Vegeta has had more than his fair share of stand-out moments in the Dragon Ball anime, but nothing tops his death scene from the Frieza Saga. For several episodes, Piccolo, Gohan, and Krillin had to put aside their differences with Vegeta to team up against Frieza, who proved to be a nearly unstoppable opponent. Prior to Goku's long-awaited arrival, Vegeta was tragically killed by Frieza, who had achieved his final form.
After appearing in the Saiyan Saga as the main villain, Vegeta went through a long process where he evolved into a more heroic character. In the Frieza Saga, Vegeta served as a reluctant ally who was motivated by self-preservation and his plans for the Dragon Balls to join forces with the Z-Warriors to defeat their mutual enemy, Frieza. After Vegeta's death, he was revived by the heroes, and became a core member of the group. Throughout the years, Vegeta has maintained his rivalry with Goku while also serving as the show's second strongest hero. As Goku gains power and goes through transformation after transformation, Vegeta's desire to surpass his rival keeps him right in step behind Goku.
The beloved character has been involved in numerous battles across Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball Super, and the movies, allowing for some truly remarkable moments that showcase Vegeta's power, determination, and evolution as a hero, but what is arguably his best scene, his death at the hands of Frieza, has nothing to do with his skill as a fighter. Dragon Ball Z has always been a show that revolves around multi-episode battles and constant action, and that's part of what makes Vegeta's death so memorable, because it was so different. It was an emotionally powerful scene that allowed viewers to understand Vegeta and what made him tick for the first time.
As Vegeta lays on the ground dying next to Goku, Vegeta makes an uncharacteristic declaration by referring to Goku as a true "Super Saiyan" who can rise up and beat Frieza. Vegeta proceeds to explain why it's so important that Goku forget about his principles and kill Frieza. Vegeta tells Goku a heartfelt story about how the Saiyans -- including Goku's father, Bardock -- were obliterated by Frieza years ago. Here, Vegeta expresses the pain he felt when all of his people and his planet were annihilated by Frieza. Vegeta gets personal when talking about the extinction of the Saiyan race and its affect on him. Vegeta blames Frieza for the person that he ended up becoming.
Vegeta's usual aloof, proud and cold-blooded attitude is what makes his final words so surprising and momentous, as this is Vegeta showing a side of himself that no one ever knew existed. This scene is what allowed fans to see the depth of his character. Somehow, in just one episode, Dragon Ball Z took a seemingly a heartless villain who could kill anyone without giving it a second thought into someone that viewers could genuinely sympathize with. There's no telling if Vegeta still would have reached the level of popularity that he has today if it wasn't for this singular, defining moment.