Dragon Ball Super episode 110 , Goku was swallowed by his own explosion of power, marking the first sign that something monumental was about to happen to our hero. As he emerged from the crater of the explosion, accompanied by a fantastical theme, fans witnessed Goku unlocking Ultra Instinct for the first time. This was just a brief glimpse of Goku's immense power within.
On the other hand, two arcs after the Tournament Saga, Goku has gained some control over Ultra Instinct and can activate the form at will. With this, Goku overcomes his greatest weakness and achieves power to rival the gods. This power sets Goku on a path no one else can follow. There's no doubt that fans will see more of Goku's Ultra Instinct when Dragon Ball Super makes its eventual return.
Ultra Instinct: Goku's strongest form in Dragon Ball Super
This transformation puts the user in a mental state that allows them to react and dodge attacks without thinking. Angels are always in this state, and Gods of Destruction find it notoriously difficult to master. However, Goku achieved this form during his battle with Jiren in Dragon Ball Super's .
Initially, he unlocked Perfected Ultra Instinct as Jiren continued to pressure the Saiyan during their fight. The Dragon Ball Super furthers the central theme of Ultra Instinct by depicting it as the absolute peak that all martial artists strive for, as it hones the spirit to fight without thinking and relying purely on the instinct of battle itself.
Limitations and weaknesses of Ultra Instinct
At first, the form's abilities are intense, but it has some weaknesses that Goku is still overcoming. When Goku first activated this form, his body crumbled from the surge of energy, causing him to collapse twice during the Tournament of Power. Goku has trained his body to increase its use, but now his limitations come from his emotions.
Since the form requires the user to remain calm and emotionless at all times, Goku struggles in battle. However, aware of his limitations, Goku focused on Ultra Instinct, as it allows him to focus on his emotions while in this mode.
Ultra Instinct is based on a real-life fighting technique.
Furthermore, Instinct resembles the real-life martial arts concept of Mushin, or, as it's also called, "No Mind." In short, it's a mental state a trained martial artist can enter during combat, where the body reacts without thought or any plan. Martial artists who understand Mushin have refined their instincts and intuition to a level where they can respond to any threat. Mushin's philosophies were the basis of Akira Toriyama's inspiration when designing Instinct. Indeed, the form's silver hair fulfills Akira Toriyama's desire for a form with white hair.
This form's appearance is perfect for Goku. Now that Goku can unlock Instinct, he's one step closer to becoming a powerful martial arts master. While Goku is already an influential martial artist, achieving a form close to the real-life Mushin will put him on a separate martial arts plane.
What to expect from the future of the Dragon Ball Super saga?
While Goku's growth will definitely be the highlight of future Dragon Ball Super , and he will continue to be a prominent main character , he won't be featured much in the Black Frieza arc. It appears the final battle against Black Frieza will fall to Beast Gohan or Broly. Instead, Goku will continue to transcend the path of an angel and reach a realm of the gods that no other Saiyan in history has achieved.
Ultimately, as he continues training with Whis , Goku will mature and become a more accomplished martial artist. Toyotaro could use Goku's Instinct and mastery as the bridge he needs to train Uub. Toyotaro has already shown interest in Uub after he helped with Goku's Spirit Bomb against Moro.
So, what do you guys think of Goku's transformation? Leave a comment and see you next time.
