How Retcons Destroyed Trunks' Sword

Discussion regarding the entirety of the franchise in a general (meta) sense, including such aspects as: production, trends, merchandise, fan culture, and more.

Moderators: General Help, Kanzenshuu Staff

User avatar
The Monkey King
Advanced Regular
Posts: 1076
Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2013 7:53 am

How Retcons Destroyed Trunks' Sword

Post by The Monkey King » Fri May 12, 2023 3:47 pm

I heard a really compelling explanation as to why Trunks' sword was so unceremoniously broken when he returned from the future to help fight the androids:

As most of us know, orignally #19 and 20 were supposed to be the primary antagonists in the Android saga and were originally the two Androids that terrorised Trunks' future.

Therefore due to their ability to absorb ki via grabbing their victims or absorbing their ki blasts, Trunks used a sword as a way to circumvent their ability by avoiding hand-to-hand / ki blast based combat.

However when the primary Android threats and the ones that destroyed the future were retconned to be #17 and 18 who both lacked the ability to absorb ki, there was no longer a story reason for Trunks to use a sword and so Toriyama decided to break it and be done with it.

The only issue I have with the above is that as logical and interesting this sounds I cannot find a source to back it up. Does one exist or is this just a rather educated fan theory?
Last edited by The Monkey King on Sun Jun 04, 2023 11:50 am, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
dbgtFO
Kicks it Old-School
Posts: 7888
Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2010 5:07 pm
Contact:

Re: How Retcons Destroyed Trunks' Sword

Post by dbgtFO » Tue May 16, 2023 10:06 am

Yeah never heard of that before, but funny how it's plausible, if Toriyama thought that far ahead.
I always just thought the sword was to look cool.
The absorption ability of #19 and #20 I imagine was the thing that changed due to the retcon. Toriyama needed a way for them to be threats without necessarily starting out as strong as Trunks had warned them about and with the absorption ability, it kinda accomplishes that.

User avatar
Cure Dragon 255
Born 'n Bred Here
Posts: 5103
Joined: Thu May 03, 2012 5:23 pm

Re: How Retcons Destroyed Trunks' Sword

Post by Cure Dragon 255 » Tue May 16, 2023 12:44 pm

The Monkey King wrote: Fri May 12, 2023 3:47 pm I heard a really compelling explanation as to why Trunks' sword was so unceremoniously broken when he returned from the future to help fight the androids:

As most of us know, orignally #19 and 20 were supposed to be the primary antagonists in the Android saga and were originally the two Androids that terrorised Trunks' future.

Therefore due to their ability to absorb ki via grabbing their victims or absorbing their ki blasts, Trunks used a sword as a way to circumvent their ability by avoiding hand-to-hand / ki blast based combat.

However when the primary Android threats and the ones that destroyed the future were retconned to be #17 and 18 who both lacked the ability to absorb ki, there was no longer a story reason for Trunks to use a sword and so Toriyama decided to have it get broken and be done with it.

The only issue I have with the above is that as logical and interesting this sounds I cannot find a source to back it up. Does one exist or is this just a rather educated fan theory?

This kind of thing has waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much thought put into it so i think it is just a really educated fan idea. Toriyama wouldnt do something like this.
Marz wrote: Wed Jul 21, 2021 11:27 pm "Well, the chapter was good, the story was good and so were the fights. But a new transformation, in Dragon Ball? And one that's ugly? This is where we draw the line!!! Jump the Shark moment!!"

This forum is so over-dramatic that it's not even funny.
90sDBZ wrote: Mon Jul 01, 2019 2:44 pm19 years ago I was rushing home from school to watch DBZ on Cartoon Network, and today I've rushed home from work to watch DBS on Pop. I guess it's true the more things change the more they stay the same. :lol:

WittyUsername
I Live Here
Posts: 4170
Joined: Sun Dec 22, 2013 12:09 am
Location: Houston, Texas

Re: How Retcons Destroyed Trunks' Sword

Post by WittyUsername » Tue May 16, 2023 10:11 pm

I have to admit that I never even remotely considered this before, but it actually does sound like a clever fan theory. Still, as others have said, I doubt Toriyama actually had that in mind when he gave Trunks a sword. I think the sword was just to give him a memorable way of killing Freeza, and after it served that purpose, Toriyama decided to just get rid of it.

User avatar
MasenkoHA
Born 'n Bred Here
Posts: 6201
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2017 9:38 pm

Re: How Retcons Destroyed Trunks' Sword

Post by MasenkoHA » Sun Jun 04, 2023 11:38 am

WittyUsername wrote: Tue May 16, 2023 10:11 pm I have to admit that I never even remotely considered this before, but it actually does sound like a clever fan theory. Still, as others have said, I doubt Toriyama actually had that in mind when he gave Trunks a sword. I think the sword was just to give him a memorable way of killing Freeza, and after it served that purpose, Toriyama decided to just get rid of it.
In all honesty this is likely the correct answer. It just looked cool. Toriyama even immediately subverted the idea that the sword was in anyway special by having Trunks give it to King Cold to prove a point.

User avatar
ABED
Namekian Warrior
Posts: 20276
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2013 10:23 am
Location: Skippack, PA
Contact:

Re: How Retcons Destroyed Trunks' Sword

Post by ABED » Sun Jun 04, 2023 12:00 pm

The only thing that got retconned were their numbers. I'm not sure how that plays into the sword.
The biggest truths aren't original. The truth is ketchup. It's Jim Belushi. Its job isn't to blow our minds. It's to be within reach.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take - Wayne Gretzky" - Michael Scott
Happiness is climate, not weather.

User avatar
ATA
Beyond Newbie
Posts: 120
Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2022 5:40 pm
Location: Daybreak Town

Re: How Retcons Destroyed Trunks' Sword

Post by ATA » Sun Jun 04, 2023 12:33 pm

I'm going to do a 2 in one with this post.

Imagine if Gero and 19 stayed the villians? I wonder if the anime adaption of "History of Trunks" would've been darker than what it already was. Imagine Gohan's last stand is Gero literally sucking the life out of him. To take it further, after he sucked his energy he impales him similar to what he did to Yamcha.

Now let's pretend this fan theory is true. What if we got the return of the Power Pole due to this? Imagine SSJ Goku using the Power Pole. We probably also don't get Super Vegeta or Super Trunks forms. Instead of more powerups we could've gotten something similar to pre-Namek Dragon Ball where skill mattered more than power. An interesting butterfly effect I say.

However I don't think this was the case. Trunks's sword in my opinion was just to make him look cool. He's a Super Saiyan from the future , his Burning Attack had a complex hand motion, has a sword, and just DRAGGED on Freeza and his daddie?? :eh: . Catches the eye to be honest.

Yes I spelled Daddy as Daddie on purpose.
May Your Heart Be Your Guiding Key

User avatar
MasenkoHA
Born 'n Bred Here
Posts: 6201
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2017 9:38 pm

Re: How Retcons Destroyed Trunks' Sword

Post by MasenkoHA » Sun Jun 04, 2023 2:01 pm

ABED wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 12:00 pm The only thing that got retconned were their numbers. I'm not sure how that plays into the sword.
It wasn't just the numbers. 19 and 20 were supposed to be the Androids that Trunks was referring to, not 17 and 18 with those designations.

User avatar
ABED
Namekian Warrior
Posts: 20276
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2013 10:23 am
Location: Skippack, PA
Contact:

Re: How Retcons Destroyed Trunks' Sword

Post by ABED » Sun Jun 04, 2023 2:26 pm

MasenkoHA wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 2:01 pm
ABED wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 12:00 pm The only thing that got retconned were their numbers. I'm not sure how that plays into the sword.
It wasn't just the numbers. 19 and 20 were supposed to be the Androids that Trunks was referring to, not 17 and 18 with those designations.
But I wouldn't consider that to be a retcon. You'd have to know the behind the scenes stuff to know that. Trunks just says they're cyborgs and they're strong. Their abilities didn't change because they weren't established. The numbers did because they were established and then changed and no one brought up the change. They acted like he said 17 and 18 the whole time, thus continuity was changed retroactively.
The biggest truths aren't original. The truth is ketchup. It's Jim Belushi. Its job isn't to blow our minds. It's to be within reach.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take - Wayne Gretzky" - Michael Scott
Happiness is climate, not weather.

User avatar
Cure Dragon 255
Born 'n Bred Here
Posts: 5103
Joined: Thu May 03, 2012 5:23 pm

Re: How Retcons Destroyed Trunks' Sword

Post by Cure Dragon 255 » Sun Jun 04, 2023 2:45 pm

I thought retcon was short for retroactive change.
Marz wrote: Wed Jul 21, 2021 11:27 pm "Well, the chapter was good, the story was good and so were the fights. But a new transformation, in Dragon Ball? And one that's ugly? This is where we draw the line!!! Jump the Shark moment!!"

This forum is so over-dramatic that it's not even funny.
90sDBZ wrote: Mon Jul 01, 2019 2:44 pm19 years ago I was rushing home from school to watch DBZ on Cartoon Network, and today I've rushed home from work to watch DBS on Pop. I guess it's true the more things change the more they stay the same. :lol:

User avatar
ABED
Namekian Warrior
Posts: 20276
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2013 10:23 am
Location: Skippack, PA
Contact:

Re: How Retcons Destroyed Trunks' Sword

Post by ABED » Sun Jun 04, 2023 3:35 pm

Cure Dragon 255 wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 2:45 pm I thought retcon was short for retroactive change.
It stands for RETroactive CONtinuity.

Anyway, like a lot of people on here, I don't think Toriyama was thinking about how to use the sword for any deeper reason than it looked cool and left an impression.
The biggest truths aren't original. The truth is ketchup. It's Jim Belushi. Its job isn't to blow our minds. It's to be within reach.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take - Wayne Gretzky" - Michael Scott
Happiness is climate, not weather.

User avatar
Cure Dragon 255
Born 'n Bred Here
Posts: 5103
Joined: Thu May 03, 2012 5:23 pm

Re: How Retcons Destroyed Trunks' Sword

Post by Cure Dragon 255 » Sun Jun 04, 2023 4:03 pm

And the difference is...?
Marz wrote: Wed Jul 21, 2021 11:27 pm "Well, the chapter was good, the story was good and so were the fights. But a new transformation, in Dragon Ball? And one that's ugly? This is where we draw the line!!! Jump the Shark moment!!"

This forum is so over-dramatic that it's not even funny.
90sDBZ wrote: Mon Jul 01, 2019 2:44 pm19 years ago I was rushing home from school to watch DBZ on Cartoon Network, and today I've rushed home from work to watch DBS on Pop. I guess it's true the more things change the more they stay the same. :lol:

User avatar
ABED
Namekian Warrior
Posts: 20276
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2013 10:23 am
Location: Skippack, PA
Contact:

Re: How Retcons Destroyed Trunks' Sword

Post by ABED » Sun Jun 04, 2023 4:30 pm

Cure Dragon 255 wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 4:03 pm And the difference is...?
I don't know what you think Retroactive Change is, so I can't comment on that. All I'm saying is that you can't change continuity if it was never established. The only thing Trunks says when he talks to Goku is their number and that they're too strong for him and the other Z fighters.

If no continuity has been established, it's just a reveal.
The biggest truths aren't original. The truth is ketchup. It's Jim Belushi. Its job isn't to blow our minds. It's to be within reach.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take - Wayne Gretzky" - Michael Scott
Happiness is climate, not weather.

Toxin45
Regular
Posts: 553
Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2015 12:35 pm

Re: How Retcons Destroyed Trunks' Sword

Post by Toxin45 » Wed Jun 07, 2023 9:29 pm

It is quite irritating

Post Reply