Is Goku a God in Dragon Ball? (& Will He Become One)

There are plenty of twists and turns that the Dragon Ball saga takes us through, but the running theme seems to be based on Goku and fellow heroes continuously surpassing their previous heights. With Goku reaching Ultra Instinct, not to mention a ton of other amazingly powerful forms, many fans wonder if Goku is a god in Dragon Ball – or if he’s on his way to becoming one.

Goku is technically not a god in the Dragon Ball universe since he was not born a god, but he can become a God of Destruction. He may have reached power levels that are similar to a god, but being a god officially requires much more than power.

Although Goku isn’t considered a god in the Dragon Ball universe, there are tons of reasons why fans and others within the universe believe he is. Stick around to find out about Goku’s godlike powers, as well as if he’ll become a god in Dragon Ball anytime soon.

Goku’s Godlike Powers In Dragon Ball

Gods and otherworldly powers have been touched on numerous times throughout the Dragon Ball saga, but Dragon Ball Super has made it a focal point. There are various gods, angels, and much more featured in Dragon Ball Super, with some gods such as Lord Beerus taking center stage alongside Goku and other protagonists.

Dragon Ball Super focuses a lot on godly powers and abilities, as well as Goku’s mission to become strong enough to defeat a god in a fair and honorable battle. The entire storyline had fans wondering if he would become a god in the process, and the forms that he took on did give the impression that he did just that.

Goku has shown an insane amount of skill, power, and strength throughout the story, leaving fans wondering how he’d possibly progress. But, he always manages to come up with some new and incredible form to flaunt just at the right moments. Two major forms that give Goku a godlike aura are the Super Saiyan God form and the Ultra Instinct form.

Super Saiyan God

His Super Saiyan God form, also known as Super Saiyan Red, transforms Goku into a more powerful state as seen below thanks to Dragon Ball Universe. But, the main reason for this name is that it uses God Ki, which is more powerful than normal Ki and can’t be detected in the same way.

An example of this is when fans first meet Supreme Kai in the Buu saga, and Piccolo cannot sense his energy but instantly knows he is powerful. God Ki s the same force of energy that deities use, but this doesn’t mean that anyone who can use it instantly becomes a god.

In fact, learning how to master God Ki does not make Goku completely special since Vegeta also manages to master this energy as well. Having mastered Super Saiyan God, they created a brand new form named Super Saiyan Blue, by combining Super Saiyan and Super Saiyan God.

Ultra Instinct Goku

Goku going ultra distinct was an exciting moment for Dragon Ball fans, but it was also a special moment for Beerus. Beerus was quite mysterious about his stance toward Goku, and it was later revealed that Beerus had a vision displaying Goku in a superior form.

Check out the video below, posted by Saiyan Scholar, to find out more on each of the Ultra Instinct levels:

While the reveal of Ultra Instinct was not complete or mastered at first, it had the Gods of Destruction as well as Whis and angels shocked. Ultra Instinct, at least when complete and mastered, might very well be considered to be on the same or even a greater level when compared to the power of a god.

Plenty of fans on Reddit have debated whether mastered ultra instinct would make him a god as a result (including an amazing new form concept). But, it seems that an infinite amount of power would not instantly transform Goku into a literal god – it’s more technical than that.

Is Goku a God In Dragon Ball?

With all that being said, Goku is technically not a god in Dragon Ball. As impressive as his forms may be, none of them are enough to transform Goku into a god himself. Being a god in the Dragon Ball universe is not just a title or status – it’s a job, and individuals need to be ordained to be an ‘official’ god.

Gods have tasks and responsibilities, and it’s about way more than simply having the power involved. Goku may have reached the level of a god in terms of power and ability, but he still lacks other qualities that gods require, not to mention ordainment. In addition, Goku still has limitations that would not exist if he were a god, and there are a select number of villains that he cannot take down without the help of ally gods and angels.

Will Goku Become a God In Dragon Ball?

In the Dragon Ball universe, the main way to become a god is to be born as a Shinjin, which are seen as the core people and are naturally immortal beings. This group of people may also refer to those who are technically not Shinjin but were born into their positions – including special characters such as King Kai, one of Goku’s first teachers, as well as angels such as Whis.

While Goku may not be a god in Dragon Ball, this does not mean that he won’t or cannot become one. Many fans wonder if Goku will become a God of Destruction or perhaps if he will end up becoming a different kind of god in the Dragon Ball universe – it is definitely possible!

Goku the God of Destruction

Goku could become a God of Destruction in theory, since he has learned how to harness God Ki, has gotten into the swing of Ultra Instinct, and has successfully managed to deal with Destruction Energy. Goku has always made it clear that he wishes to defeat Beerus in a fair battle, and while it’s clear that Goku is on this mission simply for the thrill of it, defeating Beerus may just land him a spot as the God of Destruction in his universe.

Becoming a God of Destruction in this way would not be entirely out of the question, especially since Toppo was revealed to be a candidate for God of Destruction in his universe as well. Every God of Destruction was initially born a mortal, meaning that Goku may not be too far off from meeting all of the requirements.

That being said, this is all assuming that Goku wants to become a god at all. Goku is generally far too enthused by the fun of a good battle and the thrill of saving the planet from imminent danger – that’s when he’s not ‘training’ with villains or consuming mounds of Chi-Chi’s cooking.

Even if Goku manages to reach the power and wisdom levels of a god, it’s still unknown if he’d actually want to fill the role. There’s a chance that Goku would simply be fulfilled having accomplished the next level in his growth as a fighter, without feeling the need to have a ‘god’ title. It’s more likely for Vegeta to become a God of Destruction if this were to occur.

Goku has managed to surpass a seemingly infinite amount of limitations, constantly finding new and more powerful forms to take depending on who he goes up against. He may not be a god in the Dragon Ball universe, but he can stand his ground and even defeat many godly characters and villains – since the Dragon Ball saga is nowhere near finished, we may just get to see the Goku God we’ve all been anticipating!