Although a visually dynamic transformation with an incredibly compelling concept to boot, Ultra Ego no longer appears to be Vegeta‘s priority in Dragon Ball Super. The Saiyan Prince is even developing a replacement for Ultra Ego that he was kind enough to divulge the basics of to a shocked Goku. While this may sound abrupt, there’s a good explanation as to why this is, and the fact that Vegeta is giving up on Ultra Ego connects to his overall character development.
In Dragon Ball Super chapter #76 by story writer Akira Toriyama and artist Toyotarou, Vegeta had already transformed into Ultra Ego and yet was easily bested by Granolah. The moment before Granolah is about to deal the finishing blow, Vegeta apologizes to Beerus (who taught him to use Hakai, the power of Destruction) for not being able to revert to the “callous, unfeeling man” he once was and then admits that the Power of Destruction was beyond him. Alone, this doesn’t appear to mean much, but in chapter #69, Beerus had informed his student that the reason why there was no limit to his power was because he only thought about destruction, and that if Vegeta wanted this, he would have to “destroy any stray thoughts.“
Vegeta’s Growth Is The Reason Why He Has To Abandon Ultra Ego
It is obvious by what Vegeta later says in chapter #76 upon his defeat that his interpretation of how he could truly master Destruction and Ultra Ego was for him to become a “callous, unfeeling man“, which can be interpret as going back to his old ways, before life on Earth and his family changed him. Based on his actions during the battle against Granolah, it’s obvious that Vegeta was trying to reignite the harsher aspect of his rivalry with Goku like when he was still a villain in Dragon Ball Z during the Saiyan Saga. Vegeta suddenly behaving like a villain again seemed very random, but it could be explained by his desire to fully master his new technique and acquire the power of a God of Destruction.
Although Vegeta specifically says he failed to wield “the Power of Destruction,” not “Ultra Ego,” it’s critical to understand just how much Ultra Ego is inspired by Destruction. When Vegeta first transforms in chapter #74, he says that a God of Destruction taught him “that power derived solely from instinct is unbounded.” Beerus had actually told him that there was no limit to his power because he thought solely about Destruction. Moreover, Dragon Ball Super artist Toyotarou further proved the parallels between Beerus’ Destruction and Ultra Instinct in an interview about the secret origins of Ultra Instinct by noting that Vegeta’s purple hair was based on Beerus’ own coloring. So while Ultra Ego is Vegeta’s own transformation, it is greatly based upon and harnesses the Power of Destruction.
Vegeta Has Already Moved Past Ultra Ego
Although this means that Vegeta failed and gave up trying to be evil again, it simultaneously proves that Vegeta losing with Ultra Ego wasn’t due to a lack of strength, nor did it reflect his capability as a warrior, which many fans believe and are understandably disappointed about. Also, this explains why in the current arc, while training on Beerus’ planet, Vegeta seems to be developing his version of Ultra Instinct, based on concentration and careful expenditure of energy, rather than focus on Destruction again. While fans absolutely loved Ultra Ego and believed it to be a perfect fir for Vegeta, the truth is that the Saiyan Prince has changed too much to blindly follow the path of Destruction, despite his best attempts at becoming a villain again in Dragon Ball Super.
