How did Piccolo become good?

[RandomGuy96]

I was just thinking about this. Piccolo eventually became a pretty nice guy, even pre-Kami/Nail fusion, after bonding with Gohan. My question is, how is this possible? Piccolo is pure evil. Like, literally. He's the evil of the Nameless Namek given flesh. Literal pure evil. Yet he got turned to the side of good because he developed affection for Gohan? As an embodiment of pure evil, shouldn't that not have worked? Shouldn't he have remained cruel to the end?

[Bussani]

Personally, I kind of figured that while Piccolo Daimao was the literal embodiment of evil, Piccolo Junior wasn't, and had more of a choice. That said, Namekians are meant to be pure good, but can pick up evil in their heart if they're around less pure people; maybe it's also possible for a pure evil Namekian to pick up good...?

[RandomGuy96]

Obviously Namekians aren't pure good, cause Piccolo exists, and he's the embodiment of a Namekian's evil.

Piccolo was a clone/reincarnation of King Piccolo, so he's basically the same being.

[Bussani]

If I'm remembering right, Kaio explained that Namekians are naturally good, and that the Nameless Namekian only ended up with evil in his heart due to his exposure to humans.

Piccolo was a clone/reincarnation of King Piccolo, so he's basically the same being.

The fact that he became good suggests they're not quite the same to me, but if that doesn't work for you, I guess you'll have to keep looking for an explanation you like.

Edit: Oh, I should add, Kami and Popo talk about Piccolo being different even before Gohan has a chance to corrupt him. Kami points out that Raditz's soul was able to go to the afterlife, which would be impossible if he'd been killed by a demon like Piccolo Daimao was. "He's still evil, but not the Daimao of old," they said. When the change happened is unclear; it could be that he was different from birth, or it could have been some affect Goku had on him when they fought.

[Kamiccolo9]

If I'm remembering right, Kaio explained that Namekians are naturally good, and that the Nameless Namekian only ended up with evil in his heart due to his exposure to humans.

Piccolo was a clone/reincarnation of King Piccolo, so he's basically the same being.

The fact that he became good suggests they're not quite the same to me, but if that doesn't work for you, I guess you'll have to keep looking for an explanation you like.

Edit: Oh, I should add, Kami and Popo talk about Piccolo being different even before Gohan has a chance to corrupt him. Kami points out that Raditz's soul was able to go to the afterlife, which would be impossible if he'd been killed by a demon like Piccolo Daimao was. "He's still evil, but not the Daimao of old," they said. When the change happened is unclear; it could be that he was different from birth, or it could have been some affect Goku had on him when they fought.

I think that the first changes began when Goku spared him after their fight. That suprised him, because, having his father's memories, Piccolo would never have expected the one to kill his father to show mercy to him. Goku changed considerably in the years prior to the 23rd Budokai, and was not the same person who killed his father.
I think the second change occured after the fight with Raditz. At this point, Piccolo had achieved the goal he was created for by being the one to kill Goku. I believe this allowed him to move on with his life, and develop as his own person.
The final straw was his bonding with Gohan. Once he sacrificed himself, he was pretty much in the good guy camp from then on out
As I see it, Piccolo is reincarnation of Piccolo Daimao, similar to Uub being a reincarnation of Kid Buu.

[Bussani]

As I see it, Piccolo is reincarnation of Piccolo Daimao, similar to Uub being a reincarnation of Kid Buu.

That's a good point. Buu was also completely pure evil, but Uub wasn't. Piccolo Junior's a more direct version of reincarnation, but still, I don't think it's strange that he would be a bit different--that he'd have more potential to change than his "father" did, at least.

[Hades]

I don't get why Gohan would make Piccolo Good. If anything, torturing and abandoning him should be considered an evil act.

[shonenhikada]

After fusing with kami. Kami slowly took over Piccolo's personality slowly. If you notice Piccolo made very large gains and was constantly training before fusing, then after fusing and some time passing he became an old fart who didn't bother training. What I think happened was that Piccolo was the dominant personality right after fusing with Kami, and this is why he continued to make significant gains during the cell saga. During the 7 year gap, Kami's good influence, and personality began to take over, and while Piccolo still has his gruff voice , a large portion of his mannerism are akin to that of Kami. For example pre-fusion Piccolo would never have decided to stay at the watch tower for all those years as Kami would have, but rather train in some far off place on planet earth.

[Marco Polo]

I think the second change occured after the fight with Raditz. At this point, Piccolo had achieved the goal he was created for by being the one to kill Goku. I believe this allowed him to move on with his life, and develop as his own person.

This. Piccolo was created only to kill Goku, and he literally did it.

After that, he had the choice to become his own person.

[ABED]

People keep throwing around "torture" and "abandon", but that's not what happened. The world needed Gohan's power, but he was ill equipped to use it, so Piccolo left him alone to figure it out for himself. He kept the occassional eye on him. The training may have been strenuous, but is it better that Gohan not know how to fight? It's not like Piccolo took sadistic pleasure doing what he did.

As for the point about Raditz, I think there some truth to that, but it had to start before that. If I recall, Piccolo admits that achieving his goal of killing Goku wasn't as sweet as he would've thought, plus Raditz didn't end up in limbo despite being killed by one of the Mazoku, meaning he was already changing.

[DBZGTKOSDH]

I think that Goku showing Piccolo mercy by giving him a senzu affected Piccolo's personality. It was the first time someone someone showed him positive feelings, and not hate & fear. And then after that, Gohan happened, who treated Piccolo as a friend & respected him as his master, which made Piccolo loving Gohan. Then he merged with the pure hearted Nail (Namekians are said to be pure hearted, with the son of Katatz being an exception because he was corrupted by the Earthlings), and finally, with Kami.

[DBZAOTA482]

I don't get why Gohan would make Piccolo Good. If anything, torturing and abandoning him should be considered an evil act.

Piccolo was teaching Gohan to be a man, and it worked out in the end. You must be cuddled yourself if you don't get that.

[Duo]

Piccolo killed Goku by running him through in a manner similar to the way Goku ran the original Daimao through. How poetic that after he fulfilled the ambition of his origin, he was able to become his own Namekian instead of the wrath of his father.

I think Piccolo officially became too 'Kami' the moment he started chastising Goku during the Cell Game. Saiyan arc Piccolo would have been much less sympathetic.

[Hades]

I don't get why Gohan would make Piccolo Good. If anything, torturing and abandoning him should be considered an evil act.

Piccolo was teaching Gohan to be a man, and it worked out in the end. You must be cuddled yourself if you don't get that.

I wouldn't normally recommend this, but play Spec Ops: The Line to see what such things would do to people.

[TheMightyOzaru]

Gohan.

[Michsi]

Piccolo/Gohan case is the old "good triumphs over evil" trope, meaning that genuine kindness can affect even the coldest of hearts, etc etc. Also, it was stated that Piccolo Jr. was never as evil as his father and if having somone "that really talked to him" was all it took for him to change his ways, than it was obviously a correct assumption.

I don't get why Gohan would make Piccolo Good. If anything, torturing and abandoning him should be considered an evil act.

Piccolo was teaching Gohan to be a man, and it worked out in the end. You must be cuddled yourself if you don't get that.

I wouldn't normally recommend this, but play Spec Ops: The Line to see what such things would do to people.

I get "abandoning", but torture?

First of all, different people have different reactions to given situations and Gohan was never a completely normal kid to begin with. Nevermind that he single-handedly cracked the ribs of a planet-busting warrior, he was half-saiyan. As evidence, after 6 months a living alone in the wilderness, surrounded by dinosaurs and what not, not only was he fine, but he was cheerful and dealing with those difficulties as easy as Goku did. So despite his age, his hide is tougher than people give him credit for.

[ABED]

Bringing up ways in which real people deal with stress or how psychological problems develop is moot since we're dealing with a world with magic and ki and power blasts and flying and dinosaurs, etc.

[Marco Polo]

Bringing up ways in which real people deal with stress or how psychological problems develop is moot since we're dealing with a world with magic and ki and power blasts and flying and dinosaurs, etc.

It's moot because Toriyama doesn't explore stress and psychological problems in his manga, not because of magic and ki and power blasts and flying and dinosaurs.

[ZombieVito]

After fusing with kami. Kami slowly took over Piccolo's personality slowly. If you notice Piccolo made very large gains and was constantly training before fusing, then after fusing and some time passing he became an old fart who didn't bother training. What I think happened was that Piccolo was the dominant personality right after fusing with Kami, and this is why he continued to make significant gains during the cell saga. During the 7 year gap, Kami's good influence, and personality began to take over, and while Piccolo still has his gruff voice , a large portion of his mannerism are akin to that of Kami. For example pre-fusion Piccolo would never have decided to stay at the watch tower for all those years as Kami would have, but rather train in some far off place on planet earth.

AT confirmed Piccolo always trains, even on peacefull days.

[ABED]

Bringing up ways in which real people deal with stress or how psychological problems develop is moot since we're dealing with a world with magic and ki and power blasts and flying and dinosaurs, etc.

It's moot because Toriyama doesn't explore stress and psychological problems in his manga, not because of magic and ki and power blasts and flying and dinosaurs.

That too, but my point still stands. In a world of mysticism, people would be different and react to stressful situations differently.