Dragon Ball Super's approach to its overarching plot has differed significantly from its predecessors. While Dragon Ball and Z charted the growth of Goku and Gohan, organically leading from one storyline to the next, Super's story progression sees each arc serving as a self-contained adventure with a more definitive beginning and ending.

This laxer approach to storytelling has led many fans to wonder where everything is headed. There are enough ongoing developments to suggest a broader narrative at play, but equally the series could end with just another ordinary arc that concludes unceremoniously. If Super really is building to something big with Goku and Vegeta, though, then what could it be?

RELATED: What Comes After Dragon Ball Super?

How Goku and Vegeta Are Taking After Whis and Beerus

Ultra Instinct Goku and Ultra Ego Vegeta in Dragon Ball Super

One of the most popular theories regarding Dragon Ball Super's endgame revolves around Goku and Vegeta's eventual fate. As the two have developed as fighters, Super has emphasized their unique respective fighting styles, resulting in them gaining forms that do more than simply provide a power-up. Goku's Ultra Instinct allows him to move unconsciously in battle, serving as a culmination of his martial arts teachings, whereas Vegeta's Ultra Ego feeds his bloodlust, increasing his strength the more damage he takes.

More crucially, however, these forms are used by Angels and Gods of Destruction; Whis reveals that Angels are in a permanent state of Ultra Instinct and pushes for Goku to attain the same level of mastery. Vegeta, meanwhile, learns Ultra Ego after training with Beerus, with the form requiring God of Destruction ki to activate. The forms' designs purposefully parallel the Angels' white hair and Gods of Destruction's purple ki respectively, deepening this connection.

RELATED: Why Dragon Ball GT's Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta Has Red Hair

These developments solidify the idea that Goku is Whis's protege, and Vegeta is Beerus's. It's an interesting way of distinguishing the two Saiyans and their respective fighting styles, but could it also allude to the two eventually replacing Beerus and Whis as Universe 7's God of Destruction and Angel?

The idea was first alluded to in Battle of Gods, with Whis casually asking Goku if he wanted to replace Beerus in the position. At the time it seemed like an off-hand joke, but as the ''Universe Survival'' arc elaborated, being a God of Destruction was a title that could indeed be passed on, with Toppo training to replace the 11th Universe's Destroyer, Belmod. Toppo would go on to use a God of Destruction form in the Tournament of Power -- which in hindsight serves as foreshadowing for Vegeta's Ultra Ego.

RELATED: All Of Goku's Forms In Dragon Ball, Ranked By Impact

Has Dragon Ball Super Set Up the Saiyans to Replace Their Mentors?

Ultra Ego Vegeta gloats about his new power in Dragon Ball Super manga

With that in mind, Vegeta being trained to be Beerus's eventual replacement makes a great deal of sense. Beerus himself has expressed fatigue about his duties as a God of Destruction, no longer finding any joy in the role. As such, it's possible that Whis's flippant remark indicated Beerus's true desire -- and with Goku turning the role down, Vegeta is the next best candidate.

The details about Angels are a lot more vague, but Super also introduced a trainee angel in the form of Merus, during the events of the ''Galactic Patrol Prisoner'' arc. Merus lost his divine abilities after breaking the Angels' code and joined the Galactic Patrol as a mortal, indicating that being an Angel is a title that can be earned or lost; meaning it's within the realm of possibility that Goku could become one as well.

RELATED: Zamasu, Gas or Moro: Who Is Dragon Ball Super's Best New Villain So Far?

Assuming Dragon Ball Super really is setting Goku and Vegeta up to join the ranks of the divine, it would also explain why recent storylines have focused on setting up the next generation to take over. The ''Galactic Patrol Prisoner'' arc re-emphasized the importance of Uub, the reincarnation of Kid Buu, by revealing he had inherited the divine abilities of the Grand Supreme Kai. Super Hero, meanwhile, gave Gohan and Piccolo power-ups on par with Goku and Vegeta, and depicted Pan undergoing martial arts training like her father and grandfather before her.

These developments may be setting up a status quo without Goku and Vegeta around to save it; assuming they would accept the roles, they would have to take up a policy of non-interference. As such, the Earth would need new saviors on their level to step up to the plate, and the aforementioned characters would be perfect candidates for the role.

RELATED: Dragon Ball Super’s Super Hero Arc Proves Android 21 Is Canon

The Idea of Goku and Vegeta Replacing Whis and Beerus Still Has Holes

Goku and Vegeta spar in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero

As thematically apt as this theory may be, there are some holes in it. While the nature of Angels remains a mystery, it's worth noting that all of them introduced thus far have been the children of the Grand Priest -- Zeno's top advisor -- and the role may be hereditary, meaning Goku would not be able to join their ranks. Besides, while Beerus may grow tired of his duties, nothing thus far has indicated that Whis feels the same way.

What's more, Goku and Vegeta have frequently asserted that they are free agents, unbound by notions of duty. While their taking on the roles may indicate character growth on this front, it may also come across as out-of-character for a duo who pride themselves on living life by their own codes, unbeholden to a higher authority -- as is the case for Gods of Destruction and Angels.

Dragon Ball Super's eventual endgame remains a mystery, and while Goku and Vegeta replacing Beerus and Whis as a development isn't entirely off the table, it would be a huge change for the characters and the series' established lore. The seeds may have already been sown for the pair's eventual fates, but Super would have to do a lot more heavy lifting in order for it to feel like an organic endpoint for the iconic Saiyan duo.