Every saga where Vegeta was stronger than Goku

Goku can be Dragon BallA main character, but outside of the original series, he is very rarely the strongest fighter at the end of each story arc. Even in Dragon Ball ZThe Frieza Saga was the only arc where he was truly at his strongest – and that was only after he miraculously unlocked Super Saiyan. Especially in Dragon Ball Superit's not uncommon for Goku to outperform stronger and better fighters. Even Vegeta got in on the fun.

As much as Vegeta complains about needing to surpass Kakarot, he was actually stronger than Goku on many occasions. There are several of them DBZ and Dragon Ball Super Sagas where Vegeta is objectively stronger than Goku. And as from Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero and chapter 103 of the manga, the prince of all Saiyans has finally defeated his rival once and for all.

Vegeta was more powerful in her first fight

Saiyan Saga

Despite Vegeta's handling of their first fight, Goku neither defeats nor surpasses Vegeta during the Saiyan Saga. Goku briefly has a higher power level than base Vegeta when he overpowers him during a Kaioken x4 beam fight, but Vegeta still had more than enough Ki to create an artificial moon, transform into an ape, depower, and fuel a spirit bomb.

If Vegeta was smarter, he could have killed Goku without transforming. The only reason Vegeta considers their first battle a loss is because of how badly Goku hurt his pride. Goku proved that a lower class Saiyan could not only compete with the elite, but almost kill them. The fact that Vegeta had to resort to transforming into an Oozar was a huge humiliation for him. However, in terms of sheer strength, Vegeta has Goku clearly beaten.

Vegeta is stronger than Goku by half a Namek

Namek Saga

After the Saiyan Saga ends, Vegeta undergoes the first of many Zenkai Boosts, giving him the power to compete with the strongest members of the Frieza Force on Namek. While Goku has to wait for the Senzu Beans to regrow to heal his broken body, Vegeta heals on one of Frieza's many planets and begins taking out the members of the Frieza Force one by one.

Cui, Dodoria, and Zarbon all die at Vegeta's hands before Frieza's arc reaches its halfway point. It's not until Goku goes to Namek and starts training non-stop in space that he finally surpasses Vegeta. By the time he lands during the Captain Ginyu saga, Goku has become many stronger than Vegeta. Until then, however, Vegeta is clearly superior.

Super Saiyan Vegeta was stronger than Super Saiyan Goku

Android Saga

It's easy to overlook, but Vegeta is stronger than Goku huge piece of cellular arch. In the three-year period between Future Trunks warning Goku about the Androids and Dr. Gero & 19 first appearing Vegeta not only unlocks Super Saiyan but actually surpasses Goku. Super Saiyan Vegeta is slightly stronger than SSJ Goku in Androids Saga.

This isn't even the case of Goku being held back by his Heart Virus. Both Piccolo and Tien Shinhan acknowledge that Vegeta simply trained much harder than Goku. This makes complete sense in theory. Vegeta already has a higher base Power Level than Goku. Naturally, he would be able to surpass Goku now that he had become a Super Saiyan, doubly so since Goku was held back by training with Gohan and Piccolo.

Super Saiyan 2 Enraged Vegeta officially surpasses Super Saiyan 3 Goku

Battle of the Gods

Although Goku far surpasses Vegeta in the end Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods once he performs the god ritual Vegeta surpassed him earlier in the movie without needing god Ki. When Beerus slaps Bulma, Vegeta undergoes a massive rage that allows him to access an enraged version of Super Saiyan 2.

Super Saiyan 2 Enraged Vegeta is so powerful that he actually manages to land several blows on Beerus, causing him to bleed: something even Super Saiyan 3 Goku couldn't do. If that wasn't enough, Master Roshi directly says that Vegeta outmatched Goku, confirming that SSJ2 Vegeta was much stronger than SSJ3 Goku.

Ultra Ego is just as powerful as Ultra Instinct – if not stronger

Granolah the Survivor Saga

In Granolah the Survivor Saga, Beerus finally recognizes Vegeta as his true disciple and gives him the God of Destruction earring. The earring itself is symbolic, but ultimately a sign of Vegeta's mastery over Destructive Ki. While fighting Granolah later in the arc, Vegeta makes full use of his Hakai powers and unleashes Ultra Ego: a form with the potential to rival Ultra Instinct.

Despite being completely untrained and untrained, Ultra Ego is already as strong as Perfected Ultra Instinct, if not stronger. With Ultra Ego, Vegeta gets stronger the longer he fights and the more he gets hurt, giving him more potential than Ultra Instinct. If Vegeta hadn't drained his energy fighting Granola and Gas, he could have realistically defeated both of them thanks to his Ultra Ego.

Vegeta defeats Goku once and for all in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero

Super Hero Saga

Vegeta's biggest victory ever came at the end of the year Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero. After spending the entire film fighting Goku at the base, Vegeta finally gains the upper hand when he lands a final blow on Goku, dodging his final attack and managing to hold himself in place as Goku falls to the ground. For the first time ever, Vegeta beat Goku fair and square.

Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero confirming that Vegeta is indeed stronger than Goku. From Dragon Ball Super Chapter 103 – chronologically the last chapter of the manga – Goku still hasn't beaten Vegeta. In fact, Vegeta is now so strong that he can fight Gohan Beast using Super Saiyan Blue Evolved, while Goku had to resort to using Perfected Ultra Instinct. If that doesn't prove that Vegeta is stronger than Goku, then nothing is.

television shows

Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Super, Dragon Ball DAIMA

First TV show

Dragon Ball

Created by

Akira Toriyama

Latest TV show

Dragon Ball DAIMA

Upcoming TV Shows

Dragon Ball DAIMA

Air date of the first episode

February 26, 1986