Not few are the people that claim that the mighty Saiyan Son Goku is stupid. We’re not here to deny that the legendary character is naive and bad at maths, but that doesn’t mean a lack of intelligence. And yes, Dragon Ball Super many times transformed him into an absurd guy that only seems to care about fighting. Goku has his downs from time to time, but he is actually smart overall, and he has proven it many times.
It’s time to let go of the bias that Goku is stupid, and focus on our arguments that prove he’s a really smart character, and not only when it comes to fighting.
5. Cooking Food and Using Healing Herbs
Back in the old days of the first Dragon Ball series when Goku was just a little boy, there were no senzu beans around each time the characters got wounded. The magical beans were introduced during the King Piccolo saga. But until then, Goku and other good characters like Krillin or Yamcha had to heal themselves in other ways. Goku proved to be very good at this chapter by always being able to use the right herbs for his wounds. Furthermore, Goku proved many times that he’s a good chef as well. He was constantly hunting animals and other creatures to cook them and therefore eat their flesh.
Goku’s qualities to cook and use the miracles of nature to heal his wounds, even at a very young age, proves that the character possesses survival intelligence. Thumbs up for Goku for this one!
4. Always Working Hard to Become Stronger
Goku always did everything he can to become stronger, and he never hesitated to take a challenge head-on. Being persistent in something and taking the whole process as seriously as possible definitely requires intelligence. Goku proved it without a single doubt when he has been training under Master Roshi, Kami, King Kai, on planet Yardrat, in the afterlife, and under Whis’s command. Also, let’s not forget that Goku figured out new ways of training alone – in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber with Gohan and later with Vegeta, or in the Capsule Corp spaceship while he was heading to planet Namek.
3. Figuring out Hit’s Time-Lapse Technique
Hit is the best fighter of Universe 6, and he has some mind-blowing techniques. Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo and other fighters had to confront Hit’s team in one-on-one battles, and the stake was huge: the survival of the whole Universe. Vegeta fought Hit first, but the Saiyan Prince lost embarrassingly and very easily. Hit had been using the time-lapse technique, one that allows him to reverse time with just a few moments before the opponent starts to through a punch or kick. This granted Hit the possibility to always hit his opponents, and right in their weak spots.
But Goku managed to figure out somehow how the mysterious technique works, and he brought an efficient counter-attack. Goku put up a great match against Hit, and the Saiyan surely proved once more that he possesses enough fighting intelligence.
2. Using Dirty Tricks Against Jiren
During the fight with Jiren, one of the most powerful opponents in the Dragon Ball history, Goku used a combination of both Instant Transmission and planting energy mines. The Saiyan ingeniously started to ‘dance’ around Jiren while trying to hit him, but also landing mines in a way that was undetectable for his opponent. Jiren stepped on one mine at a moment, which created a chain explosion for Goku’s opponent.
Jiren managed to dodge the explosion, but Goku brought another dirty trick from his sleeve. The Saiyan caught Jiren with his guard down by slicing the portion of the arena below him with Destructo Discs. Instant Transmission was used again by Goku to get off the falling rock that the two fighters were standing on (they couldn’t fly in that battle), and Jiren looked like he was eliminated from the Tournament Of Power. But things were far from over at that point, as Jiren used a small rock to bounce himself back into the action. Goku didn’t win at that moment, but he proved once more what a genius he can be when it comes to fighting.
1. Sacrificing Himself Against Cell
This is one of the most beautiful moments in Dragon Ball history, and it clearly deserves to be in the first place of the list. Cell was ready to blow up the Earth by using a Kamikaze technique, seeing that he doesn’t have any chance to win against Gohan. There seemed to be no solution at that point, but Goku made the best decision possible, although it cost him his own life. The mighty Saiyan teleported Cell to King Kai’s planet, so the villain could detonate himself far away from Earth. Goku didn’t have time to move away from the blast, so he died for the second time in the Dragon Ball Z series. But Cell managed to regenerate himself and come back to Earth for a final round against Gohan. Goku’s son ultimately managed to obliterate Cell with a Kamehameha wave after a long struggle.
Although Goku was killed at that point and Cell survived, the legendary hero has the merit of saving the lives of everyone living on Earth. Everybody would have died if Goku didn’t make the decision of teleporting Cell elsewhere, and it’s amazing how the Saiyan figured that out quickly. Even if the price was his own life, Goku saved everyone, and he proved both intelligence and maturity.
This is our top list for when Goku actually proved that he’s a smart character. Would you propose any other situations? Let us know in a comment!
