Yuji wrote: Tue Mar 11, 2025 8:57 am
What if Vegeta didn't kill Nappa?
Scenario 1: Vegeta leaves Nappa on the battlefield. Does Kuririn kill him or does Goku let him heal?
Scenario 2: Vegeta calls Nappa's pod before fighting Goku and Nappa is sent off to a Freeza planet for healing
S1: It's likely Goku lets Nappa heal, but sends Nappa after Vegeta. Leads into Scenario 2.
Despite who lands first, Vegeta and Nappa are placed into healing pods. This would, afterward, lead into Nappa departing for Namek first prior to Vegeta. He'd totally be pissed about Vegeta trying to kill him--and he'd jump at the chance to get a small head start ahead of Vegeta. Though, if Vegeta called Nappa's pod, Nappa would wait for Vegeta. Now we branch out to two scenarios.
S1: Nappa lands on Namek first, and kinda goes about Vegeta's original business. Though, he has to avoid Cui. His zenkai boost wouldn't get him up enough to rival Cui or Vegeta, so Nappa has to continue being sneaky as he sleuths about and gathers a Dragon Ball or two. The rest of the Namek Saga goes as it does normally until Nappa comes across the group earlier than normal with the intent to kill them and take their Dragon Ball. Yes he can sense ki. If Vegeta learned it, he can too. But, Gohan and Krillin convince Nappa to work with them as they have the Dragon Radar, only Bulma can repair it, and she wouldn't fix it if it broke or if Nappa killed Gohan and Krillin. Nappa agrees, and the group fly about gathering Dragon Balls. Vegeta kills Zarbon, Gohan and co. go to Guru's, and Gohan has his power awakened by Krillin behind Nappa's back in order to get the brute off their back. None of this matters as the Ginyu Force shows up, and the gang has to work together. With an extra group member, one may think the Ginyu Force fights change! Sike, nope. The Recoome and Guldo fights go as normal, with the exception of Nappa laying in to give some assistance. Goku shows up and cleans house. Nappa and Vegeta acquire zenkai boosts, and Nappa is probably around Saiyan Saga Vegeta level by now, or maybe a bit tougher. As Ginyu and Jeice return, Vegeta departs in order to go dick around as per usual. Nappa sticks around though in order to help Goku, specifically because he hates Vegeta, and hates Goku a smidge less.
Nappa warns Goku of Ginyu's body swap abilities, meaning despite Nappa's low level of strength relative to the other combatants, Goku manages to put Ginyu and Jeice into the dirt--leaving them ALIVE. Nappa attempts to kill the two, but Goku can stop him if he tries. With those two knocked out, Goku and Nappa regroup with Krillin and Gohan--alongside Vegeta, whom was hiding to take the Dragon Balls. Vegeta joins the crew as per usual in order to beat Frieza. Buuuut, one problem. Everyone is awake, Goku won't be getting a Zenkai. The gang receives word from Dende about the password. Piccolo is revived but not brought to Namek as the group rightly asserts, especially with a healthy Goku, that Piccolo would be in more danger. Chiaotzu is revived, and as the wish to make Vegeta immortal is proposed, Guru passes away. As this happens earlier than usual, hours earlier, Goku and co are given time to prepare. Nappa and Vegeta don't come to a resolution, but Nappa does decide to prepare with Goku and the others, doing a little bit more training. Even if not a lot, warming up is still a good idea. Nappa asserts his truce with the Dragon Team at the moment, as he gets along a bit better with Goku than Vegeta. As Frieza arrives, the gang lets Vegeta do his thing until Frieza transforms into his second form. Then it's a problem. With no senzu beans and no Piccolo, the gang is kinda cooked unless Nappa and Vegeta can stall for Goku to be healed by a pod. If not... dead. Super dead. Turbo dead, even. Timeline is doomed. So, the world is doomed because Nappa led to Goku being around and they assumed he'd be enough to beat Frieza. Womp womp.
S2: If Vegeta called for Nappa's pod, Nappa is still loyal to Vegeta! He's bros with the Prince still, Vegeta showed that he cared about him! So when Nappa and Vegeta are done healing, Vegeta takes Nappa with him to Namek, and pretty much most of the Namek Saga goes the same, but Nappa is at Vegeta's side! He has a zenkaiv, he's helping Vegeta in fights, he's just having a swell time. When Goku combats Ginyu and most of that goes as per normal, Nappa and Vegeta make one big complication. Nappa stays AWAKE while Vegeta takes a nap. So, reviving Piccolo is... convoluted. Krillin Solar Flares the shit out of Nappa, and they wish Piccolo back to life and back to Namek. Piccolo does his usual fusing with Nail off out there, whereas Nappa and Vegeta group up to lay the smackdown on Krillin, Gohan and Dense. Spoiler, Frieza shows up. The fight pretty much goes the same up until the Third Form Frieza fight, wherein Nappa and Vegeta jump in to assault Frieza despite their weakness, and use Krillin for Zenkais. Eventually, Frieza ascends to his final form and kills Dende, proceeding to jump Vegeta--but Nappa does try to shove him back. Albeit to no avail. When Vegeta is laid out and Nappa is next on the chopping block, Goku arrives. Frieza kills Vegeta. Now comes a divergence!
Nappa could go Super Saiyan. His charge, the boy he cared for his entire life, was dead. He was the closest thing Nappa had to a son, despite their differences occasionally. This is a big IF, but it's possible. Nappa transforms into a Super Saiyan, and begins his assault on Frieza. Despite his power, it won't be enough. Assuming he makes it to 24k or around Zarbon's level (he'd likely be above there by now, but still) he still wouldn't be strong enough to fight Frieza alone. Goku joins in of course, but the two aren't enough. Eventually, Nappa powers down, leaving Goku alone to fight Frieza. Goku is a lot better off here though, as with a weaker Frieza, Piccolo and Goku have an easier time making the Spirit Bomb to knock him down. Even if it doesn't kill Frieza, Goku would still go Super Saiyan himself, and kill the Frost Demon. With Frieza defeated earlier, the Dragon Balls are used to wish everyone back to Earth.
If Nappa doesn't go SSJ, the saga ends as per normal, albeit Nappa helped hold Frieza off. Main difference being Goku wouldn't have gone to Yardrat if Nappa went SSJ. From here, things are a bit odd.
Goku is a Super Saiyan. In the scenario where Nappa went SSJ, Nappa trains with Goku to hone Super Saiyan. Vegeta, disgusted, decides to leave Earth for an indeterminate period of time in the gravity ship. Regardless of scenario, he wants Super Saiyan, and wants it BAD. Nappa can't follow in either scenario due to Vegeta's pride. Trunks is still born, Nappa has a garden, yahoo. Future Trunks shows up and kills Mecha Frieza dead if he does show up. In the SSJ Nappa early timeline, Trunks just gives Goku the heart medication, offers to spar, then leaves. The 3 Years of Training is the same, and this is where timelines mostly merge with the exception of Instant Transmission not being a thing. The Androids show up, and despite Goku being weakened by the heart virus, Nappa overpowers the 19 before Vegeta even arrives. Vegeta pulls up, Gero panics, and the group chases him down to his lab. Trunks shows up to find the Z Fighters with kicked asses via the Androids. After regrouping, Cell makes himself known and Piccolo fuses with Kami to combat the Android. From here, the timeline is normal up until the HTC groups, which now involve Nappa training with Piccolo considering the other two saiyans are with their kids--meaning Nappa and Piccolo are stronger than in canon (well, Piccolo specifically). The Cell Juniors are a bit less of a problem later, and Cell goes down a smidge faster due to Nappa's assistance. SSJ2 Gohan is a thing. BUT. Now we split again.
SSJ Nappa on Namek Timeline: NO IT! Gohan needs to find a solution to kill Cell! Nappa suggests, well... a punch and kick might blow Cell up via pressure. Why not just... vaporize him.
It's stupid. But worth a shot. The entire gang fires off a massive energy wave, and erase Cell. Goku lives! Yay!
In the regular timeline, Goku still sacrifices himself.
Gohan is a neeeeerd.
