Half-Saiyan, half-human hybrids are some of the strangest beings in Dragon Ball Z. While they appear to be naturally stronger than full-blooded Saiyans, they lack a genetic desire for battle. Based on Gohan and Goten's growth, it appears that the more powerful a Saiyan is at conception, the stronger their child will be. Goku couldn't become a Super Saiyan until he was an adult, yet Gohan did it at age 11, and Goten first transformed at age seven.
It's certainly amusing to wonder if Goten were to be dropped into the Frieza Saga, would the seven-year-old Super Saiyan be able to defeat the tyrant? Power scaling issues aside, Gohan and Goten have unimaginable potential when comparing their power relative to their age with Goku's history. With starting points far above their father's, just how powerful could the brothers become if they were as dedicated as their old man?
Gohan's History Speaks for Itself
Gohan has always been stronger than Goten, but that's thanks to his being 11 years older. Dragon Ball Z sees Gohan grow from a toddler into a man, experiencing constant conflict and still managing to die less often than everyone else. Goku's firstborn has faced off against the likes of Nappa, Vegeta, the Ginyu Force, Frieza, and Cell -- though Cell was the only battle he ever actually won.
However, Gohan has had a few advantages that Goten has not. He spent his childhood training with expert fighters like Piccolo and Goku. Gohan also spent a year in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber with Goku, where he quickly became his father's equal in strength. He has even had his hidden potential unlocked twice, once by Guru on Namek and again by Old Kai during the Buu Saga.
Gohan's hidden potential has had a significant sample size, and he did manage to surpass his father in power as a Super Saiyan 2 in the fight against Cell. It is unknown what his limits could be -- if any -- since he lost what little interest had in fighting after the Cell Saga's conclusion. He has twice regained his full power since then, though each time he was still leagues behind Goku and Vegeta, despite having once been stronger than both of them.
Goten Is Still Waiting for His Moment
Goku's second son, born after the Saiyan's death, has had a vastly different childhood than his older brother. He hasn’t been kidnapped by a green alien or been sent to another planet to fight an evil space emperor. Goku wasn't around to give Buu a Senzu Bean, either. Despite his cushy life, Goten still breaks his brother's record for youngest Super Saiyan by four years.
Goten's impressive feat of becoming a Super Saiyan at such a young age certainly indicates an even greater potential than his prodigious older brother. Unfortunately, aside from the Buu Saga -- where he relied predominantly on fusion rather than his own power --, Goten has lacked the necessary combat experience to get stronger. His only significant battle as himself was against Trunks during the World Martial Arts Tournament, and even that was more of a sparring match than anything else.
It's not clear if Goten will ever get significantly stronger, as he continues to be sidelined in Dragon Ball Super. Unlike Gohan, who is decidedly not a warrior at heart, Goten is too young to know what kind of person he will become. As was the case with his older brother, his personality will influence his potential as a warrior. If he commits to training the way his father does, Goten may one day be the strongest in the universe.
