In the world of Dragon Ball Super, the bond between Goku and Vegeta encapsulates both its strongest points and its questionable elements. While the series cleverly redefines their dynamic, transforming them into an unlikely duo with a comical camaraderie, there’s a central aspect connecting them that seems out of place within the narrative itself.
In Dragon Ball Super, while Goku and Vegeta make for an engaging pair, their dynamic in the show strays from their original character portrayals. Their bond is predominantly fueled by their competition, with both characters striving to outdo each other in power. However, a concern arises when considering Dragon Ball Super as it takes place after Dragon Ball Z. It seems implausible that Vegeta would continue to focus on surpassing Goku, given the timeline’s progression.
Vegeta Accepted Goku Was the Superior Warrior During the Fight Against Kid Buu
Vegeta Letting Go of His Desire to Surpass Goku is the Final Step of His Character Development in Dragon Ball Z
Among the characters in Dragon Ball Z, Vegeta stands out more than most others. Throughout each arc, he transforms from a malevolent and excessively prideful antagonist, to a humbled, albeit still villainous, reluctant ally of the Z-Fighters. Later, he becomes a true hero who prioritizes protecting his family and Earth. Despite shedding his final traces of darkness and making a selfless effort to halt Majin Buu, there’s one crucial turning point yet to come in his tale.
In the climactic struggle against Kid Buu, Vegeta struggles to maintain pace with the formidable Majin, whereas Goku manages to hold his own. As he observes the two formidable combatants engage, Vegeta abandons his desire to outshine Goku, conceding that indeed, he is “Number One.” Despite his remarkable earlier heroic act, it’s this quiet, introspective moment that highlights Vegeta’s transformation and the lessons he has gleaned from his time with the Z-Fighters.
When Dragon Ball GT, the sequel to Dragon Ball Z, was unveiled, it logically wove in this transformation of Vegeta’s heart into its narrative, as it would have seemed implausible for it to bypass such a crucial development. Though Vegeta is not a primary character in GT and doesn’t receive as much screen time as in other series, the moments he does get are nothing short of exceptional. The mature, selfless warrior who no longer frets about being surpassed by Goku, yet stands ready to don the mantle of hero when necessary, is a character that fans yearned for more insight into.
Dragon Ball Super Pretends Vegeta’s Character Development Stopped After His Heroic Sacrifice
Dragon Ball Super Seemingly Treats the Revised Ending of the Dragon Ball Manga as Canon
In Dragon Ball Super, there are numerous appealing aspects of Vegeta’s characterization. His dedication to his family, his ability to humble himself in various situations, and his charming evolution alongside Bulma have become franchise highlights. The introduction of his mentorship of Cabba adds a fun twist, and the dynamic between him and Goku during the Buu Saga, particularly as the last surviving major characters, makes for an enjoyable partnership. However, these elements, including Vegeta’s overall character development, are somewhat undermined by the series not fully addressing events from Dragon Ball Z.
In Dragon Ball Super, Vegeta is once again fixated on outdoing Goku. He can’t stop talking about it, he seeks to learn God ki from Whis because that’s what Goku has, and he’s committed six years in-universe to being Goku’s training partner, with the dream of eventually surpassing him. Just as Super reverted Vegeta back to his Cell Saga outfit after giving him a new one in the Resurrection ‘F’ Saga, the series seems more interested in delivering what fans expect from the past rather than allowing characters to evolve and progress. It’s hard to care about Vegeta’s bond with Goku or any of his personal growth when the storyline consistently undermines one of his most significant character development moments.
In addition to playing on nostalgia, the character development for Vegeta in Dragon Ball Super may be linked to changes made to the story in 2004. In this updated version, the original final panel was replaced with one showing Vegeta saying, “Someday, I will be the one who will defeat you, Kakarot.” Although this doesn’t fit well as the final scene of Dragon Ball, it set the stage for Vegeta’s regression in DBS. Toriyama had initially decided to take Vegeta’s character development a certain way but hadn’t changed his mind again by the time Super started.
Akira Toriyama didn’t feel it necessary to alter the original conclusion of Dragon Ball, and Dragon Ball Super might not have needed such extensive focus on Vegeta’s character regression. As demonstrated in Dragon Ball GT many years ago, Goku and Vegeta could maintain a compelling dynamic without Vegeta clinging to his immature and awkward infatuation. Despite the strong moments between them in Dragon Ball Super, they might have been even more impactful if the series had better grasped where their relationship stood at the end of DBZ.
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2025-05-04 19:52