Prince of Saiyans. Former conqueror of Earth. Current defender of Earth. Vegeta, on his surface is a pretty simple character but the more you learn about him, the he becomes a strange individual. His species cannot love and yet he does. He grew to love the very planet he was sent to destroy, a villain turned hero, he’s a weird one for his kind. How do you get to be that way? Let’s try and find out!
Vegeta was born on the planet Vegeta to his father, Vegeta, king of the Saiyan people. King Vegeta had many things named after him. Saiyans were a mighty warrior race of humanoids with monkey-like tails. Saiyans prized power, strength, and fighting skill over all other aspects of life, they do not seem to capable of love in any form. When babies are born they have their power level tested and if the baby’s numbers are high, they can be a part of the upper class, Vegeta made his father proud being of a power level befitting a prince. Vegeta was raised with the belief in Saiyan superiority but then Lord Frieza took over and while his father could lead his people, it was only for a time.
Now under the control of Frieza, Vegeta would be enslaved to due his bidding at the risk of his own father’s life. He would become one of Frieza’s best agents for planetary destruction, Vegeta did what had to be done to keep his father alive. Frieza would hear the legends of the Super Saiyans, a form Saiyans could take to become nearly unstoppable, god-like combatants. Realizing that if even just one Saiyan could achieve this form, it would be a threat to his empire. Frieza would destroy the planet Vegeta with most of the species on it, including King Vegeta. Young Vegata was spared along with his friends Raditz and Nappa.
Enraged, Vegeta realizes he must find a way to become more powerful than Frieza so he could kill him to avenge his father and his people while freeing himself. Sadly, this was too impossible at the time, Frieza could easily wipe out the entire Saiyan race so Vegeta would have to bide his time. When sent to the planet Earth along with Nappa after Raditz’s excursion there had him sending them a dying message of magical Dragon Balls that could grant wishes.
Vegeta took glee in allowing Nappa to let loose on the people of Earth and these so-called murderers of his friend. Now seeking to find these Dragon Balls so they could resurrect Raditz, but in reality, Vegeta had hoped to wish for immortality so he could finally be powerful enough to kill Frieza. The Earth’s strange defenders did their best to fend off the two Saiyans but Nappa alone proved too much for them. He would kill a Namekian and nearly kill a unusually powerful child who been enraged by the death of the Namekian. This impressed Vegeta and he felt something was strange about the child, Gohan.
Things all went to ruin when another man, the father of the boy arrived, Goku. This was someone who had power levels unheard of ever before, this isn’t a human, it’s a Saiyan. Vegeta is confused at seeing Goku able to go head to head with Nappa, even injuring him very badly. Disgusted when Goku offers Vegeta a chance to leave so he could take Nappa to healed, Vegeta kills Nappa himself for his failure and threatens to kill Gohan and Goku’s friend Krillin. Goku is able to get them to fight far away from other people so they can go all out in their attacks.
Vegeta and Goku’s fight pushes the both to their limit, while Vegeta was stronger to start with, Goku proves his skills allow him to become more and more powerful as the fight goes on. Vegeta is forced to use the Saiyan ability to become a giant ape that empowers him enough to defeat Goku. While he is distracted, though, Gohan and Krillin were able to sever Vegeta’s tail, destroying his ability to become the Power Ape. To have transformed in the first place, Vegeta had to use a device called a Power Ball that allows Saiyans to transform into the Power Ape form at will. Young Gohan’s exposure to this item had him regrow the tail his father had cut off when he was born to avoid this type of situation from the Earth’s full moon. Now though, Vegeta had been weakened by his fight with Goku and now Gohan’s tail meant he was turning into a Power Ape who had the man who hurt his father directly in his sights. Realizing the boy had no control over this form, Vegeta was able to sever his new tail but was knocked out by the giant ape landing on him before he could return back into the child Gohan. Badly wounded and exhausted, Vegeta would escape to his ship and get away to recover.
Now technically on the run from Frieza and his forces, Vegeta would head to the planet Namek where he had learned another set of Dragon Balls could be collected for a wish. There, he would find that not only were Gohan and Krillin searching for the Dragon Balls there, but as was Frieza’s lackeys. This leads to a race against one another as Vegeta fights off Frieza’s minions until he sends his most powerful lieutenants, the Ginyu Force, to fight him. It’s when these forces arrive that Krillin and Gohan team up with Vegeta so they can use their collected Dragon Balls to wish for Vegeta’s immortality so he can defeat the Ginyu Force, but first, they must collect the seventh ball. The three work together but proved to be no match for some of the Ginyu Force. Goku arrives and saves them but it is Vegeta who kills the wounded Ginyu Force members to protect them from further attacks. Goku and Vegeta are able to fight off the entire Ginyu Force, meaning that now Lord Frieza would have to step in himself. Realizing that Goku was too valuable an asset, Vegeta allies himself with Goku and his friends so that he has a chance against Frieza. This would begin Vegeta’s turn into a hero of Earth, an ally of Goku, a loving husband, and father.
There you have it! There’s a lot of Vegeta’s story left untold but that’s for you to read and/or watch in Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super! He has become quite the face a turn from his days as a slave of Frieza to a defender of life. He is a well loved character and been on the big and small screen many, many times. He’s appeared in video games and been made into countless toys and other merchandise. What’s next for him? We’ll have to wait and see!
Suggested Reading
Dragon Ball Z
Dragon Ball Super
Dr. Bustos
drbustos@comicattack.net
