The latest chapter of Dragon Ball Super includes an interesting remark by Beerus, suggesting that Goku has even greater heights left to attain beyond the divine power of Ultra Instinct. As Beerus watched Goku clash with his son Gohan in a sparring session, the God of Destruction certainly didn’t seem quite as impressed by Goku’s Ultra Instinct as he has been in the past.

In chapter 102 of Dragon Ball Super, Goku brings Gohan, Goten, and Trunks (along with two Red Ribbon Army goons) to Beerus’s world, intending to have an all-out battle there that would allow him to gauge the strength of Gohan’s new Beast Mode transformation. After first allowing Goten and Trunks to have a go fighting Gohan, Goku decides that for his match, they should immediately power-up to their most powerful forms. For Goku, that mean Ultra Instinct, but Beerus comments dismissively, noting “Ultra Instinct is the best trick” Goku has now.

The fact that Beerus phrases it in such a way suggests that he expects Goku to attain a form even greater than Ultra Instinct–and perhaps soon.

While Gohan has often been touted as the strongest warrior in the series, it appears that his latest power-up finally let him surpass Goku and Vegeta.What Lies Beyond Ultra Instinct for Goku?

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With the threat of Black Frieza on the horizon, Goku will certainly need a greater power at his disposal, as Frieza has already defeated both him and Vegeta in their Ultra Instinct and Ultra Ego forms at the same time. In order to match up, Goku will have to push past his limits even further, but in the story so far, there has been no indication of any form greater than Ultra Instinct that Goku could aim for. Goku has, however, demonstrated the power of creating a Giant form on two occasions, so perhaps this ability may be Goku’s next focus.

The Giant form has manifested as a giant energy being that resembles Goku appearing behind him and mirroring his movements. He previously used this power to defeat Moro at the end of the Galactic Patrol Prisoner saga, as well as to defeat Gas at the end of the Granolah the Survivor saga. Beerus technically hasn’t witnessed Goku utilize this power, so it’s possible this is what he’s hoping to see. However, it’s just as possible that there may be some divine technique which lies even beyond Ultra Instinct.

As Ultra Instinct is already a technique of the Angels, it’s hard to say what Goku’s next transformation might be. It could lean into the Destroyer god training that they’ve done with Beerus and channel some of the energy of destruction used by the gods, like Top, although that risks stepping on the toes of Vegeta’s Ultra Ego, which still hasn’t had much time to shine in the manga.

Whatever Goku’s next step is, it seems that Beerus is already planning for the day when Goku achieves it, although exactly why he expects it has yet to be revealed. Since Gohan and Goku’s battle is still ongoing at the end of chapter 102, it’s possible Goku might demonstrate the potential for a next stage while battling his son’s new Beast transformation in the next chapter. One thing’s for sure, though: Dragon Ball Super always finds new and greater heights for Goku to achieve.