Guru is the oldest and wisest remaining Namekian in existence and is one of three of the only survivors of a cataclysmic climate shift several hundred years prior to theAdded anime role events in the series.
Guru is one of the two known survivors of a cataclysmic climate shift on Namek several hundred years prior to the events in the series (the other ones being Kami and King Piccolo, who were once one being prior to Kami's separation with his inner evil). Guru is renowned for saving the Namekian race after the climate shift, by laying eggs and continuing his species. In his lifetime, he birthed 109 children, including his bodyguard Nail and the young Dende.
He is not given a name in the original Japanese version and is referred to only as "The Eldest".
It is revealed that Guru knows about the Super Saiyan legend when he asks Krillin if the Saiyan who attacked Earth (Vegeta) was a "Super Saiyan". Also, Guru regards Kami and Piccolo's original potential to be so great that only a Super Saiyan could have a chance at defeating him (after Piccolo's fusion with Nail and Kami, Krillin later states in the Imperfect Cell Saga that Kami and Piccolo's potential is even greater than that of a Super Saiyan).
Though Guru is not shown fighting in the series, he has shown a number of abilities. As a member of the Dragon Clan, his most famous ability is the power to create Dragon Balls, to which he gave powerful abilities. He has the ability to unlock someone's hidden potential by placing his hand on their head; he did this for Krillin, Gohan and Dende.
