Dragon Ball 10 Ways Goku Made Vegeta A Better Person

Thanks to his relationship with Goku, Vegeta changed the beat of his drum and thus grew a lot as a person, as most who encounter Goku do.

One of the main draws of the Dragon Ball series is the characters that star in it. These many characters and the chemistry between them always bring fans back for more. At the forefront of these relationships is that of the two rivals, Goku and Vegeta.

Every fan of the series knows that Vegeta wasn't always the friendly rival that he is today. At first, he was a much different, more cruel, and ruthless man that knew nothing of friendship. Thanks to his relationship with Goku, he changed the beat of his drum and thus grew a lot as a person, as most who encounter Goku do.

10 He Taught Him About True Friendship

Before Vegeta met Goku he knew absolutely nothing about friendship. As seen in his relationship with Saiyan companions Nappa and Raditz, all Vegeta understood was how to use people as pawns.

After fighting alongside the members of Earth's defender during the Android and Cell sagas, he grew closer to everyone else. The following saga, the Buu saga, showed that he grew to become actual friends with many Z-Fighters, including Goku.

9 He Gave Him Someone To Relate To

Vegeta broke down in tears after being defeated by Frieza and finally opened up about the sad past of his race and himself. He also noted that he and Goku were the true last of their kind.

Goku gave Vegeta someone to relate to simply by allowing him to live after defeating him and being there. This has brought the two former enemies closer than anything else could.

8 He Introduced Him To His Wife

While he didn't directly get Vegeta and Bulma to start dating and eventually marry, Goku's relationship with the two and mercy on Vegeta did indirectly introduce the two.

Without Goku bringing him back to life, Vegeta would have never come to Earth and had that faithful meeting with his future wife. This was yet another door Goku opened for his rival.

7 He Showed Him What Family Was

Before Goku even introduced Vegeta to Bulma he showed him something that truly leads to power. The thing he showed him was a real family relationship.

Vegeta once had nothing to truly fight for but revenge for a lost past. Goku showed him something that would really give him something to fight for and now Vegeta is the biggest family man in the series.

6 He Gave Him Something To Strive Toward

Vegeta used to basically wonder space with no true goal. He simply sought vengeance on Frieza with no one to care about until he was met and defeated by Goku.

Now fans know that Vegeta will never shut up about his newfound rival. Goku gave him something to live for before Vegeta got a family. His new goal of wanting to surpass Goku gave his life a new meaning and opened another door towards a good life for him.

5 He Helped Him Find A New Home

During his first entrance into the Dragon Ball series, Vegeta had nothing. No family, no friends, no true goals, and definitely no home.

Upon meeting Goku and finally warming up to the Earthlings, even if it was basically against his will, he found a home where he finally was surrounded by others.

4 He Showed Him He Could Achieve Anything

Vegeta always believed that he would become the legendary Super Saiyan and defeat Frieza, finally avenging his race. Upon his defeat, he found that wasn't the case for him, but for Goku.

When Goku became the Super Saiyan another door opened for Vegeta that showed him he could accomplish anything. Goku was classified as a low-class Saiyan, but he surpassed any Saiyan Vegeta had met before.

3 He Helped Him Find Real Happiness

Vegeta never really knew what happiness was. He only found fulfillment in doing things that got him a quick smile, such as killing enemies and enacting revenge.

These selfish and cruel feats weren't truly doors to happiness and something in Vegeta knew that. Goku offering him friendship and a new home led to him truly becoming happy.

2 He Made Him Grow Up

Not only did Goku teach Vegeta what happiness really entailed, but he made him grow up in general. Vegeta was an adult but he definitely wasn't mature.

He had childish desires and wanted nothing but power for himself. Goku showed him that there was a lot more to life than that. Even though Goku is definitely a lot less mature, he made Vegeta finally mentally grow up.

1 He Showed Him Mercy

Another thing that Vegeta didn't understand during his earliest days in the Dragon Balls series was mercy. He would completely obliterate someone for just looking at him wrong, as seen with Nappa and his reaction to Raditz's death.

Now even someone who was as evil as Vegeta will think twice before completely killing someone. However, unlike Goku, he won't think twice before he destroys someone that is truly evil.