(applause)
Today's random babble is - the popularity of Dragonball Z. I think I finally understand. The heavens have opened, and enlightenment has flooded down upon my mind. I awake, now, in a world that makes so much more sense. For I realize the true reality of the philosophy behind Dragonball Z's popularity in America.
It's bloody well pro wrestling. I mean, it's guys in funny costumes with weird names and trademark moves pounding the snot out of each other. Just replace the commercials and announcers with Plot Breaks and Comic Relief Breaks and, well, there it is. People who like pro wrestling (of which there are an astonishing number) would probably also enjoy Dragonball Z, for the exact same reasons they like wrestling. Except DBZ is even wackier.
It's also unashamedly a guy show. In case nobody noticed, in the DBZverse, apparently women don't get super-powers. Rather sexist, that. Even the Saiyans, whose females likely kick just as much butt as their males, don't exhibit any women. And aren't likely to in the future, either, what with their home world being sort of detonated, and all. I mean, we only get three main female characters, Bulma's mother (who doesn't do a whole lot), Chi-Chi (who spends her time either hen-pecking Goku and Gohan, or angsting about their safety) and Bulma, who couldn't be more of an Ingenue if she had "Hi, I'm a Space Ingenue" written on her shirt.
The closest you can come to a view-point character in the vast menagerie of cast members is Gohan, too. Whose relationships with others tend to be the typical Guy Relationships. The Father-Son thing (Goku), the Best Friend (Krillan), the Rival (Which is what poor Vegeta is reduced to by this point), the Mentor (Piccolo), etc. And whose character isn't defined so much by being a bad-ass, since Gohan gets his butt kicked more often than not, but by the fact that he always gets up and tries again. Eventually.
And, of course, on the visceral level, it's guys in funny costumes beating each other up in often hillariously exaggerated fight sequences.
What more could you ask for in a guy show, anyway?
Deja Vu almost certainly refers to there being not one, not two, but three times in this episode where people go "My god! He's dea... nope, sorry, my bad."
Piccolo faces down Frieza for, and I'm not exaggerating here, two or three minutes. First we pan across Piccolo standing there, cape blowing in the wind. Close up of Piccolo's face. Close up of Frieza looking surly. Shot of Gohan, Krillan and Vegeta doing their Johnny Bench impressions. Close up on each of them looking uncertain. Cut to Goku in the healing tank for a quick comment on power levels. Cut to Piccolo and repeat...
Finally, Piccolo launches into battle, cutting loose an impressive can of whup-ass on Frieza. This continues for a while.
Frieza eventually regains his momentum and beats Piccolo back, tackling the Namek warrior to the ground and blasting him a lot. Frieza floats back up, and everyone stares in horror. But no, Piccolo's fine, and more staring at each other ensues.
In the Next Dimension, Yaumcha (I think that's his name) gripes that if Piccolo dies, they'll be stuck there forever. King Ki agrees that Piccolo's in over his head, despite his increased power.
Vegeta fianlly loses it at this point and tries to bravely run away. After all, wouldn't you? If Frieza wins, he's dead. If Piccolo wins, well, there's the little problem that Piccolo died in the first place because of Vegeta, and he's likely to be a wee bit miffed. Frieza takes a moment to block Vegeta's escape, although Vegeta keeps trying for a bit and so Frieza clobbers him some, sending him plummeting to the ground.
And back he goes to Piccolo. More fighting ensues. Piccolo, again, drives Frieza back until the villain regains his footing and blasts Piccolo away. Everyone stares some more. Piccolo gets up. Again. More fighting. Frieza finally grabs the Namek by the collar, and Piccolo just laughs and reveals his secret - he met up with Naihl in the Missing Episode and fused with the other Namek, absorbing Naihl's remaining strength and power to increase his own exponentially. Frieza, surly, pops open some more whup-ass. Gohan and Krillan decide to help, but Piccolo gets up. Again. And tells them to still stay out of it. More fighting. Frieza cuts loose with a Giant Energy Blast, which Piccolo reflects back at him, adding a blast of his own. Frieza vanishes in a massive explosion.
Vegeta, meanwhile, limps back up to join Gohan and Krillan, wearing his best "I meant to do that" look. All stare at the spot where Frieza vanished but... nope! He's not dead yet. In fact, he looks madder than ever.
Next, clearly, comes yet more fighting. Perhaps Goku will even wake up. And perhaps Frieza will transform to gain even more power. Perhaps this will even increase the stupid level of his appearance beyond 1 million! We'll find out... next time, on Dragonball Z!
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