As the main character of Dragon Ball, it goes without saying that Goku sees most of the action. This has held true deep into Dragon Ball Super and will likely remain the case so long as Goku stays the face of the franchise. Despite being the series’ lead, Goku actually doesn’t win that often. His actions and ideals often save the day, but Dragon Ball makes it a point for Goku to taste defeat. A martial artist can only grow once they’ve experienced failure.
That said, this isn’t to say Goku hasn’t pulled out some dubious victories. There are several fights throughout Dragon Ball Goku should and would have lost if he weren’t the main character. Being the franchise protagonist is sometimes the only thing that keeps Goku from sure defeat.
10 Versus General Blue
Goku’s fight against General Blue is arguably the earliest instance of Dragon Ball just throwing Goku a win. General Blue has Goku, Krillin, and Bulma completely at his mercy inside the Pirate Cove. Due to his telekinesis, Blue manages to paralyze all three characters. Right about Blue’s about to deliver the killing blow on Goku, however, a rat appears and scares the General. Goku survives solely because General Blue is deeply disgusted by rats.
9 Versus Tao Pai Pai
For what it’s worth, Goku’s survival during his first fight with Tao Pai Pai is a result of some solid storytelling. After finding the 4-Star Dragon Ball, Goku pockets it in his shirt and takes a Dodonpa to the chest from Tao Pai Pai. The attack would have killed Goku, but his grandfather’s memento takes the brunt of the hit and Goku vows to use the Dragon Balls to revive Bora. When it comes down to it, though, this is still a narrative contrivance and an assassin like Tao Pai Pai likely would have ensured his kill.
8 Versus Demon King Piccolo
Goku suffers a very similar fate against Demon King Piccolo, albeit without the narrative luxury of a Dragon Ball. Piccolo manages to beat Goku into submission, even stopping his heart in the process. Unlike Tao Pai Pai, Piccolo even takes the time to make sure Goku is dead – listening in for a heartbeat.
When Demon King Piccolo hears nothing, he flies off… only for Goku to suddenly regain his heartbeat. There is absolutely nothing explaining Goku’s survival here. He was effectively dead with his heart stopped, only for it to randomly start back up. It makes for tense storytelling, but sloppily so in the grand scheme of things.
7 Versus Demon King Piccolo (Rematch)
Goku doesn’t fare much better in his rematch against King Piccolo either, but he does clutch himself victory against all odds. Even after drinking the Super Holy Water at Karin’s, Goku is only as strong as Demon King Piccolo. Eventually, he’s overpowered and Piccolo breaks nearly every limb in Goku’s body. The only reason Piccolo ends up dying is because he neglected to break both of Goku’s arms, allowing him to Kamehameha his way through the Demon King’s chest.
6 Versus Vegeta
To be fair, Goku does actually lose to Vegeta in their first major fight – but only in the sense he loses the battle, not the war. Even then, Vegeta actually considers this fight to be Goku’s victory entirely. Thanks to pushing Kaioken to x4, Goku is able to overwhelm Vegeta with a Kamehameha that nearly kills the Elite Saiyan. In retaliation, Vegeta immediately creates an artificial moon to become an Oozaru.
From there, Vegeta tortures Goku long enough for Gohan, Krillin, and Yajirobe to intervene. Vegeta’s tail is eventually cut off, Goku produces a Genki Dama, and the Saiyan is ultimately defeated. Had Vegeta just composed himself for a second after the beam struggle, he would have realized Goku was out of energy and could have killed everyone without transforming into a Great Ape.
5 Versus Frieza
Goku earns himself a decisive victory over Frieza, but only through sheer chance. While Goku is pushing himself to use Kaioken x20, Frieza only ever fights back at full power. The whole time Goku is giving it his all and genuinely trying to stop Frieza, he’s just being played with. Goku is lucky he lived long enough to charge up a Genki Dama, let alone actually turn Super Saiyan. If Frieza wanted to, he could have killed Goku the second he came back. Instead, Frieza chooses Krillin and seals his own fate.
4 Versus Fat Buu
Goku technically doesn’t lose against Fat Buu, but he doesn’t win either. Although Goku claims after the fact he could have soundly defeated Majin Buu, he chooses to instead just buy time. Goku shows off Super Saiyan 3, wastes the rest of his time on Earth, and leaves the day to be saved by Gotenks. Who ultimately fails. Goku could (and should) have defeated Buu the first time they fought. If he did, he would have saved the main cast a whole lot of trouble.
3 Versus Pure Buu
Dragon Ball Super attributes Pure Buu’s defeat to Goku primarily, but that’s not really the case. Goku gets a considerable amount of help from Vegeta, Fat Buu, and Mr. Satan. At best, Goku gets the final push in on the Genki Dama. Otherwise, Goku should have lost fighting Pure Buu. Right out the gate, Goku is seen struggling.
Super Saiyan 3 is about on par with Pure Buu strength wise, but Goku’s living body drains so much stamina that he ultimately can’t maintain the form. If Goku and Pure Buu simply fought like normal (which is to be expected from a final battle in a Dragon Ball arc), Goku would have been soundly defeated.
2 Vs Golden Frieza
Goku’s fight against Golden Frieza in Dragon Ball Super is quite contentious. While Frieza himself is stronger in his Golden form, Goku has better stamina control over Super Saiyan Blue and is able to outlast his opponent. Goku waits out Frieza until Golden starts wearing off and then start beating into Frieza.
Unfortunately, Goku lets down his guard and gets shot through the heart by Sorbet in the process. Vegeta ends up fighting Frieza in Goku’s place, but he ends up losing too. The only reason Goku is able to secure victory against Frieza is because Whis turns back time and literally hands Goku a second chance.
1 Vs Moro
Goku ends up squandering his chance to defeat Moro once and for all, eventually allowing the old wizard to fuse himself with the planet. Goku manages to get enough energy from his allies to power up Ultra Instinct, but it isn’t enough to actually kill Moro. It’s only after Uub lends his energy that Goku gains the strength to defeat Moro.
While this makes for a strong narrative moment that sets up Uub’s eventual introduction into Dragon Ball Super, it’s a contrived way of giving Goku the win. He made a fatal mistake and is bailed out of it by a character he doesn’t know yet. It makes sense from an audience perspective, but it’s unsatisfying in terms of Goku’s character.