Only A Real Dragon Ball Z Fan Knows How These Characters Were Eliminated
- by Andrew Dominguez
- – on
- in The Geek Corner
Oh, Dragon Ball Z - with its long-awaited seasons as a child, making us run home after school to tune into Cartoon Network's/Toonami's lineup of Dragon Ball Z episodes. Dragon Ball Z is a staple memory for anyone whose childhood took place in the late '90s/early 2000s. We all loved Goku, related to Gohan, and secretly liked Vegeta (some actually took pride in calling him their favorite). And who didn't think Future Trunks was the coolest Saiyan around? Then, there were the baddies. Who didn't find Frieza despicable and almost frightening to look at in battle? Who didn't think Cell was as perfectly brilliant as he was egotistic and maniacal? And didn't Buu, with his many transformations and ultimate form as Evil Kid Buu, often make us wonder if he was going to shock us or make us laugh out loud?
We all loved these characters and also saw them go (some more than others) at the hands of villains and heroes alike. Though the good ones always resurfaced after Shenron was summoned, others didn't have with this luck and were forced to stay in eternal slumber due to their evildoings. Almost every Dragon Ball Z character died once. Can you recall how these characters died at specific times?
How does Goku die during The Cell Games?
Goku’s been a household staple for fans of all ages for over twenty years now. As DBZ’s main hero, he often has many near-death experiences where he puts his own skin on the line to save his loved ones, and a few times, he actually dies. Fortunately for the DBZ Universe, the dragon balls are always readily available to collect and summon Shenron to resurrect our fallen hero. Goku dies twice - once against Radditz and the other during the Z warriors’ fight against Cell. How exactly does he die during this battle?
How does Krillin die (again)?
Krillin might be the butt of many jokes due to his death count, but one thing is undeniable - the guy is brave. Though not as outmatched as Chiaotzu, Krillin is still no match for any of the major villains in the series. Still, he fights on to protect his friends and family. One of these deaths is memorable because Krillin knows he's going to meet his end but still heads into battle, allowing time for his friends and family to try and escape. How does Krillin die the third time around?
How does Future Trunks die?
Future Trunks dies once during his time in the past. Though his character is one of the most heroic in all of Dragon Ball Z, traveling in between time to warn our heroes about the dangers of The Androids and risking his own timeline in doing so, he doesn’t die in a very heroic way. Actually, he dies in a very abrupt way that catches every Z fighter off-guard. Of course, this is a short-lived death thanks to the dragon balls. How does this futuristic half-Saiyan meet his untimely demise?
How does King Kai die?
King Kai is also, in essence, a God within his own kind. He works a lot with the dead, them training him to go on to the next level before being resurrected by the dragon balls to save the day. King Kai even helps Goku reach a new level of strength and teaches him the spirit bomb, which saves the day more than once. All this noted, King Kai does eventually die as well for the greater good of humanity (not by choice, per say). How does he die?
How does Frieza die?
Frieza is the first major villain in Dragon Ball Z. He's a tyrant in every sense of the word; he tortures alien races mercilessly for his own enjoyment, he takes special joy in eradicating the Saiyans only to make their prince his personal righthand/ slave of sorts, and in one of the most horrific moments in DBZ history, he blows up Krillin in front of Goku’s very own eyes. But even after Super Saiyan Goku strips Frieza of all pride and could've easily finished him off, our hero spares this evil opponent. Who ultimately kills Frieza?
How does Evil Kid Buu die?
Evil Kid Buu is oftentimes referred to as the most maniacal villain in DBZ - the ‘purest’ form of evil - and with good reason. This tiny and harmless-looking pink creature is the exact opposite; he can teleport to planets instantaneously, picking fights with all those present, only to dispose of them in the blink of an eye and then blow up the planet without a second thought. Then, he moves on to the next planet in seconds and repeats the routine. Yeah, one scary little dude. But as happens to all villains in DBZ in the long run, he, too, ends up being destroyed. How does he die?
How does Choiatzu die?
Chiaotzu is a tiny guy with a warrior’s heart; even when the odds are against him and his death is imminent, he fights valiantly for his friends and the sake of planet Earth. As the series progresses, Tien convinces him to take the sidelines as a fellow supporter rather than risk his life needlessly (after all, that’s what the Saiyans are around for). But during the beginning of DBZ, Chiaotzu dies once in a long-anticipated and trained-for battle, making for one of this character’s most touching moments. How does he die?
How does Captain Ginyu aka “The Frog” die?
Captain Ginyu is the hilarious, exuberant, and simultaneously evil leader of the Ginyu Force. He often stands by the sidelines as his crew does all the dirty work, but when his team disappears one by one at the hands of Goku before his very own eyes, he steps into battle and uses a body-swapping technique to gain the upper hand. This same move eventually backfires on him and leads to the rest of his rather peaceful and jumpy existence. How does he ultimately die?
How does Chichi die?
Chichi isn't known to condone battle, ESPECIALLY when Gohan is involved. Ironically, she has a change of heart when it comes to Goten and even trains this young Half-Saiyan to the point where he becomes the youngest Super Saiyan in history (way to go, Chichi!). Because of her motherly instinct, she almost loses her mind when she’s informed (wrongfully) that Gohan has died at the hands of Majin Buu. Chichi then goes into a fit of rage that leads to her somewhat funny but nonetheless tragic demise. How does she die?
How does Gohan die?
Gohan is one of those characters who always somehow escapes certain death. Whether it's Goku saving the day at the last minute, Piccolo committing a self-sacrifice for him, or even Vegeta unexpectedly coming to the rescue, Gohan is one of the few who doesn’t have to make a surprise visit to King Kai in Other World. As a teenager, Gohan surpasses everyone in strength and no longer needs saving. But ultimately, even Gohan’s luck runs out and he dies once in the series. How does Gohan meet his untimely end?
How does Videl die?
Videl is one tough cookie; she fights crime in the streets of West City, trains hard every day after school to surpass her dad in strength (though she's actually ten times stronger than him, and that’s an understatement), and she does all this while maintaining excellent grades and finding time to stalk Gohan's every move in his Great Saiyaman persona. All in all, she's one brave soul who's the perfect match for Gohan, one of Earth's strongest and wisest fighters. But as did many other Z Warriors and their friends and family, she also meets her untimely end at one point at the hands of an evil villain with an undying appetite.
How does Zarbon die?
Zarbon is one of Frieza‘s most trusted henchmen. He, seeking out some truth or the whereabouts of the dragon balls, stands by the evil tyrant’s side as he inflicts suffering to his victims, and he seems to take special pride when he's given the pleasure of doing the honors of finishing them off. He even shows Vegeta what he's capable of when he brings the Prince of All Saiyan to his knees. Nevertheless, within the norms of the DBZ universe, Zarbon gets his just desserts and is killed off. How does he die?
How does Goten die?
Goten is the youngest half-Saiyan around during the Buu arc and also the least skilled due to his age. All this being taken into account, he's still a pretty strong little guy, the youngest Super Saiyan in DBZ history, and he makes strong contributions on the battlefield. He takes it up a notch when he fuses with Trunks to create Gotenks, delivering Buu a couple of ego-blasting beatings. He does die once in the series. In what way does he die?
How does Android 18 die?
Android 18 isn’t always one of the good guys. As a matter of fact, she, alongside her maniacal twin Android 17, wreaks havoc in the future timeline and wipes out half of the Z warriors. But in the timeline of our Z Warriors, she ends up having a change of heart, especially after befriending Krillin and him not killing her to stop Cell’s Perfect Form from happening. They even settle down and have a kid! Yea, Androids can have kids! Android 18 dies while trying to protect her family. How exactly does she die?
How does Jeice Die?
Jeice is the member of the Ginyu Force who's best known for his looks and his dance moves. He's as vain with his dance routine as he is with his thick white hair and his defined jawline. So yeah, the guy is vain. The guy also happens to be quite disgraceful, as when the going gets rough, he quickly abandons Recoome and Burter in a battle to escape certain defeat at the hands of Goku. He does ultimately meet his end at the hands of one of the less forgiving Z Warriors. How does Jeice die?
How does Piccolo die?
Piccolo isn’t always one of the good guys either. At the beginning of DBZ, he has a deep-seated vendetta against Goku and takes special pleasure in killing him off the first time. Nonetheless, this all changes after he kidnaps Gohan to train him in the upcoming battle against the Saiyans. Piccolo sacrifices himself during this battle to save Gohan, demonstrating a genuine change-of-heart once and for all. After this, Picollo manages to hold his own for the rest of the series. How does Picollo die later in the series?
How does Yamcha die?
Also relevant to the subject of ‘the butt of many jokes’ is Yamcha. Though he’s at first introduced as a valiant Earthling and Bulma’s on-and-off boyfriend, his image goes down into the realm of mockery as DBZ progresses. Krillin might be joked about for dying, but Yamcha's simply considered a joke - weak, a sad bachelor, and a pointless addition to any battle. During his time in the limelight, Yamcha does takes part in one of the first major battles in DBZ and dies quickly in it. How does he die?
How does Nappa die?
Nappa is a short-lived villain but one who causes tons of havoc; he arrives on Earth, blows up a ton of mountains in battle, and quickly disposes of Tien and Piccolo without breaking much of a sweat. He almost deals a similar fate to Gohan and Krillin, but Goku arrives in time to show this mighty tyrant his just desserts, bringing him to his knees within minutes. But Goku, due to his unlimited generosity, shows him mercy and spares him. Who kills Nappa off shortly after?
How does Dodoria die?
Dodoria is Frieza’s most loyal and ruthless henchman who works alongside Zarbon. He takes special pride in enacting the evil lord’s orders, from torturing Nameks (including the children!), killing them off, and adding his own wicked twist on these acts. Dodoria could make anyone sick to his or her stomach! He's as despicable as minor DBZ villains come. This being said, no bad deed goes unpunished, and he meets a rather explosive end at the hands of another then villain. How does Dodoria die?
How does Dende die?
Dende is a best friend to Gohan, the only other Namek living on planet Earth and the successor to “Guardian of the Earth” after Kame. He's loyal, wise beyond his years, and quite handy in battle, as his healing powers compensate for his lack of physical strength. Though this young Namek manages to live throughout the entire Buu arc, he does die earlier on in the series at the hands of one of DBZ’s most ruthless villains. How does Dende die this time around?
How does Zarbon die?
Zarbon is another of Frieza’s henchmen who, despite being as ruthless as Dodoria, holds much more poise and elegance in his demeanor. He prides himself on his brawn and elegance but can quickly reflect his true nature by turning into a grotesque-looking monster that makes for a nightmarish opponent. But just like Dodoria, he quickly makes the ranks of petty villains when he's struck down as an act of vengeance by a previously fallen opponent. How does Zarbon die?
How does Babidi die?
Babidi is the evil wizard responsible for the resurrection of Majin Buu. He also has a deep-seated vendetta aimed at Supreme Kai and plans to use the pink villain to play it out, avenging his father’s death eons back. Babidi ends up realizing that his plan is somewhat flawed when Buu proves to be much more than he bargains for, exhibiting childish antics and defiance at any given moment. Dying halfway thru the Buu arc, Babidi doesn’t stick around to see all the other transformations Buu undergoes. How does he die?
How does Kibito die?
Kibito is Supreme Kai’s fellow companion for centuries. He's as loyal as can be and would sacrifice himself to save Supreme Kai if the occasion calls for it. He eventually fuses with Supreme Kai to form Kibito Kai, making his fellowship to this Kai deity eternal. But at one point during the Buu arc, Kibito meets an abrupt demise at the hands of a deviant villain (of course, he's quickly resurrected by the dragon balls). How does Kibito die?
How does Pui Pui die?
During the Buu arc, the Z Warriors try their hardest to prevent Buu’s hatching and the havoc he soon unleashes on Earth and its people. In their attempts to stop BYU’s resurrection, they're lured into Babidi’s spaceship where their evil wizard stages a tournament of sorts, sending three opponents to the stage. The first is named "Pui Pui," and he believes himself indestructible, which soon proves to be far from the truth when a certain Saiyan annihilates him in minutes. How does Pui Pui die?
Who kills Recoome?
Recoome is as ruthless as he is moronic. His defining trait is his brutishness, and he owns it like a pro. From his fighting style to his way of speaking, he's no model for articulation but would still bring all his opponents to their knees…that is, until he meets Goku. He's no match for Goku’s increased power level after training at one hundred times gravity, but in Goku’s style, he still spares Recoome. So who ends up killing Recoome?