Synopsis: As Goku arrives at the battlefield at last, Kuririn and Gohan are overjoyed to see him. Vegeta asks Goku (referring to him by his Saiyan name of Kakarot) what he thinks he's doing here, and hopes that it's not to make some lame speech about 'defeating them'. Goku ignores Vegeta's taunts and walks calmly over to Piccolo, checking for a pulse on his neck to confirm that he really is dead. Gohan explains that Piccolo died trying to save him, and Goku glances around, seeing the lifeless bodies of Tenshinhan and Yamcha as well. Nappa mockingly laughs and says Goku shouldn't be surprised to see that his friends are dead given how weak they were, and reveals that another one blew themselves up, leading to Goku to mourn Chaozu as well. As Goku realizes the scope of their losses, noting that Kami is dead as well as a result of Piccolo's death, Vegeta's scouter picks up on Goku's power increasing steadily. As Goku approaches Nappa, Nappa asks him if he's ready to die, throwing a punch at Goku. To Nappa's surprise however, Goku appears behind him, walking over to Kuririn with Gohan on kinto'un in tow, causing Vegeta to note how fast Goku is. Goku apologizes to his son and friend for how late he is and breaks apart the last senzu bean, telling them both to eat part of it. Kuririn tells Goku that he should keep it for himself just in case he needs it as even healed they won't be much help, but Goku insists, saying that he's going to throw the senzu bean away if they don't take it. As Kuririn and Gohan are healed, Goku praises Gohan and Kuririn for how much stronger they've gotten. Gohan explains that Piccolo trained him, and Kuririn laments that he let everyone die, especially Piccolo as they can't use the Dragon Balls now as a result. Kuririn suggests that they all fight together so that they can take at least one of them down with them, but Goku says he'll be fighting the Saiyans alone now, and asks Gohan and Kuririn to stay back out of harm's way. Kuririn and Gohan object at first, but seeing the look on Goku's face, Kuririn says they'd better do as he asks, thinking to himself that he's never seen Goku look so angry. Goku approaches Nappa once again, and Nappa tauntingly says he'd hoped that Kakarot wouldn't want to die so quickly. Goku tells Nappa that he won't be giving him any mercy and begins to power up, causing rocks to float from the ground all around him. Nappa and Vegeta both look on in horror, and as Goku lets out a scream and ceases raising his power, Nappa asks Vegeta what his scouter reads for Kakarot's power – in response, Vegeta removes his scouter and crushes it in hand while revealing it read Goku's power as 8,000. Horrified, Nappa doesn't think there's any way that reading can be right. Goku promises not to use the Kaio-ken on Nappa yet, and as Vegeta wonders what that could be, Nappa launches himself at Goku, proclaiming that the latter will never be a match for him. To the surprise of everyone watching as well as Nappa however, Goku speedily moves behind the brutish Saiyan, kicking him hard in the back of the head and knocking him to the ground. Review: After the last chapter put so much emphasis on Piccolo, it's only fitting that this chapter returns the focus of the story to Goku himself. The two characters started this arc together, but now that Piccolo's out of the picture, Goku's going to have to take over and become the strongest character in action once again. And there's no better time for it either, as Goku now gets the chance to show the remaining two Saiyans just how “worthless” he truly isn't. It's interesting to note the three different reactions the characters all have to Goku's anger and power building as well. Gohan and Kuririn are at first overjoyed to see Goku back, because it means that now they stand at least a chance of winning, or at the very least taking one of the Saiyans down with them as revenge for their friends. Once Goku says that he'll be fighting alone however, they worry that Goku's getting in over his head...at least, until Kuririn sees a look on Goku's face that he's never seen before. Meanwhile, Nappa thinks Goku is a complete joke that never should have come at all since all it means is he's going to die just like his friends, and continually thinks there's no way that someone that had to die to beat Raditz before could ever be his equal or better now. Vegeta however lands somewhere in the middle. He doesn't seem particularly worried, but he's smart enough to realize that Goku isn't someone to take lightly – after all, he's a Saiyan as well, no matter how low-class he might be, and Saiyans are strong. It's also worth noting that both of them, but in particular Vegeta, never refer to Goku by any name other than Kakarot – that's going to be a trait that's going to continue onward for Vegeta. All three sets of reaction change when Goku starts powering up. Kuririn and Gohan are horrified just like Nappa is, and that's a testament to just how strong Goku feels now in comparison to how he was before – even when they're on his side, that power just feels overwhelming, especially when neither of them have ever seen Goku as angry as he is now. Nappa and Vegeta both respond with disbelief, but while Vegeta believes the evidence before his eyes in the end, Nappa dismisses the reading as some sort of error – there's no way that Kakarot could ever be strong enough to run circles around him. Except, that's exactly what's happened. Goku manages to get behind Nappa not once but twice in this chapter, and he's clearly just getting started. It's not just the characters who likely notice this all-new Goku either, as fans who have been reading from the very start are likely noticing a few changes in Goku's design as well. It's more noticeable in some panels than others, but Toriyama is drawing Goku a LOT more buff than ever before – he's come a long way from how he looked at the start of this arc or during the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai. Fans of Goku fan-service, buckle up – you're in for some real beefcake now. Until next time! Favorite Panel:
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