The anime and manga industry has seen a lot of prominent rivalries unfold, but none of them compares to the one that has been going on between the two Saiyans for ages. Both Goku and Vegeta from Dragon Ball have been fighting since the beginning, and Goku has always grabbed the victory from the hands of Vegeta, which made Vegeta jealous.
However, this might not be the case at all. According to a recent theory, Goku might have never won a fight against Vegeta (except in the training battles). In fact, it is Vegeta who has mostly dominated the fights, proving his worth as the Prince of the Saiyans. This theory also negates the assumptions about Akira Toriyama hating Vegeta.
Because of Goku’s role as the main protagonist, Dragon Ball fans have always assumed that Goku has been Toriyama’s favorite character in the entire series. But if this theory holds any ground, it will clear out the false rumor and help Vegeta fans flaunt the underrated talents of their Saiyan Prince.
The Iconic Dragon Ball Rivalry
Goku and Vegeta’s rivalry started when Vegeta first came to Earth along with Nappa. The two Saiyans planned to use the Dragon Balls of Earth to gain immortality, but they were faced with Goku and his group. From there on, Vegeta recognized Goku’s potential as a Saiyan and decided to prove himself better than him.
While Vegeta tried his level best, Goku always found a way to be one step further from Vegeta. Be it the race to become Super Saiyan or unlock a power as strong as the Ultra Instinct, Goku has always left Vegeta behind. This has not only infuriated Vegeta but also his fanbase, who believe that Goku’s success is the result of plot armor.
Some even blamed Akira Toriyama for being biased towards Goku and not allowing Vegeta to grow and earn his recognition as a prince. Nevertheless, all these external factors have never demotivated Vegeta, who is still pursuing his hunger to beat Goku and become a better Saiyan than him.
Akira Toriyama Might Not Hate Vegeta After All
According to a recent observation, Goku has technically never won a battle against Vegeta. In the entirety of the series, the two Saiyans have only fought twice, and both of these battles have been stopped in between because of outside intervention. Therefore, technically, there has never been a clear winner of Goku and Vegeta’s tussle.
Their first battle was during the Saiyan arc, and although Goku had an initial advantage because of his Kaio-ken, Vegeta was able to turn the fight in his favor by transforming into the Great Ape. However, Yajirobe chops off Vegeta’s tail before he can be crowned the victor, which causes Vegeta to transform back into his natural form.
The second Vegeta vs. Goku battle was during the Majin Buu arc, when Babidi gave additional power to Vegeta, allowing him to transform into Super Saiyan 2. Thus, Vegeta and Goku entered into a fight to see who was stronger, but their fight had to be halted as the danger of Majin Buu grew with every passing minute.
Thus, it can be said that although Vegeta has always tried to catch up to Goku and his insane powers, he has never technically been defeated by him. This also certifies that Toriyama never tried to undermine Vegeta in Dragon Ball, no matter what fans say.
You can watch Dragon Ball on Crunchyroll.
