Dragon Ball: Goku Can't Beat Black Frieza, But The Strongest Saiyan Can

The Dragon Ball Super manga has been on hiatus for two years now. Even though the Dragon Ball Super anime is coming back with a remake (Dragon Ball Super: Beerus) and new series (Dragon Ball Super: The Galactic Patrol), Toyotarou's Dragon Ball Super manga remains in purgatory, with no signs the series will be coming back anytime soon. One thing is certain, though: Black Frieza is going to be Dragon Ball Super's next villain.

Set up at the end of the Granolah the Survivor Saga and mentioned as the main reason Goku & Vegeta are training so hard in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, Black Frieza is the single strongest mortal in the multiverse. He was able to defeat Ultra Instinct Goku and Ultra Ego Vegeta in a single hit, and may very well be stronger than the Gods of Destruction. While logic would dictate Goku will be the one to beat Frieza in typical Dragon Ball fashion, Super Hero ended with Vegeta finally surpassing Goku once & for all, making him the best candidate to kill Black Frieza for good.

Ultra Instinct Goku Has Reached the Peak of His Power

Goku has spent every arc since the Tournament of Power mastering Ultra Instinct. As of Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, he can trigger Ultra Instinct whenever he wants, stack Super Saiyan forms on top of True Ultra Instinct, and even astral project his Ki in Mastered Ultra Instinct. It doesn't feel like there's anywhere left for Goku to take the form. His sparring match with Gohan Beast in Dragon Ball Super Chapter 103 would suggest Ultra Instinct Goku has truly reached the peak of his power.

Vegeta, on the other hand, still has a very long way to go to mastering Ultra Ego – which actually puts him at a huge advantage. An unmastered Ultra Ego Vegeta is roughly on par, if not stronger, than Mastered Ultra Instinct Goku. By training Ultra Ego and learning how to best use the transformation without exhausting his body, Ultra Ego Vegeta can easily surpass Goku in terms of Power Level. Ultra Ego Vegeta is also walking down the path of a Destroyer, making him a perfect foil to defeat someone who's entire life has been dedicated to destroying other races like Frieza.

Super Saiyan Blue Evolved Vegeta Was Strong Enough to Spar With Gohan Beast

While it's only by a small margin, Goku and Vegeta's battle in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero confirms that Vegeta's base Power Level is actually higher than Goku's. The Dragon Ball Super manga doubles down on this during the sparring matches with Gohan Beast in Dragon Ball Super Chapter 103. Goku fights Gohan Beast using Mastered Ultra Instinct and ultimately loses when Gohan Beast knocks him out of UI entirely.

Later in the chapter, Vegeta wants his turn fighting Gohan Beast, but instead of turning Ultra Ego, he triggers Super Saiyan Blue Evolved. While the fight happens mostly off-screen, Vegeta presumably uses Super Saiyan Blue Evolved during the Saiyan battle royale between Gohan, Broly, Goku, Vegeta, Goten, and Trunks. While Vegeta loses the battle royale, the fact he can keep up with Gohan Beast in SSBE while Goku needed MUI suggests he's overall stronger than Goku.

It's Time to Finally Let Vegeta Kill Frieza

When it comes down to it, Goku has already beaten Vegeta twice. He beat Frieza during their original fight on Namek, and killed Golden Frieza at the end of Resurrection F. Vegeta wasn't strong enough to beat Frieza himself in Dragon Ball Z, but Super Saiyan Blue Vegeta actually was stronger than Golden Frieza in Resurrection F and would have won had Frieza not destroyed the Earth in a cheap shot.

Vegeta not only has the potential to beat Black Frieza with Ultra Ego, he has the motivation. Vegeta was enslaved by Frieza for years, and has the most personal connection to him of all the Saiyans. Frieza personally hates Goku most, but he and Vegeta go back decades. There's also the matter of Dragon Ball Super giving Vegeta more character development than Goku. Letting Vegeta save the day in the Black Frieza Saga would be an excellent and fitting way to wrap up his arc.