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Saiga Since: Feb, 2011 Relationship Status: Getting away with murder
#17701: May 28th 2015 at 9:33:19 PM

It's explained that they can control themselves. Destroying a planet is deliberate, not default.

BaconManiac5000 Since: Nov, 2013 Relationship Status: Baby don't hurt me!
#17702: May 28th 2015 at 9:36:58 PM

what do you mean I didn't win, I ate more wet t-shirts than anyone else
IAmNotCreativeEnough himitsu keisatsu from asa kara ban made omae o miru Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
himitsu keisatsu
#17703: May 28th 2015 at 9:37:52 PM

The Pylons are TRAP balls.

himitsu keisatsu seifu chokuzoku kokka hoanbu na no da himitsu keisatsu yami ni magireru supai katsudou torishimari
HamburgerTime Since: Apr, 2010
#17704: May 28th 2015 at 9:38:28 PM

[up] "CONSTRUCT ADDITIONAL Balls."

qtjinla15 Since: Dec, 2010
#17705: May 28th 2015 at 10:20:41 PM

Okay, seriously, why is it even an argument of whether or not a villain/antagonistic should be powerful/be menacing because of the fact there is going to be a stronger antagonistic down the line?

Its common sense. The villains or plot points in the far future most likely haven't been thought of. That the work is handling the current arc.

I can't believe something like this is even a thing that has to be discussed.Any series where every character who was an enemy was jobbed until the final villain? That wouldn't be fun to read. That wouldn't be interesting.

Of course I don't mean everyone, but you figure its one of those things that wouldn't even need debating.

unnoun Since: Jan, 2012
#17706: May 28th 2015 at 10:23:41 PM

There are other things that you can use to enhance the tension of a story.

Other ways to make an antagonist threatening.

SonOfSharknado Love is Love is Love Since: Oct, 2013 Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
Love is Love is Love
#17707: May 28th 2015 at 10:38:45 PM

The first thing the Saiyans do when they land on Earth is blow up an entire city.

There's nowhere else to go but killing the people we actually care about.

My various fanfics.
unnoun Since: Jan, 2012
#17708: May 28th 2015 at 10:40:16 PM

Piccolo could do that. It's not special.

SonOfSharknado Love is Love is Love Since: Oct, 2013 Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
Love is Love is Love
#17709: May 28th 2015 at 10:42:00 PM

Precisely. A Million Is a Statistic.

edited 28th May '15 10:42:10 PM by SonOfSharknado

My various fanfics.
BlackYakuzu94 CHADhan Player. from Easy Coast/NY Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: Longing for my OTP
CHADhan Player.
#17710: May 28th 2015 at 10:47:47 PM

Well think about it this way, before Z the danger of death wasn't that prominent; then here comes Nappa who completely decimates everyone despite their training.

A lazy millennial who's good at what he does.
unnoun Since: Jan, 2012
#17711: May 28th 2015 at 10:48:37 PM

King Piccolo wasn't that long ago.

Enlong Court Dragon from The Underground Facility Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: is commanded to— WANK!
Court Dragon
#17712: May 28th 2015 at 10:56:32 PM

[up][up] Decimate? It was even worse than that. He killed half of them.

I have a message from another time...
LOLypop1224 ...what am I even DOING here? Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
...what am I even DOING here?
#17713: May 28th 2015 at 11:04:17 PM

I just wish Nappa could have at least been weakened by everyone's life-risking techniques. Think about it: Nappa was the only time where Gohan's Unstoppable Rage DIDN'T cause the enemy to at least flinch.

The *Legendary* Super Saiyan is motivated by a crying infant! He is a literal giant f***ing baby!
IAmNotCreativeEnough himitsu keisatsu from asa kara ban made omae o miru Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
himitsu keisatsu
#17714: May 28th 2015 at 11:19:39 PM

Uh... Nappa was very definitely bothered by Tien's sacrificial Kikoho.

You have to rememer: both Vegeta and Nappa display determination and toughness far beyond what the heroes show.

What that means is that Nappa didn't just completely ignore all the punishment he received - he fought on despite it. He's not that much stronger than the Z fighters, and they could have probably defeated a being of Nappa's power provided said being wasn't a Saiyan capable of shrugging off massive injuries and pain.

edited 28th May '15 11:22:54 PM by IAmNotCreativeEnough

himitsu keisatsu seifu chokuzoku kokka hoanbu na no da himitsu keisatsu yami ni magireru supai katsudou torishimari
BlackYakuzu94 CHADhan Player. from Easy Coast/NY Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: Longing for my OTP
CHADhan Player.
#17715: May 28th 2015 at 11:38:38 PM

[up]Uh...I'm pretty sure Nappa killed everyone because he just straight up was more powerful. Piccolo, the closest one to Nappa in strength, was still horribly outclassed, that's how much stronger Nappa was.

A lazy millennial who's good at what he does.
Anomalocaris20 from Sagittarius A* Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: Love blinded me (with science!)
#17716: May 29th 2015 at 12:31:16 AM

[up][up][up][up]Thank you for that.

You cannot firmly grasp the true form of Squidward's technique!
JonnasN from Porto, Portugal Since: Jul, 2012
#17717: May 29th 2015 at 2:29:01 AM

I'm generally not a fan of the battle with Nappa because the deaths of Ten, Chiaotzu and Yamcha do feel somewhat pointless. I mean, against King Piccolo, both Roshi and Chiaotzu had a real chance at preventing his rise to power, but with Nappa, it's just "Nope, their presence never did anything but save time. And Yamcha's didn't even do that".

All to build up someone who didn't really need to be built up. The real threat is actually Vegeta, who managed to become one of the series mainstays and most popular characters, much in part thanks to an impressive battle where he didn't actually kill anybody (and where a weakling with a sword was vital in bringing him down).

Think of it this way, King Piccolo threatening Tenshinhan so he could break Goku's limbs was a good narrative device that made Goku's victory (both moral and physical) all that more impressive. Nappa causing Tenshinhan's death by tanking his most powerful attack was an event that could be written out entirely (by having Tenshinhan being unconscious the entire time or something) without impacting the rest of the arc.

VeryMelon Since: Jul, 2011 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#17718: May 29th 2015 at 5:10:04 AM

I'm with Qtjinla on this debate.

Lionheart0 Since: Oct, 2009 Relationship Status: I'm just a hunk-a, hunk-a burnin' love
#17719: May 29th 2015 at 5:30:04 AM

[up][up]I agree. I really like the Saiyan arc over all, but Nappa curbstomping everyone really leaves a bad taste in my mouth, especially since it ended up becoming the standard for future arcs.

edited 29th May '15 5:32:30 AM by Lionheart0

BlackYakuzu94 CHADhan Player. from Easy Coast/NY Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: Longing for my OTP
CHADhan Player.
#17720: May 29th 2015 at 6:05:23 AM

It was kind of the standard already honestly

A lazy millennial who's good at what he does.
Cruherrx I say things. from my own little world Since: Apr, 2010 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
I say things.
#17721: May 29th 2015 at 6:19:53 AM

Building up Nappa also builds up Vegeta, because he's the guy ordering Nappa around. As usual, I'm with Saiga on this. Without everyone dying, Nappa's just another arc villain instead of the crazy shift in storytelling the series does by the Z-portion.

"If you weren't so crazy I'd think you were insane."
qtjinla15 Since: Dec, 2010
#17722: May 29th 2015 at 7:05:20 AM

They were destined to die. If Nappa didn't kill them, Vegeta would have. What you guys are arguing does not change anything at all. They still would have been ineffective, in fact going against Vegeta would have made everything they did completely ineffectual instead of the vague hope spots they were given fighting Nappa.

What you guys are suggesting really would have made them look ineffective.

unnoun Since: Jan, 2012
#17723: May 29th 2015 at 7:26:18 AM

They could have used Full Nelsons.

Zelenal The Cat Knows Where It's At from Purrgatory Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
The Cat Knows Where It's At
#17724: May 29th 2015 at 7:43:13 AM

Didn't Piccolo suggest that in DBZA?

Let the joy of love give you an answer! Check out my book!
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#17725: May 29th 2015 at 7:46:55 AM

Nappa Killing the Earthlings

It's not like Nappa's the only villain who thoroughly humiliates the supporting protagonists to establish how dangerous the villains are. Ever since Tien's Establishing Character Moment in which he broke Yamcha in the first round of the Tenkaichi Budokai, that's been a thing.

  • Piccolo killed Chiaotzu and Kame-sennin, almost killed Goku, and reduced Tien to helpless gawking.
  • Raditz intimidated Piccolo into submission, kicked Krillin into Kame House, and dropped Goku with a single blow.
  • Recoome delivered a horrific one-sided beatdown to Vegeta and effortlessly smashed Krillin and Gohan.
  • 90% or so of the fight against Frieza was a Humiliation Conga for every surviving protagonist.
  • Android 18 broke both of Super Saiyan Vegeta's arms while 17 planted the rest of the protagonists into the ground.
  • Perfect Cell "warmed up" against Super Vegeta and Super Trunke.
  • Dabura took Piccolo and Krillin out before they even knew what hit them and oneshotted Kibito.
  • Majin Buu turned Dabura into candy, wrecked Gohan, demolished Majin Vegeta so hard he had to blow himself up, then survived that.

Point is, delivering a humiliating and crushing defeat to the protagonists is a popular method for the villains to establish themselves, not just Nappa. Watching our heroes get utterly trashed is the payoff for the intimidating build-up, because when we spend a lot of time hearing about how X villain is totally going to wreck your face if it comes to blows, we kind of want to see some faces get wrecked when it does.

After hearing about how vicious and dangerous and totally insurmountable the Saiyans are, and having witnessed what a weak Saiyan could do firsthand, it would have been unsatisfying to cut immediately to Goku handing Nappa his ass when they showed up. We were promised hopeless.

edited 29th May '15 7:47:05 AM by TobiasDrake

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.

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