'Dragon Ball': Did Grand Priest Train Goku for Ultra Instinct Mastery?

The current Dragon Ball Heroes Universal Conflict arc has seen Goku and Vegeta thrown into a dire conflict being fought across the multiverse. A group of powerful escaped prisoners known as the Core Area Warriors are stealing energies from each universe to power a weapon that can kill the gods themselves, and even the most powerful fighters from Dragon Ball Super's Tournament of Power (Hit, Jiren, Kale and Caulifla) aren't enough to stop them!

In fact, the Core Area Warriors prove to be so formidable that Vegeta, Future Trunks, and Jiren need a desperate last-minute save from Goku, who has jumped to a whole new power level after training with Grand Priest. "Grand Priest Goku" reveals that he has achieved much more power and control over his "Ultra Instinct Omen" form, which is only the first stage of the powerful technique. As we wait for Dragon Ball Heroes episode 10 to arrive, there's a big question now looming before fans:

Did Grand Priest also train Goku to fully master Ultra Instinct in its complete form?

During the Tournament of Power, Goku was first able to manifest Ultra Instinct Omen solely as a defensive measure, when trying to avoid the attacks of powerful fighters like Jiren and the Kefla fusion. When Goku later tapped into the complete Ultra Instinct's offensive and defensive powers, the strain on his body was so great that it nearly ripped him apart. However, the version of Ultra Instinct Omen that Grand Priest taught Goku is already capable of offense and defense, without any of the cost to Goku's physical form. In that sense, it would seem that Grand Priest simply training Goku to master Ultra Instinct Omen would be enough.

However, it would be kind of asinine for Grand Priest to train Goku to use Ultra Instinct without taking that training to its logical conclusion: mastery of the technique in its complete form. The fact that Goku didn't immediately tap into the full Ultra Instinct when facing the Core Area Warriors isn't all that surprising - after all, when has Goku ever started out a battle by jumping to the full power of his latest new transformation? Answer: never.

So far, Goku used Ultra Instinct Omen to take down Core Area Warriors' evil android twins, Kamin and Oren - but they were just an opening act. There's villain team still has big guns like "Evil Saiyan" Cumber, as well as "Punished Zamasu," the evil Kai who was resurrected from destruction after Dragon Ball Super's "Future Trunks Saga" arc. Zamasu is the level of fighter that could definitely require Goku to tap into his full Ultra Instinct power, but there is another big risk in doing so: The Universe Seed.

The Core Area Warriors leader Hearts has obtained The Universe Seed weapon, which can consume people or entire planetary bodies, and convert them into a deadly energy. It remains to be seen if Goku boosting his power with Ultra Instinct would turn out to be the key to defeating the Core Area Warriors, or the key factor in helping Hearts give his weapon its biggest power boost yet!

Dragon Ball Super: Broly is out now. Dragon Ball Super currently airs its English dub on Adult Swim during the Toonami block Saturday evenings. It is also available to stream on Funimation and Amazon Video. The Japanese language release is available to stream on FunimationNOW, VRV, and Crunchyroll.

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