Summary
Throughout all of anime, there are only a few characters that stick out to the viewers even more than the main protagonist. In the case ofDragon Ball, Vegeta is such a character as, throughout the years, many fans of the franchise have put thePrince of Saiyans as their favorite hero of the bunch. Vegeta represents many themes within the story and serves as the perfect mirror for Goku as well.
One of the biggest reasons why Vegeta often comes out on top as the bestDragon Ballcharacter in multiple polls is due to the redemption arc that he went through.Starting as a cold and ruthless villain, he was defeated by the Z-Fighters and was given a chance to redeem himself, turning into someone who thought of Earth as his new home and even found a family there. So, let’s take a look at Vegeta’s amazing turn from villain to hero.
Vegeta Was Introduced As a Bloodthirsty Warrior in the Saiyan Saga
In his first appearance during the Saiyan Saga, Vegeta was forewarned by Raditz as being one of the 2 Saiyan warriors who would come to Earth in one year. It was here that fans would see that Vegeta was seemingly asoulless murderer who blew up entire planetsif he felt like it, and when he eventually landed on Earth, he was unmatched in his strength and destructive power.
His cold and uncaring nature was shown once more when he mercilessly destroyed his own companion, Nappa, upon his defeat to the Z-Fighters. This was a move that shocked everyone and immediately initiated his climactic battle with Goku, which saw them both give everything they had to put the other down. The entire land was scorched and destroyed, with both of thembeing close to death at multiple points. In the end, Goku finally defeats him with the help of the others but chooses to let him escape, saying that he saw good in Vegeta.
How Vegeta and the Z Fighters Found Common Ground in the Frieza Saga
After his introduction in the Saiyan Saga, fans just wanted more of this character. Due to this,Dragon Ball’screator, Akira Toriyama, brought Vegeta back in the Frieza Saga, though this time in a relatively more heroic role. Though he wasn’t out to help the Namekians and wanted the Dragon Balls for his own selfish reasons, he still aided the heroes and was instrumental in helpingGoku unlock his Super Saiyan form.
Though still brash and ruthless, Vegeta started to show some signs of change. He seemed to value partnership and the essence of teamwork a little more, and he did not holdthe same elitist views that he once did. This was seen when he no longer thought of Goku as a low-level warrior but instead acknowledged him as the last surviving hope of the Saiyans and the one destined to become the Super Saiyan to defeat Frieza. Upon his resurrection,he would acknowledge Goku’s strength again, eventually fleeing to his new home, Earth.
Vegeta Eventually Settled into an Anti-Hero Role in the Android & Cell Sagas
The Android and Cell Sagas would see the biggest change in Vegeta’s demeanor, as well as the start of his rivalry with Goku. Though he always considered them rivals, it was in this story arc thathe, too, would unlock a Super Saiyan formand bring himself to a level of strength that matched Goku. In his drive to become the strongest, Vegeta would get tested many times against strong opponents.
It was also revealed that Vegeta had even started a family with Bulma, who had given birth to a son named Trunks. This was a twist that no one saw coming, as the once cruel, planet-destroying Prince who valued Saiyan pride above all else had started a family and called the Earth his new home.Despite his rivalry with Gokuand constant need to improve his strength, Vegeta slowly starts to find out that there is more to life than just merely getting stronger and chasing power.
While not exactly what one would call a present father to baby Trunks, Vegeta did spend a lot of time training with Future Trunks to get stronger together. The two of them, however, were at odds for a lot of things, such as when they fought becauseVegeta wanted to fight and kill Perfect Cell, but Trunks was against the transformation. Eventually, in the Cell Games, Trunks gets killed by an energy beam from Cell, causing Vegeta to lose composure and give in to his rage, showing that he did care about Trunks.
The Buu Saga Saw Vegeta Change into the Character he is Now
The Buu Saga was where Vegeta got his best character development and confirmed himself to be the favoriteDragon Ballcharacter for most fans of the franchise. Despite swearing never to fight again at the end of the Cell Saga, Vegeta kept up with his training to make himself stronger andeventually surpass Goku to become the strongest.
It was in this arc that his change in attitude was most apparent because, although he remained stoic and unmoved, he showed his love for his family more than ever before. However, his resolve and spirit had not wavered, as was seen when he chastised Gohan for letting Dabura live and lectured him on what it means to be strong. However, his turn toMajin Vegeta is why he is so loved to this day.
Vegeta gave himself over to Babidi to unlock his Majin form, a Super Saiyan 2 transformation that awoke the evil in his heart so he could go back to the callous and unfeeling man thathe used to be back in the Saiyan Saga. However, after fighting Goku, he realizes his mistake and decides to fight Buu himself. In this fight, Vegeta sacrificed his life to attempt to put an end to the monster in perhaps the greatest moment in all ofDragon Ball Zand it was this moment showed how far Vegeta had come, from someone willing to kill his partner tosomeone who gave his life to protecthis newfound family and planet.
Even after he is brought back, Goku knocks some sense into Vegeta about what the future can hold for him and his race if he moves on.This leads to them fusing into Vegito, as Vegeta finally realizes there is more to living than just his pride. This point is further exasperated during Goku’s climactic battle against Kid Buu, where Vegeta acknowledges that Goku is the best and how he still helps fight against Buu despite being weaker to buy Goku time.
Super’s Vegeta Stands As Dragon Ball’s Most Well-Developed Character
Though there are separate arcs contained withinDragon Ball Super, Vegeta’s character pretty much stays the same. During the very first arc when Beerus slaps Bulma, Vegeta unlocks a power in his Super Saiyan 2 form thatputs him above even SS3 Gokuand fights the destroyer, showing how much he loves Bulma. Later, in the Goku Black arc, he overpowers the titular villain and tells him how he could never use Goku’s body to its full potential because he is an imposter, commending Goku’s strength and even complimenting him.
However, in the Granolah arc, Vegeta shows an immense amount of character development. Early on, it is revealed that he still carries the sins of his past and those of his entire race on his back, and they weigh on him all the time, hindering his progress. It is here that Beerus tells him how self-centered that train of thought is, leading to Vegetamoving on and unlocking his Ultra Ego transformation.
During the arc, he goes to Granolah to tell him what he himself has learned over the years, that the past should not hinder one’s progress into the future. Vegeta is a character defined by his pride, but he is done letting that same pride get in the way of him becoming stronger and improving himself as much as he can,something that he imparts to Granolahso the Cerealian can get back up and fight Gas himself.
Vegeta has been through it all; going from a mass-murdering villain to the ultimate redemption story in all ofDragon Ball. Due to him being such an imperfect character filled with flaws, manyfans can relate to him due to how human and realisticthese traits make him as he also embodies the human desire to change and not be defined by his past. Plus, it also helps that he is the coolest character in the series!
