ballsof the Demon Realmhave no such restrictions upon wishing harm on others, something that would be in line with Neva’s personality. That would also make the Demon Realm dragon balls technically more powerful than Earth’s or Namek’s, but in a way that Goku and his friends would be unlikely to make use of.
The mysteries surrounding the dragon balls have been present since the earliest days ofDragon Ball, and it’s exciting to think that fans might finally get some lore as to how and why these miraculous items came to be.Dragon Ball Daimacould be opening up a completely new area ofDragon Balllore, and fans will no doubt be excited to learn their secrets at last.
Dragon Ball DAIMA
Cast
Dragon Ball Daima sees Goku and his allies inexplicably shrunk into miniature forms, prompting a journey to the Demon Realm. This animated adventure, part of the Dragon Ball franchise, explores their mission to solve the mystery and restore their original statures. Released in October 2024.
