Dragon Ball 10 Times Vegeta Was His Own Worst Enemy

From allowing main villains to transform to underestimating some of Dragon Ball’s strongest characters, Vegeta doesn’t always think clearly.

Almost everything bad that happens to Vegeta comes down to his own actions in some way, shape, or form. Vegeta doesn’t play by the rule or well with others, which causes him to suffer quite frequently throughout Dragon Ball. Vegeta’s signature technique isn’t the Big Bang Attack or Final Flash– it’s picking a fight with all the wrong opponents in Dragon Ball.

At the end of the day, Vegeta is his own worst enemy. The fact he can overcome his own failing is what makes him one of Dragon Ball’s most compelling characters, but it’s hard to ignore just how often Vegeta seals his own fate. From allowing main villains to transform to underestimating some of Dragon Ball’s strongest characters, Vegeta doesn’t always think clearly.

10 Casually Betraying Frieza

Given their history and the fact that Frieza is a genocidal maniac, Vegeta was always going to part ways with his overlord sooner rather than later– especially considering how proud of his own Saiyan heritage he is. The problem here is that Vegeta ends up betraying Frieza in the most casual, asinine manner possible.

He simply heads off to Earth. Vegeta doesn’t take off his Scouter or even stop using Frieza Force tech: he simply takes an entire year off from his duties to head to Earth with Nappa. Vegeta’s shocked when Cui reveals that Frieza overhead everything and is heading towards Namek, but the Prince of all Saiyans really should have known better. Especially since the whole reason he goes to Earth is because he listens in on Raditz’s Scouter.

9 Underestimating Goku

Vegeta’s a man who’s allowed his entire life status to be defined by class. Saiyan culture designates citizens into tiers, and Vegeta clarifies that Goku was specifically lower class while he was an Elite Saiyan himself. This causes Vegeta to go into their fight with an arrogance that Goku is able to smash into pieces.

Never before has Vegeta’s pride been so wounded. Through the Kaioken, Goku not only draws blood, but utterly humiliates the Prince of all Saiyans. Vegeta survives, but he ends up losing their beam struggle altogether– a loss which haunts Vegeta’s rivalry with Goku for most of Dragon Ball.

8 Turning Into An Oozaru

Vegeta is so psychologically wounded by his personal defeat at the hands of Goku that he fails to read the situation properly. Following their beam struggle, Goku is entirely out of stamina and Ki. He can run around, but he won’t be fighting back. Vegeta doesn’t recognize this, however, wasting his Ki to create an artificial moon.

Vegeta’s plan is to break every bone in Goku’s body as an Oozaru– a plan which ultimately succeeds– but Vegeta’s actions end up calling Gohan, Krillin, and Yajirobe’s attention. From there, Vegeta is beaten into submission by the Earthlings and only escapes with his life because Goku wants to fight him again.

7 Picking A Fight With Zarbon

Upon being restored to full health after near-death, a Saiyan’s strength grows exponentially. Under Frieza, Vegeta never had an opportunity to take advantage of these biological growths, but that all changes after he’s manhandled on Earth. Come the Namek arc, Vegeta’s pride overfloweth and he picks a fight with Frieza’s strongest generals.

Vegeta being Vegeta, he ultimately pushes his luck too far. Although Cui and Dodoria prove to be easy pickings, Zarbon busts out a transformation (the first traditional one in Dragon Ball) and beats Vegeta silly. The Prince of all Saiyans would have drowned to death had Frieza not demanded his survival.

6 Goading Krillin Into Shooting Him

Vegeta becomes something of a near-death addict by the end of the Namek arc. It’s not hard to see why considering every major loss Vegeta suffers results in him coming back stronger than ever, but he pushes things too far during the fight with Frieza. Worried over how powerful Frieza’s true form will be, Vegeta forces Krillin to nearly kill him in hopes that Dende will provide healing.

Still raw over Vegeta slaughtering innocent Namekians, however, Dende outright refuses and leaves Vegeta to die. It’s only through Piccolo’s convincing otherwise that Vegeta is spared, albeit for but a brief moment.

5 Challenging Frieza

Energized by his latest near-death boost, Vegeta rushes into the fight against final form Frieza with the most confidence he’s had all arc– only to be immediately put in his place. While the anime gives Vegeta a slightly better showing, the battle is a one-sided massacre in the manga where Vegeta is left at Frieza’s mercy the entire team. The once proud Saiyan dies sobbing, begging Goku to defeat Frieza with the pride of a Saiyan in his heart. Burying Vegeta in an unmarked grave on a dying planet, Goku begins his final fight with Frieza.

4 Letting Cell Absorb 18

Vegeta does a lot of stupid and downright cruel things in Dragon Ball. It’s part of his nature and what makes him such a dynamic character at the end of the day. While Vegeta eases his way into the supporting cast during the Namek arc, he’s still a proper villain for a huge chunk of the series– he’s just on the main character’s side.

This is most evidenced when he lets Cell absorb Android 18, wasting the Dragon Team’s efforts and giving birth to Perfect Cell– one of the strongest antagonists in Dragon Ball. Perfect Cell beats Vegeta into submission, putting into perspective how futile the year he spent in the Room of Spirit and Time ultimately was.

3 Attacking Super Perfect Cell

For what it’s worth, this is one of Vegeta’s best moments in all of Dragon Ball. After spending the entire Cell arc badmouthing Trunks and treating him with complete disrespect, Vegeta is forced to confront the fact he loves his son when Cell kills the boy. Enraged over what he’s lost, Vegeta charges at Cell only to nearly die in the process.

Gohan saves Vegeta’s life, but he’s left crippled and bloody for his final fight against Cell. Vegeta acted on a strong emotional impulse driven by his love for Trunks, but like Krillin ends up reminding him, the Dragon Balls would have brought him back. Still, it’s an understandable act on Vegeta’s part.

2 Giving Into Bobbidi’s Possession

Easily Vegeta’s lowest point in Dragon Ball, a mid-life crisis and years of insecurity stemming from Goku allow him to give into Bobbidi’s possession. While Vegeta doesn’t end up doing the Warlock’s bidding, he uses his new Majin powers to indulge in who he used to be: a cold-blooded murderer.

Majin Vegeta kills countless innocents at the 25th Tenkaichi Budokai before forcing Goku into a fight that awakens Majin Buu. Despite Vegeta’s incessant cruelty, Goku pushes Vegeta to recognize all the good in him, how he’s changed, and the genuine love he’s developed for Bulma & Trunks.

1 Knocking Out Goku

With Majin Buu awake, Goku and Vegeta decide to team up in order to stop the Djinn as best they can. Unfortunately, Vegeta carries all the responsibility on his shoulders & ends up knocking out Goku. As a result, Vegeta flies off to give his life against Majin Buu in an effort that ultimately goes wasted.

Had Goku at least tagged along, the two could have developed some kind of game plan alongside Piccolo. If not that, the Saiyans could have at least regrouped for the time being. Instead, Vegeta rushes off to his death. If nothing else, it’s one of Dragon Ball’s finest moments.