Akira Toriyama has given Dragon Ball some rather intriguing arcs, each of which holds some or the other underlying tone for the future of many characters. Many of those act as developmental moments whether they hold tragedy or strategy. Within these arcs, the Tournament of Power helms as one that helped Goku and Vegeta grow drastically as characters whose strength needed to be further explored.
The Tournament of Power arc was the zenith for martial arts combat in the Dragon Ball franchise. The best fighters from 8 universes competed in a battle-royale style match with incredible stakes. Each fighter was to give their best, their universe’s fate hanging by a thread and only their fighters capable of saving them. However, there could also be a possibility that Jiren’s goal was something different completely.
Akira Toriyama May Have Given Jiren Ulterior Motives
In a theory proposed by jl_professional on Reddit, the Tournament of Power arc was meant not only for universes to defend themselves but also for them to prepare for an upcoming waging war. Jiren fought for justice and the safety of his universe. He wished to win the Dragon Balls to make the ultimate wish which was hidden for the longest time, to revive his master.
I seek that which lies beyond strength.
Jiren was by far one of the strongest characters present during the tournament, giving even Ultra Instinct Goku a hard time. He constantly pushed Goku and Vegeta to get the strongest, characters who were growing in strength exponentially, with no particular order of understanding as to why they wanted more strength.
He saw something different in Saiyans and so, a being who was so sure for the longest time about no one ever reaching his level. Jiren finally saw that while his strength could compare to Gods, he alone wasn’t responsible for fighting them. Instead, Goku and Vegeta’s growth proved to work in his own favor.
Jiren Wants the Angels Dead
The Angels have a strong hand behind the Gods of Destruction’s wrath. Balance in the universe is maintained through creation and destruction and to keep it going, the Gods of Destruction must be free to demolish more planets. In this manner, his own universe gets jeopardized and the outlook can form of the angels not truly caring about mortal beings.
His plan may not have been just to grab the Dragon Balls but also to target and kill the Angels. Only with the help of other beings powerful enough could he consider achieving such a feat. Angels may be far beyond his reach but that doesn’t mean he would let his goals come to rest.
According to the theory, Jiren wants to attack the cosmic order itself. Shake the top to tumble the rest. In that sense, his knack for justice would give rise to a safer universe not just by eliminating the rest but also by ensuring that every else is safe too. As a result, the Tournament of Power would give way to an even bigger war against the Angels.
