For years, Dragon Ball fans have argued about which villain deserves to return. Some point to classic threats like Frieza or Cell. Others want to see entirely new enemies push Goku and Vegeta to their limits. But quietly, without flashy announcements or trailers, one name keeps resurfacing in fan conversations, comment sections, and late night theory videos Jiren.
Jiren isn’t the kind of character that disappears from memory. He isn’t loud, he isn’t theatrical, and he doesn’t spend time explaining his evil plans. He simply exists with a presence that feels heavy. When he entered the Tournament of Power, the entire tone of Dragon Ball Super shifted. The air felt different. The fights felt more serious. The stakes felt more real. That kind of impact doesn’t happen by accident.
Why Fans Still Can’t Forget Jiren
What made Jiren feel so powerful was never just his strength. It was the way he carried it. There was no transformation sequence. No dramatic power up scream. He was strong before the fight even started. That silent dominance is something Dragon Ball rarely achieves, and it’s why fans still believe his story isn’t finished. When his arc ended, it didn’t feel like a conclusion. It felt like a pause.
He moved like a force of nature calm, measured, and impossibly precise. That made his clashes with Goku and the others feel meaningful rather than flashy. In a series that sometimes leans on spectacle, Jiren brought a clean, brutal clarity to combat that made every hit count.
The Untold Story Behind Jiren Power
One of the biggest reasons Jiren deserves a comeback is simple: his backstory was left open. Dragon Ball showed just enough to make him fascinating and then pulled away. We saw the wreckage of his past and the loneliness that formed him. But we never got the full story. That raw, half told past is perfect fuel for a return.
Who destroyed his village? What did his master really mean to him? Why did he choose absolute strength as the only path? Those questions still ring. Bringing Jiren back gives the writers a chance to close those gaps and give the audience real emotional payoff instead of another short-lived antagonist.
How a Jiren Return Could Fit Into Dragon Ball Super
What also separates Jiren from many other antagonists is that he was never truly evil. He was rigid. He was emotional in his own quiet way. He was shaped by trauma, not cruelty. That makes him more relatable, even when he stands opposite the heroes. When Goku fought him, it didn’t feel like good versus evil. It felt like two different belief systems colliding.
That philosophical weight would play nicely with the current tone of Dragon Ball, which has been leaning more into character and consequence. Jiren’s return wouldn’t just be about another spectacle battle. It could spark real debate about strength, justice, and what it means to protect others.
Why His Return Would Feel Fresh, Not Recycled
Other villains have been used again and again. Frieza has been reinvented but risks feeling recycled. Cell and Kid Buu’s arcs are complete. New threats appear every few chapters and fade quickly. Jiren, by contrast, hasn’t been overused. He’s rare in the roster a character who still feels like untapped potential rather than familiar territory.
That rarity matters. Fans don’t want more of the same. They want a return that surprises and deepens the lore. Jiren’s silence since the Tournament has only amplified his mystique, making a comeback more impactful than another rehashed villain.
How a Jiren Comeback Could Be Handled
A comeback doesn’t have to be loud to be big. Jiren’s return could start with a quiet omen — a tremor in the multiverse, a warrior sensing an old presence, or a whispered rumor among the gods. From there, the story can escalate naturally without forcing an invasion arc.
Imagine seeing Jiren standing alone, training in a ruined world, or walking into a tense meeting with the gods as an uneasy ally. Maybe he returns to warn the Z Fighters about a threat only he senses. Maybe he seeks something that only Goku or Vegeta can help him find. Those kinds of personal stakes would give fights real moral weight and push characters into new emotional territory.
The Matchups Fans Want to See
Fans love matchups, and Jiren gives writers a lot to play with. A rematch with Goku but this time with different motives and new strategies would be a must watch. Vegeta clashing with Jiren could explore pride and purpose in a way the series rarely does. Even a quiet confrontation with Beerus or the angels could reveal layers of divine politics and power that have been hinted at but never fully explored.
It’s not just about who hits harder. It’s about testing beliefs, growth, and what each fighter has learned since the Tournament of Power.
Emotional Stakes Over Cheap Destruction
Dragon Ball has grown, and many fans want it to continue growing. The series now thrives when it balances huge fights with emotional consequence. Jiren fits this perfectly. He can challenge the heroes on an internal level, forcing them to confront doubts and moral choices. Those moments make victories mean more.
A Jiren arc could be a character study wrapped in high stakes action a shift fans will welcome after years of purely spectacle driven arcs.
Timing Is Right The Story Has Evolved
Power levels have changed since Jiren last appeared. Ultra Instinct and Ultra Ego raised the roof. The narrative tone also matured. That evolution means a 2026 style comeback (or whenever the anime returns) would place Jiren in a world that is ready for him. He could be stronger, wiser, or even more broken. Any of those directions would add depth to the current saga.
Plus, with platforms hungry for big events and studios aiming for cinematic animation, a well-made Jiren arc could become a global hit the kind of return that trends everywhere.
What Fans Would Do (And Why That Matters)
Bring Jiren back and watch the fandom explode. Theories would flood every corner of the internet. Reaction videos, think pieces, and fan art would spike. This level of engagement translates to clicks, views, and long term attention which studios and publishers always notice.
More than metrics, though, it would satisfy a real narrative itch. Viewers crave closure. They want to see stories finished with respect to character. Jiren’s return would give them exactly that not because it’s trendy, but because it’s overdue.
Final Thought: Jiren Is Waiting Creators Should Listen
Jiren isn’t just a missed villain. He’s a storytelling opportunity. He represents a chance to give Dragon Ball its next meaningful arc: something that blends power, pain, and philosophy. The series doesn’t need another predictable conqueror. It needs a figure who questions the heroes and, in doing so, forces them to grow.
If the creators want something that feels deep, tense, and fresh, they already have it. Jiren is waiting. The fandom is ready. All Dragon Ball needs to do is pick up that thread and follow it somewhere real.
