Dragon Ball has a massive roster of characters, each with varying roles that have fluctuated throughout the series’ run. Goku’s adventures have had him come across a variety of friends and foes, with some of the latter even joining up with him over time. With so many different characters coming and going, it’s easy for some of the less prominent ones to get lost in the shuffle.

Dragon Ball has never shied away from giving its villains a redemption arc, and while most ultimately don’t get the chance, some of the series most popular characters like Piccolo and Vegeta have benefited from the extra care put into developing them. Vegeta in particular has become a face of the franchise, but the same can’t be said for his fellow Saiyan warriors. Though both Nappa and Raditz seem to be fairly milquetoast in comparison, the latter’s relation to Goku might have made him an interesting addition to the main cast.

RELATED: Dragon Ball: What Happened To Goku’s Power Pole?

What Could Have Been

raditz-goku-fighting

Raditz’s introduction signified a major shift in the series’ direction. The unruly Saiyan brought about many revelations pertaining to Goku’s heritage, the dangers looming in outer space, and kicked off a chain of events that would culminate in Frieza and Goku’s battle on Namek. But while Vegeta was allowed the opportunity to continue on in the series, lesser Saiyan’s like Raditza and Nappa were left in the dust. Though it’s easy to see why Nappa would be left behind, Raditz seemed like something of a wasted opportunity, especially considering his familial relation to Goku.

Once Piccolo kills Raditz and Goku with the Special Beam Cannon, the former is completely left in obscurity, save for a few mentions and cameos here and there. At the time, Raditz was the strongest foe seen in the series, though he would soon be eclipsed by Vegeta and Nappa. Had it not been for the drastic gap in power between he, Goku, and Piccolo forcing the latter to use lethal force, Raditz could have very well survived the encounter.

A what-if scenario in Budokai Tenkaichi 2, titled “Fateful Brothers” explores the idea of Raditz surviving his confrontation on Earth, though with a few notable changes. In the story, Raditz suffers from amnesia much like Goku did at the start of the series. This actually allows for a little more characterization than was seen with the original character, and expanded upon the brotherly bond between Goku and Raditz.

RELATED: Dragon Ball Super: How Super Saiyan 4 Could Benefit From a Broly-like Rework

The events of the what-if scenario are still regulated to the Saiyan Saga, though things change considerably due to Raditz’s new character arc. At one point, Raditz gains his memories back but has been so affected by his time with his brother and nephew that he sacrifices himself to kill both Nappa and Vegeta, saving the earth and cutting the Saiyan Arc short.

The what-if scenario explores a lot of interesting ideas that couldn’t be expanded upon in the series due to Raditz’s limited role. Much like Vegeta, Raditz was proud and arrogant, and while he was notably weaker than both Vegeta and Nappa, he stood as a mid-tier Saiyan Warrior who would have made for an interesting addition to the Z Fighters at the time. With the resources available to the Earth fighters, as well as having Goku as a potential sparring partner, it's possible that Raditz could have surpassed his middling potential with enough time.

A One-off Character

Raditz-and-goku-special-beam-cannon

Though some fans might find it strange that Raditz, an immediate family member of the series’ main character, was so easily discarded and forgotten, there are plenty of sensible reasons as to why Toriyama never really did anything more with the character. The Dragon Ball roster was already massive at the time of Raditz’s introduction, and aside from not needing any new addition to the main cast, Piccolo was still occupying the villain/reluctant anti-hero role that would later be passed on to Vegeta.

In terms of potential character growth, Raditz and Vegeta were nearly identical. Though one was notably stronger, both were hot-tempered, quick to violence, and incredibly proud of their Saiyan heritage. Though the added familial dynamic Raditz would have brought alongside Goku does seem interesting, having two very similar characters that would have to go through similar arcs to progress is redundant. Years later, it’s pretty clear that Vegeta was the right Saiyan to keep moving forward.

Raditz ultimately served as a catalyst that introduced audiences to the Saiyans and by extension established the looming threat of Frieza and his minions. The character was never supposed to have a bigger role than that, and though his relation to Goku makes it seem as though the series missed out on some interesting character dynamics, the Dragon Ball roster is so big and diverse that it ultimately didn’t matter. While it would be interesting to see the character revisited in future entries, Raditz is likely a low priority at this point.

MORE: How Vegeta Has Evolved Throughout Dragon Ball