This article contains spoilers for Dragon Ball Super Chapter 87.With the current chapters of Dragon Ball Super adapting the Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero storyline, Frieza’s actions in Chapter 87 have left a significant plot thread unresolved. Although Frieza was an ally of convenience for the heroes during the Tournament of Power, his reappearance in Chapter 87 makes it abundantly clear that it’s returned to villainy. Since Frieza has only offered a hint of his goal at this point, the next story arc will need to explain the details of Frieza’s plan.
In Chapter 87 Frieza makes a dramatic entrance, interrupting Goku, Vegeta, and Granolah’s battle with the Heeters, easily killing Elec and Gas shortly after arriving on the planet Cereal. Turning his attention to Goku and Vegeta, he reveals he did ten years of training in a hyperbolic time chamber on a planet he conquered, greatly increasing his strength and unlocking a new more powerful form known as Black Frieza.
In his new form, Frieza flattens Goku and Vegeta with a single attack, before flying off with a vague explanation about coming to Cereal in pursuit of a target other than Goku, Vegeta, or the Heeters.
Frieza’s Plan is Still Dragon Ball Super’s Biggest Mystery
The fact that Frieza decided to spare Goku and Vegeta despite defeating them so easily isn’t the most notable thing about the encounter on Cereal. Although Frieza has been established as cruel and ruthless since his first appearance in Dragon Ball Z, he’s also been established as arrogant. Sparing a defeated enemy he’s proven himself superior to and gloating about it isn’t out of character, especially if sparing them means they’ll be alive to witness his ultimate victory. It’s entirely possible that Frieza wants Goku and Vegeta alive to see him carry out his plan, especially if he thinks it will further prove his superiority to them. Ultimately, it’s possible that Frieza’s appearance on Cereal was just a detour for him to demonstrate that he’s finally stronger than Goku and Vegeta.
Although Frieza doesn’t explain the reasons for coming to Cereal in detail, the brief explanation he does give reveals several things that set up more mysteries with major implications for the forthcoming story arc and the Dragon Ball multiverse in general. It’s been established that there are still other planets like Cereal with their own Dragon Balls, as well as multiple Rooms of Spirit and Time throughout the universe that Frieza could potentially use to get stronger. Interestingly, the presence of Dragon Balls on Cereal doesn’t seem to figure into Frieza’s current plans. Although a wish on the Cerelian Dragon Balls would have obvious benefits, Frieza leaves the planet without using the Cerealian Dragon Balls, suggesting his goals extend beyond Cereal, perhaps even into the other universes introduced earlier in Super.
Frieza’s Plan Could Involve Dragon Ball Super’s Strongest Warrior
Frieza’s reappearance introduces other mysteries that will need to be addressed. There is a compelling theory that Frieza intends to somehow get to Universe 6 to conquer the Saiyans of that universe. Additionally, though Goku assumes that the strongest warrior in the universe mentioned by the Oracle Fish is Frieza’s new form, Whis raises the possibility that the true strongest warrior has appeared somewhere else in the universe. There’s a distinct possibility that Frieza is aware of the emergence of a potential other strongest warrior and the reason for sparing Goku and Vegeta is to track them down and prove his own superiority. The identity of this potential contender for the strongest warrior in the universe introduces yet another mystery that this story arc will likely explore.
Frieza’s reappearance in Dragon Ball Super Chapter 87 has some chilling implications for future story arcs, despite being put to the wayside for the moment. Frieza’s plan remains nebulous and unclear, but is still hanging ominously over the heroes as other storylines receive more attention. Since the Super Hero arc has been the focus of the current chapters, it’s a helpful reminder to fans that Frieza’s current plan will no doubt be a major storyline going forward in Dragon Ball Super.
The latest chapter of Dragon Ball Super is now available on Viz.com!
