Goku is the main protagonist of the popular anime and manga series Dragon Ball. He is an extremely powerful Saiyan warrior who has achieved multiple transformations and power ups throughout the course of the series. Goku’s most well-known forms are his normal state, Super Saiyan forms 1 through 3, and Super Saiyan God. However, in recent story arcs of Dragon Ball Super, Goku attained a mysterious new fifth form that has left fans excited and curious.
What is this new form?
In the current Dragon Ball Super story arc, Goku attains a powerful new transformation that has tentatively been dubbed “Ultra Instinct” by fans. This form is the result of Goku completing Ultra Instinct training under the tutelage of the angels Whis and Merus. It allows Goku to automatically react to any threat or attack with the most efficient countermeasures, without having to even think. This gives him unbelievably quick reflexes and new heights of power.
Visually, the Ultra Instinct form represents a significant departure from Goku’s previous Super Saiyan transformations. Instead of the spiky golden hair of his Super Saiyan forms, Goku’s hair becomes silver in color and is styled upwards slightly. His eyes take on a more stern, defined shape with silver irises. A vibrant, flame-like aura surrounds him, and at times takes on a hexagonal shape behind him. The form certainly has a distinctive look that sets it apart from anything fans have seen before.
Unique abilities
In addition to its unique appearance, the Ultra Instinct form grants Goku tremendous power and new abilities. As mentioned earlier, it allows him to react and counter attacks instantly without having to consciously think or strategize. This gives Goku speed and reflexes far beyond anything he has demonstrated before. Ultra Instinct also imbues him with incredible strength and energy projection capabilities, allowing him to take on the most powerful foes like Jiren, Moro, and Granolah.
Some of the signature abilities Goku displays in Ultra Instinct include:
- Automatic dodging and countering
- Extremely fast movements and attacks
- Powerful concussive energy blasts
- Ability to battle while avoiding injury
- Surges of heat/fire around his aura
These new abilities make Ultra Instinct one of Goku’s most formidable forms yet. He is able to go toe-to-toe with beings of godly might that would have overwhelmed his previous forms.
How did Goku attain Ultra Instinct?
Goku first begins showing signs of being able to tap into Ultra Instinct during the Tournament of Power arc. This inter-universal tournament forced Goku and his teammates to battle some of the strongest warriors from across multiple universes and timelines. During intense battles with Universe 11’s Jiren and Universe 3’s Kefla, Goku suffered significant blows that brought him to the brink of defeat. It is in these desperate moments that Goku unconsciously taps into the Ultra Instinct state for the first time.
However, Goku is only able to access this new power for brief moments and is unable to control it. After the Tournament of Power concludes, Goku seeks to fully master Ultra Instinct. He trains extensively with Merus, an angel who serves as a member of the Galactic Patrol. Merus teaches Goku to clear his mind completely and allow his body to react automatically, without thought, to any threat. Goku struggles at first but eventually unlocks the ability to use Ultra Instinct voluntarily.
Omen form
On Goku’s journey toward mastering Ultra Instinct, he unlocks an intermediary form known as “Ultra Instinct -Sign-” or “Omen”. This sees Goku gaining silver eyes and some of Ultra Instinct’s automatic dodging capabilities, but not the complete transformation. The Omen form represents Goku tapping into Ultra Instinct for short bursts, but not being able to sustain it fully. After intense training, Goku later unlocks the full-fledged transformation seen in the current Dragon Ball Super manga and anime.
What are Goku’s limits in Ultra Instinct?
Despite granting Goku incredible power, Ultra Instinct is not without its drawbacks and limitations:
- Extreme stamina drain – Sustaining Ultra Instinct puts immense stress on Goku’s body.
- Inability to use energy sensing – Goku cannot actively detect ki in this form.
- Difficulty powering up – Building up his energy is more arduous in Ultra Instinct.
- Reactive limitations – Fast opponents can still catch Goku off guard.
- Mastery difficulties – Goku struggles to access Ultra Instinct voluntarily.
These weaknesses mean that Ultra Instinct is not an invincible form for Goku. Powerful foes like Jiren and Granolah can push Goku to his limits even in Ultra Instinct. He is also unable to maintain the form for prolonged periods due to the drain it causes. Goku must balance using Ultra Instinct with his other transformations until he can master Ultra Instinct to its fullest extent.
How strong is Goku’s Ultra Instinct form?
It is difficult to conclusively quantify Ultra Instinct Goku’s power since the form is still so new. However, all indications place it as one of Goku’s single most powerful transformations ever, if not the absolute strongest. Some key indicators of its power include:
| Power Feat | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Defeating Jiren | Jiren was stated to have power surpassing that of a God of Destruction. |
| Overpowering Moro | Moro had merged with Planet Namek and gained significant power. |
| Matching Granolah | Granolah was wished to become the universe’s strongest fighter. |
Based on these feats, most fans and outlets consider Ultra Instinct to likely be Goku’s strongest form yet, surpassing even Super Saiyan Blue in his previous appearances. However, the full scale of its power remains to be seen.
Multipliers
Some fans have theorized possible multipliers that Ultra Instinct provides Goku based on these shown feats of strength:
- 100x base form power at minimum
- Potentially over 500x base form power when mastered
- Possibly a larger multiplier than Super Saiyan Blue
- Exact multiplier is unknown and open to debate
Despite these theories, there is no definitive official multiplier stated for Ultra Instinct yet. But it certainly provides Goku with an enormous boost in speed, strength, and reaction time against any foe.
Will Goku master Ultra Instinct?
As of now in Dragon Ball Super, Goku has not yet fully mastered the use of Ultra Instinct. He is able to access the form voluntarily, but struggles to activate it instantly and maintain it for long durations. Goku sustains heavy physical strain each time he uses it, requiring recovery afterward.
However, it is likely only a matter of time until Goku gains complete mastery of this powerful new state. Ultra Instinct is being emphasized and built up as a fundamental part of Goku’s character arc going forward. Many fans speculate the trigger for Goku finally mastering Ultra Instinct for good may come when he is pushed to the brink and needs to protect those closest to him like his family and friends.
What full mastery could allow
If Goku can fully master Ultra Instinct, some of the potential benefits could include:
- Total automatic reaction to any threat
- Flawless strategic fighting without thinking
- No energy leakage or strain on his body
- Ability to activate and sustain Ultra Instinct with ease
This would make Goku essentially untouchable in combat and able to maintain Ultra Instinct for much longer periods. He may also gain access to more advanced techniques and abilities we have yet to see as his mastery grows.
How does Ultra Instinct compare to other forms?
Ultra Instinct represents a significant power-up for Goku when compared to most of his other Super Saiyan transformations:
| Form | Power Level Estimate |
|---|---|
| Base | 10,000 |
| Super Saiyan | 500,000 |
| Super Saiyan 2 | 1,000,000 |
| Super Saiyan 3 | 8,000,000 |
| Super Saiyan God | 100,000,000 |
| Super Saiyan Blue | 500,000,000 |
| Ultra Instinct Omen | 5,000,000,000 |
| Mastered Ultra Instinct | 50,000,000,000+ |
Based on these estimated power levels, Ultra Instinct provides Goku with strength potentially thousands of times greater than his base form. It far surpasses his Super Saiyan transformations, and likely eclipses even Super Saiyan Blue when mastered fully.
Versus fusion
Compared to fusion forms like Vegito Blue, mastered Ultra Instinct likely still comes out on top in power. Vegito Blue’s power level is potentially in the quintillions, but relies on Goku and Vegeta merging. Ultra Instinct provides similar or greater power to Goku alone, emphasizing how truly game-changing it is for his abilities.
What is next for Ultra Instinct Goku?
Going forward in Dragon Ball Super, fans can expect Goku to continue growing his mastery of Ultra Instinct during battles against powerful new foes like Granolah. He will likely improve his use of the form and uncover techniques and abilities we haven’t seen so far. This could include new applications of his Instinct abilities or unique energy/ki attacks tailored to the form.
Many fans speculate that Goku will eventually achieve complete Ultra Instinct mastery during a future fight where the lives of his loved ones hang in the balance. This ultimate need to protect may trigger Goku finally unleashing the form’s fullest potential and gaining the strength to overcome whatever threat he faces.
Ultra Instinct remains shrouded in some mystery, and it is certain to be a key part of Goku’s character progression. There is still much to be explored and revealed about this incredible new transformation before Goku hones it to perfection and masters controlling its staggering power.
Conclusion
Goku’s newest form, Ultra Instinct, is a very intriguing and exciting new development for the Dragon Ball franchise. Its unique look and incredible abilities have captured fan interest and opened the door to new heights of strength for Goku to attain. There is still much to learn about Ultra Instinct and its full capabilities as Goku strives toward perfecting it. But it is clearly one of the most powerful transformations in all of Dragon Ball, granting Goku speed, strength and reactive abilities unlike anything he has wielded before. As Goku pushes his limits to master Ultra Instinct, it is sure to lead to many epic moments and game-changing battles in the future of Dragon Ball Super.