What’s up dragonverse peeps, it’s been a long time since Goku and Vegeta’s travels in the ever-expanding universe of Akira Toriyama and Toyotarō. After the canon Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, and Dragon Ball GT, Toyotarō joined hands with the former to launch Dragon Ball Super. If you’ve failed to catch up though, here’s everything that’s happened since the Tournament of Power!
Recap – the Tournament of Power
For those who have a short memory – Goku & Vegeta were on their quest to become the world’s strongest fighters and encounter Lord Beerus, who is the God of Destruction of the Universe 7, the world where our heroes live. In his fear to be killed by a Super Saiyan God, Beerus visits Earth and challenges the Saiyans to fight him or be erased forever. After, what turns out to be a beginning of a new bond, Beerus and Whis (the fairy god assisting Beerus) together train Goku and Vegeta thus enabling them to turn Super Saiyan Blue for the first time in the anime’s history.
More encounters later, Goku – to find more powerful challengers from across the 12 universes – tricks Beerus into meeting Zen-Oh or Zeno, the king of all 12 universes. He excitedly reminds him of his promise to hold a Tournament of Power, as promised when he first visited earth as Universe 7 and Universe 6 were battling in an exhibition tournament. The Zeno has, back then, reprimanded Beerus and Champa (Beerus’ brother and the God of Destruction of Universe 6) for not inviting him and having fun in his absence.
Goku manages to get the Tournament of Power going but they soon discover that Zeno will erase all the defeated universes permanently from its existence. This makes them train harder and battle to the very end as Universe 7 and Universe 11 face each other in the final quest after all others had been erased in the 48-minute long tournament.
Out of the 80, only Goku (from Universe 7), Frieza (Universe 7), Android 17 (Universe 7) remain to take on Jiren, a mighty warrior from the 11th. The trio defeats Jiren, teaching him that ‘TRUST’ alone was Universe 7’s biggest weapon in the tournament of power. Goku, in his efforts to save his friends from annihilation, mastered the Ultra Instinct (a technique of the gods) during their emphatic victory.
After winning the much-elated Tournament of power, the two Zenos (from the future and the present) gift the super dragon balls to Android 17, who was the last-standing contender in the decimated ring. The now-humane, Android wishes for all the erased universes to be restored and all its beings revived. This wish saves the day as the Grand Minister, jokingly, confirms that the Zeno would have erased everyone from Universe 7 if the wish from Android 17 would’ve been anything superficial. The day is once again saved!
Onto the Next Adventure – Galactic Patrol
After the Tournament of Power is over, the heroes Vegeta and Goku both have new uniforms. They’re now saving the earth against other evils and are both Space Patrol warriors. Soon, it is discovered that The Galatic Patrol has experienced its worst prison break ever. Moro, a planet-eating monster, has escaped. Apart from his plan to take on the world via the new Namekian dragon balls, Moro has new drawn power, from – um, again – the people of Namek.
Merus, Jaco, and Esca – the new characters – escape Moro’s onslaught, and later we see Goku, Vegeta, and the Grand Supreme Kai taking on Moro. The Grand Supreme Kai becomes central as the Saiyans find themselves limited in the broad vacuum. The Grand Supreme Kai fights a long-lasting battle with Moro and is saved by Merus, who then proceeds to bide time and fight Moro as the Kai sends Moro to New Namek.
The Moro Arc
At New Namek – Goku and Vegeta learn about Moro’s third wish and see a wave of fighters gathering in a spaceship. They soon find out that Moro had wished for all other Space-patrol prisoners to be released and find themselves against an army of criminals, including Saganbo – a deadly warrior. When all hope is lost, Merus advises retreating and everyone, barring Vegeta, is transported away by Goku. Vegeta, who quarreled to stay due to his pride, soon joins Irico’s spaceship but instead of heading towards safety, flies away to Planet Yardrat, home to Yardrats who are known to exist in Universe 2 and 7.
After their great escape, soon the battle shifts end. We are on Earth, where Piccolo, Gohan, and others are encountering a deadly enemy. After Moro’s wish, Saganbo prompted a death brigade and sends seven-three (a being who can copy fighters’ moves replicate them against them) to Earth. Jaco, along with other space patrol members, joins Tien, Chiaotzu, Yamcha, Krillin, and Master Roshi who are assisting the Namekian and Gohan. A battle takes place against the two forces as Good Boo also joins the earthlings who are without Vegeta. We learn later that Vegeta was actually mastering a technique to take out Moro at Planet Yardrat and was being trained by Pybara – the Yardrat who once taught Instant Transmission to Goku.
Moro’s goons soon overpower most of the Earth’s fighters but Vegeta arrives to spoil his party. With new skills and profound strength, he takes on Moro and dwells on his forced-fission abilities to cut Moro’s strength. Piccolo words it beautifully when he says he’s amazed but not by Vegeta’s strength but by his overall change from the first time he visited Earth to destroy it. Vegeta takes away Moro’s stolen energies and returns them to New Namek, making Moro appear older and weaker.
Soon it looks like Vegeta will put an end to Moro’s arc but the latter has one last trick up his sleeve – he draws energy from seven-three; a version of himself, which he had kept hidden inside the fighter’s body. Moro transforms again, this time becoming stronger than he originally was. The fighters are distraught and shaken as the new Moro starts pounding Vegeta and batters him red and blue.
Just when he’s about to land a decisive blow, Merus sacrifices herself revealing that she was originally a trainee-angel but chose to fight against the evil. Whis, on learning about Merus’ demise, is heartbroken and sobs. Though in sacrificing herself, Merus takes away all the powers stolen by Moro and breaks the red stone embedded on his forehead. Goku, now beginning to feel guilty, loses his temper and takes on Moro but is too weak. Vegeta, on realizing the situation, asks every remaining fighter to contribute his energy to Goku.
This isn’t enough until Uub – a version reborn from the Good Boo – sends a wave of energy, which is just enough to take Goku to his ultra-instinct level and even a step beyond. The transformation into an even taller version of himself, Goku emits godly light as he finally puts an end to Moro’s prospects.
The Day is Saved or Is It?
Just when Porunga has restored the New Namek and all its life, Whis – along with Beerus – is summoned by the Grand Minister, who then rebukes Whis for allowing Merus to break the code of conduct for all wizards. He reminds Whis that all those who violate the conduct must be erased permanently but since his heart didn’t allow that, he has only taken away Merus’ godly powers and appearance. Merus, now reborn, is a mere mortal.
But as Goku and the others start to celebrate, the oracle fish lacking sleep tells them the future holds an even greater enemy. One they cannot see coming. So, to even the odds Goku starts preparing with Whis and Vegeta follows suit by sparring with Lord Beerus.
Granolah Arc
As Goku trains to command his ultra-instinct form according to his will, Vegeta refuses to follow suit and is told by Beerus that he has other means to grow stronger and match Goku’s UI. He, upon questioning, finds out that wizards like Whis are always in an ultra instinct state and that the gods possess even stronger forms and attacks than what he’s witnessing with Goku.
On a distant planet, Granolah – one of the surviving members of the Cerealian race – is on his way for revenge! Revenge against Frieza, against the ape-Saiyans, and those who were the reason for his tribe’s extinction. But who is he? What’s his plan? We know Granolah as the sole survivor from Planet Cereal and is on his way to plot revenge against the Saiyans and the Heeters, who appointed a bounty on his planet and his people. While he plots to capture the OG Soldier, OG73-i, from the Heeters, Granolah suspects a stiff resistance after being warned by Oatmeal, an ally.
After failing to stop Granolah from taking away the OG Soldier, the Heeters try to send all the remaining machines, with the same OG seven-three DNA, to bring back their prized possession. They fail and we see the unthinkable. The Heeters boss Elec, sends two of his soldiers’ Oil and Macki to Earth to get help from Goku and Vegeta. After visiting Chi-Chi at Goku’s place, they visit Capsule Corp. and ask Bulma to get them help.
Heading to Planet Cereal
On realizing the threat, which the Oracle fish had warned about, Goku and Vegeta arrive on Earth and prepare to go to Planet Cereal to take on Granolah. This, according to the two Heeters will take over 18 days and so they provide Goku and Vegeta the opportunity to train and relax in the swimming pool available within their ship. Before going, we see a distinct change that fans would love.
Goku, gets his GI marked by Whis and Vegeta gets a ring from Beerus, stating that he can now use Hakai or the ‘Attack of Destruction’ used by the gods themselves. Dragon Ball Super fan moment!
A Final Battle Awaits in Dragon Ball Super
As Goku and Vegeta reach Planet Cereal, they’re welcomed by sharp beams attacks from a distant, but invisible, enemy. Goku is hit and badly loses his energy, forcing Vegeta to give him one of the only two senzu-beans they’ve brought alongside. Vegeta warns Goku of depending too much on his UI and instead focusing on his inner chi. Once again, they face a barrage of attacks before locating Granolah.
Vegeta, for a change of thought, prompts Goku to go first as he was hit by a beam and should exact revenge on the unknown warrior. Goku takes his steps forward but is warned by Granolah about his eye and his ability to target anything with utmost precision. Goku is unnerved and begins to attack Granolah but the latter swings into his defense as if in his own UI state. Goku is confused and is told by Granolah that his movements alone won’t help him as he can sense each of his moves by measuring his blood flow and movement.
Goku is ridiculed by this information and begins trying harder but fails again. He then ascends to his Super Saiyan God mode and combines it with his UI state. Vegeta realizes that this will bring more balance and stability to his attack but they’re proved wrong as Granolah once again punches Goku on his vital areas, crippling him. Granolah reveals he will just kill Goku as Vegeta will still be alive to tell him Frieza’s location.
Upon hearing this, Goku is confused about his actions but is distracted before he could conclude. Granolah’s increasing ferocity occupies Goku as we see Vegeta fumbling in disbelief in the background. But the reason for his disbelief is not Granolah’s overpowering of Goku but the fact that he discovers the footprint of a Great Ape in the rubble.
From Mere Participants in the Tournament of Power to Elite Warriors of the Galatic Patrol
Apart from the Dragon Ball Super canon series, another non-canon series in form of Super Dragon Ball Heroes has been airing on YouTube for the fans. It brings back epic characters from The Tournament of Power back to Goku’s world. The likes of Jiren, Hit, and other former enemies can be seen siding with Goku as he takes on stronger foes.
After the debacle of the first ever, on-screen adaptation, in the form of Dragon Ball: Evolution, there is now a lot of new plots to explore and adapt for the big screen.
