I'm trying to find examples of Ascension. The "apotheosis" moment when a character becomes much more than what they were. Goku going super Saiyan would not be an example, but Goku becoming a Saiyan God would be. The Vorlons in Babylon 5 are an example of a species that had ascended to become energetic beings. Protoss can ascend into the Void and return as Archons, as another example. Some eastern philosophies talk about a process of chi/ki cultivation techniques where the endpoint is ascension into a God. A fundamental change to the being itself that combines their body mind and soul into one unit, one essence. Whereas normally they're close, but still fundamentally separate. Obi-wan Kenobi and Yoda are also examples of Ascension where they have to die after years of preparation in order to ascend into energy beings and communicate with the material world from their afterlife plane. Some forms of Ascension take you into higher dimensions and you become capable of perceiving the underlying aspects of reality. Instead of weaving magic on the material world (D&D Forgotten Realms spells) you would reach out to manipulate and weave actual strands of magic to accomplish the same spell. Instead of moving around in the physical world you might've ascended to a Psionic plane where you have to move with thoughts and intention (similar to the Astral Plane.) There's lots of ways to do it and lots of outcomes for different kinds of Ascension.

Trying to figure this out because a character of mine is approaching a time when he will ascend. He has the opportunity to research and learn about different forms of Ascension and Descension (the reverse process, say for example a Vorlon reconstructing a physical body and returning to a state of separate mind/body/soul.)

I'm considering a path of Ascension that combines his body mind and soul with his AI best friend, who currently has a soul and body and mind (granted a soul by a God.) But it helps a lot to have other perspectives and ideas. I haven't fully committed to going down that path just yet.