King Vegeta

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"Vegeta, you come from a strong bloodline and you possess the potential power to join the super elite of all Saiyans. Never forget where you're from and train very hard, my son, because if you've proven yourself worthy, perhaps someday you will become a Super Saiyan."
— "Z Warriors Prepare"

King Vegeta (ベジータ王, Bejīta Ō) was the king of all Saiyans and the father of Vegeta and Tarble. He was also the commanding hero of the Saiyan Army, and led his people to victory in the Saiyan-Tuffle war, in which the planet was renamed in his honor. After his people were annexed by Frieza's Planet Trade Organization, he had no choice but to pledge allegiance, but kept power over his people.

Appearance

King Vegeta looks a lot like his son Vegeta himself, only with a beard and brown hair and is much taller. He wears the Vegeta Royal Family Crest on the left side of his armor, as did Prince Vegeta as a child. He also has a large crest on the seat of his throne. Like his sons, his name is a pun on the word "vegetable".

Personality

GTKingVegeta2 — King Vegeta during the Saiyan-Tuffle war

King Vegeta appears to be a stoic, level-headed and clever man, and a symbol of Saiyan pride. He is described by both King Kai and Dr. Raichi as having a brain equal to a Tuffle.^[1] He was also a ruthless and merciless military commander who openly took enjoyment in the end of his opponents, traits he was more than happy to pass along to his son, personally bringing him along in at least one such battle. Although he is "king," he has come to terms with the fact that his people have no real freedom under Frieza, but he does not let this feeling on to his people. One important aspect of King Vegeta, in the FUNimation Dub, is that he was the only person Vegeta truly loved in his childhood and for most of his life. When Frieza fatally wounded Vegeta, he explained to Goku that, apparently, the reason why he served Frieza was because Frieza threatened his father.

Biography

Early life

Main article: Saiyan-Tuffle war

KingVegeta2(Pln) — King Vegeta in *Plan to Eradicate the Super Saiyans*

King Vegeta became an important figure at the time when the Tuffles and the Saiyans lived together on Planet Plant. In Age 720, he alone was smart enough to rally and lead his people against the Tuffles in a conflict that raged for ten long years; this event was the Saiyan-Tuffle war. After the war's end in Age 730, the planet was renamed Planet Vegeta in his honor.

KingVegetaVegetaNappaSoldiers — Prince Vegeta, King Vegeta, Nappa, and three mid-class Saiyan warriors attacking a planet

Some time after, the Saiyans became space-farers, and eventually came under the dominance of Frieza. Though reluctantly, King Vegeta pledged his allegiance to Frieza, knowing the Saiyans were not powerful enough to defeat him. The Saiyans worked under Frieza for several years. King Vegeta and an unnamed mate bore his first child in Age 732, Prince Vegeta. The young prince would later be given to Frieza under unknown circumstances, although King Vegeta intended to rebel before he would ever let Frieza gain his son. As revealed in Dragon Ball: Yo! Son Goku and His Friends Return!!, King Vegeta had a second son named Tarble, who lacked the fighting spirit of a Saiyan, and thus was sent away from Planet Vegeta as an infant.

Meeting the God of Destruction Beerus

King Vegeta BoG — King Vegeta in *Battle of Gods*

King Vegeta is seen used as a stepping stone for the God of Destruction Beerus while he was eating during a feast in King Vegeta's palace. Prince Vegeta, who is just a kid at that time, sees this and becomes mad but remains silent. While eating breakfast after a wake up from a 39-year long nap, Beerus asks his attendant Whis if Frieza destroyed Planet Vegeta while he was asleep, and he says the Saiyans and Frieza were very evil and that King Vegeta was stingy. Whis confirms that he has, and not a trace of the planet remains. Beerus is glad to hear this, as he did not care much for the people on that planet, particularly King Vegeta. Years later, Prince Vegeta recalls the event he saw when he encounters Beerus on Earth, at Bulma's birthday party.

Broly - The Legendary Super Saiyan

KingVegetaInBrolyTheLSS — King Vegeta in *Broly - The Legendary Super Saiyan*

"And I don't like arguments! You'll die with him!"
— Before firing his Execution Beam at Paragus

In Age 737, shortly before attempting to openly rebel against Frieza, King Vegeta orders newborn Broly to be executed due to his extremely high power level of 10,000, as this amount of power was seen as a possible threat to the royal Saiyan family. The father of Broly, Paragus, attempts to change King Vegeta's mind, but was blasted with an Execution Beam and thrown into a dump along with his son.^[2]

Destruction of the Saiyans

Main article: Genocide of the Saiyans

KingVegetaAttacksFrieza — King Vegeta's failed attempt to reclaim the Saiyan Throne against Frieza

"It's over, Frieza! We've come to put an end to your reign of terror!"
— King Vegeta and his elite challenge Frieza

Later that day, prior to Frieza's attack on Planet Vegeta, King Vegeta realized that Frieza had no further use for the Saiyans and no longer needed them around. He decides to rebel against Frieza's oppression, as well as retrieve Prince Vegeta, and mounts an assault with his royal guard on Frieza's capital ship.

KingVegetaKilledByFrieza — Zarbon and Dodoria bear witness as Frieza executes King Vegeta with a single punch to the jaw

When he arrives in Frieza's chamber room, due to his elite guards being too fear-struck to attempt to aid him, King Vegeta ends up facing Frieza alone. Zarbon and Dodoria bear witness as Frieza dodges his punch with ease and effortlessly kills the Saiyan King with a single punch to the jaw. The Saiyan elites that followed are also killed by Frieza. Shortly thereafter, Frieza launches his final assault and destroys Planet Vegeta and the entire remaining population of the Saiyan race.

Avenged

Main article: Battle on Planet Namek

"Destroy him for the entire Saiyan race! Destroy him, for you have the power within you!"
— King Vegeta encourages Goku to stand up to Frieza

Approximately twenty years later, while fellow Saiyan Goku (Kakarot) is battling Frieza on Namek and losing, King Vegeta appears before him in a vision along with Vegeta and Bardock, urging Goku not to give up and put an end to Frieza for the Saiyan race.

A year later, Frieza is sliced into pieces and blown to dust by King Vegeta's grandson, Future Trunks.

Other appearances

File:KingVFlashBack.png

Vegeta's father in a flashback in the Trunks Saga

King Vegeta does not appear in the Dragon Ball manga, though Vegeta is acknowledged to have a father, the King of Planet Vegeta. King Vegeta's appearance is never shown, named, or described in the manga, but he is directly mentioned briefly in a dialogue between Frieza and Vegeta. In that dialogue, he was said to have been surpassed by his son Vegeta when Vegeta was only a child. The dialogue itself is the following:

Frieza: "I attacked Planet Vegeta and killed its King in my first form. Your father didn't take long to dispatch, Vegeta."

Vegeta: "Don't get high and mighty over that, I had surpassed him when I was a child."

King Vegeta is momentarily seen in flashbacks and is mentioned at certain points throughout the OVA Dragon Ball Z: Plan to Eradicate the Saiyans and its 2010 remake Plan to Eradicate the Super Saiyans.

He is also seen with the young Vegeta in a flashback in the Trunks Saga.

Power

In Dragon Ball Z: Bardock - The Father of Goku, the doctors working on Bardock after his injury sustained on Planet Kanassa state that Bardock's power level is nearing 10,000 and is expected to pass up King Vegeta in a short time. In Dragon Ball Z, while he was facing Frieza on Namek, Vegeta remarked that, as a child, he was already more powerful than his father King Vegeta.

Technique and special abilities

Flight – The ability to fly with the use of ki.
Ki Blast – The most basic form of energy wave.

KingVegeta1(Pln) — King Vegeta charges an energy attack in *Plan to Eradicate the Saiyans*

Execution Beam – A purple beam of energy King Vegeta used on a Saiyan messenger after the said soldier told him that they have to wait for three days to invade planet Tazba for Frieza's organization due to how long it is going to take until the planet experiences its Full Moon. He also uses it on Paragus in Broly - The Legendary Super Saiyan.
Super Energy Wave Volley – King Vegeta releases a rapid barrage of purple energy blasts at his opponent, causing a massive accumulation of damage. He uses this only in Budokai Tenkaichi 3.
Orga Blaster – King Vegeta rushes toward the opponent and smacks them aside. He then takes the opponent by their head, knees them in the face, and punches them in the same place. The final part of this attack involves King Vegeta using a large purple energy wave to blast his opponent away. He used the finishing blast against an army of Frieza's soldiers whilst invading Frieza's ship to rescue his son, Vegeta.
Explosive Wave – King Vegeta used it while on an unnamed planet with his elite. It is also one of his Blast 1 in his base and Great Ape forms in Budokai Tenkaichi 3. From what was seen of it, it was apparently powerful enough to not only destroy the planet he was on, but also the surrounding planets as well.
King of Saiyans – One of King Vegeta's Blast 1 in Budokai Tenkaichi 3.

OozaruKing2 — Great Ape King Vegeta fires a Chou Makouhou blast

Power Ball – The natural Saiyan ability to make an artificial moon to make use for transforming into a Great Ape.
Chou Makouhou – Great Ape King Vegeta releases a massive wave of energy from his mouth. He seen using it during a flashback of the Saiyan-Tuffle war in Dragon Ball GT.
- Chou Makouhou Barrage – Great Ape King Vegeta releases a rapid flurry version of Chou Makouhou. It is his Ultimate Blast in Budokai Tenkaichi 3.
Super Explosive Wave – King Vegeta releases a gigantic energy wave that deals far greater damage than the basic Explosive Wave. It is one of his Blast 2 in his Great Ape form in Budokai Tenkaichi 3.
Super Galick Gun – King Vegeta does use this technique in his Great Ape form in the Budokai Tenkaichi series. He fires it with one hand, in a similar fashion to the blast he uses to end Orga Blaster rush.
Howl – One of Great Ape King Vegeta's Blast 1 in Budokai Tenkaichi 3.

Transformation

Great Ape

OozaruKing1 — King Vegeta in his Great Ape form

King Vegeta has the ability to transform into a Great Ape, as seen during a flashback in Plan to Eradicate the Super Saiyans, Dragon Ball GT, as well as in the video games Budokai Tenkaichi 3 and Dragon Ball Heroes. While transformed, he has mental control over the transformation.

Video game appearances

King Vegeta makes a cameo appearance in Dragon Ball Z Gaiden: Shin Saiyajin Zetsumetsu Keikaku - Uchū-Hen.

King Vegeta BT3 — King Vegeta in *Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3*

He makes his first appearance as a playable character in Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3. In this game, he retains his self-control when he turns into a Great Ape (just like his son Vegeta, suggesting that this was a trait common among Saiyan nobility). Also in the game, he has a special dialogue with Turles that infers they had encountered each other before, with King Vegeta in particular having a lot of hate towards him (the dialogue is similar to his son's special dialogue with Turles in both Budokai Tenkaichi 2 and Budokai Tenkaichi 3).

King Vegeta also appears as a playable character in the Japan only arcade game Dragon Ball Heroes, in both his base and Great Ape forms.

Voice actors

Japanese Dub: Banjō Ginga (Dragon Ball Z and Budokai Tenkaichi 3), Masaharu Satō (Broly - The Legendary Super Saiyan)
Ocean Dub: Terry Klassen, Colin Murdock
FUNimation Dub: Christopher R. Sabat
Latin American Dub: Arturo Casanova
Brazilian Dub: Guilherme Lopes

Trivia

KVege(SGD) — King Vegeta, drawn by Akira Toriyama (*Son Goku Densetsu*)

King Vegeta is usually drawn with brown hair, but in a flashback that prince Vegeta has while recovering from a training exercise gone awry in the pre-Androids Saga and in Broly - The Legendary Super Saiyan, he is drawn with black hair. This is due to Vegeta stating in the manga that true Saiyan's hair is always black and does not grow. The animators did the same with Vegeta, first giving the character brown hair as opposed to black hair, but changing the color as episodes progressed.
Although numerous website summaries and the like state that he does, King Vegeta does not appear in Dragon Ball Z: Bardock - The Father of Goku. This is most likely due to confusion with flashbacks in the anime.
In the "Dragon History" game mode of Budokai Tenkaichi 3, King Vegeta states "You will join your father in the next world" to Frieza. This means that King Cold and King Vegeta must have some sort of interaction at some point prior to his demise. This could also just be a plot within the story (though it is a "what if" scenario battle).
In Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit, prince Vegeta's second alternate outfit is almost identical to King Vegeta's outfits in color, only missing the family crest on the breast plate.