The Universes Go Into Action -- Each With Their Own Motives

For the first time in the saga, the narrative stretches beyond Universe 7 to show how the Tournament of Power is affecting civilizations across the multiverse. The episode opens with Goku discovering that Good Buu has undergone a dramatic physical transformation through dedicated training since the Zeno Expo. Now sporting a slim, muscular physique, Buu has become noticeably faster and more strategic. Their sparring match demonstrates this growth when Buu overwhelms Goku with a barrage of ki blasts, then capitalizes on the distraction to push him to the ground for the win.

Meanwhile, on the Sacred World of the Kai in Universe 11, Khai convenes a conference call with the Supreme Kais of all participating universes. He requests that they keep the erasure stipulation secret from their mortal populations to prevent panic. The discussion reveals deep political fractures: Roh of Universe 9 dismisses the meeting as a waste of time, Pell and Eyre of Universes 2 and 3 argue over whose intellectual approach is superior, and Kuru of Universe 4 mocks their egos. Khai's suggestion that they jointly petition Zeno collapses when everyone admits that angering Zeno could mean instant erasure.

In Universe 6, Champa organizes a parallel meeting among the Gods of Destruction, deliberately excluding Beerus because of Goku. Vados makes the crucial point that without Goku's suggestion of a tournament, the lower-level universes would have already been erased. On Planet Daldon, the Pride Troopers battle the monster Araghne, with Dyspo, Top, and Kahseral demonstrating the coordinated teamwork that makes Universe 11 such a formidable threat.

Goku arrives at the Lookout to ask Dende about Android 17's location. Dende reveals that 17 works on an island in the south. In Universe 6, Champa orders Cabba to recruit more Saiyans, while Gohan meets Piccolo, who commits to retraining Gohan's weakened body. With 37 hours remaining, the race to assemble teams is well underway across every universe.

The dual meetings of Supreme Kais and Gods of Destruction reveal that universal cooperation is virtually impossible when survival is at stake. Both gatherings devolve into finger-pointing and ego clashes, reflecting how existential threats can divide rather than unite. The exclusion of Universe 7 from both meetings underscores how thoroughly Bergamo's earlier rhetoric has poisoned the multiverse against Goku.

Vados's defense of Goku is the episode's most intellectually honest moment. She correctly identifies that the lower-level universes were already slated for erasure, and the tournament actually offers them a chance they would not have otherwise had. This reframes the entire moral question of the saga: Goku did not create the danger, he merely accelerated a reckoning that was already inevitable.

Buu's physical transformation is both visually striking and narratively meaningful. His slimmer form, which closely resembles Super Buu minus the malice, shows that even the most unpredictable member of the team is taking the upcoming fight seriously.

Episode 85 is pivotal for establishing that the Tournament of Power is not just Universe 7's story. By cycling through Universes 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, and 11 in rapid succession, the episode builds a sense of convergence as dozens of independent storylines race toward the same collision point. This multi-perspective approach is rare in Dragon Ball, which typically follows Goku almost exclusively.

The Pride Troopers' battle on Planet Daldon introduces their combat dynamic: coordinated team strikes with individual members filling specific tactical roles. This directly contrasts with Universe 7's approach of powerful individuals who struggle with teamwork, setting up a philosophical clash that goes beyond raw strength.

The anime and manga diverge notably here. Goku's sparring match with the slim Buu is anime-exclusive, and the Pride Troopers face different enemies on a different planet in the manga. These variations give each version of the story its own texture while following the same broad narrative path.