Who Killed Broly in Dragon Ball Z? A Legendary Showdown Analyzed
As a hardcore Dragon Ball fan and gaming content creator, one of the most epic showdowns in Dragon Ball Z history is unquestionably Goku vs the Legendary Super Saiyan Broly. Their explosive fight culminates with Broly‘s grizzly death…or does it? With the release of Dragon Ball Super: Broly in 2018, Broly‘s backstory and fate have changed. Let‘s analyze the showdown in depth.
Broly Perishes in a Blaze of Glory (Dragon Ball Z Movie #8)
In the 1993 film Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan, a freakishly strong Super Saiyan named Broly arrives on Earth and overwhelms Goku and friends. According to legend, Broly is the fabled Legendary Super Saiyan, a warrior with extraordinary potential that appears once every thousand years.
By the film‘s climax, the Z Fighters unite in a last-ditch effort against the unstoppable Broly. But even a triple Kamehameha from Goku, Gohan and Goten can‘t finish Broly off. As a last resort, Goku starts gathering energy from Gohan, Trunks, Piccolo, and Vegeta into his hand for one final attack. Goku then lands a devastating punch to Broly‘s abdomen, fatally rupturing his skin and triggering an explosion from all the built up energy in his swollen body. Broly perishes in the massive blast, ending his reign of terror.
Broly meets a grisly end in Dragon Ball Z Movie #8 (1993)
This epic fight cemented Broly as one of Dragon Ball‘s most iconic villains. His freakish Legendary Super Saiyan strength and memorable defeat left fans eager for more.
Broly Lives On in Dragon Ball Super (For Now)
Over 20 years later, the Dragon Ball Super movie Broly (2018) introduced fans to a new canon take on the Legendary Super Saiyan. While this Broly has a similar backstory of being exiled to a barren planet, his personality is different – less psychotic and more sympathetic. His power level also gets a substantial boost.
In his Super incarnation, Broly‘s fight with Goku and Vegeta ends differently. While Broly dominates most of the fight, the tables turn when Goku and Vegeta fuse into Gogeta. In an epic showdown, Super Saiyan Blue Gogeta thoroughly overpowers Legendary Super Saiyan Broly, who struggles to even stand by the fight‘s end.
But unlike the original Broly‘s abrupt death, Gogeta spares Broly‘s life after defeating him. Broly gets stranded alone on Planet Vampa, alive but defeated. Goku and Vegeta later return to recruit Broly for training.
So while the Z movies wrote Broly off for good, modern Dragon Ball has kept the door open for his return. His role seems more anti-hero than pure villain now. But will Broly stay that way, or might his inherent Saiyan instincts drive him to become a threat? Time will tell!
By the Numbers: How Broly and Gogeta Compare
To demonstrate just how exponentially strong Broly and Gogeta are in the Dragon Ball Super version, check out this data table comparing their power levels:
| Character | Base Power Level | Final/Max Power Level |
|---|---|---|
| Saiyan Saga Goku | 334 | Over 8,000 (Kaio-ken x4 vs. Vegeta) |
| Namek Saga Goku | 3,000,000 | 150,000,000 (Super Saiyan vs. Frieza) |
| Tournament of Power Base Goku | Unknown but likely billions+ | Unknown but rivaled Gods of Destruction |
| Broly (Base) | 920,000,000 | Over 1 billion (Legendary Super Saiyan) |
| Gogeta (in Dragon Ball Z) | Unknown but at least Super Saiyan 3 tier | Likely 100 billion+ (Super Saiyan Blue) |
As we can see, even Broly‘s base form has a staggering power level not seen since the early Dragon Ball Z days. His Legendary Super Saiyan strength boosted that into the billions.
Yet Gogeta utterly dominates him as a Super Saiyan Blue fusion. That speaks volumes about the exponential power scaling of late-series Dragon Ball.
Gogeta‘s extreme power here also lines up with statements that he could potentially defeat Beerus. So Saiyan fusions remain right up there with the Gods in Dragon Ball Super!
The Future of Broly and Dragon Ball Super
What lies ahead for Broly? Truthfully, anything is possible. Dragon Ball is infamous for finding ways to bring back old villains for more arcs and fight sequences. Given his immense power and popularity, few would be surprised if Broly returns to battle Goku again one day.
But for now, Broly trains under his former rivals. Perhaps Goku and Vegeta hope to nurture Broly‘s strength as an ally rather than an enemy going forward. Having another heavy hitter on their side certainly helps against the multitude of threats in Dragon Ball Super and beyond!
As a diehard Dragon Ball expert, I‘ll be sure to provide updates and analysis here if Broly or other iconic characters make a return. There are always new developments with Dragon Ball‘s creative team. For now, it‘s been an epic joy witnessing Broly‘s evolution from one-note villain to complex anti-hero still brimming with potential.
