The stakes are established right off the bat, as we see Goku get killed. You'd think that this wouldn't mean anything, as this is a show where the main cast has all been killed at least once, if not multiple times. Still, the scene works really well. It's dark and the weight of what happened is made especially clear as we see Gohan's and Goten's reaction to seeing their father's corpse.
Not surprisingly, the episode then jumps back in time to show how we got there. There's no subtitle to indicate how far back we're going, but the fact that Goku is alive and well is as good an indicator as any. Besides, when you open with a scene like that, you know that's what they're going to do.
Normally, when Goku's behavior is off, it's played for laughs. When he stopped eating and training before, it was because his ki was out of whack and wackiness ensued. Here, it's played straight and it does a great job of making the episode feel off. Seeing him paranoid was really strange and it augmented the bizarre nature of seeing Goku, of all people, eating rice one grain at a time and constantly scanning for energy signatures.
That's not to say that the episode ignores the comedic potential completely. I did find Goku suddenly alerting Chichi to the fact that there were a couple of cockroaches behind the fridge to be rather amusing. The scene where Goku's two sons tail him while he walks around town with his eyes closed is also rather light hearted and humorous, as was his run in with Bulma. Considering how grim and serious the rest of the episode is, you'd think it would feel out of place, but it was a welcome breather.
Eventually, Goku does reveal that he suspects that someone is trying to kill him, more specifically, Hit, the assassin from Universe 6 who pushed Goku to his absolute limits back during the tournament.
We actually get to see Universe 6 in this episode, which I thought was kind of cool. It's a bit on the grim dark side, constantly raining, with several beings wearing some kind of gas mask for some unexplained reason. Granted, this is just one world in that universe, but the more in depth look was still a nice touch. It also helps re-establish Hit's modus operandi for those who forgot, as we see him take down a target with no trouble and ignoring any offer or plea for mercy.
I was actually surprised to see Hit offer to spare Goku when the two did meet up. I know the two developed a respect for one another, but that still doesn't seem like something he'd do; especially given the smirk he gave when he saw who his next target was. It's possible that he was just humoring Goku or testing his resolve, but it was still surprising.
While Hit's ability to freeze time made him a worthy adversary, and most of his improvement seemed centered on extending that ability's time limit, we see that he's picked up some new tricks since we last saw him. The fact that he has a lethal one hit (no pun intended, OK maybe a little) kill strike isn't that far fetched, but now he can become intangible. Suffice it to say, this makes it hard for Goku to put up a decent fight.
As shown in the opening, Goku seemingly dies just as Piccolo, Gohan, and Goten arrive. Admittedly, the scene kind of loses some of its kick when you see it for the second time within a 20 minute window, but it still made for a solid cliffhanger.
With the job done, you'd think that Hit's conflict is pretty much done with, though I reckon that's not the case for the Z fighters, especially Goku's sons. They may try to counter-attack, though I'm not sure what that would accomplish.
There's also the matter of who sent Hit out in the first place. Now, I know who's behind it, and for those curious, you can do some digging and figure out who the mastermind is. For the sake of preserving the mystery, I won't tell.
Truth be told, I think not knowing will make for a better viewing. You can speculate and talk about possible suspects. It was one of the last saga's strengths. It got people intrigued and a lot of fun was had coming up with theories, no matter how bizarre. Granted, even those who know the who don't know the why, so there's still something, but I'd still advise that you try to steer clear of spoilers.
All in all, this was a strong episode. There was a palpable sense of "off-ness" that permeated the episode and it worked really well. It set the tone, the stakes, and even gave us an adversary that we know is a match for the heroes. Really, if you're looking to follow up the last arc, this seems like a pretty good way to do it.
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