The Epic Conclusion to Dragon Ball Super's Tournament of Power Arc

The Unconventional Battle Royale

The entire Dragon Ball franchise is filled with epic, planet-shaking battles, but the final fight against Jiren changed the series in an incredibly satisfying way. Many of the franchise's most beloved arcs feature exciting tournaments that have primarily seen one-on-one battles between two powerful characters, each with well-defined goals to achieve. However, the climax of Dragon Ball Super defied tradition with a battle royale that helped create a rewarding conclusion that few anime arcs have been able to match.

Screenshot from Dragon Ball Super anime final episode shows Frieza, Goku, and Android 17 raising their hands towards a white glow at the end of the Tournament of Power.

Overpowered Dragon Ball villains throughout the series have often required several opponents to weaken them before Goku finishes the job. Still, many of Dragon Ball Z's best arcs, like the Cell Games and Namek, end with a dramatic battle between two characters while others watch. Thankfully, the Dragon Ball Super anime defied series conventions and delivered the extremely gratifying team-up between Goku, Frieza, and Android #17 to save their universe against the ridiculously strong Jiren.

Goku dodging Jiren and preparing his strike - Dragon Ball Super.

Watching the final episodes of Dragon Ball Super's Tournament of Power arc week to week was one of the most exciting times for fans worldwide. With only two universes left and Goku's Mastered Ultra Instinct failing to knock Jiren out of bounds for good, things seemed as dire as they could be. However, seeing a weakened Frieza and Android #17 join the battered Goku to finish things up helped transcend the arc above others in the beloved franchise.

The Power of Teamwork

One of the Dragon Ball franchise's most unappreciated features is how well the series builds up many of its villains. DBS's Tournament of Power arc made Jiren seem like a galactic powerhouse that had even some Gods of Destruction fearful. His considerable might was consistently proven throughout the ToP arc with demonstrations that saw several opponents wiped off the map with little to no effort. With that being said, it was made even more epic when Goku finally damaged Universe 11's seemingly unmovable wall, Jiren the Grey. But even the first strike with the first awakening of Ultra Instinct was made inferior by the arc's final battle.

After several cataclysmic bouts, all that remained in the ToP's final moments was Jiren against Android #17 and a powered-down Goku and Frieza. The stakes felt like they had never been higher, thanks to how much DBS's production team hyped Jiren up. Previous arcs often ended with a Z warrior like Goku or Gohan being able to conclude an arc's final battle with a new power-up. Since that was not enough, Dragon Ball Super's final arc felt more desperate by having Goku and his allies use everything they had to win. Including having a character as diabolical as Frieza cast aside his pride to perform combos with Goku and teamwork that fans never thought they would see.

The Legendary Heights of the Finale

The ending of the anime rose to legendary heights by changing things up and having the heroes combine their skills to finally beat Dragon Ball Super's Jiren. Many battle anime series often feature side characters watching fights from the sidelines to provide additional context and information to viewers while the strongest fighters duke it out. The Tournament of Power still had its share of commentary from side characters in the stands. However, it was satisfying to watch beloved characters not getting stuck on the sidelines and fighting together instead of having it end with a final one-on-one battle. Teamwork saved many universes and provided an incredibly satisfying ending to the Dragon Ball Super anime for millions of fans worldwide.