Warning! Spoilers ahead for Dragon Ball Super chapter 85!
A new attack that Goku just unleashed on his opponent Gas in Dragon Ball Super creates the impression that the Saiyan’s new version of Ultra Instinct could allow him to fight more like his greatest villains.
Fans were already buzzing about Goku’s own personal spin on Ultra Instinct even without this latest revelation – and rightfully so. Before, the Saiyan could only wield this ultimate technique after he had attained a calm and tranquil heart, which would then lead to his mind relinquishing full control of his body so that his movements could act on their own. Now with this new form of Ultra Instinct, Goku can experience intense emotions such as hatred and anger unlike before. Similar to how he doesn’t control his movements while in his Ultra Instinct state, these emotions take a life of their own, unlocking incredible new opportunities just like how his uncontrollable body movements are able to dodge attacks he would have otherwise been forced to sustain.
One of the many new abilities that Goku unlocks in chapter 85 of Dragon Ball Super is a powerful and emotionally fueled Mouth Energy Wave. While in this alternative Ultra Instinct state, the villain Gas somehow manages to land a blow by fiercely kicking Goku in the face. This clearly doesn’t go over well with Goku as he stares angrily at his opponent. A moment later, the Saiyan opens his mouth and unleashes a massive wave from his throat that completely overwhelms his opponent. The attack is so ridiculous and so heavily contradicts the very nature of Ultra Instinct that a badly damaged Vegeta who has been lying face down in the dirt manages to temporarily look up and say, “Ha ha … this fighting style … is meant to be Ultra Instinct? Absurd.“
Vegeta likely isn’t just referencing the anger that causes Goku to attack so powerfully. It’s highly probable that he’s also referring to the fact that Goku employs a Mouth Energy Wave. Throughout the entirety of Dragon Ball, nearly all the fighters who resort to such a grotesque tactic are villains. Just some of them include Nappa, Frieza’s henchmen Dodoria and Recoome, Cell, Super Buu, and many more, including a slew of non-canon villains from the many DBZ movies. The exceptions are few and far between, including Piccolo, though it’s crucial to point out that the majority of the times that Piccolo has used a Mouth Energy Wave occurred when he was still a villain in the original Dragon Ball series. Since becoming a hero, Piccolo has only utilized the attack once early during DBZ‘s Saiyan arc when battling Vegeta’s Saibamen. Similarly, Gohan also unleashed a Mouth Energy Wave once, but he was a Great Ape at the time and had lost all control, essentially becoming a rampaging villain in the process. The only real exception is the enigmatic Gotenks, but seeing as Dragon Ball Super persistently ignores Trunks and Goten, that example doesn’t really count.
That said, is it possible that this version of Ultra Instinct will continue to harness Goku’s emotions in ways that the Saiyan never normally would, causing him to not only use Mouth Energy Waves but other attacks more commonly utilized by villains? It’s highly probable, just based on how so few heroes actually wield Mouth Energy Wave. Although it’s unlikely that this version of Ultra Instinct will make Goku evil, readers can hopefully expect the Saiyan to unleash other unsavory attacks normally used by some of the greatest villains in Dragon Ball.
