What is the darkest arc in the original run?

[DragonBallKing]

Gonna change my vote to the cell arc. From Krillins first death to cells death the series progressively got more serious to the point that there is little to no comedy outside mr satan. Imperfect cell and super buu are also the creepiest villains

[Lord Beerus]

As much as I don't like the King Piccolo arc, that was truly Dragon Ball at it's bleakest:
- Krillin is murdered (And that's how the arc began)
- King Piccolo succeeds with his goal of restored youth
- Roshi dies in an failed attempt to seal King Piccolo with the Mafuba
- Goku dies fighting King Piccolo
- Chaozu is killed
- Shelong is killed
- King Piccolo rules the world, albeit quite briefly
- Tenshinhan fails in combat against King Piccolo's henchmen
- Yamcha is sidelined

If not for a gargantuan amount of plot armour for Goku, King Piccolo would have won.

The Saiyan arc is a VERY close second.

[ABED]

I agree, but I wish you hadn't brought up "plot armor". God I hate tvtropes.com

[Forte224]

I agree, but I wish you hadn't brought up "plot armor". God I hate tvtropes.com

I'm not familiar with tvtropes.com but what is the issue with using the term plot armor?

[ABED]

It's just a silly term. We get it, most of the time the main character isn't gonna bite it permanently, at least not until around the end. It's basic storytelling. We know Batman's rogues won't get the better of him, hence why they monologue instead of just putting a bullet in his head. However in the case of Goku against Piccolo, Toriyama did a good job of showing why Goku survived both encounters beyond "he has to because he's the main character".

I also don't like such a dumb term as "plot armor". It sounds silly. It's better than "ass pull" at least.

[Forte224]

I'll have to re-read that portion of the manga. Even though I just did like...4 months ago. Anyway, I suppose I can understand the issue with the term. I've heard of TV Tropes but never looked at it. If it's a "one-stop-shop" for terms like that (which is the impression I get), I suppose yeah that could be annoying. It's like...fast food for literary terminology.

Anyway, thanks for the explanation.

[KBABZ]

I'll have to re-read that portion of the manga. Even though I just did like...4 months ago. Anyway, I suppose I can understand the issue with the term. I've heard of TV Tropes but never looked at it. If it's a "one-stop-shop" for terms like that (which is the impression I get), I suppose yeah that could be annoying. It's like...fast food for literary terminology.

Anyway, thanks for the explanation.

The problem is that many people read TV Tropes like they're an elitist site like "EHEEEEEHH, all your stories are fake and unoriginal and we know better let's destroy it alllll!!", but it's really not like that. I love TV Tropes because it gives me a much better understanding of the makeup of a work and what elements go into making it what it is.

[ABED]

I'll have to re-read that portion of the manga. Even though I just did like...4 months ago. Anyway, I suppose I can understand the issue with the term. I've heard of TV Tropes but never looked at it. If it's a "one-stop-shop" for terms like that (which is the impression I get), I suppose yeah that could be annoying. It's like...fast food for literary terminology.

Anyway, thanks for the explanation.

It's not so much an exhaustive list as it is an exhausting list. Basically anything that has more than 2 examples is apparently a trope, and the names sound like they were written by high school juniors.

[GreatSaiyaJeff]

As much as I don't like the King Piccolo arc, that was truly Dragon Ball at it's bleakest:
- Krillin is murdered (And that's how the arc began)
- King Piccolo succeeds with his goal of restored youth
- Roshi dies in an failed attempt to seal King Piccolo with the Mafuba
- Goku dies fighting King Piccolo
- Chaozu is killed
- Shelong is killed
- King Piccolo rules the world, albeit quite briefly
- Tenshinhan fails in combat against King Piccolo's henchmen
- Yamcha is sidelined

If not for a gargantuan amount of plot armour for Goku, King Piccolo would have won.

The Saiyan arc is a VERY close second.

Also another reason why King Piccolo is one of the most under rated villians. Usually when proeple ask best bad guy, its usually Freeza, Cell or Buu but never King Piccolo. Def one of the best villians the series had.

[JohnnyCashKami]

1. Piccolo Daimaō arc
2. Imperfect Cell arc
3. Majin Boo arc

The Piccolo Daimaō arc actually made me a tad infuriated because that's something that could very well happen in real life and it has, but we just don't know about it specifically. I mean, he randomly picked a city to destroy and it mirrors actual reality.

Imperfect Cell arc is on second place due to the disturbing way that Cell absorbed people until there was nothing left but their clothes.

Majin Boo arc? Different events throughout the arc. Videl being beaten the shit out and everyone just spectating, Mr. Satan's and Boo's dog snipped, people turned into chocolate, etc.

[KBABZ]

Also another reason why King Piccolo is one of the most under rated villians. Usually when proeple ask best bad guy, its usually Freeza, Cell or Buu but never King Piccolo. Def one of the best villians the series had.

Hopefully that does change (IMO Daimao is the best "Z" arc since it uses a lot of its own tropes and ideas, as much as that can be applicable). I loved how in the Broly movie when they did the brief flashes of past villains, Daimao kicked off that list.

[Paulo Gabriel]

Also another reason why King Piccolo is one of the most under rated villians. Usually when proeple ask best bad guy, its usually Freeza, Cell or Buu but never King Piccolo. Def one of the best villians the series had.

Hopefully that does change (IMO Daimao is the best "Z" arc since it uses a lot of its own tropes and ideas, as much as that can be applicable). I loved how in the Broly movie when they did the brief flashes of past villains, Daimao kicked off that list.

I don't understand the first sentence. Isn't Daimao from OG Dragon Ball? How can it be a ''Z'' arc?

[ABED]

Also another reason why King Piccolo is one of the most under rated villians. Usually when proeple ask best bad guy, its usually Freeza, Cell or Buu but never King Piccolo. Def one of the best villians the series had.

Hopefully that does change (IMO Daimao is the best "Z" arc since it uses a lot of its own tropes and ideas, as much as that can be applicable). I loved how in the Broly movie when they did the brief flashes of past villains, Daimao kicked off that list.

I don't understand the first sentence. Isn't Daimao from OG Dragon Ball? How can it be a ''Z'' arc?

I'm guessing that the poster meant it's DBZ like in its feel.

[KBABZ]

Hopefully that does change (IMO Daimao is the best "Z" arc since it uses a lot of its own tropes and ideas, as much as that can be applicable). I loved how in the Broly movie when they did the brief flashes of past villains, Daimao kicked off that list.

I don't understand the first sentence. Isn't Daimao from OG Dragon Ball? How can it be a ''Z'' arc?

I'm guessing that the poster meant it's DBZ like in its feel.

Way to name-drop me, ABED, haha.

Yes, that is what I meant. The Daimao arc introduced a LOT of tropes, story ideas and concepts that would define DBZ, so in many ways I consider it a Z arc, especially the fight at the end.

[Paulo Gabriel]

I don't understand the first sentence. Isn't Daimao from OG Dragon Ball? How can it be a ''Z'' arc?

I'm guessing that the poster meant it's DBZ like in its feel.

Way to name-drop me, ABED, haha.

Yes, that is what I meant. The Daimao arc introduced a LOT of tropes, story ideas and concepts that would define DBZ, so in many ways I consider it a Z arc, especially the fight at the end.

Oh, okay. I guess it was just lazy reading on my part.

[ABED]

I don't understand the first sentence. Isn't Daimao from OG Dragon Ball? How can it be a ''Z'' arc?

I'm guessing that the poster meant it's DBZ like in its feel.

Way to name-drop me, ABED, haha.

Yes, that is what I meant. The Daimao arc introduced a LOT of tropes, story ideas and concepts that would define DBZ, so in many ways I consider it a Z arc, especially the fight at the end.

You mean I would have to look up who wrote the response and write down the name? That sounds like an awful lot of work.

[KBABZ]

You mean I would have to look up who wrote the response and write down the name? That sounds like an awful lot of work.

There's a quote button like RIGHT THERE!!!

[SSJmole]

Androids cell Saga.

- It starts with trunks telling Goku is due of a heart attack
- the heartless machines that killed everyone
- imperfect cell kills do many. Frieza did too but they are alien it's not real or dark as cell killing all of that town
-cell brutalising Hogan as his dad watches and realises maybe kids should be doing this
- Gokus sacrifice
- the way vegeta turns super


There's more too but cell and androids for sure

[Paulo Gabriel]

Androids cell Saga.

- It starts with trunks telling Goku is due of a heart attack
- the heartless machines that killed everyone
- imperfect cell kills do many. Frieza did too but they are alien it's not real or dark as cell killing all of that town
-cell brutalising Hogan as his dad watches and realises maybe kids should be doing this
- Gokus sacrifice
- the way vegeta turns super


There's more too but cell and androids for sure

I agree.

Not to mention the music and general tone. But the arguments for the Piccolo arc here seem very compelling.