Synopsis: Gohan timidly asks Piccolo what he'll be doing for training, and Piccolo tells him that his first task is simple – survive. Gohan is confused, and Piccolo explains that he wants him to live out here in the wilderness, and if he's still alive when Piccolo comes back in six months, then he'll teach Gohan how to fight. Gohan is horrified at this idea, claiming that he'll die of loneliness if he's left out here alone, but Piccolo assures him that there are plenty of bloodthirsty beasts around to keep him company. Even more scared, Gohan pleads with Piccolo not to leave him out here, but Piccolo tells him to do as he says, reminding him that the fate of the world rests in his hands. He also cautions Gohan not to try to escape this place, as it's surrounded by a desert that will make this area feel like paradise in comparison. Gohan asks where he's supposed to find food, a bath, or a bed, and Piccolo scoffs at him for thinking that such things will be provided for him. Gohan sobs that this isn't fair, and Piccolo tells him that if he feels resentful, then he should curse his fate, the same as Piccolo does. Leaving Gohan on his own, Piccolo flies off, as the situation is observed from afar by a watching Kami and Mr. Popo. Popo says that Kami seems troubled, and Kami confesses that he's sensed a change in Piccolo. He's still evil, but seemingly less so than he once was, and Popo agrees. Kami said he first suspected something had changed when Goku and Raditz turned up in the afterlife rather than their souls being stuck drifting aimlessly in this world, as those killed by demons are cursed to do, and he wonders if it's because Piccolo too can sense that they only have a year left to live. Popo is surprised at this, and Kami confesses that he doesn't know if it's because Piccolo will die fighting the Saiyans or because his own lifespan will run out in that time, but he can tell that his death is coming, and thus Piccolo can feel it too. Kami further wonders if this is Piccolo's way of leaving something behind, even if it's in the form of his sworn enemy's son. Popo asks about the Dragon Balls, and Kami confirms that the next time they're used will be the last time. In the wilderness, Gohan is sitting on a rock and crying when a loud noise approaches him. Looking up, Gohan is terrified to see a hungry carnivorous dinosaur just about to eat him. Gohan runs away as fast as he can and screams for help as the dinosaur chases him, but nobody heeds his call. Just as Gohan is about to be eaten, his power flares up and he leaps out of the way, leaving the confused and hungry dino behind. Gohan himself is surprised to find himself on top of a large pillar of rock with seemingly no way down. As night falls, Gohan continues to cry out of fear and hunger both, when suddenly he finds a pair of apples sitting on the ground next to him. He looks around, confused as to where they came from as there's no tree nearby, but decides to eat them anyway. As he eats, he finds the apples to be extremely sour, making him wish he had some dim sum instead. Overhead in the sky, Piccolo watches as Gohan eats and complains about the apples he just gave him, causing the former Demon King to scoff again. He forewarns a now sleeping Gohan that this will be the last time he's helping him, saying that it's up to him to survive on his own now, and if he can't, then he was never any use at all. In the afterlife, Goku continues to run the Serpent Road. With no end in sight, Goku laments how hungry he is. Review: As mentioned before, this arc is going to prove to be a time of great change for the character of Piccolo, and some of it's already happened right beneath our noses. Not to toot my own horn, but I've read and watched this series many times through. I know it pretty well by now (though obviously there are multiple people out there with far more knowledge than I could ever have, especially in regards to the real world production of the series). Even with my knowledge though, I have to admit – the initial reveal that Piccolo was somewhat different now completely escaped my notice, as it seems to do every time. Considering I got extremely close to this very topic just a review or two ago too and it still didn't dawn on me is a sign of how dense I am too, oof. Back before the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai arc, it was established that those killed by demons end up being unable to pass on properly, with their souls remaining essentially in limbo. This was established directly in correlation to King Piccolo, so it was always safe to assume that anyone killed by the current Piccolo would suffer the same fate. That was probably true back during the time of the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai too, but now? The proof is right before our eyes – both Goku and Raditz were killed by Piccolo, and both are confirmed to have gone on to be judged by Enma. That...shouldn't happen, not if Piccolo is still considered a demon. So if he's not, then...what is he? Some of that answer will come in due time, though honestly that's a whole other kettle of fish entirely. Right now, the real answer is a more personal and, for lack of a better term, spiritual one. We see Piccolo being outright cruel to Gohan here, he's leaving Gohan out in a place where no four-year old should be expected to be able to survive on their own – hell, many adults wouldn't survive similar situations, especially not if there's freakin' dinosaurs around. Despite his great inner strength, Gohan is far closer to a realistic interpretation of a child than Goku ever was, so what Piccolo is doing to him here would definitely count as child abuse and endangerment were this real life. While that judgment wouldn't change fully if this were reality, I still think it bears considering Piccolo's own upbringing as well...or lack there-of. Piccolo can't have had an easy life up to this point. Accelerated aging aside, he's not actually that much older than Gohan – if we go from the roughly three years from the end of the King Piccolo arc to the 23rd Budokai, he was three when he fought Goku again; add five more years from then to reach this point, and he's eight. He was born for one specific goal, to kill Son Goku in revenge essentially for a father that he never met. He never had any choice in the matter, it was the whole reason for his existence, and because of that, he too was left alone in the world to fend for himself and to try and survive, all the while knowing that all around him was a world that hated him, and that somewhere out there was both an enemy he had to face, and a vengeful God that would sooner kill him (if he could) than talk to him. It's really not a surprise at all that this current Piccolo turned out the way that he did. Piccolo says as much himself here, revealing that he curses his fate. It's possible that he merely means the fact that he's going to die in a year's time, but while I'm sure that does weigh heavily on his mind and might even be one of the main reasons he's doing what he's doing, I think there's far more to it than that. Piccolo never had a chance in this world. The only thing he had was the goal bestowed upon him at birth, and now, he's achieved at least the main part of that goal – he's killed Son Goku. Hell, he killed his brother to boot. Piccolo should feel ecstatic about this, but he doesn't. Part of this is because he knows that Goku is just going to get wished back, but with how Piccolo acts here, it again seems to be more than that. I think it's sometime around this point that Piccolo starts to realize that...he doesn't have anything. He has no goals or wants that weren't just left for him second-hand by his 'father'. He's an empty slate that only exists as the final whim of a dying villain, and as such, he's seemingly no more than a stain to be blotted out of the world and forgotten once his time comes, and now that time seems to be coming rapidly. I think Kami might be right when he assumes that training Gohan might be more for Piccolo than a way that the Earth might survive – it's his one chance at leaving behind some sort of proof that he existed. Until next time! Favorite Panel:
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About the AuthorAspiring author and big anime/manga fan, just trying to do my best in the world. For more details, go to About Me. Archives
September 2022
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