One of the most influential characters in Dragon Ball Z is Vegeta. Ever since he made his first appearance during the Raditz saga, he became more and more involved in the plot. Vegeta's developments throughout the story drastically changed his character; his appearance also changed. Vegeta initially had red hair, orange gloves, and had a tail that is present with all newborn pureblooded Saiyans. Since Raditz's scouter transmitted the existence of Dragon Balls with the power to grant wishes, Vegeta and Nappa devised a plan to steal them so they could utilize their powers to become Super Saiyans. A moment later, they set course for Earth via Attack Ball spaceships.

Not only has Vegeta's appearance and personality changed throughout the story, but so has his Power Level. Vegeta was flabbergasted when Goku's Power Level read over 9,000 even though his was larger. It was a seemingly large Power Level to witness in that saga. In Dragon Ball Super, Vegeta attained the Super Saiyan Blue transformation and reached a Power Level that is estimated to be over nineteen quadrillion.

The abilities of Dragon Ball characters are seemingly limitless, but not all characters have kept up with Goku and Vegeta. This is due to their passion for martial arts and unique ability to exponentially grow as fighters. Despite similarities, Vegeta and Goku contrast in principals and motives.

Because of Vegeta's meaningful impact in the series, it was a no-brainer to feature him in this article. Listed below are 15 shocking facts you never knew about Vegeta.

15 Responsible For So Many Deaths

With open arms, Goku will invite the vilest, most deceitful villains such as Frieza to join the forces of good. Their compassion is why Vegeta is welcome in the Z-fighter affiliation even though he has killed countless innocent beings. Vegeta's attack at the Grand World Tournament is one of the most horrific acts we've seen in Dragon Ball yet. He likely killed thousands of people with a blast that obliterated a large section of the World Tournament stadium and multiple sizeable buildings behind it.

Before Vegeta and Nappa first came to Earth, they were tasked by Frieza to exterminate planets' inhabitants and ready the planets for takeover. Because of the sheer number of planets he conquered before leaving the Frieza force, Vegeta's kill count can be estimated in the millions, but could also be in the billions.

14 Brought Back... Twice

Vegeta is a high profile figure in the Dragon Ball universe. As the Prince of Saiyans, he is hated by all those who dislike Saiyans. This includes Lord Frieza, King Cold, and Paragus. Vegeta died twice in Dragon Ball Z and needed to be wished back with the power of the Dragon Balls.

On Namek, Lord Frieza was infuriated by Vegeta's long speech saying Goku was no ordinary Super Saiyan. Vegeta explained that Goku was a Super Saiyan and laughed at Frieza because he was going to be defeated by a Saiyan. His laughing was interrupted by a finger beam from Frieza and moments later Vegeta died. The second time Vegeta was killed was arguably one of the best DBZ moments of all time. During this instance, he nobly sacrificed himself in a blast of pure energy so he could defeat Majin Buu.

13 Struggling To Catch Up

Vegeta's burning desire to reach Super Saiyan was more significant than any other character. Before Goku emerged as the first Super Saiyan, Vegeta mistakenly thought he was a Super Saiyan! After Goku transformed, it was made clear to audiences that Goku was an actual Super Saiyan due to his shift in appearance.

Later in Dragon Ball Z, during the Majin Buu saga, Goku unveiled his ascension past an ascended Saiyan. He called this elegant transformation, a "Super Saiyan 3." From training in the afterlife for several years, Goku was able to attain this status. The afterlife contains Heaven and Hell and does not experience time, making it possible for Goku to ascend. For Vegeta to transform into Super Saiyan 3 on Earth would be nearly impossible. It is possible Vegeta will never reach Super Saiyan 3.

12 A Princely Connection

Tarble was deemed a low-class Saiyan by his father, King Vegeta. Because of this, Tarble was ordered to leave Planet Vegeta and remain on a remote planet. If it were even possible, Tarble is shorter than Vegeta and way less powerful. Weirdly enough, while on the distant planet he was sent to, Tarble married a small alien with no hair, a rounded head, and pale white skin. So far in Dragon Ball Super, Tarble's wife has said few words.

North American and other English speaking regions are eagerly waiting for Dragon Ball Super to receive an English Dub for all its episodes. Episodes up to Season 3 have English Dubs but some people have decided to instead watch newer episodes in Japanese with subtitles. Either we way, we want to learn as much as possible about Tarble.

11 But Everyone Else Likes Him...

There was an interview where Akira Toriyama expressed his dislike for Vegeta. He stated that Piccolo and Goku were two of his favorite and that he was not a big fan of Vegeta. The interview was in Japanese, and it has been unconfirmed how deep his feelings for hate for Vegeta is, but numerous rumors are circulating the internet saying that Akira Toriyama's least favorite character is Vegeta.

Much of what he said should be taken lightly because Vegeta remains a major part of the series, so it is unlikely he hates Vegeta. Earlier in Dragon Ball Z, it was possible that Vegeta was going to be killed off in the series. Based on what Akira Toriyama has said in the past, we can confirm that he has some frustration with this character.

10 On A First-Name Basis

You have to admire Vegeta's passion for his race's tradition. Goku's name was given by his adoptive parent on Earth. Goku's actual name is Kakarot and Saiyans widely know him by that name. Vegeta is not the only individual to refer to Goku as Kakarot. Raditz, Broly, and Paragus refer to Goku as Kakarot.

It may be surprising to learn that Vegeta has only referred to Kakarot as Goku twice in the anime and three times in Dragon Ball Z manga. Most, if not all Saiyan names are puns on vegetables. Kakrot is based on a carrot, Vegeta is based on a vegetable, Broly is Brocolli, Raditz is Radish, and Nappa is a type of cabbage. The name Goku, which is not a Saiyan name, is based on sky or emptiness.

9 Not A Prince, But A King

We know Vegeta as the Prince of Saiyans, but since his father perished in the battle against Frieza and the destruction of Planet Vegeta, this would make Vegeta the King of Saiyans. Vegeta continues to refer to himself as the Prince of Saiyans, so it is safe to assume he has no interest in becoming the King of Saiyans.

Perhaps Vegeta will one day rise and become who he was born to be. Saiyans from across the galaxy have come into contact with the Z-fighters, and we have now found out there are more Saiyans in existence than previously thought. There have also been new half-Saiyans born such as Trunks, Gohan, and Goten. It will be interesting to find out if Vegeta claims his throne.

8 Height Doesn't Matter, I Guess...

The animators who drew Vegeta drew varying heights within episodes. In early episodes, it appears as if Vegeta is as tall as Bulma, but later Vegeta is somehow much taller. One picture that has remained constant is Vegeta appearing much shorter in comparison to Goku. Sometimes he will seem even shorter in contrast to than other instances when standing next to Goku.

It is estimated that Vegeta is about 5'6" tall or 168cm. Aside from children such as Trunks and Goten; Krillin, who is rather short; and Chiaotzu, who is an on and off Z-fighter; Vegeta is the shortest of their group of heroes. He is tied or slightly shorter than Android 18. Perhaps his lack of height gives him a fighting advantage because of his low center of gravity.

7 Swallowing His Pride

Many consider Vegeta to be an unpredictable liability due to his spontaneity. Vegeta allowed Babidi to put him under Babidi's Majin spell so he could gain the increase in power that was necessary to defeat Goku in battle. Vegeta also was a villain before joining the Z-fighters, so he has a reckless past. Despite being often considered unpredictable, Vegeta is capable of swallowing his pride in specific circumstances.

When Frieza was his leader, Vegeta would display extraordinary acts of discipline and service to Frieza. It's quite surprising considering that Frieza killed Vegeta's father and enslaved the Saiyan race before destroying their home planet. Also, when Lord Beerus, the God of Destruction came to Earth, Vegeta was quick to do whatever possible to please Lord Beerus. This is yet another instance of Vegeta swallowing his pride when necessary.

6 Showing A More Human Side

The personality of Vegeta has changed significantly throughout Dragon Ball. At the beginning of Dragon Ball Z, he was a ruthless villain who wouldn't tolerate weakness or insolence. After Goku defeated Nappa, Vegeta finished Nappa off with a Ki blast because he was so disgusted by his failure.

It wasn't until the Cell Games that Vegeta showed compassion for the first time. Trunks lay on the floor lifeless, causing Vegeta to feel compassion for his fallen son. Previously, Vegeta would have killed a person who showed any sign of weakness, but because this was his son, he felt responsible for his failure to defeat Cell. Since the Cell Games, Vegeta has become better able to display human-like emotion and has become an overall better person.

5 When It Works, It Works

Excluding transformations, Vegeta has maintained the same hairstyle through the anime. Other characters such as Yamcha, Bulma, Gohan, and Trunks have all received hairstyle changes.

After emerging from the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Trunks' hair grew in size. Bulma was surprised to see Trunks' hair to have grown so long and Vegeta's hair appearing the same as when he entered. To respond to Bulma's question, Vegeta stated: "a pure Saiyan's hair does not change from the day that he is born." Because Trunks is a half-blooded Saiyan, his hair grew while Vegeta's did not.

This fact, of course, excludes GT since GT is not considered canonical. In Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super, he has always had the same haircut, even as a child.

4 A One-Sided Fight

When Goku fought Vegeta on Earth, Goku never actually beat him in a fight. Goku required the help of friends to combat Vegeta after Vegeta left Goku drained of energy and merciless on the ground. In many displays of power, Goku has bested Vegeta and is therefore considered to be the superior fighter. With that said, there has never actually been an instance when Goku won a fight against Vegeta.

This photo is from an episode of Dragon Ball Super in which Vegeta fights Black Goku. Black Goku is not Goku but has similar abilities and power to Goku. When Goku fought Vegeta in Majin form, Goku held back his power to avoid hurting his friend and damaging his pride. Vegeta against Goku Black in Super Saiyan Rosé form is second best to a fight with Goku.

3 Destroyed By The God Of Destruction

In Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods, Lord Beerus asked Whis if Planet Vegeta had been destroyed by Frieza. Lord Beerus then went on to say that he wanted to destroy Planet Vegeta himself but couldn't be bothered to. Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods is not canonical, but Beerus also made a similar statement in Dragon Ball Super. In Dragon Ball Super it was also revealed that Lord Beerus ordered Frieza to destroy Planet Vegeta.

The Saiyans have been oppressed by powerful beings such as Frieza and Beerus for years. Vegeta as a young child watched his father be ridiculed by Frieza and Beerus because they had power over him. If Frieza hadn't been ordered to destroy Planet Vegeta, he probably would have done it anyway.

2 A Famous Cartoon Crush

Time and time again, Ronda Rousey has displayed her affection for Vegeta. At WrestleMania 31, she jumped into the ring with The Rock while wearing a Dragon Ball Z It's Over 9000!! shirt. The Rock and Ronda stood side-by-side while squared off against Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. Soon after, she countered a Stephanie McMahon strike and threw her to the ground.

In an interview conducted by Fight Hub TV, Ronda Rousey openly expressed her cartoon crush on Vegeta. Ronda also referenced to when Vegeta "knocked up Bulma and then ditched out to go train on the moon." Vegeta's dedication to fighting is unparalleled. Goku will catch lucky breaks, such as the opportunity to train under King Kai and in the heavens, which allow him to surpass Vegeta is power, but in hours trained, it is likely Vegeta who has the highest.

1 This Line Isn't What You Think

Easily the most famous line from Dragon Ball Z was when Vegeta exclaimed that Goku's Power Level was "Over 9,000!" Nappa then said "What, 9,000? There's no way that can be right." Vegeta's statement that said Goku's Power Level was "Over 9,000" is an edit from the most versions that say Goku's Power Level is "Over 8,000." The original Japanese version says "It's Over 8,000" so that should be considered correct.

Regardless of if Goku's Power Level is over 9,000 or 8,000, he was more than powerful enough to defeat Nappa and nearly defeat Vegeta. Had Goku not been tired from battling Nappa he may have won the battle against Vegeta also. It may not be the original statement, but "Over 9,000" has become an internet sensation we won't quickly forget.