One Dragon Ball villain would have defeated Goku instantly before he hit his head

Goku, the mightiest warrior on Earth, is undoubtedly one of the strongest characters not only in Dragon Ball but also among the greatest shonen ever. And while he has managed to bring his power to a level that even Gods acknowledge, he certainly isn’t undefeatable. Apart from the strongest villains who have managed to put the Saiyan down, there is one more Dragon Ball villain who holds the potential to defeat Goku instantly. The opponent in question is so formidable that he can bring down the latter before he even hit his head as a child.

Now you might wonder how such a foe is not already known. The reason is this villain is definitely not the type to win over Goku with his strength. In fact, this antagonist is even weaker than the child version of Goku in terms of power. But he possesses a unique ability that is regarded as one of the most powerful techniques in Dragon Ball.

The name of this villain is - Spike the Devilman, and surprisingly, his skill would have ended the story of Goku even before it began. Today we will bring to the forefront the abilities of Spike and how he could have defeated Goku when the Saiyan first came down to Earth.

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How Spike the Devilman from Dragon Ball could’ve killed Goku

Goku was not supposed to become the saviour of Earth

After coming down to Earth, Kakarot, aka Goku, was not the jolly, energetic personality that you see him these days. He was full of the typical Saiyan attitude, aggression, and bloodlust. It was not until the main protagonist suffered a head injury that a complete reversal of his personality took place.

The traumatic brain injury happened when Goku fell into a ravine and hit his head. By then, he was already taken in by Grandpa Gohan. But to the old man’s surprise, once Goku healed, he lost all the aggressive Saiyan traits from before. Although certain qualities of being a Saiyan still remained within him, like his uncontrollable desire to always fight stronger opponents, Goku’s evilness completely diminished through this accident. This was revealed by Master Roshi when Raditz first made his appearance in Dragon Ball Z.

This means that if the main protagonist never hit his head, the entire course of Dragon Ball might have taken a completely different direction. This is where Spike the Devil, also referred to as Akkuman, comes in.

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Spike the Devil and his Devilmite beam

Spike the Devilman (Image via Toei Animation)

Spike appeared early in the initial Dragon Ball series as a devil from Hell, working under Fortuneteller Baba. Although he suffered his defeat against Goku, who was only a child back then, the villain’s powers are not to be underestimated at all.

Despite not being super strong, Spike has a special technique known as the Devilmite beam, which is regarded as one of the most powerful techniques in the Dragon Ball universe even today!

To use this, the devil only has to point his finger towards his target, and then he can shoot a pink swirly beam. It does not appear grand, but the Devilmite beam can take all the negative energy of his opponent and expand it to a point where their heart will explode.

This move makes Spike severely dangerous since he can use this technique on any character with evil traits, who are bound to face their doom. The only reason child Goku managed to survive the Devilmite beam goes back to him hitting his head and losing his evilness. In fact, apart from the pure-hearted child, his companions Yamcha, Krillin, and probably even Roshi wouldn't have survived Spike’s attack.

Therefore, if the Saiyan didn’t land himself in the accident, there is no doubt that the Dragon Ball series would have ended way earlier when the two faced each other. It would be best if you also noted that the Devilmite beam could have easily defeated characters like Vegeta, Raditz, and Piccolo.

Spike is undoubtedly one of the most underrated villains to have appeared in the Dragon Ball series, and his power does make him noteworthy since he has the capability to put an end to Goku.