Is Zeno Really a God of Destruction?

Zeno is the most powerful and imposing among the various deities of the Dragon Ball universe. While his harmless appearance and childlike behavior can make one think he does not represent a threat, making him angry can be a fatal mistake. The Omni-King can erase anything from existence, even entire universes.

His signature ability and Dragon Ball DAIMA’s revelation of who the most powerful being in the multiverse is leads to questioning Zeno’s true nature. Seeing as Rymus was confirmed as the creator of all universes, making him the first God of Creation, the possibility of the Omni-King being his counterpart, a deity of destruction, could explain his behavior.

Zeno Could Be the Original God of Destruction

Rymus Might Have Enlisted Him to Maintain Order

In Dragon Ball DAIMA episode #10, it was revealed that this beloved series’ universe does not work how fans imagined. For years, followers of the show believed that the Demon Realm was a creation of Zeno, a logical conclusion to arrive at after the deity was considered the overseer of all living beings. Nonetheless, this conclusion was disproven when the true creator of the universe was introduced as Rymus. Once an inhabitant of the Demon Realm, Rymus became so powerful that he gained the ability to create anything he could imagine. The multiverse of the series exists thanks to him.

Even though at first this twist might seem like just a fun fact included in DAIMA, like the retcon of the Namekian race originating from the Demon Realm, it is much more than that. This revelation not only proves that the Demon Realm existed long before the multiverse, but it also confirms that Zeno had no role in its creation. The Omni-King was not even mentioned in the story of how the multiverse came to be, hinting at him not having been born by that time. Rymus is the only confirmed God of Creation of the multiverse.

The Dragon Ball franchise has made it clear that no deity of creation can exist without its counterpart, the fearsome Gods of Destruction. For example, Shin, the Supreme Kai in charge of overseeing the making of Universe 7, knows that the planets and beings he cares for can at some point be destroyed by Beerus. Zeno likely holds a similar role, being the God of Destruction in charge of maintaining a balance in the multiverse. While Rymus creates, the Omni-King ensures that the universes that no longer serve a purpose are destroyed.

Zeno Has Never Been Seen Creating Anything

His Powers Are Only Focused on Destruction

Although claiming that Zeno might be the original God of Destruction might seem farfetched, there are many pieces of evidence in the series that point to this conclusion. The biggest hint at this being a reality is the unique power set that the Omni-King has used throughout Dragon Ball Super. Despite being considered the guardian of the multiverse, Zeno has never been seen creating anything. Instead, almost all the powers he has manifested seem to relate to the ability to destroy. When Zamasu fused with the universe during the Future Trunks Saga, the Omni-King destroyed everything in a blink.

Something similar occurred during the Tournament of Power Saga, in which Zeno and his other version used their abilities to erase every universe that lost the competition. Moreover, once the battle was over, they did not restore the universes themselves, as it was Super Shenron’s power that brought them back. Zeno does not seem to possess any power to create, only to erase. The Grand Minister is the one in charge of bringing the Omni-King’s desires to life, as seen when he created the arena for the tournament.

Zeno and Rymus Mirror the Other Universes

There Is Even an Attending Angel That Reinforces This Theory

Throughout the many universes introduced during Dragon Ball Super, the dynamic of the God of Creation and their counterpart never changed. The deity in charge of life would always be a member of the Shin race, a genderless species known as Glind from which all Kai are born, and the entity of destruction would be an alien from an unknown species. Accompanying the God of Destruction is always an Angel, a neutral warrior of immense power in charge of controlling the destroyer’s instincts. Thanks to DAIMA, this dynamic also applied to Zeno’s court.

If the Omni-King was indeed the ultimate God of Destruction, this would explain why the Grand Priest is always there to assist him. He is the Angel assigned to Zeno, there to prevent the deity from throwing a tantrum and destroying all life. Rymus, on the other hand, would play a role like the Supreme Kai, overseeing his creation and seldom interacting with it, unless necessary. The Majin would not reveal himself to mortals or other deities without a good reason, explaining why he had not been introduced to the series until now.

Zeno Could Also Be Rymus’ Successor

There Are No Indications the Creator Is Still Alive

One of the main differences between Dragon Ball’s deities and the ones presented in other series is that the title of god does not grant immortality. There are many examples throughout the series of divine beings who have aged or even died. Their status as gods does grant them an extended lifetime, but they can still be killed or die of old age. Rymus being dead by the time Zeno was introduced could explain why he was never brought up during Super. The Omni-King could be the successor of the creation deity.

This would explain why the most powerful and respected god in the multiverse looks and acts like a small child. Zeno could be a young member of Rymus’ species, or one of the many races that live in the Demon Realm, selected to inherit the throne of the ultimate deity. His lack of creation-related abilities could be explained by the Omni-King still acclimating to his new power, which is why the Grand Priest acts like a caring mentor.

Zeno and Rymus will likely remain some of the most intriguing and confusing characters in Dragon Ball history. Until a proper explanation is given about their origins and roles, there is not going to be a definitive answer about the Omni-King’s current title. Still, it seems as if the series is slowly building the lore around its deities, meaning that someday Zeno’s backstory could be revealed.