As the daughter of Gohan and Videl, and granddaughter of Mr Satan and Goku, Pan has already shown fans a glimpse of her capabilities as a teenage fighter in Dragon Ball GT. However, the Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero movie runs within its own time period, depicting Pan as a three-year-old toddler who has already begun training with Piccolo. Somehow, the Red Ribbon Army manages to take the youngster hostage, and it's up to Gohan and the Namekian to come to her rescue.
What makes fans think that Pan is not simply a damsel in distress in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero? The official trailer hints that the three-year-old is much more capable than most, and it is quite evident that Piccolo is taking her training seriously. An epic scene in the trailer depicts Pan standing in a fighting stance, intensely focused, and her hair begins to swirl around her - just like it does for the others just before they are about to transform into Super Saiyans. Regardless of her young age, Pan seems to already possess sufficient combat skills, and the brave young girl is unlikely to go down without a fight.
Deja vu for Sensei Piccolo
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero is not the first time that Piccolo has had to rescue a young Saiyan. When Raditz makes his first appearance on Earth, he manages to get hold of Son Gohan and attempts to use the young boy as leverage against his brother, Kakarot. Piccolo and Goku decide to put their differences aside, and team up to take on the villainous Saiyan, but unfortunately, Goku is killed in the process. Gohan is rescued but is now without a father, so the Nemekian takes on the paternal responsibilities, including martial arts training.
Today, Gohan is arguable the most powerful Saiyan alive, and Piccolo should receive most of the credit for his ward's success. Gohan honors his sensei by wearing Piccolo's traditional attire (a purple gi and white cape) and entrusts his precious daughter's training to the Namekian. He clearly knows from experience that being trained by Piccolo will give Pan the best chance of becoming the greatest Saiyan Z-Fighter in history. The Green Guru is, after all, the strongest Namekian around, whos strength intesifies signifacantly during his legendary fusions - most notably the partnership with Kami that resulted in the Nameless Namekian. It is quite possible that Pan could be a candidate for Piccolo's next epic fusion technique, and their combined potential power would be overwhelming.
Pan Will Probably Surpass Gohan
Pan's family tree is jam-packed with powerful fighters and, although she is only a quarter-Saiyan, the young child is destined for greatness. First of all, her father Gohan is one of the most powerful Saiyans alive, and he married Videl, a human with elevated strength and impeccable combat skills. Videl inherited her martial arts attributed from her father, Mr. Satan, and although the pair are far from the power level of the Z-Fighters, they are still more capable than the average human. Pan's other grandparents are Chi-Chi, princess of Fire Mountain, and Goku, who needs no introduction. Chi-Chi may not be much of a fighter anymore, but she did display superhuman qualities in her youth, which she could have passed down the generations. If genetics have anything to do with talent and skill, then Pan is definitely at an advantage with her inheritance.
Gohan is an extremely dedicated father, even going so far as to deny a job opportunity in the Copy-Vegeta Saga so that he could spend more time at home with Pan and Videl. Although the timeline may have shifted in the Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero film, the characters' personalities remain unaltered, and Gohan is assuredly still the #1 Dad. Fans can therefore assume that Gohan would offer Pan additional training, regardless of Piccolo's involvement, because one can never learn too much. Goku might also hop on the training wagon, after having missed that opportunity with his eldest son, blessing young Pan with a trio of successful senseis to show her the ropes.
Pan in Dragon Ball: Super Super Hero
The fact that Pan is one of only five Z-Fighters to appear on the Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero Roadshow poster must be significant. Granted, she is a key element to the storyline as the Red Ribbon Army's hostage, but a closer analysis of her positioning suggests she is not a helpless child. If the artist wanted to emphasize the fact that Pan needed protection from the Z-Fighters, Toyotaro might have put the little girl further back, peeking out from in between Gohan and Piccolo's legs. However, Pan stands front and (almost) center, further forward than even Goku and the Nemekian himself. This composition combined with her body language suggests that Pan will be a hero, ultimately protecting her loved ones from enemy forces, and not simply crying our for help.
In the Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero trailer, Piccolo is also seen going into the Red Ribbon Headquarters undercover and alone. With such an important mission of saving young Pan, why would the Namekian take on this task solo? Because Piccolo has trained Pan, he is well aware of her power level, and it is quite possible that he is planning on using her fighting skills to assist in the rescue mission - and maybe even take down the secret enemy in the process. With the young Saiyan and the Nameless Nemekian side-by-side, they are undoubtedly an unstoppable force, as they are well versed in fighting together, possibly even hiding some special combo techniques up their sleeves.