Originally Posted by
Axelhander
DBZ is awesome. Goku is awesome. I like Dragon Ball more than most DC Comics (though the best Superman stories trump most anime, DBZ included). Long live Dragon Ball.
That out of the way, Superman would totally kill Goku in a Death Battle. I haven't seen one argument to the contrary (no, not even on here, and yes I lurk and I read) that is credible, but plenty of what even I did way back when I thought Goku would easily win: attribute a bunch of feats and stats to Goku he has never proven to possess. There's no logical way to phrase "well Goku should theoretically be this because of how he becomes stronger after each loss, right?" and get to a stable frame of reference.
That's not even going into the ridiculousness of something in Dragon Ball that has always bothered me: the fragility of planets. Do you know how hard it would honestly, truly be to blow up the Earth? Like the real world Earth we're standing on (or, if you're in the ISS, orbiting)? We're on a hunk of iron that has survived events that would wipe out our entire species many times over; there is no damn way a Dragon Ball character should be able to destroy a planet with an energy beam, but still fear being blasted into the sun. Unless planets in the DBZ universe are just super fragile for some reason.
Superman wins, in that scenario. And that's key here: according to Death Battle's rules (including removing inhibitions that keep competitors from killing), Superman wins. And by those rules, Akuma beats Shang Tsung, Leonardo beats the rest of the TMNT, and a lowly Goomba and Koopa Troopa kill each other in a surprisingly brutal draw. And it isn't because of the animation: as has been stated by Death Battle's creators multiple times, the animation is purely for kicks and giggles. It's ultimately irrelevant; for funsies, so Team Four Star fans get to see the usual reaction to Kaioken, so DBZ fans smile when Goku doesn't think twice in blasting Superman into the Sun, when Superman heat visions a bunch of homing ki blasts, etc. No, it's because of the rules and the measure of abilities put Superman waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay above Goku. It's a mismatch for Goku, even with very liberal interpretations of his overall power. And if we're going to do ascended DBGT Goku vs. DC 1,000,000 Supes, well, that's not what Death Battle is about.
Why even be mad? I think Hiccup from How to Train Your Dragon is a better character than Goku. Golly I guess I better defend Hiccup's ability to beat Goku in a fistfight? It's nonsensical. Death Battle is about the analysis of who'd win a freakin' Death Battle, and nothing more. Hell if I wrote a Superman vs. Goku scenario, it'd be a mind-controlled Superman fighting a Goku who just barely wins because of Goku's fighting ability and some shred of Supes fighting the mind control. And then they'd be like best buddies, with Goku pestering Superman to spar, and Superman always holding back. Because Superman's power isn't why Superman is a great character nor why he has some amazing stories told about him (Kingdom Come, Red Son, etc.); it's because of what he holds back, because for all his power he wants peace and justice. And Goku's a great character because of his infectious tenacity and heart, a story of the traditional zen martial artist on crack because flying and energy beams and cosmic tyrants who can blow up planets are cool and junk.
Bleh, ramble over. Back to lurking. Have the Horde and Alliance finally become one faction yet?
Warning: No need to bring religion into anything