Broly achieved something in Dragon Ball Z that no other villain was able to, even if it wasn't canon

Modified Jun 24, 2024 04:19 GMT

Dragon Ball Z Broly broke Vegeta in a way no one else did (Image via Toei Animation). — Dragon Ball Z Broly broke Vegeta in a way no one else did (Image via Toei Animation)

Dragon Ball Z is the most iconic portion of the franchise and has become part of pop culture globally, with some characters becoming incredibly well-known even if they are not canon. 90s movies' Broly might be the most prominent example of that trend, and what he did to Vegeta during their first combat might be the best reason why he has become so iconic.

Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan, released in 1993, has become one of the most popular films in the entire franchise and that is in no small part to the title character. Broly was the legendary Super Saiyan and made quick work of Goku and his friends during the vast majority of the film, to the point that Vegeta, known for his undying determination to keep fighting, couldn't bring himself to battle this enemy out of sheer fear.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeed as a whole.

Explaining how Broly breaking Vegeta is one of the greatest villain feats in Dragon Ball Z and the franchise

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A Dragon Ball Z fan on X has mentioned how in the 90s movies, Broly was the only villain in the franchise who managed to make Vegeta lose the will to fight. Once Vegeta discovers that the opponent in front of him is the true legendary Super Saiyan, he can't fathom a way for him to be defeated, which keeps him out of the battlefield for the vast majority of the series.

Considering how Vegeta was willing to fight the likes of Cell and Majin Buu, even when he knew that he was outmatched and outpowered, Broly's feat is an achievement worth noticing. It also added to the dramatic feel of the movie since it seemed that Broly couldn't be stopped, and Vegeta's reaction added to the context.

Some fans did mention how Frieza in his final form at Namek managed to eventually subdue Vegeta to the point of the latter giving up. However, Vegeta tried several strategies to compete with Frieza until that point, and was beaten to a pulp before he stopped fighting, which is a direct contrast to Broly, whose sole presence made the Saiyan Prince crumble like he never did before or after in Dragon Ball Z.

Why making Broly canon in Super was a good idea

Super Broly is quite different from Dragon Ball Z Broly (Image via Toei Animation)

The Dragon Ball Z propelled Broly's character to the stratosphere in the 90s, and he has been widely regarded as one of the series' most popular individuals for several years. Therefore, there was a lot of intrigue when the 2018 Super movie, aptly titled Broly, was going to revamp the character and make him canon, with a lot of positive comments in the aftermath.

This version of Broly was a lot more caring and his role as the legendary Super Saiyan puts him in a more tragic spotlight, which is reflected in the movie. However, the stronger he gets in battle, the more he resembles the version of Dragon Ball Z, thus maintaining some of the elements that made him so iconic in the 90s.

Final thoughts

There is no denying that Broly breaking Vegeta was one of the shocking moments in Dragon Ball Z, even if it isn't canon. It added to the appeal of Broly as a character and also cemented him as one of the most iconic villains in the entire franchise.

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