Only One Z Fighter Earned Vegeta's Respect Before Goku

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Published May 30, 2026, 11:30 PM EDT

Zach joined the ScreenRant Anime team as a contributor in June 2024, before taking on a Senior Writer role in November. Since then, he has covered breaking news and produced features and lists about the most popular anime titles.

More than 40 years on from its debut, Dragon Ball is as successful as it ever was, consistently raking in as much or more profit than other top franchises in the anime industry, and that doesn't appear likely to change with Dragon Ball Super's continuation scheduled to arrive in the near future. In recent years, the series' success has been tied to one major shift in the dynamic between two of its main characters.

When Dragon Ball stepped into the territory of gods and angels with 2013's Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods, the series stapled Goku and Vegeta at the hip, and continued the never-ending story with the two Saiyans side by side in the spotlight. For the first time since Saiyans were introduced into the series, another character was kept on equal footing with Goku, spawning a new generation of self-proclaimed Vegeta superfans.

However, long before the Saiyan duo teamed up to train under Whis, even before the prince relented and gave Goku the title of 'number one', another fighter earned Vegeta's respect. Of all Earth's greatest heroes with whom Vegeta fought and teamed up early on, Gohan was the only one towards whom Saiyan prince felt any sense of pride.

Gohan Earned Vegeta's Respect Before Goku Did

Vegeta Felt a Sense of Saiyan Pride Towards Gohan Early On in His Time in Dragon Ball

Vegeta is a relatively complex character, especially for a series like Dragon Ball. When he entered the series, he felt disdain for Goku, largely because he was born a lower-class Saiyan and embodied everything the Saiyan warrior was not. Despite that, his intense dislike for Goku did not spill over into a hatred for Goku's son. Gohan, regardless of his own reservations about fighting, was on the frontlines at a young age, something Vegeta came to respect when he was given no option but to team up with the young half-Saiyan on Planet Namek.

Later, in the Cell Saga, when Gohan surpassed everyone including his own father, Vegeta did the unthinkable. A shift in his personality had begun, and when Trunks was killed by Cell, Vegeta lost his cool and launched a selfish attack on the villain. The attack brought no benefit to the heroes, and resulted in Gohan losing the ability to use one of his arms. For the first time in the series, Vegeta apologized for his actions, something Gohan noted as a bad omen for the Earth's future.

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Even today, with all Vegeta has been through and all the change he's undergone, he wouldn't be caught apologizing to Goku for his actions in a fight. The prince felt a genuine sense of pride in Gohan's strength, as another powerful member of the Saiyan race, and his respect for Goku's son hasn't faded throughout the series. In the Buu Saga, when Gohan began to slack off, Vegeta criticized him not out of spite, but because he genuinely expected greater things from the young hybrid Saiyan.

Modern Dragon Ball Benefits from Vegeta's Evolution

Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Piccolo, and Broly as seen in Dragon Ball Super

Keeping a four-decade-old franchise fresh is a tough task, especially one that focuses on a clear protagonist as iconic as Goku. However, the franchise expanded its focus to include Vegeta during the airing of Dragon Ball Super, a change that's allowed the series to remain as popular as it has over the past decade. The prince consistently ranks among the favorite villains-turned-heroes in anime, and Dragon Ball fans will never complain about his receiving more screen time.

Dragon Ball · Character Profile Which Dragon Ball Character Are You? “Power comes in response to a need, not a desire.”

👊 Goku The Fighter

👑 Vegeta The Prince

🧘 Piccolo The Mentor

POWER UP →

A powerful new enemy appears. What’s your first reaction?

AThis is amazing! I can’t wait to fight them and see how strong they are! BI’ll defeat them myself. No one else is worthy of the challenge. CWe need a plan. Rushing in blindly is how people get killed.

How do you train for an upcoming battle?

AFind the strongest sparring partner I can and push myself past my limits every day BTrain alone in isolation — I don’t need anyone holding me back CMeditate, study the enemy’s weaknesses, and train the younger fighters so they’re ready too

Your team is losing a fight. What do you do?

AJump in front of everyone — I’ll take the hits so my friends can regroup BGet angry. I refuse to lose — my pride won’t allow it. I’ll surpass my limits right here. CFall back and coordinate — someone needs to think clearly while everyone else is panicking

A rival challenges you to a one-on-one fight. How do you respond?

AAbsolutely! Let’s go right now — no holding back! BFinally, a chance to prove I am the strongest. I accept — and I will crush you. CIf it serves a purpose, fine. But pointless fighting is a waste of energy.

An old enemy offers to join your side. What do you do?

AI don’t trust them — once an enemy, always an enemy. They’ll betray us. BSure! Everyone deserves a second chance. The more friends the better! CI’ll allow it, but I’m watching them closely. Trust is earned, not given.

What’s your biggest weakness?

AI’m too trusting and sometimes let enemies power up just for the thrill of the fight BMy pride — I’d rather die than accept help from someone else CI keep everyone at arm’s length — caring about people is a liability I struggle with

You sense a massive power level approaching Earth. What’s your move?

AFly straight toward it — I want to meet them first and see what they’re made of BPrepare myself — if this threat is real, I’ll be the one to destroy it CGather the fighters, assess the threat, and make sure the people I protect are safe first

What drives you more than anything?

AProtecting those who can’t protect themselves — someone has to be the responsible one BThe thrill of getting stronger — there’s always a new level to reach, a new challenge to find CProving my worth — I am the Prince of all Saiyans, and I will surpass everyone

REVEAL MY CHARACTER →

Power Level Scanned Your Dragon Ball Identity

👊

Goku

“I am the hope of the universe. I am the answer to all living things that cry out for peace.” You’re a pure-hearted warrior who lives for the thrill of the fight. Every challenge is an opportunity, every enemy a potential friend, and every defeat just fuel to come back stronger. People are drawn to your infectious optimism and unbreakable spirit, even when your naivety drives them crazy. You’d give your last Senzu Bean to a stranger and charge headfirst into a battle you can’t win — not because you’re reckless, but because you genuinely believe that pushing past your limits is the only way to grow. Like Goku, your greatest power isn’t your ki — it’s your ability to inspire everyone around you to be better.

Pure-Hearted Fearless Limitless Inspiring

👑

Vegeta

“I do not fear this new challenge. Rather like a true warrior, I will rise to meet it.” You carry yourself with the pride of royalty and the ferocity of a born warrior. Second place is not in your vocabulary, and you’d rather break your body than your spirit. People might call you arrogant, but beneath that iron exterior lies someone who has learned to fight not just for themselves, but for the people they’ve quietly grown to love. Your journey is one of evolution — from cold-blooded conqueror to Earth’s fiercest protector — and every scar you carry is proof that pride and love can coexist. Like Vegeta, you don’t just want to be the strongest — you need to earn it on your own terms.

Proud Relentless Fierce Evolving

🧘

Piccolo

“Sometimes, we have to look beyond what we want and do what’s best.” You’re the one everyone depends on when things fall apart — the calm center in the middle of chaos. While others charge in recklessly or let their ego do the talking, you see the bigger picture and make the hard calls that need making. You didn’t choose to care about people, but somewhere along the way it happened, and now you’d sacrifice everything for those you’ve taken under your wing. Stoic on the surface, deeply loyal underneath, you’re the mentor, the strategist, and the last line of defense all in one. Like Piccolo, your true strength is wisdom — and the courage to do what’s right even when no one is watching.

Wise Tactical Protective Stoic

↻ PLAY AGAIN

Dragon Ball Super is set to return in the upcoming Galactic Patrol Saga, an arc that includes some of Vegeta's best moments. With Gohan's return to glory in 2022's Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, fans may get the chance to see a team-up between him and the prince in the near future.

Created by Akira Toriyama

First Film Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Rubies

Latest Film Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero

First TV Show Dragon Ball

Latest TV Show Super Dragon Ball Heroes

First Episode Air Date April 26, 1989

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.

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