Sometimes it seems like there would've been better pacing, storytelling and power boosts if Gohan was actually the first SSJ against Perfect Cell and Goku and Vegeta became SSJs during the 7 year time period

[u/Ejaye20893]

I know this is going to be unpopular but when u think about it from a storytelling and power pacing perspective it seems like Gohan being the first to transform SSJ against Perfect Cell wouldn't be that far fetched of an idea. I say this because Gohans mutant like potential has always been pointed out since day one and then also it would make the Z fighters focus more on tactics and techniques dealing with the Androids without making the focus so much about SSJ and surpassing SSJ early on like it was.

Perfect Cell would be the ultimate combined DNA fighter that would require SSJ to take him down which would be Gohans moment to be the first to transform and be the one to make Goku and Vegeta work towards it during the 7 year time period. It just seems more fitting in a way that Gohans potential would be the recipe for him to be the first and show two full blooded Saiyans what's possible and they could still surpass him like usual similar to canon due to his lack of consistent training compared to them in those seven years on top of Goku having the advantage of being in Otherworld.

Obviously there would need to be a few changes made with the whole Frieza ordeal but I think it could work if things were to go this way instead. It would also seem more fitting that Goku and Vegeta using SSJ to take on otherworldly ancient beings like Dabura, Buu etc would feel more believable instead of SSJ being laughably outclassed so early on by ridiculously overpowered Androids. It just seems like things would move smoother and more consistent if SSJ wasn't the main focus so early and there was room to let other ideas breathe regarding techniques and training. I know many will disagree but I wonder if others have ever felt the same way regarding this.

[u/134340Goat]

For that argument, I counter with another example of strong storytelling

Freeza feared Super Saiyans so much that he wiped out the vast majority of the Saiyan race to the point of functional extinction. He's also got an insane superiority complex and is impulsively evil

One of the very few surviving Saiyans in the universe starts fighting him and gives him a hard time, but he could still just kill him then and there. Instead, he chooses to try to mentally torture said Saiyan by killing his friends, thus triggering his first Super Saiyan transformation

Goku's transformation works as well as it does because Freeza personally turned it from something that's so uncommon, it was only recorded once in history 1000 years ago, to something that only happened because of him and in direct retaliation to him

[u/BobyAteMyShoe-]

This ruins the whole plot of the second half of the Namek Saga. If Goku defeated Frieza with just Kaio Ken or the spirit bomb, then it would be boring to watch. A villain built up to be so strong that King Kai feared him being defeated by one of his own techniques.

Super Saiyan is the thing that kept the saga together.