In contrast to the previous episode’s “Respect of Vegeta”, which largely focuses on Vegeta as he watches Goku fight Buu. This is where Vegeta rethinks his path, the inner monologue that closes the chapter on Vegeta’s character arc. During his monologue, Vegeta realizes that he just wants to be strong to defeat others, and the reason Goku beats him and surpasses him time and time again is because he fights for himself – he fights to be better than before, not to be better than others. Vegeta realizes it’s this what makes Goku better than him, is not strength, not skill, but the desire to always be better for himself and not for anyone else.
The monologue also shows Vegeta thinking about his family, about calling Earth his home, and how Goku changes him for the better. The speech ends with Vegeta admitting that Goku is the best, acknowledging that he is no longer bitter about it, and trusting that Goku will defeat Buu. Vegeta’s character arc is one of the best in all of anime, and this episode is what brings it all home.
You’ve got it, 10 best episodes seven dragon pearls must offer, considering the best aspects of the series. I dare not put them in order, because they are all great for different reasons, different combinations of DBZits greatest features, from its greatest battles to its most influential character moments and the highest peaks in its storytelling.
Sean is a writer/researcher living in LA and loves Sonic, Dragon Ball and his dog. You can follow him on Twitter and found her work on website. He also co-hosted Sonic Podcast Adventures and stream regularly on convulsion.
