One-Punch Man chapter 168 featured jaw-dropping moments before nicely wrapping up the Saitama v. Cosmic Garou saga in a manner that reminds fans of what the series is about: spiked comedy. In chapter 167 of the manga, Saitama's strength skyrocketed, a thrilling event that spearheaded his destruction of one of Jupiter's Earth-sized moons: Io.
However, if chapter 167 was shocking, the events in chapter 168 were mind-numbing and unparalleled by any prior events in the series. The chapter was a balanced mix of incredible action and comedy – one of the signature features of the One-Punch Man series. Above all the events in the chapter, one breathtaking fact the chapter tells fans is that Saitama’s strength is limitless and it has unfathomable potential.
Saitama Before Chapter 168
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Undoubtedly, Saitama has always been powerful from the start of the series. Anime & manga fans have always tried to gauge the B-Class hero's strength using his feats. However, due to his lackluster personality, it’s quite difficult to measure the hero’s strength. Towards the end of season one, One-Punch Man anime featured one of the hottest battles in the series: Boros v. Saitama. The battle climax hinted at Saitama's strength. Even after the alien powerful enough to terrify galaxies in space, utilized all his powers to combat Saitama, the caped hero defeated him without question using partial strength.
This, among other events, led fans to the question, “How Strong Is Saitama?” The Monster Association Arc kicked off with a few battles hinting at Saitama’s possible power level. Finally, Genos's death gave the hero the push he needed to show what he was truly capable of. Debuting the Killer moves in his Serious Series, the past few chapters have shown that Saitama's strength is at least planetary level and possibly universal.
Saitama’s Incredible Feats In Chapter 168
Chapter 168 opened with the battle continuation between Saitama and Garou. At the chapter’s opening, Garou released punches using his portal ability, all of which Saitama dodged, only to strike with powerful moves of his own. Pre-chapter 168, Garou's goal was revealed, and it was to copy Saitama at full strength. Indeed, Garou got what he desired, but it was too much for him to handle. Despite Garou's retaliation of the moves Saitama dished out, it did nothing to faze the B-Class hero. Worse, Saitama's power multiplied with every hit he released, making it difficult for Garou to keep up with his steady power surge. The bald hero's emotions were the main catalysts behind his power increase. According to the chapter, Saitama's true strength was never revealed, not because he couldn't show it but because he hadn't faced anyone capable of drawing out his potential.
As the Saitama-Garou battle began to advance even more in space, Saitama's clothes were ripped off him due to the effects of Garou's attacks. The consequence of this development was shocking and totally unexpected. Apparently, being stripped of his clothes, Saitama was forced to sneeze. However, what came next couldn't be called a sneeze but a planet-crushing windstorm that destroyed half of Jupiter within moments. Saitama was able to destroy half of Jupiter, a mega-gigantic planet, with a sneeze. This feat alone shows fans that Saitama's strength is absurd. One can only imagine what would have happened if the hero attacked Jupiter with his raw, physical strength.
After witnessing this heart-stopping event, Garou tried escaping from Saitama, now certain that the B-Class hero is invincible. Using a hastily thought-out plan, Garou teleported Saitama to the Sun and himself to Earth. Shockingly, seconds later, the hero appeared behind Garou. Apparently, Saitama traveled for over 93 million miles (distance between Earth and Sun) using his fart as a trajectory within a few seconds. Also, he was able to stand the incredibly heat of the sun without any visible damage. These feats, both hilarious and surprising, shows just ridiculously overpowered the caped hero is.
One-Punch Man Had To Nerf Saitama
Despite the awesome events of the chapter, Saitama just had to be nerfed for the story to continue and for old characters to return. After returning to Earth, Garou discovered that his actions led to the death of Tareo, the kid friend that befriended him. Now repentant of his past actions, Garou then decided to teach Saitama his ultimate move to give him a look at how God's powers work. Garou only had a moment to do this since God decided to take his power back after hearing Garou's decision.
Regardless, this moment was enough for Saitama’s inner spirit to resonate with Garou creating a time warp that allowed Saitama to travel to the past until he reached the moment where he saw Garou achieving his cosmic mode. Saitama then punched the Garou from the past, causing a "Reversal of Causality," changing the future past into a different one where Genos and Tareo were still alive. The chapter ended with Saitama syncing with himself from the past and forgetting everything that happened. Even though Saitama is back to his usual frame of mind, where he doesn't have to use real strength, chapter 168 is proof that Saitama's strength is immeasurable, and presently there is no known limit for the hero's power.