Many popular anime series exist, but Dragon Ball Z has been able to become a massive part of pop culture and help open up Western audiences to more shonen anime series. Dragon Ball Z’s structure and characters aren’t complex, but that hasn’t stopped Goku from becoming a highly influential anime protagonist.

…

The Dragon Ball franchise chronicles Goku’s growth into one of the universe’s strongest fighters, but there was a time when he wasn’t always the best, and it’s possible that he wouldn’t turn out to be the series’ Legendary Super Saiyan that Frieza fears. Goku’s transformation is a beautiful moment that comes as a surprise, but there are also plenty of hints that Goku was always set to be the one who accomplishes this milestone.

There are some mixed conceptions on what sort of attitude a Super Saiyan should embody. The majority of the Saiyan race is aggressive and utilitarian, but Goku’s time on Earth has domesticated him and given him a cheerful disposition. It requires some kind of painful trigger to transform into a Super Saiyan for the first time, but it’s important that Goku is someone who isn’t purely filled with rage at all times. He’s a balanced individual, which makes him able to handle the strength of a Super Saiyan with benevolence and not just become a weapon of destruction.

Another detail that’s important in claiming a coveted status or role is if the public will think that it’s been earned or if it’s some lucky circumstance. Goku is someone who takes fighting and training more seriously than anything else, and he consistently tries to better himself by training under the tutelage of Master Roshi and King Kai in major capacities .

Goku even spends time with Korin as a child and gets taught valuable lessons. All of these individuals have acclaimed reputations, and Goku’s time with them makes his graduation to Super Saiyan feel like a natural progression.

The Saiyan Saga depicts a simpler time in the series when turning into a Super Saiyan isn’t the solution for everything. Before this point, Goku’s biggest trick is the powerful Spirit Bomb technique that he learns from King Kai. This technique requires Goku to receive donations of energy from the world around him. This is a major ask and this figure needs to be trustworthy and pure enough to successfully wield such an ability. The fact that Goku masters the Spirit Bomb speaks to his special nature and why he’s just as worthy to be the Legendary Super Saiyan.

The Dragon Ball Z movies are a mixed bag, especially some of the earlier titles, but Lord Slug features an interesting moment for Goku that’s a significant nod towards his future Super Saiyan status. Goku’s battle against a Super Namek triggers a Pseudo Super Saiyan transformation where he embodies the same power, but with a red aura. Curiously, Lord Slug predates the first Super Saiyan episode of Dragon Ball Z by two months and it’s a major hint of what’s to come. This form was meant to represent a regular Super Saiyan, but the standard look hadn’t yet been established.

Prophetic dreams can quickly turn into self-fulfilling prophecies, which makes them risky to directly pursue. One big factor that drives Frieza forward and led to the destruction of Planet Vegeta in the first place is the tyrant’s fear of an apocryphal figure known as the Legendary Super Saiyan. On Namek, Frieza feels threatened by the prospect that Goku might be this special Saiyan, and he works hard to directly discourage him on the matter. On some level, this treatment does push Goku far enough to become a Super Saiyan for the first time, making Frieza partly responsible.