Episode 110 of Dragon Ball Z, first broadcast in Japan on October 2, 1991 and titled Battle in Kami's Lookout in Funimation's dub, is the one where Piccolo sacrifices himself: to give Gohan and Krillin time to get away, he stays behind alone against the Spice Boys and his infected friends. The Japanese title, which says Piccolo is turning back into a demon, gives the twist away. Out in space, meanwhile, Vegeta returns.
Summary
Spice invites Piccolo to join them and, when he refuses, explains how Garlic Jr. broke out of the Dead Zone. The credit goes to the Makyo Star, the home of their demon clan, which comes close to Earth every 5,000 years and awakens their dormant powers. And time is short: past a certain deadline, not even the Sacred Water will be able to cure the infected.
Piccolo attacks, but an infected Yamcha gets in the way while Krillin tries to protect Maron from Roshi, Chi-Chi and Bulma. Icarus saves the girl by flying off with her. Piccolo orders Gohan to fetch the Sacred Water from Kami's Lookout, and the boy leaves with Krillin. Left alone, the Namekian is caught off guard by Mustard, and Roshi and Bulma seize the chance to bite him. Gohan wants to turn back, but his mentor shouts at him to keep going and never look back; moments later another bite brings Piccolo down. Mustard wants to finish him, but Spice stops him: now that he has been bitten, Piccolo will become one of them.
On the way, Maron catches up and insists on tagging along, threatening to dump Krillin if he says no. At Korin's Tower, Yajirobe and the old cat, who reads their minds, send them up toward the Lookout, while Maron stays behind. Elsewhere, Vegeta lands on a planet of warriors once allied with Frieza, wipes them out and asks the last survivor where Goku is. Getting no answer, he kills him too and moves on, obsessed with the secret of the Super Saiyan. At the Lookout, Gohan and Krillin come face to face with Garlic Jr. They are about to attack when the Spice Boys appear, and with them Piccolo, now on the enemy's side.
Our take
The Japanese title plays on Piccolo's past: gyakumodori means a relapse, sliding back into a state you had left behind. The Piccolo we know was born as King Piccolo's heir and left his evil nature behind largely thanks to Gohan, so watching him "go back" is the hardest blow this saga can land. The moment he orders the boy not to look back echoes his sacrifice against Nappa, and the mentor-student bond remains the best thing in this filler run.
The rest is weaker. The Makyo Star is a convenient excuse for a comeback the movie never planned, and Vegeta's interlude, ruthless as it is, mostly exists to remind us the prince is still around. It is the fallout of a choice made in episode 107, when the anime sent him into space to look for Goku while in the manga he stays on Earth. Now Toei has to show him every so often, in scenes that lead nowhere. A detail for sharp-eyed fans: his armor looks brand new in these appearances, yet when he returns to Earth it shows the damage from Namek again.
Trivia
- Filler episode with no manga chapters. Written by Katsuyuki Sumisawa and directed by Mitsuo Hashimoto, with animation supervision by Yukio Ebisawa, it drew an 18.6% share.
- According to the Spice Boys, the Makyo Star passes close to Earth once every 5,000 years.
- Funimation's original broadcast numbered it episode 95 and aired it on April 22, 2000.
- Korin is still voiced by Mark Britten in Funimation's remastered dub, even though Christopher Sabat had played him during the Saiyan, Namek and Frieza sagas.
Characters
- Gohan, Krillin and Maron
- Piccolo
- Garlic Jr. and the Spice Boys (Spice, Vinegar, Mustard and Salt)
- Yamcha, Master Roshi, Chi-Chi and Bulma, infected
- Korin, Yajirobe and Icarus
- Vegeta