History TearJerker / DragonballZ

** While Vegeta's in the middle of his self-destruct attack, two things happen. Krillin, the one who had every reason to hate Vegeta's guts, literally ''screams'' Vegeta's name. In the anime, Piccolo, who likewise has every reason to hate Vegeta's guts, can't stand to watch this and is about to fly over to put an end to it. Krillin grabs his cape and says basically, "...He needs this, Piccolo." That's right. Two people who wouldn't be blamed for not caring about Vegeta after all the crap he's done to them are literally having to wrestle with and accept that Vegeta is about to die. Of his own volition to protect the Earth and his family.

** Watch the rest of the Buu Saga, then go back and watch that scene. His last "go" was in Pure Buu's voice. [[FridgeHorror Implying that the original Buu was trying to take over at that moment, meaning for the first time, Buu was fighting against his evil nature and it was winning.]]

** When Vegeta asks Piccolo if he'll see Goku in the afterlife, Piccolo point-blank tells him he'll be sent to Hell for his past crimes. The anime makes it even more tragic with the closeup of Vegeta's eye, demonstrating how wistful he is that he won't ever see his family or Goku again once he dies. Despite the bad news, Vegeta [[FaceDeathWithDignity accepts his fate]] and tells Piccolo to take Trunks and Goten to safety after knocking them out.

** When Vegeta asks Piccolo if he'll see Goku in the afterlife, Piccolo point-blank tells him he'll be sent to Hell for his past crimes. The anime makes it even tragic with the closeup of Vegeta's eye, demonstrating how wistful he is that he won't ever see his family or Goku again once he dies. Despite the bad news, Vegeta [[FaceDeathWithDignity accepts his fate]] and tells Piccolo to take Trunks and Goten to safety after knocking them out.

** While Vegeta's in the middle of his self-destruct attack, two things happen. Krillin, the one who had every reason to hate Vegeta's guts literally ''screams'' Vegeta's name. Piccolo, who likewise has every reason to hate Vegeta's guts, can't stand to watch this and is about to fly over to put an end to it. Krillin grabs his cape and says basically, "...He needs this, Piccolo." That's right. Two people who wouldn't be blamed for not caring about Vegeta after all the crap he's done to them are literally having to wrestle with and accept that Vegeta is about to die. Of his own volition to protect the Earth and his family.

** The speech in Kai is just as upsetting:
--> ''"Gohan. Listen to me. There are some foes who cannot be reasoned with. You are allowed to fight on the side of justice. Seize upon your anger. Wield it like a weapon. I understand your reluctance, but holding it in is pointless. Gohan, I love the animals and everything about nature. Protect them. For me."''

** One of the most heartbreaking fillers would have to be the one when Gohan washes up on a beach and is found by the local [[HeartwarmingOrphan orphans]], titled "Escape From Piccolo". The episode is adorable in that Gohan makes friends with many children his own age for probably the first time in his life. But just as Gohan gets comfortable with his new friends, some people from the local foster home come to take the kids away. Gohan then meets the leader of the kids, [[AFatherToHisMen Pigero]] and helps him protect the orphans. One of the adults tries to tell them that if they come with them, they will go to a place where they will get new clothes and hot meals, but Pigero believes that she is lying and tells her off. Later that night, Gohan explains he still has a mother, and was on his way to see her before he met them. Much to his surprise, the other children tell him it doesn't really matter to them whether he's an orphan or not. When Gohan tells them where his house is, they all come up with a plan. The next day when the adults leave the van, they are immediately bombarded with rocks. With the men distracted, Pigero commandeers it, then signals to Gohan and the others. They all pile in just as the police show up. Pigero orders the kids to scramble and they all rush to get away, but they are surrounded. While the kids are grabbed, they fight to keep from being taken. Unfortunately, it's not enough as the police soon overwhelm all of the kids except for Gohan, who barely manages to free Pigero. Then poor Pigero, [[BeingGoodSucks considering the future of the other orphans, grabs Gohan and they escape in a stolen police car and drive away with tears in his eyes, to the betrayal of the other kids.]] After they've escaped, Gohan demands to know why Pigero left the others behind. Pigero tells him his reason is [[IDidWhatIHadToDo because he cannot provide enough for them and that maybe the people from ''the home'' can do more for them.]] After he drops Gohan off, Pigero drives away as he sets off to start a new life. It may have only been a single filler episode, but ''good God''.

** And it's that moment that you realize that Goku has no idea what is happening to him and ''doesn't trust himself around his own son.''

--> ''"Defeat Frieza... I beg of you... Frieza must die... by... a Saiyan's... hands..."''
** [[spoiler: [[FridgeBrilliance The great thing about this is that Vegeta's wish does come true, due to his own son Trunks killing Frieza on Earth]].]]

--> '''Frieza''': It seems our game is over, Vegeta. Now that we're done here, it's time to send you crying home to mommy.

* It’s sad and painful to note that the next time Goku loses himself to his rage like this was all the way in the Future Trunks Arc when [[spoiler: Zamasu murders Chichi and Goten]]. His unyielding hatred was triggered twice by the death of his dearest loved ones.

** That and his heartbroken reaction when he's face to face with the [[spoiler: supposedly]] brainwashed Piccolo.
* Filler it may be, but in the episode 'You’re My Guy... Krillin! The 101st Proposal', the final minutes are wrenching: [[spoiler:watching Krillin realizing that Maron would have agreed to marry him and then running off with another guy moments later is bad enough, but the final scene where he tries to laugh it off with his friends but the audience (and perhaps Gohan as well) can see the tears hidden behind the sunglasses is just heartbreaking]].

* In one scene during the Cell saga, [[spoiler:Cell returns and Gohan is fighting him. As his Kamehameha wave is being overpowered by Cell's, we see Goku speaking to Gohan and telling him how much he believes in him.]]
** Similarly, one can't help but feel for Krillin, Tien, Yamcha, and ([[PapaWolf especially]]) Piccolo, who all attempt to help Gohan by blasting Cell, only for the latter to incapacitate them by simply powering up more so that his energy overwhelms them. They succeed in distracting him momentarily, but after they get blown away for the last time, each of them can only apologize for not having the strength to help more. [[spoiler: Thankfully, Vegeta [[BigDamnHeroes blasts Cell]] at the last moment, giving Gohan the opportunity to strike the killing blow.]]

** [[spoiler: Becomes [[HappyEndingOverride even more worse]] for Future Trunks's timeline, as ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'' rolls around...]]

** The worst part of the whole ordeal was [[spoiler: seeing Majin Buu's devastated expression of shock and trauma as he saw his dog Bee get shot. It's the first time his eyes were open when he WASN'T responsible for a violent act, which made this scene both a literal and figurative eye-opener for the reformed Majin Buu.]]

** [[spoiler: It wins, leading to a mass murdering, gluttonous brute, who, after absorbing Piccolo, gets Gohan ''real'' nasty in [[BreakThemByTalking Breaking Him by Talking]]; and later reverts to its omnicidal maniac self, one wonders if [[AndIMustScream the Good Buu is being forced to experience this with no way of preventing this.]]]]

* Mr. Satan tearing up when he finds [[spoiler:Fat Buu after Kid Buu spits him out]]. "PleaseWakeUp... you're the only friend I have!" And that line really puts Mr. Satan's entire character into perspective. Although his FakeUltimateHero status has made him essentially the most famous man on Earth, other than Buu, ''he has no friends.'' His wife is dead, his daughter knows he's a liar, and he knows that all those fans love the lie he created, not him. Were the truth ever to come out, they would all abandon him.[[note]]Speaking of Videl, this could easily explain his overly-strict policy on Videl dating. It has nothing to do with Videl having someone to protect her, and more to do with the possibility of her eventually leaving him if she found someone else. This is supported with how, after befriending Buu, he becomes far less hostile to Gohan (apart from [[WhatTheHellHero chewing the kid out for 'letting' Videl die]]).[[/note]] Of course, this becomes HeartwarmingInHindsight come ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'', where he gets along quite nicely with Goku as well.

*** The fact that of what proceeded it, Vegeta of getting a quick and flashy death as would be expected from [[KickTheSonOfABitch such a person who had been a massive prick outside of pragmatic decisions to help the heroes throughout the arc, with his death by Frieza's hands should be cathartic for everything he's done up till that point]]. [[AlasPoorVillain Instead Vegeta gets one of the worst beatings in the series after his hopes of finally avenging his race being dashed, with Frieza sadistically/needlessly torturing him after the Saiyan had lost the will to fight]]. [[EveryoneHasStandards Even Piccolo, Gohan and Krillin who had every reason to hate him; are sickened by the sight and attempt to get him out of it]].
*** It also has [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything the aspect of Vegeta being a someone trying to stand up to his father figure]], [[AbusiveParents only to put down verbally and physically for even attempting it in the first place.]]

*** What hits home in this poignant scene is that though Vegeta is telling the story as he is dying of a punctured heart, Goku tries calming him down, warning him not to waste his breath in talking lest he end up killing himself; but Goku (and the audience in particular) knows that his warning could be useless, and that Vegeta is about to die anyway. The sad music in ''Dragon Ball Kai'' (along with slightly improved dubbing) makes this scene all the more heartbreaking.

** It gets worse when you consider that the only people who survived Buu's attack were those on the lookout, Those skilled enough to dodge[[labelnote:*]]Just Tien and Chiaotzu[[/labelnote]] and most heartbreakingly, ''Mr. Satan and Bee.'' Some fans have taken them surviving as [[FightingFromTheInside Good Buu's final act of defiance against Super Buu.]]

** Gohan going [=SSJ2=] as "Day of Destiny" plays in the original version.

-->'''Goku:''' [[ArmorPiercingQuestion Well if having feelings is a weakness, why am '''I''' the only Saiyan left?!]]

'''Goku:''' [[ArmorPiercingQuestion Well if having feelings is a weakness, why am '''I''' the only Saiyan left?!]]

'''Vegeta, King Vegeta, & Bardock:''' ''[in unison]'' Yet he battled and broke me just as he did the others. You cannot know the torment I've died in.\\

-->'''Future Trunks''': My mother wanted the world to have a good future, even if she couldn't live in it.

--> ''"Defeat Freeza... I beg of you... Frieza must die... by... a Saiyan's... hands..."''

*** The fact that of what proceeded it, Vegeta of getting a quick and flashy death as would be expected from [[KickTheSonOfABitch such a person who had been a massive prick outside of pragmatic decisions to help the heroes throughout the arc, with his death by Frieza's hands should be cathartic for everything he's done up till that point]]. [[AlasPoorVillain Instead Vegeta gets one of the worst beatings in the series after his hopes of finally avenging his race being dashed, with Freeza sadistically/needlessly torturing him after the Saiyan had lost the will to fight]]. [[EveryoneHasStandards Even Piccolo, Gohan and Krillin who had every reason to hate him; are sickened by the sight and attempt to get him out of it]].

* Not long after Vegeta's death, and Goku is on the brink of death at the hands of Frieza, Vegeta's spirit appears (either in naked form in the original version and in ''Kai'' (with the bottom half obscured in the latter), or {{shirtless|Scene}} in the [=FUNimation=] dub), telling him to remember what Freeza had done to the Saiyan race and their home planet and encouraging him to destroy Freeza. Also accompanying Vegeta are his father, followed by Goku's father Bardock.

** Remember, this is not the same Piccolo that fought the Saiyans or even Freeza. He shares a being with both Nail, who had to endure the near genocide and destruction of his homeworld, and Kami, who was devastated at the loss of lives he presided over when Cell went on his murder spree. All of that emotion compounded and expanded to the billions that inhabited the Earth? It's a miracle Piccolo didn't suffer a stroke.

** The fact that Super Buu existed at all wasn't a need for power for domination or to the sake of power like Freeza or Cell would; he was born from Good Buu trying to compromise between his promise with Hercule to not kill and his desire to harm the two shooters from his awakened empathy. His hatred and evil literally consume him, resulting in a monster whose level of heinous evil far surpasses even his original self, if only not in complete lack of restraint. All born from a being that finally learned about the suffering of others.

---> ''"Pathetic... to think that the [[{{Satan}} Demon King]] Piccolo should fall protecting a child... I have been... contaminated by the decency... of both you and your father... Gohan... though I have been... cruel towards you... you remain the... only person who has ever spoken to me... with kindness... These last few months with you were not that bad... Please don't die... Gohan..."''

'''Tien:''' You stupid... ugly... Son of a bitch. His name was Chiaotzu! '''KIKOHO!'''

--> "Kakarot... Listen. Destroy... Frieza. He made me what I am...don't let him do it to anyone else... Whatever it takes...stop him...please..."

-->"I beg you, Kakarot...please beat him... for me. For the pride of our race... Please. He must die by... a Saiyan's... hands..."

---> '''Goku''': For you to actually cry... For you to beg me for my help... I can only imagine how hard that must have been for you to do. I get it now. It wasn't losing your race that made you so angry. At least not entirely. You were mad because he forced you to be his puppet. You couldn't stand losing your pride. I may have hated you when you were alive. But I always respected your pride. And now it's time for me to share that pride. Pride in myself. ''[to Frieza]'' I am a Saiyan that was raised on Planet Earth. And in the name of every single Saiyan that you made suffer..! For them and all the people of Planet Namek too..! I will defeat you!

'''Vegeta, King Vegeta, & Bardock:''' ''[in unison]'' Yet he battled and broke me just as he did the others. You cannot know the torment I've died in!\\

--> '''Gohan''': DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!