Goku has always been Dragon Ball’s powerful protagonist and the humble hero reaches new heights in Dragon Ball Super. Goku’s selfless nature and incredible strength are never in question, but he’s far from an infallible individual. One of Goku’s greatest concessions is that he is often incredibly innocent, usually to a fault. Goku’s naivety can sometimes be charming, but this trait becomes increasingly frustrating when he doesn’t improve his ways and learn from his mistakes.
Not only does Goku’s questionable intelligence remain a concern in Dragon Ball Super, but there’s solid evidence that he’s actually grown dumber over the course of the series. Goku is still a courageous hero who’s willing to do whatever it takes to protect his friends and family. However, there are some embarrassing events that reflect why it’s time for him to sometimes prioritize brains over brawn.
10 Goku Doesn't Clue Into Beerus' Lie About Monaka
Beerus is an intimidating God of Destruction who initially challenges Goku to a deadly duel, only for this deity to become a helpful mentor and guide throughout Dragon Ball Super. Beerus is committed to Goku building upon his strength, especially if that means that it will earn him some bragging rights with the rest of the multiverse. Beerus concocts a rather convoluted scheme where he tells Goku and Vegeta that a lowly delivery worker, Monaka, is actually Universe 7’s strongest fighter. Beerus’ intent here is to motivate Goku to train harder than ever if he believes that someone else is his superior.
Beerus keeps this subterfuge going for a very long time. He even dons an elaborate Monaka costume so that he can spar against Goku and keep his pupil fooled. Goku never learns the truth about Monaka, which reiterates his growing gullible nature. One would think that Goku would be able to tell that a costumed Beerus isn’t actually Monaka, especially when Goku senses his energy signature. This is all played for laughs, but it still speaks to Goku’s foolishness.
9 Goku Messes Up His Fusion Dance With Vegeta
Fusion has become an increasingly popular concept in Dragon Ball that allows multiple individuals to pool together their strength and skills. The Potara Earring fusion is fairly fool-proof and practically impossible to mess up. However, the fusion dance is trickier in nature and requires its two participating individuals to perform the ritual in perfect unison. Gogeta, Goku and Vegeta’s fusion dance fighter, first appears in Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn.
However, the fused character doesn’t officially become canon until his appearance in Dragon Ball Super: Broly. Gogeta becomes the Saiyans’ saving grace against Broly, but this battle breakthrough almost doesn’t come to pass. Goku fails to match Vegeta’s movements not once, but twice, which results in failed fusions where the malformed fighter is forced to run the clock. Goku and Vegeta finally do Gogeta justice on their third attempt and they get to experience the raw power of their perfect union. These mistakes may seem innocuous, but Piccolo breaks down the fusion process quite plainly for Goku and Vegeta. The fact that Goku messes up this operation two times in a row isn’t very flattering to the Saiyan’s intelligence.
8 Goku Nearly Fails The Tournament Of Destroyers' Written Exam
Dragon Ball is dense in martial arts competitions and Dragon Ball Super pushes this premise to new heights through multiversal combat. The Tournament of Destroyers is a competition between Beerus’ best fighters from Universe 7 and Champa’s strongest warriors from Universe 6. Physical strength is what’s on display here, but Goku suggests that there be a written exam that’s required for potential competitors. This tradition harkens back to the World Martial Arts Tournament, and it helps determine that everyone involved in the proceedings is mentally sound enough to understand what’s going on.
Goku suggests this rule, but it almost becomes his own undoing. Participants need to score at least 50% on the exam to be allowed to fight. Majin Buu doesn’t reach this number and is disqualified, but Goku barely makes it through with his score of 50%. Universe 6’s Auta Magetta receives the same score, and it’s rather condemning that Goku is evidently as smart as a child-like Metalman. Dragon Ball Super also reveals that Chi-Chi’s grocery lists for Goku feature rudimentary drawings of the things that he needs to buy because reading the written language is apparently a struggle for the Saiyan.
7 Goku Puts A Target On Universe 7's Back During Tournament Of Power
The Tournament of Power is a battle royale between the strongest fighters across the multiverse where the cost of failure is total erasure. There have never been higher stakes for a martial arts competition, and yet Goku fails to understand the severity of this situation. Goku, like usual, is merely excited about a worthy challenge, whereas the rest of the universes actively resent him for getting them involved in this crude competition in the first place.
Goku could curry favor with his opponents and demonstrate that such a dire scenario wasn’t his idea. However, Goku’s cavalier and confident attitude through all of this only makes Universe 7 a larger target in the tournament. Universe 7 is thankfully strong enough to survive, but Goku would have sealed his realm’s fate if matters played out differently. It’s terrible etiquette for such an important tournament.
6 Goku Abuses Blue Kaio-Ken & Develops Onset Ki Disorder
The Kaio-Ken Attack is a valuable speed and strength multiplier that Goku masters during his training with King Kai. This becomes a vital tool for Goku before he ascends to Super Saiyan status, but it comes with the risk of ruining the user’s body if it’s abused and pushed too far. The Kaio-Ken Attack makes a surprise return in Dragon Ball Super when Goku combines it with his Super Saiyan Blue transformation.
Goku understands that this combination only has a 10% chance of working and a 90% chance of killing it, but he still takes this risk so that he can overpower Hit during the Tournament of Destroyers. This decision leaves Goku seriously impaired, and he suffers from onset ki disorder where all of his abilities malfunction. Goku is lucky to survive this, yet he still uses Blue Kaio-Ken—and at a higher multiplier, no less—during a few other serious showdowns. This is perhaps proof of how far Goku is willing to go to secure a victory, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a smart decision. He doesn’t appear to learn anything from his initial experience.
5 Goku Gets Dangerously Comfortable With Omni-King Zeno
Dragon Ball Super brings many new tiers of celestial deities into the mix, whether it’s Angels, Gods of Destruction, or Grand Ministers. However, sitting above them all as the absolute ruler of the multiverse is Zeno the Omni-King. Zeno is understandably feared by everyone that he encounters, including powerful individuals like Beerus. To everyone’s surprise, Goku is incredibly casual with Zeno and treats him like a curious child who just wants to have fun.
Zeno appreciates Goku’s energy and even gifts him with a special “get out of jail free” button that will summon him if there’s ever too much trouble for the Saiyan to handle. Zeno’s summoning button is essential when Fused Zamasu gets separated and festers into Infinite Zamasu. That being said, Goku’s unconcerned attitude could have been disastrous to not only himself, but to the entire universe. Most omnipotent beings would resent someone who’s so dismissive of their power and Goku’s failure to recognize Zeno’s importance and power is just another example of the character’s reckless and foolish attitude.
4 Goku Decides To Recruit Frieza For The Tournament Of Power
Dragon Ball Super’s Tournament of Power is arguably the most important event that Goku has ever been involved in and it’s absolutely crucial that he assembles the right team to represent Universe 7. Buu’s unexpected absence from the proceedings forces Goku to make a last-minute substitution and his decision rubs many of his teammates the wrong way. Goku opts to recruit Frieza, due to the villain’s overwhelming strength and what he stands to gain from his team’s victory. Frieza turns out to be a valuable teammate, but he’s someone who the rest of Universe 7 can never fully trust.
Additionally, Frieza is brought back to life as thanks for his cooperation, which becomes a substantial problem later on when he reveals his strenuous training and new Black Frieza form, which makes him the strongest in the universe. It definitely seems as if there are smarter choices that Goku could have made in lieu of Frieza, such as Goten, Trunks, or Pikkon (who could finally be worked into the series’ canon). If Goku absolutely had to recruit a deceased villain, then there are also safer choices than someone like Frieza who’s notoriously unloyal.
3 Goku Continues To Give Senzu Beans To Villains
Goku appreciates both a good challenge and giving his opponents a proper chance at redemption, rather than gleefully eliminating them. This has resulted in Goku giving numerous villains restorative Senzu Beans so they’re back at peak health. This decision was questionable back when Goku did it with Cell back in Dragon Ball Z. However, there’s at least some method to Goku’s madness here due to how he believes that it will be necessary for Gohan’s powerful epiphany.
Goku engages in the same behavior with Planet-Eater Moro in Dragon Ball Super and there’s really no excuse for this level of buffoonery. Moro has been evil for many millennia and there’s absolutely no hope of him turning over a heroic leaf. Goku’s dim-witted decision here puts the entire galaxy in danger and it’s easily one of the worst choices that he makes in Dragon Ball Super. The worst part about this is that Goku still doesn’t seem to learn anything from the experience and it wouldn’t come as a shock if he chooses to give Black Frieza a Senzu Bean down the road.
2 Goku Reveals That He Doesn't Understand The Nature Of Pregnancy
Goku’s talents are definitely on the battlefield and he’s guilty of living a rather sheltered life during his youth. That being said, he’s spent decades on Earth and one would think that he’d pick up on some of the planet’s more natural concepts. Aliens like Vegeta and Piccolo seemingly have a better understanding of how humans function, which reinforces Goku’s foolishness. Romance is one of Goku’s biggest blindspots and he reveals in Dragon Ball Super that kissing is somehow a foreign concept to him.
What’s even more egregious is that the whole concept of pregnancy appears to confound Goku. Goku doesn’t understand why Vegeta can’t fight in the Tournament of Power when Bulma is pregnant and he even asks if Vegeta is the one who’s having the baby. Goku’s death and his corresponding absence during Goten’s birth appears to be his excuse for this abysmal ignorance, but he was seemingly present for Gohan’s birth.
1 Goku Forgets His Own Granddaughter’s Name
Goku has continually proven that he loves his family and that they’re the most important thing in the world to him. However, Goku is guilty of some major mistakes that are serious red flags when it comes to his intelligence. The final chapter of Dragon Ball Super’s Super Hero Saga features a touching scene where Goku, Gohan, and Piccolo collectively pick up Pan from kindergarten. Goku is excited to see his granddaughter, but he admits that he’s forgotten her name, which has everyone—especially Gohan—aghast.
Goku has admittedly been on Beerus’ Planet for some time, but this is no excuse for completely forgetting about Pan. It’s a scathing omission that proves just how far Goku has fallen and many fans consider it to be a step too far for the character’s dwindling intelligence. Goku has some serious work to do when it comes to repairing this weak relationship.
