'Dragon Ball Super': Did Goku Really Master Ultra Instinct?

It’s hard to keep track of all the things Dragon Ball Super did for the franchise. The series [...]

It's hard to keep track of all the things Dragon Ball Super did for the franchise. The series introduced Beerus, awakened the Super Saiyan God legend, and welcomed back Future Trunks. Shortly before the series' finale aired, it went so far as to introduce fans to Ultra Instinct during the Tournament of Power, and Goku's use of the form had fans shook.

However, it doesn't seem like the Saiyan actually mastered the transformation. Whoops?

If you didn't know, Dragon Ball Super aired its finale last weekend, and it had a lot to unpack. Episode 131 brought the Tournament of Power to an end with Universe 7 taking the win. Android 17 ended up wishing all of the erased universes back, and Goku was determined to train more after his difficult bout with Jiren. Vegeta joined the hero to spar their frustration away, and it was there Goku owned up to his Ultra Instinct status.

During their spar, Vegeta did his best to provoke Goku into Ultra Instinct, but it just wasn't happening. "Hey," the fighter said. "What happened to your Ultra Instinct?"

"I can't do it," Goku answered. "I guess I was pushed to the edge in the tournament and did it accidentally!"

So, there goes all those fan-theories about Goku mastering the form.

Unlike Super Saiyan, this new form is still beyond Goku's grasp. The hero can go SSJ in his sleep, but Ultra Instinct still requires a catalyst to get going. The tournament pushed Goku into the state as it put the entire weight of Universe 7 on his shoulders, but that kind of pressure is hard to come by. If Goku wants to truly master the form, he needs to find a way to enter the state at will. So, who knows? Maybe one of Dragon Ball Super's movies or its rumored TV return will see the hero make headway towards that.

Do you think Goku will ever be able to use Ultra Instinct at will? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics, k-pop, and anime!

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