EPISODE CONTEXT

Sitting at episode 134 of 153, 'Preliminary Peril' marks the transition from the reunion and preparation phase into full tournament competition, directly following the character re-introductions established in prior episodes. The preliminary rounds serve as the essential filter before the main event, establishing power levels, rivalries, and narrative threads that will carry through the tournament's climactic later stages. With fewer than twenty episodes remaining in the series, this arc represents Dragon Ball's final major tournament and the stakes feel appropriately elevated.