How strong was Prime Netero compared to Old Netero?

[ATastyMuffin]

By "Old Netero", I mean Netero having finished his training in Knov's hyperbaric chamber - the Netero that fought Mereum with Zero Hand and all that

We know that pre-training old Netero was less than half of the strength of his prime days, but did the gains he made in preparation for his battle close the gap, at least somewhat?

 

[dergeist]

I would say old was stronger, although it has been quite some time since I read HxH

 

[Pipi Longstocking]

I would say old was stronger, although it has been quite some time since I read HxH

 

[Pipi Longstocking]

two times stronger

 

[Fujitora]

About twice.

 

[featherine augustus]

2x

 

[Intus Legere]

"Twice stronger" is what the manga implies, though I don't really believe it. There are two problems here:

(1) Netero said that phrase while he was out of shape; it's unknown how much of his strength he recovered once in shape.
(2) Netero was known to be insincere and to be humble about his own strength; if his statements were to be taken at face value, Old Netero is as strong as Morel and Know, while Prime Netero is only twice as strong as them.

Spoiler:

He was certainly stronger in his prime. But I don't think there is room in HxH for a human twice as strong as the Netero we saw versus Meruem. Also, even if he was physically better back then, there's no reason his technique should have devolved; actually, I'd find it easier to believe that Hyakushikki Kannon was more refined in his older age than when he was on his prime.

 

[Unknown]

The most important attack of Netero uses his remaining life force as a source, so if his attack with over 100 years old was that powerful, and let say that he had x years to live, if he had 50 years old, he would have 50+x years of life force remaining to use in his attack.

 

[Intus Legere]

The most important attack of Netero uses his remaining life force as a source, so if his attack with over 100 years old was that powerful, and let say that he had x years to live, if he had 50 years old, he would have 50+x years of life force remaining to use in his attack.

I'm not sure lifeforce works like this. But more importantly, I find it unlikely that Netero had the Zero Hand back in his prime.

Zero Hand is not something that can be tested considering its nature, and his training the his final attack were days of meditation. Netero thought since the start of the mission that it couldn't be completed without a sacrifice -- his own, as we see later. It kind of implies to me that Zero was a recent development, specific for this mission, fruit of the mediditation of a man who wasn't planning to make it out alive.

 

[Unknown]

I'm not sure lifeforce works like this. But more importantly, I find it unlikely that Netero had the Zero Hand back in his prime.

Zero Hand is not something that can be tested considering its nature, and his training the his final attack were days of meditation. Netero thought since the start of the mission that it couldn't be completed without a sacrifice -- his own, as we see later. It kind of implies to me that Zero was a recent development, specific for this mission, fruit of the mediditation of a man who wasn't planning to make it out alive.

If he didn't have Zero, he wasn't i his prime. And when he achieved it, he reached his prime, be it when he was 50, or when he was 60 years old.

Also, if you think that the life force of a dying old man and an adult is the same...

 

[Jackalinthebox]

Tbf, even if Zero Hand were theoretically 2x as strong in Netero’s prime, it still wouldn’t be enough to bridge the huge gap between him & Meruem.

 

[Intus Legere]

Also, if you think that the life force of a dying old man and an adult is the same...

That is not what I said -- an adult and an old man are obviously not the same. What I said is that I disagree with your description of lifeforce. You describe it as if it could be calculated by a formula, by the X amount of years one has to live.

I also disagree that Netero is a dying man just there after losing limbs. Meruem himself noted that, despite losing his arm, Netero's "energy levels didn't falter a whit".




He only became a dying man, seemingly, after using Zero Hand.

 

[Nightfall]

Tbf, even if Zero Hand were theoretically 2x as strong in Netero’s prime, it still wouldn’t be enough to bridge the huge gap between him & Meruem.

I would say a stronger might have given Meruem a more serious injury, but while Zero Hand bruised him he was obviously still standing. So I don't think Netero would have killed him anyway.

But a prime Netero vs Meruem, while interesting seems pointless to me. Meruem isn't an idiot either. He would have noticed the difference between a Netero in his youth and his old self. So the fight wouldn't have gone the same way.

It's alongside "what if Meruem wasn't experiencing conflict between his instincts and emerging humanity"

"What if Meruem had munched on a few more nen users to increase his abilities further"