Throughout its run, Dragon Ball has continually elevated its action-oriented narrative, introducing numerous formidable transformations along the way. Among the most iconic in recent history is Ultra Instinct. Although Goku unlocked this zen-like state—which serves as the standard for the all-powerful Angels—by pure accident during the Tournament of Power, it has since evolved into his ultimate offensive and defensive capability.
Goku has endured rigorous training and grueling battles against formidable opponents like Kefla, Jiren, Moro, Granolah, and Gas to master this form. Yet, even with all of this progression, three mortal characters within the Dragon Ball Super universe still possess the strength to surpass him.
Vegeta’s Ultra Instinct Alternative Gives Him The Edge
Vegeta remains Goku’s most significant rival and ally, spending much of the series striving to match his achievements. However, Dragon Ball Super has allowed the Saiyan Prince to step out of Goku’s shadow by developing unique techniques and breaking new power ceilings.
While Goku historically holds the winning record in their matchups, their sparring session in base form during Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero resulted in a hard-fought victory for Vegeta. Furthermore, no one understands Goku’s combat tendencies better than Vegeta, who has spent decades analyzing his rival.
Beyond tactical familiarity, Vegeta has acquired devastating abilities like the Final God Explosion, God-to-Blue form-switching, Hakai, and Forced Spirit Fission—a technique capable of redistributing energy and dismantling fusions. More importantly, rather than relying on Ultra Instinct, Vegeta forged his own path by unlocking Ultra Ego. Unlike Ultra Instinct, which relies on autonomic movement, Ultra Ego harnesses pain and aggression to fuel its user’s strength, giving it fewer restrictive limitations and a higher ceiling of raw power, as demonstrated in battles against Granolah and Gas.
Gohan’s Beast Mode Cements His Status as Earth’s Strongest Hero
For much of Dragon Ball Super, Gohan’s massive potential largely took a backseat to Goku and Vegeta’s endless pursuit of strength. That dynamic shifted dramatically in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, which put Gohan and Piccolo center stage during the crisis involving the Red Ribbon Androids and Cell Max.
Cornered in battle, Gohan unlocked his ultimate evolution: Gohan Beast. This transformation instantly propelled him to the pinnacle of the franchise’s power scaling, combining everything he has learned throughout his life. Gohan Beast proved to be the only force capable of obliterating Cell Max, officially crowning him as Dragon Ball’s strongest hero.
Even in a subsequent manga sparring match where Goku tested the form, Gohan Beast easily overpowered Ultra Instinct Goku, Vegeta, and Broly. Given that Gohan has spent significantly less time refining Beast mode than Goku has spent mastering Ultra Instinct, his potential for future growth makes him an insurmountable wall for Goku to climb.
Black Frieza Reigns as the Strongest Mortal in the Multiverse
Frieza’s monumental return during the climax of the Granolah the Survivor Saga caught everyone off guard. After Goku, Vegeta, and Granolah were thoroughly exhausted from battling a Dragon Ball-empowered Gas, Frieza casually intervened and eliminated Gas with a single strike.
With effortless ease, Frieza then knocked out both Ultra Instinct Goku and Ultra Ego Vegeta simultaneously. He later revealed that his new transformation, Black Frieza, was achieved by training for a full decade inside a time-dilated dimension comparable to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
Frieza’s staggering new level of power leaves him entirely confident in his ability to conquer the multiverse, positioning him as the definitive endgame threat of Dragon Ball Super.