Trunks

[Friezaa!]

Why does he use a sword? Its not something that can work on the androids and he wouldn't use a weapon like that on regular human criminals would he?

Also since Gohan was the one that trained him shouldnt he have told Trunks that using fist is better.

[Darkprince410]

It's described in the Daizenshuu as having been refined with technology from the future to make it extremely sharp and durable, and it was shown to be able to effortlessly cut through Freeza's cybernetic parts, so slicing through metal doesn't seem to really be an issue for it. Given that it was able to cut through Freeza without issue, and Trunks took to trying to use it on #18 without a second thought, he likely didn't have any idea that it wouldn't be effective on her (perhaps indicating that he's never actually hit or tried hitting #17 or #18 before then). Additionally, it's possible that Trunks could have potentially damaged her if she hadn't actually blocked it, as we saw that Goku was capable of blocking it with a finger when concentrating ki into it, but would have undoubtedly been cut by it otherwise. #18, given that she's a cyborg, could have been just as vulnerable as Goku would have been, if she didn't intentionally block the attack.

[Hitiro]

Why does he use a sword? Its not something that can work on the androids and he wouldn't use a weapon like that on regular human criminals would he?

Also since Gohan was the one that trained him shouldnt he have told Trunks that using fist is better.

The present timeline Androids were stated to be much stronger than their future counterparts. Trunks literally says this after the battle. So it is possible the sword could have worked on the future versions. It is also possible that the sword wouldn't work against them but he just didn't know it wouldn't. Therefore until the sword breaks he could have probably continued to use it thinking it might give him an edge or something.

And Gohan also lost an arm to the Androids. It is much better to lose a sword than lose an arm really.

[TheatreStyleKai]

Why does he use a sword? Its not something that can work on the androids and he wouldn't use a weapon like that on regular human criminals would he?

Also since Gohan was the one that trained him shouldnt he have told Trunks that using fist is better.

The present timeline Androids were stated to be much stronger than their future counterparts. Trunks literally says this after the battle. So it is possible the sword could have worked on the future versions. It is also possible that the sword wouldn't work against them but he just didn't know it wouldn't. Therefore until the sword breaks he could have probably continued to use it thinking it might give him an edge or something.

And Gohan also lost an arm to the Androids. It is much better to lose a sword than lose an arm really.

I'm not so sure that Trunks' information about No. 17 and No. 18 was that accurate. In the fight where Gohan was killed, No. 17 stated that up until then they had only ever fought him at something like half strength. So when No. 18 wasn't humoring Vegeta and Trunks, and just slapped his shit down right away, they must have seemed a lot stronger from his point of view. I suspect Trunks' sword was equally useless against the artificial humans of his original time, he just didn't know it yet because he never actually managed to hit one of them with it.

[emperior]

I think Future Trunks used the sword as an extension of his arms, as he didn't want to risk losing his arm like his mentor Gohan.
Also his statement about future Androids being weaker than present ones isn't correct as it's shown in the future the androids were toying up a lot with Trunks and Gohan.

[buutenks]

I think Future Trunks used the sword as an extension of his arms, as he didn't want to risk losing his arm like his mentor Gohan.
Also his statement about future Androids being weaker than present ones isn't correct as it's shown in the future the androids were toying up a lot with Trunks and Gohan.

This was never shown in the manga however,so thats mostly anime filler.

All we got is 17 saying he only used half his strength vs gohan.Even with that they can still be weaker than the present time androids.Especially considering gohan got double teamed and had 1 arm missing.

[Darkprince410]

All we got is 17 saying he only used half his strength vs gohan.Even with that they can still be weaker than the present time androids.Especially considering gohan got double teamed and had 1 arm missing.

He didn't get double teamed. In the manga, it's only shown that #17 attacked Gohan while #18 just watched.

Spoiler:

[MindForgedManacle]

I think Future Trunks used the sword as an extension of his arms, as he didn't want to risk losing his arm like his mentor Gohan.
Also his statement about future Androids being weaker than present ones isn't correct as it's shown in the future the androids were toying up a lot with Trunks and Gohan.

Er, what? Trunks specifically said that the Androids of his timeline weren't as strong as the main timeline's.Sure they were toying with Gohan, but so what? Trunks also fought the Androids in his timeline, and undoubtedly they made it clear to Trunks just how above him they were (like they did with Future Gohan). It was clear that Trunks' actions in the main timeline past altered how the events unfolded, and the the Androids being stronger is one such change.

[Darkprince410]

I think Future Trunks used the sword as an extension of his arms, as he didn't want to risk losing his arm like his mentor Gohan.
Also his statement about future Androids being weaker than present ones isn't correct as it's shown in the future the androids were toying up a lot with Trunks and Gohan.

Er, what? Trunks specifically said that the Androids of his timeline weren't as strong as the main timeline's.Sure they were toying with Gohan, but so what? Trunks also fought the Androids in his timeline, and undoubtedly they made it clear to Trunks just how above him they were (like they did with Future Gohan). It was clear that Trunks' actions in the main timeline past altered how the events unfolded, and the the Androids being stronger is one such change.

Well, that's the thing, we don't undoubtedly know that they made it clear just how much stronger they were over him. If Gohan was under the false impression that the amount of power that #17 used during their first battle was his full strength (only learning later that it was under half), that leaves room for the possibility that they toyed around with Trunks and never used their full strength on him (or told him how much they were holding back either) in the same way.

[Hitiro]

I'm not so sure that Trunks' information about No. 17 and No. 18 was that accurate. In the fight where Gohan was killed, No. 17 stated that up until then they had only ever fought him at something like half strength. So when No. 18 wasn't humoring Vegeta and Trunks, and just slapped his shit down right away, they must have seemed a lot stronger from his point of view. I suspect Trunks' sword was equally useless against the artificial humans of his original time, he just didn't know it yet because he never actually managed to hit one of them with it.

If the Androids were just humouring him in his timeline then you would have to assume that Trunks is still a great deal weaker than them if they are around the same strength as the ones from the present timeline. But we know from the statements of the characters that Mirai Gohan was weaker than his father. We know for a fact that Trunks is still comparable to SSJ Goku and SSJ Vegeta from 3 years of training to fight the androids. We also know for a fact that before going back to the future Trunks said he didn't stand a chance. And in the 6 months it took for his time machine to recharge for a round trip he got strong enough to fight "on par" with them. So we have something like this:

Trunks(Pre-time machine) < Gohan <<<<< SSJ Gohan < SSJ Goku <>? 50% #17
Gohan < Trunks(Time machine) <<<<< SSJ Trunks < SSJ Goku <>? 50% #17
50% #17 < SSJ Trunks(6 months fighting Androids?) < SSJ Vegeta < SSJ Goku(3 years training)

It's kind of hard to believe that within this 3 years of training Goku and Vegeta didn't get that much stronger. There isn't much leeway between 50% and 100% for them to be demolished that badly.

[MindForgedManacle]

Well, that's the thing, we don't undoubtedly know that they made it clear just how much stronger they were over him. If Gohan was under the false impression that the amount of power that #17 used during their first battle was his full strength (only learning later that it was under half), that leaves room for the possibility that they toyed around with Trunks and never used their full strength on him (or told him how much they were holding back either) in the same way.

But we do know that. Trunks noticed how much stronger than SSJ Vegeta #18 was, despite apparently not trying. Trunks was stated to have fought the Androids several times, yes? The only way he could know that the past timeline Androids were stronger was if he had some idea of how strong the future Androids were.
Trunks seemed aware that his Androids weren't using their full power, as he said that they enjoyed toying with him. Everything we know indicates (and outright states) that the main timeline Androids are stronger because of Trunks' actions in that timeline.

[Darkprince410]

Well, that's the thing, we don't undoubtedly know that they made it clear just how much stronger they were over him. If Gohan was under the false impression that the amount of power that #17 used during their first battle was his full strength (only learning later that it was under half), that leaves room for the possibility that they toyed around with Trunks and never used their full strength on him (or told him how much they were holding back either) in the same way.

But we do know that. Trunks noticed how much stronger than SSJ Vegeta #18 was, despite apparently not trying. Trunks was stated to have fought the Androids several times, yes? The only way he could know that the past timeline Androids were stronger was if he had some idea of how strong the future Androids were.
Trunks seemed aware that his Androids weren't using their full power, as he said that they enjoyed toying with him. Everything we know indicates (and outright states) that the main timeline Androids are stronger because of Trunks' actions in that timeline.

For starters, Trunks makes no mention of #18 being stronger than Ssj Vegeta, apart from his usual statements that they're just too strong and they need to leave, and he's the one that actually thought that Vegeta was managing to hold his own and potentially be able to win against her (Piccolo informing him otherwise).

Chapter: 353 (DBZ 159), P12.3-6
Trunks: “Am-amazing! I hadn’t realized that father was this strong…! To think that he’s able to fight on par with that outrageous android…!”
Piccolo: “Vegeta’s going to be killed…[ ] Watch…Bit by bit, the android is starting to push him back. It’s because his enemy’s power never falls at all, while Vegeta’s stamina falls the more he moves.”

But that still doesn't mean that the ones from the future ever used their full power or hinted that they were holding back against him intentionally.

Here, let me describe it like this.

Let's say that #17 and #18 of both timelines are exactly equal in terms of power. The #17 and #18 of Trunks' timeline intentionally sit themselves at around 50% (not saying that as definite, just for the sake of this discussion), but neither tell Trunks or otherwise indicate that they're holding back. So his experience with their power, and indicating he can "fight them fairly well", is based only on that level of power for them. Then come the present timeline #17 and #18, who aren't holding back their power at all, or are at least using far more than 50% of their power. Suddenly, to Trunks, it seems that the present #17 and #18 are so much stronger than his timeline's versions, when in reality they weren't.

Additionally, no, Trunks makes no indication that he knows that #17 and #18 of his timeline aren't using their full strength or are toying around with him at all. He just makes the initial statement that they're too strong for him, and then a later statement that he can "fight them fairly well", and that's about it. We're never given an indication of how many times he's faced them, nor any hint that he believes they've been toying with him.

[Super Saiyan Turlast x4]

#17 says they'd have "one less toy to play with" when Trunks shows back up and casually tells #18 to do what she wants.

I'd say that's more than enough to deduce that they held-back against Trunks and never took him seriously.

Cell knows what level he has to reach before confronting the Androids and does just that. We have no reason to assume Cell thought the Present Androids were any different than the ones from his timeline. I suppose one could say Cell's Androids were equal to the Present and only Trunks' Androids were weaker, but eh....

[SSJ2FutureGohan]

Cell knows what level he has to reach before confronting the Androids and does just that. We have no reason to assume Cell thought the Present Androids were any different than the ones from his timeline. I suppose one could say Cell's Androids were equal to the Present and only Trunks' Androids were weaker, but eh....

That could just mean that Cell is strong enough to defeat Future #17 or Future #18 individually, but not enough to defeat them together.

[Super Saiyan Turlast x4]

Are you referring to Cell's "greatly exceed" quote?