No matter how hard Son Goku tried,
he cannot keep up with Tao Pai Pai's movements!!
Incapacitating Goku's hands and legs, Tao takes him down in a furious head-butt!!
But Goku refuses to give in!
He launches his most mighty Kamehameha!
...and the incredible Tao Pai Pai withstands it in full!!!
"How dare you ruin my clothes!"
"DODONPA!"
Tao Pai Pai's powerful Dodonpa strikes Goku in the heart...!!
And Goku falls, broken.
Tao, as per his orders, snatches up Bulma's knapsack and checks to see if the Dragon Balls are in it. After confirming this, he decides not to return immediately to the Red Ribbon Army HQ - first he must get new clothes. Upa shouts at the assassin, "H-how dare you kill father and Goku!" But the merciless mercenary laughs at the child, as he picks up the pillar, and throws it once more... riding away from The Land of Karin.
Tao flies his pillar to a tailor's, and hands them the design he wants (as seen above, drawn by Tao), and tells the tailor to have it finished in three days. He phones Commander Red and tells him that Son Goku is dead, and that he has the Dragon Balls and shall return in three days. Red tells him he forgot a Dragon Ball, but if the boy is dead, they'll retrieve it themselves.
Back at the Land of Karin, Upa has buried his father, and begins to bury Goku. But Upa is interrupted when a Red Ribbon Army aircraft lands, and a soldier gets out and heads toward Goku's body. Upa hides, watching the soldier. The soldier remarks to himself how ridiculous it is that one brat gave so many adults so much trouble. Then he sees the 4-Star Ball, revealed by the hole made in Goku's gi by Tao's Dodonpa. But when he reaches for the ball, Goku's hand wraps around his wrist.
Goku's alive! Thanks to Son Gohan's Dragon Ball, protecting him from the blast!
But the Red Ribbon soldier has other plans, and open fires on him and Upa!
Goku throws himself over Upa, shielding him. Then he launches at the Red Ribbon soldier, who runs back to his aircraft with tail between his legs. The soldier tries to phone HQ, but before he can do more than say there's a problem...
Goku, using Nyoibo and Kinto Un, blows his ass up.
Commander Red urgently phones Tao, telling him the boy might still be alive! Tao says it is impossible, but that in three days, he'll collect the Dragon Ball himself.
Meanwhile, Goku sees Bora's grave, as he ponders over his Grandpa's ball saving him. "I wish he were still alive..." Upa says, tearing up.
"Okay then! I'll collect all the Dragon Balls and bring your dad back to life!"
"I'm sure of it! Shen Long will grant any wish you want!"
Goku figures that Tao Pai Pai is bound to come back, for the last ball. And when he does, Goku can steal back the other three Dragon Balls. But he's not so sure he can beat Tao... not at his current level.
"Say, Goku! Why don't you try climbing Karin Tower?"
"I'm sure you can climb it, Goku!"
With the Sacred Water, held by the hermit at the top of Karin Tower, Goku's power will be increased several times! Goku decides to do it, and tells Upa to hide, as Tao is bound to return any time soon. And in a flash, Goku hops onto the tower, and is out of Upa's sight before he can blink!!
Goku climbs and climbs -- all day, into the night, and again the next morning -- urged on by thoughts of Upa and Tao Pai Pai. Don't give up, Goku!!
And that, is the essence of Goku's character right there: he goes through all that trouble to get the 4-star ball back, but is willing to lose it again just to wish Bora back to life.
ReplyDeleteGoku's determination to help Upa is such a huge moment in the series. Before this, he's been main character, but now he's the hero.
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