Son Goku

"I am the hope of the universe. I am the answer to all living things that cry out for peace. I am protector of the innocent. I am the light in the darkness. I am truth. Ally to good! Nightmare to you!" — Goku as a Super Saiyan toward Frieza in "Explosion of Anger"

Goku (孫 悟空, Son Gokū), real name Kakarot (カカロット, Kakarotto), is the main protagonist of the Dragon Ball metaseries created by Akira Toriyama. He is the adoptive grandson of Grandpa Gohan, the husband of Chi-Chi, the father of Gohan and Goten, the grandfather of Pan and later the great-great grandfather of [http://dragonball.wikia.com/wiki/Goku_Jr. Goku Jr. ]

Goku is a Saiyan originally sent to Earth as an infant with the mission to destroy it. However, an accident alters this, causing him to later become Earth's greatest defender and the informal leader of the Z Fighters. Throughout his life, he trains hard and strives to be the greatest warrior possible, while at the same time using his amazing strength and skills to uphold peace.

Creation
The name "Goku" means "awakened to emptiness"; the Go syllable means Enlightenment, and the Ku syllable means Sky or Emptiness. In the Namek Saga, while training in the Capsule Corporation spaceship, it is seen that his name is written with a "h", Gokuh, when he has to go to repair the ship. Goku's full name, Son Goku, is the Japanese name for Sun Wukong, the main protagonist in the Chinese legend Journey to the West, on whom Goku is loosely based. The Dragon Ball universe began as a loose adaptation of the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, with Goku starting off as more or less a parody of Sun Wukong the Monkey King. Similarities between the two include Goku's prone for mischief as a child (due to his innocence), possession of Nyoibo (Sun Wukong's staff that can fill the entire universe), and Flying Nimbus (the magical cloud the Great Sage rode on in Journey to the West). As the Dragon Ball manga continued its run, he was able to develop differently, eventually turning out to have similar origins.[13 ]

Goku's design was based on Tanton, of Toriyama's prototype manga Dragon Boy and Tongpoo, from his other manga The Adventures of Tongpoo. When Akira Toriyama started his first draft of Dragon Ball he originally planned on making Goku full monkey to make it faithful to Journey to the West. During Toriyama's second draft he wanted to make Goku a full human dressed in sailor clothes that rode a flight mecha instead of the Flying Nimbus.[13 ] Toriyama's 3rd and final draft of Goku was to have him human looking with a monkey tail.

Goku's Saiyan birth name, Kakarot, is a pun on "carrot". Likewise, all pure-blood Saiyans that appear in the series are named using puns on various vegetables, or the word "vegetable" itself. Goku's family are all named after root vegetables (burdock, radish, and carrot). Comically, in Dragon Ball, Goku says he hates carrots when fighting against Monster Carrot.

Appearance
Goku is the main character of the entire Dragon Ball series. He has spiky black hair that never changes throughout the franchise. He is most commonly seen wearing his trademark orange/red/golden gi over a dark blue undershirt. The gi has featured Master Roshi's, Kami's, and King Kai's kanji on its left side (over the heart). It is also featured on the back. After the Frieza Saga, no symbols appear and Goku's gi turns a darker orange. He wears dark blue wristbands, along with dark blue boots that are outfitted with yellow/beige laces. As a kid, he has a tail due to his Saiyan heritage and also wields the Power Pole.

At times, Goku has been seen wearing different clothing,[14 ] [15 ] [16 ] such as a grey business suit and tie.[17 ] Most notably, after training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber and in the nine days before the Cell Games, he wears casual Earth clothing consisting of a orange-and-black long-sleeved jacket, a white undershirt, lime green pants, and brown boots.

Goku's skin tone changes in Dragon Ball GT, from a pale tone to a darker, almost tan tone. Goku wears a blue gi with ochre pants in the GT series. He also has a white sash going over his waist and sports pink wristbands. He wears black shoes with white shin coverings. As a Super Saiyan 4, he completely loses his gi and his body is covered with red-pink fur. His tail returns, although it changes from brown to the more reddish color. His trademark hairstyle is gone, making his hair longer and even more wild. His eyes change to golden-yellow and has lining around them. His wristbands and shin covers turn blue while his sash changes to a stone blue color.

Personality
Goku is known for his cheerful, energetic personality and his love of competition (specifically sport fighting and eating). He has remarkable intuition at seeing the good in others in spite of their actions, though his capacity for forgiving his enemies has occasionally been criticized as excessive; Goku, for the most part, only fights to win, and spares his enemies after defeating them only for them to attack him when his back is turned.[18 ] [19 ] His staggering power is simultaneously reined in and enhanced by his fierce loyalty and morality. Goku can also be very blunt, and not afraid to express his opinion in a discussion, such as when he questioned Krillin's marriage to Android 18. Despite his mostly kind-hearted nature, Goku can feel incredible anger in cases of extreme turmoil, such as the death of a close friend/relative, or when someone murders many innocents needlessly. He has a simple, practical view of the world and is somewhat naive to the world around him. Because of this, many characters incorrectly assume him to be somewhat stupid, although once he has a basic understanding of things, he learns very quickly. His most remarkable ability is his will to succeed, pushing himself beyond his limitations, and never giving up even when the odds are stacked against him.

During his childhood, a recurring gag in the series was that Goku was incapable of telling the difference between a man and a woman without physically touching them, which often got him into trouble.[20 ] The most notable of these occurrences was when he first met Chi-Chi, where she pushed him off of the Flying Nimbus after he patted her genitals with his foot;[21 ] and in the scene where he removed Bulma's panties while she slept and was horrified to discover that she had no testicles (which was also adapted in the movie Dragon Ball: The Path to Power).[22 ] He eventually outgrew this once old enough to understand the difference. This trait was also referenced in Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai, where Android 18 attempted to fight Goku due to paranoia that Goku would touch her there, with Goku explaining that he knows better now. In addition, during his youth, he seemed to not understand the concept of pornography, as when Bulma discovered her father's secret stash of porn magazines with Goku nearby, Goku thought the girls were too poor to afford clothes, causing Bulma to angrily tell him that they were not poor.

It is often teased that Goku is scared of his wife's temper (as joked by Master Roshi upon Goku's refusal to come back to Earth after the Frieza Saga: "He's scared of the one thing that's stronger than a Super Saiyan- his wife!") Goku is shown to suffer from severe trypanophobia, or the fear of medical needles, but this only occurs in the anime.[24 ] He showed his fear for them twice in Dragon Ball Z, and three times during Dragon Ball GT. The first time was after his battle with Vegeta, and when he was taken to Wukong Hospital. The second time he showed his fear of needles was after the fight with Captain Ginyu on Namek, while he was on his way to recover in a Medical Machine. In Dragon Ball GT, it was shown when Goku, Pan, and Trunks brought an injured boy to planet Pital. The second time, during his first battle against Baby Vegeta, he was blasted into Sugoroku Space, where he witnessed a hologram of Chi-Chi that threw a gigantic needle at him. Lastly, Goku showed his fear after learning from Pan that the Four-Star Dragon Ball was coming out of his forehead, worrying that he would need a shot. During his fight with Oceanus Shenron, Goku states that he does not mind being nude in public. This fact is also supported before going for a swim to find a Dragon Ball on Gelbo, during which he takes off his clothes in front of Doma and his granddaughter Pan without hesitation or embarrassment. He also gets upset when Pan tells him to put his clothes back on, refusing to go swimming clothed.

Even in combat, Goku is shown to not be invincible, as he has two major weaknesses. The first weakness is his tail; before he conditioned himself prior to the Tien Shinhan Saga, Goku lost all his power when someone grabbed his tail (a trait that all Saiyans share at birth).[25 ] The second is his unfathomable appetite;[26 ] not only does he eat at a rate that would be nearly impossible for a normal Human, but if he does not get any food, he becomes too weak to do almost anything. This weakness was never overcome, and almost got him killed against several enemies, like Tambourine and Nuova Shenron.[27 ] On the flipside, however, Goku's love for food has gotten him out of trouble several times; for example, in the Tournament Saga, when put to sleep by Jackie Chun, Bulma was able to save his match by screaming to him that dinner was ready, to which Goku immediately woke up to break the count.[28 ]

Goku seems to think very little of his brother Raditz and late father, Bardock, believing them to be vicious, selfish beings like most other Saiyans; however, he never knew of his father's change of heart. Indeed, when he first learned of his Saiyan heritage, he rejected it out of horror and disgust at being from a race of vicious killers, though he ultimately embraced his heritage after hearing Vegeta's last words during the battle with Frieza on Namek, fighting him to avenge the loss of his race as well as all of the other innocents whom Frieza had killed.

From his mid-teens to early thirties, Goku became a famous celebrity on Earth for his defeat of King Piccolo, with several reporters being amazed that Yajirobe was a friend of his during Vegeta and Nappa's attack on Earth. Proceeding the events of the Androids Saga, Goku appears to have been largely forgotten in favor of the following World Martial Arts champion, Mr. Satan. However some time between the defeat of the Shadow Dragons and one hundred years post-hence, Goku is once again revered as a hero and a giant statue of him is displayed in the World Martial Arts Tournament stadium, as shown near the end of ''Dragon Ball GT. ''

Background
"Just an average power level... and I thought you were special." — Dragon Ball Z: Bardock - The Father of Goku - Bardock after reading his son's power level (FUNimation Dub)

Kakarot was born sometime in Age 737 on Planet Vegeta, during a time of great turmoil.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-28">[29 ] Following a Saiyan custom, Kakarot was sent as a baby to planet Earth, in order to destroy its inhabitants and clear the planet for its future sale.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Reunions_29-0">[30 ] As Earth's inhabitants were thought to be weak, a baby Saiyan was seen as enough for the task, especially after transforming into a Great Ape by Earth's full moon. Kakarot's father, a low-class Saiyan warrior named Bardock, perished in his home planet's destruction shortly after Goku's departure, and his older brother Raditz was nowhere to be seen.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30">[31 ] It is unknown what happened to Goku's mother.

After crash-landing on Earth, the baby was found in the woods by an old man named Gohan and became his adopted grandson. He was then given his Earthling name, Goku. At first, Goku was extremely violent and ill-tempered, not obeying Gohan at all, but one day he fell down a deep ravine and hit his head, suffering severe head trauma that sent him into a coma and very nearly killed him. After he woke up, he had lost all of his Saiyan aggression, becoming a kind and mild-mannered young boy.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Reunions_29-2">[30 ] His Grandpa Gohan taught him martial arts and told him about such things as the city and people, as they lived in a very remote place in Mount Paozu, with no communication with other people.

Gohan one day discovered Goku's full moon transformation, and thus told him to never look at the full moon. However, one night Goku did, and he transformed into a Great Ape, causing him to unknowingly kill Gohan. After his grandpa's death, Goku stayed at his home, carrying out his daily life of survival. From a young age, Goku developed the impression that his birth parents abandoned him in the mountains as a baby, leaving him for Grandpa Gohan to discover.

Emperor Pilaf Saga
"Besides my grandpa, you're the only human being I've ever seen." — Goku when he first met Bulma in "The Secret of the Dragon Balls"

Goku is introduced in the Dragon Ball manga and anime at approximately 11 or 12 years of age<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-32">[33] (initially, he claims to be 14,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-No_Balls.21_31-1">[32] but it is later clarified during the Tournament Saga that this is because Goku had trouble counting), as a young boy living in obscurity on Mount Paozu. Goku owns the Power Pole and the four-star Dragon Ball, inheritances from his grandfather.

One day, after doing his daily chores, Goku is hit by a car when on his way home after catching a Giant Fish. Having never seen a car before, he assumes it is a monster attacking him. When the driver shoots Goku with a gun, she becomes scared after seeing that it hardly does any damage and surrenders, revealing herself to be a Human girl, named Bulma. Goku states that he has never seen a girl before and that the only human he has seen in his life is his deceased grandfather.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-No_Balls.21_31-2">[32 ] Goku takes Bulma to his house, where she ends up discovering his four star Dragon Ball. However, Goku does not want Bulma touching it since it is precious to him, so Bulma decides to let Goku to join her on a quest to collect all seven Dragon Balls to summon the Dragon, not revealing to him that the Dragon Balls would be scattered across the Earth once they succeeded.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Bloomers_and_the_Monkey_King_19-1">[20 ] Later that night, when camping in Bulma's Capsule House, Goku is introduced to various technology such as Television, lights and even a bath. Early the next morning, Goku is surprised when he learns a bit about the anatomy of women after he takes Bulma's underwear off while she is sleeping.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-33">[34 ] Later that morning, Goku meets Turtle, whom he decides to take back to the ocean, forcing Bulma to come along. After defeating a Bear Thief who wants to eat the turtle, they make it to the beach, where he meets his future master, the turtle hermit, Master Roshi.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-34">[35 ] When the turtle hermit meets them, he rewards Goku with a flying cloud called the Flying Nimbus, that only allows people of pure heart to ride it, with which Goku has no difficulty. Bulma also receives the three star Dragon Ball out of this, in exchange for showing the old horn-dog her underwear (however, she is actually nude, because Goku had pulled them off the night before).

Three days later, Goku and Bulma end up in Aru Village, which is under control by an evil shape shifter named Oolong, who kidnaps the villagers' daughters.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DBEp4_36-0">[37 ] After Goku fails to impersonate Pochawompa in an attempt to find the location of Oolong's hideout, he decides to face Oolong head on. After chasing him outside the village, Goku manages to capture him, forcing Oolong to give the villagers back their daughters. Afterward, they are rewarded the six star Dragon Ball and Oolong is forced to join Goku and Bulma on their quest.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DBEp4_36-1">[37 ] While crossing the Diablo Desert on their way to Fire Mountain, Goku fights a bandit named Yamcha, who is friends with a former classmate of Oolong, named Puar.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-37">[38 ] Goku and Yamcha have a duel, and Yamcha is surprised when Goku brings out his Power Pole, learning that he is the grandson of the legendary martial artist, Gohan. After nearly losing to Yamcha's Wolf Fang Fist due to hunger, Bulma awakens, causing Yamcha to flee due to of his fear of women. Later that night, Goku and the others stay the night in Oolong's House-Wagon, where Goku tells Oolong about the Dragon Balls while Yamcha and Puar hide outside and listen, also learning of the mystical spheres.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-38">[39 ] The next morning, Goku fights Yamcha again after he destroys the House-Wagon and attempts to rob them. Goku knocks out his opponent's tooth and Yamcha, in a false display of apology, gives them a car that secretly has a tracking device for him to follow them.

Two days later, the gang ends up at Fire Mountain, where Goku ends up fighting the Ox-King after he attempts to kill Bulma and Oolong.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-40">[41 ] After Goku summons the Flying Nimbus, the Ox-King stops fighting and tells Goku that the man who gave Goku that cloud is the same master that taught him. In an effort to douse the fire surrounding the Ox-King's castle at the top of the mountain, Goku is sent to retrieve the Bansho Fan from Master Roshi after picking up the Ox-King's daughter, Chi-Chi. When they arrive at Master Roshi's Island, he tells them that he accidentally threw the fan out and decides to come there himself and put out the flames. When they get back to Fire Mountain, Master Roshi uses a technique called the Kamehameha Wave to put out the flames, unfortunately destroying the mountain as well.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-41">[42 ] Much to Master Roshi's surprise, Goku is immediately able to imitate the wave and makes one big enough to destroy their car. While Bulma and Oolong find the Dragon Ball in the rubble, Master Roshi asks that Goku trains with him after finishing his quest for the Dragon Balls.

On their way to the last Dragon Ball, they take a break at a town which is ruled by a gang known as the Rabbit Mob.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-42">[43 ] While there, Goku and Bulma get into trouble with the Rabbit Mob, but Goku defeats their leader, Monster Carrot with the help of Yamcha. When they get back on the road, they are attacked by a robot piloted by Shu, who steals five of their Dragon Balls. Luckily, though, Goku insists on keeping his four-star ball with him instead of with the rest of the Dragon Balls.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-43">[44 ] Yamcha gives them a lift to Pilaf's Castle to get them back. However, once they arrive, they get locked in a room filled with sleeping gas, where Goku's four-star Dragon Ball is stolen.

When they wake up, Emperor Pilaf summons Shenron and tries to use the wish to rule the world, but his plan is foiled when Oolong interferes and wishes for a pair of panties after getting out from a small hole made by Goku's Kamehameha.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-45">[46 ] After trying to escape, the gang is placed into a special cell that will fry them when the sun comes out. Goku ends up looking at the full moon that night, causing him to turn into a Great Ape and destroy the cell along with the rest of Pilaf's castle.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ReferenceA_6-1">[7 ] Seeing Goku out of control in the ape form, Yamcha grabs Goku's tail and has Puar turn into a pair of scissors to cut Goku's tail off, causing him to revert back to his normal form. The next morning, Oolong begins to speculate that Goku is not a human, raising the question of whether he is "some kinda space alien."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-46">[47 ] Declining the offer of his new friends to come with them to West City, Goku bids them goodbye to train with Roshi. While flying off on the Nimbus, Goku cheerfully says the world is an amazing place.

Tournment Saga
"Amazing... in a day he's learned a move that took me 50 years to master..." — Master Roshi - talking about Goku's usage of the Kamehameha wave (FUNimation Dub)

After finishing his quest for the Dragon Balls, Goku leaves Bulma and the others in order to train with Master Roshi. Roshi agrees to train Goku, but only if he finds him a pretty girl.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-47">[48 ] After failing to bring him a decent girl, another wannabe student named Krillin arrives on the island, also wanting to train under Roshi, and assists Goku. After Goku fights off some Police officers, while Krillin cowers behind him, they finally return with a girl with a split personality named Launch.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-48">[49 ]

Satisfied with Launch, Roshi then brings Goku and Krillin to his special Training Island to train them.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-49">[50 ] They are put through very strange training that seems like it has nothing to do with martial arts, such as milk delivering to increase stamina, construction work for strength, swimming away from killer sharks, dodging bee stings, all while wearing very heavy Turtle Shells.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-50">[51 ] After the hard work, the two develop into two of the most powerful fighters on Earth. The huge boulder Roshi showed the boys much earlier they could not push, they can now push, much to Roshi's surprise. After eight months of training, Roshi brings them to Papaya Island to compete in the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament to test their training.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-51">[52 ] Upon their arrival, Goku is reunited with his friends Bulma, Yamcha, Oolong and Puar. Goku gets through the elimination rounds easily without even trying (even he is surprised at his remarkable new power) and makes it to the main tournment.

In the tournament he is put up against a Gira named Giran in the quarterfinals. Goku struggles with the beast when he is trapped in Giran's Merry-Go-Round Gum, but his tail grows back causing him to break free and win the match, with Giran forfeiting from being scared of the young boy's power.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-53">[54 ] In the semifinals he is put up against a warrior named Nam. Goku and Nam take the battle into the air, and each is almost knocked of the ring. Just before Goku is knocked out by Nam's Cross Arm Dive, Goku dodges and kicks him out of the ring.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-54">[55 ] In the final round Goku battles with defending Champion Jackie Chun (really Master Roshi in disguise).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-55">[56 ] During the battle, Goku turns back into a Great Ape and starts destroying the stadium. Jackie Chun who cannot leave the arena because they are still fighting destroys the Moon to revert Goku to his normal form.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DB27_27-1">[28 ] The two continue their match, both losing their energy at a rapid rate. Goku ends up losing the match, and learns that he should always continue to train because there are always people out there who are more powerful.

Red Ribbon army Saga
But I did attack the Red Ribbon Army. I beat the whole bunch and I managed to get six of the Dragon Balls." — Goku talking to his friends (FUNimation Dub)

After coming runner up in the World Martial Arts Tournament, Goku is told by Master Roshi that he should go out and see the world, and Goku decides that he will use this opportunity to search of his grandfather's Four-Star Dragon Ball.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-57">[58 ] At the beginning of his quest he helps save Nam's Village by accompanying him to Giran's Village in order to get the river flowing again.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-58">[59 ] After completing this task, he decides to go skinny dipping in an oasis where he gets his Dragon Radar stolen by a homeless kid that sells it to an Antique Store in a nearby town. Once Goku gets there and gets his radar back, he confronts Emperor Pilaf, who is holding the four star Dragon Ball. After chasing Pilaf to his flying fortress, Goku receives the ball finding out that it is fake.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-59">[60 ] While following the radar's signal he ends up meeting back up with Chi-Chi who had a wedding prepared for them.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-60">[61 ] Goku and Chi-Chi quickly go together back to the Ox-King's Village to find that an organization called the Red Ribbon Army has attacked.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-61">[62 ] Goku and Chi-Chi fight off the troops until they fled. Goku leaves Chi-Chi and the Ox-King in a hurry to go and chase them. He ends up in the Desert where he gets into Pilaf's flying fortress while the Red Ribbon Army was attacking it. After Pilaf's fortress is destroyed, Goku is caught in the explosion and wakes up in a forest where he meets a family of monkeys. After Goku finds the Dragon Ball, he battles Colonel Silver, who destroyed his Flying Nimbus. Goku easily defeats Silver, and knocks him out with his tail.

After seeing that the Dragon Ball he found was not his grandfather's Four-Star Ball, he has one of the army's auto pilot droids fly him to the next Dragon Ball. The plane crashes when the droid freezes, and Goku freezes, unable to move.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-63">[64 ] He is then taken to Jingle Village by a girl named Suno. When he awakens, he hears that the Red Ribbon Army is there as well. Goku goes to their closest base known as Muscle Tower. Once he gets in he easily takes out three soldiers and then battles an android known as Major Metallitron.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-64">[65 ] Goku wins the battle when Metallitron's batteries die and proceeds to the next floor where he fights the Ninja Murasaki. Goku easily defeats Murasaki and humiliates him, an example when Murasaki lands on Goku's Power Pole. Goku proves to be a difficult match for Murasaki and even his brothers, so he resorts to releasing Android 8.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-65">[66 ] Android 8 ends up befriending Goku instead of fighting him because he dislikes violence, allowing Goku to reach the top of Muscle Tower. General White, the commander of the tower resorts to having his pet monster Buyon eat them, but the creature gets frozen and destroyed. General White is defeated and Goku saves the Jingle Village Chief while obtaining another Dragon Ball that Android 8 was hiding from the army.

Goku finds out from one of the village elders that his nimbus still works and decides to go to West City to have Bulma fix his Dragon Radar that broke. Goku arrives at Bulma's house, Capsule Corporation, and has her fix the radar. Bulma then decides to join Goku on his quest for his Dragon Ball using her new invention the Micro Band. While still in the city Goku meets back up with Yamcha, Oolong and Puar. They decide to spend the day in the new theme park Dream Land where they were stalked by a thief hired by the Red Ribbon Army named Hasky. After being tricked by her she tries to get away with Goku's two Dragon Balls but he captures her and gets them back.

Goku and Bulma travel to the site of the next Dragon Ball which was located at the bottom of the sea. Not having a submarine, Goku and Bulma obtain one from Master Roshi who has Krillin join them. Under the ocean, they find a Pirate Cave, where they are chased by the Red Ribbon Army's strongest operative, General Blue.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-67">[68 ] Goku defeated a Pirate Robot and a giant octopus named Octopapa while Krillin and Bulma were being attacked by Blue. Goku arrives to save them, but Goku is stunned by General Blue's telekinesis. Goku was able to break free when a mouse scares Blue. While the cave began to collapse, Goku quickly grabbed the Dragon Ball and saved his mouse friend and barely escaped with Bulma and Krillin in an old submarine they found. When they arrived back at Kame House, General Blue arrives and uses his telekinesis to tie everybody up and steal the Dragon Balls along with putting a bomb on the island to kill them. Luckily, Launch returned and set Goku free to get rid of the bomb and chase Blue.

Goku ends up chasing General Blue to Gengoro Island, where he crashes in a strange town named Penguin Village.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-69">[70 ] While there Goku meets Arale Norimaki and the Gatchans who try to help Goku look for General Blue and the Dragon Balls. Arale introduces Goku to Taro and Akane who seemed interested in his flying nimbus. Goku searched through Penguin Village and asked many of the residents if they have seen General Blue. Arale takes Goku to her house to have Senbei fix his radar. While at the Norimaki house General Blue shows up to steal Senbei's plane and fights Goku again. While using his telekinesis again on Goku, Arale surprises Goku by easily defeating him and headbutts General Blue far away. While Goku got his Dragon Balls back he got his Dragon Radar stolen by Blue. Senbei's son, Turbo uses his powers to create him a new one with parts from Senbei's plane so he can continue his quest.

Goku's next location was the Sacred Land of Korin where he defeats Captain Yellow and finally retrieves his four star Dragon Ball.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-71">[72 ] There, he meets two of the lands natives, a powerful warrior named Bora and his son Upa. Seeing that their best soldiers had failed against Goku, the Red Ribbon Army turned to the world's deadliest assassin, Mercenary Tao, to kill him.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-72">[73 ] Tao arrives to Goku's location and murders Bora with ease. Goku then attacks him. Goku loses against Tao in the battle against his Dodon Ray but survived because the four star ball in his shirt blocked the full force of the blast.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-73">[74 ] While Tao decides to stay in a town for a couple of days, Goku decides to climb Korin Tower to get the Sacred Water of Korin.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-74">[75 ] When he gets to the top, it takes Goku three days to snatch it from him. Goku drinks the water, yet does not feel any different, which Korin explained was not that the water made him stronger, but the training to try and get to it made him stronger. When Tao returns, Goku comes back and defeats him in battle by kicking one of Tao's grenades back at him, thrown after he pretended to give up.

Feeling sad for Upa who lost his father to Tao, Goku decides that he will defeat the entire Red Ribbon Army and gather the Dragon Balls to bring his father back to life.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DB64_17-1">[18 ] Goku travels to the main Red Ribbon Army Headquarters to defeat them.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-76">[77 ] While Goku is taking out several of the soldiers, Staff Officer Black kills Commander Red after learning that he just wants to be tall and not achieve world domination. Goku fights Black who uses a battle robot, Goku kills him defeating the entire army and gathering six of the Dragon Balls. When Goku leaves the base he sees all of his friends just outside of it ready to help him, but Goku tells them he already defeated them, greatly surprising everyone.

Fortuneteller Baba Saga
"I'm so happy to see you grandpa! I've missed you so much!" — Goku when seeing Grandpa Gohan again (FUNimation Dub)

After Goku's victory against the Red Ribbon Army he is still missing one more Dragon Ball to revive Bora, but for some reason Bulma's Dragon Radar cannot locate it. Roshi tells Goku about his older sister Baba who can find anything.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-78">[79] Goku sets out to Fortuneteller Baba's Palace with Yamcha, Krillin, Upa and Puar. Baba turns out to not be so generous, forcing them to fight her five strongest warriors to get their request.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-79">[80] The first two warriors are taken care of by Goku's friends, but Yamcha is defeated by the third warrior, Bandages the Mummy.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-80">[81] Goku, the team's last fighter, takes him out along with the fourth fighter, Spike the Devil Man in Devil's Toilet.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-81">[82] After that, Goku is put up against the fifth fighter, who seems very familiar to Goku and Roshi (who had joined the group as a spectator). Goku is able to win the fight, and the fifth fighter is revealed to be his Grandpa Gohan, who was brought back from the Other World for a day.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-82">[83] Baba reveals the Dragon Ball to be in a case Emperor Pilaf has. Goku confronts Pilaf in his new robot fused with Shu and Mai, and easily defeats them.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-83">[84] With all the Dragon Balls in his power, Goku is able to call Shenron and revives Bora. After the wish is granted, Goku grabs the four-star ball before the others scatter.

Goku prepares for the next World Martial Arts Tournament by going out into the world and training himself by the request of Master Roshi. Goku ends up meeting a girl named Chao and saves her village from two bandits known as Terror and Plague. He later stumbles into a city where he meets Chin Taiken, the master of the Chin-Star School and defeats Sky Dragon, the master of the Panther-Fang School for the title of Master of Martial Arts. Goku goes to Demon Land and saves Princess Misa from Shula with the help of Gola and Melee. Goku later chases after a monster named InoShikaCho that he later finds out is working with two martial artists named Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu in scamming villages. Goku saves InoShikaCho when Tien and Chiaotzu betray him and with the help of Tanmen, he convinces everyone that he is good. After three years are up, Goku begins his travel to Papaya Island but gets a little delayed when his new friend Konkichi gets into trouble with a gang.

Tien Shinhan Saga
"You rely too much on tricks." — Goku towards Tien Shinhan (Funimation Dub)

Goku easily defeating King Chappa, a former championAdded by BeadtmdcBy the time the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament starts, Goku is 15 years old (though he still looks like a preteen boy). Goku's strongest opponent is Tien Shinhan, a warrior trained by Master Roshi's nemesis, Master Shen - the Crane Hermit. Like Yamcha and Puar before them, Tien, along with his best friend Chiaotzu, will eventually side with Goku.

In the preliminaries, Goku is set up against a champion from a previous World Tournament, King Chappa. Goku easily defeats him, and then goes on to defeat Pamput, a famous movie star, in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals Goku is set up against his best friend Krillin, and defeats him after a fierce battle. Goku moves on to fight Tien and his Crane School style in the final round. Midway during the match, Goku is repeatedly paralyzed and pinned down by Chiaotzu and his Telekinesis technique, at the orders of Master Shen. After Goku is freed from Chiaotzu's Telekinesis, the match continues as normal until Tien decides to use the Tri-Beam attack to destroy the stage. In mid-air, Goku knocks out Tien by using a Kamehameha to swiftly propel himself into Tien's stomach. Falling at the same rate, Goku hits the ground first after crashing into a van, leaving Tien as the Tournament winner.

Demon King Piccolo Saga
"It's time for your terror to end!!!" — Goku towards King Piccolo (FUNimation Dub)

Right after the conclusion of the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament, King Piccolo appears in scene. Goku accidentally left his belongings behind and when Krillin went to pick them up at the area, he is killed by Tambourine, one of King Piccolo's mutated sons.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-91">[92 ] Goku becomes angry, and chases after him through the skies, but still being fatigued from the tournament, Goku is defeated by Tambourine and his Flying Nimbus is destroyed.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-92">[93 ] While trying to recover in the wilderness, Goku sees a giant fish and eats it, which belonged to a samurai named Yajirobe, who has a Dragon Ball.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-93">[94 ] Cymbal, another one of Piccolo's sons, is sent to get the Dragon Ball, but is killed by Yajirobe with his sword.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-94">[95 ] After sensing Cymbal's death, Piccolo orders Tambourine to find his killer. Upon seeing Tambourine again, Goku finally destroys him.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-95">[96 ] King Piccolo feels this and arrives at Goku and Yajirobe's location, Yajirobe's Prairie. Soon after King Piccolo appears, he fights Goku. Goku knocks him down a couple of times. It is then revealed that Piccolo was holding back on his power, and then he swiftly defeats Goku with his Masenko attack, causing Goku's heart to stop for a short time. Piccolo then takes the Dragon Ball Yajirobe gave to Goku. Yajirobe takes Goku to Korin Tower to help him recover.

Meanwhile, Tien, Master Roshi and Chiaotzu try to stop King Piccolo from gathering the Dragon Balls, but fail and the latter two die in the attempt.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-97">[98 ] King Piccolo calls Shenron and wishes for his youth to be restored, giving him the power he once had. King Piccolo then destroys Shenron, and goes on to King Furry's palace, in an attempt to rule the world.

Once Goku is healed, he heads out on a quest to find the Ultra Divine Water, a sacred liquid that unleashes the drinker's hidden powers if they have any, or kills them.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-99">[100 ] Goku drinks the water and survives, then heads off to King Furry's castle where he finds King Piccolo's newest son, Drum assaulting Tien Shinhan.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-100">[101 ] Goku steps in and defeats Drum, knocking his eyeballs out with one kick, and challenges King Piccolo to a battle.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-101">[102 ] Goku overpowers King Piccolo, even throwing him into the castle. King Piccolo eventually goes to full power, despite it shortening his life span, but still can not defeat Goku. King Piccolo fires his signature attack, the Explosive Demon Wave, at Goku, but Tien saves him by flying into the sky, but Goku's leg is broken. Towards the end of the fight, King Piccolo uses Tien as a hostage, attempting to force Goku to surrender. Goku nearly resumes the fight despite the fact that Tien will die, thinking he could revive Tien with the Dragon Balls, until King Piccolo tells him he had destroyed Shenron. This leaves Goku at King Piccolo's mercy.

Goku ends up with a broken arm and two broken legs as a result of Piccolo's onslaught. As King Piccolo takes to the skies for his final attack, Goku, full of rage over the fact that Krillin and Master Roshi are gone forever, launches himself at King Piccolo with the one arm he had left, [http://dragonball.wikia.com/wiki/Penetrate! punching a hole through his chest ] and killing him.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ReferenceB_7-1">[8 ] Moments before King Piccolo's death however, he manages to spit out an egg far off in the distance that contains his final son and reincarnation, Piccolo Jr. to avenge his death and spread evil across the planet.

Piccolo Jr Saga
After Goku defeats King Piccolo, he goes to Korin Tower, where Korin tells him about Kami's Lookout, and that Kami, being the one that created the Dragon Balls, may be able to revive Shenron.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-103">[104 ] At Kami's Lookout Goku overcomes Mr. Popo's challenge of speed, and Kami, the Guardian of Earth, brings the Dragon Balls back by giving new life to Shenron.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-104">[105 ] Using the Dragon Balls, Krillin, Chiaotzu and Master Roshi are resurrected.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-105">[106 ] In return, Kami asks Goku to train with him and Mr. Popo for the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament to defeat Piccolo Jr., who wants revenge on Goku for killing his father. Goku's training consists of defeating Mr. Popo, who proves to be stronger than King Piccolo and for Goku to face a doll version of himself as a way of conquering his own self. With deep meditation, being still like a rock, but faster than lightning, Goku endures the toughest training of his life. During or after the training, Goku's tail is permanently taken off for the third and final time by Kami, who then makes a wish to the Eternal Dragon for the return of the moon.

Goku returns three years later at the age of 18, to meet up with his friends and join the tournament and grown into a young man that no one recognizes.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-106">[107 ] In the preliminaries, Goku is put up against King Chappa, who wants to avenge his loss from three years prior, but fails again.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-107">[108 ] In the quarterfinals Goku is matched up against an unknown female fighter who seems to know who Goku is, and knows the fighting style that Master Roshi teaches. After Goku defeats her, she reveals herself to be Chi-Chi, whom Goku had unknowingly promised to marry years before thinking marriage was a type of food. Before leaving the ring, Goku asks for her hand in marriage.

In the semi-finals, Goku is put up against Tien Shinhan to settle the score from the last tournament. Goku and Tien seem to be even, until Goku removes his weighted clothing and becomes much faster, winning the match and leaving him against Piccolo Jr. in the final round.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-109">[110 ] Before the fight started, Piccolo had trapped Kami inside a bottle with the Evil Containment Wave technique and ate the bottle, putting Goku at a stalemate; if he kills Piccolo, Kami will die too. The fight goes on for a while, but when the word spreads that Piccolo Jr. is the son of King Piccolo, the crowd flees. Goku encourages Piccolo Jr. to transform into his Giant Form, tricking him to fly into his mouth to retrieve the bottle Kami was in. Afterwards, the stage is destroyed as they go into full battle. Goku seems to be doing quite well against Piccolo, using the Meteor Combination rush, seemingly knocking him out, but Piccolo blasts a hole in Goku's shoulder, seriously handicapping him. Piccolo then makes sure Goku has no arms or legs to use, saying he will not make the same mistake his father did, letting Goku have one free arm to kill him with In the end. As Goku is about to die, he discovers how to fly and uses that energy to avoid one of Piccolo's attacks. He then finishes Piccolo off with the last amount of energy he has left with a full force headbutt to the chest. After Goku is declared victor, he gives Piccolo Jr. a Senzu Bean to keep Kami alive and give himself a good rival.

After Goku defeats Piccolo Jr., he travels with Chi-Chi to the Ox-King's Village to prepare for their wedding.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-111">[112 ] But fire erupts at the castle, trapping the Ox-King inside the flames. Goku and Chi-Chi travel to find the Bancho Fan that Master Roshi once threw away in order to put out the fire.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-112">[113 ] When they find it, they are forced to fight Annin, a guardian of the border between the living world and the Other World. Goku defeats Annin and returns with the fan, which successfully extinguishes the fire. Goku and Chi-Chi get married, concluding the original Dragon Ball series.

Saiyan Saga
"That's enough! Even if it is true and I'm some kind of alien from another planet, or even if you really are my older brother, it doesn't matter, anyone who'd do the horrible things you say is no brother of mine! My name is Goku, and this is my home... and you're not welcome here!" — Goku towards Raditz (The Enemy is Goku's Brother?! The Secret of the Mighty Saiyan Warriors)

At the start of the Dragon Ball Z series, Goku is approximately 23 years of age, and is still living at Mount Paozu in a newly built house near his old house, with his wife Chi-Chi and their four year old son, Gohan, named after Goku's adoptive father, Grandpa Gohan.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-The_New_Threat_5-1">[6 ] After saving Gohan from falling down a waterfall, Goku drops by the Kame House with his son, to introduce him to Bulma, Master Roshi and Krillin. All seems to be well, but suddenly, Goku senses a huge power nearby. The new threat arrives from space; Raditz, Goku's older brother. Raditz reveals to Goku his Saiyan heritage, and informs him that he was originally sent to Earth to destroy the planet's inhabitants and prepare it to be sold, but had forgotten about it due to his head injury as a baby.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Reunions_29-3">[30 ] When Goku refuses to carry out his forgotten mission, Raditz delivers a single kick to Goku's ribs, knocking him down, and kidnaps Gohan, giving Goku an ultimatum: Raditz will kill Gohan unless Goku kills one hundred humans within the next twenty-four hours, and leaves them on the beach.

To defeat Raditz and save the Earth, Krillin and Maser Roshi offer to help, but Goku does not accept their request, due to the fact that if they die again, they cannot be brought back, since they have already been killed. Piccolo, who had been listening to Raditz's speech while hiding behind the Kame House, asks Goku to help him fight this new being, so they join forces.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-114">[115 ] When Piccolo and Goku find Raditz with Gohan locked up in his spacepod, Goku gives Raditz one last chance to free his son, but Raditz refuses. Goku and Piccolo both take off their weighted clothing to begin their fight. Even with their combined strength, Raditz still holds the upper hand. With the help of Gohan [http://dragonball.wikia.com/wiki/Leave_My_Daddy_Alone! unleashing ] his inner powers to attack Raditz and weaken him, Goku and Piccolo are able to come up with a plan to win.

Goku makes the ultimate sacrifice by holding Raditz in place so Piccolo can kill him with the powerful Special Beam Cannon, which manages to kill both Raditz and Goku.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-115">[116 ] Just before he dies, however, Raditz informs Piccolo and Goku that two even more powerful Saiyans, Vegeta and Nappa are on their way to Earth, and will arrive in one year. With Krillin by his side, Goku dies, and Kami takes him to Other World where King Yemma tells Goku to take Snake Way to the planet of King Kai for additional training to defeat the Saiyans.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-116">[117 ] During his journey, in a filler episode, he encounters and escapes Princess Snake and even manages to escape Hell after accidentally falling off Snake Way.

When Goku finally makes it to King Kai's planet, he mistakes King Kai's monkey, Bubbles, for the King himself, and he follows the monkey's actions until he meets the real King Kai. He is given ridiculous challenges before he starts his training, including having to tell King Kai a joke,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-118">[119 ] catching Bubbles,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-119">[120 ], and smashing his pet cricket, Gregory, on the head with a heavy hammer.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-120">[121 ] Due to the planet's higher gravity, Goku struggles with the challenges, but eventually completes them. After that, Goku masters several new techniques and increases his strength considerably.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-121">[122 ] His friends on Earth manage to wish him back to life using the seven Dragon Balls, but, due to a miscalculation on King Kai's part (he forgot to take into account the time it would take to get back) he still must travel back down Snake Way, which King Kai estimates will take about two days at Goku's current power level in order to reach Earth and join the battle against the Saiyans, which was already underway and going badly for the Z Fighters.

By the time Goku arrives, Yamcha had been killed by a Saibaman, Chiaotzu had self-destructed in a failed attempt to kill Nappa, Tien Shinhan had killed himself by putting all his strength into a final but futile Spirit Tri-Beam, and Piccolo had sacrificed himself to save Gohan from a powerful attack launched by Nappa, which inadvertently killed Kami as well. Goku arrives on the scene, saving Gohan from Nappa's power, and when he is informed by Krillin that everybody else has died in the battle, Goku goes in a rage, powering up, surprising Vegeta with his new power. Much to everyone's surprise, Goku had become powerful enough to defeat Nappa without much difficulty, avoiding Nappa's attacks, and taking Nappa's ultimate, the Break Cannon, head on without a problem. When Nappa goes to kill Krillin and Gohan, Goku breaks Nappa's back with the Kaio-ken Finish, but Vegeta is the one who kills him at the end.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-123">[124 ] When Goku begins his battle with Vegeta, they seem even. Vegeta gains the upper hand with even the Kaio-ken times two not working. Goku, in a desperate attempt, powers up to Kaio-ken times three, and overpowers Vegeta, causing Vegeta to go in a rage and attempt to destroy the planet with a Galick Gun. Goku's Kaio-ken Kamehameha and Vegeta's Galick Gun blasts collide, and Goku beats Vegeta in the Beam Struggle by going Kaio-ken times four, however, causing his body great pain. When Vegeta returns, he transforms into a Great Ape using a Power Ball, and Goku realizes he is the one who murdered his Grandfather, and apologizes for it, hoping for forgiveness.

After a long battle, Vegeta is eventually defeated by Goku's Kaio-ken and Spirit Bomb techniques, and the timely intervention of his remaining companions Krillin, Gohan and Yajirobe.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-124">[125 ] However Goku had been brutally beaten to near death, with his legs getting crushed and broken by Vegeta in his Great Ape form. After the fight, Krillin attempts to take Vegeta's life using Yajirobe's katana, but is stopped by Goku, who convinces him to spare his life to give him a second chance at changing his evil ways and hopes to have a rematch one day.

Namek Saga
"You seem to delight in seeing other people suffer. And you treat life like a disposable commodity! You destroy homes. You take the lives of innocent, peace-loving people. You even take the lives of children. And all of this for your own amusement or personal gain! Well, now, it's your turn!" — Goku towards Frieza (FUNimation Dub)

After the battle with Vegeta, Goku is severely injured, and Korin is out of Senzu Beans, so Goku has to stay behind in Wukong Hospital with Chi-Chi while Gohan, Krillin and Bulma go to planet Namek to find the Namekian Dragon Balls in order to revive their fallen friends.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Plans_for_Departure_126-0">[127 ] After a few weeks, Korin grows a new batch of beans and sends Yajirobe to give one to Goku, which heals him completely. Goku then uses Dr. Brief's new spaceship, which he constructed from Goku's original Saiyan pod, to go to Namek.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Defying_Orders_127-0">[128 ]

During his trip to Namek, the artificial gravity machine in Goku's ship malfunctions, causing it to create 100x earth's gravity, nearly crushing Goku. When he is finally able to gain control of the machine, however, he decides to leave it on this high setting in order to train to fight Frieza.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-The_Past_and_Future_128-0">[129 ] However King Kai advises him to steer clear of Frieza, claiming that he is the strongest being in the universe, and that Goku would stand no chance against his evil might.

Arriving on Namek, once again Goku enters a battle already in progress, this time saving Gohan, Krillin, and Vegeta from the assault of Recoome, a member of Frieza's elite fighting squad, the Ginyu Force, who were called to dispose of the three.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Let_The_Battle_Begin_129-0">[130 ] Goku heals the three of them with Senzu Beans, and shows his new powers by defeating Recoome with one elbow to the stomach, and then takes on Burter and Jeice together. Goku fools them into thinking his power level is only 5,000, because Goku rose his power in only the instant he attacked. After dodging Jeice and Burter's attacks, Goku then takes out Burter, but is taken by surprise by the leader of the Force, Captain Ginyu, who has the ability to switch bodies with anyone he sees fit.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Ginyu_Assault_130-0">[131 ] After a little sparring, Goku powers up in front of Ginyu, with his power level scaring Ginyu and Jeice, as it was much higher than theirs. Critically injuring himself, Captain Ginyu then swaps bodies with the more powerful Goku but is not able to fully control his new body and power.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Goku_is_Ginyu_and_Ginyu_is_Goku_131-0">[132 ] Vegeta takes this chance to battle him, seriously injuring Goku's body. Goku manages to get his body back after intercepting a beam sent by Captain Ginyu to swap bodies with Vegeta.

Goku's body, worn out and beaten, uses a Medical Machine inside Frieza's spaceship taking several hours to heal.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-The_Renewed_Goku_133-0">[134 ] When he emerges, once again it is to join a battle in progress, where Vegeta meets his doom against Frieza. Goku hears Vegeta's tearful departing speech about the torture Frieza inflicted on Vegeta and the Saiyans, and buries Vegeta and gives his respects. In anger, he declares that he will defeat Frieza in the name of the Saiyans and Namekians he killed.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-The_End_of_Vegeta_134-0">[135 ] Goku and Frieza's battle begins, with Goku still having a decent amount of confidence in his abilities. Goku and Frieza start off evenly matched, but Frieza gains the upper hand and Goku is quickly overcome. Goku's confidence transforms into frustration and fright at Frieza's power. Even with Frieza giving himself handicaps (such as not using his hands), Goku still cannot out-match the tyrant. After Goku combines Kaio-ken x20 and his Kamehameha to no effect, Frieza starts pummeling Goku, but Goku remembers his Spirit Bomb ability, and decides to gather energy, leaving himself open. Piccolo, Gohan and Krillin attempt to distract Frieza from Goku so he can gather the energy. Finally, with all his might, Goku launches the attack, which hits a struggling Frieza, and seemingly destroys him, along with a good portion of Namek in a devastating explosion. Worn out, Goku begins to laugh, along with his friends, who believe Frieza has been defeated. But even Goku's most powerful attack, the Large Spirit Bomb, fails to kill Frieza.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Transformed_at_Last_135-0">[136 ] Finally, when Frieza kills Krillin and critically injures Piccolo (who had been resurrected and was transported to Namek to help), Goku, in anger, taps into his inner power reserves and transforms into a Super Saiyan.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Transformed_at_Last_135-1">[136 ] He eventually battles Frieza and dominates him. In desperation, Frieza uses the Homing Destructo Disk technique, creating two pink Destructo Disks and throwing them at Goku. Goku moves too quickly for the attack, and maneuvers himself so that Frieza is in between him and the disks. Goku yells a warning to Frieza, but Frieza is too slow and is cut in half, losing an arm in addition to his legs. The weak tyrant begs Goku to help him. Goku, believing that Frieza does not deserve to be forgiven or spared, gives him some of his energy as a show of mercy. Bitter at his defeat, Frieza uses it to launch [http://dragonball.wikia.com/wiki/You_Will_Die_By_My_Hand! a powerful energy wave ] at Goku. Goku notices the blast and fires an Angry Kamehameha at Frieza, defeating him.

Goku then flies to Frieza's spaceship and presses buttons to try to cause the ship to fly, however it does not work and Frieza's spaceship falls into the lava.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Mighty_Blast_of_Rage_136-0">[137 ] He quickly escapes Namek using one of the Ginyu Force space pods. The pod takes Goku to Planet Yardrat, which was going to be the Ginyu Force's next target.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Welcome_Back_Goku_137-0">[138 ] His friends, who were teleported to Earth by a wish made with the Namekian Dragon Balls, believe him to be dead.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Namek.27s_Explosion...Goku.27s_End.3F_138-0">[139 ] However, months later, when they attempt to revive Goku and Krillin by warping them to the check-in station, they learn that Goku is alive.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Goku.27s_Alive.21.21_139-0">[140 ] When they decide to transport him back to Earth, he declines, stating that he'll return later.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Goku.27s_Alive.21.21_139-1">[140 ] While on Yardrat, Goku learns a new technique called the Instant Transmission.

Android Saga
"You might think you know everything there is to know about me... but really, you're not even close." — Goku towards Dr. Gero and Android 19 (FUNimation Dub)

Two years later, at the age of 26, Goku returns to Earth where he is confronted by Trunks, the half-Saiyan son of Vegeta and Bulma from the future. The teenage Super Saiyan had just killed both Mecha-Frieza and his father King Cold a few moments before Goku's arrival. Trunks then tests Goku's strength in battle by assaulting him furiously with his sword, which Goku knocks away multiple times with one finger (albeit charged with energy), claiming that he knew Trunks would not use his full power.

Satisfied, Trunks gives Goku medicine for a heart virus that he will contract in one or two years, telling him to use it when he starts feeling the virus' effects. Future Trunks also warns him about two androids that will threaten the Earth in three years.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Welcome_Back_Goku_137-3">[138 ] Goku, Gohan and Piccolo then spend the next three years training for this new threat.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-DBZ124_14-1">[15 ] However, Future Trunk's visit somehow alters the onset of the virus, so it does not manifest during those three years (six months prior to the Androids arrival), and therefore Goku does not use the medicine.

Three years later, two androids, Dr. Gero (as Android 20) and Android 19, appear and attack a city.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-The_Androids_Appear_141-0">[142 ] The Z Fighters confront them, and Yamcha is first to be attacked, having been impaled by Dr. Gero's hand and having his energy stolen. However, he is saved by the use of a Senzu Bean, and the Z Fighters lead the two killing machines out of the city to fight. Despite being a Super Saiyan, Goku is bested by Android 19 when he begins to drastically weaken from the heart disease he was warned of, which starts manifesting itself during the fight.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Double_Trouble_for_Goku_142-0">[143 ] However, Vegeta, who now is a Super Saiyan as well, manages to save Goku before he can be defeated by the androids, and, after toying with it for a bit, destroys Android 19 with ease, enjoying the battle greatly.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Upgrade_to_Super_Saiyan_143-0">[144 ] Yamcha takes Goku to Chi-Chi to get the medicine that will save his life from the killer virus. Meanwhile, the rest of the Z Fighters learn from Trunks, who has returned to help them fight the androids, that history had somehow been altered, and that the androids of his time, Future Android 17 and Future Android 18, had not been the ones they were fighting.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-More_Androids.3F.21_140-1">[141 ] Soon after, Dr. Gero states he will unleash No.17 and No.18, and he flees from the battlefield. They try to stop Dr. Gero from activating them but fail. However, once Dr. Gero activates 17 and 18, they are revealed to be unruly and kill him, and activate another android, Android 16, as well, who was solely created to be Goku's assassin.

Cell Game Saga
While the Z Fighters try and fail to stop the androids, Piccolo (who had recently fused with Kami) discovers a new threat named Cell, a large biological life form created by Dr. Gero, made with DNA taken from Goku, his allies, and foes they fought in the past. Cell was designed to absorb Androids 17 and 18, in order to achieve a perfect state, kill Goku, and conquer the cosmos.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-His_Name_is_Cell_145-0">[146 ] Cell hunts down the androids and absorbs Android 17, transforming into his second stage.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Say_Goodbye.2C_17_146-0">[147 ] Meanwhile, Goku heals from his sickness and takes Gohan, Vegeta, and Future Trunks to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber at Kami's Lookout to obtain a year of training in one day under heavy gravity and incredibly volatile temperatures.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Time_Chamber_147-0">[148 ] Vegeta and Future Trunks go in first and, while Goku and Gohan enter the Time Chamber next, go to find and fight Cell. While in the chamber, Goku gets to Ultra Super Saiyan and Gohan believes that Goku can beat Cell with this power, however Goku explains that his speed has decreased in that form and the power to keep the form is too much. Goku realizes that half Saiyan hybrids like Future Trunks can turn Super Saiyan, so he trains Gohan intensely and helps him become a Super Saiyan as well. During this training, Goku notices that the potential Gohan has can easily surpass Goku's own powers, especially after Gohan managed during their training to transform into an unprecedented Super Saiyan level before losing consciousness during a training session, and that, if he is unable to kill Cell, Gohan will.

While Goku trains, Cell absorbs Android 18 and reaches his perfect form thanks to Vegeta's interests to fight Cell in his perfect form. Vegeta was easily defeated when he challenged Cell, as did Trunks, who failed because his new Ultra Super Saiyan Form had too much muscle mass to hit Cell quick enough, a flaw Goku noticed in the chamber.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Cell_is_Complete_149-0">[150 ] After Goku and Gohan finish their training, Cell announces that he will be holding the Cell Games in ten more days, in order to give a chance to anyone who wants to challenge him.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-The_Cell_Games_150-0">[151 ] For ten days, Goku and Gohan stay on Earth to train and relax while maintaining their Super Saiyan form the entire time. Goku also uses this time to travel to New Namek to ask Dende to be the new guardian of Earth, as Piccolo had fused with Kami in an attempt to stop Cell, and the fusion had made the Dragon Balls useless.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-A_New_Guardian_151-0">[152 ] After Dende creates new Dragon Balls based on the old ones, Goku searches for those reactivated Dragon Balls in order to use them after they defeat Cell to correct everything Cell had put wrong.

After ten days have passed, the Z Fighters head to the Cell Games. After the supposed strongest person on Earth, Mr. Satan, is easily defeated, Goku offers to be the first Z Fighter to fight Cell, believing that he is no match for the villain in order to truly test Cell's abilities.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Goku_vs._Cell_153-0">[154 ] Goku finds himself almost equally matched but still at a disadvantage against a heavily suppressed Perfect Cell in every way, and cannot seem to gain the upper hand after many attempts. Even after trying the Instant Kamehameha (a combination of the Instant Transmission and Kamehameha), which destroys Perfect Cell's upper half, he watches in horror as the android regenerates easily, thanks to Piccolo's cells in his body.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-No_More_Rules_154-0">[155 ] After getting tired and worn out, Goku decides to give up and leave the battle to Gohan, whom he is convinced has the hidden power necessary to defeat Cell.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-The_Fight_is_Over_155-0">[156 ] Gohan then states that Goku had been holding back, only to learn he had not, leading to the conclusion that Gohan may be stronger than Goku, who was fighting at full power.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Faith_in_a_Boy_156-0">[157 ] Gohan then powers up to a point where his energy eclipses even Goku's, and fights with Cell, but halfheartedly. After Gohan tells Cell that when he gets angry he gets much stronger, Cell starts to get curious and tries to force Gohan's inner powers out of him by making his children, the Cell Jrs, attack Gohan's friends and his father. All the Z fighters cannot beat the Cell Jrs, including Goku, who was worn out from his battle with Cell. After Android 16 attempted self destruct on Cell, who blasted him, 16 asks Mr. Satan to bring him (his remaining Android head) to Gohan, and he then tries to convince Gohan that fighting is sometimes needed. When Cell destroys Android 16's head, this triggers a change in Gohan, forcing him to ascend to Super Saiyan 2,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Awakening_157-0">[158 ] a form in which he greatly surpasses Perfect Cell, even after the behemoth decides to unleash his earth-shattering Full Power and a further powered up Power Weighted form, which Gohan easily overcomes to the point of forcing him to regurgitate Android 18 because of the damage he has sustained.

When a beaten Cell tries to destroy the Earth as a last resort, Goku is forced to step in with his "Instant Transmission" technique when Cell is about to trigger his self-destruction. He teleports them both to King Kai's Planet, where he is killed by the explosion Cell caused, along with King Kai and his pets Bubbles and Gregory.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-A_Hero.27s_Farewell_159-0">[160 ] However, Cell is able to reconstruct himself as Super Perfect Cell, a trick even Cell himself did not know he had, and uses the recently learned Instant Transmission to go back to Earth.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Cell_Returns.21_160-0">[161 ] Goku then motivates Gohan from the Other World to help fuel Gohan's Kamehameha wave against the reconstructed Super Perfect Cell, which, after a lengthy beam lock, successfully obliterates him.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Save_the_World_161-0">[162 ] After Cell's defeat, Goku insists that he should stay dead, even though they could resurrect him, because he has attracted too many problems to Earth, like Frieza and the Red Ribbon Androids. Goku decides it will be safer for Earth if he does not return, and Earth has Gohan to protect it if needed.

Great Saiyaman Saga
"I didn't know it was going to be that kind of fight..." — Goku to Pikkon after transforming into a Super Saiyan

During a filler portion only seen within the anime, Goku is shown on Snake Way with King Kai, Bubbles, and Gregory after the battle with Cell left the great king without his planet.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Warrior.27s_of_the_Dead_163-0">[164 ] King Kai insists they head to the Grand Kai's planet to go see the Grand Kai and enter the Other World Tournament.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Warrior.27s_of_the_Dead_163-1">[164 ] The winner would be trained personally by the mighty Grand Kai himself. When they arrive, they confront King Kai's rival, the West Kai, accompanied by his strongest fighter, Pikkon. Grand Kai instructs Pikkon to travel to Hell and stop Cell, Frieza, King Cold, and the Ginyu Force from causing havoc. Goku accompanies Pikkon to the fight and takes down the Ginyu Force, only to be astonished when Pikkon takes down Cell with ease, and proceeds to fell Frieza and King Cold with one blow.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Warrior.27s_of_the_Dead_163-2">[164 ] Upon his return to King Kai, Goku is welcomed by many of King Kai's powerful warriors, such as Olibu, who was once the hero of Earth. During the Tournament, Goku easily makes his way through the tournament by defeating Caterpy of the South Kai,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Tournament_Begins_164-0">[165 ] Arqua of the East Kai,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Water_Fight_165-0">[166 ] and Maraikoh of the West Kai.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Final_Round_166-0">[167 ] Goku then faces off with Pikkon in the finals. After a long fight, they are both disqualified on a technicality, but the Grand Kai allows them both to train under him.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Goku_vs._Pikkon_167-0">[168 ] Over the next seven years, while Goku is training in Other World he achieves Super Saiyan 2<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-The_Long_Awaited_Fight_168-0">[169 ] and Super Saiyan 3,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Super_Saiyan_3.3F.21_169-0">[170 ] the latter of which boosts his power even beyond his already powerful Super Saiyan 2, but delivers an excruciating strain and immeasurable ki consumption.

World Tourament Saga
"Why'd I have to get this guy? Sure he's big, but he kinda looks dumb to me." — Goku commenting on Yakon's appearance

Seven years later at the chronological age of 37 (physically about 30 due to current death, having almost made back the full year of his previous death in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber), Goku is given special permission to return to Earth for one day to participate in the 25th World Martial Arts Tournament, which he knows Gohan, Vegeta, Trunks, and his youngest son Goten, will be attending. Upon his return he meets his second child, Goten, who had been born after his death in the Cell Games, and Videl, Gohan's girlfriend from his high school who is the daughter of Mr. Satan, the fraud who received the credit for saving the world from Cell. Goku was going to be set up against Vegeta in the 6th match, finally being able to settle their rivalry, but had to be postponed because Videl was beaten badly by the supposed weakling Spopovich, who, along with Yamu, is controlled by the evil wizard Babidi. While Gohan is matched up against Kibito (the assistant of the Supreme Kai, who was in the tournament as well), Spopovich and Yamu both steal Gohan's Super Saiyan 2 energy and left the tournament while all the Z Fighters in the tournament ditched the tournament to follow them to Babidi.

The Supreme Kai and his assistant, Kibito, introduced themselves and informed the Z Fighters about the plans of Babidi who wishes to bring destruction and terror across the whole universe by bringing back his extremely evil monster puppet by the name of Majin Buu. The Z Warriors follow Spopovich to Babidi's ship where they are ambushed by Dabura, the powerful ruler of the Demon Realm, who kills Kibito and turns Krillin and Piccolo to stone. Goku, Gohan, Vegeta and the Supreme Kai enter Babidi's ship and they take turns defeating each of his minions on each room of the ship, their power leaving Supreme Kai in awe. Goku fights Yakon who absorbs his energy, but Goku kills him by overpowering and exploding him. While Gohan is against Dabura, Vegeta complains that he can do better. When Babidi hears that, he possesses Vegeta through the evil in his heart and turns him into Majin Vegeta making him evil once again. Goku and Vegeta are both transported to a deserted landscape for them to settle their battle, while Gohan and the Supreme Kai continue on to stop Babidi.

Majin Buu Saga
"Buu, I'm a man of courtesy, as well as strength, and I have to say, I've battled beings from beyond nameless galaxies and you by far are the best." — Goku toward Majin Buu

Goku and Majin Vegeta have an earth-shattering battle which gives more than enough energy for Majin Buu's awakening, and, although are they perfectly matched, fighting each other at the Super Saiyan 2 level, Goku ends the fight when he senses that Majin Buu has been released and pleads with Vegeta to help him defeat Majin Buu. In a false show of agreement, Vegeta knocks Goku out from behind while he is getting a Senzu Bean out of a bag. Vegeta then eats the only Senzu Bean left and flies off to face Majin Buu alone.

Upon awakening, Goku could sense neither Vegeta nor Gohan anywhere and comes to the conclusion that they have been killed in the battle (when actually Gohan was narrowly saved by the badly injured Supreme Kai, and only Vegeta died in a vain attempt to try and eradicate Majin Buu). He heads to Kami's Lookout and is healed by Dende, who confirms that Vegeta sacrificed himself in an attempt to destroy Majin Buu. After transporting everyone to the Lookout, he tells the bad news to them. With the little time he has left on Earth, with the help of Piccolo, he decides to teach Trunks and Goten the Fusion Dance, which he learned from Metamorans while in Other World, so they may form one immensely powerful being that might stand a chance against Majin Buu.

‎After finding out that the Dragon Radar is still in West City and Majin Buu is about to cause more destruction, Goku decides to distract him while allowing Trunks to head into West City and retrieve the Dragon Radar before it is destroyed along with everything else in West City by Majin Buu, otherwise they will never be able to find the Dragon Balls. Goku teleports to Majin Buu's location, and shows him and everyone (via Babidi's telepathy) the incredible power of the new Super Saiyan 3 form, whose energy could be sensed all the way to Supreme Kai's planet. Goku then engages in a fight with Majin Buu, whom he overpowers blow for blow. Amazingly, Majin Buu is still having a good time and enjoying the fight, even forcing Goku to narrowly deflect an imitated version of his own Kamehameha wave, which chips over a tenth of the Earth. He later states, that he probably could have won, but that he wanted to leave it in the hands of Gohan, Trunks, and Goten because he will not be there forever, and that they need to have a shot at saving the universe instead of a dead fighter. Unfortunately, the action of sustaining Super Saiyan 3 to briefly fight with Buu shortens Goku's time on Earth and he is forced to return to the Other World.

Once Goku has returned to Other World, he learns that his son, Gohan, is not dead, but in fact training with the Supreme Kai on the Kai Planet teleporting there only to just miss having his head removed by Gohan practicing with The Z Sword. Gohan has been training with the legendary Z Sword, and to test its strength, the Supreme Kai summons a block of the densest metal in the universe, Kachin, as testing material. Goku throws the cube at Gohan, expecting the Z Sword to slice the block in half. Instead the sword snaps in half and from it emerges Old Kai, who tells them that he will fully unlock Gohan's potential with a ritual.

Fusion Saga
"Wake up! Majin Buu's eaten everyone we care about! Everyone is gone, even Bulma! They've become part of Buu, they can't even die! I just thought the least we could do is put our old differences aside, just this once, and really work together. We owe that to our teammates, our families Vegeta, our friends! Look, you've always talked about our Saiyan race, how we're the last of a mighty people. Well it's time to accept we're starting a new race, one that can be just as strong, just as proud! But not if we're caught up in so much of our old birthrights to see what we have right in front of us! We've lost our old race Vegeta... let's not lose this one, too!" — Goku towards Vegeta

Through a crystal globe, Goku watches the fight between Super Saiyan 3 Gotenks and Super Buu with much anticipation, amazed that the two boys who, alone, could only access the Super Saiyan state were able to achieve Super Saiyan 3 so quickly when fused. As Gotenks is about to finish Super Buu after a lengthy battle, he reverts to his base form and quickly defuses. Gohan (after having his hidden power released) then arrives, effortlessly thrashing Buu with his newfound powers, but Super Buu escapes by self-destructing until Goten and Trunks can fuse again an hour later, and he then absorbs Gotenks and Piccolo, gaining the upper hand.

When Gohan fails due to Super Buu's stolen powers, Old Kai gives his life to Goku so that he may return to Earth to help Gohan. He is also given the Potara Earrings so that he can fuse with Gohan, creating an unmatched warrior that the Kai said would easily murder Buu without even the need to transform. He arrives, much to the surprise of Gohan and Super Buu, and tosses the earring to Gohan. Gohan misses for the grab, and Goku tells Gohan to hurry and find the earring. He stalls Super Buu, fighting as a Super Saiyan 3. After the fight, Gotenks defuses inside Super Buu, and his power drops to almost 1/3 of his original power. Goku states that he is not much of a threat anymore, and realizes that they can beat Super Buu easily. However, Gohan is absorbed when Super Buu catches him off-guard. At this moment of despair, the newly resurrected Vegeta appears, and after Goku teleports there and convinces his stubborn rival, two of the most powerful remaining Saiyans fuse to become Vegito, the strongest fighter in the Dragon Ball Z series.

Vegito then easily thrashes Super Buu, even with Gohan absorbed. Super Buu tries every technique and attack he has got against the fused Saiyans, but Vegito manages to dodge by all of them without much trouble. After a lengthy fight, the mighty Vegito wins easily. However, supposedly due to Vegeta's arrogance in not simply finishing Buu off, Vegito is eventually absorbed by Super Buu, with a Saiyan Shield protecting him. However, it is later revealed that he chose to be absorbed on purpose because he wanted to rescue his friends and family before killing Super Buu.

inside Buu, Vegito automatically separates into the two Saiyans due to the properties of Super Buu's digestive system. While in the stomach, Goku is attacked by enzymes that quickly cover his body, making him sticky and burning him in pain. While Goku struggle to get enzymes off, a roundworm shows up. Goku is almost eaten by the roundworm until he finally blasts the enzymes off his body. After traveling through Super Buu's body, Goku and Vegeta reach Super Buu's brain where they find Gohan, Trunks, Goten, and Piccolo, unconscious but still alive. After freeing them and having to fight Super Buu inside his own body, Vegeta decides to remove the unconscious fat Majin Buu from Super Buu. Despite pleas from Super Buu, Vegeta pulls the fat Majin Buu free and Super Buu undergoes another transformation. Goku and Vegeta then escape from Super Buu's body with the newly rescued Z Fighters. Super Buu then transforms back to his original form, Kid Buu.

Kid Buu Saga
"Majin Buu is so much stronger than anyone I've ever faced before... but I know there's still a way to win!" — Goku after saving Vegeta

Outside, Goku rescues Mr. Satan, his dog Bee, and Dende, but fails in saving Gohan, Goten, Trunks, and Piccolo before the newly transformed Kid Buu destroys the Earth in an extreme show of power (Vegeta previously stopped him from doing this with a much smaller blast that could still take out the planet, but he then charged a huge ball they could not deflect in response). Kibito Kai teleports in and saves Vegeta, Goku, Dende, and Mr. Satan by bringing them to the Sacred World of the Kais. After regenerating, Kid Buu sets out to find Goku and Vegeta by copying Kibito Kai's instantaneous movement technique (in the manga original, he teleports to Goku's location instantly).

When Kid Buu finds them, Vegeta and Goku have a Rock-Paper-Scissors match to see who fights first. Goku wins and fights Buu. In the Anime, he starts the fight as a Super Saiyan 2, but eventually transforms into Super Saiyan 3. When he is a Super Saiyan 3, he fights evenly with Kid Buu for a short time, taking the advantage often. However, Goku had failed to account for the strain that fighting in a living body would have on him, and soon becomes exhausted. He attempts to gather up his strength while Vegeta distracts Buu in his Super Saiyan 2 form (getting mercilessly beaten in the process), but his Super Saiyan 3 transformation drains him of his energy reserves and he soon loses the ability to maintain the form. At Vegeta's suggestion, Goku begins gathering energy for a Super Spirit Bomb that would employ all the available energies of the Earth and its occupants (he does this to have the Earth "save itself for once").

Using King Kai's telepathy, Vegeta speaks to the newly revived people of Earth and begs for everyone to donate power to Goku's Spirit Bomb, which they are hesitant to do. Everyone on New Namek and the Other World give energy for the Super Spirit Bomb and possibly many other planets as well, along with Goku's close friends. Meanwhile, Fat Majin Buu, while trying to hold off Kid Buu, falls in battle leaving a battered Vegeta to protect Goku while he forms the Super Spirit Bomb. Eventually, Mr. Satan finally convinces everyone on the newly regenerated Earth to give Goku all the energy he needs to destroy Kid Buu once and for all. With the contribution of power from Earth, Goku launches the Super Spirit Bomb. But as impossible as it seems, Kid Buu actually stops the Spirit Bomb and slowly begins to push it back at Goku. Vegeta realizes Goku used the rest of his power to gather and form the bomb and has nothing left to defeat Buu.

Using the last wish from the Namekian Dragon (the first two were spent restoring Earth to its normal condition and then reviving all those who died since Babidi's arrival except the evil ones), Dende wishes for Goku's full power to be restored. With his power restored, Goku powers up the Super Spirit Bomb even more, transforms into a Super Saiyan, and stops Kid Buu's forward progress and the Super Spirit Bomb comes back to Kid Buu. After several moments reflecting over the events that led to this moment, Goku makes one last wish to himself, that Kid Buu be reborn as a good being so they can fight again one day. With the blessing of Earth's residents, Goku destroys Kid Buu.

With the passing of ten years, at age 47 (physically about 40), Goku kept training despite the fact that Earth was at peace, He trains with his youngest son Goten during the ten year time period, between the Kid Buu Saga and the 28th Martial Arts Tournament. When the Tournament comes around and Goku forces Goten to cancel his date to enter, Goten shows disdain toward Goku's ruling. During the 28th World Martial Arts Tournament, Goku battles Majin Buu's reincarnation, Uub, who was born after King Yemma heard his request made 10 years ago. However, Uub was experiencing an extreme bout of Stage Fright, so Goku was forced to make several insults towards his family and obscene gestures to try and get him angry enough to fight and overcome his fear.

After a short, yet intense battle, Goku apologizes and explains to Uub that his insults were simply meant to coax him into using his true power. Goku then takes Uub to train him to one day help in being the protector of the planet, although he later tells Uub that after the training, he desires to fight him again not only to discover the strongest out of the two, but the strongest in the entire universe. Then they fly off in the distance, ending the series, and in the Kanzenban manga, giving his new disciple his old Nimbus Cloud.

Black Star Dragon Ball Saga
In Dragon Ball GT, at the age of 51 (physically 43; before the wish by Shenron turning him to a small child), Goku has finished training Uub, and they have just finished testing their abilities against one another in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Soon after, an accidental wish by Emperor Pilaf transforms Goku back into a child. This wish was made on the Black Star Dragon Balls. As a result, Goku must travel the galaxy and return them to Earth to prevent the planet from exploding from the negative energy created by the wish.

After leaving Earth in the spaceship designed by Bulma, a piece of the ship falls off and Goku, Trunks, and Pan are forced to crash land on the planet Imecka to get the parts needed to repair the ship. Groups of merchants swarm Goku and the others and they have to go to the gold star hotel to hide from the swarms of sellers. They then realize they are being charged every second for everything in the hotel including the lights. They escape without paying and stumble upon the house of an old couple and their children. They talk about Don Kee, the ruler of the planet, and how he mistreats his people. Just then, Don Kee's men come and repossess the old couple's house saying they where behind on payment. Goku suggests that they go and fight Don Kee, but the couple says that is impossible because of his grand army. On their way back to the ship Trunks drops the Dragon Radar and it is swallowed by a small robot named T-2006, nicknamed Giru, who says that he can not give the radar back to them because it is already integrated into his system.

Meanwhile, Goku notices the ship being dragged away by Don Kee's men. He tries to use Instant Transmission to teleport them to the ship, but after two failed attempts, he realizes that he can not use it with his small body. They are forced to travel to Don Kee's palace on foot to recover their ship. Pan decides that they will use a stealth operation to recover the ship and would only result to fighting as a last resort. After briefly sneaking around a large rock falls on Trunks' head and Giru starts making noises that alarm the guards. The guards open fire on Goku and the others and Pan says that they must fight now, so Goku agrees. Pan jumps in the carrying car while Goku moves the ship onto the car and Pan drives the ship out of the palace with Goku and Trunks. While escaping, Don Kee's henchmen Gale and Sheila fire a Combined Energy Wave at Goku, but Goku reflects it back with ease towards Ledgic, Don Kee's right hand man who recognizes them as Saiyans. Goku and the others escape but Trunks says they have to go back into town for more parts due to Pan's "reckless driving".

Once they reach the town, everyone hides and Trunks finds the three of them on Immecka's most wanted list. While running from Don Kee's soldiers, they fall into the house of a nice old couple who offer them food after realizing Goku and company mean no harm. They say that Don Kee made it a law that no one is allowed to own a ship so that no one would escape the planet including the old couple. Pan gets fed up and convinces Goku and Trunks to go face Don Kee head on. They turn themselves in to the police and get brought to the palace. Once there, Goku, Trunks and Pan incapacitate Gale, Sheila, and all of Don Kee's guards. Then Goku blasts his way into Don Kee's throne-room. Don Kee sicks Ledgic on the fighters after capturing Pan in an energy chamber. Ledgic says that he will fight Goku, but for his own satisfaction. After a short fight, Goku defeats Ledgic as a Super Saiyan and they take down Don Kee and make him give everyone free rent and give them back their ships free of charge. Plus Don Kee gives them the parts they need for free and they leave Immecka. They then land on an unnamed planet where everything is larger than life. Goku finds the Four Star Ball in the tooth of a giant and they go to the next planet.

On planet Gelbo, they find the Six-Star Dragon Ball in the hair of the princess of the village, Leena. Trunks asks for the ball but her fiancé Doma said that they were in a large problem already. The amphibian creature Zoonama was threatening the village with his power to create earthquakes and volcano eruptions by shaking his whiskers if they did not give him a wife. Goku decides that he would help them out in exchange for the Dragon Ball and they agree. Pan comes up with the idea to disguise Goku as Leena but it does not work out, so Trunks poses as Leena instead. Zoonama comes and starts getting impatient waiting for Leena and threatens to shake his whiskers. Then Trunks arrives dressed as Leena and Zoonama takes him to his layer. Trunks gets Zoonama tipsy and Goku arrives with Pan and Doma. Doma slices off Zoonama's left whisker with a huge pair of scissors and as he cuts off the left one, Zoonama awakens in a drunken rage. He begins to wiggle his whiskers and an earthquake begins to come, but stops soon after while Zoonama continues to wiggle his whisker. Pan realizes that he can not cause earthquakes, he can only predict them. But now he is so tipsy that he did not realize that the quake was over. Suddenly a really big earthquake erupts and Goku and the others leave the cavern with Zoonama. Goku then stops the huge volcano with a Kamehameha, saving the city and winning the Dragon Ball. Just as they are leaving the planet, Bon Para, one of the mysterious Para Brothers, arrives and takes the ball from Pan's hands using his telekinesis. In shock, the three Z Fighters just watch as he leaves.

Goku then jumps in the ship with Pan and Trunks and they chase after the Para Brothers' spaceship. The brothers trick them onto the asteroid, Beehay, inhabited by huge bloodthirsty worm-like creatures called Mouma. The Para Brothers escape and fly to the planet Luud. They go to Cardinal Mutchy Mutchy, who tells them that they have failed and that Goku has another Dragon Ball on his ship that they failed to get and they must go retrieve it. They travel back to find Goku and the others and they get hypnotized by the Para Para Boogie until they are saved by the hungry Mouma after they wake up. Pan goes aboard the Para Brothers' ship to find the Dragon Ball that they stole. She accidentally activates the auto-pilot and is brought to Luud. There she is captured and turned into a doll for the evil lord, Dolltaki. Goku shows up with Trunks and kills Cardinal Mutchy Mutchy, who reveals that he is actually two parts the body and the whip transforms into Mutchie and fights Goku. Trunks finishes Mutchie off with the Brave Cannon and saves Goku from his whip arms. Then Dolltaki turns everyone except for Goku, himself, Trunks, and Pan into dolls and feeds them to the machine deity, Luud. Dolltaki then awakens Luud who takes him and Pan inside of his body to gain their energy. While Luud fights Goku and Trunks, Pan forces Dolltaki to tell her the weakness of the seemingly invincible Luud. Dolltaki reveals that Goku must strike the outside of Luud's mechanical heart while Pan strikes the inside at exactly the same time. After multiple tries, Goku finally succeeds and destroys Luud freeing all of the people including Pan who is turned back to normal. Goku then takes back his Dragon Ball and they leave the planet.

Baby Saga
As our heroes arrive on the supposedly deserted planet M-2, they continue on their quest for the Black Star Dragon Balls. They find themselves caught in a trap by the planet's inhabitants, mutant robots, and that Giru was deceiving them all along. Pan manages to escape and later rescues Goku who does battle with the robotic group of commandos known as the Sigma Force and their leader General Rilldo. However, both he and Pan are captured again and taken to Dr. Myuu for studying. Giru has a change of heart though and manages to rescue the trio thanks to a clever plan by Trunks. It is then that we see Myuu's true creation, Baby, who breaks free from his containment after being revived, but stopped by Goku and the others. However, as a defeated and injured Dr. Myuu escapes, a piece of Baby's scattered remains jumps onto his skin, later busting out of Dr. Myuu and reforming into his original state. Baby, is in fact the last surviving Tuffle, the original inhabitants of Planet Vegeta (Planet Plant). Baby is a machine mutant who was created by Dr. Myuu; however, Baby states that he is Dr. Myuu's master, and that Dr. Myuu was designed to revive him.

Goku, Trunks, and Pan arrive on Earth to return the Black Star Dragon Balls, but soon discover that Baby has infected the population with mind-controlling eggs and chosen Vegeta as his new host. After a short fight with Baby, Goku discovers that he can not sustain Super Saiyan 3 while still being a child. After being pummeled by Baby Vegeta, Goku is weak and defenseless. During this fight, however, Goku learns of Baby's one weakness; he is sensitive to taunts, and easily angered. Meanwhile, Baby uses the Revenge Death Ball to finish off Goku, but Kibito Kai arrives just as the bomb strikes to save Goku and bring him to the Sacred World of the Kais.

There, Old Kai hatches a plan to "solve Goku's energy problem" by re-growing Goku's tail. Progress is slow at first, but Goku has an idea about how to accelerate the process. After a very painful procedure where the tail is pulled out by a pair of pliers, Goku returns to the Tuffle planet (where most of Earth's residents had migrated to) to confront Baby.

During the long and hard battle with Baby Vegeta, Goku is able to sustain his Super Saiyan 3 form, but is still unable to win. As he lies on the ground, defenseless, he gazes at Earth and realizes he has failed it. But instead of dying, looking at the Earth causes Goku to transform into the form of a Golden Great Ape. With Pan's help, Goku is able to regain control of himself and become a Super Saiyan 4.

Baby is no match against a Super Saiyan 4. In desperation, Bulma (who's under Baby's control) uses a Blutz Wave Generator that causes Baby Vegeta to transform into a Golden Great Ape. Although Goku outclasses Baby in terms of speed, he is slowly worn down by Baby's power. Just as Old Kai loses all hope of Goku succeeding, Supreme Kai removes Gohan, Goten, and Trunks from Baby's control using the Sacred Water from Kami's Lookout. After realizing that they cannot help by fighting the ape, they channel some of their energy to Goku. Goku eventually succeeds in defeating Baby Vegeta and leaves him defenseless. In desperation, Baby leaves Vegeta's body and tries to escape from Planet Tuffle, but Goku uses his Kamehameha attack to destroy Baby and blast his remains into the sun.

Super 17 Saga
Goku is still a kid and fights in the world martial arts tournament, having to fight in the junior division with Mr. Satan saying there is a height requirement. In the finals, his opponent wins by tickling Goku while he is talking to Vegeta, resulting in Goku falling out of the ring. Goku and his friends are at home eating until a badly beaten up Trunks arrives, saying he encountered Android 17, who told him to tell Goku to go to Hell to set things straight..

Goku leaves for Hell, where he meets Dr. Myuu and Dr. Gero, who leave, making Goku very frustrated with no way out, until two of his most fierce enemies of the past drop by, Cell and Frieza. Goku manages to deal with both of them in his normal state. Realizing Goku's power, Cell forces out his tail and absorbs Goku. This only lasts for about ten seconds, since Goku finds his way out of Cell's body. After a fight between Goku, Cell and Frieza, they show Goku a new technique that they learned in Hell: creating a tornado type spin throwing Goku down to the deepest part of Hell. While there, a strange, old lady demonstrates various tortures which evidently ends by freezing Goku in a block of ice.

Meanwhile, Cell and Frieza wait to use a finishing move on Goku. Goku's end seems to have arrived until everyone realizes that the finishing move does not work on the living. Despite being frozen, Goku manages to hear their conversation. In his retaliation, he breaks free, attempts the freezing technique on Cell and Frieza, and successfully freezes them, but accidentally shatters them.

Still trapped in hell, Goku tries to find a way to get out. He asks King Yemma to aid him, with King Yemma responding that he does not know how to get Goku out. Piccolo contacts King Yemma and asks him to transport him to Goku. Believing the plan is ludicrous, King Yemma refuses, leaving Piccolo to destroy significant portions of Heaven as a means to convince him. King Yemma eventually follows through with Piccolo's idea and transports him directly to Goku where he, with Dende's help, open a gate between Hell and Earth to allow Goku to escape Hell. Successfully escaping, Goku immediately leaves for the battlefield.

Goku fights the newly-fused Super 17 after reaching the battlefield. With the help of Android 18, vengeful towards Android 17 for Krillin's death, Goku is able to defeat Super 17 with the use of the Super Dragon Fist through the android's stomach and chest. This attack presumably destroys Android 17's Energy Absorption devices. Goku then finishes off the android with a Kamehameha through the wounded Super 17's stomach, causing him to explode.

Shadow Dragon Saga
When the dragon, Shenron, is summoned to revive those killed by Super 17, the Dragon Balls crack, and a different, cigar-smoking dragon appears in his place. This Black Smoke Shenron promptly splits into seven Shadow Dragons, each with a cracked Dragon Ball in its body. Goku and his companions fight valiantly to defeat these new dragons. However, after six of the seven are defeated (Naturon, Rage, Haze, Oceanus, Eis, and Nova) in a series of many struggles, the One-Star Dragon, Syn Shenron, absorbs the other Dragon Balls into himself, forming Omega Shenron. After Goku and Vegeta (now a Super Saiyan 4) fail to defeat him, they fuse, creating Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta. However, the fused warrior does not finish off the evil Shadow Dragon before the fusion wears off. After being presumably killed by Omega's Negative Karma Ball, Goku asks the people of the planet Earth to send him their energy. The collected energy is not enough to defeat Omega Shenron, so Goku asks King Kai to help him. Energy from all over the universe is collected, creating a Universal Spirit Bomb. The Spirit Bomb is successful in destroying Omega Shenron.

The people of Earth witness this and finally realize Goku is a hero. Afterwards, the real Shenron appears once again, saying that no more wishes will be granted for a long time. After convincing Shenron to grant one last wish and asking that all the people who were killed by Super 17 and the Shadow Dragons be revived, Goku decides to accompany the dragon and train with him. Before leaving, Goku tells Vegeta that the lives of everyone are now in his hands, passing the role of protector of the Earth and anyone in need of help, to Vegeta. Goku also visits Krillin, who has recently been revived by the last wish, and the two of them have one last fight before Goku flies off with Shenron.

Later, as an aged Pan watches the World Martial Arts Tournament, she catches a glimpse of a familiar face in the stands: her grandfather, Goku (now grown up once again, and without his tail). When she tries to follow him, however, he disappears. Goku is then seen flying into the air, grabbing onto his Power Pole, calling for the Flying Nimbus and finally flies off into the distance while yelling, "Till we meet again guys!"