Roshi's Gambit

At Kame House, the Dragon Radar shows five balls gathered in one spot. Oolong notices two balls suddenly vanish from the screen, and Bulma cannot reach Roshi. The group realizes that Roshi and King Piccolo must be facing each other, but they are helpless to intervene.

On the battlefield, Roshi reveals the location of his buried Dragon Balls to Piccolo, knowing the demon will dig them up regardless. With no illusions about his chances in a direct fight, Roshi endures Piccolo's attacks, stalling and taunting the demon king. Piccolo fails to recognize Roshi until the old man mentions Master Mutaito. The name triggers instant fear in Piccolo, who realizes what Roshi intends to do.

Roshi pulls an Electric Rice Cooker from a capsule and unleashes the Evil Containment Wave, the same forbidden technique that killed his master. The swirling energy catches Piccolo and begins dragging him toward the jar. Piccolo claws desperately against the pull, and Tien Shinhan, watching from hiding, witnesses the full horror and power of the technique. At the critical moment, Roshi misses the opening of the jar by inches. The wave dissipates, and Roshi collapses. With his dying breath, he tells Piccolo that someone will rise to defeat him. King Piccolo then gathers all seven Dragon Balls and summons Shenron.

Roshi's attempt to seal Piccolo is the emotional pinnacle of the saga so far. He enters the fight knowing he will die whether the technique succeeds or fails, and his only regret at the end is missing the jar. The Evil Containment Wave's raw power is fully displayed here, with even King Piccolo visibly terrified.

Tien watching from the shadows absorbs every detail of the technique, planting the seed for his own attempt later. Roshi's final words carry the weight of prophecy, a certainty that the fight does not end with him. The summoning of Shenron at the episode's close raises the immediate question: what will Piccolo wish for?

This episode marks Master Roshi's first death in the series and mirrors his own master's fate. Roshi dies attempting the same technique that killed Mutaito, closing a generational loop of sacrifice. His failure leaves Piccolo free to use the Dragon Balls unopposed, while Tien inherits the burden of stopping the demon king through the same deadly method.