Dragon Ball: Is Goku a multiversal warrior?

From the very first "It's over 9000!" in reference to Goku's power levels, many a Dragon Ball fan has questioned just how far Goku has come. It comes as no surprise that many fans have declared Goku arguably one of the strongest characters in all of shonen anime.

The question then becomes, "is Goku beyond the level of gods and into multiversal threat levels?" Fan rankings would suggest that he is, and there's ample official evidence to support that theory. Considering the sheer amount of threats and power Goku has achieved, it isn't that big a stretch to suggest.

Disclaimer: The following article contains many spoilers for the Dragon Ball franchise, including recently released material. This article only reflects the author's opinion.

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Dissecting Dragon Ball's Goku's power

Multiversal definition

Before beginning the dissection of Dragon Ball's lead character, the power scaling tiers need to be explained. Basically, it's not just number crunching like Dragon Ball Z's scouters would have you believe. Power scaling tiers typically measure canonical feats to determine various factors such as destructive capacity, durability, and speed. These various factors all determine where someone ultimately ends up.

Multiversal, according to Vs Wiki and various other sources, is defined as "characters who can significantly affect, create and/or destroy larger multiverses which comprise from 1001 to any higher finite amount of separate space-time continuums." In layman’s terms, these characters affect multiple universes or can otherwise destroy them.

An important aside, all of this assumes that the character can reach these heights. Whether or not they would, or even try to get that powerful, is another matter entirely. Goku's goal is to get stronger by confronting ever more opponents, including Angels and Gods of Destruction.

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Goku's power: then and now

During Goku's childhood in Dragon Ball, he was already capable of superhuman feats like surviving point blank explosive attacks and moving at supersonic speeds. By Z, Goku was able to overpower planet-destroying foes like Vegeta. He was the first to unlock the legendary Super Saiyan ability, and use it to defeat the galactic tyrant Frieza.

As for Super, Goku and Beerus' clashing shook the cosmos with each blow when Goku achieved Super Saiyan God. It was directly stated in the story that their blows were shaking and possibly destroying the very universe itself. According to various sources, the Dragon Ball Universe contains multiple dimensions (Heaven, Hell, the Demon Realm, Snake Way, etc.), all of which were affected by this fight.

Following the Tournament of Power, Goku attained an entirely new level of power: Ultra Instinct. Goku was able to shake the Null Realm, a void of infinite nothingness, by just attaining the Ultra Instinct Sign. He also went toe-to-toe with Moro, a planetary parasite who had absorbed an Angel, and destroyed him in the manga.

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So, is Goku multiversal?

It's clear that Goku has attained multiversal level status as of Dragon Ball Super. From the fact that Ultra Instinct Sign brought him to the same level as Jiren, to Moro having to absorb Meerus to be on the same level as Goku, the Saiyan hero has unequivocally proven his abilities that will only continue to grow as the series progresses.

One rule of Dragon Ball is that there's always a bigger fish in the sea. Goku has come a long way since sacrificing himself to defeat Raditz in Z, or losing to one of Piccolo's minions in the original Ball. While Goku may struggle with threats stronger than him, or those with abilities he's never encountered before, it's usually only a matter of time before he triumphs against them.

The bottom line is that Goku is now challenging Angels, Gods of Destruction, and other beings that can obliterate entire galaxies. It's clear that this Saiyan isn't stopping any time soon. He may not be invincible, and has absolutely been outclassed before, but Goku never gives up when a good fight presents itself.