Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta Was Great, But It Still His Second-Best Moment

The Dragon Ballfranchise has always had some of the most exciting moments in shōnen. Whether Goku is finishing off Kid Buu, Broly is making his first canonical appearance in the franchise, or Future Trunks has come back to slice Frieza to shreds, the series is filled with jaw-dropping moments from top to bottom. Vegeta is one of the main characters in the franchise and a warrior with his fair share of amazing moments, and while many think he might've reached his peak in Dragon Ball DAIMA, they'd be wrong.

Vegeta's coolest, most iconic, and most meaningful moment wasn't when he finally unlocked the Super Saiyan 3 transformation in Dragon Ball DAIMA. It was jaw-dropping, but it wasn't as metaphorically powerful as his Final Atonement. Vegeta's sacrifice in his fight against Majin Buu is the peak of his character arc, finalizing his status as a hero after one of the darkest parts of the series when he became Majin Vegeta.

Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta Was the Best Moment in DAIMA

Vegeta Hasn't Looked This Cool in a Long Time

Vegeta has always been one of the coolest characters in anime. He's stoic, focused on fighting, and even willing to defend his wife from Universe 7's God of Destruction when he needs to. While he's always been cool, he's also always been second to Goku. Goku was the first to achieve every amazing transformation in the series, leaving the Prince of Saiyans in the dust most of the time.

In Dragon Ball DAIMA, Vegeta finally had his chance to shine. Goku's fight against Tamagami Number Three was a highlight of the series, but even that great fight doesn't hold a candle to Vegeta's fight against Tamagami Number Two. With his back against the wall, Vegeta taps into his latent power and unleashes the most powerful form at this point in the series, Super Saiyan 3.

Not only was Vegeta's transformation awe-inspiring, he took the fight to a completely different level. Vegeta's Super Saiyan 3 form was unapologetically Vegeta. He fought Tamagami Number Two with his hands folded over his chest, showing both his own arrogance and the true difference in power between the two fighters. It was an incredible moment that is one of the Saiyan's absolute best, but it isn't number one.

Final Atonement Is the Peak of Vegeta's Character Arc

Vegeta Evolved as a Character When He Sacrificed Himself

While Super Saiyan 3 could be argued as Vegeta's greatest moment in the canonical Dragon Ball timeline, it isn't as great as his Final Atonement. Both moments are very Vegeta, but his Final Atonement carries an emotional undertone that truly defines his character.

Vegeta has many amazing moments, like his speech to Goku as he dies on Namek in Dragon Ball Z, and his speech to Goku during Goku's fight against Jiren in the Tournament of Power, but even these moments can't compare to his Final Atonement.

When Vegeta transforms into Majin Vegeta, it looks like all the hard work he did to become a good character was thrown away. He joined the Z Fighters, defended the Earth from the Androids, and even raged when his son Trunks was killed by Cell during the Cell Games.

Vegeta's transformation in Majin Vegeta was a testament to his building insecurities. He was never used to being second to someone else, and until this point in the series, he could never get the edge over Goku.

By letting Babidi take over his psyche, he finally got the power he was looking for. However, when he realized the threat that Majin Buu posed to Earth, he made up for his sins by sacrificing himself to kill Majin Buu in my favorite moment in Dragon Ball Z and easily one of the greatest moments in the franchise.

"And so, one of the Earth's greatest warriors has vanished in a blinding flash of light, having made the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of his loved ones, his name was Vegeta... a proud Saiyan Prince."

Vegeta's Final Atonement is perfectly named. It's his final moment on Earth (before being resurrected by the Dragon Balls) and his attempt to make up for the damage he's caused by turning Majin. It's also the peak of his character arc, and he finally commits to being a good guy by laying down his life for those he holds dearest. In his final moments, he thinks of his wife, his son, and even his eternal rival/friend, Kakarot.

Super Saiyan 3 Is Amazing, But Final Atonement Is Better

Vegeta's Final Atonement Is Peak Dragon Ball

Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta was amazing, to say the least. My friends weren't even caught up on Dragon Ball DAIMA when it came out, but even they wanted to watch this moment because of all the buzz it caused. The moment was everything it hoped to be, putting Vegeta on the pedestal he deserved through amazing animation, a great fight, and one of the cleanest finishes to a fight in Dragon Ball history.

While Dragon Ball DAIMA might have peaked with Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta, he didn't. Vegeta's best moment in the Dragon Ball franchise came during the Buu Saga when Vegeta used the Final Explosion to try and kill Buu once and for all, showing his complete transformation as a character. Vegeta's character arc is filled with ups and downs, but this one moment is the absolute peak of it all.