Dragon Ball ep 148 - I Did It! The Strongest Man on Earth

Despite coming back from the brink of death, Son Goku's vitality is no match for Piccolo. He beats our hero to the ground, then breaks both of his legs in a single motion. His right arm and both legs utterly useless from his injuries...

"Your left arm's the only thing you can use now. But my father met defeat last time when he left you with one usable limb!"

His body completely fried, Goku is left completely helpless as Piccolo rises high into the air for his final attack. Kuririn and Chichi panic - someone has to save Goku!!

"You. Tenshinhan, was it?" Kami begins. 

"If you kill me... he, too, will expire."

Goku shouts for them to stop; he doesn't need saving, he'll win! But before they can argue with him, it's far too late...

Piccolo launches his final attack at Son Goku...!!

The dust clears as Piccolo lands back down onto what remains of the Tenka-ichi Budokai ring. There is no sign of Goku's body. 

 "I won! Son Goku is dead! DEAD!"

"This world now belongs to me! I can bring about a terror-filled world of evil once more!"

"YOU LOSE!" Son Goku bellows!!

Using Bukujutsu, Goku knocks Piccolo out of the ring. That's right, folks - Son Goku wins the 23rd Tenka-ichi Budokai!

"Looks safe to come out now... It's finally over." 

Yajirobe, who had burrowed underground when the crowd retreated, breathes a sigh of relief. And Goku reaps benefits as well, as Yajirobe has brought Senzu Beans!

"I did it!! I won the Tenka-ichi Budokai!"

Down below, Piccolo's body lays in a heap, battered and broken by the match against Son Goku. Kami-sama glares at him, steeling himself to make a decision. But before he can strike a killing blow on his other half, Goku gets between him and Piccolo...!

"Stop!" Goku shouts.

"What are you doing, Son?!"

"That's my line, Kami-sama!" Goku says defiantly. "What on earth were you about to do?!"

"He still lives!" Kami says desperately. "His life must be ended! We cannot afford to let him live! He will repeat the same thing yet again!"

"And when he does I'll stop him then, too! If you kill Ma Junior, you'll die too!"

"I went through this once before! You can always have Shen Long bring me back to life!"

"So even Kami-sama is allowed to lie?"

"W-what?!"

"The Dragon Balls and Shen Long were originally your creations, weren't they? So wouldn't the Dragon Balls disappear if you died?!"

 Kami steps away from Goku, the shame showing on his face. Goku's hunch is correct.

"I should have stepped down as a Kami-sama long ago!" His voice breaks. "I gave birth to the evil that is Piccolo. Eventually his power surpassed my own as he drove this world into chaos! I am ill fit to be a Kami-sama! I have every right to die."

Muten Roshi steps in and reminds Kami that, without him, the world would not be blessed with the peace it now has. "It all began with a single Dragon Ball."

Kami is touched, and remarks how Goku has a wonderful Master. He regenerates Goku's turtle gi, telling him that the Kame Sen'nin symbol suits him best. Happily, Goku asks Yajirobe for another Senzu Bean. But instead of eating it himself, he gives it to Piccolo...

Piccolo says he'll let them go for today, but that he will return for his revenge... And Goku can't wait for that day, promising to himself to have surpassed Piccolo even further! So Piccolo flies away, and everyone can breathe easy again. For now.

"I'm so happy you're alive!" Chichi glomps Goku.

"W-what are you doing, Chichi?! Stop holding onto me!"

"Ten-san!" Chaozu shouts, glomping Tenshinhan.

"Chaozu! You're all right!"

And all the couples are reunited. Awww.

"Son!" Kami says seriously. "Will you take my place as the new Kami-sama?"

"EH?! Me, a Kami-sama?!" Goku is stunned.

"Hmm. You are more than fit for the role! The two of you can live in the Heavenly Realm."

"HECK NO! I don't want that! I would die if I had to stay there! It's so boring!"

"Listen to me, Son! Kami! You can become Kami! You are the only one who can take over what I have left behind!"

"Come, Kinto Un!!"

"Bye, everyone! Seeya later!"

And that's all for the Dragon Blog! It has been a lot of fun rewatching and blogging the story of Dragon Ball with you all and--

 Oh. Right. I guess Dragon Ball will continue on for "a little bit longer"!