Touchdown on Namek

"Touchdown on Namek" is the sixth episode of the Namek Saga in the original Saban dub of the Dragon Ball Z series. It aired in first-run syndication on September 27, 1997.
==Summary==
Gohan and Krillin continue to struggle freeing themselves from the man-eating monsters, Bulma wakes up conscious and takes a look around the area thinking they're still on Namek. However, Raiti and Zaacro explain that they were never on Namek the whole time and mention they crash landed their ship on the planet long ago before the Earthlings came along, stating they had plans to steal the Earthlings' ship but keep the Earthlings around to learn about how to operate the ship, along with gaining the knowledge about the Earth, Namek and the Dragon Balls.
Bulma then wonders about collecting the Dragon Balls earlier, but the whole quest was revealed to be an illusion just to distract them until the Stellar Winds were nearby. Raiti then steals the Dragon Radar with his tongue stating that him and Zaacro will track down the real Dragon Balls, they both leave to head off to the ship. With Gohan and Krillin still trying to free themselves, Krillin tells Bulma to go stall the aliens and saying that he and Gohan should be there to help soon.
When Raiti and Zaacro arrive at the ship, they attempt to use a password to open the door, but nothing happens. Bulma arrives hiding behind a rock, happy that they can't operate the ship. Gohan and Krillin are still fighting for freedom until the swamp beasts drag them into the water. Suddenly, some of the tentacles loosen its grip onto Gohan's arm as he is able to use a ki attack on some of the monsters, freeing his other arm when more tentacles lose their grip. After seeing Krillin still stuck, Gohan then largens his ki blast to help Krillin free himself by slamming the monsters into each other all tangled up. Krillin's arms are free, the two keep blasting the monsters creating a whirlpool.
Raiti and Zaacro still can't open the door, the Stellar Winds are close to clearing up. Raiti recommends they go find Bulma to help them open the ship's door, Bulma is shocked, ducks down to hide from them, Raiti passes by her and relived she wasn't seen until Zaacro stepped on her head and noticed her. Gohan and Krillin are finally free from the man-eating monsters, while Bulma attempts to keep stalling Raiti and Zaacro while the latter two forced her the password to the ship. Bulma regretfully says the password to open the door, with the two aliens surprised and happy they can finally escape, Raiti says that another ship should pass by sometime during the century.
The two aliens' plan goes well until Krillin shouts "Piccolo!" bringing the door down while they realize Gohan and Krillin have managed to escape the swamp, the two aliens take fighting stances when Gohan and Krillin manage to knock them out in one hit. Bulma mentions that the Stellar Winds were clearing up, so the gang didn't have time to kill Raiti and Zaacro and hurried onto the ship. They start escaping the planet, making it through the Stellar Winds, the gang then heads to the real Namek. Back on the planet, Zaacro asks Raiti what he wants to do, but Raiti mentions that he always has to make the plans, the two aliens are depressed that their plan failed.
Vegeta is still flying in his space pod on the way to Namek making comments that he's ready for Frieza hoping he'll get the Dragon Balls before Frieza does. Back on Earth, at the Wukong Hospital, Goku starts to sneak away again while Chi-Chi is changing the flowers in the vase next to his bed, he makes it out the door only to be caught by the doctor and nurse who have been expecting him.
The Earthlings see a blue-green planet, revealing to be the real Namek. Gohan is surprised it took them a short amount of time, Bulma mentions that she took a shortcut and says that their friends in the invisible spaceship showed her. They manage to land on the planet, in a grassy spot near the river. The land space of the planet is shown as green sky, blue grass and green water, Bulma then checks the gravitation pulse and atmosphere is safe enough when Krillin and Gohan have already stepped outside, Gohan then comments that the area reminds him of where he was training with Piccolo.
Bulma then yells at the two for stepping outside without her saying, she then turns on the Dragon Radar revealing that there are in fact Dragon Balls nearby the area. Gohan then feels a strong force in another direction, then Krillin feels it whilst Bulma says it's just the Namekians when in fact it's way too high of a power level. Bulma then says it's not much of a problem and Krillin starts to agree with her and thought Gohan scared him and starts laughing, until a Saiyan space pod arrives with the gang surprised and shocked. Krillin then knows its Vegeta and states that he and Gohan should prepare, Bulma then plans to call Earth to send Goku to Namek.
Meanwhile, Vegeta has landed and exits his pod, stating comments that he'll collect the Dragon Balls first and gain eternal life, then fight Frieza. He uses his scouter to detect energy signals, revealing that Frieza brought his henchmen Zarbon and Dodoria along. On Earth at Kame House, Master Roshi is talking to Bulma while she tells him that Vegeta is on Namek and to try and get help from Goku. Krillin and Gohan are shocked to see another space pod landing on Namek.
There is a Namekian village seen with Frieza's tyrants invading the village and slaughtering Namekians, a soldier is presenting a Dragon Ball to Frieza, a mysterious figure in a hoverchair. Revealing his top two henchman standing by him side by side, Dodoria, a large pink porcine alien, and Zarbon, a light blue skinned, handsome elegant warrior with long green hair. The crew is revealed to have collected four of the Dragon Balls, and finally Frieza make his first full appearance as a short humanoid tyrant with a purple section on his head and two horns and a tail. Vegeta is seen standing on a cliff hoping to take down Frieza once and for all.
==Trivia==
*This episode marks the first appearances of Frieza, Zarbon and Dodoria in the Saban dub of Dragon Ball Z.
==External links==
*IMDb page for "Touchdown on Namek (1997)"
*Review of the episode's censorship
==Site Navigation==
Category:Episodes
Category:Dragon Ball Z episodes
Category:Edited Dragon Ball Z episodes
Category:Namek Saga