Dragon Ball Daima Episode 17 Breakdown: Goku Finally Goes Super Saiyan 3 Against King Gomah

Dragon Ball Daima's final battle has begun with episode 17, titled Gomah, and I'm breaking down everything that happens in it. This episode picks up right after the character established as Kaioshin's original self sees his sister for the first time in a very long time, and this reunion goes a lot more pleasantly than the one with Degesu did.

Kaioshin's Sister Rejects His Simple Wish and Reveals Her Own Ambition for the Demon Realm

He asks his sister to kindly hand over the Dragon Ball so everyone can finally wish to become kids again, but she is not quick to hand it over because she has her own intentions. Unlike Degesu, she does not want to become the great demon king. That is not her ambition. Instead she wants something for her entire home, a stronger and more terrifying demon realm.

It is almost implied, though she never says it outright, that she wants the outside world, the Dragon Ball multiverse, to bow down to the demon realm. It sounds like she is trying to eventually conquer the multiverse, or have the demon realm basically be in control of the mortal realm. That is an interesting wish and not quite the same as Degesu, who just wanted the power for himself. She wants a better and stronger demon realm, which is not exactly benevolent either. She does not want a peaceful demon realm, that is disgusting to her.

I don't think her character has been truly fleshed out yet. This explanation was fine for what it was, but I still wonder what it would actually entail, whether she is trying to overthrow Zeno or whoever else is really in charge. Maybe by the end we will find out.

Kaioshin's Sister Sets Up a One on One Tournament for the Dragon Balls

She proposes a game where they fight one on one, tournament style, similar to how they confronted and challenged Tamagami, and the winners get the Dragon Balls. She wants one of her Majin to do it versus somebody from Goku's group, and the winner gets all three Dragon Balls.

This is somewhat reminiscent of the old Dragon Ball series during the Saiyan Saga, when a Saibaman challenged Yamcha to a one on one fight, which is what led to Yamcha's death. It is similar here, or maybe how the Ginyu Force also took turns fighting. They are not good people by any stretch, but she wants to make it a bit fair. I don't think she really realizes how strong Goku has become since becoming a kid again. He used to struggle to control his body, but by now he should have the hang of it. She also threatens to destroy the Dragon Balls, so their hands are tied and they can't even say no if they wanted to.

Rock Paper Scissors Decides It Will Be Goku Against Majin Du

Goku wants to be the one to step up, but Vegeta says no, let's do rock paper scissors, referencing the Janken shown multiple times in the old series, specifically the one between Goku and Vegeta before the fight with Kid Buu. Goku makes the point that Vegeta just finished fighting the last Tamagami, and if they're going in order, Goku is next, which Bulma surprisingly agrees with.

This whole scene of them yelling at each other with their heads getting bigger is a classic anime trope, one we saw again in the Majin Buu saga, in the scene where Goku offers naked pictures of Bulma to the old Supreme Kai and Vegeta gets mad. That is what this is referencing. So it ends up being Goku versus Majin Du one on one for the Dragon Ball.

Goku vs Majin Du Opens With a String of Kid Buu Homages

The fight starts basic, with each fighter throwing rights and lefts trying to connect, the kind of basic jabs that start many fights. Goku gets on the inside and connects a few shots to Majin Du's stomach and chest area, which seem to annoy him but don't do much damage. Majin Du then implements the stretchy arm technique we saw Majin Buu use quite a bit, especially Kid Buu, and there are a lot of Kid Buu homages in this fight.

Goku uses the power pole, the Nyoibo, to deflect all of Majin Du's punches in a cool little sequence, since Du has the reach advantage and Goku has to use something that extends to protect himself. At one point Majin Du grabs the pole like a barbell for a bench press and fires a mouth blast up toward Goku, who dodges. Mouth blasts weren't something Majin Buu did too many times, but we did see Majin Du pull one out in his fight with Tamagami several episodes earlier.

Goku whacks Majin Du on what's supposed to be his rib cage, but that isn't going to do anything on a body made of flab. Then Majin Du starts using his forehead tail to whip Goku down, which is Kid Buu 101, one of the most memorable parts of that old fight, the fury and how Kid Buu was just laughing. Majin Du really wants to win here.

Goku Goes Super Saiyan, But I Question Whether He Is Holding Back

Goku finally realizes he has to take this fight more seriously and transforms into Super Saiyan 1, connecting with a massive blow to Majin Du's cheek. The thing I found interesting is that Goku knows Tamagami 1 was the strongest Tamagami and it took Super Saiyan 2 to beat Tamagami 3, so he should know Majin Du is not going down to Super Saiyan 1 if Tamagami 3 did. That's just basic power scaling, but I'm assuming Goku is holding back because he always does, to conserve energy.

There's an incredible sequence of Goku and Majin Du trading blasts back and forth with great camera cuts. Goku tries more long range attacks, but Majin Du is quick, and you shouldn't assume that because he has a flabby body he isn't fast, because he's surprisingly capable of dodging all of Goku's attacks. At one point they clash fists and it looks great, then go into a test of strength, a Greco Roman knuckle lock, to see who can persevere.

King Gomah Interrupts the Fight and Reveals the Power of the Third Eye

Here comes the party pooper to spoil the fight, the Supreme Demon King, Gomah. It's very likely this will be the name going forward for marketing and video games, with the small form seen earlier being base Gomah and this version being King Gomah for simplicity. Both his sister and the elder demon recognize that he has the third eye, and Gomah explains that whoever wears the eye gains unparalleled power.

That tells me this third eye predates even the elder demon, if it's something he's only heard about and never seen. There were some theories that maybe the elder demon created the third eye because he's very old, but based on this sequence, it sounds like something even he is marveling at. Gomah refers to this transformation as a rebirth. I don't know if that means his entire body has been reborn or something more like a divine reincarnation, maybe implying he was a previous demon king in a past life.

I don't think that's the case. I think he's just using a flashy word here, nothing deeper than that, though people are going to speculate regardless. I don't think Gomah is a reincarnation. We know he's very old because he was around even when the third eye was lost. Bulma remembers that another elder demon had the third eye or something that looked like it, and that demon tries to play it off like one eyeball looks the same as the next. That demon is a very entertaining character.

Gomah Builds His Own Arena in a Scene Foreshadowed Since Episode One

Gomah says he wants to try out this new power and creates a special ring, a special arena, using his telekinetic powers to pull random volcanic rocks and boulders from around the demon realm. This is reminiscent of the way Cell made the Cell Games ring, or the way the Grand Priest created the Tournament of Power arena in Dragon Ball Super, using telekinetic powers to assemble everything.

The creation of Gomah's arena is a genuinely cool looking scene, and it was actually foreshadowed all the way back in the first episode, in Daima's opening animation, where we see the same thing at a distance. Some people speculated that shot was the summoning of the dragon. That does not appear to be the case. It looks like early foreshadowing for how the final battle would look.

An Army of Heroes Piles on Gomah, and It Still Isn't Enough

Vegeta tries to ambush Gomah and gets blocked with one finger, exactly the same way Jiren blocked Super Saiyan God Goku in Dragon Ball Super episode 109. There is no question in my mind this is meant to resemble Jiren, whether as a tribute or an Easter egg, or foreshadowing that there's a connection between Jiren and the demon realm that hasn't been revealed yet. The colors and almost the face are the same, like Jiren if he were a clown.

Vegeta's long range attacks only irritate Gomah, who's worried about the palace being destroyed, and Gomah knocks Vegeta through several pillars. Super Saiyan Vegeta punches Gomah right in the forehead and it does zero damage. Goku asks for reinforcements, and Piccolo removes his weighted clothing, Glorio joins, the Supreme Kai joins, everyone who can do something gets involved. Bulma points out that it's not like Goku to ever ask for help, which means this isn't a martial arts battle or training, they actually have to stop this guy because he's a real threat.

Gomah's magic power has gone up along with his reflexes, easily blocking hits from every direction, "like a guy fighting a bunch of mosquitoes." Supreme Kai fires ki blasts and Glorio fires shots from his gun, but Gomah's palm does nothing to them. Everyone tries everything, long range and up close, and Gomah just laughs and swats them away. At one point Goku is knocked away and drops the pouch holding the revive bugs and fusion bugs, and Bulma points out that Majin Cou and Majin Du can fight too, so his sister sends them in to help. The elder demon gives Tamagami 1 a telepathic wink telling him to get in there and help, since if anybody knows the true power of the third eye it's him.

In a step by step sequence, Gomah double punches Piccolo and Vegeta, backflip kicks Goku away, then reflects blasts from Glorio and the Supreme Kai using the third eye's power, very reminiscent of the magic Moro used in the Dragon Ball Super manga, though here Gomah can just visualize something happening and it happens, his speed multiplied tenfold because it's bound by his brain reacting rather than his muscles. Majin Du, pulling what Orange Piccolo did to Cell Max in the Super Hero movie, uses his stretchy body to tie up Gomah's arms while Vegeta and Piccolo land double downward kicks, but Gomah just smiles and activates a heightened telekinesis, mentally moving blocks to hit all his opponents at once, a level of power beyond even how Frieza used to tear apart mountains, since Gomah is doing it with many objects at the same time against multiple targets.

Tamagami 1 shows up too, thanks to the elder demon, but Gomah smiles and sends his blast away like nothing, using its own energy to knock away Cou, Du, and Tamagami 1. The camera then goes into a third person view for a sequence I'd call one of the best in Dragon Ball history, top ten as far as fluidity, with the arrival of Panzy and the other elder demons, who show up just to watch. Gomah taps into dark energy that looks a bit like Hakai energy in color but isn't the same, smashing pieces of the arena at everyone at rapid speed while music that sounds like an RPG final boss theme kicks in. Tamagami 1 saves Goku from a boulder by slicing it in half.

Goku and Gomah clash fists, and the size difference is funny since Gomah's fist is bigger than Goku's entire body, though size doesn't matter that much in Dragon Ball since short characters can be very strong. Piccolo and Vegeta land a ki blast and a flying kick, but Gomah deflects and counters everyone in a blur, firing a wave that knocks everybody back, sensing and blocking Tamagami 1's jump, reflecting Glorio and Supreme Kai's blasts right back at them, kicking away Majin Cou. When Majin Du wraps around him again, Goku manages to connect a right hand right to Gomah's forehead where the third eye is, but Gomah powers up and breaks free of Du's grip.

Everyone then powers up together, Vegeta charging a Galick Gun, Piccolo the Special Beam Cannon, Goku a Kamehameha, along with Shin, Glorio, Majin Cou, Majin Du and Tamagami 1, all firing from six different directions in a scene that looks like something out of Ghostbusters with everyone's proton packs firing at once. Gomah simply activates a force field and blocks every attack without breaking a sweat, his energy absorbing all of it. In a sequence that reminded me of Broly snapping into Super Saiyan after learning his father was dead in Dragon Ball Super Broly, Gomah starts laughing and unleashes a wave of energy from his body in every direction, very similar to what Beerus did fighting Goku in Battle of Gods. This whole fight feels like it belongs in one of the recent Dragon Ball movies.

Gomah Nearly Finishes Goku Before Super Saiyan 3 Makes Its Daima Debut

Goku and Vegeta are knocked out of Super Saiyan and out of the fight for the moment. Vegeta asks Goku for the revive bugs, remembering he gave him one back in episode 12 after defeating Tamagami 2, but Goku realizes he dropped the pouch earlier in the episode. Gomah then uses his telekinetic dark energy to grab Goku against his will, holding him with ease, which felt like something out of an Emperor Palpatine dark side scene, and prepares to fire one big blast at point blank range in a slow motion beat clearly meant to make the audience wonder if this is the moment that finishes Goku.

Majin Du and Tamagami appear to save him, deflecting and blocking Gomah's magic with their own, which reminded me a bit of when Frieza and Android 17 stepped up to help Goku against Jiren, not exactly the same, but a similar feeling of former rivals protecting him. Goku then realizes he has to go into full power, leading to the first appearance of Super Saiyan 3 Goku in Dragon Ball Daima. We already saw Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta back in episode 12, and now Goku joins him in episode 17. The magic blast does not hurt him this time, his body shielded by his own pure energy output, and Gomah sees it and just smirks. That's where episode 17 ends, with Super Saiyan 3 Goku facing Gomah, and the next episode is called Awakening.

Will Super Saiyan 3 be enough to turn this fight around?