Mr. Satan, called Hercule in some English versions, is the martial arts champion who takes credit for other people's feats and, almost by accident, ends up saving the world. He debuts in the Cell Saga of Dragon Ball Z, becomes crucial in the Majin Buu Saga and sticks around as comic relief in GT and Super. Here we follow him saga by saga; for his family, name and voice cast, see Mr. Satan's profile.
Dragon Ball Z
Cell Saga (episodes 140-194)
In the Cell Saga Mr. Satan is the winner of the 24th World Martial Arts Tournament and a crowd favorite. In episode 173 he announces on TV that he will enter the Cell Games. In the ring, in episode 176, two of his students go first, then he smashes fourteen tiles to warm up and charges Cell, who brushes him aside like a nuisance while the TV crew stares in disbelief. To him, flying and energy blasts are just tricks.
For the rest of the tournament he stays on the sidelines, terrified: when Goku gives up, he fakes a stomachache so he will not have to go back in. Still, he does his part: in episode 184, at Android 16's request, he picks up the android's head and, shaking all the while, throws it in front of Gohan so 16 can speak to the boy. When Gohan defeats Cell, the media hand the victory to Mr. Satan, and he does not correct them.
Majin Buu Saga (episodes 200-291)
In the Majin Buu Saga, seven years later, the city where Gohan attends high school is called Satan City, and his daughter Videl is Gohan's classmate. At the 25th World Martial Arts Tournament he reaches the final against Android 18, who in episode 226 offers to lose on purpose for 20 million zeni: he accepts and keeps the title.
With Majin Buu having already wiped out most of humanity, the world turns to its hero. In episode 252 Mr. Satan shows up at the monster's house with poisoned gifts and explosives, which do nothing, and ends up becoming his friend; soon after, he convinces him to announce that he will stop hurting people. When two thugs shoot the puppy Bee, Buu's rage spawns his evil half.
Having survived the destruction of Earth, Mr. Satan is with Goku and the others on the Kais' sacred world. Convinced it is all a dream, he steps in front of the monster to protect Vegeta, which brings the good Buu back out. In episode 285, when no one listens to Vegeta or Goku, it is his voice that convinces the people of Earth to raise their hands for the Spirit Bomb. In the end Buu moves in with him and Bee, and the credit for the victory once again goes to Mr. Satan, with Goku and the others happy to let him have it.
Dragon Ball GT
Baby Saga and Super 17 Saga (episodes 17-47)
In the Baby Saga Majin Buu shields him from the parasite: in episode 29 he swallows him and Pan to keep them safe. Mr. Satan then sneaks aboard Baby's ship with Pan and Buu and makes it with his granddaughter all the way to the parasite's planet, and in episode 40 he convinces people that the Earth really is about to explode, making the evacuation possible. In the Super 17 Saga, in episode 41, he hopes to make Pan his successor at the World Martial Arts Tournament; in the final, Uub, on the advice of the Buu inside him, lets him win because Mr. Satan gives the world hope.
Dragon Ball Super
Battle of Gods Saga (episodes 1-18)
In the Battle of Gods Saga he receives the 100-million-zeni World Hero Prize and introduces Buu to reporters as his number one disciple. In episode 1 he goes to Goku to hand him the prize, convinced that Goku is the one who really earned it. In episode 15 he tells a press conference that he beat the God of Destruction by becoming a god himself; an alien warrior challenges him and he passes the hot potato to Goku.
Future Trunks Saga and Universe Survival Saga (episodes 47-131)
In the Future Trunks Saga he meets Trunks and proudly shows him footage of his fake victories; in episode 73 he plays himself in the movie Great Saiyaman vs. Mr. Satan. In the Universe Survival Saga, in episode 79, he cheers on Buu in the exhibition match against Basil and gets hurt: seeing him on the ground is what makes Buu stop playing, heal him and win. In Dragon Ball Daima he appears in a shrunken mini version.
Our take
Followed saga by saga, Mr. Satan is a character who grows without getting any stronger. At the Cell Games he is the clown in denial; in the Majin Buu Saga he is the ordinary man who does what no warrior can, talking to the monster instead of fighting it. And his stolen fame, which for most of the series looks like nothing more than a running gag, becomes the tool that saves Earth when the Spirit Bomb needs everyone's trust.
In GT and Super he goes back to being mostly comic relief, but without losing that generous side: he gives the prize to Goku, gets hurt for his friend Buu and dreams of Pan as his heir.
Did you know? As a young man, Mr. Satan and his master mocked Tao Pai Pai's hairstyle in a bar: the assassin killed the master and badly injured the future champion, who has avoided overly strong strangers ever since.
For the other key players in his story, see the profiles of Videl and Majin Buu, and follow his son-in-law in Gohan saga by saga.