Vegeta has been chasing Goku since their rivalry first began early in Dragon Ball Z. No matter how much Vegeta grew as a fighter, he could never seem to catch up to Kakarot for reasons he couldn’t quite understand. At a certain point, it became clear that Goku’s strength didn’t just come from his sheer potential for power, but rather from who he was as a person. It wasn’t until Vegeta grew as an individual that he could finally approach Goku’s level of power, and that wouldn’t finally come to fruition until Dragon Ball Super.
By the end of DBZ, Vegeta finally lets go of his pride, realizing it was the thing holding him back. Vegeta accepted that Goku was the best, because Goku was more than just a powerful fighter – his life experiences led him to become a truly great person. Vegeta’s path of self discovery was one of the highlights of DBZ’s storytelling, and it carried over to become a major part of Dragon Ball Super as well. Vegeta’s growth arc is arguably the greatest redemption story in anime history, and that’s a legacy even Goku can’t surpass.
Vegeta’s Character in Super is Consistent With His Growth From DBZ
Vegeta’s Ups and Downs Through Dragon Ball Z Made Him the Hero He Became in Super
Vegeta’s story in Dragon Ball Super picks up exactly where it left off following the Buu Saga. Vegeta has gone through all the stages of becoming a better person two times over, and after relapsing as a Majin and making the ultimate sacrifice, there’s no way he could ever go back to becoming the villain again. That being the case, Vegeta settled into life as an earthling, accepting his place as one of the Z Fighters, and embracing his family as a father and husband.
Vegeta’s growth is immediately apparent in Super, when he stands up for Bulma against Beerus. While “my Bulma” has become a huge meme in the anime fandom, it’s actually so much more than that for Vegeta as a character. This is a big moment that shows how far Vegeta has come as a person. During the Android Saga in DBZ, Bulma and her newborn son fly in a helicopter near the battlefield as Android 20 attempts to make his escape from Vegeta. In an attempt to distract the Saiyan, 20 shot down the aircraft, sending Bulma and baby Trunks to their impending doom. They would have died if Future Trunks hadn’t rescued them – no thanks to Vegeta. Vegeta had no care for Bulma or his newborn son at the time. All he cared about was testing out his new Super Saiyan power against the Androids.
This attitude is in stark contrast to Vegeta’s “my Bulma” moment, displaying how he truly had changed. Unlike in the earlier arcs of DBZ, Vegeta has people he cares for who he is willing to lay his life on the line to protect. It’s not just all about power anymore to him. In fact, when Bulma was about to give birth to she and Vegeta’s second child, Bra, Vegeta even chose to stay behind and look after her rather than going to Beerus’ planet to train. This would have been an unprecedented decision in DBZ, but it makes sense by the time of DBS given how far he’s come. Vegeta’s standoffish personality and grumpy attitude never change, even in Super. However, his actions and his values have clearly changed in a way that is consistent with who he became at the end of DBZ’s Buu Saga.
TERSEDIA JUGA: