As with all Dragon Ball transformations, there are a lot of different forms of Ultra Instinct. Here’s how to tell the difference.

Dragon Ball loves its transformations. From Super Saiyan to the various different forms that the villains take, there is a long history of transformations in the series for fans to count on. It is also common for these many forms to have many different versions to choose from. The characters often have a lot of different ways to express their gains in power throughout the course of the series. Gohan has his change into Super Saiyan 2, Piccolo’s fusions with other Namekians and his Orange form are definitive for him, and Goten and Trunks have Gotenks’ Super Saiyan 3 form to fall back on. The best example of this particular phenomenon is, of course, the main character, Goku.

Goku has been the transformation poster child for the series from the time he was still turning into a Great Ape all the way back in the early days of Dragon Ball. Goku’s most recent and arguably most powerful transformation is Ultra Instinct. As of Dragon Ball: Super, the form has managed to have quite a few power-ups and differentiations as time has gone on. It can also be difficult for more casual fans to tell the differences between each subtle variation of the transformation. While it can be a bit difficult to tell at first blush, there are many ways to tell the differences between the many forms of the incredibly powerful form.

What is Ultra Instinct?

Before learning to determine the differences between the forms of Ultra Instinct, it’s important to know the basics of Ultra Instinct, as it is not a form unique to Saiyans like Super Saiyan is. In fact, Ultra Instinct is technically a form that is accessible to any martial artist who is willing to put in work to achieve the ability.

For most, it is actually just a technique—a way for the fighter in question to separate their mind from their body. This allows the fighter to react without thinking, buying them precious seconds of time rather than experiencing the lag of a thought making their limbs move to execute the action.

As can be imagined, this particular technique is incredibly difficult to use. The form requires a level of detachment from one’s emotional responses, being almost void of thought. The form takes inspiration from the real life practice of mushin.

Mushin is a meditative state wherein the practitioner, much like Ultra Instinct, is free from fear, anger, or ego in the face of everyday life as well as during combat. The mind should be working at a very high pace, but without intention or plan. In some schools of thought, mushin is obtained when one realizes that technique is ultimately useless and thus becomes free to truly move, foregoing the title of fighter entirely and simply moving through space.

Angels like Whis are constantly in this state where they’re able to calmly react without needing to think first, making it the natural state for them. There are several steps that need to be taken to use the form or technique at all:

• The user must abandon all distractions or thoughts that could disrupt the focus their body has on the moment.
• The user must break through their limits. Whis points out that this is usually the result of some sort of trigger, such as facing a strong attack.
• The user must complete the first two steps without losing control or having any emotional response that could knock them out of the heightened state.

While all of this may sound simple enough, this is actually an incredibly complex process for characters like Saiyans, who are deeply driven by their emotional instincts. Goku, in particular, does have a harder time maintaining the initial versions of the form, as he is prone to emotional reactions—especially in the face of evil or cruelty. Whis outright stated that Vegeta is not able to attain the technique because of his deeply analytical and strategic nature as a fighter. But, Goku does manage to take the form and run with it, creating several different iterations of the form to make it work to his advantage.

Goku’s journey through Ultra Instinct is a journey of many different stops along the way, despite seeming to happen in a compressed time period. There are three main forms of the transformation that Goku ends up tapping into: Ultra Instinct Sign, Mastered (or Perfected, depending on the translation) Ultra Instinct, and True Ultra Instinct.

Ultra Instinct Sign

Goku taps into the first transformation of Ultra Instinct, Ultra Instinct Sign, mid-way through the Tournament of Power as he gets more and more backed into a corner. At first, there isn’t a major shift in Goku’s appearance. His hair seems more in order, his eyes become silver, and the power aura is a more complex mix of cool colors to indicate that something different is going on. However, achieving this first step also gives Goku the ability to dodge. Whis and the onlooking Gods of Destruction are, at first, unsure of whether Goku has entered the state at all. The strengths and weaknesses of the state are shown here. While Goku is able to dodge and weave effectively, he also can easily be knocked out of the state and there is no guarantee that the ability will perfectly protect the user.

Part of the benefit specifically for Goku is that the transformation allows him to scale up his power as needed, making for more efficient energy usage and responding to his Saiyan ability well. Goku is faster, stronger, and acting without thinking, which removes any lag that could come from needing to think about the next move. However, because the form is not perfected, he burns through it quickly and needs to regain his stamina as it is an incredible drain on the user’s energy overall. This form is also something that can be accessed through training.

Mastered Ultra Instinct

This is the next step in evolution from Ultra Instinct Sign. In this form, Goku’s hair becomes silver along with his eyes, and his expression becomes focused and serious. The aura also gains several trailing lines, like shooting stars through the fire. The power of this form is stated to outstrip the abilities of the Gods of Destruction and his every motion leaves an after-image effect due to extreme speed. In this form, Goku is in complete balance and that is the most important part of using and maintaining the form. While Goku is shown to use his anger, he is not consumed by it, and his emotions are carefully maintained.

In this form, just like previously, Goku does not speak. Mainly using grunts as his verbalizations and he can move completely autonomously. The usage of energy is also reflected in complete control over one’s ki, but the previous stamina drain is still in effect. When Goku drops the form, he is in incredible pain and finds it quite difficult to move. Goku also attained the form purely by mistake, meaning he was not trained in its use and thus will have a harder time maintaining its efficiency.

True Ultra Instinct

Only appearing in the manga thus far, True Ultra Instinct is specific to Goku. This form keeps him basically looking the same, but with the silver eyes of the previous forms and a more restrained looking aura. Mastered Ultra Instinct is incredibly powerful, but runs contrary to Goku’s overall nature. He is a creature of emotion and instinct, unlike the ever-placid Angels. This form taps into Goku’s own emotional state to prop up his power, combining it with the uniqueness of his Saiyan biology and his martial arts training. In this form, Goku sees with more clarity and is less blinded by what is going on around him, maintaining total focus. While it is a modified version of Ultra Instinct Sign, it is one specifically tailored to Goku’s unique strengths but retains the stamina drawback.

There are sure to be more iterations of Ultra Instinct and other characters have already tapped into their own versions of the technique. Goku will probably find a way in the future to make the form as effortless as breathing. Next time in Dragon Ball, who knows how far Goku will be able to push himself?