Episode 80 of Dragon Ball Z, first broadcast in Japan on February 27, 1991 and titled Piccolo the Super-Namek in Funimation's dub, is the episode where the tide suddenly turns. Gohan seems finished under Frieza's foot, but within minutes Krillin is back in the fight, Dende reveals an unexpected gift, and Piccolo, the warrior who came late, finally reaches the battlefield.
Summary
Frieza keeps torturing Gohan as payback for the boy's attack. Vegeta, frozen with fear, cannot bring himself to step in. Inside Frieza's ship, Goku, still recovering in the Medical Machine, feels his son's energy fading and tries to get out, even though he can barely move an arm.
Just as Vegeta finally seems ready to act, a Destructo Disc whistles through the air: Krillin is back on his feet. Frieza dodges, but the disc lops off part of his tail. Krillin fires more discs, all of which Frieza evades, then flees to draw him away from Gohan. He hides in the cracks of a big rock formation out at sea; Frieza flushes him out first with energy blasts and then by churning up the water, but Krillin blinds him with a Solar Flare and races back to his friends.
Meanwhile Dende kneels beside the unconscious Gohan and heals him with his hands. Intrigued, Vegeta accuses Krillin of keeping that power a secret, but Krillin retorts that they had no idea; otherwise Dende would have healed Goku long ago. Gohan gets up fully restored and even a little stronger. The three join forces and pelt Frieza with a hail of blasts, to no effect. Gohan is about to charge in headfirst when a figure wrapped in light appears between them: Piccolo.
The Namekian announces that he will face Frieza alone. Vegeta doubts him, remembering how easily Nappa killed him on Earth, and Piccolo replies that once Frieza is dealt with, Vegeta is next. The tyrant laughs at such nerve, but Piccolo stays calm and vows to avenge the people of Namek.
Our take
After two episodes of pure suffering, this one lets the audience breathe, and its strength lies in teamwork. Krillin, too often remembered only as a victim, is decisive here: with a Destructo Disc and some quick thinking he buys everyone the time they need. It is one of those moments that explain why fans love him so much.
The reveal of Dende's power changes the rules of the battle. Healing becomes a strategic asset, and it is no accident that Vegeta notices immediately: it plants the seed of the desperate plan he will put into action soon after.
Piccolo's entrance is staged like a hero's arrival: the light, the calm, the vow of vengeance. His exchange with Vegeta shows that their alliance is only a truce, but all eyes are on the showdown with Frieza.
The anime adds Krillin's hide-and-seek among the rocks, with Frieza smoking him out with energy and water, and the trio's combined barrage after Gohan is healed.
Trivia
- Written by Aya Matsui and directed by Jun'ichi Fujise, with Yukio Ebisawa as animation supervisor.
- It adapts chapter 299 and the start of chapter 300.
- With a 25.9% ratings share, it is the most watched episode in Japan between 60 and 83.
- In Funimation's dub, Vegeta cannot stomach watching Gohan being beaten; in the original he is not concerned for the boy and only wonders how anyone could beat such power.
- Funimation's 1999 TV version merged this episode with the previous one.
Did you know? This is the last episode shot on 35mm film; from the next one, the series goes back to 16mm.