For all Vegeta's bluster about Saiyan pride and his never-ending obsession with becoming the most powerful warrior in the universe, he has a surprising sense of humor that crops out every now and then between blows. Usually stemming from his trademark hubris, Vegeta often peppers his opponents with biting barbs and pithy putdowns as he faces those he believes are below him. And as Vegeta's demeanor has softened somewhat since his introduction at the start of Dragon Ball Z, these sardonic sensibilities only have increased through the sequel series Dragon Ball Super.
Here are all the offhand Vegeta comments, taunts and one-liners that prove the Saiyan Prince possesses a sharp wit and can be as eager to trade verbal blows with an opponent as he is physical ones.
"Only a character from an early '80s gag manga could have so much power!"
If there's any character that would break the Dragon Ball franchise's fourth wall, Vegeta is a shocking choice. Still, the taciturn warrior has broken the fourth wall on multiple occasions. One of the most amusing instances was during Dragon Ball Super when the Saiyan Prince got into a showdown with Arale. Surprised at the young girl's strength, Vegeta's observation was a knowing nod to Arale being the protagonist of Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama's early '80s gag manga series Doctor Slump.
"Not 'til the fish jumps... it's over."
While not necessarily the funniest line on paper, the 1992 Dragon Ball Z anime film Super Android 13! featured another comedic fourth-wall-breaking moment for the Saiyan Prince. After an epic battle against three of Doctor Gero's lethal androids on a glacier, Vegeta and Piccolo shared a small ice flow drifting back to civilization. An annoyed Piccolo asks Vegeta if the film is over, with Vegeta confirming not until a fish jumped from the water near them -- with a fish jumping right as he finished his sentence.
"I find it hard to believe my cells are in your body. How could you have turned out so ugly?"
Vegeta was incredulous that his noble Saiyan DNA had been absconded and used by Gero to help construct the synthetic warrior Cell. Upon their first meeting, Cell was in his second form, having previously absorbed Android 17 to grow significantly stronger. Unimpressed, Vegeta taunted Cell over his looks as the two-faced off against one another.
"I'll eat your whole race!"
At the start of Dragon Ball Super, Vegeta fulfilled his promise to his young son Trunks by taking him and his wife Bulma to a resort island and its elaborate theme park. After a shopping excursion around the island, Vegeta and his family go to enjoy an enormous feast. As Vegeta marvels at a massive octopus, he declares he'll eat its entire race -- with his appetite for extinction still comedically apparent -- before a slapstick moment punctuates the meal as he's doused with its ink.
"World Champion? I've known stronger houseplants."
Vegeta is a deceptively proud father and beamed as Trunks faced off against Hercule Satan in the final round for the Junior Division of the 25th World Martial Arts Tournament. Vegeta observed the two face off in the ring, scoffing at the fact that Satan was publicly recognized as the world champion and strongest fighter on Earth as the two warriors squared up.
"What's wrong, Frieza? Is your brain another one of your weak and underused muscles?"
Vegeta has an especially deep grudge against Frieza, who eradicated most of his race and destroyed his home planet. After recovering from a near-fatal injury deliberately inflicted by Krillin to make Vegeta stronger from the healing process, Vegeta mistakingly believed he had finally become a Super Saiyan. As a result, Vegeta insulted a visibly nonplussed Frieza for not recognizing the power he had achieved; predictably, this did not go well for Vegeta.
"If you give up now, I promise I'll turn you into something practical. Like a washing machine or toaster."
After training for three years in preparation for the Androids' arrival and finally unlocking the Super Saiyan transformation, Vegeta was thoroughly underwhelmed by Gero and his creations when they faced off. Vegeta destroyed Android 19 before turning his attention to Android 18 and similarly taunted her over their perceived power disparity. Unfortunately, this proved to be a gross miscalculation on Vegeta's part, with 18 beating him and breaking his arm.
"I do a lot of push-ups and sit-ups. And I drink plenty of juice."
When Vegeta first faced Cell, he had spent a relative year inside the Hyperbolic Time Chamber training to surpass the limits of a regular Super Saiyan. This rigorous regimen resulted in Vegeta emerging stronger than ever and, naturally, supremely overconfident in his abilities. When a shocked Cell pondered how Vegeta could get so strong so quickly, the Saiyan Prince teased him with a joking comment on his daily routine.
