Dbz Analysis - Tumblr Posts

^^^ 100% agree with all of this. i can't imagine how both of them felt in this scenario. gohan's childhood has been a fusion of schooling and trauma, but he's had friends and family that he trusts. and in this instance, he at least trusts vegeta enough to know that they're fighting the same battle right now, and that he won't turn on them - so, he saves him. vegeta, on the other hand, has NEVER had ANY trust in ANYONE before. i'm pretty sure it's canon that his canonically-shitty father didn't even have time to train him before he was taken away by frieza and trained/forced to fight, all the while sparing and trusting no one. i think, other than his tactical knowledge that he's practically useless on the battlefield in the moment, half the reason he instantly gets defensive and angry that gohan saved him is because that's the first time he's ever been saved by anyone. well, unless you count goku saving him from krillin back on earth, which i don't, because goku plainly states that he planned on beating him the next time they met. in that instance, he was allowed to go because goku wanted to get stronger by fighting him again, as well as goku's mercy in general that he shows pretty much every villain - cause he's an idiot a good person. but in this case? there was nothing gohan had to gain from this. vegeta was half dead on the battlefield, and even though he gave "team 3 star" no more tactical advantage, gohan saved him (risking his own life in the process!!!) out of the goodness of his heart.

i could ramble further, but i'll just end it by saying... i don't think it was coincidental that vegeta opened up and literally CRIED to goku about his traumatic childhood mere HOURS after he felt semi-trust/friendship for the first time.