Vegeta just got a massive power-up in Dragon Ball Super, but the upgrade somewhat alters the development of the Saiyan prince. While fans continue to hold their breath for a continuation of the Dragon Ball Super anime or a formal announcement of a sequel to the Broly movie, the Dragon Ball Super manga rumbles on and is currently in an entirely original story arc. Universe 7 is faced with the villainous Moro, the eater of worlds who has escaped Galactic Patrol imprisonment and is currently munching his way through each galaxy’s energy, leaving a trail of destruction and beating Goku and Vegeta in the process.
After a humiliating defeat, Dragon Ball’s two star Saiyans go their separate ways to train for a second round. Goku takes to a conveniently-placed Hyperbolic Time Chamber with an undercover angel as his mentor, while Vegeta decides to visit Yardrat, the place where Goku learned his Instant Transmission technique following the Frieza saga, hoping to learn some unique trick that will give him the edge over Moro. Vegeta immediately begins training with the people of Yardrat by meditating atop a narrow rock, and in Dragon Ball Super chapter 55, the results of his efforts are shown.
Vegeta is told that he managed to hone his spirit power quicker than Goku did, no surprise since Vegeta is far stronger than his rival was when he undertook the same training, but then Vegeta is warned about using his new abilities too quickly. The reason behind this caution soon becomes clear, as Vegeta attempts to hit a routine ki blast on an enemy and generates a tremendous amount of energy that surprises even the proud Saiyan himself. Confused, Vegeta is told that, before coming to Yardrat, his body and spirit were so out of sync that he couldn’t properly project his power, with these newfound abilities, however, Vegeta’s nascent power is unleashed.
On one hand, this is a Dragon Ball Super highlight for Vegeta, reminiscent of when Gohan achieved his Mystic form. Although the training was fairly mundane, Vegeta has made incredible progress and is far stronger than he was during the first fight against Moro. Seeing Vegeta effortlessly repel bad guys without even transforming is also never a bad thing. However, the power-up does create some plot inconsistencies.
For instance, it’s stated that Goku had already completed this same training on Yardrat during his visit to the planet years ago. Previously, fans thought that all Goku gained during this period was the ability to teleport using Instant Transmission, but if he managed to stabilize his spirit and gain the same power-up Vegeta now has, he’s had a distinct advantage over his rival for most of the Dragon Ball series. Goku and Vegeta have always been relatively even (with Goku usually taking the lead), but if Goku strengthened his spirit on Yardrat after the Frieza saga, this would explain any difference in strength between he and Vegeta.
Secondly, the suggestion that Vegeta has been fighting for the entire series with his body and spirit out of sync seems odd considering the character has already mastered the Super Saiyan Blue God form. In the Resurrection F arc, Whis also points out the spiritual problems with Goku and Vegeta, claiming that neither fully coordinated their body and mind (although he does point out that Vegeta is the worse of the two in this regard). By the time the Tournament of Power rolls around, both Saiyans have vastly improved in this area, further complicating the recent events on Yardrat. If Goku had undergone the Instant Transmission training, surely his spirit and body connection wouldn’t be as bad as Whis suggests. Conversely, if Vegeta’s spirit training improved under Whis’ tutelage, why was it deemed so poor on Yardrat? While the Vegeta power-up is certainly a welcome one, hopefully future Dragon Ball Super chapters will clear up some of the plot inconsistencies brought about as a result.
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