How Dragon Ball Super Would Be Different If Future Trunks Stayed

Dragon Ball Super, the latest chapter in Akira Toriyama’s sprawling shonen series, has achieved the perfect balance between new concepts and comforting nostalgia. Dragon Ball Super has elevated its heroes to unprecedented heights and expanded the franchise’s scope more than ever before through the introduction of a multiverse. However, Dragon Ball Super also marks the triumphant return of fan-favorite characters, like Future Trunks. Future Trunks is a pivotal player in Dragon Ball Super’s “Future” Trunks Saga, which introduces the apocalyptic threat of Goku Black and Future Zamasu, who nearly wipe all mortals out of existence.




Future Trunks survives this ordeal, but his original timeline does not, and he finds himself in a new — yet familiar — world. It’s comforting to know that Future Trunks receives some semblance of a happy ending, but it’s unfortunate that he doesn’t just stick around in Dragon Ball Super’s prime timeline with the rest of his friends and family. Future Trunks could accomplish a ton if he were still in the picture and it’s exciting to consider how the series would be different if he never returned home.



10 Future Trunks Would Compete In The Tournament Of Power

Future Trunks Would Have Joined Universe 7’s Team

The Tournament of Power is a seismic event that takes up more than a quarter of Dragon Ball Super’s anime, and it easily dwarfs every previous martial arts competition that’s been featured in the franchise. The Tournament of Power is a battle royale free-for-all between the strongest fighters across the multiverse where the cost of failure is complete erasure. There’s tremendous importance put upon each team’s ten members and a faulty roster could mean the end of a universe. Goku recruits an impressive team, but he has to make a last-minute substitution when Majin Buu is no longer a viable option. Goku’s controversial decision to recruit Frieza ultimately pays off, but it’s resulted in major consequences that are still plaguing the heroes.


There’s no question that Future Trunks’ presence would have resulted in him joining Universe 7’s team and fighting in the Tournament of Power. Future Trunks would have been an essential teammate who could have done serious damage against the other universes’ finest fighters. The Tournament of Power would have been an enlightening strength exercise for Future Trunks that would push him to new heights. However, his inclusion might also mean that Frieza doesn’t participate, which would take Black Frieza out of the equation further down the line.

9 Future Mai Would Also Be Around & They’d Potentially Have A Child

Future Trunks Would Have Been a Father

Future Trunks and Mai from Dragon Ball Super leave in the time capsule.


Future Trunks doesn’t have much of a support circle back in his fractured timeline, but it’s extremely comforting to learn that Future Mai is one of the top Resistance fighters and one of Future Trunks’ closest allies. Dragon Ball Super teases a tender relationship between these two, even if it avoids giving explicit answers on the nuanced nature of their bond. It stands to reason that Future Mai would stick around by Future Trunks’ side if he never left Dragon Ball Super after the “Future” Trunks Saga.

Future Trunks is an incredible fighter, but there’s just as much value in exploring his human connection with Future Mai and watching their relationship evolve. Future Trunks deserves happiness and Dragon Ball Super could properly showcase this through a deeper look into his relationship with Future Mai. Future Trunks and Future Mai could even have a child together, which would bring a new Saiyan hybrid into the mix. There’s a lot of potential in a new Saiyan entering the fray, not to mention the rewarding material that would come out of Vegeta and Bulma technically being grandparents.


8 Future Trunks Might Have Trained With Vegeta On Yardrat

This Would Have Echoed Training During the Cell Saga

Future Trunks slices Fused Zamasu in half with his Sword of Hope in Dragon Ball Super.

A crucial turning point in Dragon Ball Super’s manga during the Galactic Patrol Prisoner Saga is that Vegeta heads to Planet Yardrat for extensive spirit control training. Vegeta leaves this experience with incredible abilities, such as Instant Transmission and Forced Spirit Fission, the latter of which is crucial in Moro’s defeat. Vegeta and Future Trunks had great success training together in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber during the Cell Saga, and it’s not hard to imagine that they’d try to recreate this dynamic on Yardrat. Future Trunks’ Sword of Hope attack involves incredible spirit control and feels like an extension of Forced Spirit Fission in many ways.


Future Trunks also demonstrates in Dragon Ball Super’s manga that he has basic healing abilities due to having trained under Shin as his assistant. Future Trunks has already shown that he’d likely be a natural on this front and take to Yardratian training even more successfully than Vegeta. It would be extremely helpful for Future Trunks to possess all the Yardratian tricks that Vegeta acquires or even additional abilities. They’re valuable techniques that would help Future Trunks continue to excel in battle.

7 Future Trunks Would Have Mastered A New Transformation & Possibly Reached Ultra Ego

Future Trunks Would Have Continued Down the Super Saiyan Rage Path

Future Trunks taps into Super Saiyan Rage strength in Dragon Ball Super.


New transformations are practically expected in fresh Dragon Ball content and Dragon Ball Super has been particularly generous in this regard. Dragon Ball Super introduces Super Saiyan God, Super Saiyan Blue, and more recent godly phenomena like Ultra Instinct and Ultra Ego. Future Trunks doesn’t reach the same heights during his limited time in Dragon Ball Super, but he still achieves Super Saiyan Rage status against Merged Zamasu. Super Saiyan Rage Future Trunks seems to be able to hold his own with Super Saiyan Blue Vegito, which is honestly an incredible accomplishment that the series unfortunately isn’t able to further develop.

Future Trunks’ tremendous progress in this single story saga indicates that he’d reach even stronger transformations if he were to stay in Dragon Ball Super. It’s possible that Future Trunks continues down the Super Saiyan Rage path and unlocks a second tier to this fringe transformation. Alternatively, Future Trunks could attain Super Saiyan Red or Super Saiyan Blue levels of power. Future Trunks’ raw anger even makes it seem like he’d be able to tap into Ultra Ego or Beast mode power with the right training and discipline.


6 There’d Be A Proper Reconciliation Between Future Trunks & Androids 17 & 18

Redemption and Reconciliation Would Have Continued a Dragon Ball Tradition

So much has changed in Dragon Ball’s world since Future Trunks’ first appearance in Dragon Ball Z and it’s remarkable to see how many former foes have gone on to become trusted allies. Future Trunks used to practically have a panic attack upon seeing Androids 17 and 18, due to what their future counterparts did to his family, friends, and timeline. Future Trunks gets to briefly spend time with Android 18 when he returns in Dragon Ball Super. However, in the interim, Android 17 has also come out of the woodwork and become one of Universe 7’s greatest heroes and the Tournament of Power’s winner.


Androids 17 and 18 have continued to aid the heroes during recent clashes against Moro and his Galactic Bandit Brigade, as well as Cell Max. It’d be fascinating to see Future Trunks bond with these past threats and learn to work by their sides. A tag team assault that’s headlined by Future Trunks, Android 17, and Android 18 would be an incredibly powerful force of nature. Future Trunks would psychologically benefit from seeing the softer side of these characters and trusting them enough to join them in battle.

5 Future Trunks Might Have Experienced Fusion During The Broly Battle

Future Trunks Could Have Fused With Broly

Gogeta powers up in a separate dimension in Dragon Ball Super: Broly.


Fusion is a popular concept that Dragon Ball routinely turns to in battle, and it’s an excellent ability that allows two characters to pool together their strength and skills to become a superior fighter. Future Trunks first witnesses fusion when Goku and Vegeta use the Potara Earrings to become Vegito in order to rise to the same level as Merged Zamasu’s carnage. Fusion is again turned to when Goku and Vegeta take on Broly, the Legendary Super Saiyan, and become Gogeta. Future Trunks’ continued presence in Dragon Ball Super means that he would probably be around for this epic Saiyan altercation.


It’s entirely possible that in this scenario it’s Future Trunks who performs the fusion dance with either Vegeta or Goku instead of Dragon Ball Super giving these two Saiyans a second fused form. It’s also possible that this experience would leave Future Trunks and Broly both fascinated by fusion and the advantages that it presents in battle. Future Trunks and Broly could become fusion partners and become a worthy sparring partner for either of Goku and Vegeta’s fused forms. Future Trunks hasn’t canonically experienced fusion in Dragon Ball Super, but it seems like something that would be inevitable if he were still around.

4 More Time Travel Is Introduced Into The Mix

Dragon Ball Super Could Make Time Travel Future Trunks’ Central Trait

Goku and friends admire Future Trunks' time machine in Dragon Ball Super.


Future Trunks brings a lot to the table when it comes to strength and intelligence. However, he’s also someone who has become synonymous with exaggerated science fiction concepts since he always enters and exits the series through time travel. Time travel is a rare event with serious consequences, but Dragon Ball Super could find ways to normalize the process and make it one of Future Trunks’ central traits. Dragon Ball Super has already expanded its scope to include a multiverse, so alternate timelines and more “What If?…” style storylines feel like the natural extension.

Dragon Ball video games, including the upcoming Dragon Ball: SPARKING! Zero, are heavily invested in “What If?…” ideas and it’d be satisfying to see Dragon Ball indulge in the same experimental ideas. Consistent time travel with Future Trunks could also lead to the canonical introduction of Chronoa, the Supreme Kai of Time, who has become a popular fixture in expanded Dragon Ball material. All this could even lead to Future Gohan’s revival and his return as Future Trunks’ partner. Future Gohan is a character that Dragon Ball has been looking to do more with and this could be the way to make it happen.


3 Future Trunks Would Likely Perish In Battle

To Protect the Prime Timeline Future Trunks Would Have to Die

Super Perfect Cell kills Future Trunks in Dragon Ball Z.

Dragon Ball is no stranger to death and tragic sacrifices. Most of the series’ main characters have perished on multiple occasions and even Future Trunks hasn’t been immune to death. Future Trunks makes it out of his Dragon Ball Super return appearance alive, but he might not be so lucky if he were to stay in the series for an extended period. Dragon Ball Super’s timeline has reached a point where the prime timeline’s Trunks has become a teenager who doesn’t look that dissimilar to Future Trunks.


It might be too confusing if both Teen Trunks and Future Trunks were both in the series and one way to solve this problem would be through Future Trunks’ death. No one wants to see Future Trunks become a casualty. However, his death could serve a grander purpose or help other characters, like Vegeta, surpass their limits and reach new heights.

2 Future Trunks Would Have Played An Essential Role In The Battles Against Moro & Gas

Future Trunks is Powerful and Would Have Helped the Rest of the Heroes

Future Trunks rushes Goku Black in his timeline in Dragon Ball Super.


Future Trunks is one of Dragon Ball Super’s strongest characters, and he makes a significant contribution to Goku and Vegeta’s efforts to take out Future Zamasu and Goku Black. Future Trunks doesn’t stick around to face the franchise’s subsequent antagonists, like Planet-Eater Moro and the Heeter Force’s Gas. However, Future Trunks would absolutely be front and center in these fights if he were still around.

The heroes manage to survive these tense encounters, but it’s possible that they wouldn’t be so overwhelmed if Future Trunks was also there to provide support. Future Trunks might even have been able to defeat some of the Galactic Bandit Brigade’s stronger members, like Saganbo and Seven-Three. Additionally, there’s still a major battle against Black Frieza on the horizon and it remains unclear how the heroes will fare in this fight. It’s another situation where Future Trunks’ help would be essential. The heroes are going to need every reinforcement that’s available for this fight and Future Trunks even has a reputation for taking out Frieza.


1 Future Trunks Would Be A Natural God Of Destruction Candidate

Beerus Would Have no Choice But to Consider Future Trunks

A particularly interesting development that’s come to light in Dragon Ball Super’s manga is Beerus’ desire to find a new God of Destruction candidate. Beerus has trained Goku and Vegeta, who have both excelled in different areas, and he’s considered them both for this prestigious title. Vegeta has even mastered Hakai and earned himself a God of Destruction earring. Both characters have turned down this honor and Beerus has started to expand his horizons and consider characters like Gohan, after the advent of his recent Beast transformation. Gohan Beast is certainly strong enough to be a God of Destruction, but it’s a title that doesn’t properly reflect his state of mind.


Future Trunks, on the other hand, could really thrive in this position. Future Trunks has already helped defend his timeline, and it’s likely that he’d be spending time on Beerus’ Planet, alongside Goku, Vegeta, and Broly, training under Beerus and Whis. Future Trunks is displaced from his original timeline and would be a fitting choice for Universe 7’s God of Destruction. This direction for his character could even lead into Time Patrol material from the Xenoverse video games and finally make that proper canon, too.

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