Mortal Levels

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Mortal Levels (人間レベル ningen reberu) are a metric created by the Omni-Kings to rank the development of human civilizations within their domain. The concept is introduced by the Great Priest in Dragon Ball Super Episode 80. The qualities and quantities being measured are never explicitly stated, but contextual clues suggest that the gods of high-ranking universes use the powers of Creation and Destruction to foster advanced and peaceful civilizations. The six top-ranked universes are adjacent twin universes.

Rankings

The mortal levels for each universe are expressed as an average of the levels of their inhabited worlds. When the concept is explained by the Great Priest at the Zen Exhibition Match, the only exact levels given are those of the two participating universes, Universe 7 and Universe 9. The Great Priest also notes that the four universes exempted from the Tournament of Power have mortal levels over 7. The rankings as of the beginning of the tournament are as follows:

1. Universe 1 (over 7)
2. Universe 12 (over 7)
3. Universe 5 (over 7)
4. Universe 8 (over 7)
5. Universe 11
6. Universe 2
7. Universe 3
8. Universe 6
9. Universe 4
10. Universe 10
11. Universe 7 (3.18)
12. Universe 9 (1.86)

In the manga continuity, after Universe 7 wins the tournament, the Great Priest tells Shin that No. 17's wish to restore the erased universes has caused them to be elevated to the No. 10 spot. However, it is unknown whether any of the other universes' rankings were adjusted.

Name

"Mortal levels" is an imperfect translation of 人間レベル (ningen reberu). The word "human" (人間/ningen) incorporates nearly all races in Dragon Ball, including Saiyans (as long as they are not Great Apes), Namekians, and aliens like Ginyu. It is often used to distinguish regular folk from demons, monsters, artificial humans, gods, and other divine figures like Kibito. The gods are mortal even if they can live for millions of years, but official English translations often interpret ningen as "mortal" when the word is used to distinguish ordinary beings from gods.

Context

Some clues about the sort of divine behavior that encourages the proper growth of civilization comes in the Toei Animation website biographies.

The biography for Awamo, the Angel of Universe 1, originally implied that Awamo himself had a high "level", but Awamo's biography was later updated and this reference was removed.

レベルが高いので、全てを察することができる。菩薩のような容貌。
His high level allows him to sense everything. Looks like a bodhisattva.
———
温厚さと崇高な精神を持ち合わせ、すべてを見通すことができると言われている。
Gentle with a noble spirit. Said to be able to perceive everything.

Arak is the God of Destruction of Universe 5, the third-ranked universe. His biography indicates that Gods of Destruction are not supposed to destroy on a whim.

思慮深く、最低限の破壊で世界の可能性を広げるため、破壊をする対象について深く検証を続けている。
Tries to expand his universe's potential through the smallest possible amount of destruction by thoroughly investigating what he should target.

The biography for Giin, the God of Destruction of Universe 12, originally said that he carried out necessary destruction "mercilessly but without discrimination", but was later updated to say that he carried out "the minimum necessary destruction".

無慈悲だが差別もなく必要な破壊を行ってきたが、最近は壊すものがなくなって退屈。力の大会はとても楽しんでいる。
Carries out necessary destruction mercilessly but without discrimination. However, recently he has been bored because there is nothing to destroy, and so looks forward to the Tournament of Power.
———
破壊神として必要最低限の破壊を行ってきたが、最近は壊すものがなくなって退屈しているようだ。
Though he carries out the minimum necessary destruction, he seems bored recently because he is running out of things to destroy.

The anime also has contextual clues to the nature of mortal levels. When the rankings are first announced, Beerus blames Shin for their low level, but Shin thinks Beerus is responsible.

ビルス：お前のせいだぞ！人間自身の努力でレベルの高い星にならなければ意味がないなんて　甘いこと言ってほったらかしてるからだ！
Beerus: this is all your fault! This is all because you were gullible enough to say that unless worlds with mortals reached a higher level all on their own, it didn't mean anything, and did nothing to help them!
シン：あ…　あなただって　ほとんど　眠っているじゃないですか。
Shin: Wh-What about you? You spend most of your time asleep, do you not?
— Dragon Ball Super Episode 80

Champa complains that the gods of the exempt universes have nothing to worry about, and the comments from their Kaiōshin can shed a little light on their perception of mortal levels.

シャンパ：そちらは余裕だな！第１宇宙の！
Champa: You sure are sitting pretty, huh, Universe 1?
アナト：ホッホッホッホ。おかげさまで力の大会の出場は免除していただきましたから。
Anato: (laughs) Fortunately, we are exempt from entering the Tournament of Power.
オグマ：人間レベルが高いということはわれわれ神々の導きが良いということ。
Ogma: Our mortal levels are high, showing that our divine guidance has been good.
アグ：しかるにそれは神々のレベルもまた高いということになりますかな。
Ag: By the same token, it means that the level of our gods is also much higher.
イル：われら４つの宇宙のレベルが幾つなのかはあえて聞きますまい。
Il: We need not even venture to ask what levels our four universes are.
— Dragon Ball Super Episode 81

When Beerus complains that Goku is responsible for the possibility that their whole universe might be destroyed, Goku points out that he is the one always destroying things. Beerus implies that Goku is the reason they are ranked so low. Goku does not contest this, but he suggests that Gohan is raising their level, so it all evens out.

孫悟空：ビルスさまだって適当に星を破壊しようとしてたくせに。
Goku: Beerus-sama, you're the one who was going around destroying planets any which way.
ビルス：適当にやってるわけじゃな～い！！だいたいなレベルが下から２番目なのは絶対にお前がぐ～んと下げてるからなんだぞ！
Beerus: I do not do it any which way!! And listen here, the reason our level is second from the bottom is definitely because you're the one dragging us way down!
孫悟空：その分悟飯が上げてくれてっからいいだろ！
Goku: Well, Gohan's lifting us just as much, so it doesn't matter!
— Dragon Ball Super Episode 82

In the next episode, Beerus again accused Shin of being at fault for their low level, but the context of the limited remaining worlds in Universe 7 might also be relevant.

孫悟飯：人間のいる星ってこの第７宇宙に幾つあるんですか？
Gohan: How many inhabited worlds are there in Universe 7?
界王神：惑星サダラに惑星ベジータナメック星などがなくなってしまいましたから今は２８個でしょうか。
Shin: Since Planet Sadla, Planet Vegeta, and Planet Namek are gone, that makes 28 of them, I believe.
孫悟飯：その中に力の大会で戦えそうな人はいないんですか？
Gohan: Is there anyone on those worlds that could compete in the Tournament of Power?
界王神：分かりません。戦闘能力という視点では観察してませんから。
Shin: I do not know. I have never observed them from the perspective of their combat abilities.
ビルス：そんなことも調べてないからレベルの低い宇宙なんて言われるんだ。
Beerus: It's because you don't keep tabs on that that the others say that we're a low-level universe.
老界王神：１２の宇宙の中で人間レベルは下から２番目か。やれやれ…。
Elder Kaiōshin: Our average mortal level is second from the lowest out of all 12 universes. Good grief.
— Dragon Ball Super Episode 83