What if Future Trunks stayed in the present?

[Cipher]

That's what happened.

It was a joke.

[Beerus-sama]

That's what happened.

It was a joke.

I was just going to comment on that too

I would have liked that more than to take Future Trunks to a timeline where he and Mai have to deal with their other selves that are the same age and didn't met Black.

[Cipher]

As a more fleshed out answer (one I've dropped into a few threads in the Super forum and am mostly tired of typing), I don't think staying in the present would have served Trunks' character at all, if there were an opportunity to do anything but.

One of the interesting aspects of his role in the Cell arc is that, as he reveals in his conversation with Yamcha and Gohan, he isn't expecting the androids to simply poof out of existence in his timeline should they stop them in the past. Partially, he hopes to learn from interactions with Goku and the others how to defeat them when he returns to his own time. But partially, Future Bulma and Trunks simply share an altruistic goal of creating a world in which the android's rampage never comes to pass. A world where Goku, Gohan, Vegeta and scores of innocents aren't killed.

The ending of the Cell arc doesn't make much room for reflection on that altruism, or how touching and strange it is as an imperfect solution to irrevocable tragedy. Gohan defeats Cell, and Trunks returns with the strength to finally put an end to the threat. It's cathartic, but it doesn't foreground his decisions or actions. Plots get resolved, but the character emphasis always rests on Goku and Gohan rather than Trunks, despite his making some pretty interesting decisions in the opening of the arc.

It's pushed into the background, but Trunks created a world where all the people close to him who had been lost -- Vegeta, Gohan, etc. -- are still alive. It's an imperfect solution, but one way or another, they've been given a second chance. That's kind of sweet in a way I never really focused on during the series' original run, mostly because the series itself doesn't dwell on it.

Trunks' actions are highlighted again and again in this most recent arc. In a roundabout way, his decision to create a timeline in which Goku survives is what both motivates and allows Black to come to his world and begin his slaughter. Black and Zamasu try to pin it on him near the climax of the arc. His response is that even if changing the timeline is a "sin" in their mind, even if it's lead to some awful repercussions, he doesn't care. What Zamasu tried to do as a result of encountering Goku isn't his fault. He simply tried to do the right thing.

In the end of the arc, and I mean the very end of episode 67, we get another glimpse of that "right thing." Trunks is devastated over his failure to protect his world, feeling as though he's let down the dream his Gohan left him with. The thing that shakes him out of his slump is our Gohan seeing him off. Our Gohan who's gotten to grow up, raise a family, live in peace, thanks to Trunks' decision to create an alternate timeline way back in his original arc. The camera lingers on shots of Vegeta, Bulma, Goku -- all people who have been killed in Trunks' time, but here they are, alive and happy and wishing him well. That's everything, regardless of whether he had the strength to avoid the initial catastrophe. That's the entire aspect of "Hope!" the original storyline grants him and emblazons on his Time Machine.

This time, the loss isn't background information, it isn't well in the past, and the story doesn't move away from it toward a climax foregrounding other characters. We get to see Trunks lose his world. But we also get a line from Goku indicating that he should now have the strength, by the end of the arc, to stave off whatever problems come his way. Creating a second timeline is an imperfect solution -- the friends he lost will still be gone, and the lines highlighting the presence of the native Trunks and Mai emaphasize that weirdness, that imperfection, and that recreating their world will come at the cost of some personal comfort. But it's the same decision he made back in the Cell arc, and proof of its worth is right in front of him with Gohan and co.

How could he and Mai not make the same decision for Haru, Maki, and all the others from their timeline? How could he choose not to create that timeline and bring his newfound strength and knowledge to protect it, and still be the same character we've known?

That's a new lesson for Dragon Ball. Maybe even outside its wheelhouse. But it's a hell of a lot more affecting and worthwhile than simply retiring to the past out of comfort and abandoning the chance to give everyone they've met in the years since the Cell arc some form of a cosmic second chance. Trunks didn't fail Gohan. But by turning his back on another imperfect solution, he would. This arc validates both the worthiness of his original actions, and the actions he commits himself toward at its end.

This was a story about Trunks that ultimately felt worth telling. Had it gone almost any other way, I'm not sure I'd feel the same.

[mecha3000]

I still wish Trunks and Mai would have been gifted Potara earrings to fuse with their future counterparts to become one permanent being. However, because of Super - We know the fusion wouldn't last. It pisses me off because I know if I suggested Potara, a fan would shoot down my idea by saying: "Can't. Potara is not permanent for non-Kai characters." However, they sure as hell wouldn't be saying that a year ago. And the thought of that kind of pisses me off because Potara would have been a nice way to end the arc for Trunks and Mai to be able to live normal lives again in their future.

I mean, is it confirmed Trunks and Mai live in a timeline with alternate versions of themselves? It sure seems that way.

[TheZFighter]

The idea of Future Trunks and Mai going to a timeline somewhat similar to their own is actually a really crap ending, isn't it? I mean, do they meet their counterparts in this timeline and then go off on their own? Do they meet their counterparts and become friends with them? Or, do they just keep out of the way of their counterparts altogether and live alone together, forever, so as not to cause confusion, etc? It is very strange when you think about it.

The idea of them fusing with their counterparts is awful as well.

[Nejishiki]

I still wish Trunks and Mai would have been gifted Potara earrings to fuse with their future counterparts to become one permanent being. However, because of Super - We know the fusion wouldn't last. It pisses me off because I know if I suggested Potara, a fan would shoot down my idea by saying: "Can't. Potara is not permanent for non-Kai characters." However, they sure as hell wouldn't be saying that a year ago. And the thought of that kind of pisses me off because Potara would have been a nice way to end the arc for Trunks and Mai to be able to live normal lives again in their future.

I mean, is it confirmed Trunks and Mai live in a timeline with alternate versions of themselves? It sure seems that way.

Future Trunks & Future Mai are living "normal" lives in their new era. And yes, Dragon Ball Super Episode 067 confirmed Future Trunks & Future Mai are coexisting with earlier versions of themselves. I'm not sure why you believed ambiguity existed.

[Hugo Boss]

As a more fleshed out answer (one I've dropped into a few threads in the Super forum and am mostly tired of typing), I don't think staying in the present would have served Trunks' character at all, if there were an opportunity to do anything but.

One of the interesting aspects of his role in the Cell arc is that, as he reveals in his conversation with Yamcha and Gohan, he isn't expecting the androids to simply poof out of existence in his timeline should they stop them in the past. Partially, he hopes to learn from interactions with Goku and the others how to defeat them when he returns to his own time. But partially, Future Bulma and Trunks simply share an altruistic goal of creating a world in which the android's rampage never comes to pass. A world where Goku, Gohan, Vegeta and scores of innocents aren't killed.

The ending of the Cell arc doesn't make much room for reflection on that altruism, or how touching and strange it is as an imperfect solution to irrevocable tragedy. Gohan defeats Cell, and Trunks returns with the strength to finally put an end to the threat. It's cathartic, but it doesn't foreground his decisions or actions. Plots get resolved, but the character emphasis always rests on Goku and Gohan rather than Trunks, despite his making some pretty interesting decisions in the opening of the arc.

It's pushed into the background, but Trunks created a world where all the people close to him who had been lost -- Vegeta, Gohan, etc. -- are still alive. It's an imperfect solution, but one way or another, they've been given a second chance. That's kind of sweet in a way I never really focused on during the series' original run, mostly because the series itself doesn't dwell on it.

Trunks' actions are highlighted again and again in this most recent arc. In a roundabout way, his decision to create a timeline in which Goku survives is what both motivates and allows Black to come to his world and begin his slaughter. Black and Zamasu try to pin it on him near the climax of the arc. His response is that even if changing the timeline is a "sin" in their mind, even if it's lead to some awful repercussions, he doesn't care. What Zamasu tried to do as a result of encountering Goku isn't his fault. He simply tried to do the right thing.

In the end of the arc, and I mean the very end of episode 67, we get another glimpse of that "right thing." Trunks is devastated over his failure to protect his world, feeling as though he's let down the dream his Gohan left him with. The thing that shakes him out of his slump is our Gohan seeing him off. Our Gohan who's gotten to grow up, raise a family, live in peace, thanks to Trunks' decision to create an alternate timeline way back in his original arc. The camera lingers on shots of Vegeta, Bulma, Goku -- all people who have been killed in Trunks' time, but here they are, alive and happy and wishing him well. That's everything, regardless of whether he had the strength to avoid the initial catastrophe. That's the entire aspect of "Hope!" the original storyline grants him and emblazons on his Time Machine.

This time, the loss isn't background information, it isn't well in the past, and the story doesn't move away from it toward a climax foregrounding other characters. We get to see Trunks lose his world. But we also get a line from Goku indicating that he should now have the strength, by the end of the arc, to stave off whatever problems come his way. Creating a second timeline is an imperfect solution -- the friends he lost will still be gone, and the lines highlighting the presence of the native Trunks and Mai emaphasize that weirdness, that imperfection, and that recreating their world will come at the cost of some personal comfort. But it's the same decision he made back in the Cell arc, and proof of its worth is right in front of him with Gohan and co.

How could he and Mai not make the same decision for Haru, Maki, and all the others from their timeline? How could he choose not to create that timeline and bring his newfound strength and knowledge to protect it, and still be the same character we've known?

That's a new lesson for Dragon Ball. Maybe even outside its wheelhouse. But it's a hell of a lot more affecting and worthwhile than simply retiring to the past out of comfort and abandoning the chance to give everyone they've met in the years since the Cell arc some form of a cosmic second chance. Trunks didn't fail Gohan. But by turning his back on another imperfect solution, he would. This arc validates both the worthiness of his original actions, and the actions he commits himself toward at its end.

This was a story about Trunks that ultimately felt worth telling. Had it gone almost any other way, I'm not sure I'd feel the same.

Good post! Yeah, it felt like he had a second chance when the gods suggested to go to another world, but that still left him empty, like he didn't deserved it. Seeing the results of his actions in the end might have remembered him it wasn't in vain and he must care that hope to wherever he goes.

[SuperKirillin]

Does Future Trunks live in a timeline with an alternate Future Trunks?

Does this mean one can achieve SS2 and the other SS Rage?

[UltimateHammerBro]

Does Future Trunks live in a timeline with an alternate Future Trunks?

Does this mean one can achieve SS2 and the other SS Rage?

Pretty much. I bet the alternate Future Trunks has purple hair

[TheZFighter]

Imagine if they ever reappear, we could have Trunks, Future Trunks and Alternate Future Trunks all appearing at once!

I see what that guy in the "Dragon Ball is getting complicated" thread meant...

[Grimlock]

Imagine if they ever reappear, we could have Trunks, Future Trunks and Alternate Future Trunks all appearing at once!

This could've been totally avoided, if they at least tried to give a better ending for him... A cool saga for a shit end.

[TheZFighter]

Imagine if they ever reappear, we could have Trunks, Future Trunks and Alternate Future Trunks all appearing at once!

This could've been totally avoided, if they at least tried to give a better ending for him... A cool saga for a shit end.

I agree, I think it is a poor ending that seems even worse, the more you think about it.

[Cipher]

I don't think I've read a single complaint about the ending that actually covers why something else would be better from a story perspective.

They all pretty much boil down to "This was too sad and weird," or "It would be cool to have Trunks in the present."

[Nejishiki]

I don't think I've read a single complaint about the ending that actually covers why something else would be better from a story perspective.

They all pretty much boil down to "This was too sad and weird," or "It would be cool to have Trunks in the present."

I can't offer much of an alternate perspective. I believed from the beginning that Future Trunks should exit stage parallel north after the arc ended. I do still think that the Whis-created timeline is strange. I rather it be another, unused world. It's weird that Whis would willingly create a new parallel world. That said, I don't actually dislike the heart of the ending because it featured noteworthy consequences, character growth, & made the narrative worth experiencing.