Summary
- Goku's True Ultra Instinct is not just another transformation, but a change in mindset fueled by his emotions and thrill for battle.
- True Ultra Instinct allows Goku to retain his nature as a Saiyan and fighting enthusiast while still gaining the benefits of Ultra Instinct.
- Unlike other transformations, True Ultra Instinct is not solely focused on boosting power and ability, but rather on tapping into a mindset of detachment and emptying the mind of attachments.
Warning: This contains spoilers for the Dragon Ball Super Manga.
Dragon Ball Super's return was as exciting and long-awaited as many people wanted it to be. With Goku's new transformations ranging from Super Saiyan God, to Super Saiyan Blue, and more recently, True Ultra Instinct; Goku has achieved new levels of strength. However, one must ask about Goku's Ultra Instinct. Why is it that in the Manga during his battle with Gas he opted to go for what seemed like a lesser version of Ultra Instinct?
More importantly, what exactly is it about this change in mindset that sets it apart from just being another transformation into a more grounded and true version of Ultra Instinct to Goku? Is True Ultra Instinct a transformation, or a change in mindset? That is a question that needs to be answered.
Beginning With The Build Up
To begin with explaining Goku's True Ultra Instinct, one must go back to a few chapters of explanation and details from the Manga. During his training with Whis, Goku refers that his greater struggle is finding a way to maintain and consciously tap into Mastered Ultra Instinct as a transformation. However, Whis, being the angel that is on Ultra Instinct by default and being, states that Goku's biggest obstacle is thinking of Ultra Instinct as just another transformation to be unlocked or to tap into. With this little bit of foreshadowing, along with the growing power of Vegeta's inner mindset changing to fit more of that of Ultra Ego, Goku is drip-fed details and information that will lead into his changing towards his True Ultra Instinct.
Of course, this is all revealed in the fight against the Heeters, especially Gas. While Goku and Vegeta tapped into their Ultra Instinct and Ego, only Goku felt slowed down in comparison of Vegeta's power and speed at the time. Slowly, with Goku accepting part of his heritage, and being revealed the truth about his father Bardock through a flashback; the Saiyan succeeds in going one step down that's more true to himself and his nature while gaining the benefits of Ultra Instinct.
As a result of this, Goku's performance in battle becomes different but exponentially improved as a result. Now, this mindset transformation is not like Ultra Instinct Sign, but rather its own completed form of an Ultra Instinct that still retains Goku's nature and thrill for battle without sacrificing completely part of his nature to achieve a Mastered state that isn't completely his own. At the end of the day, the build-up is shown through the strength and techniques that Goku employs, which include a breath blast reminiscent to that of a Great Ape's breath attack. This shows a lot about Goku's own improvement and acceptance of his nature while acknowledging his limits and finding a way to break through them without sacrificing his own identity and beliefs.
Overall Details About True Ultra Instinct
If one wanted to go over the details and specificities about what True Ultra Instinct truly is in the context of this story. The simple answer would be Goku using his emotions to fuel his Ultra Instinct as opposed to using the technical Mastered Ultra Instinct by emptying your mind of attachments and emotion for a temporary amount of time. For the most part, this answer is correct, as the purpose of True Ultra Instinct was for Goku to use his emotions and thrill of battle to fuel his Ultra Instinct as opposed to detach himself from his nature and be something he is not. As seen before, he still has more refinement, strength, and speed thanks to this focus in mindset as well as retaining his nature as a Saiyan and fighting enthusiast. As a result, Goku is able to go up against the likes of Gas, who was thought to be one of the strongest characters in Universe 7, and therefore a huge threat for Goku and Vegeta at the time.
Of course, why should this transformation be not considered and transformation to begin with? Because as stated by Whis, it isn't necessarily like Super Saiyan or all variations of it in which it gives you a boost in power and ability, but rather a mindset that one must tap into by emptying their mind fo attachments. However, it can also be modified to the individual user of Ultra Instinct, as seen when Goku achieved his True Ultra Instinct. Dragon Ball Super as a series still needs to go into more detail about how True Ultra Instinct may affect Goku's mindset and if it can be improved in the future as well, especially with the upcoming threat of Black Frieza in the corner making things tense as they can be. However, thankfully an explanation of True Ultra Instinct allows some clarification and relief.
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