What would you have wanted the Shadow Dragon Arc to be like?

[DragonBallFan8001]

The Shadow Dragon Arc in Dragon Ball GT is a bit disappointing, in my opinion, considering it's the last arc of the series. What do you think the arc should've been like to be a proper final arc, or do you think the arc is fine the way it is now?

I would've liked the arc better if each of the Shadow Dragons would've been fought by a different main character, instead of all of them being fought by Goku. For example, Vegeta could fight Ice Shenron, while Gohan fought against the villain that absorbed Pan, and Goten and Trunks could fight Syn Shenron by fusing into Gotenks. Some human Dragon Ball characters, like Tenshinhan, could even fight one of the weaker opponents.

[Gyt Kaliba]

Honestly, I agree 100%, while at first I thought I was going to agree and disagree at the same time. I love the Shadow Dragons arc, in theory. In my opinion, even with all the other stuff we've had, it's pretty much the perfect 'final showdown' for the franchise. It brings the Dragon Balls back into main focus in a way that they really hadn't been since the very beginning of the series, while also inversely making them the problem rather than the solution. It was also somewhat set up in Z already too, with the way the Elder Kai was going on about the overuse of them.

That said though, you're right, the execution of the arc (like much of GT), unfortunately, is not that good. What sounds like a great idea at first quickly turns into a monster-of-the-week style beatdown with Goku, even though Pan is tagging along with him, slowly mowing his way through the other Dragons before finally coming face to face with the greatest foe he would ever meet, only for everyone else to come along at last just to be fodder (even Vegeta when you really look at it; he's there JUST for Goku to get more glory as Gogeta, briefly, not to share the moment). And while I like the idea of a 'universal' Genki Dama, there's no denying that it's also a big rip of the one used to kill Boo at the end of Z.

The best way to break things up really would have been to have our core cast split up and each take on a Dragon, like you said. Let Goku take one; Vegeta take another; Gohan take another; Goten and Trunks take another (so we can get some Gotenks fun); Oob take another; hell, even have one of them actually be relatively weaker for some reason, and let the remaining human characters get one last time to shine (sadly that would still leave out Kuririn though). Either that or have Pan take one on by herself, but I have the sinking feeling that's too much to hope for, and at best she'd still be there helping Goku, or maybe Gohan. That would just leave the final Dragon, at which time everyone could join up again, and things could play out roughly the same way, only with less (or at least a more appealing version of) curb-stomping for everyone else, and a more satisfying resolution of some kind.

[Kid Buu]

Goku Vs Omega Shenron
Pan & Trunks Vs a Dragon
Vegeta Vs a Dragon
Uub Vs a Dragon
Android 18 Vs a Dragon
Gohan & Goten Vs a Dragon
Tiencha Vs a Dragon

[Gyt Kaliba]

Android 18 Vs a Dragon

Oh crap, I completely forgot about her. Hmm...I guess in my scenario, she could go with the normal humans, and the Dragon wouldn't have to be nerfed as badly, and would make a nice fill-in for Kuririn.

...Come to think of it, outside of when they're summoning the dragon (or even then) at the start, do we even see 18 in this arc? I don't even recall seeing her on the island during the Kuririn/Goku sparring at the end...

[DragonBallFan8001]

Tiencha Vs a Dragon

Wouldn't Tenshinhan have to lower his power so much to get on an even level with Yamcha so they could fuse, that Tiencha would be weaker than Tenshinhan is on his own?

[Gyt Kaliba]

C'mon now, let's not sidetrack a good chat topic with more human character hate.

I mean, in all fairness - yes, Yamcha, especially at the point in time this story would be taking place, would likely be quite a bit weaker than Tenshinhan, who has not only kept training to get stronger, has also kept training just to stay fit. Yamcha may or may not have, but still probably hasn't been doing as intense stuff as Ten has. That said though, it's not like we're talking the Goku/Mr. Satan fusion here. It would have been akin to the kind of lowering his power level that Trunks had to do to fuse with Goten properly, and despite Trunks having done that, Gotenks still turned out amazingly strong.

Hell, even that, outside of the great joke made there, is probably not correct. Even Gotan (that still sounds weird to me compared to Gokule...) would be a tiiiinnnnyyyy bit stronger than Goku on his own would have been.

[Kid Buu]

Since GT goes by the anime, and Yamcha is quite strong in the anime, I doubt it.

Also, potara received a rivalry boost correct? Maybe they could have retconed that onto the Fusion Dance too.

[DragonBallFan8001]

It would've also been awesome if Roshi actually fought the weakest opponent first, and it would be an even fight, but somehow the opponent got stronger (perhaps by absorbing Roshi), and the next human Dragon Ball character (Yajirobe) could fight the opponent, after which the opponent would once again get stronger. This could continue until Tenshinhan or #18 (depending on who is stronger during GT, although I doubt Tenshinhan would've surpassed #18) finally defeats the opponent.

[ABED]

Here's my breakdown of who could have fought whom
2-Star Dragon vs. Trunks and Goten
5-Star Dragon vs. 18
6-Star Dragon vs. Yamcha and Tenshinhan - You gotta give them something to do and plus the wish that birthed this dragon is the first one so it's fitting that Yamcha be a part of this fight
7-Star Dragon vs. Gohan and Pan - I liked the drama of Pan being absorbed
3-Star Dragon vs. Vegeta - I think their personalities match up well, and Goku and the 4-Star Dragon could get involved.
4-Star Dragon vs. Goku - I like that Goku face the dragon w/ a sense of honor which has his grandpa's ball.
1-Star Dragon vs. the entire team - it's fitting that the final battle end with everyone playing a part. I'd end it about the same as GT did with a powered up dragon winning but Goku defeating him with a Genkidama that has the entire universe's energy.

[Vijay]

1. Design

Not Pink Duck, Green Frog & Pig as Dragons. Instead, cool-looking, sleek villains with eye-catching designs.

2. NOT Buu Arc rip-off.

No Fusion, No GenkiDama. All-out War. Each character gets spotlight this way.

3. Less Goku, no Pan.

Have Goku paralyzed with Pan destroyed in random blasts. Again, to enable supporting characters hog the spotlight.

[ABED]

1. Design

Not Pink Duck, Green Frog & Pig as Dragons. Instead, cool-looking, sleek villains with eye-catching designs.

2. NOT Buu Arc rip-off.

No Fusion, No GenkiDama. All-out War. Each character gets spotlight this way.

3. Less Goku, no Pan.

Have Goku paralyzed with Pan destroyed in random blasts. Again, to enable supporting characters hog the spotlight.

I fail to see how fusion or Genkidama equates to Buu arc ripoff. And how does all out war mean every character gets spotlighted?

[Gyt Kaliba]

3. Less Goku, no Pan.

Have Goku paralyzed with Pan destroyed in random blasts. Again, to enable supporting characters hog the spotlight.

I seriously love how you just advocated the brutal death of Pan, while also wanting supporting characters to get more time to shine...

[Rocketman]

Pan can shine in the light of oblivion.

[Gyt Kaliba]

Pan can shine in the light of oblivion.

And oddly enough that's how I sometimes feel about Chi Chi. Funny how this can work both ways.

[Rocketman]

And oddly enough that's how I sometimes feel about Chi Chi. Funny how this can work both ways. :P

What about this avatar makes you think I won't kick your ass?

[Gyt Kaliba]

And oddly enough that's how I sometimes feel about Chi Chi. Funny how this can work both ways.

What about this avatar makes you think I won't kick your ass?

...The...fact...that it's an avatar, and that if you had the ability to do me harm from behind a computer screen, that'd be a neat trick that would serve you better in other ways? I'm confused as to how I'm actually supposed to feel intimidated here (if such were your intentions)...

My point however remains the same - advocating the better use of background characters while also wishing for one of them to be destroyed is a pretty uneven wish. If it weren't for things like Battle of Gods, I would have no use for Vegeta anymore, but I certainly don't sit there going 'Yeah, wouldn't it be great if he were just KILLED right here'.

[Metalwario64]

I don't really hate Pan, but rather, wish she had been handled better in GT. If she was more into martial arts like her baby self in Z and less whiny, she could have been a decent character.

[TheAldella]

Have Pan beat em all
No but in a serious answer, I'd really have enjoyed
Goku vs the mole Dragon plays out the same way, but doesn't use SS4, and uses SS3
Vegeta fights Ice Shenron while lecturing him
Trunks fights Nova Shenron while gradually losing, then Gohan arrives and lends a hand
The poison dragon loses to Pan and Videl (with a different design for Videl)
Tenshinhan and Yamcha get the Ocean dragon
Electric dragon gets dented by Krillin and defeated by Piccolo
Syn Shenron is still fought by SS4 Goku because Dat Dragon Fist scene
Omega Shenron is defeated by SS3 Gotenks and SS3 Gogeta (Because Gotenks already proved that neither parties are required to reach SS3) teaming together, both using the energy of the cast.

[UpFromTheSkies]

Everyone joining in the last battle against Omega Shenron would be pointless, it would be like fighting alongside a railgun with a bb gun, they would get in the way....unless Bulma found a way to give them all super power ups with another ray machine.

[HandOverFist]

Knowing that it was to be the final arc in all of Dragon Ball, it should have been the most epic one of all. Goku figthing the dragons! Sounds crazy, but it wasn't that crazy at all. I personally would've had each battle between Goku, or whoever else, and a dragon fought in air instead on the ground. And I would've tried to keep each dragon looking as similar to Earth's dragon as possible (serpent like)...just different colors with different abilities. The plot would be simple. Goku, and whoever else was down, would fly to a different part of the world to face a dragon. And each dragon could be using the powers of the element of its region. Seven dragons possessing different elemental powers. Something like this would've been cool.

It sounds good in my mind.