Dragon Ball DAIMA is brimming with fascinating details about the Dragon Ball universe, bridging the storyline between Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super. This series, which serves as a heartfelt tribute from Akira Toriyama, shines a light on various elements of the Dragon Ball world that have remained largely untouched. A notable moment comes from Supreme Demon King Gomah, who may have unexpectedly revealed the origins of Tien Shinhan’s distinctive Third Eye.
Tien Shinhan was introduced in Dragon Ball as part of his own narrative, initially portrayed as a villainous student of the Crane School under Master Shen. He employed powerful techniques from his training to challenge Goku during the World Martial Arts Tournament. While the anime never fully explains Tien’s background, an encyclopedia series published after the Dragon Ball manga wrapped up in 1995 offered some insights into his history and the origin of his Third Eye. The Daizenshuu books revealed that Tien hails from the Triclops race, also known as the Three-Eyed People, a detail later confirmed in a Dragon Ball Z Season 4 DVD booklet and several games. Furthermore, Dragon Ball DAIMA has introduced new information regarding Tien’s ancestry.
Dragon Ball DAIMA Hints at Demon Realm Origin for Triclops
DAIMA was supposed to be the shortest anime series in Dragon Ball history, yet it has been sharing little bits of lore throughout, revealing the rich details of the Demon Realm. In Episode 9, titled “Thieves,” there’s a brief moment where Supreme Demon King Gomah learns from Degesu about Goku’s progress. Gomah’s initial wish was to turn Goku and his friends into children, but Shenron only granted him one wish. Unsurprisingly, Gomah is not happy to find out that even in his smaller form, Goku was still strong enough to defeat Tamagami Number Three and secure the group’s first Dragon Ball from the Demon Realm
Upon hearing the news, Gomah exclaims, “I should have wished for the Third Eye first!” By this time, Degesu has been sent away, and the series hasn’t fully explored this detail as of Episode 12. However, the newly uncovered history of the Demon Realm provides a natural explanation for Tien Shinhan’s Triclops lineage. The Supreme Kai reveals that there was once a benevolent Supreme Demon King who instructed Super Majin Rymus to create the multiverse. When Supreme Demon King Dabura’s predecessor, Abura, took over, his tyranny forced many races to escape the Demon Realm and find safety elsewhere in the universe. This suggests that the original Triclops race, known as the Three-Eyed People, may have originated from the Demon Realm.
Gomah shouts “I knew my first wish should have been for the Third Eye!”
In a previous interview, Akira Toriyama shared that beings with a third eye on their forehead are often regarded as godlike and believed to have the ability of true sight. He noted that Tienshinhan, who was brought up by the malevolent Tsuru-Sen’nin (Crane Hermit), lost the capacity to utilize the various powers of his third eye for benevolent purposes. Despite being an Earthling/Triclops hybrid with limited control over his third eye, Tien has developed unique combat techniques that enable him to grow extra arms, create multiple versions of himself, and fire eye lasers from all three eyes. Although Supreme Demon King Gomah doesn’t clarify his reasons for wanting a Third Eye, it’s likely that he believed it would bestow him with the “power of true seeing” that Toriyama referred to, or even grant him divine, godlike abilities.
Should the Triclops race have originated from the Demon Realm, Gomah could possess significant insights into their history and the potential abilities he might acquire. For Tien, this revelation introduces two fascinating possibilities regarding his Triclops roots. One scenario is that the Triclops fled the Demon Realm during Abura’s reign, with some survivors possibly settling on Earth long ago, which could be the key to Tien’s heritage. Alternatively, they may have escaped to another planet first, with some later arriving on Earth. This opens up the possibility that the true Triclops race still exists somewhere in the multiverse. With at least eight episodes left in the series, fans can expect to learn more about Tien Shinhan and his mysterious Third Eye as Dragon Ball DAIMA progresses.