Spoilers will be talked about below, so please be sure to watch the latest episode before reading on! This review is based off of the dub version of Super that currently airs on Toonami.
Episode 113 was all about Caulifa and Goku, in a student and mentor sort of way. We didn’t get a ton of plot for the overall tournament of power, nor did we spend time with the other fighters either. It was just a straight up one on one episode between these two. So what exactly went down between Caulifa and Goku, and who prevailed? Well, you’re in luck as I break it down with a recap and review for ya!
Photo Source: Funimation/Toei Animation/Cartoon Network
We actually start Episode 113, right the very end of Episode 112 where Goku — in a weak state — was about to take on those robotic fighters but was then suddenly saved by Caulifa. She, instead of walking away like how Vegeta did after he saved Cabba, wanted to fight Goku one on one. Caulifa already in her powered up Super Saiyan 2 form wanted to fight Goku in order to unlock even more power for herself. She tried to make Goku transform, but he was just too weak to do it still and instead opted to fight her in his base form.
Photo Source: Funimation/Toei Animation/Cartoon Network
Even though Caulifa has the power advantage in her Super Saiyan 2 form, she was still no match for Goku who easily stomped her by actually being the better martial artist. This was made apparent by Whis, who was studying the fight and filling everyone on what he saw. Caulfia is too brash and lacks any form in her attacks, making her predictable to someone like Goku who is a seasoned martial artist and knows when to do things. So Goku was easily able to counter almost all of Caulifa’s attack just like that. Master Roshi actually mistaken this for being Goku in his Ultra Instinct form, but Whis corrected the turtle hermit and said that it is not and to achieve a form like that again might be next to impossible for anyone even the gods themselves.
Photo Source: Funimation/Toei Animation/Cartoon Network
However, as the fight was ongoing between the two, Caulifa actually got more adaptive in countering Goku’s counters and even changed it up on when to do attacks. She actually got the jump on Goku by firing off a Ki Blast right in his face which sent him flying a few feet away. Eventually, by this point, Goku was able to change and transform into Super Saiyan 2 and the entire fight became a more balanced dance between the two. No one had the advantage anymore, but Caulifa was still slightly brash in her ways.
Photo Source: Funimation/Toei Animation/Cartoon Network
A few minutes after this, Goku noticed Kale was standing by and asked for her too to join the fight and make it into a handicap match. Supreme Kai thought this was foolish of Goku to do so, but Krillian told him that this is Goku and he’s actually thriving against the two of them. Whis added that the more Goku fights competitive fighters, the better fighter he will be as a result. So its similar to what’s happening to Caulifa but for Goku since he’s already a superior martial artist, fighting these two will increase his own potential.
Photo Source: Funimation/Toei Animation/Cartoon Network
While fighting the two Saiyan girls of Universe 6, Goku briefly gave Caulifa what she was after the whole time, a look as to what Super Saiyan 3 really is! Goku does the massive transformation that gets him to that, but he only stays in that form briefly and reverts back Caulifa calls him such a tease and Goku apologizes, saying that it takes a massive strain of energy to hold that form and he just doesn’t have it in him right now.
Photo Source: Funimation/Toei Animation/Cartoon Network
Goku, instead then encourages Kale to show her true potential and in the spirit of the fight, she actually agrees. Kale gives herself an inner monologue, after witnessing the fighting spirit in Caulifa, and transforms into her Berserker state as the episode ends with half of the stands and even the narrator, wondering why Goku would let Kale go that far and if this is a bad idea.
Photo Source: Funimation/Toei Animation/Cartoon Network
So after the craziness of the past few episodes, this was more of a lull type of episode as we just focused on one single fight out of all the other fights happening. Once again the Kais and Gods in the stands were our commentators filling in plot details that you just can’t get from watching the fighters go at it. There wasn’t anything new to bring to the episode really besides Caulifa growing as a fighter whenever she’s paired up with Goku. Will they eventually become like how Vegeta and Cabba are? Time will tell. Also there was a few animation issues that popped up during the punching furies between Caulifa and Goku, almost like the animation slowed down for some odd reason. Not sure if it was intentional to highlight how fast they were moving or if it was indeed an error on Cartoon Networks side during the broadcast.
