"Unexpected Problem" (燃える惑星からの脱出！！ 命がけのカメハメ波 Moeru Wakusei kara no Dasshutsu!! Inochigake no Kamehameha, lit. "Escape From a Burning Planet!! A Life-or-Death Kamehameha") is the fifteenth episode of the Namek Saga and the fiftieth overall episode in the uncut Dragon Ball Z series. This episode first aired in Japan on May 30, 1990. Its original American airdate was September 7, 2005.
Summary
Vegeta gloats over the recent killing of Dodoria commenting on how easily he had defeated him and much his power has grown. He recalls Dodoria's words about the Earthlings who are also on the planet and sensing two small power levels goes to check it out to pay back the score.
Sensing a high power level approaching, Gohan, Krillin and the young Namekian Dende suppress their power and hide beside the rocks where they see the source of the high power level is none other than Vegeta. Vegeta closes in on the faint power level when a large fish emerges from the water. Vegeta takes off to search for a Dragon Ball in order to stop Frieza from collecting the entire set. Relieved the Earthlings along with the Namekian arrive at the cave where Bulma is hiding. There, they learn from Bulma that Goku has recovered and is on his way, training hard. Gohan and Krillin are overjoyed at the news.
Goku in his spacesuit
Meanwhile, Goku's ship collides with an asteroid, causing damage to the hull. Worse, the ship has been slightly knocked off its course, and is now headed directly for a burning star, called Alpha H-Z, similar to the sun. Goku dons a space suit and, following Dr. Brief's instructions, patches the damage to the hull. However, he accidentally glues his boots to the ship and is unable to get back inside the ship in time to make the necessary course corrections. With no other options remaining, Goku powers up and fires an enormous Kamehameha, propelling him away from the star. Impressed with the boost in strength training in a 20G environment has given him, Goku decides to go even heavier.
Bang!
Back on Namek, Vegeta continues his search for the Dragon Balls and, to his delight, he discovers a Namekian Village that Frieza has not been to yet. Landing down in the middle of the village, he calls to the villagers for their elder, declaring that he will take their Dragon Ball away. The village elder Tsuno refuses, prompting Vegeta to kill him, but one of his fellow villagers takes the shot instead, as the elder and the other villagers look on, horrified as the villager is killed while defending Tsuno from Vegeta's Galick Beam.
Major Events
- Goku avoids death when his Spaceship changes course to a nearby star.
- Vegeta finds a Namekian village that Frieza or his men have not yet found.
- Bulma tells Krillin, Gohan and Dende that Goku is coming to Namek
Appearances
Characters
Locations
Objects
Differences from the manga
- Dende's confusion at the Z Fighters celebrating Goku’s impending arrival on Namek is more pronounced in the anime.
- Goku's trouble on the Capsule Corporation Spaceship involving the damaged hull and the ship going off course and on a trajectory into the Alpha HZ star is exclusive to the anime. The only shot of Goku from the manga here is his training with dumbbells.
- When Vegeta fires a Galick Beam at Tsuno, another Namekian jumps in the way to take the blast for him. The scene cuts back to Gohan and company sensing the disturbance just after Vegeta sadistically mocks the elder for stating the former to have evil within him.
Trivia
- The aquatic Namekian fauna that saves Krillin and Gohan from being discovered is called a fish by Vegeta, but Krillin refers to it as a whale, a mammalia class (a cetacean).
- In the original dub, Goku fires his Kamehameha, first at Kaio-ken x10, and again at Kaio-ken x20. In the uncut version, however, he simply fires two regular Kamehameha waves.
- The name tag on Goku's spacesuit reads "Gokuh". This, alongside "Son Gokou", was one of the many alternate spellings of his name used in Japanese Dragon Ball media and merch at the time.
Gallery
 Puar, Scratch, Dr. Brief, and Oolong contact Goku  Star Alpha H-Z  Alpha H-Z seen in the distance  Alpha H-Z's appearance on a closer look  Goku preparing to fire his Kamehameha in space  Goku firing his Kamehameha in space  Goku using Reverse Kamehameha to propel his spaceship away from Alpha H-Z  Goku preparing second Kamehameha in space  Vegeta discovers a Namekian village  Vegeta flies to the village               Vegeta fires the Bang Beam     |
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