Gohan, the son of Goku and Chi-Chi (not to be confused with Goku's adoptive grandfather, whose name he carries), walks into the very first episode of Dragon Ball Z at four years old. Across Z, GT and Super he goes from hostage to world-saver, then student, scholar and father; for his race, family and techniques, see Gohan's profile.
Dragon Ball Z
Saiyan Saga (episodes 1-35)
In the Saiyan Saga Gohan is kidnapped by his uncle Raditz and locked inside his space pod. Seeing his father being tortured, he explodes with hidden power, bursts out of the pod and slams into Raditz, setting up Piccolo, who in episode 5 kills the Saiyan and Goku with the same blast. Piccolo then drags the boy into the wilderness to toughen him up; when Gohan turns into a Great Ape, his teacher destroys the moon and removes the tail.
Against Nappa, Gohan is ashamed of his own fear, and when the giant fires at him, Piccolo takes the hit. In episode 28 the Namekian dies telling him their time together meant something, and Gohan hurls himself at Nappa until Goku finally shows up. In the finale his tail has grown back: he looks at the artificial moon, becomes a Great Ape and in episode 35 crushes the prince, forcing him to flee.
Frieza Saga (episodes 36-107)
In the Frieza Saga he flies to Namek with Bulma and Krillin to find Dragon Balls that can revive their fallen friends. The Namekians' Grand Elder unlocks his hidden potential, and it shows when Frieza tosses an impaled Krillin aside: in episode 79 Gohan pounds the tyrant with kicks and a full-power blast, without leaving a scratch. In the end, the Namekian Dragon Balls bring Piccolo back.
Garlic Jr. Saga (episodes 108-117)
In the anime-original Garlic Jr. Saga, Gohan escapes the mist that turns humans into demons, faces Piccolo and Krillin as they pretend to be infected, and in episode 116 blasts the Makyo Star apart, sending Garlic Jr. back into the Dead Zone.
Androids Saga and Cell Saga (episodes 118-194)
In the Androids Saga he trains for almost three years with Goku and Piccolo. In the Cell Saga he enters the Hyperbolic Time Chamber with his father, where a year passes in a single day: in episode 160 he turns Super Saiyan, driven by anger at his own softness. At the Cell Games Goku gives up and names his son as the next challenger. Cell tries to provoke him by having the Cell Juniors beat his friends, until in episode 184 he crushes the head of Android 16, who had just urged Gohan to let his anger out: Gohan becomes the series' first Super Saiyan 2, wipes out the Cell Juniors and dominates Cell.
But Gohan toys with his opponent instead of finishing him: Cell tries to self-destruct and Goku dies taking him away. When the monster returns, Gohan, his arm injured while shielding Vegeta, wins the final Kamehameha clash with his father's voice urging him on from the afterlife.
Majin Buu Saga (episodes 200-291)
The Majin Buu Saga opens seven years later: in episode 200 Gohan starts high school, stops a robbery as a Super Saiyan and ends up in the same class as Videl, Mr. Satan's daughter. With a watch built by Bulma he becomes the masked hero Great Saiyaman; Videl unmasks him and, in exchange for her silence, makes him enter the 25th World Martial Arts Tournament and teach her to fly. At the tournament Babidi's henchmen steal his energy; Gohan follows them to the spaceship, fights Dabura and then falls to Majin Buu.
Everyone thinks he is dead, but he has been taken to the Kais' sacred world: in episode 250 he snaps the Z Sword and frees the Elder Kai, whose 25-hour ritual unlocks all of his potential. Gohan returns and overwhelms Buu, but the monster absorbs Gotenks and Piccolo, and then Gohan himself. Rescued by Goku and Vegeta, he dies when Buu destroys the Earth, is revived by the Dragon Balls and lends his energy to the Spirit Bomb. Ten years later he is a scholar, Videl's husband and Pan's father. In Dragon Ball Daima, set a year after Buu, he is the only one missing from Trunks's birthday party and stays out of the journey to the Demon Realm.
Dragon Ball GT
Black Star Dragon Ball Saga and Baby Saga (episodes 1-40)
At the start of the Black Star Dragon Ball Saga Gohan plans to go into space with Goku, but Vegeta sends Trunks and Goten instead. In the Baby Saga he realizes his brother is possessed, but in episode 26 the parasite jumps into his body and uses him to cut down Piccolo. Under Baby's control he is even ordered to execute his daughter Pan, who is saved by Uub. Once free, he gives his energy to Goku and tearfully says goodbye to Piccolo, who stays behind as the Earth explodes.
Super 17 Saga and Shadow Dragon Saga (episodes 41-64)
In the Super 17 Saga he fights the villains escaped from Hell but is overwhelmed by the android; in the Shadow Dragon Saga he again gives his power to his father and, with Goten and Trunks, holds off Omega Shenron while Goku and Vegeta fuse.
Dragon Ball Super
Battle of Gods Saga (episodes 1-18)
In the Battle of Gods Saga Gohan lives with Videl in a big house that Mr. Satan had built for them. In episode 9 he joins the ritual of pure-hearted Saiyans to create a Super Saiyan God, and right then Videl announces she is expecting his child: the baby she carries completes the circle.
Resurrection 'F' Saga (episodes 19-27)
The Resurrection 'F' Saga shows how rusty he has become. In episode 21 he takes on Frieza's soldiers, but Tagoma shoots him in the back straight through Shisami, and Piccolo has to restart his heart. Soon after, his mentor dies shielding him from Frieza, and in episode 23 Gohan blames himself for quitting his training, then raises his ki as high as he can so Goku will sense it. After this lesson he goes back to training with Piccolo.
Universe 6 Saga and Future Trunks Saga (episodes 28-76)
In the Universe 6 Saga a scheduling conflict keeps him out of the tournament. In the Future Trunks Saga Trunks visits him and, in episode 52, finds a scholar and doting dad, far from the teacher who died fighting the androids in his own future. In episode 73 Gohan works as a stunt double on the movie Great Saiyaman vs. Mr. Satan.
Universe Survival Saga (episodes 77-131)
In the Universe Survival Saga he chooses to fight to protect his family. In episode 88 Piccolo teaches him that overly strong feelings can become shackles; in episode 90 he challenges Goku and, although he loses, comes away as leader of the Universe 7 team. In the Tournament of Power he eliminates Botamo and Obuni, among others. He bows out helping Frieza against Dyspo: he pins him down and accepts being blasted out of the ring along with him.
Movies
In Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, released in Japan on June 11, 2022, Gohan shares the lead with Piccolo. Pan's kidnapping leads him to the new Red Ribbon Army's base and the androids Gamma 1 and Gamma 2; when Cell Max seems to kill Piccolo, his rage unlocks the Beast form and, together with his mentor, he brings the monster down.
Our take
Gohan's arc is a child growing up in front of the audience. Every leap in power comes from anger or fear for someone he loves: Raditz, Nappa, Frieza, Android 16, Piccolo in Super Hero. After Cell, Toriyama considered making him the lead in place of Goku, then dropped the idea, and Gohan went back to being a student, a father and a part-time hero.
Read saga by saga, his story is remarkably consistent: Gohan fights when he has to, stops when he can and pays for every break, as Resurrection 'F' makes painfully clear. Super Hero closes the loop: his greatest power still comes from the fear of losing Piccolo, the man who raised him when his father was not around.
Did you know? In the filler episode 171 of Z, Chi-Chi throws Gohan a birthday party even though it is not his birthday: she wants to celebrate the 11th birthday he reached inside the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
For the other half of this bond, read Piccolo saga by saga; for his family, see the profiles of Videl and Goku.