Goku finds Frieza's spaceship on Namek but cannot get it to launch. The planet explodes with him still on it. King Kai announces Goku's death to the others, and Yamcha contacts Bulma telepathically to deliver the grim news, only to learn that the Namekian Dragon Balls could revive him, if not for the problem of where his body would reappear.
A Desperate Search
On King Kai's planet in Other World, King Kai relays the news that Goku has defeated Frieza. Tien Shinhan declares that Goku must now be the strongest being in the universe, but King Kai warns that none of it will matter if Goku cannot escape the dying planet. Yamcha voices confidence that Goku will make it.
On Namek, Goku locates Frieza's abandoned spaceship amid erupting lava and collapsing ground. He climbs inside and studies the alien controls, figuring out the interface through sheer intuition. But the engines refuse to respond. The ship sits dead on the landing pad. Goku pounds the console in frustration, and the terrain beneath the vessel begins to give way. He abandons the useless craft just before it slides into a chasm of molten rock.
The Planet's Final Moment
King Kai, watching through his Far-Seeing Arts, reports the devastating news: Frieza's ship will not take off. Goku stands alone on a shrinking slab of solid ground, surrounded by fire and destruction. With no vehicle, no allies, and no remaining options, he screams in rage. King Kai admits he cannot bear to watch. Yamcha yells for Goku not to die.
Namek detonates. The explosion consumes the entire planet in a blinding sphere of light. When the flash fades, nothing remains but empty space. King Kai, his voice breaking, confirms that Goku has perished.
A Bittersweet Message
Yamcha volunteers to deliver the news and speaks telepathically to Bulma through King Kai's link. He tells her that Goku triumphed over Frieza, and Bulma excitedly relays the victory to the others. When Yamcha adds that Goku died in the explosion, Bulma's reaction is surprisingly mild, earning her a scolding. She counters with hopeful information: the Namekian Dragon Balls can revive someone more than once. However, King Kai identifies a fatal flaw. Goku and Krillin would be restored at the location where they died, which is now empty vacuum. They would perish again the instant they reappeared. Bulma falls silent as the weight of this realization settles over her.
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