Despite being exhausted, Goku still manages to hold his own against the three fighters. Nevertheless, the twin androids come to his aid. Surprisingly, Goku has no qualms about taking the assistance.
Universe 2 isn't without its own reserves, however. We see that universe 2 has been broadcasting the tournament to their universe. Because of this, they are able to provide emotional support even across the barrier into the void. Considering this is a universe focused on the power of love, it really does turn out to be a game changer. Really, it isn't all that different from the times that Goku has called on people to give their energy for his spirit bomb.
Said power is enough for the three fighters to trigger their own transformations. Well, I say "their own", but really it's the same thing that the female warriors did. It would have been nice if they had their own, but instead we see them don similar garb to what Ribrianne, Rozie, and Kakunsa had. It also gives them similar power sets. It's formidable, but it's something the three fighters from universe 7 are familiar with, so it doesn't prove to be as much of a challenge as one might think.
They do manage to pin down Goku and the others quite literally with a giant black hole of love. Its power is such that even Goku's instant transmission can't get him out. Even worse, the weight of the thing is pressing the three down and eventually they'll get pushed out of bounds.
True to form, Goku powers up and manages to break through the thing by going blue and hitting it with a kamehameha. It seems like an arse pull, but he is channeling god power. If his punches have the power to break the universe, than this doesn't seem that far-fetched. On top of that, it reminds us how powerful the blue form really is. Sometimes we need that sort of thing just to keep everything in perspective.
Just as the universe 2 fighters benefited from an eleventh hour power up, a new development reveals that the two Namekians from universe 6 are more than they appear. Piccolo senses several presences and the two announce that they had fused with several Namekians who volunteered to do so in order to help ensure their universe's survival. I have to hand it to them, that was really dang smart on their end. It also makes for a great twist that had the potential to turn the tide in this particular fight.
The two do give Gohan and Piccolo a decent fight, but considering how many Namekian spirits were shown, you'd think that the two universe 7 fighters would have really been put against the ropes. That never really materializes.
Instead, Gohan (in his ultimate mystic form) volunteers to keep the two busy while Piccolo charges up a special beam cannon to knock them out. Interestingly, the number of Namekian spirits not only allows Piccolo to go all out without worry about killing, but it also explains why Piccolo would need time to charge up the attack. To wit, his first attempt wounds, but doesn't eliminate his target when he tries to fire before he has a sufficient charge.
On the plus side, this allows Gohan to leap in and come to Piccolo's rescue when it looks like the Namekian is about to be taken out by a beam attack. After seeing Gohan needing to be rescued so many times, it was nice to see him return the favor.
Ultimately, universe 7 emerges victorious in both battles. They have quite a bit of momentum in their favor, but the grand priest notes that they're also the most fatigued due to the nature of their battles. The clock is ticking and there might be a change in the tides as the tournament moves closer to its end.
With the two victories comes the elimination of both universes. Like universe 10, this instance is played more somber. Unlike that one, however, this sequence doesn't recycle elements from universe 9's erasure and, as such, feels more distinct.
Universe 2 went out with class. You have to give them credit for that. The residents thanked the fighters for the valiant effort and Brianne thanked them for the support and the love. Considering how the last episode called the universe's knowledge of love into question, it was nice to see the scene play out as genuinely as it did.
Universe 6 also bows out fairly gracefully. Cabba wishes Vegeta luck and Beerus and Champa have a somewhat bittersweet brotherly moment. You can tell that this elimination hit them pretty hard. Beerus lost a brother and Vegeta says that seeing he's in a bad mood, presumably due to the loss of Cabba.
This was a very strong episode. The animation was solid, the fights were exciting, and it managed to be poignant while also giving us just enough comic relief to keep things entertaining. There were also a lot of great character moments. I don't know if the next episode will follow up on them, but one can hope. The fight is sure to be exciting, but stuff like that has been what really gave this arc some extra flavor.
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