"He even saved my life once..."

[DaemonCorps]

When Vegeta succumbs to Babbidi's magic and becomes "Majin," he starts talking about how much stronger Goku has always been than him and how he wants to see how he'd fare against him now. While he does that, he says something like "He [Goku] even saved my life once." I checked, and this line is in the dub, Viz manga, and the Japanese anime. But what is Vegeta referring to when he says that?

Going through the series in my head, the only time I could think of when Goku technically saves him is at the end of the Saiyan Saga when he orders Krillin not to kill him and to let him escape. But didn't Goku give his orders to Krillin telepathically? Then again, Krillin mentions out loud that Goku is talking in his head, so I guess Vegeta could have caught on. This is the only time I could think of when Goku's saved Vegeta's life. This is probably the time Majin Vegeta is referring to, but I would have expected something more obvious like when Gohan takes a blast to the arms to protect Vegeta from Cell.

I know I just answered my own question, but what are your thoughts on the situation?

And just as a side note, the anime doesn't flashback to any time when Vegeta says this line, suggesting that the guys behind the anime were kinda iffy about what time Toriyama was talking about. I think this is significant since well... the anime tends to always take advantage of any time in the story where a flashback could be inserted in.

[Kaboom]

I'm pretty sure Vegeta's just referring to Krillin. Unless there's some event both of us have forgotten about.

[shenron002]

Personally, I think Vegeta should have said was, " he even sparred my life". But the only time, I can think of Goku saving Vegeta is, when Goku showed up at the Ginyu fight and gave everyone senzu beans, and thanked Vegeta for keeping his son alive.

[Mr.Piccolo]

I was confused about that too. You know, he could've been talking about Goku saving him from the Ginyu Force as well. I think the one time Vegeta's talking about is after his first fight with Goku.

That was a major fight for both of them and I'm sure that was something that's been messing with Vegeta for years so that would be it IMO. The Cell example was good too but meh, I think for Vegeta, the mercy shed on him through Goku was more important.

[Xyex]

Yeah, he was either talking about when he told Krillin not to kill him on Earth or when he showed up maybe 10 or 15 seconds before Recoome would have killed him on Namek.

[Tyro]

Goku telling Kuririn to not kill Vegeta.

Goku giving Vegeta a senzu bean at the Ginyu Special Forces battle site and beating up Reacoom and Butta.

Goku warping Cell away before he could explode.

Those are all the specific times Goku directly saves Vegeta (along with a few other people at the same time) that I can remember. I’d say Vegeta was talking about the Saiya-jin Arc saving though. It’s more like Goku directly saving Vegeta than the rest of the times.

[mAcChaos]

I'm pretty sure he was talking about when Goku teleported Cell away and saved everybody. I think after he knocks Goku out he says that it's "his turn to be the hero this time" or "pay him back" for his sacrifice from before.

[DaemonCorps]

Well, now I'm only partially sure that Vegeta's talking about Goku's save in the Saiyan Saga. Since Goku (as the dub says) "shows mercy" to Vegeta at that time, I'm sure it must have messed with Vegeta's pride since I'm sure he was expecting a fellow Saiyan to finish him off on the spot.

Then again, Goku's save in the Cell Saga might be it, since Vegeta was so surprised at Goku's sacrifice (and how his son has become the strongest fighter) that he vows to never fight again. This event was less direct in saving Vegeta, though.

[Godo]

When Vegeta got revived by the Namek dragonballs, doesn't that count as saving his life?

[Tyro]

I don't believe Goku was the one who thought of the wish though. Kami-sama and Kaio-sama were going to revive everyone and then bring them to Earth. The only thing Goku changed was switching the wish to only leaving himself and Freeza on Namek.

[Dayspring]

1) Goku stopping Krillin
2) Goku defeating Recoome
3) Goku preventing Ginyu from stealing his body (once stolen, Vegeta would be toast)
4) Goku and his friends wishing him back from the dead
5) Goku teleporting Cell away before he explodes

If anything, Vegeta was rounding down the amount of times Goku's saved him.

[Godo]

If anything, Vegeta was rounding down the amount of times Goku's saved him.

But that would make the "once" unessecary. He would have just said "He even saved my life" or "He has even saved my life".

[DaemonCorps]

I agree with Tyro that it wasn't really Goku's idea to wish everyone back during the Freeza Saga. As for the number of times Goku's saved Vegeta wouldn't you all consider killing Freeza as another time Goku's saved Vegeta (and everyone else in general)? Then again, Trunks shows up in the timeline and ends up ultimately killing Freeza instead...

[Tyro]

Maybe he meant "saved my life" in another way. Like, he's given Vegeta something to live for. He's been a good friend and a rival. He helped Vegeta to become stronger when they needed to be (RoSaT) and etc.

This probably isn't the way Vegeta meant what he said, but just something I had been thinking about.

[Duo]

I go with the Cell self-destruction intervention. If you recall, after the dust of the Kamehameha duel settles, Vegeta is left there alone brooding and pissed off over how Kakarrot had gone and sacrificed himself, and ponders what kind of man it makes of him. Following that is the vow to never fight again (apparently he was lying. I think movie 9 is actually useful for making sense of that).

[Dayspring]

If anything, Vegeta was rounding down the amount of times Goku's saved him.

But that would make the "once" unessecary. He would have just said "He even saved my life" or "He has even saved my life".

Saiyan pride resulting in self-denial? As in, he'll finally acknowledge Goku saved his life, but not the amount of times? It is, after all, impossible to argue that Goku saved his life only once. Some cases are debatable, but Vegeta is immediately saved from Recoom and Cell by Goku.

[knuckle9]

He's probably reffering to when Goku takes Cell away with the Instantaneous Movement.

At least he was "trying" to save Vegeta

[Dayspring]

He's probably reffering to when Goku takes Cell away with the Instantaneous Movement.

At least he was "trying" to save Vegeta

Aha! But since Cell came back, Vegeta pretends Goku failed to save him, that Gohan saved him from Cell. Therefore, Goku only saved him once: from Recoom. Solved!

[Anonymous Friend]

It's been a long while since I've seen these scenes, but was the line more like:"You've saved my life like I was some helpless babe." And he also mentioned how Gohan saved his life as well. I always figures it had to do with the Ginyu Force.

[Coola Yagami]

It was obvious that he meant the saiyan saga.... Though Vegeta could not hear Goku's voice in Kuririn's head, it was obvious that Kuririn was talking to (and screaming at) Goku.