The Last Wish

Goku resumes his assault on Frieza with renewed vigor, landing a clean hit that sends the tyrant reeling. King Kai telepathically contacts Grand Elder Guru and outlines the final phase of the plan: use Porunga's remaining wish to transport everyone on Namek to Earth, leaving Frieza behind to perish in the explosion. But Goku, overhearing the conversation, interrupts with a shocking demand. He wants to stay on Namek too. He threatens King Kai, declaring he will never forgive him if the wish pulls him away from this fight. Reluctantly, King Kai and Guru agree to modify the plan.

Guru instructs Dende to fly to Porunga and make the wish. At the same time, a freshly revived Vegeta punches himself in the ribs to confirm he is truly alive, then spots the Super Saiyan battle blazing across the sky and races to join in. Frieza also notices the massive dragon hovering in the distance and realizes there may still be a chance to wish for immortality. He breaks off from the fight and streaks toward Porunga, with Goku in pursuit.

Dende arrives first and begins speaking in Namekian. Frieza, in a moment of fatal ignorance, screams his immortality wish at the dragon in a language Porunga cannot understand. The wish is granted in Dende's favor. Frieza fires a blast at the young Namekian, but Dende vanishes to Earth just in time. Vegeta glimpses Goku's golden aura for the first time before he, too, is transported away. Left alone on the crumbling planet, Goku faces Frieza with a grin. No friends to protect, no distractions. Just two warriors and a world about to end.

Goku's insistence on remaining behind is one of the saga's most revealing character moments. In the English dub, his reasoning is framed as pragmatic: Frieza is nearly finished, so pulling out now would be wasteful. But the original Japanese version and manga tell a different story. There, Goku acts from pure Saiyan instinct, wanting the satisfaction of defeating Frieza with his own hands. He even warns King Kai that he would hold a grudge for life if denied this.

This distinction matters because it connects Goku to Vegeta in ways both would deny. Both Saiyans prioritize combat over survival. The difference is that Goku wraps his selfishness in heroism, while Vegeta wears his openly. The parallel sets the stage for their rivalry to come in future arcs.

Frieza's inability to communicate with Porunga is a satisfying narrative payoff. The tyrant who conquered worlds and exterminated civilizations is undone by something as simple as not speaking the local language. It is a humbling detail that reinforces the Namekian Dragon Balls' cultural specificity: Porunga is not a universal tool but a creation tied to its people and their tongue.

This episode also marks Christopher Sabat's takeover as the voice of Porunga in the English dub, replacing Dale Kelly. Sabat's version is notably deeper and practically identical to his Shenron voice, a choice that some fans have debated over the years but that has remained the standard ever since.