Dragon Ball Super Is Making Vegeta Way More Interesting Than Goku

Dragon Ball Super is making Vegeta way more interesting than Goku. While some fans would certainly argue that this statement has been true about the series all along, the latest Dragon Ball Super arc has pretty much taken it from a place of impassioned opinion to being a pretty irrefutable case, based on the latest story arc. Dragon Ball has (for the first time) made a pointed investment in developing Vegeta more as an independent character rather than a Saiyan shadow clone of Goku – in terms of powers and character and not just attitude. Always the question is: Where is this all headed? 

The latest two arcs of the Dragon Ball Super Manga – the Moro Arc and Granolah Arc – have both followed a lot of the usual Dragon Ball storytelling patterns, from the initial unbeatable villain to the necessary road to new power-ups and transformations, to the inevitable victory as Saiyan supremacy once again shows itself. 

That said, there have been a lot of fresh new deviations on the usual Dragon Ball formula in the last few arcs, as well – particularly where Goku and Vegeta are concerned. The middle act of the Moro Arc saw major fission appear in Goku and Vegeta’s relationship, where Vegeta vowed never to follow in the power footsteps of Goku again. The Saiyan Prince achieved that goal by unlocking an entirely new energy control power (Spirit Control) to take down Moro. The Granolah Arc has further made good on that promise, as Vegeta has gone down the path of a Destroyer God, unlocking the new form of “Ultra Ego,” which is a power more tailored made to his personality and unquenchable Saiyan Pride. 

Vegeta getting his own unique powers and forms are definitely a source of major new appeal to Dragon Ball fans – but it goes deeper than that. Akira Toriyama and Toyotaro have used these last two manga arcs to force Vegeta to not only grow in new directions but also atone for his past misdeeds. Things got deep in the Moro Arc when Vegeta had to face the New Namekians who still remembered his ruthless campaign of slaughter there during Dragon Ball Z’s Freeza Arc. 

Vegeta’s apology to the Namekians was a major turning point in his character; the Granolah Arc has only furthered Vegeta’s heroic turn, showing him to be able to take on the bad legacy of the entire Saiyan race for their violence (against Granolah’s homeworld Cereal). Vegeta was willing to die in battle against a foe (Granolah) with a deserved grudge; even when not doing battle himself, Vegeta has also been a supporting coach for both Goku and now Graonlah (in the latest chapter). 

Meanwhile, Goku’s character arc in this Granolah storyline is much less dynamic or clear. Even the major reveal of Goku’s father, Bardock, having been the key figure who saved Granolah’s life hasn’t seemed to impact or move Goku at all. At this point, it’s hard to key-in on anything interesting going on with Goku as a character – other than his need to fight all the time. 

But what will Dragon Ball Super do with Vegeta’s newfound agency and deeper character? That’s a whole other conversation…