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Serving as the franchise’s main protagonist, Dragon Ball’s Goku always seems to save the day somehow. No matter how impossible the odds may seem, the absent-minded fighter pulls through and protects Earth time and time again.
However, even in these vast successes, there are times when Goku was underprepared and either needed help from friends to win or flat out lost. Conversely, some of those successes are so overwhelming that one could argue Goku exceeded fans' expectations of him.
Here are five times in Dragon Ball where Goku wasn’t powerful enough, and five more where he exceeded everyone’s expectations.
Goku couldn’t win by himself against Perfect Cell and 4 other Dragon Ball characters
1) vs Majin Buu
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Despite going Super Saiyan 3 against the pink menace, Goku still couldn’t get the job done during Dragon Ball Z’s Majin Buu saga.
Surprising Goku, Babidi, and fans alike, Majin Buu was easily able to keep up with his opponent. Buu’s constant regeneration allowed nullification of what little damage Goku was able to do.
2) vs Kid Buu
In Dragon Ball Z’s final fight, fans see Goku enlist the aid of Vegeta and the entire universe to help defeat Majin Buu. While he is the one who used the Spirit Bomb to put Majin Buu down for good, Goku would’ve had no chance without Vegeta or the universe’s help.
Vegeta distracted Buu long enough for Goku to gather the energy. And Goku needed the voluntary help of the entire universe to make the Spirit Bomb powerful enough. Without either piece of that strategy present, Goku would’ve been utterly defeated by Kid Buu.
3) vs Vegeta
Despite training under King Kai for a full year and learning the Kaioken and Spirit Bomb techniques, Goku still needed help to put Vegeta away in Dragon Ball Z.
Krillin, Yajirobe, and Gohan each played an irreplaceable role in the fight's final moments. Had any one of them not been present, the fight's outcome and Goku's fate might have been very different.
4) vs Perfect Cell
While Goku pushed Perfect Cell more than almost any other Z Fighter, he was still unable to defeat him. Enter Gohan, who Goku claims is more powerful than any other Z Fighter and is the only one with a chance.
The fact that Goku gave Cell a senzu bean after the fight renders his contributions thus far completely meaningless. Essentially, Gohan is solely responsible for killing Perfect Cell, with almost no help from Goku.
5) vs Beerus
Even with Super Saiyan God, Goku was unable to get the job done against Beerus in Dragon Ball Super’s Battle of Gods and the corresponding anime arc. This is understandable since this is a level of fighting which Goku has never experienced before.
Had Beerus not decided to change his plans regarding the Earth’s dependent future, Goku’s loss would’ve meant the planet's destruction. There is no doubt that this is one of the most dangerous situations in which Goku is not strong enough to finish the job.
Goku exceeds everyone’s expectations while facing King Piccolo and 4 other Dragon Ball characters
1) vs Hit
When he first faced Hit during the Tournament of Destroyers, Goku was perplexed by how his opponent's Time-Skip ability worked. However, upon fighting Hit, Goku adapted to the technique pretty quickly, even breaking through it by using Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken.
Despite eventually forfeiting in protest of the politics of the match, Goku was clearly powerful enough to defeat Hit.
2) vs Jiren in Ultra Instinct
It was clear that Goku had the upper hand for the majority of his fight with Jiren during the Tournament of Power. While Goku doesn’t finish Jiren by himself, the power he presented in Ultra Instinct surprised many Dragon Ball fans.
Furthermore, the Gods of Destruction still present at this point in the tournament were so impressed that they gave Goku a standing ovation.
3) vs King Piccolo
Throughout the original Dragon Ball series’ King Piccolo saga, the eponymous antagonist is built up as a nigh-unbeatable enemy that Goku has nearly no hope against. Even after drinking the Ultra Divine Water, fans were unsure about whether Goku could overpower a rejuvenated King Piccolo.
After much hardship, Goku eventually does defeat King Piccolo while utterly impressing friends and fans alike with his massive burst of power.
4) vs Golden Frieza
In Dragon Ball Super’s ‘Resurrection F’ movie and the corresponding anime arc, Goku absolutely embarrassed Golden Frieza.
Goku was in total control of the fight’s flow and direction from the moment it began. The power he wielded here was clearly superior to anything Frieza could've mustered.
Without a doubt, this fight is one of the best examples of Goku’s power exceeding expectations.
5) vs Nappa
In Goku’s first one-on-one fight in Dragon Ball Z, the Saiyan protagonist completely overwhelmed and eliminated Nappa.
Nappa initially attempted to play with Goku as he did with the other Z Fighters. However, Goku quickly shut this down, hitting Nappa with a devastating combo that left him lifeless.
While Goku didn’t finish Nappa off himself, there’s little doubt that he could've if he truly wanted to.
Note: This article reflects the writer's views
