Summary

• Universe Survival Saga showcases Universe 7 warriors' moments to shine.
• Tournament of Power offers strong writing and emotional moments for all fighters.
• Goku and Frieza team up against Jiren in the final fight scene with best animation.

The final arc of Dragon Ball Super consists of the greatest fighters across all universes competing in one Tournament of Power. Across the 35 episodes which make up the Universe Survival Saga, each of Universe 7's warriors are given their moments to shine. And while the arc may not hit the storytelling peaks of the Goku Black Saga, it does offer the best visuals and action sequences that Dragon Ball Super has to offer.

Beyond all the fighting, strong writing is also present during the Tournament of Power. Many of the battles and team ups often call back to iconic moments throughout Dragon Ball, or serve to neatly complete certain character arcs. Even through emotional moments or by giving pause to look back on how far the Z-Fighters have come, the Tournament of Power truly offers a little bit of everything. Though Android #17 would eventually win the competition, moments throughout offered small victories to all the fighters.

10 Goku and Vegeta Team Up Against Jiren

Episode #123

Fighting side by side has never been easy for Goku and Vegeta. The two Saiyans being diametrically opposed in nearly all aspects of their characters is what has made their dynamic so enjoyable over the years. And while training under Whis, they could never quite master attacking in tandem. However, when faced with Jiren's overwhelming power, the dual protagonists put aside their differences, powering up to their strongest forms while standing side by side.

Goku and Vegeta would actually manage to knock Jiren off-guard with their dual assault, the two being so out of rhythm with one another that their moves became unreadable.

Goku and Vegeta would actually manage to knock Jiren off-guard with their dual assault, the two being so out of rhythm with one another that their moves became unreadable. While they shared the roles of protagonists in Dragon Ball Super, it was rare that Goku and Vegeta would actually team up, making this moment cathartic, though it ultimately did little to help their chances of winning.

9 Vegeta Gives a Nod to the Buu Saga With Another Final Explosion

Episode #126

Dragon Ball Z's most emotional moment came when Vegeta sacrificed himself in an attempt to defeat Majin Buu. The Saiyan prince quietly said his goodbyes to his family and Goku before blowing himself up with a deadly attack. Of course, as with seemingly everyone else in the series, he was brought back to life, but the moment still held weight for completing Vegeta's character arc.

When fighting Universe 11's Toppo, Vegeta went back into his bag of tricks, performing the very same move in order to eliminate his opponent.

When fighting Universe 11's Toppo, Vegeta went back into his bag of tricks, performing the very same move in order to eliminate his opponent. Thanks to all the training and a massive increase in power since the days of Majin Buu, Vegeta was able to withstand his own move and survive the ordeal. While it lacks the emotion which defined its earlier use, Vegeta's second Final Explosion acts as an excellent callback to the moment, while displaying just how much the prince has grown.

8 Goku and Hit Team Up

Episode #104

The climactic battle of the Universe 6 vs. Universe 7 Tournament saw Goku debut his Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken form, before overpowering Hit's time-skip attack. Later, the two rivals would meet again, in a fun sequence where Goku actually hires Hit to assassinate him. When the two warriors finally met in the Tournament of Power, however, they never got the chance to truly go all out fighting each other.

Instead, when Goku noticed that Hit was having trouble with Universe 11's Dyspo, he jumped into the fight. It's always fun to watch two rivals team up in Dragon Ball, and Goku and Hit proved themselves a strong duo when eliminating one of the Pride Troopers. Unfortunately, Hit would be eliminated before having the chance for a rematch.

7 Gohan and Piccolo Team Up Against the Universe 6 Namekians

Episode #118

Gohan and Piccolo are arguably the greatest mentor and student duo in Dragon Ball, but until the most recent Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero film, the two had sparingly been able to fight side by side. In the Tournament of Power, Super Namekians from Universe 6 challenged the duo, who eventually arose victorious through a wonderful display of teamwork.

The fight also includes a sequence in which Gohan and Goku perform simultaneous Kamehamehas, their first since Goku assisted against Cell in spirit. In a sequence packed with nostalgia, however, this time it was Piccolo assisting Gohan in the beam clash.

6 Master Roshi Stakes It All on One Kamehameha

Episode #105

As the threats to Earth continued to become more powerful, many of the characters who held major roles in Dragon Ball slowly faded into the background. The Tournament of Power, however, brought many of these fighters back into the spotlight, even for a short period of time. None more than Master Roshi, who stood at the center of one of the arc's best moments.

The Tournament of Power, however, brought many of these fighters back into the spotlight, even for a short period of time.

With his back against the ropes, Roshi recited the old Turtle School mantra: "work hard, study well, and eat and sleep plenty," before firing off his patented Kamehameha at Universe 4's Ganos, eliminating him. Afterward, Roshi needs to be revived in an emotional moment between himself and his old students.

5 Team Universe 7's Strongest Fighters Combine Their Power

Episode #121

Despite being a tournament featuring all of Universe 7's best warriors, many of the fights were isolated between only two or three characters, limiting the amount of actual teamwork on display. Against Universe 3's Agnilasa, though, it took all the home team's remaining fighters to secure the victory. This sequence features a large reason why the Tournament of Power worked so well; unlikely team-ups.

Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Frieza, and Android #17 all launched their most iconic attacks toward Universe 3's fused super warrior, who proved a difficult match-up until #17 hit him with a super punch, leaving Agnilasa vulnerable. The main theme, "Ultimate Battle", plays during the sequence, only serving to heighten the action. Some of the series' best art is also featured in the episode.

4 Goku Awakens Ultra Instinct For the First Time

Episode #110

Transformations always make up the most exciting moments in Dragon Ball. Following a nice bit of foreshadowing from Whis about a technique in which the body moves on its own, Goku awakens Ultra Instinct for the first time while fighting Jiren in episode #110. While not yet having a full understanding of the form's abilities, making Goku's Ultra Instinct incomplete, the new transformation led to Jiren being truly engaged in battle for the first time in the tournament.

After being treated to transformation after transformation in Dragon Ball Z, some sections in Super felt a bit bogged down by a lack of progression in the main characters' abilities. With the introduction of Ultra Instinct, though only a glimpse of what would come later during the Tournament of Power, that classic shot of adrenaline that would always come with a new power-up returned. The momentous achievement even brought the Gods of Destruction to their feet.

3 Goku Defeats Kefla With His Flashiest Kamehameha Yet

Episode #116

Fusion is likely the most powerful technique in Dragon Ball, not only combining the strength of two characters, but multiplying it by several levels. And when the fused Kefla began toying with Goku, it seemed there was little chance for Universe 7's strongest fighter to mount a comeback. Unexpectedly, however, just as the situation was looking dire, Goku slipped back into Ultra Instinct for the second time in the tournament.

What followed were some of the best animated fight sequences in the series. While Goku still did not have a full grasp of Ultra Instinct's abilities, causing his attacks to lack any real punch, his quick thinking allowed him to fire off one of the best Kamehamehas in Dragon Ball. Dodging Kefla's attacks while charging his own made for one of the more exciting moments in the Tournament.

2 Goku Masters Ultra Instinct

Episode #129

The battle between Goku and Jiren shifted when the Saiyan achieved Ultra Instinct for the third time during the Tournament of Power. As the two fought, it became clear that he was slowly adapting to the abilities of his new form, and Universe 11's God of Destruction panicked once Goku began to fight with his eyes closed. As Jiren launched a barrage of attacks, hoping to knock him out of bounds, Goku changed yet again.

Countering the attack and proceeding to lay a beat down on Jiren, Goku's hair and eyes glowed with the silver of mastered Ultra Instict. For the first time in the arc, Jiren was on the receiving end of multiple devastating attacks. With the iconic Ultra Instinct horns blaring, Goku's mastering of his new form made for the most electrifying transformation in Dragon Ball Super.

1 Goku and Frieza Form the Unlikeliest Duo in Dragon Ball

Episode #131

There are no greater rivals in all of Dragon Ball than Goku and Frieza. The battle on Namek is the longest, and arguably most iconic in the series, spawning Goku's instantly recognizable Super Saiyan form. The two warriors' past feud is what made Frieza's eventual recruitment to Team Universe 7 so surprising, and as their backs were against the wall, Goku and Frieza had no choice but to team up against Jiren.

Supplying both the best artwork and animation in Dragon Ball Super, the final fight scene between Jiren and Universe 7's two strongest remaining fighters had fans jumping out of their seats. In a call back to the events on Namek, as Goku and Frieza pushed Jiren to the edge of the ring, the former flickered in and out of Super Saiyan as Frieza remained in his final form. The two scored their climactic victory over Universe 11's strongest fighter while sacrificing themselves in the process, leaving Android #17 as the unlikely winner of the Tournament of Power.