Freeza's favortism towards Vegeta

[Yasai-R-Mighty]

I was re-watching the Freeza arc recently and, I was reminded that there was something that always bothered me. Freeze a ruthless indiscriminate killer, who incinerates any of his underlings at a drop of dime, if they so much as irritate him, gave Vegeta the opportunity to rejoin him. Even after he had openly rebelled against him. I highly doubt he would have even shown his long time "confidant" Zarbon such mercy. Basically my question is this, why dose Freeza have or at least seem to have such an affection, or fascination with Vegeta? You can figure that Freeza took Vegeta, as a very clear demonstration of his dominance over the saiyans, but it didn't mean he had to keep him so close. What you guys think about this?

[B]

Perhaps to keep an eye on his power? He feared the Saiyans.

[Yasai-R-Mighty]

Perhaps to keep an eye on his power? He feared the Saiyans.

Ok so that explains the keeping him close part, but not the fact that he gave him a second chance.

[B]

Maybe because he knew Saiyans had strength, he thought Vegeta would be useful in his efforts?

[Bussani]

Using Vegeta's strength could be an example, but there's another possibility; Freeza is a complete sadist, I think. He enjoys making people suffer. Saiyajin are a proud people, especially Vegeta, so Freeza may have just been trying to break his spirit further and humiliate him. If Vegeta had given in and gone back to being under his boot...or uh...weird lizard foot thing, Freeza might have just killed him anyway.

In other words it might have been more about making Vegeta submit than actually having him rejoin his army.

[snaku]

Using Vegeta's strength could be an example, but there's another possibility; Freeza is a complete sadist, I think. He enjoys making people suffer. Saiyajin are a proud people, especially Vegeta, so Freeza may have just been trying to break his spirit further and humiliate him. If Vegeta had given in and gone back to being under his boot...or uh...weird lizard foot thing, Freeza might have just killed him anyway.

In other words it might have been more about making Vegeta submit than actually having him rejoin his army.

That's what I always thought.

[Bussani]

Freeza is a huge smug tease most of the time. I can just imagine him being like, "Aww, I'll forgive you. Just bend over and be my footstool," and then if they actually do, "Haha, just kidding. ZAP!"

[Kingdom Heartless]

Using Vegeta's strength could be an example, but there's another possibility; Freeza is a complete sadist, I think. He enjoys making people suffer. Saiyajin are a proud people, especially Vegeta, so Freeza may have just been trying to break his spirit further and humiliate him. If Vegeta had given in and gone back to being under his boot...or uh...weird lizard foot thing, Freeza might have just killed him anyway.

In other words it might have been more about making Vegeta submit than actually having him rejoin his army.

Yeah, that's what I'm leaning towards.

Kind of like Homer returning to work at the Nuclear Power Plant for Maggie. The humiliation is worth taking a traitor back.

[missyv]

I've always wondered this myself but i agree with Bussani.
Which unfortunetly is sick

[Super Ghost Kamikaze]

I always saw Vegeta as Freeza's "trophy" of the Saiyan people. Freeza got his jollies knowing that he had this Saiyan prince under his thumb.

It's not like Vegeta ever was a threat to him. During Freeza's lifetime, there was not a single point during which Vegeta stood a chance against him. And Vegeta was useful.

[Horgus]

I think one of the reasons he kept Vegeta around is the same reason that he keeps the Ginyu force, Zarbon, Dodoria, and his other minions around.

While he doesn't need them and could accomplish what they do with a mere flick of the wrist, it's more amusing to be able to give orders and play the role of god. Perhaps he thought of himself in a heroic light, bringing order and unity to the entire galaxy with his family.

[Forgotten Hero]

Vegeta was nothing but a pawn in Feeza's game. Freeza understood that Vegeta would take any job without question and would never, until he learned of the existence of dragonballs, turn on or I guess defy him.
One great scene I'm think of is a filler scene, but in the context of Vegeta's character I think it makes perfect sense. Vegeta, Nappa, and Raditz return from destroying a planet and conquering it in three days. Freeza laughs at them for being too slow, and Zarbon & Dodoria tease the saiyajin. Raditz and Nappa almost get into a brawl with the three scum bags until Vegeta, on one knee, tells them to stop. Vegeta rises apologizes to Freeza and tells his crew to leave. As the leave Freeza's domain Zarbon says something to the effect of "You can't trust those brainless monkeys." Vegeta stops. He gets very pissed-off, but gets his cool back and leaves.
Why did he do nothing, because he couldn't. He knew he could never take on Freeza, at least in that instant. I think Freeza and Vegeta have a unconscious mutual understanding that "You work for me, of which you will enjoy, and there is nothing you or anyone else can do about it."

[Kroni_Hunter]

I always saw Vegeta as Freeza's "trophy" of the Saiyan people. Freeza got his jollies knowing that he had this Saiyan prince under his thumb.

It's not like Vegeta ever was a threat to him. During Freeza's lifetime, there was not a single point during which Vegeta stood a chance against him. And Vegeta was useful.

That's a good way to put it. Frieza knew that Vegeta would betray him, if anything he was like a favorite toy of Frieza's until one day it broke so he decided to throw it away. Vegeta got away with a little more than most of his henchmen because he was more interesting to Frieza. But he was never a threat.

[Yasai-R-Mighty]

Freeza is a huge smug tease most of the time. I can just imagine him being like, "Aww, I'll forgive you. Just bend over and be my
footstool," and then if they actually do, "Haha, just kidding. ZAP!"

This makes complete sense, I can totally picture this happening. Man I feel like about as naive as Goku for actually thinking that he might have taken Vegeta back.

[saiyanprincess]

Using Vegeta's strength could be an example, but there's another possibility; Freeza is a complete sadist, I think. He enjoys making people suffer. Saiyajin are a proud people, especially Vegeta, so Freeza may have just been trying to break his spirit further and humiliate him. If Vegeta had given in and gone back to being under his boot...or uh...weird lizard foot thing, Freeza might have just killed him anyway.

In other words it might have been more about making Vegeta submit than actually having him rejoin his army.

That's what I always thought.

I totally agree with you, Freeza knew the one thing that Vegeta still had was his pride and his spirit. Nothing Freeza did to Vegeta could ever really take that away except arguably his death; although then he bestowed this upon Goku the last remaining Saiyan. (These were some of the only tears we saw Vegeta shed and it woke Goku up, He then had the drive to defeat Freeza for his race.)
I agree, I think his long-term aim was to ultimatly break Vegeta, Although along the way he did get lots of kicks from making him do ridiculous things and honor his presence such as bowing etc. To Vegeta (Being so honorable) this would have been like sleeping in a gutter, To Freeza this was purely an eco-boost. It could have been a source of entertainment for the lizard.