The battle between Garou & Saitama has raged on for a number of the One-Punch Man manga installments, each chapter adding a twist to the fight with new moves, powers, and developments. So far, Garou’s path to becoming “absolute evil” is progressing at a speedy rate, with Saitama being the only significant stumbling block.

In the chapters before Chapter 165, Garou evolved his monsterification, which changed his appearance into that of an immensely powerful creature. However, his power boost was still insufficient to take on the mighty B-Class Hero, Saitama. These events led to God's appearance in chapters 164 & 165, granting Garou immense world-tilting powers while partially revealing his goal. Based on these intense events, what can fans assume“God’s" motive is?

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What We Know About One-Punch Man’s God So Far

god

There is still a lot of mystery behind the being, God, in the One-Punch Man's universe. The powerful character has shown up at different points in the series with appealing offers of power and great strength to different individuals. Although his offer was rejected by Saitama and the Flashy Flash, characters like Homeless Emperor succumbed to his too-good-to-be-true offer, which granted him the capacity to claim an executive position in the Villain Association. While God seemed like an emissary of goodwill for Homeless Emperor at first, when the character tried betraying his contract with God, the fleshy being showed and killed him on the spot.

The God cubes are another running connection to God in the One-Punch Man series. The powerful being has communicated with humans using certain cubes. Blast the number one S-Class Hero was well-aware of this fact and is currently conducting an investigation on this powerful being with an elusive goal. Prior to the recent chapters, the story's narratives featuring "God" has pretty much stayed the same with the cube connection, power-granting, and a face devoid of human features. However, finally this first changed in Chapter 164 of the One-Punch Man manga as God granted Garou powers to fight evenly with the undefeated B-Class Hero, Saitama.

Garou v. Saitama – The Abominable Fist That Turned Against God

saitama's normal punches

The early parts of Chapter 164 of the One-Punch Man manga were filled with Garou's fruitless attempts to defeat the B-Class Hero. The Hero Hunter's efforts so far were nullified by Saitama's unquestionable strength. Note that Garou was anything but weak. The force of his attacks in the chapter shook Earth's tectonic plates in a frightening manner, filling humans with dread of a possible brewing natural disaster. Unknown to most, it wasn't a natural disaster but a human-driven force that shook Earth's very foundation. Regardless, despite Garou reaching the peak of his monsterification, this evolution was still not enough to beat Saitama as the Hero's classic one-punch move slammed Garou right out of his monsterified shell.

Frustrated by his lack of power to match Saitama's deadly attacks, Garou succumbed to his darker emotions until the God being showed up. With giant legs that proved to be bigger than even buildings, the powerful being appeared for the first time without the cube entity and offered Garou his powers. The first noticeable thing about God's offer is that he calls Saitama "The Fist That Turned Against God." This statement harbors God's possible resentment for the powerful Hero as he wishes for Saitama's downfall. Both characters (Garou & God), driven by a similar desire to defeat Saitama, then entered into an agreement, allowing Garou to gain immense powers that far surpassed any he ever had.

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The Awakened Garou's "Cosmic Fear Mode" then debuted at the end of Chapter 164. Chapter 165 then began with Garou executing high-powered moves like "Life Eradication Fist," a move so powerful it was mistaken for a nuclear attack. The resulting effects of Garou's powerful strikes were giant balls of explosive energy strong enough to shake Earth's core. Although this impressive feat was able to harm Saitama. Garou was able to strike Saitama using the Hero's exclusive moves, "Consecutive Normal Punches." Garou's version of Saitama's moves was even stronger than the original from Saitama as he crashed into the sea from the effects of Garou's punches.

Finally, Garou used "Life Eradication Fist," a Gamma Ray-powered move compared to the ripple effects of one of the greatest explosions in the universe – the destruction of a star. Shockingly, at the end of Chapter 165, Saitama was nowhere to be seen. While this doesn’t mean Garou has won, it means he was able to subdue him momentarily – a feat no villain in the One-Punch Man universe has ever achieved.

What is God’s True Motive?

god calling garou his avatar

While God's final motive remains unforeseeable, the recent chapters of One-Punch Man suggest the being's possible goals. The first noticeable development is that God showed up without using any summoning entity like the cubes, as he did previously, meaning that he saw an opportunity he could not pass and decided to take the bull by the horns. Furthermore, Chapter 165 hinted at God’s motive when the being called Garou his “Avatar.” In the past chapters of One-Punch Man, God has only granted people enough powers to become powerful but not as Garou, meaning that God’s goals are different this time.

Garou's appearance resembled a being reflecting the Cosmos after he took God's powers. This possibly means that God's powers intended to make Garou his incarnate to end Saitama, who he referred to as "The Fist Who Turned Against God." Consequently, whatever the being God is planning, Saitama is at the epicenter of the drama. As Saitama disappeared towards the end of Chapter 165, the Hero's whereabouts is unknown. However, judging from what we know about Saitama, the hero can't be subdued that easily. Based on this fact, readers can expect Saitama's return and maybe for the first time, the Hero might just use his full powers.

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