'Dragon Ball Super' Episode 121: 'All Out War! The Ultimate Quadruple Merge vs. Universe 7's Full Scale Attack!!'

The last episode ended with Dr. Paparoni revealing that he still had one ace up his sleeve when it looked like he was backed into a corner.  Said ace involves him fusing with the fused robot to become an even more powerful warrior named Aniraza.

I could have sworn that the saiyans had eliminated the fused robot last episode.  Maybe I remembered it wrong, but it really seemed like that was the case.  As such, I was a bit confused as to who Paparoni fused with.  Really, they could have just revealed that he was a robot with his own transformation and accomplished the same goal, but whatever.

In any event, Aniraza proves to be one tough cookie.  He's big; he's fast; and he can overpower universe 7's remaining roster with relative ease.  Even simultaneous coordinated attacks fail, as Aniraza can use echolocation to track all of the fighters and respond to them before they can do anything.  I was surprised that they didn't make any attempt to exploit this.  17 even says that Aniraza's big antennae are what allow him to do this, but they don't try to blast at them at any point.  Heck, creating other explosions to mask their efforts could have also worked, but again, it's never done.  Considering how the crew spend most of the episode on the defensive, I suppose you could argue that it never occurred to them or they never had the chance to try.

Much like how Jiren's power was able to outmuscle time itself, Aniraza has the ability to warp space.  This allows him to sucker punch the fighters even if they are far away.  There's a Spider-Man villain with that ability.  I can't remember his name, but he did appear on the 90's animated series.  I don't know if it's coincidence or an intentional nod, but the similarity is definitely there.

It leads to some close calls as Goku himself almost gets knocked out of the ring.  Even Goku notes that, were it not for Frieza's interference, he would have. 

Considering that Frieza's made a point to spend a lot of the recent episodes on the sidelines, you'd think he'd make a quick retreat, but he isn't given that option.  It was rather nice to see him finally jump into the fray.  It's not quite the table turner that you'd think it is, but it still made for great entertainment.

On Aniraza's part, he realizes that the fighters will keep each other from falling out of the ring.  As such, he grabs 18 and tries to...eat her? 

No mention is made of the "no kill" rule at all during this point.  I get that they're playing into "monster" thing, but it still doesn't make a whole lot of sense.  Couldn't he just warp his arm and put her out of the ring that way? 

It was still a tense moment and you really felt for Krillin who had to sit there powerless to do anything as the woman that he loved was put into mortal danger. 

My first thought as I saw her falling was that she could fly, but that isn't allowed.  She could have tried to blast him in the face and propel herself that way, but she just sits there.  Chalk it up to panic, I guess.  Don't worry, Goku has her back, and he teleports her out of the way.

Alas, the gesture doesn't get the team very far as it isn't long before 18 "sacrifices" herself so that 17 can stay in the ring and continue the fight. 

Her sacrifice isn't in vein, as the remaining fighters do rally and manage to defeat the monstrosity once and for all.  The elimination of the other robots is made explicitly clear here, as we do see the individual robots appear in the stands when all is said and done. 

"Ultimate Battle" makes a third appearance here.  It looks like that track is going to be for the remainder of this arc what "Desperate Assault" was for the Future Trunks arc.  That's hardly a bad thing, as the song has been put to good use so far and it does make the big finale that much more exciting.  I do hope that it doesn't wear out its welcome, though. 

With this, universe 3 is erased.  It felt a tad perfunctory, though.  There was no sense of horror or sadness.  The kai just went "yep, that happened, oh well".  Even that bit with the little gremlin popping out to say bye didn't really carry any weight as it comes out of nowhere and has no context whatsoever.  If this was an established trait, I don't remember it, but the dialogue makes it sound like it was supposed to be a big deal. 

At long last, the 3 remaining pride troopers step forward to challenge the fighters of universe 7.  Jiren is convinced that victory is theirs, but Goku isn't so certain.  There's still nine minutes left, so a lot can happen.  True, universe 7 still has the numbers advantage, but Jiren's presence makes it likely that said advantage won't be long lasting.

Overall, this episode was pretty straight forward.  It was cool to see the entire team face off against one giant monstrosity.  Said monstrosity reminded me of Hatchyack from that one OVA, but that could just be me.  There were a couple of head scratchers here and there, but it was still fast paced and exciting.

It looks like the arc is nearing its conclusion, one does wonder if the show will throw some twist in to spice things up.  I suppose we'll just have to wait and find out.  It'll be a two week wait this time, but so far, patience has paid off. 

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'Dragon Ball Super' Episode 120: 'The Perfect Survival Tactic! Universe 3's Menacing Assassins!!'

While the number of remaining fighters dwindles to a handful, that doesn't necessarily mean that things are winding down.  On the contrary, as both Whis and the Grand Priest note, the remaining fighters are the best of the best, thus the fights are going to be tougher than ever.

As universe 7 still has the most fighters remaining, they are the prime target for the robotic fighters of universe 3.  There was quite a bit of build up about how these robots were custom designed to win the tournament.  We hadn't really seen that on display, but this episode gives us proof that it wasn't just hollow boasting.

In an all out brawl with most of the universe 7 fighters (Frieza pretty much sits this one out), they are able to hold their own for the most part.  It was exciting to see the episode jump from fight to fight.  The chaos was something that's been missing, but it was handled well here when the showdown first starts.

Inevitably, it boils down to the two androids vs  a fighter named Viara and Gohan facing off against the other three robots.

There is an in-universe justification for this, as Gohan wants Goku and Vegeta to save their strength and energy for later on in the tournament.  It was good to see that there was actual strategy and it wasn't just saiyan pride that motivated the decision.  Though, even if it were the case, it was worth it just to see the proud smirk on Goku's face as Gohan makes the declaration.  It was a very "that's my boy" moment.

Even being outnumbered, Gohan is able to fend off the attacks of his opponents with no visible sign of trouble. 

With the fighters being robots and this being an anime, it should come as no surprise to find out that the robots are capable of fusing into one super-fighting robot.  The "fusion" amplifies power, speed, and defenses; it makes for a rather formidable opponent.

While Gohan has certainly had worse showings in previous fights, it does take the intervention of Goku and Vegeta to really turn the tables.  You'd think that this would be an insult to a warrior's honor or something, but nobody (not even Vegeta) makes a big deal about it.  Goku even goes so far as to commend Gohan for doing so well and says that he wasn't going to just sit by and let his son get hit.  It was another rather nice small moment between father and son that stood out amid all the fast paced combat.

I did rather enjoy seeing all three saiyans fighting side by side.  This isn't usually a thing that they do and it made for a rather awesome moment.  The effective teamwork between the three is what ultimately allows them to over power the opponent and knock it out of the ring.

As to the fight between the androids and Viara.  It isn't much to write home about, the twins win with minimal effort.  It was rather cool to see the 2 on 1 fight, but ultimately they just blasted it until it's shell broke.  Considering that Viara's plan was to tire the two out, you knew that the victory was theirs.  It made for a nice highlight for the androids, but it wasn't quite the nail biter that one might have hoped for. 

Even with all of these fighters knocked out, universe 3 is still in.  The mad scientist, Dr....Paparoni, jeebus, is still in the ring.  The three saiyans dismiss him and apologetically announce that they're going to have to knock him out of the ring now.  However, it seems the good doctor has one more trick up his sleeve.  The episode ends before we can see what, but he's convinced that it will be enough to turn the tables. 

Overall, the episode was OK.  It was fun enough as you were watching it, but I don't know if it will stand out in the long run.  There were great moments peppered throughout, but it does seem like universe 7's win is a foregone conclusion.  While the universe 3 fighters fared decently, there was never a point where it felt like it was going to be an uphill battle.  It was never boring, though, The fights were well choreographed and everything was framed and "shot" very well.  Even if it wasn't a highlight moment for the series, it was 20 minutes well spent.

I am looking forward to next week's episode.  The preview looked promising, as everyone from universe 7 rallies to try to take out universe 3's last fighter.  It should make for an interesting showdown.

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'Dragon Ball Super' Episode 119: 'Unavoidable!? The Fierce Stealth Attack!!'

This episode picks up right where the last one left off, with Vegeta about to face off against Katopesla.  The saiyan prince hopes to use the fighter as a punching bag to vent his frustration, but it might not be that simple.

Katopesla changes into his "ultimate" mode, which amplifies both his speed and his strength.  While he never gains the upper hand against Vegeta, he does hold his own far better than his previous appearances would suggest.  The prince eventually goes super saiyan and almost knocks Katopesla out of the ring.

Oh, Katopesla gets eliminated (though at least he gets to go out with some sense of dignity,) but it isn't by Vegeta's hand.  It's made clear that something else hit him and stole the elimination stat from Vegeta.  Said thing doesn't hesitate to go after Vegeta as well, though he is able to catch himself.

Once again, the fighters of universe 7 find themselves facing off against an unseen enemy. Unlike the sniper, this is a melee fighter who just happens to be invisible.  They make a point to say that the fighter is masking their energy, but I seem to recall it being established that they were unable to sense the energy from fighters from other universes.  I guess they learned, as the energy sensing thing comes into play later, but we'll get to that.

This foe proves especially problematic as it is able to get the upper hand against even universe 7's strongest fighters.  Even android 18 can barely hold her own.  You'd think Gero would have given them an infrared vision option to pick up heat signatures, but apparently not. 

She probably would have been knocked out had Piccolo not leaped in and unleashed a simultaneous ki blast in every direction.  It works, but it's the sort of thing that would only work once due to energy limitations.  You'd think that this wouldn't be a problem for the two androids but it never comes up, as Gohan has another strategy to draw out their unseen attacker.  He blasts the ground to create dust clouds which allow them to see their target.  Without his invisibility, the fighter (who's name is revealed to be Gamisaras) is pretty much defenseless and is easily dispatched by Piccolo.

If it seems like it was a bit too easy, you're not wrong.  Despite this being hyped up, it's done before the mid-episode card.  Universe 4 still has other tricks up its sleeve, however.

It isn't long before the next fighter enters the fray and traps universe 7 in a strange dome filled with phantoms of the fighters from eliminated universes.  Not surprisingly, the constructs are able to hit the heroes, but the heroes punches pass right through. 

It's a cool concept and the episode could have probably done more with it, but Piccolo manages to figure things out pretty quickly and eliminates the fighter (Shantza) once he discerns the opponent's location. 

This leaves universe 4 with but one fighter.  At first, it seems like another invisible adversary, but it's soon made clear that there's more to this than meets the eye.  Even with the ability to sense their foe's energy, nobody can seem to get a clear hit. 

Said foe is even able to eliminate Piccolo by knocking him out of the ring.  Universe 7 is still doing pretty well, all things considered, but that's still a pretty heavy hit.  Piccolo was proving himself to be a major asset to the team, even though he may not have the raw power of the three saiyans.

While it is android 17 who figures out what this fighter's deal is (it's a bug named Damon) it is Goku who figures out how to turn the tables on it. 

With Damon eliminated, that leaves universe 4 with nobody left in the ring.  Quitela vows to take everybody with him, but his threat proves hollow as his universe is erased before he can act. 

This leaves just universes 3, 7, and 11.  Oddly enough, 3 and 11 sit this one out.  We see the three Pride Troopers during the Gamisaras portion, but they don't do anything.  I guess the plan is to just sit back and let the rest of the universes fight it out.  Considering the next episode has the remaining fighters from universe 3 going up against universe 7, it seems likely.  It's not a bad strategy, but it is weird how we still have fighters who are able to sit back and relax while their existence hangs in the balance. 

In any event, this episode was very enjoyable.  It got multiple characters involved, gave them all chances to shine, and provided adversaries that were able to adequately challenge them.  The methods to defeat them were, admittedly, pretty simple, but I think that's why we had them all go in one episode.  To devote an entire episode to each of them would have been a bit much.  This keeps things moving and gets us closer to the final showdown between universes 7 and 11.  The prior has the numbers advantage, but the latter has Jiren, so it could still prove to be an uphill battle. 

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'The Punisher' Episode 2: 'Two Dead Men'

After reviewing a movie starring Thomas Jane, it's only fitting that we return to "The Punisher".  Oddly enough, this episode has no real connections to the one that preceded it.  You could argue that it is in keeping with the comic format, but one would still expect some mention of the workers' deaths.

On the plus side, it does a better job of setting up the show's general plot, as Frank learns that there was more to the death of his family than he originally thought.  Considering the last episode seemed to close the book on that, it's odd to reopen it so quickly.  It would have been interesting to see Frank's arc move beyond that motivation or, at the very least, they should have held off on that reveal until later on.  It's still early in the show, though, so we'll just have to see where it goes.

I'm not sure about the conspiracy angle.  It seems like the circumstances for Frank's origin are becoming needlessly convoluted.  We already had one cover-up to mask the botched sting operation.  I don't know why we're throwing another one into the mix.  Maybe later reveals will make this all gel better, but right now, it seems out of place.

Still, the pros far outweigh the cons, as the episode continues to build up the show's momentum.  We still have plenty of great character moments, Frank and Karen's reunion being a major one.  We also have solid action as Frank faces off against Madina's boss, Carson Wolf.

You wouldn't think this would be much of a fight, but you gotta hand it to the man, he held his own.  It wasn't quite as even as Frank's bouts with Daredevil, but Wolf still got plenty of good hits in.

Frank's main conflict, however, is with a hacker by the name of "Micro".  The latter manages to discover that Frank is still alive and informs him of this.  It's still not clear why he does this, but for now we get to see a bit of a cat and mouse game between the two.

In fact, this is what pushes Frank to contact Karen, as she has resources that allow him to find out who "Micro" is.  I do think it was a bit too easy on that end.  Karen does a little off screen digging and is able to hand Frank a name.  The episode does make up for it by allowing the bond established in "Daredevil" to shine.  In any event, Karen is a great character, and Woll has consistently done a great job in her portrayal, so her presence is a benefit regardless.

On a similar note, Bernthal is still fantastic.  The show is allowing him to show Frank's many layers and Bernthal is able to nail all of them.  Whether it's a scene showing Frank's softer side, his more haunted and aloof side, or the straight up ass kicker; he pulls it off and even has little trouble transitioning from one to the other within the same scene.

I was unsure about Micro.  He worked well here, but I wasn't sure he had enough to act as the show's primary villain.  Considering how the episode ends, it doesn't seem like this is going to be the case, though, so we'll see where his story arc takes us.  For that matter, we'll have to see who ends up being the main antagonist.

Overall, this was a solid follow up.  It sets the stage for the show's arc, while also being a fairly stand alone episode at least in so far as Frank has caught the antagonist who had been hounding him for the entirety of the episode.  I have a feeling that the next episode will have some major revelations as Micro and Frank have their first face to face chat.  It should make for an interesting watch.

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'Dragon Ball Super' Episode 118: 'Accelerated Tragedy Vanishing Universes...'

Where most episodes in this arc have focused on one particular fight, this episode changes things up a bit by splitting its focus between Goku's fight with the remaining fighters from universe 2, as well as Gohan and Piccolo's continued fight with the two Namekians from universe 6.

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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'Dragon Ball Super' Episode 117: 'Great Battle of Love! Androids vs. Universe 2!!'

With Goku once again exhausted from the Ultra Instinct form, the other fighters from universe 7 try to give him cover, as he is now a prime target for adversaries from other universes, specifically universe 2.  It's a rare bit of team work from the universe that likes to go it alone.

Gohan and Piccolo do attempt to be the ones to offer said cover, but they are interrupted by the two Namekians who they have been fighting the past few episodes.  You do have to wonder why they thought that they'd be able to just abandon the fight right in the middle, but at least they made the effort.

Instead, it's the android siblings who end up coming to Goku's aid, taking on both Rozie and Ribrianne.  The prior is especially interested in avenging Kakunsa and goes after 17, leaving Ribrianne to deal with 18.

Had the pair not been largely portrayed as comedic relief, this fight probably would have come off as more daunting.  Thankfully, the episode manages to strike just the right balance so that the established trait isn't completely abandoned, but the fight is still exciting and tense enough to hold your attention.  At no point did I view it as a waste of time, which a lot of viewers could have easily thought.

While the two pairs do largely split into separate one on one fights, the twin siblings do get to showcase several great teamwork moments.  Oddly enough, for me the highlight was the small heart to heart talk the two have as 17 is bandaging up his sister's ankle.  You rarely see this sort of thing from the two of them.  It made the heartwarming nature of it that much more noticeable and effective. 

Speaking of 18's ankle, it seems the injury is worse than it looks, as it causes 18 to land on it wrong at one point.  Considering how her foot bent on said landing, I would have bought this as the debilitating injury much more than the small bruise that she was sporting before.  Oddly enough, she seems to fight fine afterward.  Chalk it up to her cybernetic implants, I guess?

Not surprisingly, the central theme of this match up is love.  18 reveals that she is fighting for her husband and daughter.  You'd think that Ribrianne would show some level of respect for this, but she scoffs and says 18 knows nothing of love.  The universe 2 fighter even mocks 18 for having Krillin for a husband. 

It's a very strange turn.  You'd think that someone that focused on love wouldn't be obsessed with appearance or be dismissive about the love between either spouses or parents and kids.  It makes Ribrianne's rants about how she's going to bring love to everyone sound fake and self righteous.  Maybe that was the point, but it didn't work for me.  It also leads to a strange moment after the sibling androids knock them out of the ring where the universe 2 fighters talk about how this was a learning experience and that they learned about a new kind of love.  So, they didn't know about familial love?  It seems like one of the obvious ones...just saying.  Ribrianne even referred to it as trite, so really, the whole thing is just confusing.

Oddly enough, while the two androids were aiming to protect Goku, the fight leaves him vulnerable to the other fighters from universe 2.  He himself doesn't seem to have a problem with it, though.  He just stands up, gets into a defensive stance and tells the three fighters to come at him.  It's perfectly in character and I think that's one of the things that fans love about Goku.  It was a small moment, but still awesome.

The episode also features a scene where Vegeta attempts to attain the power of ultra instinct himself.  To do so, he intentionally lets his guard down just as Katopesla aims to challenge him, thinking that simply by standing there, his body will naturally do the work.  I can almost understand Vegeta's logic, but it does seem like a gross over simplification of what ultra instinct is.  I mean, if the gods have trouble attaining this power, it really wouldn't be that simple.  At least he got a zenkai boost from it, right?  I know word of god says that's no longer a thing, but my headcanon says that they do still get a boost.  It might not be enough to make a difference anymore, but I think that works better than just saying that it's gone away because whatever shut up.

In order to challenge the saiyan, Katopesla changes his form to amplify his strength as opposed to his speed.  While it seems like he's doomed to be comic relief at this point, it was cool to see that he has some versatility.  Depending on what other stats he can boost through different forms, he could have been a serious contender in the tournament if the writers had handled him differently, it's almost a pity. 

Then again, once Vegeta gets bored and finally starts exerting even the slightest bit of effort, it's a quick curb stomp battle with Katopesla on the losing end of it.  It was a great highlight for Vegeta, though.  I won't lie.

All in all, this was a strong episode.  There were more than a few highlight moments and those who hated Ribrianne will be happy to see her eliminated.  She got a somewhat decent send off.  Sure, her cause is exposed as being hollow and hypocritical, but she got to showcase some clever tactics and that transformation sequence really was something to behold. 

Next week's episode should be interesting.  With both universes 6 and 2 down to a handful of fighters and the episode's title hinting at more erasures, we could be in for a two-fer as far as eliminations go.  It should be an interesting watch.

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'The Punisher' Episode 1: '3 AM'

On Friday, Netflix released the next chapter in its branch of the ongoing story of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with "The Punisher".

Judging by the preview, I wasn't sure if this was going to be a sequel or prequel.  Judging by this episode, it looks to be a bit of both.  We are given a more in depth look into Frank's pre-tragedy life via flashback, with more focus on the family, but we also pick up where the second season of "Daredevil" left off.

If you're wondering why Frank was never considered when the Defenders were embarking on the war for New York, this gives you an answer; he wasn't there.  It seems Frank's quest for vengeance brought him all over the country.  He even takes down criminals who managed to cross the border into Mexico.  It's pretty impressive for a "street level" vigilante/hero.

Rather than spend the whole season chronicling Frank's desire for vengeance against those who killed his family, the episode's prologue wraps that aspect up, with Frank having killed everyone connected to said incident.

This allows him to close the book on the "punisher" concept.  Where Frank's war in the comics is much akin to Batman's in that it never ends, this iteration is taking cues from Nolan's interpretation where there was a clear endgame and the moniker was a temporary measure.  It does give Frank an arc as we see him attempt to live a more peaceful life before being dragged back in by circumstances around him.

It was interesting to see Frank try to adjust to living a normal life.  He's operating under an assumed name working a construction job.  On the plus side, using a sledgehammer to tear down walls does give him a nice outlet for his rage and frustration, but his coworkers are jackasses who seem to give him crap for no discernible reason.

It's sad to see Frank not really standing up for himself, but it is a testament to his restraint and shows that he is able to focus his violent tendencies on criminals.  Of course, this just makes it all the more satisfying, when said jackasses become criminals and he is able to cut loose and dish out some payback in the manner that we have come to expect from Frank Castle.

It makes for an exciting finish to the episode.  The fact that the whole scene is set to a Tom Waits song was a pleasant surprise. 

Barring that, the episode is largely dialogue driven, which is par for the course with the Netflix shows.  It actually works well here.  The conversations are well written and have a point.  It doesn't feel like the script is just spinning wheels to pad out the run time. 

The characters all get off to a good start in terms of development.  Some of the dialogue was a bit heavy handed (see Madani's boss), but by and large scenes were fairly balanced and didn't feel like the writer was lecturing you about a certain issue. 

The closest it ever came was with the vet claiming that the white Christian patriots were oppressed.  Oddly enough, some of his dialogue did stand out for other reasons.  I did get a kick about his talk about an oncoming war for the city (psst, you kind of missed it, buddy) and his talk about the role soldiers play took on an interesting angle given that this is a world populated with superheroes and vigilantes.  I don't know if the show will explore that, as it likely wants to be its own self contained thing, but we'll see. 

Overall, this was a solid start to the series.  Bernthal continues to do a great job in the role and allowing him more screen time has certainly paid dividends so far.  I'm looking forward to seeing where the show goes from here.

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'Dragon Ball Super' Episode 116: 'The Signs of a Comeback! Ultra Instinct's Huge Explosion!!'

The last episode ended with Goku once again acquiring the power of ultra instinct.  Despite seeing the form hold its own against the likes of Jiren, Kefla is unfazed and responds in kind by powering up to super saiyan 2 in a rather impressive display of power.

Sadly, even this isn't enough, as Goku still has a definite edge.  His reflexes are too quick and even the fused saiyan can't seem to land a hit against her opponent in his new form.  I would think that the best strategy here would be to stall for time and wait for the energy to burn out, but at no point does Kefla consider this.  I don't know if it's due to saiyan honor code or her lust for battle and/or her frustration with being on the losing end of the fight overpowering any sense of tactics, but in either case, the issue goes unmentioned.

While we do get a longer look at the impressive benefits of ultra instinct, we also see some other notable drawbacks.  Goku's reflexes are amazing, but he's not untouchable.  Two of Kefla's blasts during her final all out attack do graze his hair and arm respectively.  One could chalk this up to Goku not having mastered the form yet, but it's too soon to tell. 

On top of that, while the form is great for defense, it hinders offensive combat.  Kefla notes that while Goku is landing solid hits, they aren't doing as much damage as they should.  Whis later explains that this is due to fighters putting thought and focus into how they're going to attack.  As a result, it is difficult to combine with ultra instinct, which relies on the mind shutting down in order to let the body act at its peak potential.  It's possible, just very difficult.

Weaknesses aside, Goku is able to knock Kefla out of the ring with a point blank kamehameha.  In doing so, he destroys their potarra earrings, putting Kale and Caulifla in the stands as individuals.  It's sad to see them knocked out, but they did get to go out in a blaze of glory, as they put up a very impressive fight.  The fact that it took Goku's newest form to eliminate them also shows how formidable they really were. 

This really doesn't bode well for universe 6, though, who is now down to just the two Namekians who are currently fighting Gohan and Piccolo.  It's hard to believe, as it doesn't seem like it was that long ago when they were neck and neck with universe 7 for having the most remaining fighters, but they have lost 4 in fairly rapid succession.  We could be seeing another universe get erased in the weeks to come.

Where the last episode was able to touch on other match ups while keeping the focus on Goku and Kefla, this one basically abandons the prior in favor of the latter.  The fight is a blast to watch, so I can't say it's a bad thing, though it is strange how quickly every other fight in the tournament comes to a complete halt in order to watch two other fighters. 

All in all, this was an exciting conclusion to the Kefla confrontation.  It was fast, exciting, and had several memorable highlights.  There wasn't much in the way of plot progression beyond a little more info on Ultra instinct.  Vegeta vows to master the power before Goku, said power piques Jiren's interest enough to stir him from his meditative state, and Frieza reiterates that he plans to continue using Goku to achieve his goals.  Beyond that it was a big power up sequence and a big fight.  This is "Dragon Ball" so that is one of the main draws of the franchise, you can't say it doesn't give the viewers what they want. 

Next week, the androids face off against the fighters from universe 2 while Goku goes back into respite mode.  I'm looking forward to it after seeing these fighters sidelined for what feels like quite a while.  It should be a good match up.

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'Dragon Ball Super' Episode 115: 'Goku vs. Kefla! Super Saiyan Blue Defeated!?'

I like how the episode title makes it seem like super saiyan blue has never been defeated before.  At this point, it's not as uncommon as one might think.  It undercuts the weight of the idea and thus any possible tension or surprise at the concept.

In any event, the showdown between Goku and the newly fused Kefla begins in earnest, with the latter wiping the floor with the prior, even in his super saiyan god form.  I did find it strange that Goku was blown away by the fact that Kefla was a lot stronger than the two individual fighters that made her up.  He knows how the Potara earrings work.  He's used them twice and even learned a separate fusion technique that operates on a similar principle.  I guess they wanted to use this as a way to explain it to new viewers who might just be jumping in, but this seems like an odd spot to put something like that.

Speaking of fusion, Beerus does bring up the fact that fusion is supposed to be against the rules.  This was one of the reasons why Goten and Trunks were passed on the roster.  Not surprisingly, though, the dual omni-kings allow Potara fusion because it's cool.

This, of course, prompts every universe to consider the tactic, though none follow through at this point for various reasons.  Universe 7's Supreme Kai suggests having 17 and 18 fuse.  It was actually a clever idea on his part, but when Whis reminds them that it puts two fighters at risk of being eliminated in one foul swoop, Beerus vetoes the idea, leaving Goku to fight the fused saiyan himself.

Of course, he has no problem with this arrangement.  Judging by the look on his face, he's having the time of his life, both fighters are.  It allows the viewer to get an extra sense of enjoyment from the fight.

Kefla proves so formidable that Goku is forced to go blue, something Kefla was waiting for.  She, in turn, goes super saiyan.  It does manage to escalate the fight considerably and leaves everyone breathless.  You'd think that this would be a forced moment, but Kefla's actually doing a good job presenting herself as an adversary that can legitimately challenge Goku at this stage.  When he has to up things yet again using his kaio-ken/blue combo, it feels like something he has to do and not just something the writers are making him do for the sake of placating the audience.

While Goku does seem to be getting a second wind, Beerus notes that Goku's body is still exhausted from his fight with Jiren and that using the kaio-ken at this point is a major gamble.  Sadly, we never see any repercussions on that front, but it is another indicator that Goku viewed using the power up as a necessity.

Of course, part of this might be due to the fact that Kefla knocks Goku out before this can become a factor.  Yeah, he's out cold.  All Kefla has to do is knock his body out of the ring and universe 7 takes a major hit.

Before she can do this, though, Goku's unconscious body begins to stir and he slowly rises to his feet.  You can tell right off the bat that something is off, but it's not a bad thing, as it turns out that Goku has managed to tap into the ultra instinct power again.  It gives the episode a nice surprise to end on, as well as a cool tease for the next episode where Kefla will face off against the power that managed to give Jiren a quick run for his money.

I can't help but wonder if this is a good thing, though.  The form really left Goku exhausted.  Even putting aside the peril of the strain on his body, tactically, this could leave the team at a disadvantage.  Goku was finally starting to get his energy back.  This will burn through it and make him start all over again.  There are only 19 minutes left in the tournament, you'd think that having their key player recuperating for a majority of it would be a detriment.  Maybe he'll fare better now that his body is somewhat familiar.  We'll just have to see.

The episode does also touch on some of the other goings on in the tournament, namely the on-going fights between Vegeta and Toppo, as well as Gohan and Piccolo's battle with the universe 6 Namekians.  I'm surprised these two fights haven't gotten more screen time. From what we've seen, these are two match ups that warrant more than an after thought.  Maybe future episodes will give them their due.  As of now, they're just a nice way to break away from the Goku/Kefla fight for a few minutes.

We also pop in on 18, who has suffered some sort of indian burn on her ankle that is supposed to make me think that she's in trouble.  Things only get worse when Katopesla approaches her, voicing his intent to take her out while she's weakened.  So much for the whole noble hero thing, I guess. 

This might have been a tense moment, but Katopesla's initial appearance didn't exactly paint him as a fighter I'm meant to take seriously.  We do see that his speed is legit, even 18 is impressed by it, but I'm still not sold. 

Of course, I'm not sold on Toppo either.  I mean, come on, his go to move is a bear hug for crying out loud, but that's neither here nor there.

Either way, I didn't see the need for 17 to jump to his sister's aid.  Even 18 points out that she didn't need help, but 17 says that he was just passing through, so hopefully that will help quell any potential backlash regarding that scene.

Overall, the episode was solid.  The fights were exciting, paced well, and generally visually impressive.  There wasn't much in the way of plot progression, but it's kind of hard to do with this set up.  Everybody's still kung-fu fighting, and that's the long and short of it.

Although Kefla does manage to pique Jiren's interest, as he continues to show signs of awakening from his meditative state, so we'll see what comes with that particular development

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'Dragon Ball Super' Episode 114: 'Intimidating Passion! The Birth of a New Super Warrior!!'

The last episode ended with Kale losing control of her power and once again going into her berserker form.  This picks up a bit earlier, giving us a more drawn out transformation sequence.  It's cool to look at, no doubt, but it does eat up a lot of time.  Interestingly, where Goku was eager before, he remembers how insanely powerful that form is and seems more apprehensive about facing off against her again.  Even other fighters stop to marvel at the display, even though they've seen it before and have seen more powerful fighters (namely Jiren).

Sadly, we don't really get a rematch.  It was rather notable seeing Kale turn on her beloved "sis".  It shows how out of control the form really is.  Luckily, the strength of their bond surpasses it, and Kale is able to regain control again.  It seems like a rehash, especially with everyone marveling at how Kale has managed to control the awesome power of the berserker, but it was so well done and heartwarming that I had no problem letting it slide. 

The sequence wasn't a total bust, as Tien notes that Kale did receive a massive power up from the ordeal.  It allows her and Caulifla to put up a rather good fight against Goku.  The teamwork between the two is well displayed here and you really do buy that Goku is on the ropes.  It doesn't feel like forced tension.

Even when Goku goes into his super saiyan god form, the pair are able to hold their own for the most part.  Not surprisingly, it's here where he really starts to get the advantage back, but all things considered, they fared pretty well.  Goku himself says this and hopes that they'll be able to have a rematch after the tournament is over.  Considering one of their universes is going to be erased, I'm not sure how that's going to work.  I guess he's thinking that he'll just wish them back too?  I'm not sure, it's too soon to tell. 

Fortunately for universe 6, the girls have a trump card: a pair of Potara earrings given to them earlier by Champa. 

The two fuse, giving birth to a new warrior named Kefla.  Not surprisingly, she's shown to be very powerful.  Goku's unnerved and Vegeta gets distracted long enough for Toppo to land a serious hit.  Even Jiren seems like he's intrigued.  He is still in his meditative state, but you can tell that he's sensing the surge in power. 

Sadly, the Vegeta/Toppo match is only glimpsed briefly.  A part of me gets it as the 2 on 1 fight is the main draw, but time was used on other things that could have easily given us more Vegeta/Toppo fighting time.

Even the showdown between Frieza and a fighter named Katopesla from universe 3 is sidelined.  Granted, between Frieza's dismissive attitude and the goofy way that the universe 3 hero is portrayed, I sense a curbstomp battle coming, but it would have been interesting to see in any event.

If nothing else, it was nice to see one fight interrupt another, with Goku getting shoved into Katopesla.  The tournament hasn't really taken advantage of the "multi-person brawl" as much as one would have thought, but oh well. 

All in all, though, this was a strong episode.  The main fight was exciting, we got more great character stuff between Kale and Caulifla, the animation was solid, and we got a nice status quo change as Goku is now up against an even more formidable adversary.  We only got a glimpse of her power, but she's already looking to be a heavyweight.  The "voice of the legion" effect also adds a somewhat creepy element that makes her fun to watch.  I'm looking forward to seeing her get more screen time.

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'Dragon Ball Super' Episode 113: 'With Great Joy! The Repeat Battle-Crazy Saiyan Fight!!'

For some reason, this episode doesn't open like a normal one.  It wasn't a new intro, exactly, but some sort of teaser.  It wasn't clear at first, but eventually I figured out what they were doing.  It's a cool idea, though I'd think it would have been something that they did before the big 2 part event, as opposed to this episode.

In any event, Caulifla challenges Goku to fight her again.  She wants to hit super saiyan 3 so that her power can make up the difference from losing both Hit and Cabba in rapid succession.  She powers up to super saiyan 2 and readies herself for combat.

Alas, while Goku is more than willing to fight, his exhaustion from the Jiren fight prevents him from returning the favor and powering up beyond his base form.  I'm not sure why Caulifla takes umbrage at Goku not powering up.  He flat out says that it's out of necessity, and that he'll power up later as he gets his second wind, but she still deems it to be arrogance on his part.  It was weird.

You'd think that Goku would be at a disadvantage, but he actually starts off winning the fight.  It seems that Caulifla's cruder, brawling style doesn't fare well against Goku's more formal training and experience, even with a more powerful form at her disposal.

She's a quick study, though, and it isn't long before things start to even out.  Caulifla starts landing some heavy hits and comes up with ways counters Goku's various techniques in short order.  It makes for an exciting fight.  Caulifla may not be as ridiculously strong as Jiren, but she is able to make for a formidable opponent in her own right. 

Even when Goku does eventually power up to his own super saiyan 2 form, the two are evenly matched.  It continues to impress Goku and he's certain that not only will she hit 3 at some point, but maybe even go beyond that.  Yes, the show made a legitimate tease of super saiyan 4.  While I honestly have no problem making that form canon, the fact that I'm invoking GT does provide me with some amusement given the general reception of that particular branch of the franchise.

I found it odd that Krillin was marveling at the spectacle of 2 super saiyan 2's fighting, as this isn't the first time we've seen such a confrontation.  However, Goku's far more powerful now than he was when he fought Majin Vegeta and Krillin was kind of turned to stone at that point and didn't actually know about that, so his reaction makes a bit more sense.

If that wasn't spectacle enough, things escalate when Goku invites Kale to join in the fight.  While you'd think that this makes for a much stronger example of Goku being a "cocky bastard", Caulifla is all for it.  She eagerly welcomes her "sis" to join the fight so that they can, not only defeat Goku together, but reach super saiyan 3 together.  The bond between these two never ceases to be utterly endearing.  It also stands in pretty stark contrast to the way universe 7 saiyans operate.

Me being a sucker for 2 on 1 fights, I thought that this was a brilliant move on the show's part.  The two girls work rather well together and manage to give Goku a solid fight, though as his stamina returns, he gains the advantage back. 

He even manages to get enough of his energy to go into his super saiyan 3 form.  While this image was prominently featured in the teaser, his stay is brief as he quickly powers back down to 2 and reveals that he isn't quite there yet.  It does make you wonder if he's found a way to counter the energy drain of that form or if this is just another example of that at work. 

It does give the two saiyan girls a taste of the power that they can acquire, so it wasn't a complete waste of time.  In fact, seeing it makes Kale so eager that she powers up again and accidentally goes back into the "berserker"/"legendary" form.  I think this form is more impressive than the streamlined one that she used for a majority of this episode, so I'm totally OK with this development.

Goku himself seems excited.  I guess he forgot about her utterly wiping the floor with him when he was in his blue form.  I suppose it makes sense, though.  Goku does love fighting strong people and even Krillin notes that pushing himself to his limits so that he can break them is Goku's modus operandi. 

All in all, this episode was decent, but it might end up being one of the more forgettable ones in the long term.  The fight itself was solid and we did get some good banter.  The two are such good sports and have such a good dynamic that they're fun to watch.  The teaser for next week looks interesting, as both Caulifla and Kale seem like they're going to continue to grow as fighters.

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'Dragon Ball Super' Episode 112: 'A Saiyan's Vow! Vegeta's Resolution!!'

With Goku exhausted, a group of fighters from universe 3 decide to gang up on him in an attempt to eliminate him from the tournament and gain an edge over universe 7, who has a substantial lead when it comes to remaining fighters.  The tournament has tried to build up false tension before, but with Goku burnt out, it does seem like the saiyan is in legitimate trouble, even though his opponents are nowhere near the levels of Hit, Toppo, or especially Jiren.

Piccolo does suggest that Gohan back his father up in that fight, but Gohan comes from universe 7, where you just let your teammates, friends, and family members get pounded on without offering assistance. 

Granted, the two do have their hands full fighting the two Namekians from universe 6, but it was still a face palm inducing moment.  At least have Gohan try to aid his father and have the Namekian get in the way or something, sheesh.

This match up doesn't resolve in this episode, as we jump to Caulifla and Kale, the prior of whom is about to face off against universe 4's Monna.  Caulifla insists that Kale stay out of it to keep it a one on one fight, but it never comes to pass.

At first, I thought that one of Monna's teammates was going to jump into the fray and give us a 2 on 2 match up, but instead, the face off is interrupted by Cabba, who insists that he be the one to deal with this particular opponent.  It should be noted that this is more of a tactical decision, as Cabba wants them to continue to recover so that they can fight effectively later on in the tournament.  I could see some calling foul, but it does make sense.

At first it seems like Cabba has the upper hand with the power of his super saiyan form, but it isn't long before he's getting knocked around.  It's strange, as Monna's fighting style is "turn into a giant ball and roll into him a lot".  Either way, Cabba is on the ropes.  He even attempts to use the same tactic that was used in the climax of the first "Tremors" movie to no avail. 

It gets so bad that he almost gets thrown out of the ring.  Were it not for a last second save from Vegeta, he would have been eliminated.  Yes, Vegeta saves his pupil.  Granted, he follows this by berating Cabba for being weak, but it was still a big moment.  Even Champa is amazed and says that he'll find a way to repay the favor because he's honorable.  I get the feeling that it was supposed to be played for laughs, but I still liked it.

The following exchange between the two saiyans makes for one of the episode's highlights as Vegeta mentions that he still wants to see the home planet of the universe 6 saiyans, something Cabba brought up back in the initial tournament between universes 6 and 7. 

Cabba rightly points out that it's impossible to fulfill the promise, as one of the two universes will be erased, but Vegeta reveals that he plans to win and bring everyone back with the super dragon balls.  It really goes to show how far Vegeta has come.  He could have just settled on bringing universe 6 back in order to see the saiyans, but he's willing to go beyond that desire and save more people.  It's quite heartwarming.  Cabba offers to make a similar wish, but Vegeta doesn't really appreciate the sentiment the way others would. 

Eventually, though, the fight has to resume and Cabba is still having trouble.  Monna makes the mistake of mocking both Vegeta and Cabba's fellow saiyan teammates.  He doesn't take kindly to this and powers up, hitting super saiyan 2 in the process.  Good for him. 

It's enough for him to ultimately win, but it does leave him exhausted.  You'd almost think he was fighting at super saiyan 3 (more on that later.)

Much like the robots did with Goku, Frieza takes this opportunity to pounce and challenges Cabba.  Frieza sure is fun to watch.  His polite but still sinister demeanor never gets old. 

When compared to other fights involving Frieza, Cabba got off easy, but he does find himself on the losing end of the fight very quickly.  Even his newfound super saiyan 2 power isn't enough to contend with the power of Golden Frieza and he gets eliminated from the tournament in pretty short order. 

It's kind of a shame, as I do like the character, but it seems like the tournament wasn't sure what to do with him.  This, at least gives him a moment to shine before he gets knocked out.  He also achieved his goal of giving Caulifla and Kale enough of a breather to get back into the fight, so mission accomplished there.

Caulifla doesn't hesitate to jump back into things, taking out (though not eliminating) the robots plaguing Goku.  Not surprisingly, she has her own agenda, she wants to challenge Goku to another fight. 

Meanwhile, Vegeta is about to take on Toppo.  It makes for a solid sequel hook, as we have more than a few solid match ups to look forward to for the next episode.

This episode took a step back from action and put more focus on character.  It still delivered on the prior, but it also gave the episode the feeling of a breather episode.  There was more levity and heart to it that really made it stand out.  There was some padding early on in the episode.  The most glaring instance being the two omni-kings needing to be told what happens when the tournament ends, but once we got past that initial tedium, the episode was pretty well paced and moved along nicely. 

Much like how the Hit vs Jiren fight was a worthy successor to Goku vs. Jiren, I suspect that the Caulifla and Goku relationship is going to shine just as Vegeta's and Cabba's did here.  Even better, Goku mentions that he's going to go super saiyan 3.  Considering it got snubbed in the Jiren fight, it'll be nice to see it get a chance to shine.  Who knows, maybe Goku found a way to counter the burnout, much like Frieza did with the golden form.  We might even see Caulifla hit super saiyan 3.  Goku did note that it was a distinct possibility before.  Could she go super saiyan 4?  We'll just have to wait and see I suppose.

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'Dragon Ball Super' episode 111: 'The Surreal Supreme Battle! Hit vs Jiren!!'

Even with a new form, Goku was unable to defeat Jiren.  This doesn't stop Hit from taking a crack at it anyway.  While this match up wasn't as hyped up as Goku's, it was teased and it was nice to see it finally come to fruition.

Before that, however, we have to find out how Goku is going to get out of his current bind, exhausted and powerless with a smirking Frieza hovering over him ready to blast him point blank.  I had seen a few people predict how this was going to go and they were right.  It turns out that Frieza ends up giving Goku some of his energy.  It's a pragmatic move, as it keeps Goku in the tournament (Frieza flat out states that he has no desire to fight Jiren himself and would rather have Goku do it,) but it also "settles the debt" from when Goku did the same for him back on Namek.

With that taken care of, we come to the main event: Hit vs Jiren.  The preceding two episodes had set a pretty high bar, but this manages to keep that momentum going and deliver another very strong fight.

Hit actually seems to be holding his own fairly well early on.  I did find it odd that he seemed to have a harder time against Dyspo, but as the fight progresses, Hit's apparent advantage dissipates and he finds himself in the same situation that Goku did.  Like Dyspo before him, Jiren's ability is such that he can counter Hit's time skip, rendering it pretty much useless, though that doesn't stop Hit from continuing to try.

I don't get why the others are so baffled as to why he keeps using it.  It's still his most potent ability, what else is he going to rely on to get an edge in the fight?

To their credit, both Caulifla and Kale express a desire to back Hit up, but Cabba stops them, saying that Hit has a plan.  In most circumstances, I'd say that this declaration was laughable as Hit is clearly getting clobbered, but the fight with Dyspo started off this way too, so at least there is some precedent on that front.

Sure enough, Hit is able to study Jiren's moves enough to regain his footing and start to level the playing field.  It culminates with Hit using his time skip to freeze Jiren in place.  It's outright stated to be Hit's final trump card and it takes all of Hit's power, but his plan is to keep doing this while the universe 6 saiyans keep fighting. 

Knowing Jiren, you know this won't last, and it doesn't.  Still, the fact that Hit held him as long as he did is pretty commendable.  It also gives the episode something of a hope spot, as Jiren's imprisonment is a major game changer for other universes.  The delay also pays dividends as it makes the shock of Jiren's liberation that much more palpable. 

With no other tricks up his sleeve, Hit has nothing left to do but get blasted repeatedly until he is finally thrown out of the ring.

Yeah.

Hit got eliminated.  It was pretty shocking to say the least and it doesn't bode well for universe 6.  The saiyan trio aren't completely disheartened, but even Vados points out that it was still a pretty devastating blow.

The Grand Priest announces that the tournament has officially hit the halfway point and Jiren decides to clock out.  As far as he's concerned there's no one left worthy of his effort and he goes back to meditating. 

Don't think that Jiren is letting his guard down, however,  Two fighters make that mistake, having one distract Toppo and Dyspo while the other attempts a surprise attack.  It turns out that Jiren still has a force field that can only be penetrated by the aforementioned worthy fighters.

While Hit vs Jiren was the main draw, the episode did have a few other small highlights as well.  We got to see Vegeta face off against Ribrianne again.  Her power seems to be waning, but Rozie offers some reinforcements. 

The bigger moment in this scene was Ribrianne's sudden doubt in their ability to win the tournament.  You feel for her as fear suddenly sets in, but Rozie manages to lift her spirits and get her head back in the game.  It was a nice character moment that added some emotional weight to the episode.

We also see Gohan and Piccolo begin to face off from a pair of Namekians from some other universe after said pair attempt a sneak attack on Goku while he is watching Hit fight Jiren.  It's still strange to see fighters so willingly let their guard down in these circumstances, but at least Gohan and Piccolo had his back.  That 2 on 2 fight should make for a fun episode sometime down the line. 

Overall, this was another very strong episode.  It was definitely a worthy successor to the gem that preceded it.  We had a great main fight while also giving other characters moments in the spotlight, we got another example of just how stupid powerful Jiren is, and the status quo changed significantly as a result of the episode's events.  It was a packed and exciting 23 minutes.  You'd think that after 15 episodes of tournament that fatigue would start to set in, but it seems like things are only getting more exciting.  It'll be interesting to see how things progress from here.

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'Dragon Ball Super' Episode 110: 'Son Goku Wakes! New Level of the Awakened!'

When last we met...earlier today, it appeared Goku had lost his battle with Jiren and had been consumed by his own spirit bomb.

It turns out that this wasn't the case, not surprising, and that the struggle continues.  It doesn't look good, as Jiren is hardly breaking a sweat while Goku is clearly reaching his limits.  Still, this is what the Dragonball franchise does so well, epic battles of will power with tremendous amounts of beam energy being pushed back and forth between the two adversaries.  It's a spectacle to be sure and the animation is top notch.  You can really see where that extra week went, not only here, but throughout the remainder of the episode.

Alas, it appears that it was only a delay of the inevitable.  Goku succumbs to exhaustion and falls into his own spirit bomb.  It's not clear if he's alive or dead.  He doesn't appear in the bleachers, but nobody can sense his energy.  It's a very somber moment that is quite well done, even taking into account the meta-knowledge that Goku's coming back.

You'd think that Goku dying would eliminate Jiren, giving the other fighters some semblance of hope, but this doesn't turn out to be the case.  As it was Goku's attack that did him in, Jiren is spared elimination.  It adds a little extra salt to the wound for universe 7.

In the last episode, the gods surmised that watching Goku fall would crush everybody else's fighting spirit.  It turns out that this isn't the case at all.  In fact, other fighters all approach Jiren.  Sadly, this Jiren vs everybody match up never materializes, but it was still a good moment for the other universes, regardless.

It is interrupted by the glorious return of Goku, who has now ascended into a new, powerful form that blows everybody away.  It's been a while since we had a new form, so it was rather nice to see things kick up another notch.  On top of that, the form is pretty cool looking, is bolstered by the aforementioned top-notch animation, and has some unique features.  This new form grants Goku amazing speed, though the way the characters talk, it's more than that.  In any event, he is able to actually stay on par with Jiren now, where his previous peak form could barely keep up. 

In a glaring contrast to universe 7, when Toppo and Dyspo see that the fight is turning against Jiren, they actually jump in to give their teammate some backup.  Admittedly, it doesn't work, but I still thought it was nice to see somebody finally do it.  As Toppo and Dyspo are hardly slouches on their own, it also goes to show you how powerful Goku has become, now being capable of fighting off two of the remaining universe 11 fighters at the same time with no trouble. 

Suffice it to say, everybody is stunned at the power Goku is showing.  It begs the question of what happened.  I assumed that, like he had in several of the non-canon movies, that Goku just absorbed the spirit bomb and used that to boost his power.  It's apparently more convoluted than that, I think unnecessarily so.  Either way, Goku has tapped into something called "Ultra Instinct".  This is a thing that's never clearly defined, but it is apparently a power that even gods have trouble attaining.

I kind of wish that we had gotten more detail, but it was still a fairly well done scene, with a remixed version of Zamasu's theme playing as the spectators try to deduce what had happened.  The pantheon seems a tad spooked, but the grand priest is more curious and mayhap even slightly impressed.  The omni-kings just think it looks cool. 

The ensuing fight is one for the ages.  I know I already mentioned the animation twice, but it bears repeating that the crew really stepped up their game here and it paid off.  The fight was fast paced, both fighters landed solid hits, and it kept you on the edge of your seat.  I know that moving this fight up is supposed to subvert convention, but you get the feeling that subsequent match ups aren't going to be able to jump this particularly high bar. 

Despite Goku's best efforts, he is still unable to eliminate Jiren.  Much like super saiyan 3, this one burns through energy really quickly, and Goku finds himself reduced to his base form, where Jiren once again has a clear advantage. 

It's a shame, the form was just introduced and I already get the feeling that it will join the ultra super saiyan form and super saiyan 3 as ones that never really come up again due to lack of practical use.  Then again, Goku could pull a Frieza and master the form to work out the flaws.  I guess we'll have to see. 

In the meantime, however, the episode leaves us with some intriguing morsels for the next episode.  Hit attempts to take on Jiren, following through on the face-off that was teased earlier in the tournament.  Vegeta is about to get a rematch with Ribrianne.  Most interestingly, though, is the predicament Goku finds himself in.  He is exhausted from his fight and Frieza has decided to take the opportunity to off his nemesis once and for all, aiming a death beam at the saiyan as he grins menacingly.  It makes for quite a cliffhanger.

This episode was fantastic, delivering everything fans would want to see with a match up like this.  Most two parters start strong and taper off, this one started strong and got stronger....which is kind of fitting given the franchise we're talking about.  Either way, this was one for the books and the next episode looks like it will actually make for a worthy follow up.  I'm excited to see how things play out from here.

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