Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball has endured for more than three decades, and it’s cultivated a dedicated and passionate audience that’s larger than ever before. Dragon Ball leans into action-packed shonen staples as Goku and friends protect the planet from evil forces, but it’s steadily evolved into a more intricate and grandiose piece of storytelling.
Dragon Ball has developed many memorable characters that have become anime icons, and few are more popular than Vegeta. Vegeta’s no-nonsense attitude and killer instinct means that he’s always interesting to watch, but he frequently gets in his own way, and childish impulses hold the Saiyan Prince back from true greatness.
9 His Quest For Immortality Causes Many Casualties
Vegeta first becomes a terrifying presence in Dragon Ball Z during his invasion of Earth, but it’s his hunt for Planet Namek’s Dragon Balls that really highlights the extent of Vegeta’s callous nature. Namek’s superior Dragon Balls cause quite the stir, and Vegeta’s goal purely serves himself, rather than what Earth’s heroes hope to do with the wish-granting orbs.
Vegeta wants the Dragon Balls to gain immortality, and he massacres many innocent Namekians along the way, which turns out to haunt him long after the fact. Vegeta is unsuccessful in his selfish pursuit and causes unnecessary fatalities.
8 He Submits To Babidi’s Majin Power Boost
Vegeta is one of the Dragon Ball’s most prideful characters, and there are certainly moments where he’d rather admit defeat than accept someone else’s help. Vegeta experiences a true crisis of faith during the Buu Saga, and he succumbs to a tempting opportunity to gain a lot of power in a short amount of time.
Babidi creates several willing slaves through his manipulative Majin sorcery, which he pressures Vegeta into as a possible way to surpass Goku’s strength. Majin Vegeta doesn’t just take the lives of many innocent civilians, but the extra energy that Vegeta provides Babidi with is enough to trigger Buu’s awakening.
7 He Gloats Over Golden Frieza, Who Uses The Opportunity To Blow Up The Earth
There are lots of dedicated villains who plague Dragon Ball’s heroes, but Frieza is by far the most persistent, and he’s returned to cause trouble more than any other antagonist. Frieza’s jailbreak from hell and the reveal of his new Golden form gives the heroes pause, but Goku and Vegeta’s Super Saiyan Blue strength overwhelms the villain.
Vegeta humiliates a weakened Frieza and taunts him when he could instead finish him off. Vegeta’s grandstanding gives Frieza enough of an opportunity to cause Earth’s destruction. Thankfully, Whis’ Temporal Do-Over reverses the damage.
6 He Forces Dende To Heal Him On Namek
The battle against Frieza on Planet Namek pushes every character to their limit. Frieza wipes out characters like Piccolo and Gohan, while others like Krillin, Vegeta, and Dende have their lives ended by the malevolent tyrant. Dende becomes an unexpected asset during Frieza’s assault since his Namekian healing abilities give the characters more chances to survive.
Vegeta engages in a volatile practice to boost his Saiyan strength, which involves the use of Dende’s healing. Frieza clues into Dende’s powers, and he takes out the young Namekian. Dende perishes, and Vegeta is also unable to defeat Frieza with his restored strength.
5 His Frivolous Genocide Of The Arlians
The Saiyan invasion on Earth gives Dragon Ball’s heroes serious cause for concern, especially since Goku is still deceased when they first make contact. Raditz establishes the deadly and powerful nature of the Saiyans, but Dragon Ball Z provides another early opportunity to showcase Vegeta and Nappa’s intimidating brawn. Before arriving on Earth, Vegeta and Nappa make a pitstop on Arlia.
Vegeta toys with the extraterrestrial species, only to finally annihilate their planet as they exit. Vegeta doesn’t directly have to answer to any consequences for Planet Arlia’s destruction, but it paints the Saiyans in a negative light, which gets Vegeta and Goku into trouble to this day.
4 His Hubris Allows Cell To Achieve Perfection
Vegeta’s strength is nothing to mock, and he’s responsible for the defeat of some legendary fighters from across the universe. That being said, Vegeta occasionally jumps the gun with his power boosts, and he’s been quick to announce his invulnerability, only to be humbled shortly after.
Vegeta’s early foray into Super Saiyan status inflates his ego to a concerning degree. Vegeta is so confident in what he’s accomplished during his training with Future Trunks that he allows Semi-Perfect Cell to absorb Android 18 and attain perfection. Vegeta assumes that this improved Cell will still be no match for him, but he’s woefully mistaken.
3 He Refuses Cooperation From Goku When It Could Lead To Their Victory
Teamwork is absolutely essential in Dragon Ball. It’s always exciting when someone taps into unknown strength, masters a new transformation, and rises to victory. However, a more tried and true strategy for success involves a united front from a team. Vegeta has worked together with Goku on many occasions, but it’s still a sensitive area for the Saiyan.
Vegeta has hesitated to fuse with Goku in the past and outright denied his help during their battle against Granolah. Vegeta’s selfish pride prohibits him and Goku from an easier win, which frequently results in unnecessary casualties.
2 His Elimination Of Nappa Contributes To His Defeat On Earth
Vegeta and Goku develop a compelling friendly rivalry and partnership over the years, but Vegeta’s initial partner is a burly Saiyan named Nappa. Nappa does a lot of the initial heavy lifting when he and Vegeta first land on Earth. He’s responsible for the deaths of many of Earth’s finest, but Vegeta doesn’t hesitate to finish him off once he fails to keep up with Goku’s speed and strength.
Vegeta never shows remorse for Nappa’s elimination, but if he was still around, he could have assisted him in his fight against Krillin and Gohan, especially as a Great Ape.
1 He Fails To Take Arale Norimaki Seriously As A “Gag” Character
Dragon Ball is by far Akira Toriyama’s most popular property, but he’s responsible for many other beloved series and character designs. Toriyama’s Dragon Ball has crossed over with his comedic series, Dr. Slump, which takes advantage of the novelty of having Goku and robotic scamp Arale Norimaki together.
Dragon Ball Super brings Arale back into the fray in one of the series’ weirdest and silliest installments. Arale wreaks havoc on Dragon Ball’s heroes, which leaves Vegeta deeply hurt and humbled. Vegeta reduces Arale to a “gag character” and doesn’t take her seriously, which results in his defeat.
About The Author
