Dragon Ball Super Chapter 78: Elec's Wish Makes Gas Strong Enough to Overpower Granolah

The tide began to turn in the Granolah arc with Dragon Ball Super manga chapter 78. Elec used the Cerealian Dragon to wish for Gas to become the strongest fighter in the universe, the exact same wish Granolah once made, and the powered-up Gas proceeded to humble Granolah and Goku one after another.

Granolah now knows that the real enemy of his past was not the Saiyans. It was the Heeters, and in this chapter they made it clear they mean business as the villains of this arc. Some of us kind of predicted where the story went. I'll get to the one big question the chapter left me with, about what that wish may have cost, a little further down.

Elec sends the Heeters after an exhausted Goku, Vegeta and Granolah

The Heeters have indeed gathered the Dragon Balls. Elec sends the other Heeters to attack Goku, Vegeta and Granolah because all three are exhausted from fighting each other. The family wants to take advantage of that and wipe them out before they find out the plan and stop it. They also know these three are the strongest in the universe, and if they aren't taken out now, they're going to heal up and come after the Heeters. So Elec's strategy makes perfect sense to me: take them out now while they're tired.

The chapter confirms that the Heeter family got their way. Goku, Vegeta, Monaito and Granolah realize it when the skies darken ominously, because they know a dragon has been summoned and a wish is being made. Elec's wish was one that many of us were somewhat expecting. It's only one wish, and he can always make more, but the one he chose here was to power up Gas and make him the strongest fighter in the universe.

Why I think the Cerealian Dragon Balls will have to be switched off

One thing I like about this is that it shows the absolute danger of the Dragon Balls. In the original series, when the Dragon Balls fall into the wrong hands, it can be very disastrous. They brought Frieza back in Dragon Ball Super, Zamasu wished to be immortal, and plenty of other wishes have caused problems. This one is just as bad, because now anybody can summon the dragon and wish to be the strongest, and we literally see it happen here.

That goes back to what I've been saying for a while: by the end of this arc, the Cerealian Dragon Balls are going to have to be turned off or depowered. Anybody can now come along, make this wish and cause problems for everyone.

Gas's new form nearly lands a finger blast on Goku and Vegeta

The Heeters show up and taunt Goku, Vegeta and Granolah, their confidence up because they know Elec successfully made the wish. We now get a big, jacked up, giant version of Gas. I guess you can call it a transformation if you want. Gas was already kind of hinted at being the strongest fighter, and earlier in the chapter we find out that Bardock did defeat him. Gas was always strong, and I guess he got stronger over the past 40 years, but not as strong as he is here.

First, he fires a finger blast similar to what Frieza did, but also very similar to Vegito's spirit sword move, where he's able to kind of traject the ki blast upward. Luckily he doesn't hit Goku and Vegeta, but he comes pretty close. That's just a fragment of the power we see from Gas. I really enjoyed this chapter. Just like with the Moro arc, where one chapter was so violent it tore everybody up, I enjoyed this one, although it's not quite as gory, because seeing what Gas could do was really cool.

Gas materializes metal weapons and impales Granolah

Now that he's tapped into this incredible new power thanks to the Cerealian Dragon, Gas can create weapons out of matter, out of thin air. This is not an energy weapon like what Vegito made, or like Goku Black's scythe. It's an actual weapon made of some kind of metallic alloy. In a very shocking move, he fires one at Granolah and impales him.

Granolah had been built up as the strongest, and as one of the toughest challenges for Ultra Instinct Goku and Ultra Ego Vegeta, and now he's been humbled and impaled by Gas. That scene was crazy, and it's one of my favorite scenes in this arc so far. I have not been a huge fan of this arc, and some of the chapters didn't do it for me, but "i'm really into this now because gas is here and he ain't playing around," and Granolah is in deep trouble.

Gas weighs Goku down with blocks, one of the coolest techniques in a long time

Goku steps up to fight Gas and is quickly humbled. The difference in power, plus Goku being tired, is obviously going to be a problem. Gas once again uses his ability to create matter and objects out of thin air, this time making blocks around Goku's limbs to weigh him down.

For me, "this is one of the coolest techniques in dragon ball in a very very long time." I'm a huge fan of it because it's new, it's different and it really puts our heroes in trouble. I have to give Toyotaro and Toriyama props here. I really like that this villain is doing something different from the previous ones.

Goku is about to be killed, but Granolah steps up and fires a blast at Gas, because Gas is really his enemy. Granolah steps in to fight, but Gas has been powered up like never before. Because of the wish to be the strongest in the universe, which we assume Elec made, Gas is now a step above Granolah.

What did Gas or Elec give up for this power?

The question I have is what the cost was. When Granolah made the wish, he lost a big section of his life, and he only has three years left to live with that power. Is that what happened with Gas? Has his lifespan been shortened, or is there something else he had to give up? That's a mystery for now, and I think we'll be wondering about it until it gets revealed, either in the next chapter or further in the future.

At this point Gas is extremely overconfident. Granolah tries to fight him and just gets completely rocked. He can't land a punch. Gas is light years ahead of him, terrifyingly so. Meanwhile, Monaito is trying to heal Goku, because he knows that if he does, Goku can step in, help Granolah and stop him from dying. But Monaito's healing ability isn't quite as perfected as some other Namekians', so Goku might not get back to full power.

A spike, a shield and the first mallet ever to hit Goku

Goku does manage to join the fight. Gas creates a sort of material sword or spike and fires it at Goku, who almost gets stabbed. Goku transforms into Super Saiyan Blue and blocks it with his hands, but he was dangerously close to being impaled, just like what Moro did to him in the last arc. Goku then tries to counterattack with a big punch, and Gas materializes a shield like Captain America and blocks it. I wonder whether Gas already knew that trick or learned it from the Dragon Ball wish. Either way, he's very proficient at it, and Goku can't connect with a direct shot.

Then, in a scene that looks like something right out of a Bugs Bunny cartoon, Gas manifests a giant mallet. It looks very cartoonish. From Toriyama's perspective, Dragon Ball was always written to be like a quasi gag manga. It has dark moments and serious fights, but "toriyama at heart is a comedic writer," and giving the villain a giant mallet, which I guess is down to Toyotaro as well, is really wacky. Gas whacks Goku with it, and this is the first time in Dragon Ball history that Goku has actually been hit with a mallet. Of all the years, this is the first time.

Goku and Vegeta learn about the wish, and Vegeta decides his senzu bean should go to Granolah

Goku and Vegeta can't stop Gas, because the wish has made him too powerful. In this chapter they also find out about the wish, learning that Granolah got strong because of it. That's a big revelation to them. We readers knew, but they had no idea, and their knowing is going to tie into something later.

Vegeta also remembers that he has a senzu bean, and he's tempted to use it himself so he can tap into Ultra Ego and fight Gas. Instead, saying it's not really his time for revenge and that he doesn't want to take shortcuts, he wants Granolah to eat it, because Granolah is ultimately the one who seeks revenge. This makes perfect sense, and I actually respect Vegeta for it. The Heeters are the ones who killed Granolah's mother, and they called the Saiyans and Frieza's forces to planet Cereal because of a trade bargain.

At this point Granolah is the hero, and I really like that Goku and Vegeta, although they are the main characters, are giving him the shot to be the victor. Not passing the torch necessarily, but giving him the chance. If he's the guy whose mom got killed, as fans we kind of want Granolah to get revenge and take down all four Heeters, and Vegeta does too. I love that. Granolah is surprised as he finds out about the bean.

The cliffhanger and where I thought the fight could go

The chapter closes on the cliffhanger that Granolah would face off against Gas the following month, this time with Vegeta's senzu bean in play. But Gas is still the strongest, so either Granolah would have to use what he has learned from Goku and Vegeta to win tactically, or Goku and Vegeta might join the fight. We might see fusion, and we might see Ultra Ego again. I think Vegeta kind of feels a little bit guilty about what happened to Granolah, so he might join in.

I loved this chapter. It's one of my favorites they had done so far, and I was really looking forward to seeing Granolah and Gas and their crazy techniques. I wanted to see new techniques and some crazy things happen. It might or might not happen, and it might be a disappointment or it might be great, but I had not been into this arc as much as I was at this point. For me, these were my favorite moments of the arc so far, now that there's a real villain and Granolah is a true babyface.

Which of Gas's new techniques from chapter 78 stood out most to you?