Summary
Dragon Ballhas seen many characters enter the series as villains but eventually turn to the heroes' side upon either resurrecting or having their minds changed in some way. In fact, eventhe most villainous character in the entire franchise, Frieza, served a heroic role on the side of Universe 7 during the events of the Tournament of Power. The best examples of this trope are Vegeta and Piccolo, who now protect Earth despite once wanting to destroy it.
However, for many years now, fans have been concerned about the resurrection of one particular character whose exclusion from the main story ofDragon Ballhas always been felt after his death; Raditz. Despite being Goku’s only sibling, Raditz’s overall impact is minimal, so let’s take a look at what his role was in the greater scheme of things and see why, and if, he should come back to the story.
Story Arc
Saiyan Saga
Raditz served as the first major villain of not only the Saiyan Saga but of the entireDragon Ball Zseries. This, along with the fact that he was Goku’s older brother and the one who cemented who the Saiyan race was, set him up as an extremely important character for that stage in the story. Due to being a seasoned Saiyan warrior who had spent his entire lifeconquering planets for Frieza, he was far stronger than Goku.
Eventually, he clashed with his long-lost younger brother, who fought against him with the help of his old enemy; Piccolo. Here, Raditz’s superior strength was on full display, where he took on both fighters at once and even had the upper hand at some points. Eventually, Piccolo realized that his Special Beam Canon attack would be enough to kill the villain but needed ample charge-up time, which Goku was able to give him by fighting and holding Raditz in place for the duration.
Kakarot! What the hell have you been doing here all these years? Your mission was to terminate every native life form on this planet, so why haven’t you carried it out?!
Eventually, Piccolo fired off his ultimate attack, piercing both Raditz and Goku, killing them on the spot. Although Goku’s journey would only begin from here, taking him down the Snake Way and training with King Kai on Other World, Raditz never came back.Dragon Ballis no stranger to resurrection as it has always been a massive part of the series. In fact, it is often joked thatdeath means nothing in this worldsince everyone will eventually just come back to life.
This latter point holds very true, as almost every one of the main characters in the story has come back at some point, some even multiple times. This plot point doesn’t only hold true for the heroes, as evil villains like Frieza and Cell have been brought back into the story in one way or another, with the former being through a full resurrection after his death. So, this begs the question of why Raditz has been completely forgotten about.
Should Raditz Come Back?
A Case For And Against His Resurrection
The idea of Raditz coming back to the series is one fans have been discussing for decades. Many in the fanbase state that almostevery other notable characterfromZhas seen a return to the series so Raditz should too, with others saying that he served his purpose in the story and bringing him back in any capacity would be nothing more than unearned fan service. So, let’s take a look at both of these claims.
The Case For Raditz Returning:
The main point for Raditz returning to the story has to do with the fact that he was a character who many feel didn’t get a proper resolution to his character arc like others have. With theimportance thatSuperis placing on Bardockand Gine, though to a far lesser extent, many feel that Raditz is being left out of moments that would not only redeem his character but also give him the crucial development that he needs.
At this stage, Raditz would be a far better character to return to the setting than any other option, if the story had to have someone come back into the story at all. Moreover, he could even return as a villain, which would give Goku and even Vegeta a more personal stake in the villain they are fighting, which is something that is largely missing from the series.
Heh. What a fragile breed of people.
The Case For Raditz Not Returning:
Conversely, many in the community say thatRaditz should not return to the story, mainly because he served the role that Akira Toriyama had written for him. Although he held a personal connection to Goku as his only sibling, Toriyama wrote him as someone who wasn’t the least bit concerned about any brotherly affection, only wishing to serve his role as a Saiyan conqueror. In that case, Raditz fulfilled his part in the story.
Moreover, many feel as if Vegeta has already claimed the role of Goku’s primary connection to the Saiyan race and is more like a competitive brother to him than anyone else, so to have this relationship done once more with Raditz would just be rehashing what fans have already come to know and love with someone else.
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Dragon Ball Z
Dragon Ball Z is a Japanese anime series produced by Toei Animation and a sequel to the 1986 Dragon Ball series. It continues the adventures of Son Goku as an adult while also paralleling the life of his son Gohan. Son Goku typically defends the Earth from villains like Vegeta, Frieza, Cell, and Majin Buu. The series is followed by Dragon Ball GT and then Dragon Ball Super.
