Which Saga Had Characters At Their Stupidest?

[Lunatic Fringe]

Besides all the action and humor that comes along with the franchise, Dragon Ball is also known for characters making some pretty damn dumb decisions. Whether going along with a choice that they know can cost everyone's lives despite a safer alternative being available to allowing things to take place because of pride, they're pretty easy to spot and make fun of because of how unlikely these choice would be made in the real world. I made this thread in light of all the Cell Saga talk I've been seeing lately, mostly with how everyone at one point got handed the Idiot Ball but that doesn't mean that its the only choice out there. So, if you had to pick a saga where common sense seemed to be averted the most, which would you pick and why?

[FoolsGil]

The Buu Saga had everyone at their stupidest, no contest.

[ekrolo2]

The Cell Saga, almost everything they do in that just screams dumbass.

[fadeddreams5]

Honestly, I have a hard time choosing between the Cell and Buu saga, but I'm inclined to go with the former because the entire saga could have been prevented if they just listened to Bulma and used the dragon ball to, at least, locate Dr. Gero... but idk.

[Baggie_Saiyan]

Andriod/Cell Saga.
-Trunks not describing what the androids look like.
- Not blowing up Gero's lab because he hadn't done anything wrong yet.
- Krillin not shutting 18 off since he wanted to bone her.
- Vegeta allowing Cell to be perfect.
- Gohan not finishing Cell off when he had the chance.
- Goku giving Cell a senzu bean.
Probably more here but that's all I remember from the top of my head.

[SSJ God Gogeta]

Totally gonna have to go with the Buu saga on this one.

[fadeddreams5]

Probably more here but that's all I remember from the top of my head.

In the future, nobody told Trunks about the ROSAT. Since when can't characters communicate from the afterlife? lol.

But idk. The Buu saga might be worse:
- Supreme Kai's plan was so retarded it ironically led to Buu's resurrection.
- Majin Vegeta knocked Goku out to be a hero, but died in vain.
- SSJ3 Goku let Fat Buu go because he wanted to give the next generation a shot.
- Gotenks is just generally an idiot.
- Vegito prolonged his fight to have Buu absorb him so he could save the others, but then let them die in Kid Buu's explosion.
- Goku crushes the potara earrings instead of simply giving them back.
- Vegeta's genius plan nearly got everyone killed, when simply wishing for Gohan and Gotenks would have sufficed.

The difference between the Cell and the Buu saga is that the former had threats that could have easily been prevented. The latter had a non-threat repeatedly become one because the characters continuously made stupid decisions.

[voltlunok]

Cell saga, it was like they were playing the biggest game of volleyball with the idiot ball (Vegeta was being a ball hog too.)...yeah Buu saga had some screw ups but maaaaaan the android/cell sagas were just pants on head, shoes on hands stupid.

[Doctor.]

I think most dumb decisions in the Boo arc can be easily justified, while when someone brings up a solution to a problem in the Cell arc, you can only stand there and ask "Huh? Why DIDN'T they do that?".

[DBZAOTA482]

Goku: BOO SAGA (anyone who disagrees is objectively wrong)
Gohan: Boo Saga (Imma just let Goku and Vegeta be reckless even though Kaioshin is crying for them to take the situation seriously, and fail to catch a earring even though I can catch bullets)
Vegeta: Tie between Freeza Saga and Cell Saga
Piccolo: His intelligence is always consistent
Krillin: Cell Saga (though that's the only arc he ever did anything remotely stupid and it was just once)
Trunks: Boo Saga (Hey Goten, let's play around with Boo even though he killed everyone we know and loved including 99% of the Earth's population)

[DBZAOTA482]

I think most dumb decisions in the Boo arc can be easily justified, while when someone brings up a solution to a problem in the Cell arc, you can only stand there and ask "Huh? Why DIDN'T they do that?".

So wait you're saying Goku not taking Babidi's minions seriously even though he knows energy will be transmitted to Majin Boo if they get hit, Gohan failing to catch an earring, no one going along with Vegeta's suggestion to destroy Babidi's spaceship to get to Majin Boo's egg for no apparent reason, Goku fighting one-on-one with Majin Vegeta instead of seeking help from the others, or anything Kaioshin did is justifiable?

[nickzambuto]

I think people are being a bit unfair to the characters and confusing "stupid" with "personality." For example, fusing to beat Boo would have clearly been the best decision. But refusing isn't exactly STUPID of Goku or Vegeta because they ACKNOWLEDGE that it's probably a better idea, but they just want to do it a different way. Call it selfish if you want, but it isn't "stupid" if it's a conscious decision.

[Lunatic Fringe]

Goku: BOO SAGA (anyone who disagrees is objectively wrong)
Gohan: Boo Saga (Imma just let Goku and Vegeta be reckless even though Kaioshin is crying for them to take the situation seriously, and fail to catch a earring even though I can catch bullets)
Vegeta: Tie between Freeza Saga and Cell Saga
Piccolo: His intelligence is always consistent
Krillin: Cell Saga (though that's the only arc he ever did anything remotely stupid and it was just once)
Trunks: Boo Saga (Hey Goten, let's play around with Boo even though he killed everyone we know and loved including 99% of the Earth's population)

Vegeta in the Freeza Saga? That's probably the smartest he's been in the entire series. The way he was able to gather all of those Dragon Balls and, for the most part, stay out of trouble until Freeza had to get the Ginyu Force on his ass was pretty cunning of him. There's also the whole Dende Zenkai thing to consider, too.

I think people are being a bit unfair to the characters and confusing "stupid" with "personality." For example, fusing to beat Boo would have clearly been the best decision. But refusing isn't exactly STUPID of Goku or Vegeta because they ACKNOWLEDGE that it's probably a better idea, but they just want to do it a different way. Call it selfish if you want, but it isn't "stupid" if it's a conscious decision.

It being a conscious decision makes it even more stupid than anything.

[ekrolo2]

Goku: BOO SAGA (anyone who disagrees is objectively wrong)
Gohan: Boo Saga (Imma just let Goku and Vegeta be reckless even though Kaioshin is crying for them to take the situation seriously, and fail to catch a earring even though I can catch bullets)
Vegeta: Tie between Freeza Saga and Cell Saga
Piccolo: His intelligence is always consistent
Krillin: Cell Saga (though that's the only arc he ever did anything remotely stupid and it was just once)
Trunks: Boo Saga (Hey Goten, let's play around with Boo even though he killed everyone we know and loved including 99% of the Earth's population)

Vegeta in the Freeza Saga? That's probably the smartest he's been in the entire series. The way he was able to gather all of those Dragon Balls and, for the most part, stay out of trouble until Freeza had to get the Ginyu Force on his ass was pretty cunning of him. There's also the whole Dende Zenkai thing to consider, too.

Vegeta's overall plan isn't great though. It basically relies on him being smashed over and over until the Zenkai fixes him which can easily go very wrong if you stop to think about it. His goading of Freeza to keep transforming was also not a very cunning thing to do.

[Tunjevina]

Android/Cell Saga
Some of them are already mentioned, but here is everything I can think of in chronological order:
- Goku not teleporting and killing Freeza before he arrived to Earth.
- Trunks not describing what the androids look like and not telling Goku that the Androids cannot be sensed.
- Not blowing up Gero's lab because he hadn't done anything wrong yet.
- Vegeta thinking he could defeat both of the Androids himself because he's a Super Saiyan, even though Trunks told them that he as a Super Saiyan didn't stand a chance.
- Piccolo wanting to find Dr.Gero's lab to destroy Android 17 & 18 before Dr.Gero has the chance to activate them...Didn't think of that 3 years ago, huh..
- Cell's stupid exposition even though he should have known about Piccolo's ability to regenerate.
- Krillin not shutting #18 off since he wanted to bone her.
- Vegeta allowing Cell to be perfect. I mean, first time we saw Vegeta fighting against a being that can transform was vs Gohan, he tried to stop his transformation, failed, and was defeated by him.Second time was vs Zarbon, when he almost got killed, and third time vs Freeza, when he actually get's killed. He was a smart and cunning warrior so far, you would think he would do anything in his power to stop Cell from reaching perfect form.
- Tenshinhan turning down a training in the ROSAT because he felt he wouldn't be strong enough to fight Cell.So?His whole life is one big training session, and if he didn't want to train then why the hell did he go to the Cell tournament!?
- Goku and Gohan not going in ROSAT again.
- Goku giving Cell a senzu bean.
- Gohan not finishing Cell off when he had the chance.He didn't have a problem killing Freeza's henchman with a smile on his face as soon as he landed a foot on Namek...I guess a
human blood-flash-and-bone sucking, android absorbing, transforming bug from the future, deserves to live more.

I feel like the whole plot of the saga depended on characters acting dumber then usual.
Boo Saga also had some character stupidity, but it's mostly from Goku & Gotenks. I can't remember Piccolo, Krillin or Tenshinhan doing something stupid

[DBZAOTA482]

Goku: BOO SAGA (anyone who disagrees is objectively wrong)
Gohan: Boo Saga (Imma just let Goku and Vegeta be reckless even though Kaioshin is crying for them to take the situation seriously, and fail to catch a earring even though I can catch bullets)
Vegeta: Tie between Freeza Saga and Cell Saga
Piccolo: His intelligence is always consistent
Krillin: Cell Saga (though that's the only arc he ever did anything remotely stupid and it was just once)
Trunks: Boo Saga (Hey Goten, let's play around with Boo even though he killed everyone we know and loved including 99% of the Earth's population)

Vegeta in the Freeza Saga? That's probably the smartest he's been in the entire series. The way he was able to gather all of those Dragon Balls and, for the most part, stay out of trouble until Freeza had to get the Ginyu Force on his ass was pretty cunning of him. There's also the whole Dende Zenkai thing to consider, too.

That's the Namek Saga. Vegeta in the Freeza Saga goaded Freeza into transforming even though he was already weaker than him, tried to blast Freeza in 2nd Form head on even though he's clearly an any compared to him, and thought he can take on Final Form Freeza even though he can sense he's clearly inferior to him.

[Lunatic Fringe]

@Tunjevina: How about Krillin not killing #18 over a stupid kiss?
@482: Okay, I see. Some people don't distinguish between the Namek and Freeza Saga so I was talking to you as if you were one of those people(not that there's anything wrong with that). Still, I'd consider Freeza Saga Vegeta not as stupid as Buu Saga Vegeta. That's just me, though.

[nickzambuto]

I think people are being a bit unfair to the characters and confusing "stupid" with "personality." For example, fusing to beat Boo would have clearly been the best decision. But refusing isn't exactly STUPID of Goku or Vegeta because they ACKNOWLEDGE that it's probably a better idea, but they just want to do it a different way. Call it selfish if you want, but it isn't "stupid" if it's a conscious decision.

It being a conscious decision makes it even more stupid than anything.

It is selfish, not stupid. Goku and Vegeta do what is in their own interests. If they come out the winners, which they always do -- Ex. they wanted a fight in the Boo arc, and they got a fight -- than they didn't make a stupid decision. Succeeding in getting what you want is not stupidity.

[Lunatic Fringe]

I think people are being a bit unfair to the characters and confusing "stupid" with "personality." For example, fusing to beat Boo would have clearly been the best decision. But refusing isn't exactly STUPID of Goku or Vegeta because they ACKNOWLEDGE that it's probably a better idea, but they just want to do it a different way. Call it selfish if you want, but it isn't "stupid" if it's a conscious decision.

It being a conscious decision makes it even more stupid than anything.

It is selfish, not stupid. Goku and Vegeta do what is in their own interests. If they come out the winners, which they always do -- Ex. they wanted a fight in the Boo arc, and they got a fight -- than they didn't make a stupid decision. Succeeding in getting what you want is not stupidity.

Why do you think that selfishness and stupidity are mutually exclusive? Can't a decision be both?

[nickzambuto]

Why do you think that selfishness and stupidity are mutually exclusive? Can't a decision be both?

Not in this case. Goku and Vegeta get what they want. How can succeeding possibly be stupidity?