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The Cataclysm on Namek; Discussion and sharing theories
Topic Started: Apr 21 2011, 09:36 AM (737 Views)
SuperForteX
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I've come to muse about what the Namekian society was like before the cataclysm that nearly wiped them out, and just what the cataclysm even was.

However, before I dive into the topic, I want to go over some things I've established that need to be critiqued/reviewed. If I'm wrong about or drawing the wrong conclusion from any of these bullet points, please let me know. But from what I've understood from Dragonball, (and this is going just on the bare-bones manga-only version of the story); these are the things we know about Namekians prior to what King Kai, and later in the story Dende, described as "a cataclysm" that nearly wiped them out.

- They had space ships. This is how the son of Katatz (sp?) got to Earth and later became Kami & Piccolo. The ships were also capable of interstellar travel and far more advanced than the Earthling technology.

- Saiyans knew about them, and they knew about Saiyans. As evidenced by Vegeta recognizing Piccolo as one during the Saiyan saga, as well as Guru recognizing what Saiyans were and what their capabilities should be when Krillin told him that Kami had died because of one.

- They are/were capable of speaking the 'common tongue' as Freeza called it. They spoke both Namekian, and regular language, so you can't just argue "plot device."

- They were known (by Vegeta at least) to posses strange and mystic powers. Also the legend of the Dragonballs were known as well, as Vegeta hinted about having heard of their existence prior to confirming it on Earth.

- Planet Namek was once much more lush compared to its current barren features. I believe described by Dende during the "Namek saga", when he was explaining 'hydrangea plants'.

- That the 'cataclysm' involved some kind of climate change. I believe this was stated by King Kai first of all, and reiterated by Dende later?

Anyway, if you're tracking on the above bullet points, and I'm not far off base with them, then here is the picture I've drawn in my head of the pre-cataclysm Namekian civilization based on these facts. Be advised, here is where creativity comes to play, since I'm basically doing nothing more than theorizing based on the admittedly very minimal amount of factual data we have present here.

I'm picturing a civilization that was very advanced, both technologically, and culturally--quite unlike the 'tribal culture' we witness in Dragonball. They had space ships capable of going vast distances in reasonable amounts of time. They had contact with other species, potentially even commerce with them... maybe even diplomatic relationships with some in a pre-Frieza era. Because I'm also seeing the Namekian civilization as very old. They may have evolved steadily over a very long period of time, much much older than either the Human or Saiyan species. We already know as individuals they certainly live much longer than a human at the very least...

Through what I'm picturing must have been millions upon millions of years they'd ascended to a level in which not only do they have incredible technology, like the above mentioned space ships, which can whisk you off to any far off world just by uttering the name of the world, doors that levitate and float in the air, both of which we see right in the manga/anime, as well as possibly many other wonders we didn't get to see. There was also their magical abilites. Kami and Piccolo were both capable of 'conjuring' items out of thin air-- be it a new uniform and a sword, a gigantic hour glass, or a tiny bottle... Dende also had the ability to heal others. And of course there was the Dragonballs, which Vegeta had uttered hearing about. I believe his wording was more or less "The Namekians weren't supposed to be good fighters, but they were known for their magical abilites. I'd heard rumors of magical spheres they possessed capable of granting a wishes..."

Other than this, I also hold the theory that they had something akin to an advanced 'genetic memory'. I base this on something I think is a little too significant and consistent to be written off as mere 'plot device'. For one, Piccolo Jr. was shown capable of speech upon his first birth. I believe his word balloon has him saying "I hate peace" or something to that effect. Think that was just a gag scene? Then why is that when Mr. Popo is recounting Kami's story of his early life, that Kami remarked finding the note his parents had left behind that instructed him to wait for their arrival? I am forced to assume that Kami simply was "born knowing" Namekian language and how to read and speak it. Which would also explain why he knew and spoke the language along with his alter-ego at the 23rd Budokai tournament.

So, the bottom line of everything I just said is this: "I think the Namkeians were a pretty darn advanced species back then."

All of this leads on to the actual Topic of Discussion of this post. Just what was the cataclysm? A climate change that saw the decline of Hydrangea plants leading to Namek becoming nearly uninhabitable to the Namkeian people? Between Kai and Dende, that seems to be the answer, right? But how likely is that? With all of their technology and wisdom and knowledge... how could they have been nearly wiped out by something like this?

Now, granted, the characters in-universe touched upon that too. Yajirobe mockingly questioned why they didn't just use the Dragonballs to save themselves, to which Roshi said "no way" due to the Dragon telling them he couldn't destroy the Saiyans.

But it definitely makes an interesting question, doesn't it? From what we know based on real-world scenarios, drastic climate changes are usually gradual processes that can take place over a number of years. Sometimes a lot of years. Maybe even a lot of generations. Why, then, was 'Kami' the only Namekian child to escape to another world? If the Namekians were this advanced magical space-faring species, why did only one of them get away? Didn't any other Namekians want to save their children?

To me that points more towards this 'cataclysm' being something far more drastic than a gradual change over time... maybe a sudden traumatic event that would have wrecked Namek in a very short time period and left them little or no chance to escape. Possibly even something of great destructive force. I mean, just look at the theoretical meteor that supposedly wiped out the dinosaurs on our Earth. That, too, caused a "climate change", a drastic one that lasted thousands of years or longer, right?

But with all the technology and magic and wisdom they supposedly had, could something like a giant meteor really "get through"? It just doesn't add up. What could have taken out the Namekians? What is the answer to this question in which I'm probably "thinking too deeply into the manga."

Which is another point i wanted to make. I don't think you can play the 'thinking too deeply' card with this discussion. Because this was all written in well before Toriyama entered into the late and terminal stage of Dragonball, and it closely tied in with the earlier parts of the story and also tied up loose ends. I think Toriyama actually did put thought into the whole Namekian back story. Just my opinion.

Anyway, back to the topic of discussion: What are your thoughts? Is the answer a more romantic one, that Namek did simply start changing in climate, killing off the Hydrangea plants, wrecking the ecosystem, and depleting the Namekian population over a period of many years? That they were just too noble or wise or too something to bother trying to escape? That just one pair of Namekians decided it'd be cool if their son had a chance at life somewhere else, and thus sent little Baby Kami on a rocket ride to another planet?

Or was it something a little more.. extreme?

So, in summary, the two questions I want your theories and opinons on are:
1. How do you picture the pre-cataclysm Namekian civlization?
2. What do you think the Cataclysm was, and what caused it?

Last, but not least, I'd like to close by offering my own little theory. Brace yourself. Remember how I said I believed the Namekian civilization was every bit as old as it was advanced? Well, let us not forget that Old Supreme Kai (Kaioshin if you prefer that spelling) also knew about Namekians and stated that "I had told them many years ago that they were not allowed to use the Dragonballs to effect any world other than their own! They understood the delicate balance of nature and the turmoil those things could cause with it!" Now before you scoff at this bit and say "BUU SAGA, TORIYAMA WAS FAR GONE BY THEN!" I think it just so happens to be a very intruiging line of dialogue that really sets the imagination rolling!

Did some long-ago generation of Supreme Kais fear that the Namekians were coming too far, and THEY wiped them out? Bet you never thought of that, did you? ;)

Thoughts?
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G.G.
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That is a load of text to read :o_O: but I will give my two cents. One thing wasn't Guru the oldest Namek on the planet? I think the namkeians really did have some advance technology otherwise we wouldn't had known about the spaceship that the Namek had. If you count the fourth movie (its non canon), we see that Slug had a spaceship of his own. My guess is that this great cataclysm must had been some great civil war or maybe it was something that went horribly wrong. I am no expert on climates but from what you said it would had taken a long before they were any changes.

I also heard that Guru managed to somehow survive the cataclysm and manage to rebuild his clan. The Dragon clan are able to make the Dragon Balls but where do they get their powers from? And how does the Dragon actually go about granting wishes exactly? So many questons and so little time to answer.
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p123
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Now this is a good thread!
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