Ever since Vegeta lost to Goku in Dragon Ball Z, he’s been looking for a way to surpass him. The Saiyan Prince has tried everything from becoming a Super Saiyan to becoming one of Babidi’s Majin slaves. Despite his best efforts, however, he could never take a definitive lead. By the end of the Buu Saga, he accepted that Goku was the better of them because of his reasons for getting strong. Dragon Ball Super, however, would have him go back to trying to surpass Goku. While regressing Vegeta’s character like this was a debatable narrative choice, he might not have been wrong for taking another shot at establishing dominance.
For how similar Goku and Vegeta’s paths for getting more powerful would become, it’s easy to forget that they had much different starting points. For example, a lot of the training martial artists go through on Earth is unlike anything the rest of the universe has seen. Vegeta may be a seasoned fighter, but everything he learned about fighting comes from his time on the Frieza Force, who may as well be street thugs. If the Saiyan Prince ever learned to master his body like the martial artists on Earth, it could give him the boost in strength he’s been looking for.
What Are Vegeta’s Misconceptions About Power?
When the Saiyans first arrived on Earth, they were surprised by the Z-Fighters’ Power Levels. Power Levels are supposed to represent a consistent measurement of a fighter’s maximum output of strength. The Z-Fighters, however, could change their Power Levels based on the situation. They would keep their Power Levels low when they weren’t fighting, raise them when they were, and max them out when landing a decisive blow. All of this fluctuation in output confounded the Saiyans and is even partly responsible for getting Raditz killed.
The Saiyans’ confusion surrounding the Z-Fighters’ Power Levels says a lot about they use their power. They don’t bother to suppress their energy like the Earthlings, but they also don’t get much more powerful when powering up or using full-force attacks. Their output remains around the same level at all times. To them, this made Power Levels seem like a reliable means of gauging someone’s strength; this is why the Earthlings’ rapid and massive changes to their presumed Power Levels were so baffling. As enlightening as this trip could have been, Vegeta was the only one to get anything out of it.
Vegeta showed what he learned about altering Power Levels on Namek. However, all he seemed to know was how to suppress his energy, which he demonstrated to Cui. If he also learned to maximize his energy output like the Z-Fighters, it wasn’t implicitly stated.
However, it was clear the Saiyans’ misconceptions about Power Levels stemmed from their employers, the Frieza Force. These space pirates reacted to the Earthlings and Vegeta’s fluctuating Power Levels like the Saiyans on Earth. Their understanding of Ki control was just as flawed.
Why Are the Z-Fighters So Different from Every Other Fighter?
Frieza and his henchmen’s misunderstanding of Ki control was further proven through the Ginyu Force. When Captain Ginyu tried switching bodies with Goku, he thought he would have immediate access to the Saiyan’s higher Power Level. Unfortunately, since he didn’t understand that Goku’s strength came from the synchronization of body and mind, he could only use a fraction of the Saiyan’s strength through his method of powering up. This is to say nothing of the captain’s not knowing how to use the Kaio Ken, which was what sold him on Goku’s body in the first place. The Z-Fighters’ methods for Ki control were further explained in the Android Saga. When Android 20 absorbed Piccolo’s energy, he assumed he’d be at least as powerful as the Namekian. However, Piccolo was still able to take the edge in their fight. According to him, the Z-Fighters’ true strength lies in their ability to increase their energy output in short but intense bursts. Android 20 only had Piccolo’s raw power, so he would never get the same mileage out of it as the original owner. Therein lies the secret to the Z-Fighters’ peak Power Levels — optimization.
The Z-Fighters’ true power isn’t about how strong they are. They instead take everything they have and use it as efficiently as possible. In doing so, their base Power Level becomes exponentially higher than it would be by relying on brute force. It’s the kind of power only someone with a lifetime of martial arts experience can master. Vegeta, in contrast, never had any interest in learning the Z-Fighters’ best techniques. He picked up some simple tricks like lowering his Power Level and sensing energy, but that was as far as he got. He continued to rely on his consistently high Power Level and Saiyan instincts to carry him through his battles. As such, his training is focused on training his body above all else.
What Is Vegeta’s Fighting Style?
In all likelihood, Vegeta’s method of powering up is similar to Captain Ginyu’s. In other words, they’re about as good at getting the most out of their bodies as each other; if Vegeta had somehow ended up in Goku’s body, he wouldn’t do any better in it than Ginyu did. It’s a remnant of working under Frieza and relying on Power Levels. This would mean he’s always been fighting with a fraction of what he’s truly capable of. It’s worth noting that Vegeta’s reliance on strength is not about brute force. If it were, he would have ended up more like Future Trunks, who puffed up his muscles to give himself the edge in terms of raw power. This cost the boy his speed and, with it, his chances of winning. Vegeta knows to keep his Power Level relatively high without overdoing it so that he can fight efficiently. Of course, this also means he’ll never truly fight at his full potential.
The Z-Fighters are unique because of their balance between potential power and efficiency. They know how to tap into their upper limits while staying in control. It’s a luxury granted by their proficiency with Ki. This is the kind of control Vegeta needs in his fighting style. He’s too reliant on making himself naturally stronger than his opponent, so he doesn’t know what to do when the opponent has that edge instead. If he had better Ki control, he wouldn’t have to worry about who’s stronger. He could beat and even overpower opponents with technique and experience.
Has Vegeta Taken Steps to Improve His Technique?
In fairness, Vegeta has shown an understanding that there’s more to fighting than who’s the strongest. In the Super Hero Saga, for example, he noted how his recent losses weren’t about power but rather how that power was used. In light of this, he focused on meditating while Goku and Broly were focused on fighting. The writing of this scene is questionable, but it at least shows that the Prince of Saiyans is thinking more like a martial artist.
All Vegeta needs is some professional guidance. Then, he could finally have that edge he’s been looking for. Maybe he won’t get the training to master his Ki from Earth, but as long as he knows what he’s looking for, there should be someone who can teach him.
Leave a Reply