It's a debate as old as the internet itself almost. Who'd win in a fight? Goku or Superman?

For some strange reason this seems to always end up (debate/fanart-wise) as a battle where both characters would be actively trying to kill each other. Because that's what Goku and Superman are just simply KNOWN for, wanton murder of their opponents. </sarcasm>

The infamous Death Battle video has some amazing points about both characters, and brings up perhaps the best example as to how the two would end up fighting (outside of being forced)... but even then it eventually becomes a match that lives up to the series' title.

I'm sorry... but both characters aren't active killers. Sure they've done such deeds before, but it was usually as a means of an absolute last resort. They didn't WANT to kill their opponents, it's just that their enemies took that option completely out of their hands.

Goku would rather spar with his opponents, the sheer act of fighting being what he'd rather do. His constant quest to train and become better and all that. Hell half of his friends were at one point sworn enemies, who actively tried to kill him and/or his friends. He was even angry at Vegeta for murdering members of the Ginyu Force, guys who almost killed HIS SON for laughs.

And Superman has this ingrained moral compass that prevents him from killing simply on principle. Heck, in the biggest example of him having to resort to that level (Zod and his cronies) ended up with him EXILING himself from Earth for a year or two out of fear that he'd gone too far.

So the idea that these two heroes would go into a match with the sole intent on killing the other is, to me, quite ludicrous. Even on the classic grounds of 'Heroic Misunderstanding Leads To Fighting', they'd eventually figure it out and stop. Hell Goku would probably be shocked to find Superman (via in-fight bantering) as like the ONE opponent who'd actually agree to stop fighting.

I just don't see such a fight lasting long, not on the grounds of one being infinitely better than the other, but because they're not the type of characters who'd go THAT far. Maybe Goku would like to spar with Supes a bit more after the realization that neither are superpowered thugs, but that's really the logical in-character extent of it. Said sparring (if Superman agreed to it) would maybe get a little tense and heated... but nothing that'd leave a corpse.

*shrugs* Just got to thinking of this when I heard about that Marvel/Attack on Titan crossover that's in the works.