Dragon Ball: Will Ultra Instinct or Ultra Ego Do Better Against Gas?
Dragon Ball has given fans yet another opportunity to engage in their favorite pastime: debating powers and power levels. The Dragon Ball Super manga series' latest story arc, "Granolah The Survivor" has seen Goku and Vegeta each develop their own respective new powers: Goku has further mastered the angelic technique of Ultra Instinct; Vegeta has combined his own Saiyan nature with the techniques of the Destroyer Gods and unlocked the form of Ultra Ego. Both powers are uniquely different in nature, and as the final battle with new (old) villain Gas unfolds, there's already been hints that one new power could be more effective than the other at beating Gas!
(WARNING: Dragon Ball Super Manga SPOILERS Follow!)
Is Ultra Instinct The Key?
The technique of Ultra Instinct is a power achieved through a zen-like state of mind in battle. Angels use that focus and serenity to allow their physical bodies to move faster than the speed of conscious thought. Ultra Instinct gives angels like Whis, a Saiyan like Goku, and even an elderly human (like Roshi) incredible speed, strength, energy output, and defensive capabilities, with pinpoint precision and almost autonomous effortlessness.
Goku has struggled to truly tap into Ultra Instinct's full potential, as his natural Saiyan craving for battle makes the whole 'zen in battle' thing difficult. However, The Granolah Arc has taken a lot of time to bring Goku closer to his Saiyan heritage through the reveal of his father Bardock's secret history of heroism and previous achievement of tapping into a mysterious power unique to Saiyans.
Fans have been wondering why Dragon ball Super would even bother with this Bardock sub-arc if not to set up Goku for another climatic power jump and/or transformation. A Saiyan-based version of Ultra Instinct could easily be the point this new arc is building to, as Goku once again steps up to save the day against Gas.
Is Ultra Ego The Key?
Vegeta created Ultra Ego by taking the Gods of Destruction's technique of "Hakai" (or "true destruction" as Lord Beerus has described it) and combining it with his own Saiyan nature – aka, the total and complete focus on victory in battle. With Ultra Ego Vegeta gets the usual Dragon Ball power level boosts; he also has his Destroyer techniques and an array of energy manipulating techniques he learned on Planet Yardrat, all of which are at his disposal as one of the most strategic fighters in the universe.
The real "secret power" of Ultra Ego is that even as Vegeta takes more and more battle damage he seems to be getting stronger. The reason why this form functions that way still remains to be explained, but it could very easily be the key to defeating Gas. After all, Bardock beat Gas decades earlier by tapping into a power that was directly tied to his Saiyan identity and nature. Even though Goku may be finally discovering that side of himself, Vegeta has already mastered it.
A lot of Dragon Ball fans have long been calling for Vegeta to be the one who finally gets to be the hero that saves the day, instead of Goku. It seems like there could be no better opportunity than this: Not only can Vegeta's Saiyan Pride finally be the key to beating a villain, but it would actually put Goku in Vegeta's shadow for once, as he has to learn more about being a "true Saiyan" from his friend and formal rival.
What About Granolah?
Um, this is the "Granolah The Survivor" story arc, right? So is Granolah going to get to be the hero who has to save the day? Will Vegeta and Goku's power race even need to be resolved right now?
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