Goku, the protagonist of the popular anime series Dragon Ball, is one of the most powerful characters in all of fiction. In his ultra instinct form, introduced in Dragon Ball Super, Goku reaches new heights of power, speed, and reflexes. But is there anyone who can actually defeat ultra instinct Goku in a fight?
Ultra instinct allows Goku to automatically react to any threat without needing to consciously think. This gives him incredible combat speed and efficiency. However, ultra instinct is also extremely taxing on Goku’s body and he cannot sustain it indefinitely.
There are a few characters from the Dragon Ball universe as well as other fictional works that have the potential to defeat ultra instinct Goku under the right circumstances. This article will analyze these characters and how their powers and abilities stack up against Goku’s ultra instinct form.
Whis
Whis, Goku’s angel mentor from Dragon Ball Super, is one of the strongest beings in the Dragon Ball universe. He has mastered ultra instinct and has trained Goku in attaining this form. Whis’ power levels are on a whole other scale compared to Goku and even the other angels.
As an angel, Whis has divine ki which grants him a massive power advantage over Goku. Whis has shown that he can knock out Goku and Vegeta easily without even powering up. His speed is so great that he can travel through nebulas and galaxies faster than even Goku’s instant transmission.
Whis is also immortal, giving him unlimited stamina compared to Goku who strains under ultra instinct’s energy demands. With his vastly superior power, speed, techniques, and no limit to his stamina, Whis is certainly capable of defeating ultra instinct Goku.
Advantages Whis has over Ultra Instinct Goku:
- Divine ki grants enormous power advantage
- Speed capable of intergalactic travel in seconds
- Immortality provides unlimited stamina
- Mastered ultra instinct puts his reflexes above Goku’s
Grand Priest
The Grand Priest is one of the most powerful entities in the entire Dragon Ball multiverse. He ranks above even the angels like Whis and has power and speed that surpasses the limits of ultra instinct.
As the father of the angels and adviser to Zen-Oh, the omniking of the multiverse, the Grand Priest is likely the strongest fighter out of all the universes. His actual power levels are unclear but Whis himself has admitted that the Grand Priest is on a whole other tier.
The Grand Priest can instantly transport himself anywhere he wishes and read the thoughts and emotions of others. His divine ki dwarfs even that of an angel like Whis. He was completely unconcerned by Jiren’s immense strength in the Tournament of Power.
With abilities and power beyond ultra instinct users like Whis and Goku, the Grand Priest has the capabilities to defeat Goku. His speed, reflexes, and sheer divine power could overwhelm even Goku’s autonomous ultra instinct mode.
Advantages Grand Priest has over Ultra Instinct Goku:
- Divine ki and power beyond angels like Whis
- Instant teleportation provides superior speed
- Can read thoughts and emotions while fighting
- Unfazed by Jiren’s strength and ultra instinct
Zeno
Zeno, the Omni-King of the entire Dragon Ball multiverse, likely has the raw power to defeat ultra instinct Goku. As the ruler and most powerful being of everything in existence, Zeno can erase anything and everything with no effort.
Zeno possesses unlimited divine ki which lets him use reality-warping abilities like erasing people and universes instantly. He is unaffected by any attack and does not even need to move to use his erasing power. Zeno exists on a plane beyond ultra instinct.
While Zeno may lack fighting skills compared to Goku, his divine abilities make it impossible for Goku to even hurt him let alone defeat him. A single thought from Zeno can wipe out ultra instinct Goku along with the entire universe he is in.
The only advantage Goku has is Zeno’s childlike naivety and indifference to fighting. But if Zeno ever wanted to erase Goku, ultra instinct would not save him from the Omni-King’s unlimited power over existence.
Advantages Zeno has over Ultra Instinct Goku:
- Divine ki and power beyond comprehension
- Can instantly erase anything without moving
- No physical or energy attacks can affect him
- Exists on a plane beyond all techniques and skills
Angels
The angels in Dragon Ball like Whis and the Grand Priest possess powers that can overwhelm even ultra instinct Goku. All angels have divine ki and combat abilities beyond anything Goku has faced before.
Angels like Whis are immortal and do not run out of stamina giving them an automatic advantage over Goku. Their understanding and mastery of ultra instinct also exceeds Goku’s limited grasp of it.
Lesser angels may not have Whis or the Grand Priest’s levels of skill and speed but their divine ki still gives them enough power to defeat Goku. An all-out attack from multiple angels could break through Goku’s ultra instinct defenses through sheer force.
Goku may surpass individual angels in skill and reflexes but their divine advantages in power, speed, numbers, and no stamina limits give the angels what they need to overpower Goku.
Advantages Angels have over Ultra Instinct Goku:
- Divine ki grants massive power advantage
- No stamina limits due to immortality
- Superior mastery and understanding of ultra instinct
- Can potentially overwhelm Goku through numbers
Lord Beerus
Lord Beerus, the God of Destruction from Universe 7, is another candidate that could potentially defeat Goku in his ultra instinct form under the right circumstances.
Beerus has divine godly ki that gives him a power advantage over Goku’s mortal limits. While weaker than angels like Whis, Beerus as a God of Destruction still exceeds Goku in raw power and speed.
Unlike angels, Beerus can actually be defeated in combat as shown in his fights with the other Gods of Destruction. But his destructive potential is so great that he can destroy entire solar systems and galaxies when fully powered up.
Beerus matching Goku’s ultra instinct in combat speed and technique remains unclear. But the sheer scale of his divine power could let him overwhelm Goku through massive world-shattering attacks.
Advantages Beerus has over Ultra Instinct Goku:
- Divine godly ki provides immense power
- Can destroy entire solar systems when enraged
- Combat speed and reflexes on par with Goku
- Stamina limits unknown but likely exceeds Goku’s
Jiren
Jiren, Goku’s rival from Universe 11, has power and abilities that can contend with ultra instinct Goku. During the Tournament of Power, Jiren was able to match Goku blow for blow in his ultra instinct form.
Jiren does not have divine ki but his strength stems from his immense levels of regular ki attained through meditation and mental clarity. His power surpasses even a God of Destruction meaning his physical strikes can injure Goku.
By unleashing his hidden potential, Jiren can attain burst speeds matching ultra instinct Goku. His ki blasts are so massive that Goku struggled to repel them even while using ultra instinct.
While Jiren was eventually defeated by the combined might of Goku and Frieza, he showed he could compete with ultra instinct thanks to pushing his normal limits to their utmost extremes.
Advantages Jiren has over Ultra Instinct Goku:
- Immense ki reserves rivaling Gods of Destruction
- World-breaking levels of speed, power and durability
- Ki blasts and attacks can damage ultra instinct Goku
- No stamina issues; can unleash full power indefinitely
Fused Zamasu
Fused Zamasu, the fusion between Goku Black and Future Zamasu, attained overwhelming power through fusion and near-immortality. His mutated state could potentially pose a threat to even ultra instinct Goku.
As a fusion of two Shinjin (gods) in one body, Fused Zamasu’s base power and speed already match Goku blow for blow. His immortality makes him impossible to defeat through conventional means.
After mutating, Fused Zamasu’s body began oozing infinite clones of himself that could regenerate when attacked. Goku needed Zeno’s erasure to finally stop him. Fused Zamasu’s mutations exceeded his fused limits.
If Fused Zamasu could reach this mutated state against Goku in ultra instinct, his endless regeneration and army of clones could eventually overwhelm Goku through sheer numbers.
Advantages Fused Zamasu has over Ultra Instinct Goku:
- Base fused power matches ultra instinct Goku
- Near-immortality makes him almost impossible to defeat
- Clones can distract and outnumber Goku
- Mutated state exceeds power of regular fusion
Broly
The Legendary Super Saiyan Broly has the potential to match ultra instinct Goku’s power through his immense reserves of latent Saiyan strength.
As a mutant Saiyan, Broly’s power seems limitless and the more he fights, the stronger he becomes. His mutant genes give him power that may surpass even the Gods of Destruction.
Broly’s massive size, strength, durability, and ever-increasing power could let him go toe-to-toe with ultra instinct Goku in a prolonged battle. His omega-level power ups may bypass Goku’s ultra instinct.
However, Broly’s massive power comes at the cost of his speed and fighting technique. Goku’s superior skill and ultra instinct reflexes could exploit this weakness. But Broly’s raw power still poses a huge threat.
Advantages Broly has over Ultra Instinct Goku:
- Ever-increasing power; no known upper limits
- His Omega-level power-ups exceed his normal limits
- Gains strength from long fights; may outlast Goku
- Planet-shattering strikes and energy blasts
Superman
DC Comics icon Superman has stood toe-to-toe with Goku before in hypothetical “who would win” debates. His solar-powered abilities like strength, speed, and invulnerability could potentially challenge ultra instinct Goku.
Superman’s power levels fluctuate wildly across comics, TV, and movies. But at his peak, he possesses planet-moving strength and faster-than-light speed to match Goku blow for blow.
His invulnerability makes him extremely difficult to harm. Goku would need to use massive amounts of energy just to injure Superman, quickly draining his ultra instinct stamina.
Superman does not tire and has no definitive limits to his power as long as stars fuel him with solar energy. His warrior skill may not match Goku’s but his unequaled power stats could let him triumph through attrition.
Advantages Superman has over Ultra Instinct Goku:
- Planet-moving super strength
- Faster-than-light travel speed
- Near-invulnerability makes him difficult to harm
- Unlimited stamina as long as stars fuel him
Dr. Manhattan
Dr. Manhattan from Watchmen possesses complete control and perception of atomic particles around him. This molecular control allows him to manipulate matter and energy at will.
Dr. Manhattan’s body has been deconstructed and reconstituted at an atomic level, essentially making him immortal with unlimited power. He exists outside the normal flow of time.
His ability to rearrange matter gives him unlimited strength, invulnerability, and instant teleportation anywhere through quantum tunneling. Goku likely cannot harm him through any physical or energy means.
While lacking martial arts skills, Dr. Manhattan’s unlimited atomic manipulation lets him deconstruct opponents instantly. Goku’s ultra instinct would barely help against such absolute molecular powers.
Advantages Dr. Manhattan has over Ultra Instinct Goku:
- Complete atomic manipulation provides unlimited strength
- Immortality and invulnerability to all harm
- Teleportation through quantum tunneling
- Molecular powers bypass physical and energy attacks
Conclusion
Ultra instinct Goku has reached phenomenal heights of power and technique in Dragon Ball Super. But certain characters within Dragon Ball and other fictional works possess abilities that counter or exceed even Goku’s divine ultra instinct form.
Divine and cosmic beings like the Angels, Zeno, and the Grand Priest have such overwhelming strength and reality-warping abilities that Goku cannot match them despite ultra instinct.
Rivals like Jiren and Broly lack divine power but their sheer Ki and Saiyan strength let them compete with Goku blow for blow in prolonged battles of attrition.
And cosmic entities like Dr. Manhattan and Superman, at their highest hypothetical levels, have enough molecular powers, resilience, speed, and strength to potentially defeat ultra instinct Goku in direct combat.
Ultra instinct remains Goku’s ultimate form in Dragon Ball Super. But these other fictional characters show that there still exist threats in the multiverse that could some day exceed even the powers of ultra instinct.
