Emperor Pilaf is the diminutive, blue-skinned imp who holds the distinction of being the very first antagonist Son Goku ever faced, setting the entire Dragon Ball saga in motion by seeking the Dragon Balls for the modest goal of world domination. Despite his grand title, Pilaf is almost entirely comedic: barely taller than a toddler, with a round blue head, tiny crown, and an ego inversely proportional to his competence.Emperor Pilaf is the diminutive, blue-skinned imp who holds the distinction of being the very first antagonist Son Goku ever faced, setting the entire Dragon Ball saga in motion by seeking the Dragon Balls for the modest goal of world domination. Despite his grand title, Pilaf is almost entirely comedic: barely taller than a toddler, with a round blue head, tiny crown, and an ego inversely proportional to his competence. His Dragon Ball hunt brought him into repeated conflict with Goku's group, and he actually succeeded in summoning Shenron before Oolong's infamously frivolous wish for a pair of panties stole his moment of glory. After being thwarted, Pilaf attempted revenge by trapping the heroes in a chamber heated by the morning sun, a scheme foiled when Goku looked at the full moon and transformed into a Great Ape, destroying Pilaf's castle. Pilaf's persistence is his defining trait: he has appeared as a recurring comedic antagonist across the entire franchise, from Dragon Ball to Dragon Ball GT to Dragon Ball Super. In GT, he accidentally wished for Goku to become a child again using the Black Star Dragon Balls, directly causing the entire GT storyline. In Super, a wish on the Dragon Balls turned Pilaf, Shu, and Mai into their current child forms, after which they became grudging allies of the main cast, living in Capsule Corp and occasionally helping with technical support. His most significant contribution to the franchise was not villainy but fate: Mai's friendship with Future Trunks, which began when she was still an adult in the future timeline, became one of the most touching relationships in Dragon Ball Super. Pilaf represents the comedic heart of Dragon Ball: a villain who is never truly threatening, but whose schemes accidentally change the course of history.... Read more
