Whis is the angel of Universe 7, attendant to the God of Destruction Beerus and, as we only learn at the end of his first adventure, Beerus's martial arts teacher. He debuts alongside him in the film Battle of Gods in 2013. Tall, teal-skinned, unfailingly polite and smiling, he is quite possibly the most powerful character Goku has ever had in his corner.
Who he is
In the multiverse hierarchy of Dragon Ball Super, angels are beings of extremely high rank. Each one is bound to a God of Destruction as attendant and guide, follows them almost everywhere and is tasked with supervising them and, when needed, keeping them in check. Whis is the son of the Grand Priest and the younger brother of Vados, Champa's angel, who trained him.
His personality is the opposite of Beerus's: calm, courteous and a little wry. He does share his god's passion for food, though, and Earth becomes a culinary destination for him, often explored in Bulma's company.
His story across the series
- Battle of Gods and Dragon Ball Super: he wakes Beerus from his long sleep and accompanies him in the search for the Super Saiyan God. He watches the fight with Goku and, before leaving, Beerus reveals that Whis is his teacher and stronger than him. From then on, Goku and Vegeta train on Beerus's planet under his guidance.
- Resurrection 'F': when a defeated Frieza blows up Earth, Whis shields those present and rewinds time by three minutes, giving Goku the chance to finish off the tyrant before he strikes. On the same occasion he saves Tien from a fatal blow.
- Tournament of Power: he helps Bulma give birth to Bulla early, so Vegeta can compete with a clear head. Afterward, he brings Frieza back to life as Beerus's reward for his part in the victory.
- The Super films: in Super Hero he trains Goku, Vegeta and Broly on Beerus's planet.
Powers and abilities
Whis is consistently portrayed as untouchable: he defends himself effortlessly against any attack and moves at tremendous speed. Like all angels he has mastered Ultra Instinct, the ability to react to attacks without the mind getting in the way. His training of Goku and Vegeta hints at it repeatedly, foreshadowing what Goku will briefly achieve in the Tournament of Power.
| Ability | What it allows |
|---|---|
| Ultra Instinct | Dodging and countering without thinking |
| Time rewind | Going back a few minutes to undo a disaster |
| Teaching | He trained Beerus himself, then Goku and Vegeta |
Relationships
- Beerus is the god he serves, looks after and, when necessary, puts back in line.
- Goku is an eager student who takes his first steps toward Ultra Instinct with him.
- Vegeta is his other student, prouder but just as determined.
- Vados is his older sister, the angel of Universe 6.
- Bulma is his official supplier of Earth delicacies.
Why he matters: our take
Whis solves a problem Dragon Ball had been carrying for years: who can train Goku and Vegeta once they are stronger than everyone? Super's answer is a teacher on another level entirely, serene and faintly amused, with nothing to prove. Every appearance reminds the Saiyans how far they still are from the top.
He also brings a lightness to the series: the contrast between his absolute power and his weakness for Earth sweets is one of its best running gags. His ability to rewind time, on the other hand, is a storytelling tool to be used sparingly, and the series knows it.
Did you know? Whis's name comes from a misunderstanding: Toriyama thought Beerus's name came from "beer", so for consistency he named the attendant after whisky. From then on, every God of Destruction and angel received the name of an alcoholic drink.
Trivia
- He is voiced by Masakazu Morita in Japanese and by Ian Sinclair in Funimation's English dub.
- Angels in Super are bound to the service of their God of Destruction and rarely leave their side, which is why Whis is almost never seen without Beerus.