Vegeta's mother

[Piccolo Daimao]

So, Vegeta's mother isn't mentioned in the whole of Dragon Ball Z. This isn't unusual, as most characters' parents are never mentioned. But after reading through Vegeta's speech to Goku before he dies, he mentions that Freeza killed Goku's parents. This is all fine, but then he mentions his father, and just his father. Why wouldn't Vegeta mention his mother, or just say his parents? Now, I know that Vegeta doesn't necessarily have to mention his mother, but it just seems strange that he mentioned Goku's parents, but only one of his own. Perhaps Vegeta never knew his mother?

[The Time Traveller]

Maybe she died of a cliché, I mean, died at childbirth...

Tarble's birth...


Maybe Saiyans don't have a specific mate, when it's mating season they go crazy with lust and mate with everything that moves.

And then the males eat the females, oh beautiful nature.

[Rocketman]

If Saiyans are strictly patrilineal, Vegeta's mother would not be considered to be related to him.

[Piccolo Daimao]

Maybe she died of a cliché, I mean, died at childbirth...

Tarble's birth...

That's if you consider Tarble to be canon. It would make more sense if she died giving birth to Vegeta.

If Saiyans are strictly patrilineal, Vegeta's mother would not be considered to be related to him.

I...don't quite know what "patrilineal" means.

[Rocketman]

I...don't quite know what "patrilineal" means.

You trace your descent only from your father, ie, only your father is considered to be your parent/ancestor/related to you at all, while your mother is irrelevant.

[Piccolo Daimao]

I...don't quite know what "patrilineal" means.

You trace your descent only from your father, ie, only your father is considered to be your parent/ancestor/related to you at all, while your mother is irrelevant.

OK, but where is it said that Saiyans are strictly patrilineal?

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

OK, but where is it said that Saiyans are strictly patrilineal?

It was never mentioned. He was just speculating.

[Piccolo Daimao]

OK, but where is it said that Saiyans are strictly patrilineal?

It was never mentioned. He was just speculating.

Oh, okay.

[Dayspring]

He's not specifying his father over his mother, he's specifying the king over any other Saiyan. If he says 'my father', Goku's might not get the significance, so Vegeta just says 'the king' afterwards for emphasis.

''Your father? What about him? Oh right! You're the Prince, which means your dad is was the King! Freeza did that to a King?! Dayaamn!'' See what I mean? If Goku doesn't connect point A to point Z, mentioning his father at all is a waste, so Vegeta just gives his father's title.

[Silver Sinspawn]

Wait, where was it stated that his mother died giving birth to Tarble?

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

Wait, where was it stated that his mother died giving birth to Tarble?

For the second time, we are all just speculating.

[caejones]

Does Vegeta use the word "parents"? What with Japanese not having much of a plural, and all...

[jordanator]

Or maybe saiyans reproduce with animals.Maybe there were monkeys/apes on Planet Vegeta, thus giving saiyans tails...lol

[Cipher]

Does Vegeta use the word "parents"? What with Japanese not having much of a plural, and all...

There's a specific word for parents. Ryoushin. It almost always refers to both parents together, or to an unspecified parent (which wouldn't make sense in this case). Not sure which Vegeta used in that scene though.

[Dayspring]

Does Vegeta use the word "parents"? What with Japanese not having much of a plural, and all...

There's a specific word for parents. Ryoushin. It almost always refers to both parents together, or to an unspecified parent (which wouldn't make sense in this case). Not sure which Vegeta used in that scene though.

When Freeza tells Goku about how only his parents ever dared/managed to hurt him or whatever, is that the term he uses? I have a theory that Freeza was born from Cold's tail the way Cell Jrs were born and need to know how gender and plural generic the term used was.

[Cipher]

When Freeza tells Goku about how only his parents ever dared/managed to hurt him or whatever, is that the term he uses? I have a theory that Freeza was born from Cold's tail the way Cell Jrs were born and need to know how gender and plural generic the term used was.

If I remember correctly, that's what he uses, although some one might want to check. Its status as a plural would be undefined in that context, but if he uses it over father or mother specifically, it would strongly imply two parents.

Basically, it can mean "parents" or "a parent" depending on the context. But you would never really use it to say "my (single) parent" when you could use a more specific term. So either Freeza or Vegeta using it in any of these cases is as much acknowledgement of a mother as we'll ever get.

[ssjangel]

Dunno... could b a lot of things. Maybe Toriyama just forgot.

[Rocketman]

Maybe Saiyans aren't egalitarian and thus don't really care about who who's mom is.

[Herms]

When Freeza tells Goku about how only his parents ever dared/managed to hurt him or whatever, is that the term he uses? I have a theory that Freeza was born from Cold's tail the way Cell Jrs were born and need to know how gender and plural generic the term used was.

No, he uses oya instead, which isn't necessarily plural.

[Cipher]

When Freeza tells Goku about how only his parents ever dared/managed to hurt him or whatever, is that the term he uses? I have a theory that Freeza was born from Cold's tail the way Cell Jrs were born and need to know how gender and plural generic the term used was.

No, he uses oya instead, which isn't necessarily plural.

Yeah, I heard that the other day. Oh well. The mystery goes on.