Was SS3 Gotenks enough to destroy Super Buu?

[Psajdak]

I mean if he was serious - think Future Trunks level of no-nonsense.

One big part of Buu saga is basically about Goten, and Trunks being the last hope of everyone, with the Fusion they learned.

What do you guys think?

Personally, I have a hard time seeing Gotenks win, despite him being crazy powerful at the time; Buu's regeneration was way too good.

[ZeroNeonix]

You mean the vanilla Super Buu, no absorptions? I think yes. Gotenks just played around way too much. Heck, they could have destroyed Fat Buu, if they just went Super in their first fight. Seriously, why didn't they transform then? Piccolo later assumes they have to transform before transforming, but then they just...do it. It kinda makes them seem like an idiot.

[Lionel]

I think so too but it should be noted that Gotenks' inability to clench the victory also had to do with the surrounding circumstances he was made to deal with like having to initially escape the ROSAT and then waiting for Buu to reemerge after he was smacked into Earth's surface by Gotenks from the ruins of the palace. Those precious few seconds or even minutes could have proved vital in determining whether or not Gotenks has enough time to launch his final attack against Buu.

[Matches Malone]

Yes, although he wouldn't have had as an easy time as Mystic Gohan, he definitely could've finished him if he was serious about it.

[theherodjl]

I'd say "not" in the end as it was sort of a sign of what was to come in Goku & Pure Boo's fight. Goku/Gotenks certainly had the power to inflict major damage on either Boo but the regenerative ability of Boo simply mitigated however much damage they received, that and the stamina issue with SSJ3 as well. Either Boo could've been brought to the brink of being completely destroyed by their respective opponents in a one-on-one fight but the factors of haxx regeneration and limits on maintaining full power ultimately worked against the Saiyans in these bouts. Had they received backup from fighters almost or about as strong as Boo, it might've been possible. Unfortunately, Piccolo & Vegeta didn't fit the bill and thus, a powered up attack wasn't able to be formed in time to eradicate Boo.

[TobyS]

Yeah they could, otherwise they would have admitted they would lose and told Gohan to take care of him when offered the chance to rejoin.
They just ran out of time before. I wouldn't be easy but yeah they'd do it.

[Hugo Boss]

I also believe the story implies Gotenks and Gohan had the power to destroy Boo, but not the proper mindset. That’s why Boo also added Piccolo, since he was No.01 in this aspect.

[Peach]

In Super Saiyan 3, yes. Definitely. With difficulty though.

[Koitsukai]

I believe so, yes. He didn't seem to suffer Goku's power drain as SS3, so with that on his favour, and with the proper mindset, no playing volleyball, no boasting or being cocky, they would've destroyed him, I think.

[PurestEvil]

Yeah, it's safe to assume that.
Even though it's bullshit how he got SSJ3 that quickly.

[Matches Malone]

It's bullshit how he got SSJ3 that quickly.

I would've preferred both Goten and Trunks to not have Ssj (they barely used it so why give it to them so early ?) and Gotenks to only reach Ssj2.

[Darkprince410]

I personally believe that he didn't necessarily have what it took to defeat Buu, or at least that Buu was going easy on him toward the end. When Gotenks Buu was facing off against Gohan, he makes this comment to him.

Boo: “It’s your fault. You were stronger than I, who should have been the absolute strongest…When I sensed your distant presence, I started up on this strategy…In case maybe, just maybe, there was anyone stronger than myself…Then I hit upon it: if I absorbed that ‘Super Gotenks’ squirt I was fighting at the time, then no matter what kind of guy appeared, my throne as the strongest would not be shaken…”

Not only does he not acknowledge Gotenks as someone stronger than him (he acknowledges Gohan being stronger than him, but not Gotenks), but what he comments also suggests that perhaps he intentionally let the fight drag on/let Gotenks beat on him just so as to not overly damage him for when he needed to absorb him later. He realized that he needed Gotenks for his plan to work, so he willingly let Gotenks beat on him, knowing Gotenks wasn't strong enough to do any truly appreciable damage to him, in order to save him for absorption later.