Dragon Ball Z Kai Season 3: Episode Guide & Ratings

Goku's ill-advised display of mercy leads to a treacherous final attack by Frieza. As the epic battle between the two warriors reaches its climax, planet Namek teeters on the brink of ultimate destruction!

Frieza is defeated, Namek has been obliterated, and the whereabouts of Goku remain a mystery. How will Earth carry on without its Super Saiyan hero? And what will become of the Namekian refugees?

A year has passed and still Goku has not returned to Earth. However, it is revealed that Frieza managed to survive his battle with the Super Saiyan, has been rebuilt into a cyborg by his father King Cold, and is heading towards Earth, intending to exact revenge on Goku. The rest of the Z Fighters gather to defend the Earth from Frieza, despite knowing the odds are against them. However, as soon as Frieza, King Cold, and their army of soldiers arrive on Earth, they are met by a mysterious teenager wielding a sword, who claims that he's come to kill them.

The mysterious teenager easily takes out Frieza's soldiers, then surprises Frieza by transforming into a Super Saiyan. The evil tyrant attempts to destroy this second Super Saiyan, but has no success. Eventually, the teenager slices Frieza into pieces with his sword, before blasting him away. King Cold tries to defeat the Super Saiyan himself, but is also easily destroyed. After reverting to his normal state, the teenager spots the Z Fighters and claims that Goku will be arriving nearby soon. Despite their skepticism, the Z Fighters agree to join him in awaiting Goku's arrival.

After three hours of waiting, a space pod crash lands on Earth and Goku emerges from it. There is no time for celebration, however, as the mysterious teenager pulls Goku aside to talk with him in private. After testing Goku's Super Saiyan powers, the teenager reveals that his name is Trunks and that he comes from an apocalyptic future 20 years from the present, as well as that he is the future son of Bulma and Vegeta. He further informs Goku that in three years from now, a pair of deadly androids, built by Doctor Gero of the former Red Ribbon Army, will begin a rampage on Earth and kill all of the Z Fighters, except for Goku, who will have died from a heart virus six months before their assault. Trunks then supplies Goku with a heart antidote made in his future timeline, instructing him to take it when the virus attacks him. Piccolo hears the whole conversation using his special hearing. Goku promises that he and the other Z Fighters will train hard for the next three years to prepare for the androids' assault, and Trunks then returns to the future in his time machine.

At Vegeta's request, Goku explains to the others that he managed to survive Planet Namek's destruction by escaping in one of the Ginyu Force's space pods just seconds before Namek exploded. He further explains that he eventually landed on a planet called Yardrat and was nursed back to health by the friendly inhabitants of the planet. He also reveals that he learned from them a special teleportation technique called Instant Transmission. The Z Fighters then go their separate ways to each begin preparing themselves for the androids' assault. After three years of intense training, they all head off to meet on the island on which Trunks had indicated that the androids would begin their attack.

The Z Fighters gather at the island in anticipation of the androids' attack. However, as the time approaches, the androids are nowhere to be seen. Yajirobe arrives to deliver Korin's new batch of Senzu beans to the others, but as soon as he departs, the androids shoot down his ship and immediately descend into the nearby city before the Z Fighters can get a glimpse of them. Gohan goes to rescue Yajirobe, while the rest of the Z Fighters fly down to the city as well to search out their enemies. After a period of searching, Yamcha becomes the first victim of the androids, after having his energy absorbed by Android #20, and then being impaled. The others arrive just in time to save him, and Goku eventually persuades the androids to move to a new location to fight after a large portion of the city is destroyed.

As Goku, Piccolo, and Tien take the androids to a new location to battle, Krillin revives Yamcha with a Senzu bean. However, once Yamcha reveals the androids' ability to absorb energy, he, Krillin, and Gohan head off to warn the others. Meanwhile, it is revealed to Goku that the androids are a result of years of research conducted by Dr. Gero, in which miniature spy robots were used to analyze Goku's fighting techniques and developments in strength, all in an attempt to exact revenge on Goku for destroying the Red Ribbon Army. However, Gero did not analyze Goku during his time on Planet Namek, and thus the androids are unaware of his ability to transform into a Super Saiyan, which Goku gladly demonstrates in front of them. A battle then ensues between Goku and Android #19, and though Goku clearly has the upper hand, he soon appears to be losing energy. Eventually, Goku is seen clutching the left side of his chest, which Gohan immediately recognizes as a symptom of the heart virus that Trunks had warned Goku of. However, the virus is attacking Goku's heart much later than Trunks had predicted. As Goku struggles to stay conscious, #19 prepares to finish the battle by absorbing Goku's remaining energy. Piccolo tries to intervene, however, Android #20 blasts Piccolo with his eye beams, which sends him crashing to the ground.

Vegeta's sudden arrival creates an opening for the others to rescue Goku. While Yamcha rushes the fallen hero to safety, Vegeta reveals his new and improved fighting style - including the Big Bang Attack!

Goku wages a life and death battle with a deadly heart condition, Piccolo takes center stage in the battle to destroy Android 20, and Trunks returns from the future with a disturbing revelation.

While Piccolo and company search for Dr. Gero's secret laboratory, Vegeta sets out to hunt down and destroy Android 20. Meanwhile, Trunks tries everything in his power to save his stubborn father!

Dr. Gero finally makes it to his laboratory, with Krillin in hot pursuit. Tien, Piccolo, Vegeta and Trunks soon locate him and break into the lab, although Doctor Gero has already awakened Androids #17 and #18. Although initially appearing loyal, the duo demonstrate their independence when Android #17 destroys Gero's remote, ensuring that he cannot deactivate them should they disobey him, and Android #18 attempts to activate Android #16. In an act of desperation, Trunks launches a large ki blast at the androids, hoping to destroy Android #16 before he is activated. Although the entire lab is decimated, both Androids and #16's pod remain intact, and he is awakened anyway. The trio then decide to carry out their initial orders, and set out to kill Goku. However, their plans are disrupted when Vegeta intervenes, challenging the three androids to a battle. After Android #16 refuses to fight, Android #18 steps up to face Vegeta.

Android #18 fights with Super Saiyan Vegeta and wins easily. Super Saiyan Trunks tries to help his father, but is also easily defeated and gets his sword broken in the process. Piccolo and Tien then get beaten down effortlessly by Android #17, while Krillin stays behind and watches the horror, and Android #16 simply observes the nearby birds. After the fight, the androids leave, but before they do #18 kisses Krillin on the cheek.

Krillin feeds the remaining Senzu beans to each of his fallen comrades. Vegeta flies off in anger, having been beaten, while Trunks explains to the others how the androids of the future are different from the ones they just fought. The androids of the present are apparently more powerful, but they seem to be less cruel. There also was not an Android #16 in Trunks' time period. Piccolo then flies off to try to convince Kami to merge with him once again, believing that it is the only way to stop the androids. However, Kami believes that the androids are not entirely evil and that the only reason they fought against the Z Fighters was because the Z Fighters attacked first. Kami then decides to wait and see what happens as Piccolo sits down waiting until Kami agrees to merge with him.

While Kami considers merging with Piccolo, Trunks and the others discover a second time machine. Elsewhere, Vegeta vows to become strong enough to defeat the Android invaders!

Trunks, Gohan, and Bulma are investigating the other time machine when Gohan notices a strange shell that has been cast off by an unknown creature. On the way back to her house, Bulma watches a news broadcast about thousands of people in nearby Gingertown who have inexplicably disappeared, as if they simply melted away in their clothes. Kami also watches in horror as the people are killed, and finally decides to merge with Piccolo. After the merging, Piccolo states that he is neither Piccolo nor Kami anymore, but a Namekien "who has long since forgotten his name." He departs from the lookout and arrives at an empty, ghostly-quiet Gingertown, where the monster steps out of the shadows to confront him.

The Super Namekian formerly known as Piccolo finds himself face-to-face with the most terrifying monster the world has ever seen. Who is this new threat? And why does he have Goku's power?

Sensing that he has defeated Piccolo, Cell explains that he was created from the cells of the greatest warriors--including Goku's, Piccolo's, Vegeta's, King Cold's, and Frieza's--as a project started by Dr. Gero and continued for 24 years by his computer. Cell furthermore reveals that by absorbing Androids #17 and #18, he will achieve his "Perfect Form," making him "invincible." With the androids destroyed in his own timeline, he was forced to travel to the present one in Trunks' time machine, after killing him. Having learned Cell's identity and intentions, Piccolo regenerates his arm and prepares to attack. At this point, Trunks and Krillin arrive, and Cell realizes he has no chance of winning. He surprises everyone by using Tien's Solar Flare technique to blind them, and then flees. Vegeta and Tien arrive, and Piccolo explains everything he's learned. Meanwhile, Cell heads toward Nickytown to absorb more people, until his power exceeds that of the androids'.

After Piccolo debriefs everyone on Cell's objective, Vegeta states that he intends to develop a power that surpasses even that of a Super Saiyan. Trunks and Krillin go to Dr. Gero's laboratory, where they discover a set of blueprints for Android #17. In hopes that the prints will allow Bulma and Dr. Briefs to uncover a weakness in the androids, they take the prints before destroying the developing Cell and the rest of the laboratory. Trunks goes to find Vegeta while Krillin delivers the prints to Bulma. Several days go by, during which Piccolo and the others are unable to locate Cell. However, back at the Kame House, Chi-Chi and Master Roshi start hearing thunderous booms on the island and rush to the window to find a fully recovered Goku launching Kamehameha waves into the horizon. The three share a joyous moment before Goku turns serious and states that he'd fare no better against the androids than Vegeta did. Also like Vegeta, he states his goal of surpassing the level of Super Saiyan.

Goku leads his Saiyan brethren to a secret room designed for highly-advanced training. Meanwhile, Piccolo puts his enhanced powers to the test against an Android adversary!

Piccolo and Android 17 trade blows in a battle of unprecedented brutality! Cell - sensing their presence - races to the scene of the skirmish in pursuit of his terrifying perfect form!

Cell's arrival forces Piccolo and the Androids into an uneasy - and temporary - alliance. While the Super Namekian mounts a desperate, final attack, Goku and Gohan wait for Vegeta to emerge from the Room of Spirit and Time!

After defeating Piccolo, Cell turns his attention to his true prey: Androids 17 and 18. The monster must absorb them both to achieve his perfect form, but Android 16 still stands in his way!

Desperate to help Android 18 escape, Tien places his own life at risk in an unwinnable battle with the monster Cell. When the three-eyed warrior's power quickly fades, he'll need a lift from a friend to avoid a gruesome end!

Vegeta puts his new powers to the test in a shocking slugfest with Cell. Back in the Room of Spirit and Time, Goku attempts to teach Gohan the secret to a Super Saiyan transformation!