Is Trunks The Most Prodigious Saiyan Ever?

[theherodjl]

Future Trunks has proven to be good at not just fighting but at gaining enormous power increases as well, so far he has achieved the following in his life:
- Became a Super Saiyan by preteen age
- Trained by himself since said age and Improved his SSJ power from being on par with one-armed Base Gohan to being actually superior to SSJ3 Goku in DB Super(Toyotaro's manga)
- Mastered the art of sword-fighting
- Defeated Android 17 & 18, Imperfect Cell, Dabura & Babidi, and from the looks of it Zamasu & Black as well
- Inherited his father's ability to learn a Godly-form in a relatively quick amount of time and without any other Saiyans to aid him
- Learned how to use his own superior variant of the Genki Dama through sheer will

That's a very impressive list of accomplishments for a young half-breed Saiyan that had to go it alone for most of his life, does that make his the single greatest Saiyan prodigy to have lived?

[Anime Kitten]

He very well may be, but I see Present Trunks and Goten as pretty up there too. They unlocked Super Saiyan under the age of 10, and were already far above Freeza by that point, I'd imagine (though I could be wrong?). Of course, combined, they can use Super Saiyan 3 at whatever age Gotenks is supposed to be. But yeah, Future Trunks is quite the prodigy.

[szopman]

I'd say that the most prodigious Saiyan is Gohan. He always had a huge potential, since he first appeared in the series.
He reached SSJ2 when he was 11. I know that Goten and Trunks were 7/8 yrs old when they were already SSJ1, but Gohan was only eleven and he was able to transform into SSJ2.
And in the age of 18, he was on his Mystic form which was superior to SSJ3. That's quiet something. I know that know Gohan is a big nerd and can hardly go SSJ1, but it's because he stopped training. I believe that If he went to ROSAT with Goku for 1 year, he could even go SSJ Blue (if Vegeta could reach SSJ Blue from SSJ2 in such short period of time...). We can only imagine what he would be capable of if he trained as hard as Trunks.

But still, Trunks also is very prodigious. Maybe the half-saiyans are more prodigious than pure blood saiyans? Maybe that's how it works. Of course present Trunks has the same potential as Future Trunks, since technically and genetically they are still the same being.
And Goten? He's the weakest in the team (I mean Goku, V and the half-saiyans) but he also never really trained much. But he has to have some potential if he learned SSJ1 by the seventh year of his life. The case of Pan also may proof that earthling/saiyan hybrids has bigger potential by nature, since she already mastered flying before turning 4 years. (and in GT Goku Jr. and Vegeta Jr. are SSJ1 when they are in the similar age as Trunks and Goten in Buu Saga).

But, after all, I'd say that the most prodigious saiyan ever is Gohan. I think that even Vegeta and Goku admitted that in manga version of Champa Saga.

[Steven Bloodriver]

Future Trunks has proven to be good at not just fighting but at gaining enormous power increases as well, so far he has achieved the following in his life:
- Became a Super Saiyan by preteen age
- Trained by himself since said age and Improved his SSJ power from being on par with one-armed Base Gohan to being actually superior to SSJ3 Goku in DB Super(Toyotaro's manga)
- Mastered the art of sword-fighting
- Defeated Android 17 & 18, Imperfect Cell, Dabura & Babidi, and from the looks of it Zamasu & Black as well
- Inherited his father's ability to learn a Godly-form in a relatively quick amount of time and without any other Saiyans to aid him
- Learned how to use his own superior variant of the Genki Dama through sheer will

That's a very impressive list of accomplishments for a young half-breed Saiyan that had to go it alone for most of his life, does that make his the single greatest Saiyan prodigy to have lived?

Yes, Future Trunks is indeed quite gifted, but Future Gohan could have done the same thing if he had survived and was able to be with Future Trunks. However, knowing how those behind Dragon Ball Super are, they might decide to screw us yet again by having Zeno or some other plot-device not let Future Trunks have a happy ending once the Future Trunks Saga is finally over and done with.

[Razorsaw]

No, pretty sure it's still the guy who learned the Kamehameha after seeing it all of once.

[Steven Bloodriver]

I'd say that the most prodigious Saiyan is Gohan. He always had a huge potential, since he first appeared in the series.
He reached SSJ2 when he was 11. I know that Goten and Trunks were 7/8 yrs old when they were already SSJ1, but Gohan was only eleven and he was able to transform into SSJ2.
And in the age of 18, he was on his Mystic form which was superior to SSJ3. That's quiet something. I know that know Gohan is a big nerd and can hardly go SSJ1, but it's because he stopped training. I believe that If he went to ROSAT with Goku for 1 year, he could even go SSJ Blue (if Vegeta could reach SSJ Blue from SSJ2 in such short period of time...). We can only imagine what he would be capable of if he trained as hard as Trunks.

But still, Trunks also is very prodigious. Maybe the half-saiyans are more prodigious than pure blood saiyans? Maybe that's how it works. Of course present Trunks has the same potential as Future Trunks, since technically and genetically they are still the same being.
And Goten? He's the weakest in the team (I mean Goku, V and the half-saiyans) but he also never really trained much. But he has to have some potential if he learned SSJ1 by the seventh year of his life. The case of Pan also may proof that earthling/saiyan hybrids has bigger potential by nature, since she already mastered flying before turning 4 years. (and in GT Goku Jr. and Vegeta Jr. are SSJ1 when they are in the similar age as Trunks and Goten in Buu Saga).

But, after all, I'd say that the most prodigious saiyan ever is Gohan. I think that even Vegeta and Goku admitted that in manga version of Champa Saga.

Right, anything like Cell or anyone like Pan descended from either of the families of Son Goku or Vegeta outright have the potential to become legends, but those behind Dragon Ball Super just love screwing with us by both nerfing our favorite heroes as much as possible while also wanking the villains to the max.

[nickzambuto]

"Whatever age Gotenks is supposed to be" made me laugh.

[Anime Kitten]

"Whatever age Gotenks is supposed to be" made me laugh.

Well, I don't know how old he's designed to be. He obviously doesn't have a specified age, but I do wonder what age his body is supposed to be. But this is about Future Trunks, not Gotenks.

[Lord Beerus]

Nah. I think that honour still belongs to Goku. That guy has literally achieved every Super Saiyan transformation possible so far. But Future Trunks has certainly climbed up the pecking order big time in terms of potential strength with Saiyans. I'd say the current ranking in terms of prodigious Saiyans goes like this:

1. Goku
2. Vegeta
3. Future Trunks
4. Baby Pan
5. Gohan
6. Goten/Present Trunks

[Anime Kitten]

That guy has literally achieved every Super Saiyan transformation possible so far.

If we're being exact, he hasn't achieved Legendary Super Saiyan nor Pseudo Super Saiyan Blue.

[szopman]

Nah. I think that honour still belongs to Goku. That guy has literally achieved every Super Saiyan transformation possible so far.

Except LSSJ (ok, movies might be non-canon), and 'Super Trunks' transformation. Plus, we still have this Zamasu's SSJ Rose. And moreover, he never mastered SSJ2 like for eg. Trunks did. Instead he was using SSJ3, which has many disadvantages that mastered SSJ2 doesn't have. So ok, Goku reached almost all SSJ levels, and probably was the strongest Saiyan ever, but he never achieved all possible transformations and their mastered versions
Plus, I don't think he's more prodigious than Gohan. He has talent - yes. He's stronger - yes. But it's because he trained harder, always had some motivation and always had do surpass his limits. Gohan has so much more of potential, but he wasted it. He was 18 (!) and already surpassed all saiyans (including Goku SSJ3). And few years later? He probably would be beaten by Goten and Trunks or #18.

1. Goku
2. Vegeta
3. Future Trunks
4. Baby Pan
5. Gohan
6. Goten/Present Trunks

Really? I can't understand how F. Trunks can be more prodigious than Present Trunks. Ok, F.T. is much more powerful and skilled as a warrior, but he trained a lot, and P. Trunks never really trained much. But still, technically it's the same person, so both have exact the same potential. F. Trunks just trained more.
And about Gohan. I can understand that after last DB sagas you may think that Goku, V and F.T. are more prodigious. But Pan? Seriously?

[Lord Beerus]

That guy has literally achieved every Super Saiyan transformation possible so far.

If we're being exact, he hasn't achieved Legendary Super Saiyan nor Pseudo Super Saiyan Blue.

Give him time.

NReally? I can't understand how F. Trunks can be more prodigious than Present Trunks. Ok, F.T. is much more powerful and skilled as a warrior, but he trained a lot, and P. Trunks never really trained much. But still, technically it's the same person, so both have exact the same potential. F. Trunks just trained more.
And about Gohan. I can understand that after last DB sagas you may think that Goku, V and F.T. are more prodigious. But Pan? Seriously?

Okay, I was kinda goofing around with that list. But I do honestly think that Future Trunks has got more in the locker that Present Trunks. You have to remember that Future Trunks had the luxuries ho training with some of the most sophisticated equipment possible and with the second stronger person on the planet at that time. Future Trunks didn't have those luxuries growing up but he still became a SSJ at least by the time he was an early teenager. And then training with Kaioshin lead to him, not only becoming a SSJ2, but becoming so powerful as a SSJ2 he could challenged SSJ3 Goku post-Champa/Universe 6 arc. That's insane.

[emperior]

He definitely is very prodigious but Gohan is more.

[TheUltimateNinja]

He very well may be, but I see Present Trunks and Goten as pretty up there too. They unlocked Super Saiyan under the age of 10, and were already far above Freeza by that point, I'd imagine (though I could be wrong?). Of course, combined, they can use Super Saiyan 3 at whatever age Gotenks is supposed to be. But yeah, Future Trunks is quite the prodigy.

They're definitely far above Frieza, even the androids are nothing to them.

[szopman]

He very well may be, but I see Present Trunks and Goten as pretty up there too. They unlocked Super Saiyan under the age of 10, and were already far above Freeza by that point, I'd imagine (though I could be wrong?). Of course, combined, they can use Super Saiyan 3 at whatever age Gotenks is supposed to be. But yeah, Future Trunks is quite the prodigy.

They're definitely far above Frieza, even the androids are nothing to them.

I don't think so. The androids were more powerful than SSJ1 (and I'm not talking about some mastered SSJ1 form or any enhacements like USSJ).
Plus, during the 25th TB, Goten and Trunks weren't able to beat #18. There's no chance that Goten o Trunks could beat #17 or #18. (Even adult Trunks and Vegeta SSJ1 weren't able to do that. And wasn't Trunks beaten by nr.17 in GT?)

[TheUltimateNinja]

He very well may be, but I see Present Trunks and Goten as pretty up there too. They unlocked Super Saiyan under the age of 10, and were already far above Freeza by that point, I'd imagine (though I could be wrong?). Of course, combined, they can use Super Saiyan 3 at whatever age Gotenks is supposed to be. But yeah, Future Trunks is quite the prodigy.

They're definitely far above Frieza, even the androids are nothing to them.

I don't think so. The androids were more powerful than SSJ1 (and I'm not talking about some mastered SSJ1 form or any enhacements like USSJ).
Plus, during the 25th TB, Goten and Trunks weren't able to beat #18. There's no chance that Goten o Trunks could beat #17 or #18. (Even adult Trunks and Vegeta SSJ1 weren't able to do that. And wasn't Trunks beaten by nr.17 in GT?)

They were unable to beat 18 because they spent most of that fight in Base and were severely hindered by that costume, and when they turned SSJ 18 immediately cut them out of that suit and had them disqualified. Trunks greatly suppressed the blast he fired at 18 so as to not harm her, yet she was still shocked by its power. Also, the kids were able to give the older Saiyans some trouble and they were so far above the androids at this point that if the kids had even a quarter of their strength the androids would be jokes to them.

[Perfectionist-Cell]

It is actually Goten. Reasons?

His father was much stronger than Trunks at the time he was born. I believe we all know how genetics work.

[kinisking]

According to Super yes. According to Z I want to say Goten is. I don't know why anyone would say Goku, Vegeta, or Gohan are. Goku and Vegeta are smart but that doesn't mean anything when the opponent is much stronger which is what Goten would be if he trained. Gohan doesn't have the same potential as Goten either.

[emperior]

Thinking about it today, if we go by the TV Special then Trunks indeed could be something special.
He would be the only Saiyan which Super Saiyan transformation really means something.
Goku's was triggered by the death of his friend, who was later revived so the effects didn't last long. It's not like he would hate Freezer for all his life for what he's done.
The other Saiyans, except for Future Gohan, didn't have as meaningful reasons to turn into a Super Saiyan.

So at the end of the day, with Future Gohan dead, Trunks is the only one who probably still feels a lot of rage when he turns into a Super Saiyan. Even though he avenged his mentor.
His incredible rage manifested into an unknown form that could be even stronger than Super Saiyan Blue.

By how the manga handled it, Trunks and Goten are both incredibly special. They are naturally Super Saiyans and their potential is extremely high. But I'm still 100% sure that Gohan is, and will always be, the most prodigious Saiyan in the serie. As Vegeta's comment suggests in the Champa arc. He doesn't even mention Goten and Trunks, and that line was a Toriyama one as it was present in both the anime and the manga.