‘Dragon Ball Z’: Piccolo’s deception of Garlic Jr. now makes perfect sense thanks to ‘Dragon Ball Daima’
The Demon Kingdom clears up many doubts about previous characters and events, whether or not they are considered part of the official canon.
‘Dragon Ball Daima’ was not the first incursion of the work created by Akira Toriyama into the demonic realm. Many years before, and as part of one of many filler arcs, ‘Dragon Ball Z’ already toyed with concepts such as the planet of demons or the demonic beings themselves, led by the villain Garlic Jr. And it is that between the canonical arcs of Freezer and the androids, the anime received with open arms a series of episodes outside the official canon of the manga that recovered the story of the OVA focused on that enemy of Goku, Piccolo and company. And thanks to ‘Daima’ and its explanations about the Demon Realm and the true origin of the Namekians, Piccolo’s deception of Garlic Jr. now makes perfect sense.
Piccolo pretended to be a demon when he already was one.
Thus, in the midst of Gohan and Krillin’s battle against Garlic Jr. and his henchmen in the Temple of God, a Piccolo who had been bitten and infected in his first encounter with the demons on the island of Mutenroshi joins the battle. So much so, that under the demonic influence of Garlic Jr., Piccolo seems to have lost any semblance of reasoning, to unleash all his power against Gohan and Krillin. He even manages to knock out Goku’s faithful friend, biting him so that he also joins the battle against Gohan; or so it seems.
So much so, that at a certain point, and when Piccolo is about to give the final blow to Gohan, Garlic Jr. prevents him claiming that he wants to be the one to finish off Goku’s son. At that moment, and before the villain’s guard is down, Piccolo steals the little bottles in which he has trapped Kami and Lord Popo, freeing them to the surprise of Garlic Jr. It is at that moment when Piccolo reveals the deception through which he had pretended to be a demon; just like Krillin, who instead of biting him, warns him of his plan, inciting him to behave like one more possessed to complete the ruse.
Already in the original anime Piccolo hints that, as he comes from a demonic lineage, the bite had no effect on him. Now, and after the pertinent explanations given in ‘Dragon Ball Daima’ about the true origin of the Namekians, Piccolo’s deception makes all the sense in the world. So much so, that Piccolo Daimaoh was not a demon for its own sake, but was really a demon because he was a Namekian, whose origin dates back to the Demon Kingdom.
And thus is completed, surely, the only redeemable element of a filler arc of the anime ‘Dragon Ball Z’ totally forgettable; and beyond the peculiar relationship of Krillin with Maron, after these episodes came one of the highlights of ‘Dragon Ball Z’ with the surprising return of Frieza with his father and the unexpected irruption of a young Super Saiyan armed with a powerful sword...
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