How Did Vegeta Turn From Evil To Good? The Entire History Of Anime's Most Iconic Rival Explained

Vegeta is the most iconic rival in Dragon Ball and all anime. He started the series as one of the toughest opponents Goku had ever faced. As the series progresses, however, Vegeta loses his antagonist traits and becomes an excellent anti-hero, before becoming an all-around good guy fighting to defend his family and the Earth itself. Early Vegeta probably couldn't even conceptualize his character arc, as he basically becomes an entirely new character in the latter half of Dragon Ball Z and in Dragon Ball Super.

If Vegeta could be described by a single character trait, it would be the same as Goku's: they both only want to get stronger and test their skills against mighty opponents. It's why they're perfect rivals and a big reason why Vegeta is willing to put his immense pride to the side when he needs to. Vegeta's change was brought about by both Goku's unrelenting forgiveness and Bulma's ability to domesticate him. With Goku always challenging him, and Bulma making sure he takes a shower, Vegeta is able to have one of the best redemption arcs in the series.

The Vegeta Most Fans Know & Love Started As Goku’s Enemy

A Vicious Antagonist That Was Never Supposed To Become A Hero

Vegeta started the series as a vicious character. He was the main antagonist of the Saiyan Saga, which saw him and Nappa coming to Earth in order to take advantage of the Dragon Balls and grant Vegeta immortality. Vegeta was the prince of the Saiyans, and one of the only three survivors (not counting Goku) of their race after Frieza destroyed it. While Raditz was a threat unlike any the Z Fighters had previously faced, Vegeta and Nappa were on another level. Nappa killed several Z Fighters by himself, before Goku arrived to save the day.

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Vegeta is so cold-blooded early in the series, that he kills his only ally Nappa for not being strong enough. When Goku comes to the battlefield, he beats Nappa pretty easily thanks to his intense training. Vegeta doesn't recognize Goku's strength and focuses on the fact that Nappa lost. He then tricks his ally into thinking he's going to help him before launching him into the air and killing him brutally.

Goku challenges Vegeta to a one-on-one battle that he eventually loses when Vegeta transforms into his Great Ape form. Unlike Vegeta, however, Goku still has friends who can help him. Krillin, Gohan, and even Yajirobe return to the battlefield to even the odds. They eventually beat Vegeta, who decides to retreat. While Krillin had an opportunity to finish Vegeta once and for all, Goku asked him not to. Goku's unflinching forgiveness works out in the end, as Vegeta survives and eventually comes back as a good guy later in the series.

Dragon Ball’s Vegeta Was Pure Evil (Until Frieza Killed Him)

A Key Turning Point For the Character

For most of the first part of Dragon Ball Z, Vegeta didn't care about anything but himself. He wanted to get stronger and wasn't too concerned about how it happened. Even when he was on Namek, he was willing to trick Gohan and Krillin in order to steal the Dragon Balls and become stronger. It wasn't until Frieza killed Vegeta that he opened up to Goku, revealing his true feelings of being a pawn in Frieza's games.

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This moment is a key turning point for the character. Vegeta sheds tears, revealing a human side to himself, and that there is something he cares about more than his selfish desires: the pride of the Saiyan race. It's safe to say that, without this moment of vulnerability, the character would have never resonated that much with fans, which ultimately led to Akira Toriyama deciding to bring him back as a permanent member of the cast.

Putting His Pride Aside and Bulma's Love Ultimately Turned Vegeta Good

Vegeta Found A Family On Earth, Which Made Him A Better Man And Fighter

While Vegeta has become a pretty selfless person thanks to his family, he wasn't always that way. He was alone in the universe both literally and figuratively. When he found Goku, however, he found both a rival and someone who was able to see past all of his negativity. Goku saved Vegeta several times before Vegeta decided to join the Z Fighters, showing the Prince of Saiyans an entirely new type of strength. However, Goku is not the one most responsible for Vegeta's big change.

Like Piccolo, Vegeta was able to realize he had bigger problems than Goku. He still wanted to become the strongest person in the universe, but living on Earth taught him that he didn't have to do it alone. Bulma took an immediate interest in Vegeta. Her strong personality went hand-in-hand with his, making Vegeta finally meet his match on a romantic level. Bulma was one of the few characters in the series who wasn't scared by Vegeta. She was able to tell him what to do, and for some reason, the incredibly prideful Saiyan listened.

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Bulma was able to smooth the rougher parts of Vegeta's personality down. She made him much easier to be around, as he was forced to become friends with the same people he tried to kill not too long before. They even had Trunks not too long after living together, showing just how crazy the two were about each other, even if they didn't want to show it.

This allowed Vegeta to move on from a lot of his more egotistical goals. He didn't want an empire anymore, and he had given up his dreams of immortality. Instead, he used Capsule Corps high-end technology to get stronger for some of his best fights in Dragon Ball, as he waited for his long-time rival to return from his space adventures.

Where Vegeta Sits In Current Dragon Ball Canon

From Villain To Co-Protagonist

Vegeta has gone from full-blown antagonist, to untrustworthy friend, to one of Earth's most valiant defenders. If there's one thing that hasn't changed about the Prince of Saiyans, it's his desire to fight. Vegeta still wants to become the strongest person he can, and thanks to Bulma and Goku's help, he's using his newfound strength for good. In Dragon Ball Super, Vegeta is the only character in Universe Seven that can take Goku on in a fight, bar Beerus and Whis. Thanks to the unwavering support of his fans, Vegeta has finally become Goku's equal and a true co-protagonist of the franchise.

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Beyond his overwhelming strength, Vegeta is also seen to be a proud father and a protective husband. He mourns Future Trunks' death immensely, and even fights the God of Destruction himself for hurting his Bulma. His character arc is one of the best in Dragon Ball, and it has served as an example to countless imitators that followed, trying to recapture the magic of Vegeta's villain-to-hero journey.

Dragon Ball

From the creative mind of Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball is a mega multimedia franchise that spans back to the 1980s. Dragon Ball expanded quickly, starting as a serialized manga for Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan. It made its way overseas via manga and an anime adaptation that is enjoyed worldwide. Dragon Ball was the initial starting animated series that followed the adventures of the young Son Goku as he sought after the Dragon Balls. These mystical orbs would grant the wish of any who gathered them together. Then, the series would branch off into the immensely popular Dragon Ball Z, which followed Goku as an adult and featured high-intensity battles and Goku's never-ending search to be the strongest. The series has also enjoyed several popular video game adaptations and continues to release several new animated series and theatrical films up to the recent popular Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.

Created by Akira Toriyama

Latest TV Show Super Dragon Ball Heroes

First Episode Air Date April 26, 1989

Latest Episode 2019-10-05