Dragon Ball Super saw Goku attaining his greatest power yet, the True Ultra Instinct, in the Granolah the Survivor saga, but the exact way in which he obtained this particular power-up defied critics' assessment of Super as a series of "random" power-ups. This boost tied directly into Goku's character development, and even subverted a Dragon Ball cliché in the process.

In chapter 85 of Dragon Ball Super, Goku is struggling to make use of the Perfected Ultra Instinct ability due to his emotional state getting in the way. Vegeta, in Ultra Ego, buys Goku some time to figure out his problem, and Goku ultimately comes to the conclusion that cutting off his emotions just isn't an effective choice for him.

Instead, Goku utilizes the lower Ultra Instinct Sign form as one where he can harness his emotions and put them to work for him, allowing him to achieve even greater power than before and finally get Gas on the ropes.

Goku's True Ultra Instinct Was a Character-Motivated Breakthrough

The Latest Form is Born Directly from Goku's Character Growth

Goku develops the True Ultra Instinct technique by having a realization about himself and his feelings. Throughout the Granolah the Survivor Saga, Goku has learned about his father and his own Saiyan heritage, realizing a lot about himself and where he came from which he had no knowledge of before. Goku comes to understand that a Saiyan's feelings in battle are an important part of who they are, and that to try to suppress these feelings is, in part, to deny who he really is. Honoring his father and his past by embracing emotion, Goku finds a new technique that works for him.

While many of Goku's power-ups, like Super Saiyan God, have been picked up through no real effort on Goku's part, Ultra Instinct has always been different in that regard. Goku exhibiting Ultra Instinct Sign was a testament to the training he had put in. However, it still was something that kind of happened to him. True Ultra Instinct, as seen here, is a technique specially developed by Goku to meet his needs in the moment. It's a clever application of an ability he already had in an unconventional way, and one that's more suited to who Goku is.

Goku couldn't have attained this power if it weren't for coming to understand an aspect of himself, and that gives True Ultra Instinct a level of significance not seen since the original Super Saiyan transformation.

Goku's New Power Doesn't Save the Day

Goku Gets Upstaged by Frieza's Newest Form

Those who criticize Dragon Ball Super as being full of randomly obtained power-ups that arrive at just the right time to save the day may have been surprised to find that Goku's new power actually doesn't lead him to victory this time. While True Ultra Instinct gives him an edge over Gas initially, Gas has further levels of power to show off himself, until Goku needs Granolah's help, and even that's not enough. Gas is eventually taken out by Frieza, with such ease as to make Goku and Vegeta's efforts look pathetic.

This subversion of expectations goes to show that Dragon Ball Super doesn't have to be predictable or formulaic. The subversion worked as a highly effective way to introduce Frieza's new power, showing just how far ahead of the Saiyans he's managed to get in a relatively short time frame. It gives Goku and Vegeta a new goal to aim towards, and raises a lot of questions about why Frieza would just allow them to live when he's in possession of such immense power.

By tying Goku's power-up into his character growth, and then further making it so that this power-up doesn't singlehandedly resolve the day, the Granolah the Survivor Saga serves to discredit two of the most common criticisms of Dragon Ball Super. It even managed to set up the next story arc extremely well, and Frieza's appearance isn't just random; it was almost inevitable, as much as he influenced events and was referenced throughout the arc.

Goku's True Ultra Instinct sets up a model for what future Dragon Ball Super power-ups should be like, bridging the gulf between a character's personality and power level. Much like Beast was for Gohan, True Ultra Instinct is a power made especially for Goku, and it should be very exciting to see just how it progresses in the future. Dragon Ball Super's return to publication has some exciting content laying ahead of it, and if True Ultra Instinct is any indication, it will prove the series' critics wrong.