Even though Dragon Ball’s Buu originated as a villain, he has proven to be a reliable ally to the Z-Fighters in the current continuity of Dragon Ball Super. While that twist may have seemed initially shocking, it really shouldn’t have been, as Buu’s redemption was all but confirmed long before Super.
Majin Buu made his first appearance in Dragon Ball chapter 460 after he was awakened by the sorcerer Babidi. Buu is an ancient being whose power rivals that of even the strongest gods–which was proven true in Dragon Ball Super when it was revealed that Buu absorbed the Lord of Lords. When he was awakened after being trapped in a mystical containment vessel long ago, Buu immediately began destroying the world, flying from city to city, turning people into chocolates and cookies and then eating them–or, he’d just blow up the whole area, there wasn’t much rhyme or reason to his chaotic actions. At one point, Buu even molded a group of humans into a house and furniture for himself, leaving their mangled bodies to writhe in unnatural agony for nothing more than Buu’s momentary amusement. Based on Buu’s actions, it is easy to chalk him up as a villain of the highest order–but to one person, he's a miracle-working savior.
In Dragon Ball chapter 478 by Akira Toriyama, Buu is continuing his onslaught across the face of the Earth when he comes across a young boy walking alone on a deserted road. So, Buu decides to fly down and scare the boy with his presence, thinking that his appearance alone will be enough to terrify him before Buu finishes him off. However, when Buu lands in front of him, he learns that the boy is blind and has no idea who Buu is. Buu is shocked to have found someone who isn’t afraid of him, or who doesn’t want to do him harm. In fact, Buu is more than surprised, he is delighted to finally meet someone who treats him kindly–which leads to Buu doing something kind for the boy in return: he cures his blindness.
Buu Proves He Has What is Takes to be a Dragon Ball Hero Before Super
The version of Buu in Dragon Ball Super is one whose evil side had been removed from his body, destroyed by Goku, and then reincarnated as Uub, so that’s why the DBS iteration of the character is a good guy who was willing to help the Z-Fighters against Beerus, fight alongside them in the Tournament of Power (before falling asleep and missing it), and fight against Moro. However, this act of kindness shows that Buu didn’t need to expel every ounce of evil within himself to be a hero, he just needed to be influenced by people who were generally good. When he was awakened, Buu was manipulated by Babidi and then challenged by the Z-Fighters, so it’s no wonder he was so hostile towards the world. It wasn’t until he happened upon a child who didn’t know who he was, but treated him with kindness anyway that Buu learned there was more to life than violence.
Despite all the chaos, horror, and destruction Buu has caused in this Dragon Ball saga, the fact that he restored the vision of a child proves that there is good in him after all–proving that Buu’s Dragon Ball redemption was confirmed long before Dragon Ball Super.