Commander Red Saga

From Dragon Ball Encyclopedia

The Commander Red Saga, is the fifth saga from Dragon Ball. It occurs after the General Blue Saga and precedes the Fortuneteller Baba Saga. It shows us the epic battle between Son Gokū and Mercenary Tao, Son Gokū's quest for finding the "Sacred Water", and his final battle with Tao. The character of Upa is also introduced.

[edit] Plot

[edit] Karin's Tower

Captain Yellow is ordered to obtain the Dragon Ball from Bora at all costs, even if it means kidnapping Bora's son Upa.

The saga begins with the end of the General Blue Saga. We start off with a scene of some Red Ribbon soldiers searching for a Dragon Ball that is currently inside a volcano in the Land of Karin. The volcano explodes and sends the Dragon Ball (the four-star ball) into the camp of the land's protectors. Living here is Upa and his father Bora.

The Red Ribbon team follows the ball into the camp and demands it be handed over. Upa's father proceeds to eliminate them and the last remaining soldier (Captain Yellow) radios back to Head Quarters. Commander Red hollers at him and he comes back. In desperation, he abducts Upa to get ransom for the ball, but he doesn't count on Son Gokū showing up. Son Gokū beats him and rescues Upa. As a token of thanks, Son Gokū is given the Four- Star ball, his Son-Gohan's ball.

General Blue returns to Red Ribbon Army headquarters only to be executed by the notorious Mercenary Tao.

At the same time, General Blue is returning to the Red Ribbon Headquarters, while Commander Red is in the process of hiring Mercenary Tao. General Blue walks in on them and seeing him Dragon Ball-less, Red makes him fight Tao Pai Paito redeem himself (and see if it is really Mercenary Tao, not some imposter). The fight is quick, with none of Blue's attacks having any effect. It ends with Tao using his tongue to strike Blue's temple and kill him. Satisfied, Commander Red hires him to kill Son Gokū and retrieve the Dragon Balls. Tao Pai Paithen cuts out a piece of a column and uses it as a ride to the Land of Karin.

Tao Pai Paiis handed an image of his target: Son Gokū.

When Tao Pai Paiarrives, Upa's father jumps in to protect Son Gokū but is killed by Tao Pai Paiwith his own spear. Angry, Son Gokū challenges Tao Pai Paiand gets slapped around for a while. He tries his Kamehameha, but all it does is destroy Mercenary Tao's clothes. Tao Pai Pairetaliates with his Dodon Ray, which knocks Son Gokū out, yet Tao Pai Paithinks he killed him (the four-star ball Son Gokū got earlier was in his shirt and absorbed most of the blast). Tao Pai Paitakes the other balls and leaves to get a new robe.

Bora is executed with his own spear by a relentless Mercenary Tao.

When Tao Pai Paiarrives at a tailor, he gives the man three days to make a new one or Tao Pai Paiwill kill him. He then checks into a hotel and calls the Red Ribbon Head Quarters. Red informs him of the missing ball and Tao Pai Paitells him he will get it back in three days (when his new robe is done).

Back in the Land of Karin, Son Gokū awakes before Upa buries him. During their talk, Son Gokū learns of the legend of Karin's Tower. The legend is that anyone who can climb to the top will be given sacred water that will greatly increase their power. This is perfect for Son Gokū, who needs the strength to defeat Mercenary Tao. Son Gokū vows to use the Dragon Balls to bring Upa's father back to life and begins his ascent up the Tower.

Son Gokū faces the deadly Mercenary Tao.

He reaches the top after a very long climb and meets Karin, who turns out to be a short, fat, talking cat. Before Son Gokū can explain his situation, Karin reads his mind and understands why Son Gokū is after the water. He'll give Son Gokū the water on one condition: that Son Gokū get it from Karin! Son Gokū tries to retrieve the water, but Karin is too fast for him and dodges him easily. Feeling defeated, Son Gokū is told that Master Roshi was the last one to get the water from Karin, over three hundred years ago. Not only that, but it took Muten Rōshithree years to do it!

The two of them retire for the night and we see a Senzu Bean for the first time when Karin gives one to Son Gokū to restore his energy. He then throws Son Gokū's four-star ball out of the tower and Son Gokū jumps out after it. He gets to the bottom and retrieves the ball, then climbs all the way back up the tower again, in much quicker time.

Karin's training enables Son Gokū to become stronger.

The next day, Son Gokū once again fails in retrieving the water, even after getting Karin's advice. It is on the third day that Son Gokū gets the water, only when it fell off of Karin's staff and nearly to the ground. Son Gokū dove out and caught it, using his tail to keep from falling. He drinks the water and finds out that it's just tap water and the power comes from the training. Satisfied, Son Gokū thanks Karin and leaves.

Tao finally gets his new robe and comes back to finish off the job, only this time it's Son Gokū who is beating Mercenary Tao! He tries his trump card, the Dodon Ray, but Son Gokū is able to block it. Boasting, Son Gokū tells Tao Pai Paiof his strength from Karin's Tower and Tao Pai Paiimmediately rushes up the tower to get the power for himself. He reaches the top and gets the water. Karin manages to fool him with some magic and Tao Pai Paireturns to finish the fight, thinking himself stronger now.

Son Gokū is able to overcome Mercenary Tao, whose tricks backfire on him.

When he gets back, he is giving Son Gokū all he is got and appears to be winning. That is, until Son Gokū shows him that he was not being serious. Son Gokū then proceeds to beat up Mercenary Tao, who fakes a surrender to trick Son Gokū. During this fake surrender, he tosses a grenade at Son Gokū and hops up to avoid the blast. Son Gokū is not fooled and he kicks the grenade up to Mercenary Tao, where it explodes and presumably kills him (however he is later shown to be alive). Gathering up the rest of the Dragon Balls, Son Gokū now heads to Red Ribbon Head Quarters to get the other two balls.

[edit] Son Gokū versus the Red Ribbon Army

Son Gokū approaches the Red Ribbon Army compound headquarters.

We then see a short segment with Colonel Violet, the only female high-ranking officer in the Red Ribbon Army. She retrieves a ball for a reward and that's about it. During this, Burumā builds a flying camera to follow Son Gokū, when she learns that he's going straight after the Red Ribbon Army. Worried about him, Burumā makes a phone (from Turtle's advice) and calls Yamucha, Puar, and Ūron. Yamucha arrives by plane and takes the rest of the crew to save Son Gokū. However, Burumā is still mad at Yamucha for what happened with his episode from Hasky.

Son Gokū takes down the entire Red Ribbon Army.

Son Gokū meanwhile is passing right by the Red Ribbon Army's security system, because they think he's Tao Pai Paicoming back. By the time they figure out it's him, it's too late. Son Gokū hops off his Flying Nimbus and rips the Red Ribbon Army apart with ease. He fights his way to Commander Red, who leaves his assistant to fight Son Gokū. During their fight however, Commander Red drops the ceiling on both of them. Thinking them dead, Commander Red reveals his ultimate wish for the Dragon Balls: to become taller! Staff Officer Black (who wasn't killed by the ceiling) comes back and kills Commander Red, angry over being fooled. The still-alive Son Gokū also appears and defeats Staff Officer Black, who even after using a special robot suit couldn't win.

Commander Red is executed by Adjutant Black after revealing his true intention for gathering the Dragon Balls.

Son Gokū collects the two Dragon Balls and starts to leave when Burumā and crew show up. They're amazed at his ability and happy he's safe. The problem though is that the Dragon Radar isn't picking up the last Dragon Ball. They return back to Kame House where Burumā would hopefully fix it.

Adjutant Black in the mechanized Red Ribbon Army battle suit.

[edit] DVDs

• Commander Red - Danger For Hire (58-60)
• Commander Red - Karin's Tower (61-64)
• Commander Red - The Battle Is Won (65-67)
• Commander Red Saga (4) (58-67)
• Dragon Ball - Season Two (Episodes 32-61) (November 10, 2009)
• Dragon Ball - Season Three (Episodes 62-92) (February 2, 2010)

[edit] Characters

[edit] Major characters

• Son Gokū
• Mercenary Tao
• Staff Officer Black
• Commander Red
• General Blue
• Bora
• Upa
• Karin
• Captain Yellow

[edit] Supporting characters

• Master Roshi
• Burumā
• Yamucha
• Kuririn
• Colonel Violet

[edit] Battles Featured

• Bora vs. Captain Yellow
• Tao Pai Paivs. Bora
• Son Gokū vs. Mercenary Tao
• Son Gokū vs. Mercenary Tao
• Son Gokū vs. Mercenary Tao
• Son Gokū vs. Assistant Black
• Son Gokū vs. Assistant Black

[edit] Episode list

• 58. The Land of Karin
• 59. The Notorious Mercenary
• 60. Tao Attacks!
• 61. Karin Tower
• 62. Sacred Water
• 63. The Return of Son Gokū
• 64. The Last of Mercenary Tao
• 65. Confront the Red Ribbon Army
• 66. A Real Bind
• 67. The End of Commander Red