#devonball z

I think Dende is great! Overall, a good lil bean, and I wish they got more screentime in canon, especially spending time with Gohan and Videl! Since I’m bored and stuck at home sick, here are some extended Teen Dende Headcanons:

I don’t buy the idea that Dende spent most of the timeskip (and the time afterwards) cooped up at the Lookout with only Piccolo (and Popo, who I tend to. Disregard from canon because of his Extremely Unfortunate Design.) for company. I think Namekians are extremely social creatures, and I also don’t think that there’s any real rule about Kamis not being able to visit the world below (I think that was more of a self-enforced thing that Kami Nameless had going because they were fed up with everyone and everything...) So I think Dende spent a LOT more time visiting with Gohan & Co. than what was implied by canon.

Maybe Dende was permitted to go to high school (and later college) with Gohan as a kind of exchange student, at least part of the time? I like the idea of Dende being able to develop a greater understanding of the world they’d be tending to by actually spending time on it and interacting with its inhabitants... Gohan of course would be more than eager to help teach, and Dende likewise to learn (and for any and all Quality Time with Gohan)

I like the idea of Dende and Videl becoming good friends too; Videl of course being more inclined to show Dende all the Cool Earth things, like roller blading and movies and ice cream and vigilante justice...

Also I like the idea of Dende trying on some Earth fashions and adding things like a bomber jacket, a few dresses, and some fancier scarves to their wardrobe...

On Piccolo and Dende’s relationship, I think that Piccolo was essentially like a weird older sibling/mentor figure to Dende, who really, really, tries their best in regards to caring for Dende and teaching them about their Kami duties (despite the fact that Piccolo absolutely loathes communing with Kami on the details of these duties), and for the most part Piccolo and Dende get along well and love each other, but there were/are some hangups stemming from Piccolo’s many severe emotional issues... I think there’s a lot of social/emotional telepathy stuff that Namekians normally engage in, and Dende trying to initiate this with Piccolo freaked Piccolo out on several different occasions. Dende has had to learn to make some accomodations for Piccolo’s needs for space & privacy, while Piccolo’s tried to become better socialized as a Namekian for Dende’s sake.

I think that Dende’s intended position as a Healer is something they still are training as, along with their Kami studies. I think that Healers are rare in Namekian society not because healing magic is rare, but because it’s a job that requires a huge amount of specialized knowledge and training, much like becoming a doctor or a nurse (basically Dende is training to be a Wizard MD)

Piccolo was the one who made the outfit, unprompted, of their own accord (as per the original japanese version of the episode)

Piccolo did this to avoid being recognized as “Ma Jr.” from the 23rd Budokai

The hat having Goku’s name on it was to serve as an alibi-- should any of Goku’s friends have seen Piccolo in this outfit, Piccolo could make a big stink about Chichi “forcing” them to wear it

The “your wife got them for me out of YOUR closet” line from the english dub is also canon; Piccolo lies to Goku, and Goku believes it (because it’s not like Goku would keep track of what clothes Chichi and/or the Ox King have bought for him lol)

Dragon Ball Fans:

Like I wish Nail could’ve become somewhat of a foil to Piccolo, like the comparison of experiences between a Namekian that was raised on their home planet, surrounded by family that loved them versus one that was born alone on a hostile planet from the literal dying breath of their evil parent... Nail could’ve been a rival, or maybe even somewhat of a mentor to Piccolo, and could’ve provided extra support to Dende (and a reason for why the Namekians were so willing to let one of their children take up an authoritative role on a faraway planet!)