Dragon Ball Super Finally Gave Goku’s Hero Role to a New Character

In Dragon Ball Super's Galactic Patrol Prisoner Saga, a different character finally gets to fill Goku's role as the hero everyone is waiting for.

Warning: contains spoilers for Dragon Ball Super chapter 66!

Dragon Ball Super fans have grown accustomed to the same old situation where Goku is Earth's only chance at stopping the over-powered monster, but since he's busy elsewhere, his much weaker friends are forced to hold off the enemy until he can make an appearance and save the day. Once that trope grew tired, the only thing stopping Goku from immediately saving the day was Vegeta forcing his way onto the battlefield in a rush to prove himself. But the inevitable would still always happen - Vegeta and all of Earth's heroes would get tossed aside and watch from the sidelines as Goku saved the day... again.

But Dragon Ball Super recently flipped that entire dynamic upside down during the Galactic Patrol Prisoner Saga. And it isn't even Vegeta who takes Goku's place, but Majin Buu. Leading up to the pivotal fight, a world-devouring monster named Moro finally regains enough power to break free from his prison after his original might was sealed away by the Lord of Lords ten million years ago. Only the Lord of Lords can wield the sealing ability, but he was unfortunately one of the many victims who was devoured by Majin Buu in Dragon Ball Z. And since Majin Buu took on the Lord of Lord's form upon devouring him, it's naturally assumed he can wield his power, making him the universe's only hope of sealing Moro's power again.

Unfortunately, as Moro begins wreaking havoc on the universe, Majin Buu is asleep. And as waking him up is an impossible and foolhardy task, Goku and Vegeta are forced to fight the Planet-Devourer in his stead until he awakens naturally. Majin Buu soon arrives, however, and is able to withstand Moro's terrifying ability that allows him to absorb the chi from those around him, weakening his opponents while strengthening himself. It's a refreshing change of pace for the story's heroes to be playing for time until Majin Buu arrives to save the day rather than Goku.

Unfortunately, Majin Buu becomes irrelevant once they realize that the Lord of Lord's sealing technique actually passed to Evil Buu, who Goku subsequently destroyed, meaning Majin Buu can't actually seal Moro's powers. Later on at the end of the saga, Goku unfortunately - albeit unsurprisingly - reclaims his role as the hero, but does have to share the spotlight with Vegeta and Uub, the reincarnation of Buu. After Goku eventually loses most of his chi against Moro on account of a major personal failing, Vegeta is forced to wield a new special ability that draws the remaining power Goku needs from Uub, since he possesses a portion of the Lord of Lords' power.

It's exciting when characters other than Goku become the hero by confronting the villains themselves and fighting a valiant losing battle, but even more exciting for Goku not to immediately save the day on arrival for once. But while Majin Buu might have been the awaited hero at one point, it was only temporary; ironically, because of something Goku did before Dragon Ball Super. Although Uub plays a major role near the end, Goku still delivers the final punch, even though the power comes from Uub. It would've been much more groundbreaking for the series if Earth's heroes had to entirely rely on Uub. But, of course, Dragon Ball isn't known for being innovative, and fans should at least be happy that Goku is being forced to share the limelight with other characters, even though not completely, and never for long.