The Saiyan Saga was the first Saga in Dragonball Z. I have a list of the episodes
in the saga and a summary of everything that happens in it. The Saiyan Saga has episodes
1-26 in it.
Born long ago of a primeval force on a faraway planet, the Saiyans grew and developed into a warrior race so devastating and relentless that their planet itself did not survive the centuries of destruction. Now one of them is coming to Earth to find his younger brother...
Goku is at a reunion at Master Roshi's house when he notices a strong power approaching. Unknown to our hero, he is the brother Raditz is searching for.
Goku was "programmed" when he was a baby and sent to Earth to destroy the inhabitants, making the planet marketable for sale to the highest bidder. Raditz can't understand why Goku has failed in his mission against such weak earthlings.
Master Roshi reveals that a near fatal head injury Goku suffered as a baby scrambled his programming. Raditz is disgusted with this and gives Goku an ultimatum: destroy Earth or die. Raditz kidnaps Gohan. Maybe he can convert this little one into a true Saiyan...
Our hero is baffled at what to do. Then Goku's arch enemy, Piccolo, appears to help fight for the future of the world.
In the fiercest battle ever seen on Earth, our heroes use every technique they know. Piccolo hurls his energy blasts and Goku releases the Kamehameha blast. Raditz stops these blasts with his bare hands...
Raditz is at the point of killing Piccolo when his power suddenly dissipates. Goku has grabbed Raditz's weak point... his tail. Goku tells Piccolo to finish off Raditz.
Raditz declares a change of heart and desire to reform. Piccolo warns it's a trick, but Goku believes Raditz and lets go of his tail. Raditz's power immediately returns and he turns on his brother Goku...
As all is surely lost, the power sensor goes off. Gohan has broken free of the space capsule in which Raditz had imprisoned him. In a remarkable burst of power, Gohan's Saiyan blood shows through. He "powers up" and assaults Raditz. Raditz is weakened by the assault, allowing Goku to grab Raditz in a bear hug. This gives Piccolo enough time to summon an extra powerful Special Beam Cannon blast to finish off Raditz.
The only problem is that Goku will perish with Raditz. Piccolo's blast will encompass them both. But Goku urges Piccolo to fire -- it's Earth's only hope...
The blast does the trick. But as Raditz is passing on, he reveals terrifying news. Two more Saiyan warriors with even greater power than Raditz will arrive in one year. Earth is their next target for death and mass destruction.
And Goku, Earth's most powerful warrior, has passed into another dimension along with Raditz...
The remaining good guys disperse in a frantic attempt to prepare for the coming of the Saiyans. Some try to collect the Dragon Balls to revive Goku. Piccolo takes Gohan to a deserted wasteland to train him to utilize his incredible power potential. Krillin, Tien, Chiaotzu and Yamcha go to Kami's to receive special training in the Pendulum Room.
As for Goku, he's in the Upper World where he can get superior training from King Kai to prepare for the coming of the Saiyans in one year. King Kai is pleased that Goku is such a great student and proceeds to teach him the famous Kai techniques. So intent are they on the training, they forget to take into consideration the two days it will take Goku to run back down Snake Way to Earth.
The sky darkens as the two Saiyans approach. Nappa and Vegeta take a reading on the planet's warriors and scoff at the weak power ratings. They plant six seeds, which quickly grow into six Saibaimen, fierce plant-like creatures that are told to destroy the Earthlings.
The battle lines form as our heroes Krillin, Piccolo, Tien, Gohan, Chiaotzu, and Yamcha prepare to defend Earth against the Saibaimen. The ensuing battle eliminates one of our heroes, Yamcha, but the two sides seem evenly matched. Vegeta grows bored and instructs Nappa to take care of the other Earthlings.
Our heroes attack with massive energy beams that have no effect. Chiaotzu initiates a dimensional attack in hopes of destroying Nappa, but all is in vain as Nappa is barely affected. Piccolo devises a plan requiring Gohan to harness the Power of Light within him for a single blast. But at the crucial moment, Gohan loses his nerve. Gohan has let the good guys down. Were Piccolo's efforts to train Gohan in vain? Apparently not, for in training Gohan, Piccolo has transformed himself. During the next attack, Piccolo sacrifices himself by stepping in front of an energy beam to save Gohan's life. Nappa decides he has had enough fun and goes in for the finish...
Just as things look grim for our remaining heroes, Goku sweeps in to rescue Gohan. The Saiyans can't believe it, Goku has a power level of 5000. Everyone is awed by Goku's power and a major battle erupts between Goku and Nappa. But Goku is so fast that he can't even be seen by normal humans. Goku uses the Kaio-ken maneuver to defeat Nappa. Vegeta has no use for such a useless Saiyan and gets rid of the injured Nappa.
The battle moves to another location as Goku and Vegeta face off. In a series of tremendous battle movements, which release more energy than 10 hydrogen bombs, the greatest battle on Earth resonates across the countryside. Each opponent "powers up" to a level higher than each could imagine the other could achieve but Vegeta is able to gain the upper hand by turning into the giant Saiyan Gorilla.
As Goku is being crushed by the giant Vegeta, Krillin and Gohan arrive and distract Vegeta. This gives Goku enough time to take the last energy remaining in him and transfer it to Krillin who, along with Gohan's help, directs his Spirit Bomb to smash Vegeta. They miss. Yajirobe saves the day by cutting off Vegeta's tail. Vegeta, is badly damaged, but able to get to his space capsule. Goku lets him escape.