After being teased for weeks, the latest arc of Dragon Ball Super finally aired in Japan over the weekend. The new storyline sees the return of Future Trunks, and so far, it's wasting no time raising the stakes.
Spoilers For Dragon Ball Super Below!
The episode jumps straight into the thick of things. Early on, fans get a glimpse of the mysterious new villain "Black," and it's not long before Future Bulma is killed (or at least it's made to seem that way).
From then on, it's a struggle for survival. Future Trunks and Future Mai seem to be no match for Black. Cities are reduced to rubble, and Trunks and Mai eat cat food to survive. However, it's not long before Mai is also killed. That leaves Trunks all alone against this incredibly powerful new character, who appears to be an evil Goku.
It's pretty brutal stuff, but this has been teased for a while now. A poster for the storyline showed off the character, and series creator Akira Toriyama even referred to as "Black" as "Goku Black." That, however, doesn't explain what exactly is going on. Fans still don't know who (or what) this Goku is. Is he from an alternate timeline? From the future? From the past? What does he want? Why is he wearing earrings?
It's still a mystery for now. We know Future Trunks will be making his way to the past at some point to seek help from the good Goku fans know and love, but what comes next is anybody's guess. The idea of an evil Goku is one filled with possibilities. After all, Goku is the most powerful person on planet Earth, capable of defeating gods and men alike. He's nearly untouchable. For the entire series, that has worked out in Earth's favor, but what would happen if Goku went bad?
That's what this new story looks like it will explore, and it's just part of what makes Dragon Ball Super so exciting for longtime fans. Whether it's reintroducing time travel or bringing back Goku's kaio-ken technique, Dragon Ball Super is true to its roots, yet feels fresh and exciting in a way that Dragon Ball hasn't been in ages. Here's hoping this new arc continues to deliver all the Dragon Ball goodness fans have come to love.
