With death such a common occurrence in Dragon Ball, Goku’s almost always in some level of danger throughout the series. Early Dragon Ball is often regarded as lighthearted, but the entire main cast has their lives on the lines by the end of the first arc. Come the Red Ribbon Army arc, Dragon Ball’s villains are actively trying to kill Son Goku by any means necessary.
The stakes only rise from there. Goku dies within the Saiyan’s arc opener, kicking off Dragon Ball Z with a bang, while virtually every member of the cast loses their life at some point. As much of a present threat dying might be in Dragon Ball, Goku’s actually managed to cheat death more than once.
10 Pilaf
The first Hunt for the Dragon Balls culminates in Goku, Bulma, and company running into Pilaf. His cronies instantly steal the Dragon Balls out from under the main cast, and when they reach his palace to confront Pilaf, they’re immediately captured. The main characters spend the rest of the arc at Pilaf’s mercy.
It’s only thanks to Oolong that Pilaf doesn’t get his wish on the Dragon Balls, but this just winds up with Goku and everyone else locked in a glass chamber that’ll cook them alive once the sun rises. Only through chance does the full moon transform Goku into an Oozaru and break everyone out.
9 General Blue
While the Red Ribbon Army don’t pose much of a threat to Goku in their initial encounters (mainly against Colonel Silver and Muscle Tower), General Blue serves as a wall Goku can’t overcome. For a rather lengthy portion of the arc, Goku keeps running into General Blue and failing to stop him.
Their first encounter in the Pirate’s Cave would have ended with Goku’s death had it not been for a stray rat. General Blue’s paralysis had locked Goku into place and he was ready to deal the killing blow. Terrified of rodents, however, Blue breaks his concentration long enough for Goku to escape with Bulma and Krillin.
8 Tao Pai Pai
Tao Pai Pai is arguably the substantial threat Goku faces in Dragon Ball. While his life was in danger before, the tone and framing of the story made it clear that Goku wasn’t going to die. This wasn’t the case with Tao Pai Pai’s introduction. Right after slaughtering Bora, Tao Pai Pai tanks a Kamehameha from Goku only to whip out his Dodonpa.
Goku takes the blast head-on, only surviving because the Dragon Ball he kept over his heart blocked most of the strike. The 4-Star Dragon Ball saving Goku’s life is a nice dramatic twist, but it was the only thing keeping him from an early series death.
7 Tambourine
Goku and Tenshinhan fight all out at the end of the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai, completely exhausting themselves by the match’s end. Since the Demon King Piccolo arc picks up right after the tournament ends, Goku hasn’t had a chance to recover his stamina. This doesn’t stop him from rushing after Tambourine when he finds Krillin’s dead body, though. Understandably, Goku doesn’t have the energy to take on Tambourine in a fight. He’s beaten with relative ease and even loses Kintoun in the process.
6 Demon King Piccolo
Depending on how audiences want to interpret things, Demon King Piccolo actually does kill Goku. After Goku eats and recovers his strength, he kills Tambourine with minimal effort. Since Piccolo can feel Tambourine’s death, he now knows where Goku is and goes after him. Despite not being in his prime, Piccolo effortlessly beats up Goku.
Between his sheer speed and strength, Piccolo unleashes a Ki attack that actually manages to stop Goku’s heart. There’s no Dragon Ball saving him, either. Goku briefly died and only started breathing again by pure luck.
5 Raditz
Although Raditz is certainly responsible for Goku’s death, he didn’t actually kill his brother. Not that he couldn’t have. Raditz could have killed Goku at any point he wanted to: during their first confrontation at Kame House or their fight proper. Raditz even has Goku at his mercy near the fight’s end. If Gohan hadn’t broken out of the space pod, Raditz might very well have killed Goku – and without Goku to hold down Raditz for the Makankosappo to land, Piccolo’s turn would have come shortly after.
4 Vegeta
Vegeta really is his own worst enemy. Goku may be stronger when he pushes into Kaioken x4 (as evidenced by the beam struggle Vegeta lost,) but he doesn’t have the stamina to keep up with an elite Saiyan yet. Goku wastes all his energy on his Kamehameha, a fact Vegeta doesn’t recognize.
Instead of finishing off a worn out Goku, Vegeta exhausts a huge chunk of his Ki creating an artificial moon. For what it’s worth, Oozaru Vegeta does have the upper hand and only loses it because he didn’t account for Yajirobe – someone who wasn’t at the battlefield. Still, Vegeta could have killed Goku at any point but threw away his chance.
3 Frieza
Goku’s fight against Frieza is one of the best in Dragon Ball (at least in the manga). After an entire arc of Frieza being near untouchable, Goku is able to fight on his level – or so he thinks. While Goku is pushing himself to his limits (even tapping into Kaioken x20), Frieza’s been pacing himself at 50% power.
Instantly demoralized, Goku finds himself on the receiving end of a beatdown he couldn’t have seen coming. Even his Genki Dama fails. If Frieza hadn’t killed Krillin, Goku never would have turned Super Saiyan and he would have died on Namek.
2 Beerus
Goku and Beerus have a friendly relationship in Dragon Ball Super, but things didn’t begin that way (not that it ever does for Goku). Beerus is genuinely out to push Goku as much as he can during Battle of Gods, fighting with the clear intent to kill. Had Goku not been fighting at his all, he would have died.
Even with Super Saiyan God on his side, however, Goku simply isn’t strong enough to fight Beerus – or even wear him down. Goku takes on Beerus’ “strongest” attack head on and survives only through divine circumstances neither character truly comprehends.
1 Moro
Unlike most Dragon Ball villains, Moro almost kills Goku a few times. He drains his energy on Namek and leaves him for dead; pierces his chest (leaving a noticeable scar) during their battle on Earth; and generally just toys with the Saiyan until Goku finally taps into Ultra Instinct in earnest. Even then, Moro merges with the entire planet and overpowers Goku in the process. It’s only thanks to Vegeta (and Uub) that Goku gathers the strength to finish Moro off for good.
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