Piccolo - The Stepfather

Beerus

Beerus

Feline Supremacy
Admin
18,713
18,173
790
piccolo-and-gohan.gif


Something that I noticed more now than I did as a kid watching the show is that Goku was and basically still is a terrible father. From the start of Dragon Ball Z, we see this unfold pretty rapidly. He spent a good chunk of Gohan's childhood life dead or AFK which is pretty bad. In the absence of Goku, Gohan still had a parental figure that helped him big time.

Piccolo to me is a stepfather to Gohan. He filled the void for Gohan with all of Goku's absences and even trained him. He grew to care for him pretty early on and him saving Gohan's life during the Vegeta Saga basically cemented that foundation for their relationship. I would argue that Piccolo is even a better father than Vegeta himself.

I think this comes down to the Namekian nature vs the Saiyan nature. Nameks are both protectors and caregivers. They almost fill the role of a mother and father simultaneously. They are also self-reproducing. As for the Saiyans, well... They are brutes. Reproduction to them isn't about bonding or family, it is merely about increasing numbers to their army. Goku didn't have this mindset from the head injury and Vegeta had to unlearn it but still seems to struggle to some level with bonding. He was also the product of an "upper class" bloodline so he has more internal intelligence to him as compared to Goku.

I just find Piccolo and Gohan's relationship to be one the most interesting in the entire franchise since Piccolo wasn't really obligated to do anything and at the time of taking on the parental role for Gohan, he still somewhat hated his father.

This is still one of my favorite scenes:

 
I wouldn't consider him a father figure to that extent but more of a guardian. Like a bodyguard of sorts. He taught him life lessons as a fighter, not so much as a son. I do get your point of view on it though I just never considered him that way. I do have to agree however that Goku is a shitty dad.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Beerus
Tekkin said:
I wouldn't consider him a father figure to that extent but more of a guardian. Like a bodyguard of sorts. He taught him life lessons as a fighter, not so much as a son. I do get your point of view on it though I just never considered him that way. I do have to agree however that Goku is a shitty dad.
Click to expand...

To me he still impacted his life like a father would as Gohan looked up to him as a major "masculine" influence in his life. He still adored his father that was clear but it just seemed as if Piccolo adopted him. Even now in Super, he cares for Pan like she is his grandchild.
 
Beerus said:
To me he still impacted his life like a father would as Gohan looked up to him as a major "masculine" influence in his life. He still adored his father that was clear but it just seemed as if Piccolo adopted him. Even now in Super, he cares for Pan like she is his grandchild.
Click to expand...
Piccolo was tough sure but you really can't put a masculine precursor on him seeing as he isn't even human.

But fair point, he does act that way with Pan.
 
Imagine if Raditz defeated Goku and Piccolo and took in Gohan instead. Uncle and nephew. He would be part of Freeza's army.
 
Father figure is too much said. Guardian yes, but in order to be a parental figure he needed to stick around consistently while the kid was growing up, as in daily life. But they barely spent more than half an year together, aside from fighting. Prior to that was Piccolo leaving 4yo Gohan all alone in wilderness. So he was also more absent than present on the larger scale, I'd say it'd rather make him a very good friend of Gohan's, or a Big Green Uncle or something.
 
  • Like
Reactions: India Actual