The most perfect continuation of Dragon Ball manga (DB&DBZ anime)

[Mister_Popo]

But how is them killing each other thematically appropriate?

Because ending with Goku beating Vegeta or vice-versa seems... Well, I don't have a word for that, but doesn't seem to be the right way.

As far as rivalry goes, their long history of one being stronger than the other at some specific points, it fits that in the end, they ended up being truly equals, even in power. Also, it goes without saying that they are Saiyans, and by definition, they want to fight. if they died battling each other, then they died doing what they were born for.

Goku and Vegeta are no casual superheroes and shouldn't be written that way. It's nice to have a revival of the old characters. But it should all end one day.
No matter how much we'd like that ending, after Toriyama throws his hat we could actually see those two disappear for a period.
They 'might' try new characters and concepts within the Dragonverse.
But when those fail or simply on fan demand 'because it has been a while', they'll bring them back.

[Skar]

I don't like them being equals. It's not Goku and Vegeta's story. If it's implied they died together in a fight, that undercuts the point of Vegeta's arc. It seems even odder that so much thematic importance be placed on a character not introduced until 1/3 of the way through the story.

I agree Vegeta has always one step behind. That ending is left up to interpretation since it doesn't mentioned what happened with Vegeta in the 16 years between EoZ and when they disappeared. In Online's continuity, SSJ3 is still the final transformation so Vegeta was only one form behind since the Buu saga. I think it's possible he could finally achieve the form near the end of his life and then him and Goku have their final battle.

[funrush]

On one hand I like the idea of Goku and Vegeta fighting to death in space because Saiyans are that battle obsessed & it makes sense that the (at the time) two final Saiyans go out like that.

On the other hand, Vegeta's character arc ends when he finally acknowledges how great Goku is in the Kid Buu fight. He's still a battle-obsessed Saiyan, so of course he still tries to keep up his rivalry with Goku throughout Super, but the idea that he dies in space fighting Goku instead of being with his family doesn't quite sit right with me, even though it makes sense.

So I guess the viability of the scenario depends on the context around it, which we don't really have.

[Grimlock]

It's not Goku and Vegeta's story.

One could argue it is. Isn't that one of the criticism Dragon Ball Super gets? That it's a "Goku and Vegeta show"? For better or worse, it became a Goku and Vegeta's story.

If it's implied they died together in a fight, that undercuts the point of Vegeta's arc.

In what way? I mean, the very last panel of the manga shows Vegeta swearing he'll surpass Goku.

I much prefer something more like GT, where Vegeta learns to settle down and accept the life he's come to live.

(...) but the idea that he dies in space fighting Goku instead of being with his family doesn't quite sit right with me, even though it makes sense.

I think it should be noted that Goku and Vegeta didn't leave Earth right away or around AGE 784/28º tournament. They leave Earth in AGE 801, seventeen years after the tournament. So they both were with their families/settled down for quite some time (and in peace, as there's no record of a single enemy appearing in the meantime).

Goku and Vegeta are no casual superheroes and shouldn't be written that way. It's nice to have a revival of the old characters. But it should all end one day.
No matter how much we'd like that ending, after Toriyama throws his hat we could actually see those two disappear for a period.
They 'might' try new characters and concepts within the Dragonverse.
But when those fail or simply on fan demand 'because it has been a while', they'll bring them back.

Which there wouldn't be a problem should they decide to bring them back after AGE 804. I mean, it is because of their final showdown that Gohan writes that book in that year and consequently Goten and Trunks open a school. Other than that, their final showdown doesn't bring any major and immediate repercussion (that might affect the story) and since their fate is unknown, they can come back for a few more years that they have left.

We should bear in mind that Goku would be almost 70 and Vegeta would be over 70 (if they were to return around or after AGE 804). So what would be the point? I think the only interesting thing that could come out of it is that we would get to see how an old Goku and Vegeta would look like.
Of course, this is all assuming they would stick to the events and their years already established... They could very well adapt/change everything.

[ABED]

They could, but they'd be wrong. The "It's the Goku and Vegeta Show" criticism is little more than a putdown, not a legitimate criticism.

Vegeta's entire arc was letting go of that insecurity and finally admitting Goku was better without it wounding his pride. Now the end to his story is fighting him to the death? That's some severe thematic dissonance.

[Skar]

Vegeta's entire arc was letting go of that insecurity and finally admitting Goku was better without it wounding his pride. Now the end to his story is fighting him to the death? That's some severe thematic dissonance.

Age 801
Goku goes missing: realizing his death is imminent and wanting to settle their rivalry, Goku leaves the Earth with Vegeta for a final battle. Years later, a supernova explosion is detected; it is assumed to be from Goku and Vegeta's battle.

Vegeta The way I interpreted this is that they only decided to have this battle because they nearing the end of their lives anyway. Since they're only now wanting to settle their rivalry now, it could imply they didn't fight again in the 27 years since the Buu saga and both settled down.

[lordsigma]

For me its different for the manga and for the DB/DBZ anime. I will add that I have not played DBO so I can only talk about Super and GT. Super is best for the manga and Kai, and GT is best for the DB/DBZ anime in its original form. The original anime has much content that is generally not considered canon to the manga and with Kai they made a pretty big effort to trim it down to a more direct adaptation of the manga. And Super also seems careful to limit the story to manga canon material and many filler concepts presented in the original anime are excluded like Dai Kaio's world, although they have brought some of these anime only concepts into Super some have not been. GT is more consistent with the way the story is told in the anime and to me works better as the original anime continuation. I guess one could say that Super is the sequel to Kai, the Super manga is the official sequel to the original manga and GT is the sequel to the original DB/DBZ. I don't know whether I LIKE the GT or Super ending better because we don't know yet how the story will end in the Super world, but I think both continuations have their place depending on which version of the story you're reading/watching..

[emperior]

I don’t mind Super being a midquel, in fact the manga’s ending works well enough that I can’t think of a more fitting ending for it and Super’s stories wouldn’t fit with Uub around in my opinion.

As for the most perfect continuation, it would be:
- Wrath of the Dragon movie (perfectly fits with the manga’s timeline);
- 2008 OVA, but show Sorbet and hint Freeza’s resurrection;
- Battle of Gods movie extended version, with some elements from the anime/manga such as the first episode/chapter, Goku form cycling against Beerus (with the anime’s UI hint), universal shockwaves, Champa and Vados being introduced (manga) and Kibitoshin getting the Namekian DBs and wishing to be defused. I would also avoid any mention of Beerus’ power;
- Jaco’s manga;
- Resurrection F movie;
- Manga Champa arc with some elements from the anime’s version, such as Gohan’s treatment, Vegeta’s fight with Cabba and Hit, some dialogue of anime Goku vs Hit;
- A mix of Future Trunks arc from manga and anime. From the anime the most important thing I would borrow is Goku vs Zamasu, and Black Goku, while from the manga I would borrow the Goku vs Fused Zamasu fight. The arc would essentially be the best possible mix of the two versions;
- Goku vs Hit rematch from the anime;
- Anime Universal Survival arc with some elements from the manga (namely Caulifla and Kale’s introduction, Jiren’s introduction, some stuff from the U7 warriors recruitment, the Hakaishin fight before the Zen Exhibition Match, Goku vs Toppo, Freeza and Frost dynamic etc...) but it would be mostly anime stuff, especially for the Tournament of Power;
- Broly movie;
- Galactic Prisoner arc.

As to how I would revamp other existing stories:
- Baby arc after the GP arc. Keep him a Tuffle with a revenge on Saiyans and tie the arc with Vegeta visiting Sadala and being attacked by Baby there.