Nightmare Fuel / Dragon Ball Super Universe Survival Arc

"SON GOKUUUUUU!!!!!!!"

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Pre-Release

• Even before the arc is out, the manga panels' showing for the Universal Survival Saga, the stakes are much higher than the Champa tournament. The losing universes ... get completely destroyed immediately. It's definitely something where the following panel shows Beerus, the Supreme Kai, and even Goku (whom at this point, seemed pretty chill with the Grand Priest and Zen'o) freaking out. Sligthly lessened in Episode 81, where the rules are explained: a universe gets destroyed only if all the participants of said universe are thrown out of the ring before the time limit (48 minutes) expires.
• After Episode 76's preview, we get another for the Universal Survival Saga. In a bizarre and ominous twist, we have a freaking female version of BROLY. Heaven help us if this is going the way we think it is...
  • Then to kick things further, we get a good look at the many Gods of Destruction in that same preview, their attendants and Kais in tow. Most prominently, we have a horrifyingly clown-like being who may have a starring role, his attendant gives off the vibes of an expy of Harley Quinn, the Monster Fangirl herself, and the hooded man behind that universe's Supreme Kai doesn't make things better either. It becomes less scary when we learn that the hooded figure is Toppo, who is the leader of the hero team the Pride Troopers, while the clown God of Destruction Belmod destroys evil.

Kale

• Kale. It's bad enough she is the Distaff Counterpart of Broly, but you can see there is something wrong with her outside her shyness. When the moment comes for Cabba to teach her the Super Saiyan transformation, she can't, releasing a sickly flow of energy, and turning into a juggernaut that wants to kill him just because of jealousy.
• Kale's lack of origin. We are never told where she comes from, only vaguely implied Caulifla found her one day. What could have happened to her, to inspire such personality in her? Could it be her power took the better of her one day like her counterpart? We shall never know.
• The manga actually explores what a Broly-like character would be like in a tournament like this, and isn't pretty.
  • While her anime version is scary on her own, Kale's manga counterpart is worse. She doesn't have her shy personality, but she makes up for it for her incredible power and Hyper-Competent Sidekick status, as her base form is fast enough to trick Golden Frieza to go in the defensive. And then she transforms, and starts to wreack havoc everywhere. In the anime, the worst Kale did was accidentally throw some competitors from Universe 10 and 11 off the ring. In the manga? She wrecks everyone, the remaining Universe 2, 4 and 10 fighters, and defeat Anilaza in One shot, causing 4 universes to cease to exist in the process. She then attack the Namekians and carries Magetta like nothing, the same Magetta a Super Saiyan Vegeta couldn't even carry!
  • In the anime, all of the universes (with the exception of Universe 4) that got erased had at least a good showing that let them go out with a bang. At least in the anime, those universes got to see their team perform well before they hit the gutter. In the manga, they didn't get to see that satisfaction. All they saw was some monstrous beast take apart their last standing fighters with no effort at all. No wonder why a lot of their fighters had looks of shock and horror instead of content and happiness when their warriors were taken out.
• Unlike the anime version where her berserker form is vaguely described as "a Saiyan's true form", the manga actually has more information about her: she is a "demonic Saiyan", a figure of myth that happens every 1000 years, and their power is so immense they end up dying because of it. That means that Kale was close to dying while fighting in the tournament.

Episodes 77-85

Episode 77

• In the opening sequence, we see a shot of the two Zenoes crossing across each other and smiling at the camera. Up until now, Zeno has been fairly cute looking, even with the sheer destructive power he possesses. In that shot, both the Zenoes look creepy, with very slasher smile-esque expressions. The fact they are going to destroy the loser universes just brings to mind how otherwordly those children are.
• We get our first look at Present and Future Zen'O playing with each other, with what seems a solid-holographic game of planets and galaxies that they send at each other's to destroy. The kicker? Those holograms represent real planets and galaxies, which are moved with as much ease as flicking a finger... and each collision/destruction ends as you'd expect.
• Goku has effectively stirred into motion the Universal Tournament early, which threatens to destroy numerous universes... because he was bored and wanted to fight in it sooner than 'no clear date'. Let us repeat that. Trillions (and then some) of innocent men, women, children, and countless other species are going to possibly be eradicated off the face of the multiverse seemingly because of one man's boredom (even if he's not the one who'll ultimately cause the destruction). It doesn't help that not only does the opening's lyrics for this saga reflect the singer's boredom and wanting to blow Zen'o away (expectations-wise), but Goku also gets a shot while shrouded by what seems like Kaio-ken energy where he suddenly pulls off a Black-esque expression. We later learn the Zen'o planned for 8 universes to be destroyed all along, or so it seems. So, while still incredibly frightening, the blame is at least shifted away from Goku.
  • Even Beerus has deemed that Goku's urge to fight is endangering everything. And he was ready to kill Goku for this (in a very similar matter to how he killed Zamasu and Dr. Mashirito).
  • And to some people, Goku's method of dealing with a thug's handgun bullet sent his way being eerily identical to Raditz's dispatch of a farmer all the way back to the beginning of Dragon Ball Z has raised some eyebrows, given his thirst for fighting. During said sequence, Goku gives off a few VERY Goku Black-esque smirks.
  • Try this on for size. When both Beerus and Whis were telling him not to enter the Tournament, Goku outright THREATENS to summon Zen'o. "Press this side and Zen-Chan comes. This side and I go to him. Which should I press?" Turns out he was kidding, but it's a very unnerving scene. And as he was threatening the two, he sounded like Goku Black. (In Goku's defense, though, he had no idea just how high the stakes were — he just figured it'd be like the last tournament: they'd fight for a bit, then go home to their respective universes to celebrate their victory or bitterly accept defeat.)

Episode 78

• The serene look of the Grand Priest when he announces that all loser universes would be destroyed is very disturbing, especially when even Beerus is freaking out along with other gods and Goku.

Episode 79

• Majin Buu, the ancient destroyer of worlds and killer of gods, getting mad and promptly reminding everyone why Shin was terrified by him.
• The exhibition matches are declared anything goes because the Zen'os finds that more amusing. Buu throwing Basil out of the ring doesn't net him a win, and Basil being given a terrifying power-boosting drug and it's allowed since it makes things "cooler." There are no rules unless the Zen'os are satisfied or one contestant is no longer able to move. Oh, Crap! doesn't even cover it. As pointed out with Lavender, "no longer able to move" doesn't specify that the opponent must still be alive. To make it just how clear that is, Lavender is gleeful since it means he can try to kill Gohan during their fight, not to mention Lavender's Mad Eyes and Slasher Smile... something is just not right with the guys of Universe 9...

Episode 80

• Lavender turns out to be a poison specialist and poisons Gohan to blind him and debilitate him over the course of the fight, which gets progressively worse as it does.
• Whis muses that all the lowest 8 universes were going to be erased initially, but Zen'O is letting the winning universe survive.
  • It gets even worse: Zen'o always thought there were too many universes, and the Tournament of Power is to help weed out the weak ones. All gods of loser universes (apart from angels, since their position is 'different') will be destroyed too.

Episode 81

• Bergamo appeals to both Omni-Kings that if he wins his fight against Goku, then Zen'o would eliminate the "universes get destroyed if they lose" rule. They oblige, but then says that Goku shouldn't show any signs of holding back, or he'll destroy his universe as well. Considering Zen'o of the present knows how strong Goku really is, it's possible that he didn't want to keep his end of the bargain anyway: he just wanted to toy with Bergamo. It's not hard to come to the conclusion that Zen'o, the Top God, is evil. Obliviously Evil, but still. ^spoiler Or rather not, as it turns out. Considering Zeno's real purpose behind the Tournament of Power, if Bergamo did win, it would already answer that purpose and render the tournament unnecessary, as even the lowest of universes would be capable of power (beating Goku) and selflessness (Bergamo desiring for them to live in peace). As would Goku throwing the match despite directly defying their rule, or rather because of that fact, as it'd be a strong mortal throwing aside his pride for the sake of another, particularly one who's supposed to be his opponent.
• The flippant nature of Goku is REALLY starting to take a dark turn when you think about it. As a child, before his Easy Amnesia, he was your typical destructive Saiyan, and even as a young boy annihilated an entire army because they were in his way, and only really calmed down during the training with Kami and Popo. Before, he was really less restrained that he was as an adult, yet now a number of those instincts - the silly ones, and the worse ones - are starting to slip out again, leading to affect his nature: a Blood Knight who's not exactly interested in heroics or morality, even if he mainly is a good guy, but just wants a good fight.
  Goku: So I'm the bad guy here, huh? Well, this'll be fun.
• The Grand Priest declares that during the construction of the Tournament of Power, it will take 5 tiks, which in Universe 7 Earth time is... 40 hours after said Exhibition match. Goku and the other Universes only have about a short time to recuperate, choose 10 warriors to participate in the tournament, strategize. and get ready in the total of 40 hours. Basically, Goku and Co have to do all of this right after a match they just participated in, with little room for error or even proper rest.
  • The very concept behind the Tournament of Power is Nightmare Fuel incarnate. Your universe is considered ripe for termination if its "mortal level" is deemed too low, and afterwards has to fight for its survival in a battle royale-style tournament, meaning that if said Universe also failed to create a warrior class that's really good at punching aliens in the face, it gets tossed into the void. And there are no feedback systems to let a Universe's Gods of Creation or Destruction know if they're doing a bad job. Not even an employee evaluation given at regular intervals. If they screw up, it's curtains for their entire Universe. Imagine being an inhabitant of a doomed universe, going about your daily business, and suddenly, everything just ends because of faraway events and aspects of your own universe which you knew nothing about. This is slightly lessened in that the "mortal level" appears to be the universe's quality of life, rather than any raw fighting power. But despite that the Gods of Destruction and Creation (Kais) still have no way to determine how they're doing at their job, with some possibly not even knowing what their end goal is.

Episode 82

Episode 83

• Shin states there are only 28 planets populated with intelligent mortal life in Universe 7. Yikes; the Saiyans, Frieza, Buu, and Beerus really did a number on the universe. No wonder U7 has the second-lowest mortal rank. This also makes you wonder how much of a Crapsack World U9 must be, to have even less planets with intelligent mortal life... or possibly so many weak races that the combined average renders the average of the strongest completely overshadowed.

Episode 84

• The other Supreme Kais and Gods of Destruction that are participating in the tournament have a meeting in Universe 11 ... however, the Gods of Destruction (minus Beerus) seem to have another agenda at hand. They want to target Universe 7... but remembering how dangerous it was having two Gods of Destruction around, now just imagine up to seven of them potentially plotting trying to attack your universe just because of a single being. At this point, they're basically scraping for ideas. Thankfully, they fear how Zen'o would react if they caught wind of any plots, so most of them don't dare to try and just focus on gathering warriors... 'most' of them, that is.

Episode 85

• Jiren's training. Just him floating about, meditating, with a strange red aura around him. Judging by the music, this obviously shows that, behind that serene look, there is a metric TON of power lying dormant. Sure, the other Pride Troopers trust him, but is it possible that his power is simply too much for anyone to deal with?

Episodes 86-96

Episode 86

Episode 87

• When the Poacher Leader goes on a rant about money and his motivations, followed by offering 17 and Goku various fortunes if they let him go. Goku darkly mutters, "He can't be saved." while stepping forward before getting stopped by 17. To stress this: 17, the android once programmed to kill Goku is suddenly stopping Goku from potentially committing cold-blooded murder.

Episode 88

• We are briefly introduced to Caulifla when Cabba speaks to his retired mentor Renso, a female Saiyan from Universe 6. She looks like a little girl but after she bites down on a hunk of meat, she lifts her head up and gives a Psychotic Smirk to the camera. Also, the room she's in is filled with big, tough-looking guys, yet it's implied by the look of things that she's the one in charge.

Episode 89

• Master Roshi throwing a woman over his shoulder and carrying her off against her will can be an uncomfortable viewing, especially for victims of sexual abuse.

Episode 90

Episode 91

• We actually get to see one of the planets from Universe 9, and it ain't pretty. We see a city in flames ... which is the result of civil unrest after a failed recruiting attempt by the Trio de Dangers. We see several criminals destroying a city, which shows a disappointed Mojito (as if he's already upset) and a distraught Sidra. All Sidra can do is destroy the city and declare to try again in another world, which will most probably end up with similar results. Considering Angels usually keep a cool head, a pissed-off Mojito is rather terrifying. After all, he's the most powerful being there.
• Although it's treated as part of the punchline to Brianne de Chateau's Magical Girl parody Transformation Sequence, the fact that she could so casually blast the two women who badmouthed her is rather chilling. Thankfully she only injured them, but first-time viewers wouldn't know that until much, much later, particularly since it's easy to assume she just killed them on the spot.
• When Mr. Popo warns Vegeta to not destroy the Hyperbolic Time Chamber again, this shot◊ appears when Popo's telling Vegeta that he's going to be banned from the lookout if he destroyed it, taking cues from Popo's Abridged version. Looks like Popo's ready to teach Vegeta about the pecking order.

Episode 92

Episode 93

• Bringing back FRIEZA from the world of the dead, however temporarily, is all about this. The guy is basically a ticking time bomb, and knowing full well he has a limited time in the world of the living, who knows what he'll try to pull off under everyone's noses?
• Kale becomes this when she becomes the Legendary Super Saiyan/Female!Broly. This quiet, shy, demure young girl suddenly turns into a raging, hulking monster so frenzied, so bloodthirsty that the first thing she wants to do is kill Cabba. The poor guy could barely hold her off before Caulifla managed to talk her down.
  • As if the resemblance to Broly wasn't complete enough yet, we get these eerily-similar lines from the original classic film, delivered by Kale:
    "Cabba, let's go! You will be the first of my blood sacrifices!"
    "My energy's rising... overflowing...!"
  • Anyone who remembers Broly's movies knows that he attacked anything in sight without any discretion, and they just barely got Kale to calm down and revert to normal. If she goes wild, who knows what sort of havoc she'll wreck!
  • The animation when she rampages makes her new Super Saiyan form look increasingly monstrous as well.
  • The transformation sequence in of itself is horrifying, not only as she hulks up into the Berserker state, but her voice slowly goes from a distressed wail to a roar-like screech. The contrast between the two forms is chilling, to say the least. And in the English version, the sheer power in Kale's screams perfectly expresses the depths of her self-loathing, jealousy and more, terrifyingly so.
  • The beginning of the transformation is unpleasant all round. Kale gets steadily more upset and instead of the bright, golden sparks that signified Caulifla's transformation, sickly green light starts coming off her, and is present all-throughout. Unlike a regular Saiyan transformation, this one looks painful and wrong.

Episode 94

• Krillin's question about the consequences of Team U7's lateness to the tournament is this: Whis replies that it will lead to not only their disqualification, but also the destruction of their universe on the spot. Krillin's Oh, Crap! reaction sells it, especially since several of the fighters only just learned about the potential destruction of the universes.
• Seeing Frieza transform into his Golden form definitely has shades of this. From the dramatic build-up as the viewer sees various parts of him transforming to the sense of dread and despair the soundtrack instills as he powers up to just how easily he becomes Golden Frieza, as if the form that allows him to trade blows with a Super Saiyan Blue but previously required so much exertion on Frieza's part just to enter now comes naturally to him. The whole scene firmly establishes that for all of the humiliation he's endured up to this point in Super and just how crushing his defeat was on Earth, Frieza is now more dangerous than ever.

Episode 95

• Frieza's "warm up" is this. By "warm up", we mean he butchers every assassin who came for him, which he considers to be an "exercise" after being confined in Hell for some time. Heck, he even outright laughs and asks anyone about his improvement and when Goku — who is so horrified after seeing the slaughter - even tells him to stop, what is Frieza's response? He outright claims that they will die anyway, whether be killed by his hands or be perished by their destroyed universe for their defeat at the Tournament! And the worst part? He's not even wrong. Universe 9, who sent the assassins, was the first universe to be erased!
• It's immediately proven that Frieza is still untrustworthy even after getting out of Hell, and will try to manipulate anyone necessary to reach his goals. When he was able to control Sidra's energy, he waited until Goku got caught off-guard and trapped him inside of that energy, who thankfully was saved due to Beerus's arrival. Even Ro, who is considered the most repulsive Supreme Kai we've seen yet, is disgusted by the tyrant, considering him a traitor to his universe and even closer to a God of Destruction than Sidra. Frieza's final, chilling reply below is what truly galvanized Ro into not trusting the tyrant.
  Sidra: Do you really wish to betray your own universe? Even if it means its obliteration?
  Frieza: Yes, and what of it?
  Ro: How could you? Even the most despicable of villains has something which they hold dear and wish to protect! A loved one? Cherished memories? A precious place from one's childhood, even?
  Frieza: Excuse me, my good man: I simply do not understand what it is that you are prattling about.
  • Additionally, when Beerus and Whis intervened, all Frieza did was see how easy it is to manipulate the Gods, and seems to be planning something against the God of Destruction.
  • Even scarier? Frieza has managed to control his Golden form. He tells Goku that after being sent back to Hell, he used his time there and meditated, allowing him to control his energy and letting him maintain his Golden form without it draining his power. It's only a small mercy that Goku has gotten stronger since their last battle and that they are evenly matched while he's in regular Blue.
  • Frieza shows that he's still a pretty effective Knight of Cerebus long after he was the main antagonist. Super is overall a far more lighter show than its predecessor, the darkest it was getting was the Future Trunks saga. The second Frieza shows up however? The body count increases astronomically. He mercilessly slaughters every single assassin from Universe 9 as they're clearly terrified of him, and even tortures one for sport while he's begging for his life. Frieza considers this a "warm up" for the tournament, and even justifies his torture of that particular assassin as enjoying the feeling of it after being trapped in hell for so long. This entire episode shows that no matter how many chances at life he gets, Frieza will always be an unrepentant fiend.
  • His sheer coldness in this episode could count. Not only there is the Xanatos Gambit he enacts the second he gets the chance with the destruction energy that, as mentioned above, shows he doesn't care at all about his whole universe, but he also went from being terrified of Beerus' mere presence to thinking about manipulating him and the other gods, and him becoming the one who scares them.
• After Zen'O, the Grand Priest, and the Angels put them into place, this episode reminds us that the Gods of Destruction are nonetheless quite high on the cosmic scale and scary beings beyond their raw power. This time, it reveals that their Energy of Destruction can make things Deader than Dead in one hit. Yeah, Beerus destroyed a ghost, but in a gag episode that showed other rules being bent, so it might have been just one of the jokes in that episode, but now you have the proof that no, that wasn't purely a joke. Everything that's been hit by this, or Hakai as used on Zamasu, is just plain gone. And Frieza managed to manipulate that, meaning that some mortals could exploit that too if they're strong enough. And Goku couldn't, although he was still in base form, so it's up to debate if he just needed more power (and would have done it in Super Sayan Blue form), Frieza's ki control just got that good or there's something else entirely behind it.

Episode 96

• Frieza and Frost have now finally met, and they're hitting it off quite well. Bad things are about to happen in this tournament, now that these two have been acquainted.
• Jiren the Grey is able to move so quickly that Goku doesn't even realize Jiren has moved behind him until after he has spoken, when Goku was looking right at his back. And his speed scared GOKU.
• Caulifla's cocky attitude towards the Pride Troopers while Goku, Vegeta, and Cabba sense their energy is a horrifying one. Those three Saiyans know that there's going to be serious trouble, while Caulifla herself thinks that the tournament will be a piece of cake. This could be really bad for Caulifla, as she could get more than what she bargained for after facing an opponent that she laughs off as weak. This could go for someone like Ribrianne (who could give her a really bad beatdown), Toppo (from what we've seen, he's on par with SSB Goku), or worse yet, Frieza (who could potentially torture her knowing that she's a Saiyan)...

Episodes 97-103

Episode 97

• He may have been only the second fighter to get a ring-out, but there's no denying that Nink is pretty creepy. After restraining Goku, he goes on about how much he loves it when his prey squirms and while slowly stepping towards the edge of the ring, Nink claimed that he and Goku would "go down together".

Episode 98

• What happens to the losing universes is brutally demonstrated when Universe 9 has their team wiped out by Goku and Vegeta. Right then and there, the Zen'ohs use their power to instantly blink their entire universe, the assembled fighters and gods, out of existence. Nothing is left. Everyone else, Gods and mortals alike, are rightfully horrified. Even the ones who don't have to worry about their universe falling are horrified as well. Although it's up for interpretation on why exactly he did this, this smile◊ that Mojito gives after Universe 9 is destroyed is shown as really creepy. We know that Mojito was tired of Universe 9's incompetence and was probably glad after his universe was destroyed, but it could also mean something else ... even creepier.
• After the above, the Grand Priest throws a rather-creepy smile at Goku. Is he just an amoral Angel? Or should he, too, count as Ambiguously Evil?
• Frieza manages to torture one of the members of Universe 9 so badly he'd rather ring himself out than spend one more moment with him. Why? Frieza decided he looked like an amusing plaything.

Episode 99

• What's most terrifying during the tournament are the Zenos' laughter and joy they're having, which can send chills down your spine knowing that they can erase anyone instantly. To them it's just a game they're playing; Zeno is easily the scariest being in all of Dragon Ball as they do it with no hesitating or a chance for you to plea for mercy. They also don't understand why the fighters are unnerved and stopped fighting, because they erased an entire universe.
  • Moreover, for Anat — the Supreme Kai from Universe 1 — Universe 9's demise itself was considered a necessary sacrifice in order to fulfill the Tournament of Power's purpose of keeping all universes' levels in balance, as well as serving as a chilling reminder to the lower level universes that Goku was their second and last chance to fight for their survival. Unfortunately, Universe 7 is still everyone's target despite this and, as ungrateful as they are, all the fighters had to do is keep fighting.
• Vados's troll about bidding "farewell" to Champa and Universe 6 is this, considering what we see the end of Universe 9 from the previous episode. Needless to say, Champa's annoyance and frustration towards Vados's troll are justified, especially when the stakes becoming more crucial from now on.
• Although Frieza could just be really cocky at this point, his ambitions for overthrowing the gods aren't just the Gods of Destruction themselves... he wants to somehow find a way to overthrow both Zen'os as well. Seeing how Zen'o was swayed by Bergamo back at the Exhibition Match, it may not be as tough as Frieza thinks to overthrow them.

Episode 100

• Napapa holding up Kale (who's currently still in her base state) by her hair while Methiop starts punching the crap out of her, with a very unsettling closeup as well. After she goes unconscious from the beating, Napapa then taunts Kale by saying she shouldn't be unconscious and starts slapping her around before kicking her, which is basically them torturing her. It's a good thing to see Caulifla beat both of them up and later, Kale (in her berserker state) take out Methiop.
  • Then Kale goes berserk when it seems like Goku has taken Caulifla away from her, completely overwhelming Goku in his regular Super Saiyan forms, walks through SSJB Goku's (suppressed) Kamehameha, demolishes the ring with a massive barrage of Ki when she loses control, and starts breaking apart the ring itself with just her roars of wrath alone. Even Vegeta is unnerved Kale's form, going so far as to claim that it is her own true form.
  • The longer she goes in the form, the worse her sanity gets. At least at first she has enough to recognize Caulifla, her Morality Pet who could calm her down, but when her power goes out of control and starts decimating the entire arena, she then goes straight for Caulifla... maybe we should be glad Jiren does what he did below.
  • Then Jiren one-shots her out of her Super Saiyan form. Jiren, who had not moved an inch in the entire Tournament of Power, steps in to stop the Berserker Kale with the ease it takes to swat a fly. Just how powerful is he, and what lengths will Goku go to for the power to take down Jiren?

Episode 101

• This episode features the Saiyans' (read: Goku, Caulifa and Kale) confrontations against the five Pride Troopers (Kahseral, Tupper, Zoiray, Cocotte & Kettol) who were dispatched by Toppo in dealing with the U7 champion, at first. The only reason why Caulifa and Kale are now added into their list is because of Vuon's elimination by Super Saiyan Berserk Kale, and they certainly ain't letting that slide. It's three against five and it's a dangerous disadvantage for even these Saiyans as they are seen struggling against some members, let alone a team of five. If it hadn't been for the intervention from 17 and 18 to even the playing field, the Saiyans wouldn't have made it through their ordeal. Slightly lessened by the fact that the Pride Troopers are a force of justice, and picked them because they proved to be chaotic destructive forces (Kale more than anyone), but between that and Belmod's close-up, it reminds us that Good Is Not Nice.
  • Goku's carelessness this time got himself being ganged up by Tupper's and Zoiray where the latter uses his Spinning Tornado at Goku, while the former trapped Goku by manipulating his own weight so the U7 Saiyan can't break free, because he's trying to save his power. Fortunately, 18 saves the day and even counters Tupper's rolling attack and throws him like a bowling ball.
  • The eliminations of five Pride Troopers in just one episode aren't exactly the good day for Universe 11. Belmod and Khai are so shocked to see this outcome that their confidence about their universe's winning are shaken. Yes folks, these guys who are once confident about their universe is winning about now wavered once the team is reduced into only four! Not helping matters is Khai says that with the situation turns like this, they cannot afford in saving powers anymore.
• When Belmod talks about Kahseral as a fighter along with his abilities to turn his energy blades into a variety of weapons, we get to see a really creepy closeup of his face shrouded in darkness. A truly terrifying view of a Monster Clown God of Destruction who isn't even an evil God of Destruction in the first place.
• Eliminations after eliminations with only a few remains in the ring, the Grand Priest announces that those who stays in the tournament would be considered as the strong and it be more "interesting" from here on, meaning the real struggle is only the beginning. Whichever the team, they will need more than strategy and luck to endure the entire tournament....
• Unbeknownst to Goku, 17 and 18, who are sparing Caulifla and Kale, Brianne meanwhile is watching the events from the ring's ruins above with her glowing blue eyes. One thing is certain is that she and her U2 team mates will fight against U7, and it makes one wonder just what stunt she's going to try...

Episode 102

• The eliminations of Sanka and Vikal angers Ribrianne so much that she immediately accuses Android 17, calling him the Warrior of Darkness, just like Toopo's antagonistic rivalry against Goku. What's the scariest part? Well, if anyone recalls anything from Dragon Ball Z's Android Saga and Cell Saga, Android 17 and 18, especially their evil future alternative counterparts, were mankind's worst enemy in Future Trunks' timeline before Cell and even Goku Black. So what Ribrianne says about him is somewhat half-accurate because he used to be Dr. Gero's creation, before his eventual Heel–Face Turn when confronting Cell.

Episode 103

• Universe 10's last stand and eventual erasure, second after Universe 9. You know the drill folks: Grand Priest announces the losing universe and both Zenos erase that said universe on the spot. Once again, this serves as a grim reminder to everyone as to what stakes they are fighting: there are only six universe are left in the tournament...
  • What's even more nightmarish is the setting of Universe 10's erasure and how: ominous music that happened when Universe 9's erasure happened plays, and this one's actually sadder than Universe 9's defeat. Makes even sadder is the fact that Gowasu of all people pleads Rumshi to prepare their demise before Obuni's elimination to Gohan.
  • Much like Universe 9's incident, the aftermath of Universe 10's erasure haunts nearly everyone: on one hand, Geene, the God of Destruction of Universe 12 who was initially looking forward to the Tournament of Power, seems really unnerved by this current event; Quitela on the other hand still displaying his sociopathic nature and seen chuckling as another competitor is removed. Whichever the case, the tragedies will certainly continue to mount until the last Universe standing in this tournament.
• You think just Goku is the target? Oh no, Champa not just mocks Beerus but he commands Botamo to target on Gohan and Piccolo among the 9 remaining U7 warriors! That's right. Not Goku, not Vegeta, not even Frieza, but Gohan and Piccolo, especially the former accepts Botamo's challenge! This means that the any member of U7 is a target by anyone, even if it's not against Goku! Back to Gohan vs Botamo, when the former keeps hitting the big guy, Beerus is actually seen worrying. Thankfully, things begin to change: Gohan's rapid punches lifts Botamo up and finishing off the battle with a kick and a Kamehameha as his first elimination.

Episodes 104-111

Episode 104

• Episode 104 show's Hit's first woes against other fighters besides Goku, with Dyspo's speed manages to surpass Hit's Time Skip! You read it right, folks. U6's deadliest champion is cornered by the Sonic Warrior of the Pride Troopers! Champa's confusion then horror is understandably justified. And then we have to witness a vicious beatdown onto Hit by Dyspo and Kunshee. Just as Hit is about to retaliate, Kunshee manages to traps the assassins which Dyspo seizing the opportunity and beat him up. While Champa deems the team attack as cheating, Caulifa meanwhile is almost itching to help Hit despite her/Kale's injuries from the previous battle. It is only when Goku's last intervention that saved Hit from his defeat and even elimination by the two Pride Troopers. Just as Beerus said, be very grateful to that.
• "We're done playing the hero. There's no justice or evil. There is only survival or erasure!" Toppo's frightening words signal a very big change for the Pride Troopers. What happens when they stop being goody-goody and go all out?
  • Neither Toppo nor Jiren actually started fighting properly yet: they've only thrown a few hits (and for Jiren, one), yet are still fresh. Toppo has been previously shown to be on par with Super Sayan Blue Goku (and ready to fight him with his Kaioken boost), and Jiren's said to be far above. Dyspo, on the other hand, is in a pretty bad shape, but is still capable of pulling off his speed bursts. If those three decide to go for a "only survival matters", waiting for other warriors to tire themselves and pick on the weakest ones, those are major bad news for everyone else. Particularly if they team-up on someone.
  • This cruel decision is made out of desperation just to secure the Universe 11's very existence, even if it means abandoning their core belief of justice. Throughout the entire Tournament, the Pride Troopers haven't eliminated anyone from the ring and yet they are the ones (barring the remaining three) were ringed out instead. Remember the demise of U9 and U10 after their respective team were beaten? That gives the Pride Troopers a cruel reality check, if not the "wake-up call" that their universe annihilation could be right behind them if they don't get their retribution fast, hence Toppo's cruel Plan B. Say what you will about these guys, but be assured that anyone who is caught in between their retribution shall pay the price...

Episode 105

• Master Roshi actually dies after using his remaining energy to create a final Kamehameha that eliminates Ganos. His death is so shocking to the point Krillin almost reentered the ring before Shin's held him back, and Goku had to teleport to Roshi's direction via Instant Transmission immediately after breaking free from Maji Kayo's clutches. Fortunately, Goku was able to resuscitate him.
• Beerus and Quitela get into an argument over whether or not the bottle Roshi used for the Evil Containment Wave counts as a weapon. Zen'o shuts them up with a murderous Death Glare, saying the bottle is allowed. Even Beerus, who Zen'o technically sided with, instantly remembers his place.
  • This leaves us some horrific implications. Even though Roshi had arguably used an item for his technique, Zen'o accepted that because 'it looked neat'. The rules that were enforced for the Tournament of Power were 'no healing items, no weapons, no flying and no killing'. Now what if someone like Frieza "accidentally" kills someone in the middle of the tournament? As long as Zen'o is entertained, then this means that the 'no killing' rule could be lifted at anytime.

Episode 106

• Piccolo loses both of his arms from Harmira's assault, as his blasts are strong enough to blow off body parts. Thankfully Piccolo regrows them but anyone else would not be so fortunate.

Episode 107

• Frost's brutal beatdown on an exhausted Master Roshi after the latter's battle against Universe 4's fighters, and the beatdown is so bad that Goku had to make his way to rescue him before being stopped by Ribrianne. The only saving grace is when Vegeta of all people makes the rescue before Frost could do anything permanent to Roshi.
  • It gets worse as Frost, much like Piccolo Jr, manages to reflect the technique to seal Vegeta in the bottle. Then he finds Roshi is no longer "useful" and briefly punishes Roshi with his spams of finger lasers. Thankfully, Roshi used his last strength to free Vegeta.
• Even before that, a flashback deal between Champa and Frost is also this. In their recent meeting, and possibly the last, Champa is still sour over Frost's performance from Champa Arc and fumed by Frost's proposition of regaining his own fame and glory as an his exchange for participating the Tournament of Power and ensuring Universe 6's victory. As his "redemption", Frost proposes an plan that will humiliate Universe 7. Unlike Beerus who at least suspects Frieza's possible betrayal, Champa eagerly listens to Frost's plan anyways as long it will cause a humiliating defeat to Universe 7. This alone gives you a chilling idea of how Champa is so occupied with his rivalry with Beerus that he didn't even realize Frost's manipulation.
• When Jiren faces off against Maji Kayo, all it takes for Jiren to ring out a fighter able to restrain base Goku is one punch. He doesn't even connect with the punch: just the force of it alone is enough to generate enough air pressure to blow Maji Kayo out of the ring. Jiren is so strong than he can ring-out any of the opponents in the tournament as easy as any Z-Fighter would a human at the Tenkaichi Budokai.
• Maji Kayo restraining Dyspo and threatening to cut off his ears.
  Dyspo: Th-This guy's messed up.

Episode 108

• Frieza shows up again, and reminds us just what kind of messed up, sadistic villain he is while he deals with Jimeze. First, he watches him trash base Gohan a bit just for fun. When he steps in after defeating Jimeze, he hits him with his piercing rays, again, just for fun. Before finally throwing the poor guy out, he also points out a loophole: while he mustn't kill his opponents outright, he's not accountable for what happens to them after their elimination.
  • Frieza lifts Jimeze up with his tail and uses him as a punching bag exactly like he did to Vegeta back on Namek. While Gohan doesn't say anything, it's not hard to imagine he's having flashbacks. Just imagine being "rescued" by this monster who terrorized you as a child.
  • Also, Frieza reached the point that merely showing up and spending time considering his next action is enough to make Universe 7's bench wonder about his loyalty and intentions. He's so cold and self-centered that no one can really tell what's going on in his sick mind.
• We get to see what happens when somebody attempts to interfere from the bench: Zen'o erases them without any hesitation or warning. Frost was so upset that Frieza betrayed him (and that he called him an "amateur") that he wanted to strike Frieza from the bench and was promptly erased. Zen'o even threatened Champa that the next offense would mean erasure for his entire universe. It's a good thing that nobody else on the team are dirty fighters.
  • What's worse is that this could have happened to Krillin after Master Roshi almost died after taking Ganos out. He wanted to go to the arena to help him, but Shin warned him that it wasn't allowed. Had he not listened/Shin not held him back, he could've been an erased right then and there.

Episode 109-110

• In his mental communication with Jiren, Belmod makes some rather disturbing faces while declaring that it is time for Goku to be destroyed.
• Jiren is completely unfazed by everything Goku tries to throw at him. Even a Spirit Bomb powered by most of Universe 7's strongest warriors is repelled by Jiren effortlessly. Goku pushes himself to Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken x20 in a desperate attempt to push the Spirit Bomb back to its intended target, but Jiren exerts so much force that the Spirit Bomb is pulverized, resulting in a singularity explosion that seemingly kills Goku.
  • The reveal that Jiren's power eclipses this of Belmod, God of Destruction, is terrifying by itself. It's a good thing that he's a superhero! Even a nominal one, but that in-of-itself is fairly scary.
  • Until Goku achieved Ultra Instinct, Jiren had been holding back this entire time before their fight. Despite Goku's super-powerful new form, it still isn't enough to even do more than scratch Jiren. It comes to a head when Jiren, surrounded by a dark red aura, gives an intense Death Glare that in turn gives him a Nightmare Face as he completely shuts down Goku as his new form runs out.
    Jiren: Well, Saiyan... you are a truly fascinating creature. However... your passion is expended. You have nothing more to offer.
  • In the previous arc, Super Saiyan Blue Kaio-ken Goku was able to damage a nearly-immortal Fused Zamasu, the Potara Fusion of two beings near Goku's level. Jiren, on the other hand, takes no damage whatsover from anything Goku throws in this form during not just these episodes, but the entire Tournament of Power. Jiren is stronger than the largest, incomplete powerup known in the franchise.
• Despite his defeat, Goku's Ultra Instinct — which not even the Gods of Destruction attain that easily — has everyone spooked, including the Gods of Destruction and Supreme Kais after they learn from Beerus's revelation. Belmod and Khai are in utter disbelief, while the shocked and confused expressions from Beerus, Champa, and even the four gods of the highest-ranked universes give an idea how concerning such a development is.
• Out of everyone who are shocked after witnessing Goku's duel against Jiren in his Ultra Instinct Form, only Frieza remains completely undaunted and even giggles with intrigue.

Episode 111

• Goku being saved and healed would normally be reassuring, but when Frieza is the one to do it the tension only worsens.
• Jiren's overwhelming power is beyond that of time itself, as he demonstrates when he overcomes all of Hit's Time Skip techniques, leading to U6's best assassin's elimination in the process.
• Goku, despite having received Frieza's energy, is still very weakened, and could potentially be ringed out by anyone who approaches him. The near ambush tactics by Saonel and Pirina — two Namekians from Universe 6 — are one of many examples, and if it wasn't for the timely rescue from Piccolo and Gohan, not only Universe 7 would lost its strongest champion but also all universes' only chance in match up with Jiren after Hit's elimination.

Episodes 112-120

Episode 112

• Shortly after having eliminated Monna, Cabba meets and fights against Frieza for the first time. Frieza not only easily parries Cabba's punches, he immediately overpowers the U6 Saiyan by kicking him to the nearby rock, grabbing his face and tell him about his loathe towards the Saiyan race and his intent to later crush Caulifa and Kale. Cabba turns into Super Saiyan 2 and blasts Frieza before he could reach his fellow U6 Saiyans, but Frieza simply turns Golden and eliminates Cabba before he has a chance to recuperate.
• Frieza's Evil Plan is to use the Super Dragon Balls to wish to have complete control over all the gods, which could include both Zen'o as well if the Super Dragon Balls can manage such a feat.

Episode 113

• Team U3 is next to gang up to Goku, recognizing that he is in a weakened state. The Robots manhandle Goku, who can't even land a hit or defend himself against them, as they have no qualms about going 3-on-1 against him. When Mosco gives the order for them to attack, they emerge with their eyes glowing ominously.

Episode 114

Episode 115

Episode 116

• The fight between Ultra Instinct Goku and Legendary Super Sayian Kefla rouses Jiren from his meditation. And considering Jiren's power and potential, who's to say that Jiren won't become even stronger for the short time he meditated? Jiren was also studying Ultra Instinct Goku's movements, which is just as bad...
• Things gets worse for one Universe: With Caulifla and Kale out, Universe 6 is down to two fighters, the Namekians Saonel and Pirina. Unless they can survive, U6 is next on the chopping block...

Episode 117

• Universe 2, much like Universe 6 the previous episode, losing two of their strongest fighters, Ribrianne and Rozie, leaving them down to only three fighters (Rabanra, Zirloin, and Zarbuto), meaning that they've joined Universe 6 on the chopping block... And then things come to a head in...

Episode 118

• Both universes mentioned above are erased, leaving only 11, 7, 3, and 4 in play. Then Universe 4 is erased at the end of Episode 119, followed by Universe 3 at the end of Episode 121. With that, it becomes clear that the Tournament of Power has reached its climax...

Episode 119

• The episode reveals Shantza's ability: summoning illusions of warriors from erased universes. A lot of them look very terrifying and zombie-ish, and they cannot be hit by normal means. Warriors like the Trio de Danger, Kakunsa, Prum, and Botamo are shown and they look deranged and hungry for vengeance. These illusions try to look more realistic with the help of Damon as well.
  • To add to the horror of this, it genuinely seemed for a fair bit before it was revealed to be nothing more than a ruse that it was them, despite their souls being erased along with their universes, and thinking about the latter brought some disturbing implications to mind.
• Quitela’s scream when he and the rest of Universe 4 are erased. As unlikeable as he was, it was still horrifying to see him be erased like that.

Episode 120

Episodes 121-131

Episode 121

• The Last Stand warrior of Universe 3, Anilaza.
  • Its design is very grotesque and bizarre. It's a fusion of Universe 3's remaining warriors, including Dr. Paparoni, who even states that he's normally not for doing the technique, as it can potentially kill him. The strange looking warrior is also gigantic, like Monna and Ribrianne. However, as those two were just bigger versions of their normal forms, Anilaza is a completely different looking fighter altogether.
  • In addition to being a fusion of three warriors, conceptually, Anilaza is an official fusion of 3 past villains, combining traits from Janemba, Hatchiyack, and Hirudegarn. It's an enormous raging Lightning Bruiser whose fists can warp between points in space, has incredible sensory capability, and can even absorb energy from its opponents' attacks. On top of that, its nature is completely monstrous, as shown when it was about to swallow Android 18.
  • Anilaza trying to swallow 18 also acts as a disturbing Call-Back to 18 being absorbed by Cell in the previous series. And given by her reaction, that's probably what she was remembering at that moment. She becomes so terrified that she does nothing to resist.
    • Fridge Horror as well when one considers what Krillin must've been thinking at that moment. Remember, Krillin was there to see 18 absorb Cell. Now, just as before, the woman Krillin loves is about to be devoured, and he's helpless to stop it. Thankfully, Goku showed up to catch her.

Episode 122

• Vegeta hitting Jiren with the strongest Final Flash ever, so powerful that even Toppo and Belmod were worried... And only knocking him down. The way Jiren tanks Vegeta's Final Flash is eerily close to the way Cell tanks it. Complete with Vegeta letting his guard down and suffering shortly after because of it.
• Speaking of Cell, remember when Cell no-selling the Kienzan was used to show how utterly ridiculous the difference in power was? Jiren does the same, but this time the one throwing them was Super Sayan Blue Goku. We had heard that Jiren was possibly above even Belmod and other gods, now we've also seen it.

Episode 123

• If the Zen'os' bias towards Goku didn't bother you before, seeing them begin to take a shine to Jiren certainly will. Later, in Episode 129, they even start to favor Jiren over Ultra Instinct Goku, considering Goku to be "super amazing" but Jiren to be "super super amazing". This changes however once Goku masters his Ultra Instinct form, considering him to be super super super amazing.

Episode 124

• There had been foes in the Dragon Ball universe that have bragged about their speed only for their boasts to fall flat (Burter easily comes to mind). Dyspo subverts this sevenfold using his Super Maximum Light Speed Mode. He became so fast, even the GodPads couldn't keep up. What's worse, most of his flaws as a predictable Fragile Speedster were gone. While Gohan and Frieza's attempt in Catching the Speedster worked to slow him down, it was only temporary and he was about ready to go again when he was given room to run again. So to defeat him, this ultimately had to lead to...
• Gohan getting eliminated, terrifying for those who have been waiting to see him go further beyond since the beginning of the series.
  • Two warriors forming an Enemy Mine to fight a nearly Invincible Villain, but not without one holding said foe from behind while the other shoots and eliminates them both. If this was a death battle, this would've ended up Like Father, Like Son.

Episode 125

• The reveal (or confirmation, considering the manga) that two members from Universe 11 are at least about the strength of a God of Destruction. We already knew that Jiren himself was stronger, but Toppo being a God of Destruction in training himself... considering that Jiren is shown to at least get hit, Toppo himself is a completely different story. Even if Hit was successful in knocking out Jiren, Universe 7 would still have had a GOD OF DESTRUCTION to deal with as well.
• Toppo's first act upon ascending is to fire a Hakai sphere at Golden Frieza. Frieza tries to dismiss it as worthless, but only lasts a few seconds before he's screaming in pain/fear, forced back into regular form by the attack, which proceeds to change the color of the sky and crack the arena in half. The music especially helps to convey how dire the situation has just become. Also, even if they manage to defeat Toppo, Jiren is still there, and he's stronger than a trained God of Destruction. He might not have actual destruction energy, but he has been shown able to stop a Final Flash just by glaring at it. It makes you wonder just what Jiren could do, if he wanted to get serious.
• The close-up on Frieza's face in agonizing pain when GoD Toppo was crushing his skull in his hand was rather disturbing. Especially after he had already sustained heavy injuries from Toppo's previous attacks.

Episode 126

• At the end of the episode, Vegeta has finally managed to defeat Toppo, leaving Jiren as the last man standing, which is terrifying in and of itself given how strong Jiren is. But what truly sells the scene is Jiren's sudden break in character where he flashes a cocky grin and proceeds to unleash his hidden power. Think about that for a second. Before, Jiren was half-assing it completely and he, on his resting power alone, decimated his opponents. But now, with all of his teammates gone, Jiren is finally free to cut loose and fight at his full strength. If that doesn't spell out that our heroes are in for one hell of an uphill battle, then nothing does. Speaking of which, the NEP for 127 depicts Jiren enveloped in a stacked fiery aura, he looks near demonic and is easily smashing through his enemies. Just what are they in for?

Episode 127

• Jiren's backstory reveals there is another presence out there that even Jiren can't defeat! Whatever evil it was that destroyed Jiren's family and village is shown to be much stronger then Jiren, since when he attempts to fight it with the help of his teacher and teammates, it utterly annihilates them leaving Jiren the only survivor. Note: There is someone that even Jiren is unable to win even with the help of others! Considering that Jiren is the mortal stronger then a God of Destruction, it is perhaps not a stretch to say whoever it was that defeated Jiren is at or even beyond the class of an angel. Subverted when you remember that his clashes with that monster are what drove him to value strength over all else. It's not a creature stronger than an Angel, it's the thing that drove Jiren to go from some guy to the mortal stronger than a God of Destruction, and the strongest warrior in the Tournament of Power at the time it began.
• We actually have no way to judge their strength compare to others. He did nothing that, let's say, Demon King Piccolo couldn't do, it all depends on how strong Jiren was back then. We hear nothing about a rematch or them being captured/defeated by the Pride Troopers, so anything is possible. It's extremely likely that, whoever they were, they are just doing the same to others. We also never hear of Jiren looking for them, most likely because he got so absorbed by his quest for strength that he forgot everything else. He only has his strength and his pain left.

Episode 128

Episode 129

• Goku mastering Ultra Instinct and first appearing like a being of pure energy completely cloaked in silver ki, eerily calm and wordless with some very ominous music. Of course, you know this is supposed to be a good thing, but in this instant, Goku has an eerie quality to him which makes you wonder if he is a mere mortal anymore at all. Also, ALL of the Gods of Destruction STAND UP to witness that, and Goku utterly manhandles Jiren, who until now was The Juggernaut and The Stoic, and quite nightmarish in his own right. There's also the fact that when Goku had the incomplete Ultra Instinct form, he regained the very eerie Voice of the Legion sound of his voice he had when he first discovered the Ultra Instinct.

Episode 130

• Jiren powering up to his full power causes yet again the arena to change, but this time the result is much more nightmarish rather than awe-inspiring, with large tongues of fire erupting from the floor of the arena, making the stage look like Hell; and no, not the "HFIL" from the Dragon Ball universe, but a Fire and Brimstone Hell.
• The episode shows the incredibly dangerous toll mastering Ultra Instinct takes on Goku's body; his back and body explode in a shower of blood—the first time blood is shown in such an amount in Super (albeit in a stylized scene and the blood is nowhere to be seen later on), whereas the rest were typically small dribbles of blood at best. He convulses in excruciating pain, lashing out dark energy, and even Whis is surprised how bad the transformation is hurting Goku.
  • This comes as a very frightening callback to the warning King Kai told Goku about overdoing the Kaioken when he taught it to Goku all the way back during the Saiyan Saga, and which he repeated when he did Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken x10, and ended up unable to use ki properly for a few days... Viewers tried to ignore this and look at the awesomeness, but the very nightmarish reality that Goku might cripple himself in his quest for power came back.
• Jiren also comes close to attacking the spectator stand, aiming directly at Universe 7. Goku blocks the attack and is so pissed off that he beats Jiren to a pulp, and if not for the above scene, he would've quickly and easily been the victor of the tournament.
  • In relation to the above Curb-Stomp Battle, look at Goku's face during the close-up shot of his fist hitting Jiren. That's not a "serious fight" type of face, that's a flat-out "I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU" face... if this was outside the Tournament of Power, it's safe to say that Jiren would be just as dead as Frieza.
    • What's really scary is that in that close-up, Goku looks like Fused Zamasu/Goku Black.

Episode 131

• Whis resurrects Frieza for helping Universe 7 win the tournament. But far from reforming, Frieza immediately starts planning to rebuild his empire and get stronger in order to settle the score with Goku. Let this sink in, Frieza is free to once again rule over the galaxy with an iron fist. Somewhat downplayed as well, as Frieza won't be stupid enough to try his genocidal stuff with Goku, Vegeta, Beerus, Whis and 17 on the watch, and his 'I will get stronger' sounded more challenging and sarcastic than his Z-voice.
• The fact that the Zen-Ohs would have erased everything had the winner of the tournament made a selfish wish. The multiverse would've been erased if Frieza would have succeeded in defeating Jiren... or if Jiren himself won...
• It's easy to miss in the excitement/suspense, but when Goku throws Frieza at Jiren for a Taking You with Me, Jiren manages to throw them down to a floating rock... and when the smoke's cleared, Jiren is beating on Frieza, who lost part of his tail in that impact. Luckily for him, he manages to power through and continue the battle alongside Goku, and Whis's resurrection of him restores it soon after, but even still.
• The way Frieza is able to taunt Jiren to the point of breaking his spirit. It's small, but a reminder that, even if now deterred from launching more genocidal campaigns and, possibly, slightly reformed, the cruel universal tyrant is still there.