Aerial Battle

Frieza Strikes Back

Frieza climbs from the rubble left by Goku's earlier attack and dusts himself off with a smirk. He tells Goku that aside from his own parents, no one has ever left so much as a mark on his body. The admission only frustrates Goku, who realizes the blow had zero real effect. Frieza leaps to a nearby rock formation and lifts a barrage of boulders with telekinesis, hurling them at Goku one after another. Goku dodges every projectile, but Frieza uses the distraction to appear behind him and slam him with an Imprisonment Ball.

Trapped inside the energy sphere and unable to move, Goku is driven straight into the ground below. The resulting explosion is massive, and both Gohan and Krillin begin to wonder whether their father and friend can possibly win. Piccolo, however, calmly points out that Goku is not fighting at full power yet.

Neither Side Serious

Piccolo tells Krillin to look behind him, and Krillin spins around to find Goku standing right there, having escaped the blast. Goku casually notes that he will need to watch out for that technique in the future and rockets back into the sky to meet Frieza. The tyrant is visibly stunned that Goku survived and warns him that he is beginning to lose his patience.

As Piccolo, Gohan, and Krillin marvel at Goku's resilience, Frieza announces that the time for holding back is over. Goku agrees, promising to match him. The tension escalates with both warriors acknowledging they have only been testing each other up to this point.

Back on Earth

In a brief cut to Earth, Chi-Chi wonders aloud whether Gohan is keeping up with his studies instead of goofing off with Goku. Ox-King gently reassures her that they are probably on their way home already, completely oblivious to the mortal danger his grandson faces on the other side of the universe.