Episode 230 – The Long Awaited Fight/Just You Wait, Babidi!! Your Aspirations Will Not be Allowed

Ever since his first defeat at the hands of Goku, Krillin and Gohan, Vegeta has had a chip on his shoulder — or rather, a massive wound in his pride. For years, he stewed in this, watching Goku get better and better, even watching Goku’s half-blood son surpass him. Though we believe Vegeta to have moved on after the events of the Cell Saga, settling down with Bulma and accepting Trunks as his son, his transformation into Majin Vegeta showed he still had some shit to work through, and it all comes to a peak in this episode.

Though it was a tough call between this episode and Vegeta’s later sacrifice, this one wins out because of the raw emotion it puts on display. Vegeta wanted to go back to the way he was before, to be his merciless self so he could face Kakarot again as what he believes to have been his best self. The two clash in one of the most raw, powerful and heartbreaking fights of the entire series. Goku doesn’t want Vegeta to be like this, and Vegeta doesn’t want to accept that he’s changed, and all of that is on display as they headbutt each other, fight dirty and throw everything they have at each other.