The All-Purpose "What-If " Thread

[Hellspawn28]

What if Cell's time machine accidentally sent him into the wrong time period. Like what if Cell was sent back during the Saiyan saga.

[Cipher]

What if Cell's time machine accidentally sent him into the wrong time period. Like what if Cell was sent back during the Saiyan saga.

He'd probably want to lay low until #17 and #18 are activated. It doesn't do him much good to move before then.

[TheUltimateNinja]

What if Cell's time machine accidentally sent him into the wrong time period. Like what if Cell was sent back during the Saiyan saga.

He easily wrecks and absorbs the Saiyans, Frieza gets his wish to become immortal, Gero does not build the androids/Cell, the time machine is destroyed so Cell is stuck in this timeline. Or he could just wait it out and let things proceed as normal.

[Cipher]

I don't see why Cell would want to kill the only people he knows he can test himself against in the future, which is a huge part of his motivation, or do anything to deter Dr. Gero from creating or activating #17 and #18.

Seriously; he just chills in the woods for an extra two years. He does bug things.

[TheUltimateNinja]

I don't see why Cell would want to kill the only people he knows he can test himself against in the future, which is a huge part of his motivation, or do anything to deter Dr. Gero from creating or activating #17 and #18.

Seriously; he just chills in the woods for an extra two years. He does bug things.

Cell became active as soon as he hatched, though, and there was no way for him to know about the androids being active since he'd just then progressed from his larval stage. He'd probably make a scene quite soon rather than simply lying low.

[Lunatic Fringe]

What if Freeza genuinely reformed after Goku spared his life on Namek?

[Sailor Haumea]

What if Freeza genuinely reformed after Goku spared his life on Namek?

I suppose he just leaves Namek peacefully. Maybe he returns to his family, gets his cyborg body, and tries to redeem himself. He'll definitely be afraid of Goku for a very long time, and would warn Kuriza never to fuck with the Saiyans again.

With the Cold family staying far away from Earth, this means Cooler never goes there, Cell doesn't have Arcosian DNA, Gero vastly underestimates the strength of the Z-Fighters, Trunks arrives and just gives Goku the antidote and warns everyone, and 19 and Gero get their asses kicked by everyone.

[Sailor Haumea]

In fact, The Fall of Lord Frieza is an excellent fic exploring this:

https://m.fanfiction.net/s/8522508/1/Th ... ord-Frieza

[Sailor Haumea]

Here's a what-if:

It's Age 760. Garlic Jr. has just appeared. Kami sees potential in him, and takes him under his wing to train him as his apprentice.

What changes, with Garlic Jr. being an aide to Kami?

[TheUltimateNinja]

Here's a what-if:

It's Age 760. Garlic Jr. has just appeared. Kami sees potential in him, and takes him under his wing to train him as his apprentice.

What changes, with Garlic Jr. being an aide to Kami?

Absolutely nothing, Garlic Jr. is totally irrelevant.

[Sailor Haumea]

Here's a what-if:

It's Age 760. Garlic Jr. has just appeared. Kami sees potential in him, and takes him under his wing to train him as his apprentice.

What changes, with Garlic Jr. being an aide to Kami?

Absolutely nothing, Garlic Jr. is totally irrelevant.

What about when the Makyo Star appears?

If they wish for it to stay within the proximity, would Garlic Jr. be a valuable ally?

[TheUltimateNinja]

Here's a what-if:

It's Age 760. Garlic Jr. has just appeared. Kami sees potential in him, and takes him under his wing to train him as his apprentice.

What changes, with Garlic Jr. being an aide to Kami?

Absolutely nothing, Garlic Jr. is totally irrelevant.

What about when the Makyo Star appears?

If they wish for it to stay within the proximity, would Garlic Jr. be a valuable ally?

Actually, if they wish for the Makyo Star to appear right then and there and give him its full power then he could actually be pretty useful for the early part of the series, his power in the Garlic Jr. saga shot up to well over 100k, so he could easily beat the Saiyans, though Oozaru Vegeta would give him serious trouble. After that he'd be totally useless, though.

[Sailor Haumea]

Another what-if.

It's Age 764.

King Cold is begging Future Trunks for mercy.

What if Trunks lets him go, but warns him that if he tries to threaten Earth again, he'll kill him?

[Hellspawn28]

If Cell went back to the Saiyan saga, he could just go around absorbing people to become stronger and go to Dr. Gero's lab. He could just wait there until #17 and #18 are compete. Once he absorbs them, him and Dr. Gero could probably rule the world. I doubt Cell would kill Dr. Gero after he becomes perfect since he would likely be loyal to him similar to how Freeza was to King Cold.

[Nejishiki]

Future Trunks wouldn't deviate from the script. He knows Goku killed Cold in his era. In his perspective, there's no telling what changes would unfold if he willingly allowed his survival. He interfered to begin with because Goku didn't appear. Had he been aware of Goku's teleportation, he'd leave as much history untouched by his presence as possible. The possibility of creating potential, additional factors alongside the Artificial Humans is too risky.

If he decides to make a major change, in spite of his established character, Cold will seal his own fate. His offer wasn't genuine and it will be an opportunity to kill Future Trunks while he's off-guard or destroy the planet. He wouldn't stand for a strong Saiyan living, especially when his son wanted them all dead.

[Sailor Haumea]

Future Trunks wouldn't deviate from the script. He knows Goku killed Cold in his era. In his perspective, there's no telling what changes would unfold if he willingly allowed his survival. He interfered to begin with because Goku didn't appear. Had he been aware of Goku's teleportation, he'd leave as much history untouched by his presence as possible. The possibility of creating potential factors alongside the Artificial Humans is too risky.

If he decides to make a major change, in spite of his established character, Cold will seal his own fate. His offer wasn't genuine and it will be an opportunity to kill Future Trunks while he's off-guard or destroy the planet. He wouldn't stand for a strong Saiyan living, especially when his son wanted them all dead.

Do we know that Cold's offer wasn't genuine?

We see VERY little of the guy, amounting to him finding his son, making him a cyborg, and going to Earth to retaliate. Then his son dies, he tries to kill Trunks, and then he gets killed.

We know he was a closely guarded secret. Not even the Ginyu Force knew he existed. Only Cooler, Kuriza, Frieza, and those directly subordinate to Cold himself knew he even existed.

We know too little about him to be able to say he was lying to try to get Trunks to spare him. The odds are good he WAS lying, but we have no concrete evidence to say so.

[Cipher]

What if Trunks lets him go, but warns him that if he tries to threaten Earth again, he'll kill him?

Cold accepts his offer, disappears into space, and trains for four months.

[Sailor Haumea]

What if Trunks lets him go, but warns him that if he tries to threaten Earth again, he'll kill him?

Cold accepts his offer, disappears into space, and trains for four months.

Oh well played.

Have a biscuit.

*throws you a dog treat*

[Nejishiki]

I'm sure you could argue that in a court of law, but his motivations were pretty transparent. I'm not sure what more could be said of his character when he planned to back-stab a man and take what he thought was his true strength for himself. Unless there's something in the narrative to suggest otherwise, I'm not taking my chances with the individual who wanted to destroy the planet I reside on outright.

[Sailor Haumea]

I'm sure you could argue that in a court of law, but his motivations were pretty transparent. I'm not sure what more could be said of his character when he planned to back-stab a man and take what he thought was his true strength. Unless there's something in the narrative to suggest otherwise, I'm not taking my chances with the individual who wanted to destroy the planet I reside on outright.

The thing is, King Cold was injured to the point he couldn't hurt anyone. He was begging for his life and couldn't fight back at that point.